A small village in the countryside, a close group of friends, a dead chihuahua, a couple of accidental deaths and all the suspicions that surround them are the basis for Florrie Palmer’s The Decoy. A renowned singer-songwriter (she wrote 9-5 Morning Train, the hit song by Sheena Easton!), this is Ms. Palmer’s first foray into crime fiction.

Now, if you’re expecting a gory, gruesome edge-of-your-seat thriller, you’re going to be disappointed. Instead, what you get is a thoroughly engrossing and very English whodunnit, with smart writing, clever misdirection and a cast of characters that are well-written and very, very flawed. It kind of sneaks up on you and you’re left feeling slightly confused and bewildered, and that, my friends, is a wonderfully refreshing change of pace for a genre usually filled with as much shock and awe as possible.

My one grumble is that it could be a little bit slow at times. There was a slight drag in the middle of the book and there was a time that I despaired that even after finding out the who, I’d never know the why. But even with those little complaints, I still enjoyed the smart reveals and the little twists you don’t really see coming.

It’s reminiscent of a good Agatha Christie, and while I’ve seen a couple of reviewers talk about a movie, I’d actually love to see this one as a limited series. I’ve already got a few casting suggestions!

TL;DR / Kiwi’s Quick Take

What I Loved: Smart, engaging, quiet, with well-written characters. Lovely & twisty. A throwback, almost, to older murder mysteries ala Agatha Christie.

What I Didn’t Love: It dragged a little in the middle and could be slow to connect threads.

Conclusion: A smart, easy and quiet read with some great twists.