The Funeral Birds by Paula R.C. Readman.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

Funeral Birds is a charming little tale about a private detective who is about to close his agency for good when one last client walks in.

I don’t usually read crime fiction, but I found this to be a fun, fast-paced story with some very well-shaped characters. I liked the protagonist and his wife, and the dynamic between them. Miss Legs Eleven intrigued me too, of course – the clue as to why is in her name!

What made this an interesting story was the subtle genre cross-over between crime and horror. Elements of the gothic were plentiful, including owls, churchyards, and graves. The fact the narration was from the perspective of a detective agency allowed the story to flow easily without being heavy on police procedure.

I think this could be the beginning of a series of novellas about Dave Cavendish.

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