Why Iris Woodmore is the Protagonist to Watch

Intriguing protagonist to watch, Iris Woodmore is a young reporter at a local newspaper. She finds herself entangled in multiple mysteries from uncovering a truth behind a suspicious death to searching for a missing person. But, these current investigations reopen old wounds making past and present collide.

Michelle Salter, has crafted a sharp, rebellious amateur sleuth in young Irish Woodmore. Set in Southern England between the World Wars, the story captures a world in flux; a time when society was being reshaped and new “normals” were just beginning to take root.

Weaving history with mystory

Michelle Salter offers a unique perspective on a pivotal milestone in England’s social history; the women’s rights movement, where activists famously reclaimed a term originally meant to derogate them. The backstories of these Suffragettes are every bit as fascinating as the central mystery.

It is rare to find a book that balances nuanced historical context with a compelling main plot so seamlessly. While this is a difficult feat to achieve in crime fiction, Salter has done an exceptional job.

About the book

  • Name of Book: Death at Crookham Hall
  • Author: Michelle Salter
  • Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
  • Publication date: June 17, 2021 
  • Audiobook length: 8 hours and 37 minutes
  • e-book ISBN 13:  978-1837510344
  • paperback ISBN 13: 978-1837510405

My rating

Story: 4/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Cover Design: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Where to buy


For more about my views on books, click here.

This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ 
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Sameeksha Reads.


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Comments

20 responses to “Why Iris Woodmore is the Protagonist to Watch”

  1. Saadique AB Avatar

    A well-balanced blend of mystery and history. Iris Woodmore feels like a compelling protagonist, and the way the social context is woven into the investigation makes the story richer without overpowering the mystery.

  2. Janaki Avatar

    Interesting! I haven’t read any book with backstories of suffragettes. When mystery is added to it, it adds all the masala. Sounds like a great book to read.

  3. Mayuri Sharrma Avatar

    Really enjoying these chottu reviews and the creatives you make for them, Aditya. Iris reminds me of Nancy Drew.

  4. Ambica Gulati Avatar

    Your reading list nowadays suits my taste! Added this to my wish list for 2026.

  5. Reubenna Dutta Avatar

    Is this a part of a series or a stand-alone book. Its sounds quite intriguing.

  6. Sivaranjini Anandan Avatar

    The protagonist is a reporter who searches for something and discovers a balance between the past and present. This seems to be a great read. History and mystery.

  7. A Rustic Mind Avatar

    Balancing nuanced historical context with a compelling main plot is indeed a difficult feat to achieve. Despite that overall 3.5/5 rating you have my interest piqued with that line of praise.

  8. Varsh Avatar

    A British female reporter entangled in all kinds of crimes is my favourite kinda genre if there was one. Curious to check it out!

  9. Wordamithkaur Avatar

    Seems like a thrilling mystery. Your review is different from the norm. Its good that not much is revealed and left for the reader to soak in.

  10. Anjali Avatar

    Love how you brought Iris Woodmore to life in your review! She sounds like such a relatable and sharp protagonist, someone you can root for while getting lost in her investigations. Adding to my reading list.

  11. Sindhu Avatar

    This book is definitely interesting. I’m going to check this out

  12. TripleAmommy Avatar
    TripleAmommy

    I really love reading mysteries – Agatha Christie being my all time favorite and this novel is pretty intriguing as well!

  13. docdivatraveller Avatar

    Your review made Iris Woodmore’s world feel vivid and compelling. The mix of historical depth, mystery, and her role as a curious reporter made her stand out as a character worth watching in this series. Great read for historical mystery fans.

  14. Sadvika Kylash Avatar

    Thankyou for the review. It seems interesting to read a crime friction genre

  15. Samata Dey Avatar

    Well the story sound quite interesting to me as I being a thriller mystery lover . I will give it a read.

  16. […] is the second installment of the Iris Woodmore mysteries I’ve listened to, following Death at Crookham Hall. Reflecting on my previous blog post, I realized I missed a crucial point: an audiobook requires […]

  17. Kanchan Singh Avatar
    Kanchan Singh

    I love when a mystery gives me both suspense and substance. A sharp female reporter, suffragette history, and secrets colliding? That’s my kind of layered, thoughtful crime read.

  18. Ishieta Chopra Avatar

    I have not seen this particular combination done before, and your praise for it has piqued my interest. ill check it out.

    1. Adi Sathe Avatar

      Please do check it out. You won’t regret

  19. Felicia Nazareth Avatar

    I enjoy stories where the protagonist evolves with the plot.

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