Murder in the Grave

 Murder in the Grave (2021) by Irina Shapiro

Jason Redmond and his new bride have just returned from their honeymoon trip to Italy. Just in time for the newly wedded lord to land in the middle of another puzzling mystery.

Sebastian Slade, a young curate who had recently come to Upper Finchley from London, is covered over in a grave that had been prepared for another body. When Arthur Weeks, tasked with digging graves and making preparations for funerals, stopped by the grave early in the morning to make sure that all was shipshape he was surprised to find it not as deep as it should be. Thinking he must have made a mistake, he grabs his shovel and prepares to dig a little deeper and is shocked to find a body under the loose earth at the bottom. That same shovel was used to bash Slade over the head and bury him in the open grave. But who would have wanted to kill the new curate?

When Redmond and Inspector Haze begin to investigate, the answer seems to be "nobody." The man hadn't been in the area long enough to make enemies and everyone speaks of how kind and nice he was. But the longer they look, the more they find that the good man of God wasn't. Good, that is. He was sent to the country parish as punishment for butting heads with his superior in London. He had a taste for gambling. And an eye for a pretty face...especially if the pretty face was a bit on the young side. Did one of his creditors get tired of waiting for payment? Or did a relative of one of the girls he seduced decide to take revenge? Meanwhile, our detectives discover that Slade's niece was kidnapped and the trail seems to lead to Upper Finchley. Is there a connection to Slade's murder? Redmond and Haze need to find out before there is another death...

This series is turning into a bit of a comfort read for me. Comfortable characters with interesting interactions. Just enough background on the recurring characters to give them depth without bogging down the mystery with personal drama, angst, or hang-ups (like so many current authors like to weigh their detectives down with). And the plot in this one is a bit stronger than the previous four (not they weren't good). We got a nice little twist on the motive and I like the way Shapiro ties up all the loose ends from the two mysteries. A very strong entry.  ★★★★ and 1/2.

First line (Prologue): The day dawned bright and humid, the sun blazing in a cloudless sky and the temperature rising with every passing hour.

First line (1st Chapter): Jason Redmond came awake in the best way possible to find his new wife leaning over him, her lips brushing against his as her nightdress offered a tantalizing glimpse of her lovely breasts.

Last line: "The Bells," Jason agreed, and followed Daniel to the tavern.
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Deaths = 9 (one hit on head; four natural; three hanged; one beaten to death)