After a distressing phone call, Chloe Martin finds herself rushing away from her barista job in Idaho and driving straight through to Jericho Falls, Nevada to be with her Grandma Lily. After arrival, she discovers that everything was not exactly as described over the phone. Grandma Lily was not sick, but instead, just looking for a reason to bring her granddaughter back to the place where she spent so many happy summers. A place that, if given the chance, Chloe would just as soon forget. Despite her irritation with her grandmother’s deception, Chloe agrees to stay for the night before leaving the next day. What she didn’t know is that decision would lead to a much longer stay after the body of someone close to Lily is found dead in the flower bed of Jericho House.
The History of Murder is a fun, wonderfully written cozy mystery. I was swept up in the life of Chloe Martin from that very first unfortunately timed corn dog. From the beginning the story was well paced. There was just enough going on that there was never a dull moment, but also slow enough where the characters were being fully fleshed out. There wasn’t a single character whose story I didn’t enjoy reading.
It was fun that, in addition to the current mystery, there was a mystery from Chloe’s past. Chloe’s aversion to the town of Jericho Falls, given her difficult history, felt strangely relatable. While my reasons are not as extreme as Chloe’s, there are plenty of places that I avoid because of things that happened in my past. I appreciated how much time and effort she put into being there for her grandma despite her own feelings. The two mysteries intertwined well, with the main mystery taking the stage, but bits and pieces of the past weaving itself into the current time.
You all know how I feel about a magical library. I love them with all my heart. Well, this story has something else that I love just as much. A beautiful, historic manor house. Did I imagine walking the halls of Jericho House on a tour led by Grandma Lily? Absolutely. Did it make me look into getting a tour of a manor house not far from my own home? Yes. Yes it did.
I enjoyed the fact that I did not guess the ending, while I had some theories, only some of them ended up being right. Lately, I’ve felt that some of the mysteries I read feel rushed at the end. I appreciated the time it took for Chloe to figure out what was going on. Plus, it gave me time to fall in love with Chief Carner.
When I was a little over halfway through the book, I bought the second, knowing that I would for sure need to read it because I became so involved in the lives of the characters.
This book should be next on the list for anyone who loves a good cozy mystery, likable characters, and of course, beautiful manor houses.
4.5/5
The Novel Llama 