The Missing Diamond Murder

Set in 1930 England, Janes’s unimpressive third cozy featuring Fran Black and Tom Dod (after 2018’s The Poisoned Chalice Murder) finds the couple, who have become friends through a literary club, in a difficult position, since Fran wants their relationship to become more than that but must keep Tom at arm’s length during her divorce proceedings, as they’ve been accused of indeed having an affair. Tom manages to secretly slip Fran a note during a club gathering, suggesting that she assist the Edgerton family with a mystery they contacted him about. Fran agrees and travels to the Edgertons’ country home in Devon, where she learns that she has two puzzles to solve. Was the fall from a cliff of elderly, wheelchair-bound Frederick Edgerton the prior year foul play? And was a diamond he owned stolen or just misplaced? Fran checks alibis and looks for clues, and in the end resorts to trickery to unmask a killer. Fran is too thin a character to compensate for an uninspired plot and contrived climax. Jessica Fletcher fans will be disappointed. [em](Nov.) [/em]