The Venice Murders (2025) by Merryn Allingham

💙 I was actually invited by the publisher to participate in this book's blog tour on its publication day, but since I was in the middle of my tax certification course, I had to withdraw from it. I had finished reading at that time, but just couldn't find time to write a proper review to give this delightful book a credit. But I have promised to publish a review on this blog, so here it is..

💙 The Venice Murders is the 11th book in Flora Steele Mystery instalment, and that, in itself, is a wonderful achievement - to be able to write (and publish) a series of eleven nice cozy mysteries that still fascinate its readers. This time the newlywed couple: bookshop owner Flora Steele and her husband, a mystery writer Jack Carrington, embarked for their (belated) honeymoon to Venice. Thus we are nicely treated with the late 1950s of Venice atmosphere along the story. Of course, a murder occurred almost at the beginning of their no-sleuthing-intended course. Their favorite hotel's receptionist was found dead, floating on the Grand Canal, while they had witnessed him in arguing with the restaurant owner the night they checked in to the hotel. No doubt, he was murdered. But by whom? The restaurant owner? His jilted fiancée?

💙 But that wasn't all. A priceless painting had disappeared from a small parish church. And on top of that, the priest's elderly housekeeper was missing too. Are the murder, the theft, and the kidnapping(?) three separate cases? Or they were somehow connected to each other? If you have been following the series, you'd guess easily that Flora thought so, while Jack thought otherwise. It's always the same pattern, isn't it? Flora always thought the worse in these cases, with her various 'hunches', and Jack's always the skeptic one. Well, it makes them the perfect and most interesting sleuthing couple! 

💙 For me, The Venice Murders has the perfect balance in the amount of mystery, dangerous actions, and fun (the foods, the romantic escapades you naturally want to happen in Venice - riding the gondola under the moonlight, for instance). It's just the kind of cozy mystery I'll enjoy anytime. Moreover, few of the familiar characters from Abbeymead (their home village) made appearance too, without making it too boring. In short, a gripping mystery with a sprinkle of excitement here and there. Loved it!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2