the reader of books

Quick read. I know the authors are actually from the US but the characters sound so...American, except when they are weirdly and randomly very formal and stilted ("I may call you Elizabeth, may I not?"). Also, it is odd that everyone (her parents, the police, suspects) allow Bess to go about investigating and being extremely nosy even though she has absolutely no qualifications whatsoever. As an army nurse on leave, it's hard to believe she had nothing better to do then traipse around solving the mysterious murder of some random woman she never spoke to before.

Other than all that, I did actually enjoy the book and will likely read other books in the series.