Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely last Wednesday of January? There is so much to scream into the void about, but I’m going to push it down and focus on the book review. That’s right! It’s book review time! This month, I went with a cozy mystery. A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen was released yesterday (the 27th) from Crooked Lane Books. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s do the thing!

A Field Guide to Murder follows Harry, who has recently fractured his hip and believes his globetrotting life is behind him, and Emma, his caregiver who is trying to get Harry back into the world while avoiding her own problems. When a neighbor calls him during her death throes, Harry finds life in trying to solve her (maybe) murder. Emma gets dragged along for the ride until she realizes she’s finding herself as well. Can they help each other find renewed purposes for their lives? Can they solve the case?

Plot: enjoyable. I’m growing fond of stories that follow people post-retirement. Harry is an older gentlemen and Emma becomes like a second daughter to him. Found family! The mystery part of the plot is standard, but with little twists that make it fun. An upscale gated neighborhood basically (not sure if it’s actually gated or just has that feel) where everyone knows each other and it turns out most of them are shady. One of them dies mysteriously. Drama is revealed. Plus Emma’s drama. It’s all woven together pretty well for the most part. No real complaints here.

Characters: there are too many. This is my only real complaint about this book. There are far too many named characters that don’t really need to exist. It happens a lot when stories are weak, so the author throws in a bunch of names to confuse the reader in an attempt to hide what’s happening. I hate it, especially when it isn’t needed. This story is strong. We don’t need to meet every single neighbor. I knew who the bad guy was, but I kept confusing another name with his, so it was super weird. There are like 12 neighbors plus Emma’s family and Harry’s family and his acquaintances. Oh, and the police officers. It was an unnecessary amount. That said, I loved Harry and Emma. There wasn’t enough page time to get to know everyone else properly.

Writing: smooth. There wasn’t anything particularly special about the writing. It was unobtrusive and let the story shine. Made for a quick, smooth read.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed A Field Guide to Murder. Aside from the annoying amount of characters, I liked this one. I’ll definitely pick up book two if there is one.

Overall, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I do recommend it for anyone who loves cozy mysteries, older protagonists, or even just found family stories.