A CLAIM MURDER by Jean G Goodhind

2* This missed the mark for me. I don't really think the author thought the plot out, just characters that she wanted to use, relevant or not, the best of which was the bengal, followed by Mary-Jane.

I really wanted to like this cosy mystery, but it wasn't well-thought-out enough. I'm new to the series, but it wasn't hard to get into the tale, though the start with the boat sinking was a bit wordy and convoluted. Yes, it gave an opening and an intro to the first deceased, but it felt unrealistic that a cop on a sabbatical that'd lasted around 2 years would be straight back in the fold and 'investigating' a murder (he wasn't at all professional and didn't seem in charge) even before being brought up to speed with changes, and with retraining and current events. It was also unrealistic that Honey would be accompanying him on official jaunts, but tbh, with Mary-Jane, she might have done OK by herself as part of an unorthodox investigating duo.

Why this didn't work for me: 

The 2 or 3 cop characters mentioned went nowhere. Why big one up to hate Steve but do nothing with it?

The Turnip/Turpin thing went nowhere and I couldn't see what allegedly happened, happening. Especially with the reveal about CCTV.

The scenes at the cattery were OTT and bigged up nothing into nothing. 

Having more than one character with a name starting with the same initial was confusing.

Tassel was the best thing in the tale. 

The reason for the first murder wasn't explained, nor was the M.O. of the second.

Steve wasn't very intelligent - who makes payment on an insurance policy to a personal bank account of a broker, especially without a policy document? He's meant to be a cop but came across as not living in 2025.

There's an offensive term in this, just a few pages in, that's long deemed un-PC, and racially derogatory, that the editor should've pulled from this tale. I'm stunned to come across it.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Joffe Books for my reading pleasure.

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