Murder at the Natural History Museum (Museum Mysteries 5)
London in August 1895, and Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton return in their fifth adventure in the murder mystery series, all of which are set in the nation’s museums. After their excitement in Manchester, Daniel and Abigail are back in London, and are asked to investigate the destruction of one of the dinosaur exhibits, an iguanodon, at the Natural History Museum by the female curator Miss Scott. Their success in solving previous crimes has seen our detective duo achieving a degree of national recognition, and are now known by the press as the ‘Museum Detectives’. And when the body of one of the attendants is discovered in a small exhibition room in the Museum, our detectives are once again on familiar ground, investigating the wilful murder. Suspects emerge, as well as motivations and lots of fairly obnoxious behaviour including murder and blackmail. They work closely with Scotland Yard, as in previous novels set in London, with the positive and mutual assistance of Daniel’s friend Inspector Feather, while Superintendent Armstrong continues to be aggressive and difficult.
Occasionally the characters use language which seems a little too contemporary and there is some rather clunky explanatory historical dialogue to provide background for the reader, which doesn’t ring true as authentic conversation. The plot breezes along pleasantly, with all the mysteries neatly solved and tied up at the end of the story, even if the conclusion was just a little too melodramatic! An enjoyable, undemanding read, nonetheless.
