A Dangerous Goodbye (A Fen Churche Mystery)
In 1944, land girl Fenella “Fen” Churche receives a cryptic letter from her fiancé, Arthur, stationed in France. The letter may be his last and gives crossword-style clues about his assignment and possibly his role as a British spy supporting the French resistance. Once the war is over in 1945, Fen travels to the French village of Morey-Fontaine, noted for its vineyards, to confirm Arthur’s death and understand the meaning of the clues. She gets a job at a rundown chateau where Arthur may have been stationed, and then the murders begin.
A Dangerous Goodbye, the first book in what may become a Fen Churche Mystery series, is an easy read mainly because the plot and characters are flat. The novel is rich in setting and description, and Fen is likeable, but she is bereft of any credible emotion, as are the other characters. Her fiancé may be dead, but she goes about her duties without a tear or thought until she receives confirmation. Her grief lasts briefly before it is forgotten. This extends to the other characters. Three murders occur days apart, but life continues with minimal if any grieving or other emotion from both family and friends. Fen’s interactions with the other characters are also stiff and awkward. She just has to ask about Arthur but when she does, a character is conveniently called away for no credible reason, or the opposite happens. Out of the blue, a character offers information.
A Dangerous Goodbye is a light cozy mystery. Whodunit, however, is too easy to figure out.
