A Field Guide to Murder - by Michelle L Cullen

Book Synopsis

A cranky widower and his spirited caregiver team up to solve his neighbor's murder in this charming and original mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.

Once a globe-trotting anthropologist, Harry Lancaster is now certain that all his grand adventures are behind him. Recently widowed and suffering from a fractured hip, Harry spends his days and nights behind a pair of binoculars, nose-deep in his neighbors' affairs. His millennial caregiver, Emma, is determined to get him out of his armchair and back into the world.

Fate intervenes when Harry's mysterious neighbor Sue phones, pleading for help. But instead of rescuing her, Harry and Emma find Sue dead: poisoned, days after a break-in at Sue's house. Harry resolves to find out what happened, and Emma insists on going along for the ride. Together, they discover motives and suspects abound in Harry's quaint condominium community--putting them both in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer.

Readers of Kristen Perrin and Deanna Raybourn will be charmed by this quirky, cross-generational murder mystery.

Review Quotes

Praise for A Field Guide to Murder
"This cross-generational cozy-but-with-murder is sure to delight readers of Deanna Raybourn and Richard Osman."
--First Clue

"The plot and subplots in A Field Guide to Murder intertwine seamlessly with humor, sorrow, heart, and hopefulness along with an intriguing mystery. I love a sleuthing duo and Harry and Emma became instant favorites."
--Sherry Harris, Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery series and the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon mysteries

"A Field Guide To Murder, Michelle L. Cullen's debut mystery, is a devious delight!
The residents of an upscale retirement community in Ohio are shocked when the body of a troublesome widow is found poisoned to death. Was it an unfortunate accident? The police seem to think so, but the victim's neighbor, recent widower and anthropologist Harry Lancaster, doesn't agree. With the help of his young caregiver, Emma, Harry decides to investigate. What the unlikely sleuthing duo finds beneath the community's serene veneer is a tangle of lies and motives. Just about everyone in the community had a reason to remove the troublesome victim. A Field Guide To Murder is a brilliantly written whodunit with wit, engaging characters, emotional depth, and a surprise ending. I can't wait for the next installment.
--Connie Berry, USA Today bestselling author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries

"Michelle L. Cullen's cleverly plotted and warm-hearted debut mystery blends the suburban neighborhood secrets of Desperate Housewives with the observational amateur sleuthing of Rear Window. Told in dual perspective by two very different, but equally engaging, protagonists--a retired international aid official with an injured hip and his young home nurse--A Field Guide to Murder is a fresh take on the cozy genre that will hopefully blossom into a series."
--Victoria Gilbert, author of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery cozy mystery series and the Hunter and Clewe traditional mystery series.

"Delightful intergenerational duo solving a compelling crime that will make sure you never look at the neighbors the same way again. Can't wait to embark on Harry and Emma's next adventure--dare we hope in an exotic foreign local!"
--Melinda Mullet, author of A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder and the Whiskey Business Mysteries

"Cullen perfectly balances charm and smarts in this sparkling debut. With a likeable odd couple leading the way, readers will enjoy a fresh spin on the senior sleuth mystery. Packed with wit, wisdom, and just the right amount of mayhem, A Field Guide to Murder is a delightful, cozy escape."
--Mindy Quigley, author of the Deep Dish mysteries

About the Author

Michelle L. Cullen has lived, traveled, and studied all over the world: from working as a (decent if powered by enough espresso) bilingual secretary in Paris; to backpacking around Europe, Central America, and Southern Africa; to helping rebuild communities after war throughout Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific. She earned her master's degree in anthropology at Melbourne University in Australia and her PhD in sociology at the London School of Economics in England. A fan of adventure, she has a black belt in Taekwondo, has summited 900 feet rock climbing, and has flown a helicopter (once, during a lesson, for five terrifying minutes). She currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she's either doing yoga, playing outside, or plotting murder.