Let's talk about Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet, the first in the Max Tudor series, but first let me ruminate on my love of the oh so pleasant, yet utterly sinister, cozy mystery genre.
It was a dark and stormy autumn and I needed a book that was fictional with Halloween being a center point of the setting. Unless you want a children's book, there really aren't many adult fiction titles where Halloween plays a large role, that is until you explore the cozy mystery genre. That is when I found The Diva Haunts the House by Krista Davis and was enamored with the genre from there on out.
Now let me stop myself and explain what a cozy is. Cozies are part of the mystery genre. They are characterized by a pleasant setting, usually a small town, and the main character having a hobby, job, or interest that is the center point of the series (i.e. sewing, owning a bookstore, being a cat lover, and, I shit you not, crafting with gourds). The murder takes place off screen and the main character somehow gets pulled into the crime (almost always murder) and starts sleuthing. As per their name, they make for a cozy read.
Alright now let's get into Wicked Autumn. Max is the town's new priest and when we meet him he's been in his position for enough time to feel fairly comfortable with his parishioners. He has a mysterious past as a former MI5 operative. Do I see some run ins with shadowy figures from his past in future books? I think I do. His happy hamlet is rocked when the town's reigning queen of the Women's Institute, Wanda, is found dead during the harvest fair she spent ages trying to make perfect. Was it an outsider? No one believes one of their own could have that kind of evil intent in their heart, but still waters run deep.
Cozy mysteries tend towards non-literary writing (that's a euphemism) but are such fun potato chip reads that you look past it. I was pleasantly surprised that the writing in Malliet's book was fun, the characters very well established and the setting as comfortable as ever. Many first books in a series rush to define all their characters but I didn't feel overwhelmed while the characters personalities and quarks were unraveled. If I continue the series I'm excited to get to know the characters more.
My disappointment in the book was the conclusion. It felt forced and a little too convenient. This is typically my response with cozies. Because the main character is not allowed in on all the police actions, it always feels like you're missing chunks. In the end they did walk through the whys and hows of the murder, which made me happy. So often the sleuth leaves out the overview of what they found out and how they got to their conclusion. Max and the detective talk it over which wrapped the book up nicely.
Overall, a highly enjoyable read.
If you're looking for similar reads let me offer a few:
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie. The first in the Miss Marple series, it is the quintessential cozy and has a lot in common with Wicked Autumn including a victim no one liked and a small British town.
Twelve Drummers Drumming by C.C. Benison is the frist in the Father Christmas series, which, go figure, also has a clergy member from England as the centerfold and takes place in a small town.
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