I was very kindly given an e-arc of this book via Netgalley and Little, Brown.

The third instalment in the Three Dahlia's series is much stronger than its second and makes for a twisty, if occasionally too complicated for its own good, murder mystery that adds a sprinkle of 'Only Murders in the Building' into the mix for good luck.

Caro, Rosalind and Posy return, this time attending a crime writing festival in a small town, where the murder of the festival's former organiser still hangs over everything. A new podcast is due to launch about the murder and the Dahlia's have been drafted in to help the creators solve it. Because the characters are so well established now, slipping into these books feels like putting on a very comfy pair of leggings. This book spends more time focusing on Caro than any other and adds great depth to a character who has a lot more personality (it feels) than the other two. Their stories never quite take off in this instalment, though they add plenty to the unravelling of the murder mystery.

Because there are seven suspects and, quite literally, an entire village to cram into a book, I felt things got a bit too complicated. The supporting characters tended to blur into one another after a while - particularly the men - and so by the time we got to the big reveal (which I did very much enjoy), it was difficult to get fully shocked over who was actually the murderer. The ending felt rather rushed, particularly as we had spent so very long getting to that point (I've often found the middle of Watson's books to be the weakest aspect), though you get a conclusion that feels suitably satisfying. My socks are never blown completely off by a Dahlias mystery, but I don't put them down, which says everything. Another good addition to the series.

'Seven Lively Suspects' is available now.