Book Review: A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia by Clara Benson

 Book Review:
A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia by Clara Benson

Cover from Goodreads

A while back, I read A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia by Clara Benson, who has also written many more mysteries, some of her most popular being the Angela Marchmont series (and whose website, by the way, is gorgeous). Directly after reading it, this was my review on Goodreads (no worries, it's completely spoiler-free!):

A thoroughly pleasant read, with a great cast of characters and a vibe that made me imagine the whole thing as if it were a black-and-white murder mystery film with a lighthearted, somewhat comedic tone. I'm especially a big fan of the dialogue - the way it was written really feels spot-on, and the characters have that old-fashioned wit about them that is so difficult to replicate today.

The main character, Freddy, is a likeable and charming young man who finds himself roped into this messy murder and ends up doing the right thing for all involved. While I did find certain characters a bit exasperating - Cynthia, for example - I suppose that was the point, and it was in fact a very good likeness of that black and white film comedy as well! I am especially intrigued to learn more about Valentina (and hope she will return in future books), and I quite like how each character's "ending" in this first book leaves things somewhat open for new and intriguing mysteries. Very well-written characters, with lots of background information revealed about all of them throughout the book and especially at the end.

Overall, a lovely book to read - not too heavy, and while I did have the murderer tagged very early on in the book, it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story at all. The climax was still fun to read, and I felt the wrap-up of the book was quite well-done. The whole thing came to a rather satisfying closure.

Final verdict: A recommended read for anyone with a desire for a good old-fashioned murder mystery with a charming amateur detective and a great set of fun characters. All in all, took me about 4 hours to read because I was enjoying it so much, and I definitely recommend it for a night in or a cozy reading day.

I still stick to this review today, and recommend the book to any lovers of mystery. I enjoyed the simplicity and clarity of the writing, and the fascinating cast of characters around Freddy - those involved in the case at hand as well as those who just happen to be a part of his life. 

I highlighted quite a few passages that I particularly loved and thought were rather well-written, but as some of them contain spoilers, I'll share only three favourite lines here, each only one sentence long, and maybe they will help you get an idea of the writing style and tone of the book, which I find particularly lovely in a very English sort of way.

Favourite line #1:

He was a bon-vivant perched at the very pinnacle of society, although nobody could quite say how he had achieved his position, since he did not seem to be celebrated for anything in particular.

Favourite line #2:

Barbed remarks sugar-coated with tinkling laughter had passed back and forth between the two ladies all evening, and it had taken all the diplomatic finesse of the man who sat between them to prevent mutual tensions from descending into open warfare.

Favourite line #3:

'I say, that's rather bloodthirsty,' said Freddy.

If you like Agatha Christie's novels, or a nice cozy mystery to keep you warm in the winter, I would most definitely try out one of Benson's books - and why not start with A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia?