Murder at Beechwood by Alyssa Maxwell (Gilded Newport Mysteries Book Three)

 

Publication Date:

May 26, 2015

Author: 

Alyssa Maxwell

Series:

GIlded Newport Mysteries #3

Length:

306 pages

Book Description: (goodreads):

For Newport, Rhode Island’s high society, the summer of 1896 brings lawn parties, sailboat races…and murder. Having turned down the proposal of Derrick Andrews, Emma Cross has no imminent plans for matrimony—let alone motherhood. But when she discovers an infant left on her doorstep, she naturally takes the child into her care. Using her influence as a cousin to the Vanderbilts and a society page reporter for the Newport Observer , Emma launches a discreet search for the baby’s mother.

One of her first stops is a lawn party at Mrs. Caroline Astor’s Beechwood estate. But an idyllic summer’s day is soon clouded by tragedy. During a sailboat race, textile magnate Virgil Monroe falls overboard. There are prompt accusations of foul play—and even Derrick Andrews falls under suspicion. Deepening the intrigue, a telltale slip of lace may link the abandoned child to the drowned man. But as Emma navigates dark undercurrents of scandalous indiscretions and violent passions, she’ll need to watch her step to ensure that no one lowers the boom on her…

My Thoughts:

I started at the beginning with this series and have enjoyed it. This story revolves around a baby, murder, and a scandalous affair. The main character, Emma is unaware that the baby, the murders, and the Astors and Monroes are all related to the mess. From the beginning it was impossible to piece it all together and so I thought Maxwell did a great job of keeping us guessing. Not just about the murderer but the reasons behind the why. 

The baby being left on Emma's doorstep at the beginning of the story seems to be unrelated to the drowning of one of the prominent members of a sailing race at a party she attends. But as Emma and Derrick begin to follow the lead of just how the man drowned they uncover rabbit trails that lead them back to the baby and a second murder. Who is the baby's mother? Why was the driver of the carriage that perhaps delivered the baby dead? And furthermore, who would benefit from silencing the mother? 

As always, we are privy to the inner workings of the upper crust gilded society throughout the novel. Emma, being a distant relative of the Vanderbilt family has the inside scoop on things and being a reporter as well, has a great excuse for inquiring about details others might not get away with. Her rich cousins are always up for helping her out and giving her tidbits needed for clues.

I thought it was interesting that Maxwell included real events from Cornelius Vanderbilt's life and relationship with his wayward son, Neily, and also some true details about Vanderbilt's health promblems, stemming supposedly from his strife with his children. I was curious if any of that part was true and had to look it up!

These stories are always well written and great cozy escapism but this one was probably the least climactic of the ones I've read so far. The whole baby storyline was not that interesting to me and I found the Monroe family to be not well fleshed out in terms of character development. Emma didn't spend as much time as she has in previous books at fancy parties, etc. so we weren't treated to as much glamour I have been used to with these books. But I will continue with the series as the different mansions featured and time period are fascinating. I like Emma and Derrick's story and want to see how it develops. Also, Halllmark Movies and Mysteries has acquired these books and has already produced the first movie. More are coming in 2025. Pick up the first book, Murder at the Breakers if you haven't started them yet!

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Midwinter Murder by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 20)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, A Midwinter Murder, by Verity Bright. I am so behind in this series. I love it and this is already book 20. I want to continue reading them in order so even though I'd love to dive into this one now for the season, I'll wait. But I'm happy to promote it. Happy Reading this week. I hope you've found something you can't wait for!

Historical Cozy Mysteries

December 4, 2024

Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Winter 1924. When Lady Eleanor Swift unexpectedly finds herself a guest of the reclusive Duke of Auldwyke, she’s determined to enjoy Christmas with all the trimmings at his sprawling manor house. And that includes kisses under the mistletoe and cozying up by the fire with her fiancé, dashing detective Hugh Seldon.

Instead, the season of goodwill turns frosty as she finds the Duke’s studious secretary, Mr Porritt, dead in the storeroom. Clasped in his chilly hand is a golden pendant in the shape of a rose. The Duke denies ever having seen the necklace before. But Eleanor can see the lies in his eyes… Did it belong to his mysteriously absent wife?

Hugh and Eleanor must ditch relaxing with hot cocoa in favour of interviewing the Duke’s holiday guests. Every suspect has a secret they’d kill to keep: the socialite with the false name, the Sir with a questionable inheritance and the husband hiding a crack in his marriage.

As the blizzard outside rages, Auldwyke Hall becomes cut off. Trapped by the snow, Eleanor and Hugh must skate around the increasingly secretive Duke to unwrap the identity of the killer. But does the answer to the secretary’s murder lie with a ghost of Christmas past? And when an attempt is made on the Duke’s life too, they realise the killer is closer than they think…

Third Girl by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot Book 35) Read Christie Selection November 2024

 

Publication Date:

November 1966

Length:

256 pages

Book Description:

(goodreads)

Three young women share a London flat. The first is a coolly efficient secretary. The second is an artist. The third interrupts Hercule Poirot’s breakfast confessing that she is a murderer—and then promptly disappears. Slowly, Poirot learns of the rumors surrounding the mysterious third girl, her family, and her disappearance. Yet hard evidence is needed before the great detective can pronounce her guilty, innocent, or insane.

My Thoughts:

This was one of my favorite of the Hercule Poirot books so far. I liked that he was involved from the beginning (just like in the show) and remained a main character throughout. Normally he comes in during the second part after the crime is established. I also loved the mystery behind Norma and her "friends." There was a creepy vibe from the start that made it suspenseful. 

Norma was abandoned by her father when she was young and has idealized him. This makes her desperate to hang onto the image she has created in her mind. She is a fragile personality and Christie has a lot of analyzing of her mind and motives for things she does related to her childhood. I think this was common for this era of the 1960's when psychology was really getting its start in the mainstream and acceptability. This seems to be a running theme throughout a lot of her later books especially. I like this and think it is interesting how she weaves it throughout a lot of her character's thoughts. 

I also enjoyed the little rabbit trails she led me on with regards to the secondary  characters and their appearing to be sinister. Not wanting to give away any spoilers, it is clear the reader is supposed to suspect many who turn out not to be the antagonist. I say this because it is hard to review a book when you are not sure when starting out to read it whether or not an actual crime has been committed. So suffice it to say you will spend most of the book unsure what exactly has occurred because Norma is not sure either. 

When Poirot begins his investigation, he is intrigued by her inability to remember what she thinks she did and a bit protective of Norma in that he isn't so sure her thoughts match up with her actions. As he starts to delve into her past I liked the way he gives her a chance and wants to genuinely help her. He seems a little more human to me in this book and not quite as stuffy and full of himself. A refreshing change from his personality sometimes. 

Norma has a love interest, David, who may or may not be using her and because of her vulnerable nature it is easy to suspect him of ulterior motives. When Norma is nearly hit by a speeding vehicle and then disappears things turn in his direction as well. Norma's roommates (the first and second girls) are not much help either. 

This wasn't as much a typical book for Christie the way it unfolded but I really enjoyed it. It definitely kept me guessing.....both as to whether something bad had happened, why, and how. 

,

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Emerald Threads by Lynn Morrison, Anne Radcliffe (Book Four of The Crown Jewels Regency Mysteries)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring The Emerald Threads by Lynn Morrison and Anne Radcliffe. This author (Morrison) has been working hard on her books and getting them promoted and has a fun Faceboook group I joined awhile back. This is her fourth book in this series and I've read some of her other series, Dora and Rex.  

It sounds a bit like a Jane Austen meets a mystery type of book It has a gorgeous cover and looks like a fun cozy mystery! Happy reading this week everyone!

Historical Mysteries

December 1, 2024

Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Northumberland, 1813: Lord Roland and Lady Grace arrive in Northumberland expecting to celebrate the Christmas season. Instead, they are drawn into a frantic search for a group of local children who have disappeared overnight.
Roland’s grandfather urges them to leave the matter to the townspeople, but when they learn this is just the latest in a string of so-called runaways, they suspect something far more sinister is afoot.  With determination and compassion, Roland and Grace work to weave together the fragile threads of trust between them and the community. As they delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover a disturbing pattern that hints at a web of deception.
Just when they believe they are close to unmasking the culprit, someone they hold dear is taken in the dead of night.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Death Takes the Lead by Rosemary Simpson (Gilded Age Mystery Book 9)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring Death Takes the Lead by Rosemary Simpson. I love mysteries set in the Gilded Age and this author is very popular. I haven't read any of her books yet but would like to. I am happy to promote her new book! Happy reading ya'll :) 

November 26, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of GoodReads:

APRIL 1891: Prudence MacKenzie is delighted to attend a riveting rehearsal of Waif of the Highlands with her dear friend, Lydia Truitt, whose cousin, Septimus Ward, stars in the play. But the drama continues after the curtain falls, as the women overhear a ferocious argument between Septimus and the play’s famous playwright-director, Barrett Hughes.

When confronted about the dispute, Septimus reveals that he actually wrote the script, but allowed Hughes to claim authorship in return for casting Septimus’s paramour, Flora Campbell, in the lead. Septimus has come to regret the agreement and vows to reclaim authorship, even if it means the play never opens. But, days later, Prudence and Geoffrey are urgently summoned to Septimus’s boarding house, where the thespian lays dying in Lydia’s arms.

Lydia believes her cousin’s death is no accident and wants Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law to look into the matter, going so far as to help Prudence and Flora secure employment undercover in the play’s wardrobe department. At first, Hughes’s determination to keep the production running seems admirable, but his motives are soon called into question as Prudence hears whispers backstage about his notorious predatory behavior with young women. And when another body turns up at the theatre, it’s clear that someone is targeting the play and its company—but why?

Prudence and Geoffrey must improvise as they tread into an unfamiliar world where deceit is cultivated for entertainment and deception is celebrated as talent, to expose a darkness lurking behind the glittering stage lights. . .

High Treason at the Grand Hotel by Kelly Oliver (Fiona Figg Mysteries Book 2)

 

Publication Date:

January 5, 2021

Length:

276 pages

Summary:

Fiona Figg is back in action, this time in Paris. In book one she disguised herself to find a killer and found she liked playing the part of a man in order to infiltrate circles she couldn't, this being 1917 and all. Tasked with watching the notorious spy, Frederick Fredricks, she goes against her war department rules to watch from a distance. Fiona once again disguises herself to get closer. Unfortunately, she also ends up accused of murder and in her bumbling, stumbling way manages to involve a whole host of others as well. 

There are also many subplots going on. She investigates another seemingly unrelated murder involving a housekeeper, befriends a mysterious, exotic German singer, Mata Hari and continues her romantic flirtation with the soldier she meets in book one. Relying on her instincts often, she manages to unmask the killers, find stolen jewels, and stay one step ahead of Fredericks. She is patient and loyal to her friend, Clifford Douglas, from the War Department who is clearly smitten with her and always there to lend a hand. The romantic feeling isn't mutual but Fiona is appreciative of his help when she is in a jam. Fiona has so many things going on in this book that it is remarkable it all comes together in the end. 

My Thoughts:

This book was complicated. Despite the look of it, it really took some concentration to keep all the characters and subplots straight. Fiona is always witty and funny and endearing but especially so this time. I was surprised at how much the author was able to pack into one story and have it come out making sense. The interaction with Fredericks is entertaining and even though he seems to stay one step ahead of her, she is able to rattle his plans often. The reader is always left a little unsure of where his loyalties lie and since I've already read a book later in the series I know this doesn't change. Perhaps the author is waiting until the end of the series to reveal who he really is and what side he is on. In this book we assume he is the big, bad German spy who is helping to blow up ships during the Great War. But one is not completely convinced. 

I will be continuing with this series as I have really grown to like these characters. There is one more and then it switches to the second set involving Fiona and Kitty, someone she meets along the way. I hope the author continues it for awhile. She also adds some history about WW 1, the setting feels authentic, and convincing. It is a great cozy mystery series!

Can't Wait Wednesday: We Three Queens by Rhys Bowen (A Royal Spyness Mystery Book 18)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, We Three Queens by Rhys Bowen. It is part of her hugely successful cozy mystery series, Her Royal Spyness. I have only read the first two books in the series but they are witty and clever mysteries and this one is sure to be a welcome addition. I know her fans who are up to date on the books are excited. I hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week!

November 19, 2024

Historical Mysteries

 

Description courtesy of GoodReads:

New mother Lady Georgiana "Georgie" Rannoch finds herself trying to separate fact from fiction when a murder occurs while a film is being made on the grounds of her estate in a new Royal Spyness Mystery from beloved bestselling author Rhys Bowen.It's late 1936, and King Edward is in turmoil, having fallen in love with the scandalously divorced and even more scandalously American Wallis Simpson. He wants to marry her but knows that doing so will jeopardize his crown. Edward confides in his dear friend Darcy, Georgie's husband, and the couple agree to hide Wallis in their home while Edward figures out what to do. But unbeknownst to Georgie and Darcy, Sir Hubert, the owner of the estate, has given a film crew permission to shoot a motion picture about Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn on the grounds. Trying to keep Mrs. Simpson hidden while raising a newborn baby seems like it couldn't be any more stressful for the Rannochs, until one of the stars of the film is found murdered on set. Georgie must solve the murder for king and country before scandal threatens to envelop them all.

Mystery In Provence by Vivian Conroy (Miss Ashford Investigates Book One)

 

Publication Date:

October 7, 2022

Length:

314 pages 

Summary:

This series takes place in different countries and locations. That is a draw for me in cozy mysteries. I wasn't exactly sure where Provence was but researched a bit and found it to be an interesting location in the heart of France. When the story begins, it is June of 1930 and Miss Atalanta Ashford has just finished a job teaching at a boarding school in Switzerland. She is shocked when she receives news that she has become independently wealthy due to the death of her grandfather and the inheritance she has been given. 

Never having known him, she is even more surprised and overwhelmed. There's one catch though....she may have a beautiful new home in Paris and lots of money but she also is asked to clandestinely continue the secret life of sleuthing that her grandfather conducted without most people's knowledge. He trusts Atalanta to be worthy of this because he has been checking up on her life and her character and feels she shares a lot of his qualities in this area. Atalanta is willing to try although she isn't sure how to begin. A case has fallen to her already when she is asked to investigate the behavior of a young woman's fiance, the Comte de Surmonne. The lady, Eugenie Frontenac is desperate to make sure the man she is marrying isn't a murderer of his first wife. She wants Atalanta to come to their estate in Provence, posing as a lady's maid of sorts during the week of the planned wedding, and find out the truth. 

The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple Mysteries Book 9) Read Christie October 2024 Selection

 

Publication Date:

November 12, 1962

Length:

256 pages 

Summary:

Marina Gregg, a famous American actress has purchased and moved into Gossington Hall estate in St. Mary Mead, Miss Marple's village. Gregg and her husband Jason Rudd hope to settle down and have a quiet life there when not pursuing acting projects. The town is abuzz with the news and when Marina holds a party to raise money for a good cause everyone wants to be there. With a few close friends and neighbors the evening looks to be a success until a guest is murdered, poisoned with a drink handed to her by Marina. 

It becomes unclear whether Heather or Marina was the intended victim. As more clues emerge, Miss Marple isn't so sure either. Heather Badcock, the deceased, was seen talking to Marina right before her death, although at the time no one knows what was said. It was however, reported that Marina had a strange, stricken look upon her face as Heather talked into her ear.  

The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters (Cadfael Chronicles Book 6)

 

Publication Date:

March 10, 2020

Length:

 208 pages

Summary:

Continuing my journey with the adventures of our favorite monk, Brother Cadfael, book 6 has him puzzling out the mystery of missing siblings and a nun last seen traveling north from Worcester fleeing the carnage caused by the ongoing civil war in England between Empress Matilda and King Stephen. Everyone involved that know them are deeply concerned for their welfare with the cold, harsh weather and Cadfael is eager to help. Before he can do so though he gets involved with another crisis. He is asked to come to St. Mary, another church, to assist with medical help for a wounded monk. The monk reveals information while in a state of fever that has Cadfael wondering if he knows something about the missing children and nun. He knows he has to follow up on the task despite the elements and lack of clear direction. They won't last long out there. Although they have an Uncle who cares for them and wants to help, he cannot because he is a supporter of Empress Matilda and is not allowed to enter King Stephen's lands. 

Along with the local deputy sheriff and friend Hugh Beringar, Cadfael sets out on a twisting journey and manages to successfully find one, and then two of them. The third does not fare as well. Cadfael tries to piece together how the trio was separated. The reasons are disturbing and start to reveal an evil crime of passion that shocks all those involved. As they continue to search for answers they come across mercenaries and hardened men who must be dealt with and defeated in order to bring everyone home safely. Cadfael, who desires peace above fighting must put aside his beliefs for the moment to finish the task. 

My Thoughts:

This was one of my favorites from the series. When I started I didn't get hooked right away. But by the first twenty pages or so it became so engaging. I love all the Cadfael books, it's hard not to find something good, but there have been one or two that just didn't have enough of a solid mystery going on to keep me as interested. This book had missing travelers, mysterious visitors, blizzard conditions, fantastic, descriptive fight scenes (which usually bore me but didn't here) and the ending......oh what a twist! Not only was the murderer a surprise, the reason behind the murder was as well. We don't find that out until the very end and it is almost impossible to figure out. Also, Peters added another completely extra surprise that involves Cafael on the last few pages and makes you want to dive into book 7 right away. 

The characters that appear are given interesting back stories. The children come from a noble family and the "virgin in the ice" has her own story to tell from the grave that weaves into the bigger picture. Even the men who are fighting against them and are kidnappers and not good people held my interest with their side stories. This is one of the series that will likely make you want to keep reading. 

A Soupcon of Poison: (A Kat Holloway Victorian Mysteries Novella) by Jennifer Ashley

 

Publication Date:

December 15, 2015

Length:

 127 pages

Summary:

This is the prequel to a very interesting series I started in September called the Kat Holloway Victorian Mysteries. As I was reading book one in the series, Death Below Stairs, I ran across this novella that said it was the real first book. So I stopped the novel and read this novella first. It explains so much about the characters! You have to start here to enjoy the series. 

In 1880's London Kat Holloway is a superb cook who has landed a job in the home of Sir Lionel Leigh-Bradbury. No one likes him much and he has some dark secrets of which Kat tries to avoid. She is distraught when accused of poisoning him and must try to clear her name. Daniel McAdam, a handy man of sorts becomes involved helping her find the real killer. They seem to have eyes for each other though neither admits it and as Kat finds out more about Daniel she begins to wonder if she can trust him. He seems to be not at all who he claims to be and pops up in the most unexpected times and most unusual places, just when she needs him.

The staff at the estate are varied in their trust of Kat and her protestations of innocence. Some are allies, some not, but she works hard to win them over in trusting her and as things unfold she gains support and assistance. As she and Daniel draw nearer to solving the crime they will be shocked at the who and the why behind it all.

Can't Wait Wednesday: To Kill a King by David Field (Book Five: The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, To Kill a King by David Field. I have read many of his historical fiction books about the period from 1066 to the reign of King John. They are wonderfully researched and simple to understand if you don't have all the background knowledge of English history. These books are part of his fictional historical mysteries. I am slowly collecting them and want to read them in order. This is his latest one in the series debuting this Friday.  Hope you've found something you can't wait for this week. Happy Reading ya'll!

October 18, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon

Not everyone is ready to welcome the new king of England…

Nottingham, England, 1603

Queen Elizabeth’s long reign has finally come to an end and the Tudor era is over. Scottish King James has been handed the crown of England, but not everyone is happy about that, and there are several plots being hatched to replace him with an alternative.

Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel already has his hands full with an increase in destitute vagrants flooding the county, who seem to be victims of a human trafficker. But before he can find the man responsible, he is tasked by an official with royal authority to infiltrate a local group, who it is rumoured are plotting to assassinate the new king.

Edward enlists the help of fellow bailiff, Francis Barton to find the group, who are hiding out in Sherwood Forest.

But the only way to discover the plot is to place themselves right in the heart of the danger. And there’s a good chance they will be killed before they can save the king…

Who is leading the band of rebels? Can he be stopped?

And is there a connection between the treasonous plot and the desperate vagrants Edward is trying to assist…?

To Kill A King is the fifth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Betrayal at Ravenswick by Kelly Oliver (Fiona Figg Mystery Book One)

Publication Date:

March 10, 2020

Length:

 208 pages

Summary:

I jumped into this series out of order because I wanted to read the one set in Cairo. It was book three so when I finished it, I wanted to go back to see how the original plot and character development unfolded. This book one is part of a series with just the main character, Fiona Figg and later she is joined in the second series by her sidekick, Kitty. Covert in Cairo was the one I read as part of series two. 

Fiona Figg's cheating husband has forced her to strike out on her own. Set during World War I, she and her spouse have been apart and when she realizes he has taken up with another woman she decides to throw herself into the war effort as a spy for British Intelligence. She is asked to go undercover, posing as a male doctor, to Ravenswick Abbey estate, with the hopes of exposing a suspected traitor, one Fredrick Fredricks. When she finally meets the notorious South African hunter, she is not impressed and thinks he is full of himself and a first rate snob. Not sure whether he is an actual traitor on the side of the Germans though, she treads lightly, trying to keep up her disguise while befriending one of the ladies there, Mary, who takes a bit too much interest in Fiona, thinking of course, she is a man.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Last Dance in Salzburg by Vivian Conroy (Miss Ashford Investigates Book Four)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, Last Dance in Salzburg, by Vivian Conroy. I am reading book one of this series right now and loving it. This is her new one coming out in November. So far it is a series I am interested in continuing with so I'm sure this one will be good too. Hope you've found something you can't wait for this week. Happy Reading ya'll!

November 8, 2024

Cozy Mysteries/Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon

November 1930.

After accepting an invitation to attend the ballet in snowy Salzburg, Miss Atalanta Ashford is shocked when a convicted jewel thief is found dead in the concert hall where the theft occurred a decade ago.

Did he return to the scene of the crime because he wanted to prove his innocence? Is the real culprit among the high-society guests? In her quest for the truth, Atalanta uncovers dangerous secrets about the European elite that put her own life in mortal danger…

The smell of Glühwein and spiced Lebkuchen from the Austrian winter markets fill the air, but for Atalanta there’s an intriguing puzzle to be solved in this cosy historical mystery for 2024.

The Pyramid Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith (The Miss Clara Vale Mysteries Book Three)

 

Publication Date:

June 13, 2024

Length:

293 pages

Summary:

This was the first book in the series that I have read. I skipped to book three because I liked the premise and location. It worked as a stand alone just fine, although starting at the beginning is usually better I agree. 

Clara Vale is an independent woman for 1930. She studied chemistry but began working as a detective of sorts which is unusual for women in her time. She attends a party at the Hancock Museum's opening exhibit of Egyptian artifacts and her good friend Daphne is counting on her support as it is her job to display and present the show. When the mummy inside the grand display sarcophagus turns out to be a fake, obviously replaced and the real mummy stolen, everyone is shocked and wonders where the real mummy might be. Clara wants to help, knowing her friend's reputation is on the line as well as wanting to catch the person who committed this theft. 

As she begins to investigate further, Clara finds that the mummy in the case is a person who has not been dead long. And she starts to suspect this is connected with a secret society and artifact smuggling ring. Traveling many miles across England and eventually led to Cairo in her search, Clara plays detective and walks a line between trying to find out the identify of the corpse without alerting the murderer and thieves. She is joined in her search by dashing men and her sidekick Bella who keeps her secrets well and is always there for her support and sleuthing. 

The French For Murder by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 10)

 

Publication Date: 

May 30, 2022

Length:

302 pages

Summary:

Lady Eleanor, her butler Clifford, and her beloved bulldog Gladstone are all set to enjoy their villa in the south of France. As usual, Clifford sets out to make it as comfortable as their English estate, Henley Hall. As he is working in the wine cellar, he discovers the body of Rex Armstrong, an American movie star shooting a film in the nearby area. He has been stabbed and inexplicably left in the villa. The police are sure Clifford is guilty. After all, he "found" the body and he isn't French, so they are naturally suspicious of him as an outsider. When he is arrested, Eleanor is frantic to clear his name. But since Clifford is always the one helping her out of sticky situations, she is hard pressed to know just wnat to do this time. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: To Kill a King: (The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries Book Five)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm  featuring, To Kill a King: The Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mysteries Book Five) by David Field. I love his historical fiction books and have reviewed several. This is one of three historical mystery series he's written. His books are always entertaining and informative of the time period. His research is solid and on point and I always learn something new. I hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week!

October 18, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Not everyone is ready to welcome the new king of England…

Nottingham, England, 1603

Queen Elizabeth’s long reign has finally come to an end and the Tudor era is over. Scottish King James has been handed the crown of England, but not everyone is happy about that, and there are several plots being hatched to replace him with an alternative.

Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel already has his hands full with an increase in destitute vagrants flooding the county, who seem to be victims of a human trafficker. But before he can find the man responsible, he is tasked by an official with royal authority to infiltrate a local group, who it is rumoured are plotting to assassinate the new king.

Edward enlists the help of fellow bailiff, Francis Barton to find the group, who are hiding out in Sherwood Forest.

But the only way to discover the plot is to place themselves right in the heart of the danger. And there’s a good chance they will be killed before they can save the king…

Who is leading the band of rebels? Can he be stopped?

And is there a connection between the treasonous plot and the desperate vagrants Edward is trying to assist…?

To Kill A King is the fifth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes Book One)

 

Publication Date: 

1888

Length:

176 pages

Summary:

Since I wondered myself...the title of this book comes from the words of Holmes himself in a speech to Watson. He says, "There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it." This is the first story of Holmes and Watson. Through a series of events they become roommates and are seemingly compatible. Watson is intrigued by Holmes and his work, clients being those with criminal cases to solve. And Holmes likes schooling Watson on his methods, holding back his most coveted "tricks" for solving his cases. Watson, a veteran of the Second Afghan War is used to a serious side of life, but he still retains a bit of innocence and guile as he marvels at Holmes's uncanny detective skills. 

When a telegram arrives requesting Holmes's help in solving a new case, the two men travel to the crime scene, finding a victim, a strange German word written on the wall, RACHE, and a lady's gold wedding ring. After using a newspaper ad to try to find the ring's owner, Holmes later becomes convinced the owner is in on the murder. When another murder occurs with more identical clues, Holmes is convinced all is related and begins his deduction skills to solve the crimes and piece everything together.