ARC Review: A Body at the Seance by Marty Wingate

A Body at the Seance
Author: Marty Wingate
Series: London Ladies' Murder Club (Book 2)
Publication: Bookouture (January 11, 2024)

Description: When a body turns up at a glamorous séance, Mabel Canning’s sleuthing skills are put to the test. Because it appears the victim died twice…

London, 1921: As a winter wind blows through the streets of London, Mabel Canning is hired by the Useful Women’s Agency to attend a séance at the home of famous medium Madame Pushkana. But when Mabel hears a choking noise and a loud thud, she quickly turns on the lights to find herself at the scene of a murder.

The victim is none other than Stamford Plomley, whose widow arranged the séance after he died in a fire eight months ago. How did he come back from the dead without a scorch mark on him? And could one of their assembled party of gentlewomen have killed him… again?

When Scotland Yard arrive, the police try to stop Mabel from interfering. But having just formed the London Ladies’ Murder Club, Mabel isn’t going anywhere. And with the help of former detective Park Winstone, she begins to piece together what really happened at the ghostly gathering.

But when Mabel receives a threatening letter warning her to stay away from the case, she realises the murderer may have another victim in mind. With time running out, will she hit a dead end? Or can she keep herself from becoming the next one to be sent to an early grave?

My Thoughts: Mabel Canning works for the Useful Women Agency in London. Her assignments might include anything from picking up dry cleaning to escorting school boys to the train to helping a woman decide where she wants to hang a valuable painting to murder.

When Mabel is hired to take Mrs Plomley to a seance where she hopes to reconnect with her husband who died in a fire eight months earlier. What she isn't anticipating is finding the formerly deceased husband dead again this time by being strangled in drapery tiebacks. Naturally Scotland Yard is involved, but Mrs Plomley wants Mabel to find out about her husband's first supposed death. 

Mabel begins looking into the first death but also investigates the other people who were at the seance to see if any of them had had earlier connections with Mr Plomley. With the help of her friends Cora and Skeff and assistance from Park Winstone and his adorable dog Gladys, Mabel is on the case. 

This was an engaging cozy mystery. I really like Mabel's determination to be an independent woman and her way a making friends which are becoming a network of people with a wide variety of skills and connections. I also like her budding relationship with Park who really understands her and encourages her to develop her talents even while hoping that she will keep out of danger. 

I look forward to more cases for Mabel and the London Ladies' Murder Club to investigate in future books. 

Favorite Quote:

Meaning no harm and going no harm were two entirely different matters, just as refusing to believe a fact didn't make it not so.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.