The Pigeon Pie Mystery is Julia Stuart's third novel and another favorite on my list. After reading The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise a while back, I was pretty excited to see that she had released another recently. I was lucky and found the sole copy on a trip to Malaprop's in Asheville, North Carolina. Note: I read this last year - so shame on me for waiting so long to finally post this review. Definitely one of my favorite reads of 2012!
Mink is left with more debt than she can manage when her father, the Maharaja of Brindor, is found dead. To make matters worse, the scandal surrounding his death is sure to promise that she'll be left in a very compromising situation. Before things actually hit rock bottom, the Queen of England allows Mink to move into one of the apartments at Hampton Court Palace (thought to be haunted by numerous historical figures) and her comfortable life is suddenly filled with awkward conversations and taxing financial planning. Just when she begins to accept her new situation, Pooki, her beloved maid, is accused of the murder of a fellow neighbor by serving him a pigeon pie at a luncheon. Mink must work to prove that Pooki is innocent by learning intimate details about her new neighbors, while also staving off a humorous budding romantic relationship.
Stuart doesn't disappoint. I'm quickly becoming one of her biggest fans. While this novel wasn't as strong as The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, it certainly contained all of the quirk that Stuart so brilliantly weaves in her often outlandish stories. Most events are so very absurd, but funny and quite clever, that it all works to create a fun story a reader can get lost in. While the characters' appearances are quite brief, effectively creating an awkward atmosphere, Stuart brings each of them to life with their own peculiar habits and histories. Overall, the novel was an enjoyable read that I recommend to readers looking for a little fun and loads of laughs.
I recently picked up Stuart's debut novel: The Matchmaker of Perigord, so look out for another review featuring this author in the future.
