Nobody really liked Brother Gorm, but his untimely and abrupt descent from the abbey’s bell tower has the Order of Venerous the Petulant on edge. Desperate to settle the case before the bishop returns, the abbot enlists the highly unorthodox investigator Miss Gentle. As she clanks through the abbey in a full suit of armor, the cantankerous detective has no problem asking awkward questions—but will she get any answers?
Travis Baldree’s Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk is part of the Magic & Mystery collection, puzzle-box mysteries from top fantasy authors. They can be read or listened to in one enchanting sitting.
Kindle Edition, 33 pages
Published July 28, 2026
by Amazon Original Stories
3/5 stars
This is the first installment in the Magic & Mystery Series, an Amazon Original. It’s made up of seven short mysteries, each penned from a different fantasy author.
Many readers will know Travis Baldree from his cozy fantasy Legends & Lattes, he’s also a well-known audiobook narrator. Here he trades cozy for something a little darker, though the humour is still there.
The setup is quite simple: a monk is dead after a fall from the abbey bell tower and since he wasn’t exactly beloved by his brothers, there’s no shortage of people who might have wanted him gone. The abbot needs answers quickly, so he brings in Miss Gentle. She arrives in a full suit of armour and goes about her investigation in a way the monks are not at all prepared for.
Miss Gentle is a wonderfully odd character, and the dry, quirky humour is a highlight. At just 33 pages, it’s a quick read, the mystery wraps up neatly in that short space.
Short stories can be tricky, since there’s only so much room to develop characters and build a world and I found myself wishing there was a little more of both here.
Miss Gentle... is a fun, quick introduction to this series and a good choice if you’re looking for something light to fill an evening.
My copy obtain through Amazon Prime
