A Shot in the Dark by Neil Richards, Matthew Costello Narrator: Nathaniel Parker
Series: Mydworth Mysteries #1
Published by Lübbe Audio on January 31, 2020
Source: Purchased
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Novella
Length: 3 hrs 28 mins
Pages: 140
Format: Audiobook
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Sussex, England, 1929. Mydworth is a sleepy English market town just 50 miles from London. But things are about to liven up there, when young and handsome Sir Harry Mortimer returns home from his diplomatic posting in Cairo, with his beautiful and unconventional American wife, Kat. No sooner have the two arrived, when a jewel robbery occurs at Harry's aunt's home - Mydworth Manor. The police are baffled and overwhelmed with the case. But Harry and Kat have an edge in the hunt for the dangerous culprit: not only do they have certain useful "skills" they've both picked up in service of King, President and Country, they also have access to parts of English society that your average bobby can't reach...
I’ve listened to several of the Cherringham series by this Richards and Costello, so when I stumbled across A Shot in the Dark, the first in their Mydworth series, I went ahead and picked it up. I enjoy a light mystery novella, and this fit the bill.
Lord Harry Mortimer and his new wife, Kat have just arrived in England, when Harry is called to Whitehall on urgent business. So Kat decides to drive herself to their new home, but when she arrives, it’s all locked up. She walks across the fields to “nearby” Mydworth Manor where Harry’s aunt, Lady Lavinia, lives. As she arrives she hears gunshots, a man falls from a window and more shots are fired in her direction. Not quite what she was expecting.
Harry arrives and they search the body and find jewelry in his pockets. The man was Lady Lavinia’s driver, who was apparently shot while attempting to rob one of her guests. She asks Harry, and by extension Kat, to look into it, not trusting the local police.
Harry is definitely a member of the British upper class and Kat is from America, daughter of a bar owner, but has clearly done a lot of work for the State Department, some probably less than savory. They make a good couple, capable and clever.
The whodunnit was a bit easy to solve, but watching Kat and Harry put all the pieces together was enjoyable. It’s a fine start to the series.
About Matthew Costello
Matthew Costello was born in 1948 and writes novels and nonfictional works as author and coauthor. Some of his books have been adapted into film versions and he wrote for some TV channels like the BBC. He also scripts and designs videogames.
About Neil Richards
Neil Richards has worked as a producer and writer in TV and film, creating scripts for BBC, Disney, and Channel 4, and earning numerous Bafta nominations along the way. He’s also written script and story for over 20 video games including The Da Vinci Code and Starship Titanic, co-written with Douglas Adams, and consults around the world on digital storytelling. His writing partnership with NYC-based Matt Costello goes back to the late 90’s and the two have written many hours of TV together and the best-selling mystery series Cherringham. Their latest series project is called Mydworth Mysteries.
It sounds like a mystery that’s not too graphic. I think I’d enjoy the time period and setting.
I enjoyed it. I have the second pre-ordered.