A Field Guide to Murder

A Novel

By: Michelle L. Cullen

Narrated by: Eric Fox, Shaina Summerville

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.

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

©2026 Michelle L. Cullen (P)2026 Spotify Audiobooks

Delightful Addition to the Mystery Genre

I read this book on a lark when nothing else worked, and what a pleasant surprise. Harry, a widower recovering from a broken hip, and 29 year old Emma, his caretaker, a former critical care nurse, are a totally unexpected investigative duo; but they work. So Well.

Thankfully, I am not widowed, but I could relate to Harry's perspective on a number of life events and just everyday concerns. Emma is a delightful character. Their partnership is comfortable but far from boring. Particularly endearing was Harry's habit of finding just the right book title to convey advice or encouragement to Emma. I truly enjoyed this read and hope these two have many more adventures to come.

The narrator is great, and I give it 5 stars on all fronts.

Felt like I was solving crime right along with them!

I fell for these endearing characters as they navigated the twists and turns that kept me on my toes and suspicious of everyone in the neighborhood!