What I'm Reading
Another fun cozy mystery for fans of Renaissance faires!
Vows and Villainy by Elizabeth Penney
Molly, a Vermont transplant now running her family’s bookshop in Cambridge, England with her mother and great-aunt, is looking forward to her best friend Daisy’s Shakespearean themed wedding at Hazelhurst House, the ancestral home of Molly’s boyfriend Kieran. But their plans get complicated when a body is found floating in the moat, and Molly must find the murderer before the flutes, lutes and banners announce the bride’s approach.
Penney’s fifth installment in the Cambridge Bookshop series centers around the wedding plans and a troupe of Shakespearean actors who are staying at Hazelhurst house for the summer. While all of the usual characters are involved, we get to know Daisy’s mother better, as well as Kieran’s mother, Lady Asha. The bookshop is relegated to only a few scenes, but Penney’s descriptions of Hazelhurst house (and its rare book collection) and the nearby village are probably sufficient for fans who came for the bookshop.
Vows and Villainy is a fun read especially for fans of Renaissance festivals and doesn’t require reading the four preceding books.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.
Vows and Villainy is out Nov. 25 and would make a great present for cozy mystery fans.