Title: The Chesterfield Clue: The First Chesterfield and Carrie Finger Lakes Wine Country Mystery
Author: Gwyn Parry
Publisher: Once Upon Avon Press
ISBN: B0CKXZ9WQP
Pages: 241
Genre: Fiction / Mystery
Reviewed by: Susan Brown

Read Book Review

The first book, in any series, foreshadows subsequent novels. If the follow-up novels to author Parry’s Chesterfield Clue are anything like it, readers are in for an entertaining jaunt with an eclectic cast of characters and the intrigue of their lives as they come together in the beautiful Finger Lakes area of Upstate New York.

Mysteries are by nature a jumble of misdirection, hidden clues and a little bit of mild deception, keeping readers on their toes until the big reveal at the end. This novel is no exception. Along the way, we’re introduced to the mélange of folks who are intertwined in the high-end world of the protagonist Chesterfield and his wife Carrie. Although this is the first mystery by Gwyn Parry, it is not the first introduction to the character of Chesterfield; we first became acquainted with him in the novel, The Chesterfield Hours.

Back to the mystery! This who-dun-it, set against the backdrop of the famous Finger Lakes wine region, provides a peek into the hoity-toity world of the region’s well-off inhabitants, with a dash of Brooklyn “gangster,” a sophisticated and charismatic French lawyer, and an elusive, preternatural cat that communicates with Chesterfield as his mother rounding out the crowd.

The Brooklyn gangster has a dual role, murder victim and winemaker. His winemaking is a little on the shady side — did he or did he not make an award-winning cabernet? Is that the cause of his death? That would be too humdrum for this story. At the heart is what is so often at the heart of murder … greed, lust, love, money, power, hatred … the best of human behavior! As the author writes, “Human nature is darkness. There is no Paradise under blue or any skies, in this our life on earth.”

The author’s writing style is distinctive. There’s a liveliness to it; cheery and filled with humor and innuendo, with undertones of deceit and mischief. Gwyn Parry writes with tempo. As I was reading, I found myself imagining the audiobook … perhaps voiced Sir Richard Attenborough with his fine English cadence bringing the story to life.

The writing holds its own. All of the characters are well-formed, fleshed out and interesting. The author does an excellent job of keeping the reader on task to try and figure out who the murderer is. I’m hoping we get to see more of Chesterfield and his wife Carrie as sleuths in a whatever intrigue Parry dreams us as a sequel. They’re too delightful to not be heard from again!

This author is an engaging one to add to your list of favorite mystery writer. The Chesterfield Clue is a delightful kick-off to the murder mystery genre.