What To Read This Summer July Edition

 What to Read This Summer

July Edition

A Lark's Gambit by Lynn Messina-- Regency Romance Cozy Mystery

Thank you NetGalley, Lynn Messina and PotatoWorks Press for the free digital review copy. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

Trigger warnings:

mentions of rape

sexual assault

victim blaming

drug use

Is that... who?! Verity Lark kissing the Marquess of Ware at a Venetian breakfast? GASP! It's a good thing Mr. Twaddle-Thum can not report on this incident but Lord Colson Hardwicke sees all! This is what he gets for trying to be strong and delays visiting Bethel Street to see Verity first thing upon his return to London after 11 days away. Flash back a week. Hardwicke is away and Verity is determined to be more productive. Twaddle-Thum learns through the network that Verity's former employer, Lord Stechney, is suing his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery, she suspects with plans to marry a young debutante and secure himself an heir. Say nothing of HIS lecherous ways, gentlemen are not expected to be faithful. The press will forgive HIM but eviscerate Lady Stechney. While Lady S is not blameless, Verity can't let Lord Stechney's reputation go unscathed. She is determined to find something else he is into that will ruin him. While Twaddling, Verity finds herself outside the fishmonger who was suspected of smuggling opium poppy seed pods. It can't hurt for someone to investigate HIM either. Under one of her many aliases, Verity soon discovers an illegal opium parlor for select clientele. While pretending to be a young gentleman partaking of opium, she spies a familiar figure she has been trying to avoid. She feels obligated to follow this person and beaten at her own game, is drawn into yet another investigation. A scientist has died, presumably accidentally, as a result of his experiments but his friends are not convinced. Soon she finds herself investigating with the unlikeliest partner! Not to mention a teal-eyed Lord who makes her feel giddy. 

This story didn't wow me the way I had hoped it would. I was eager to learn about this poppy smuggling fishmonger but the mystery wasn't much of a mystery and it wasn't balanced with enough romance for my personal tastes. There are several plots to keep track of but no evidence of murder for a long time and the investigation kind of meanders. Colson was missing for way too much of the story and when he appeared, he was largely silent. It was mostly Verity and the Marquess doing the investigating. The swoony bits are towards the end and Hardwicke doesn't say much, he doesn't have to, it's all in Verity's head. There are a couple of anachronistic words that take me out of the Regency period. "Hello" is American and didn't appear until the next decade in writing and not verbally until the telephone later in the century. Mauve or mauvine is a synthetic dye color, created accidentally by William Henry Perkin in 1859 while trying to find a medicine to treat malaria. It was a favorite of Queen Victoria. Scratch that- Wikipedia says the word was in use in Verity's time but rare. Crikey sounds too modern Australian. The Online Etymology Dictionary says it dates to 1838 and it's not in the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. One other error - half-boots are women's shoes! That's a dead giveaway that the foppish St. Cleer is not actually a gentleman. Perhaps the attendant knows this and is just paid well enough not to ask questions or tell tales?

I thought we knew who and why and it was just a matter of Verity getting proof and a confession but there was a twist I didn't see coming. I did like how the treatment of women and the laws that kept women in an inferior position were highlighted as part of the plot. It's not gratuitous or hit you over the head but it's there in Verity's thoughts and Delphine's worries. It's there in Hardwicke's thoughts as he contemplates a future with Verity and it's there in the plot. 

The ton's attitude towards the powerless is what drives Verity. She does what she does to bring down the high and mighty, all without access to the law. The ton don't see anyone who isn't worth seeing. They don't consider anyone except themselves, their name, their reputation, their families. Lord Sidmouth doesn't even remember Verity-as-footman preventing a massacre. Even Grint, the under secretary, doesn't go out of his way to help right wrongs or fight injustice. He operates within the letter of the law and no more. The law is biased towards the Lords and his attitude is why bother when they're just going to get away with it? Yet Verity has proven again and again that the high and mighty can fall if their sins are exposed to the world. Hence her dual identity as journalist Robert Lark and Mr. Twaddle-Thum. Verity is determined to fight back no matter what life throws in her way. There are circumstances that were set in motion when she was born and are beyond her control. She shrugs that off and carries on. 

It's not so easy to keep calm and carry on after this adventure. I thought Verity was rather silly and stupid in her investigation. I figured the Marquess was at the opium parlor for the same reason she was and why she didn't think of that, I don't know. He IS a Marquess and his son IS a spy so it would stand to reason that his son got the job because of his father's connections and if the Marquess has those kinds of connections, then perhaps he works for the Home Office too somehow? OK I was a little off there but she should have thought of that. Verity acts far too recklessly and makes a rookie mistake that heroines TSTL make all the time. It nearly costs her her dignity and her life. One scene was far too much for my tastes, especially for this kind of light novel. My heart was in my throat and I was worried Verity wouldn't easily be able to extricate herself from this perilous situation. I was mad about how she got out of trouble.

Colson Hardwicke is utterly besotted with Verity. He understands her very well and is trying hard to give her the space she needs to be independent and think about what their future together might look like - or not. He's making plans to work within the law to allow her to be as independent as possible. (He hasn't told her yet). He has a very calm temperament and accepts that things are not always as they appear. I like him almost as much as Kesgrave! Verity is very much in love too but she won't admit it. She's funny when she tries to outrun her emotions. She is fiercely independent and determined not to give herself up. She's afraid of a future with Hardwicke and secretly afraid of one without him. She thinks everything is more fun when he's around. He makes her giddy inside and he understands what she's thinking without speaking about it. They're true partners. He has her back even when she thinks she's alone. He gets along well with Delphine and Freddie. He belongs as part of their family group as if they've always been a quartet. Verity is also still keeping a part of herself closed off to Hadwicke but her defenses are crumbling! She's far more vulnerable in this novel. Between her misadventure and her romance, she has a lot of bottled emotions that come pouring out. She's more used to being a fighter, being the strong one who protects the weak but there's nothing wrong with letting someone else care for you once in awhile, if they're the right person. Hardwicke is indeed the right person. 

Of course Delphine sees through Verity's pretense. Delphine is very worried about Verity. Delphine wants to care for her best friend and help Verity overcome her demons. Delphine would be happy keeping everyone she loves wrapped up in cotton wool safe and home. Things she can't control make her anxious. She's a good friend, not berating Verity for something Verity is already beating herself up over. Verity needs to accept Hardwicke so Delphine can marry Freddie and have babies. Robert Lark may not be Verity's older brother but she does have a brother in Freddie. He knows she's stubborn, independent and reckless. He doesn't try to control Verity's behavior and is as eager for a story that will sell papers as she is. But, Freddie is there when he needs to be, a calming, comforting brother who loves his sister.

The Marquess is far more astute than Verity realized early on in her opium investigation and she's far more self-involved than she would admit. The Marquess would prefer Verity be more biddable and not engage in dangerous activities but he is also very much aware than his son has rejected all the suitable simpering misses the Marchioness has thrown at her younger son. However, the Marquess is blinded by class prejudice and loyalty to old school ties. He refuses to admit an old friend, one he hasn't really been close to in years, could be a murderer. Verity, of course, knows, from long experience, the upper classes are more likely to be villains - even if it's merely representing a pocket borough like Frothmere does or neglecting the poor. Of course Bea knows better than anyone how many murderers come from the <i>ton</i> and everyone seems to be aware of that thanks to Twaddle-Thum. The Marquess is a stubborn old coot but he learns and grows as the investigation continues. Unlike most peers, he wants his son to be happy and recognizes that what HE wants is not what's best for his son. Unlike most peers, the Marquess is willing to admit he's wrong and changes his mind. He's still grumpy and high and mighty but he's old. Inside he's still young at heart and game for an adventure. 

Lord Samuel Ingelthorpe was a well-respected brilliant scientist working on a formula that would reduce salts from the opium poppy seed to make into a powder to induce medically assisted sleep. (Obviously not a great idea given what we know now but in 1816 they lacked effective medicine. One character does fear a widespread addiction and thinks the substance should be controlled by the government. This character is not entirely wrong but the motive is questionable.) Inglethorpe was working on his formula when he died. But did he die by accident from taking too much of his medicine or was he killed? A brilliant scientist is not going to die from his own experiments - not for years anyway. Even the Marquess can see that! Plus Inglethorpe's journal is missing and surely that means he was killed for he never would have parted with it in his life. This scientist was a good man who wanted to do a public service for as many people as possible. His death is a tragedy and a real blow to scientific advancement of medicine. 

Lord Stechford is evil. Pure evil. He is imbued with so many privileges he thinks he is immune to consequences. He doesn't even think about consequences. To him, women are property, playthings and body parts for his own personal use. He's trying to divorce his wife on the grounds of adultery yet he's a disgusting, lecherous man who thinks nothing of terrorizing maids in his employ, raping scullery maids because why not? They're dirt beneath his boots and cheating on his wife. He has the law on his side. Lord Stechford has created a situation where his wife is eager for love and starved for attention. Her lover, Lieutenant David Herbert, is young, good looking, attentive and wealthy. While Lady Stechford has turned a blind eye to her husband's abuse of the female staff, she doesn't deserve a husband like that and she does deserve a lover who is good to her. I am so happy Verity is working to bring down this evil man but so outraged he'll get away with the divorce, even if it costs him a fortune. He'll be free to marry Miss Dinsmore. Miss Dinsmore is young and rich. She seems more sensible than her mother. Her mother is blinded by titles and can't see how miserable her daughter would be married to Lord Stechford ... or any other gentleman of the ton other than those who are already taken. 

Strunk, the fishmonger, is up to no good. He has already been spotted smuggling opium poppy seeds in sardines (now trout, thanks to further research on behalf of Lynn Messina) and now he's smuggling them OUT? He's also in charge of a very large secret making him very wealthy indeed. It's not clear where he's getting the raw materials though. Is someone financing his operation or is it that easy and cheap to buy opium poppies and opium? 

Rupert Frothmere is a minor MP representing a pocket borough on behalf of his patron, Viscount Wolverton. Frothmere has little power and influence but is considered good ton. He was once school friends with Lord Hardwicke's father, the Marquess of Ware. Verity suspects Frothmere is up to something. She has it on good authority Frothmere is in need of money. His lavish Venetian Breakfast certainly must cost a pretty penny. Is Frothermore a villain or really stupid or perhaps a stupid villain? He acts dumb so maybe he is innocent but he was in the right place at the right time to lead Verity to the missing notebook. But did he steal it or did he blab to someone else? Perhaps someone in the Home Office stole his idea? Or maybe it was his wife? Wives are always more clever and more aware of their circumstances than their husbands would believe. 

Lester Hopkins, the farmer, is involved in the intrigue somehow. He has come into money recently to help fix up his house. Who paid him? Interestingly, he can't recall specific details and can only provide a general description of the man. Curiously other farmers have a limited recollection as well. Can Verity figure out who this mysterious lawyer is, find him and trace the money back to some Lord or another or to the fishmonger and then someone higher up? Is Lord Wolverton really involved? Hatch, a man of business, is mixed up in this somehow. Is he acting on behalf of his employer, pretending he is or acting for someone else or perhaps he's innocent? Nicholas Almond, a young apothecary's apprentice is certainly complicit. He's more afraid of his father than the law but also eager to prove himself to his father. What does he know and will he tell all in a court of law?

Lord Sidmouth is an idiot. He's a rattle who can't keep his mouth shut. He's a Lord who could care less about the little guy even though the title was created for him. He doesn't notice those who are beneath him and is best friends with the disgusting Lord Stechney. 

A lot of the humor comes from the domestic situation. Lucy, Delphine and Verity's maid, has had it with the revolving door of politicians, Dukes, Duchesses, Dowager Duchesses and villains. She has insisted they hire a new servant, a footman, George. George's origins are mysterious, he doesn't speak much but he's willing to work hard and defend the household. Lucy keeps airing her own grievances disguised as looking out for George's welfare. Now the ladies, Freddie and the servants have frequent Round Table discussions about the running of the household. Cook is uncomfortable, Verity is bored, Freddie is amused and Delphine takes it all seriously. It sounds like Lucy is running the household with an iron fist in conjunction with Delphine's velvet glove. They're funny and yes the round tables are boring but necessary. 

While I didn't love this book as much as some of the others, (I missed Bea and Kesgrave), this is still one of my favorite series. I look forward to learning what Verity gets up to next.

What to Read This Spring

 ​What to Read This Spring

A  Very Irish Mystery by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookouture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

The Byron Detective Agency members (Eleanor, Clifford and Hugh) are in Dublin for a bit of sightseeing and to meet a man who may have answers about what happened to Ellie's parents all those years ago. While visiting Finnegan's brewery, Ellie gets lost on the way to the restroom and overhears an argument between the brewery owner and a woman. Later, on the tour, just as the guests are about to taste a sample of Finnegan's famous brew, the tour guide opens the barrel and the very dead body of company owner, Fergal Finnegan, falls out. The company Head of Operations hires the Agency to investigate discreetly without alerting the Garda, the Irish police. They must delve deep into company business, family drama and politics to untangle this complicated murder. In the meantime, their contact person, Samuel O'Sullivan, is a no show. Will Ellie ever get answers to the mystery of her parents' disappearance? 

This trip to Dublin didn't appeal to me as much as the trip to Venice. The characters don't get in any real sightseeing and the travelogue consists of them walking around the city and investigating and eating. The brewery setting didn't interest me at all. I did enjoy learning the history of Ireland in the 1920s though. The mystery was way too complicated. There was a lot going on and I never guessed most of it. Some of it was guessable but not all of it. The Byron Detective Agency is back to making lists of their suspects and motives on page and it slowed down the mystery a bit.

I really read these books for the characters. Ellie surprised me a bit by being the tough one on the case. She endears herself to the Irish people by having an Irish title, enjoying the local simple pub food and not being a snooty English Lady. In her search for answers about her parents, she shows more emotions. That subplot ends of a cliffhanger and I NEED to know what happened!

Hugh also surprised me by being the emotional one in the group. Now he's no longer a police officer, he can reveal his private, personal feelings on certain situations. It's obvious how much he loves Ellie and wants to protect her but knows he loves her because she is who she is. He's devoted to her and will follow her and try his best to assist her investigations and keep her safe without wrapping her up in cotton wool. Clifford does way too much unnecessary explaining in this story. I would think many readers are familiar with Dublin and those who aren't could look up the places mentioned. The mystery is long enough without adding info dumping. 

Gladstone is adorable as always. He makes a new friend, Alma, the Glen of Imal Terrier. I was picturing a Yorkie, or worse a Teacup Yorkie when Alma first appeared on the scene. The Glen of Imal, like Gladstone, is low to the ground but solid/heavy. I don't think I've seen one in real life but I can tell from the TV and photos they're larger/longer than the Scottish varieties of terrier you see more often in the U.S. I don't think they're small and light enough to climb up a lady's legs and dress. Alma is very sweet and very un-terrier like. I was happy to see Gladstone make a new friend. The two are just so CUTE together! 

None of the new human characters are particularly likable. Ellie's first new friend is Mrs. Cullen. I admire her stance on women's rights and she seems to have risen from the working class which is wonderful, but... she's scary! She's formidable and seems to like to have things her way. Mrs. Cullen has the blood of Celtic warrior women running through her veins and seems to fancy herself a modern day version. She doesn't often let anyone else speak much and she just commands. She's friendly though and not necessarily a bad person but I don't quite like the way she talks about her sons. The eldest was the apple of her eye and she dotes on him and he cares for her back. Yet everyone else says she spoiled her youngest and made him what he is so I blame her for what happens with him. 

Fergal Finnegan was a businessman and a successful one but there is a hint, early on, that he did something questionable, not quite ethical, to achieve his success. Surely someone hated him for some reason to want to kill him! Way too many people actually... He enjoyed thumbing his nose at Society yet he wanted to be rich. He did a lot of things that were not so great just to spite random people who don't matter. As long as people love his product it shouldn't matter to him what they think of HIM. Yet he was very good to his mother and seemed to love her or maybe he understood her money would flow more freely if he showed her attention and kindness. 

Mary O'Leary, Mr. Finnegan's secretary is a sharp woman. She's outspoken and wants to help find Mr. Finnegan's killer. She seems to have a history with one or both of the Finnegan brothers though. It might be past or present and could provide her with a motive for murder.

Fergal's brother Liam is spoiled, lazy and nowhere near as driven as his brother. Liam just wants money so he can live the life of a gentleman. He's not even second generation removed from the fortune let alone third so no go Liam. He comes across as entitled and whiny and I wouldn't put it past him to have argued with his brother, accidentally killed Fergal and then covered it up to save his own skin. He should have been man enough to pick up where his brother left off and run Finnegan's easily. He simply doesn't want to put in the work Fergal did to achieve success. He's far more lazy than Fergal. His wife is a much stronger personality. Ellie overhears her arguing with Fergal in his office just before Fergal's body was discovered. This woman is a gold digger, obviously, and gold digging on behalf of her husband. 

Brídín is a force of nature but different from her mother-in-law. More... a piece of work! Brídín is selfish. She goes to bat for her husband when they want money but belittles and mocks him every chance she gets at home. Why does she show such contempt for her husband? He actually deserves her derision but there are ways to express it without mocking in front of strangers! Her actions and words make Liam out to be a suspect in Fergal's murder! I think Liam is too weak to murder someone but if he did kill his brother accidentally, he would call Brídín to help and she would take care of the problem. I don't think she'd be so dumb as to hide the body in a keg for all to see though. No, not unless she wanted to frame her husband. She's contemptuous of the sleuths as well, seeming to think she's more clever and better because she's Irish and they're English. (Well, clearly Ellie has some Irish heritage!) Liam and Brídín are incredibly snobby and rude as well. 

Mr. Dwyer, Head of Operations seems like a weasel to me. While he hires The Agency to investigate Mr. Finnegan's murder, he seems to think they're only in it for the money and he also seems to be pushing them along to finish up the investigation. There are also certain places he doesn't seem to want them to go or people to talk to. He's a shady character for sure and he's near the top of my suspect list. If he's not the murderer, he's up to something and it's not good. Or possibly he was up to no good and that's the motive for murder?

Mr. Canavan, the head cooper, had beef with Mr. Finnegan and was overheard threatening him. Mr. Canavan had means and opportunity but what was his motive? Even when we learn that, I can't see murder as the solution. He seems more like the type to strike out with his fists and have a good fight, wanting his opponent to face him rather than resort to murder. Plus it would be too obvious given the murder weapon and where the body was found. Canavan strikes me as smarter than that. 

George Gaffney, a rival brewer is a person of a lot of bluster, swagger and ego but inferior product. He SAYS he doesn't care and provides a good reason for him NOT to have killed Fergal. Plus how would he get on the property without anyone knowing about it? I'm not so sure he can be trusted but I'm also not sure he's the murderer. Mrs. Cullen seems to think he's so cutthroat he would murder a rival but there's personal feelings involved there. He seems sincere to me at least as much as he's capable of. His secretary, Orla, is pretty tough. She's efficient, highly capable of anything and willing to get her hands dirty if necessary. Hmm? Maybe SHE offed Fergal somehow on behalf of her employer?

Isabel, Fergal's wife, is English. She's suspicious merely because she's English and married Fergal for his money. I don't believe she killed her husband but he doesn't seem like a lovable man. Being English at this time, she probably wasn't a very good trophy wife with anti-English sentiment running high. I don't think divorce was legal in Ireland at that time either so she's stuck, unless she just leaves quietly and Fergal doesn't strike me as the sort of man who would allow her to leave. She says they ended up falling in love and seems sincerely sad he's dead and Ellie believes her so put her near the bottom of the list too. Hugh believes she truly does want the killer caught and hanged but he's cautious about WHY she wants that. She seems to loathe Liam and his wife. Could Isabel be the murderer and framing Liam?

Nora is a tough character to like. She's sympathetic but she's made some questionable choices in life. Of course she was stuck between a rock and a hard place and made those choices out of necessity but when it becomes a matter of murder, the sleuths and the reader have to wonder if she was involved. How far would she go to protect one she loved? That would mean we're looking at two different murderers though. I think Nora has an idea who did it but she doesn't think the suspect everyone else thinks did it could have done it. Most of the suspects did not have a motive to kill the second victim - unless the second victim knew who the real killer was. 

Enter a brand new suspect, Irish mob boss, Daniel Donohue. Donohue is a Robin Hood figure to some and an evil extortionist to others. People love him or hate him - no in between. They fear him and he makes certain people have a reason to do what he wants when he wants. However, Fergal was worth more to Donohue alive than dead. Maybe Donohue sent a goon to teach Fergal a lesson and the situation got out of hand and the goon went overboard? Donohue is a scary dude and I'm certain people have died because of him. Conor McCloskey is another complicated figure. How is he connected to Finnegan's and Fergal's murder? WHO is telling the truth? Or are they all lying?

Pat Byrne, the security guard, is the only likable new friend. He and his wife anyway. Pat is helpful in assisting the sleuths with their investigation. He's not blindly loyal to Finnegan's and willing to look the other way to see justice done because he WAS loyal to his old friend Finnegan. His wife, Kathleen, also wants to see justice done but a new law in Ireland has changed jury duty for women from mandatory to optional so that no women will OPT to sit on a jury. With Mrs. Cullen, Kathleen and her suffragist friends, I think The Byron Detective Agency could muster an auxiliary branch in Ireland easily enough!

Fitz, Mrs. Cullen's driver, is a teetotaler of all things. Jobs are hard to come by in Ireland at this time so he needs the job. Fitz isn't very friendly and seems to resent sweet Alma. HE wasn't willing to risk his life to rescue her. Liam borrowed Fitz to drive him around and pick him up from a trip out of town on that fateful day. As Ellie moves through the city, she spies a shadowy figure lurking around. Could Fitz have seen him too? Could Fitz hold the key to the mystery? He doesn't seem to care one way or the other that his boss's son is dead. He's not an agreeable person and doesn't get involved in helping to try to solve the mystery. Perhaps he hated Fergal for rising to the top when Fitz and many others are struggling to get by and if so, he doesn't want Fergal's killer brought to justice? He's not a well-developed character and this is all speculation on my part. 

Ellie is in Ireland to meet with Samuel O'Sullivan to learn more about her parents' fate but he's a no show. Where is he? What does he know? WHO is he? His name seems to be familiar to people in Dublin but elicits a strange reaction. He was an Irish Civil Rights activist so the people should like him.

While I didn't love this story as much as some of the others, I am grateful to Mark and Bookouture for honoring Laura's hard work and publishing the book posthumously. Laura will be much missed because of her talent in creating wonderful, lovable characters who get into some incredible adventures! I wish this series could go on forever!

What to Read This Winter

 ​What to Read This Winter

Murder on a  Frosty Night by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookoture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

Ellie and Hugh are looking forward to celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple at Henley Hall with Clifford, the ladies, the furry terrible twosome and all the villagers. The halls are decked and Mrs. Trotman is preparing a delicious feast. However, Hugh is busy working, trying to tie up loose ends for Scotland Yard and fretting about money since the Byron Detective Agency has not had any valuable clients so far. It seems like a Christmas miracle is within reach when a telegram arrives offering 300 pounds now, 300 more on acceptance of case and a further 300 once the case is concluded. The catch? It's Christmas Eve and they have to arrive by midnight and the telegram has no phone number to call and ask for a delay. So the sleuths bundle up in the Rolls, drive 400 miles in the snow to get lost in the smallest hamlet in Britain. Along the way they nearly hit a women dressed all in black, encounter a curmudgeonly landlady who is less than thrilled to greet them but provides directions to Waketon Court, a medieval style castle outside the village. They arrive close to the deadline only to learn the master is not within but has been dead for five years! Then who sent the telegram? Ah, his nephew who has been squatting at Waketon Court but is currently not at home. Inigo Osmond Unwin (I.O.U.), their client, has left them a gramophone recording but no real information to go on. Back to the village, after midnight, Ellie, Hugh and Clifford seek information about I.O.U when Ellie stumbles across their client's dead body lying over his uncle's grave. NOW they have a murder investigation on their hands! Aided by the local constable and the new vicar, the Byron Detective Agency has their work cut out for them. Can they solve the mystery before the Inspector arrives the day after Boxing Day?

This is a long and twisty mystery. I was very confused after skimming the last third and had to go back and reread most of the book. The mystery was very complicated and I never guessed what was going on. I took what we were told at face value just as the sleuths did and didn't realize there was more than meets the eye. The introduction of gramophone records was interesting and used by Agatha Christie in one of her most famous mysteries. Thankfully this mystery is not as dark and creepy but the gramophone recording is a big clue. Thank you to Mark for the fascinating historical notes. This is one of the few times I didn't know any of that! The cozy Christmas cheer was a lot of fun and added some lightness to this otherwise somewhat grim mystery.

As always, the characters are the real draw for this story. I was a little disappointed Ellie had to cancel a visit from a new friend she met in a previous story because there was another mystery there and perhaps a potential new... friendship ... for Clifford. I missed the ladies at first but Ellie, Hugh and Clifford did too and Gladstone missed his partner in crime so they come along later to celebrate the season with their family. The ladies were under-used though. I'd love to be a fly on the wall watching them dance around in their frilly ___ (bloomers? knickers? UNMENTIONABLES!) and teasing the vicar. Kofi gets in on the fun for his first Christmas with his adopted family. Ellie is so delightful with her sense of humor and her big heart. She's drawn to help women in need, I think and she forms a connection with a potential suspect whom everyone believes is a witch. In the past Ellie has had some sort of guardian angel looking out for her and I think this time it's her turn to be guardian angel. I love her cheeky sense of humor and how she enjoys puns and riling up Clifford with unladylike behavior and language. Hugh wouldn't want her to be anyone but herself and he makes it clear he loves her devotedly as she is. There weren't enough swoony moments between them for my taste but the few times they have to be alone together are lovely. Hugh has come a long way. He recognizes he can't wrap his wife up in cotton wool but he does want her to be safe and he does want to shield her from seeing more of the horrible things she's already been exposed to. Hugh can't help himself. He's still a policeman even if he quit the force. Now Clifford is a partner in the business, he has to learn to unbend and relax the rules a bit. The horror! I love his encyclopedic knowledge of everything. Who needs the internet when you have Clifford? 

The inhabitants of the hamlet Yorlow are not a friendly, welcoming sort. They're not used to strangers, being in the most out of the way location in the country. Their hamlet is a "devil's punchbowl" location and they don't get many strangers. I.O.U. is a stranger though and a newcomer. He's come to stay in order to assess the property to sell the castle and the contents. He was an odd sort. His uncle, Augustus Pritchard, eschewed all things modern - an in anything  after Tudor times! He enjoyed reading, riddles and mainly keeping to himself. I.O.U. on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He loved mechanical gadgets- the more the merrier and made good use of the new home recording machine. Unwin was rather obnoxious about it- using the gramophone to dictate what he wanted for supper and whatever else he needed the butler/valet and cook/housekeeper to do for him. He did not endear himself to the servants or the villagers. What was he doing poking around the graveyard at midnight on Christmas Eve? Did he just happen to be strolling past skipping Midnight Mass or ducking out early? Or was there another reason- a reason connected to his urgent telegram to the Agency? Who else was out and about and killed Unwin? Figure out the motive and then find the killer. Well, that's not exactly easy with a newcomer for more than one reason. 

First on the suspect list is Ned Yearth. Ned is one of those nasty guys who likes to smirk and make "knowing" comments. He thinks he can do whatever he wants and does things to rile people up. He threatened Unwin and was not at Midnight Mass. Well ideally he should be the killer but that's too obvious. Yet, Gladstone doesn't like Ned so I think he must be the killer. Who else is there? The butler/valet Mr. Babcock is certainly a prime suspect. He hated the newcomer, the nephew who invited himself to stay and wouldn't leave until the legalities of Mr. Pritchard's will were sorted out. The nephew seemed to think everything would work in his favor and if it did, Mr. Babcock would be out of a job. In many respects Mr. Babcock is from the same old school as Clifford but he's also odd. He's fiercely loyal to a dead employer and acts as if his employer is on vacation and will return soon. He knows a lot about what's going on in the village but is not so forthcoming. He, too, is an obvious suspect! Miss Dora is the only only servant. She's Mr. Pritchard's cleaner and also cooks meals for the household - mostly Mr. Babcock. She seems like a timid sort of woman who wouldn't harm her employer even if she was worried about losing her job.

Mathilde Frisham runs the local pub with her sister Blythe. The two could not be more opposite. Mathilde is all business. She's tough and strong and suspicious of strangers. She doesn't trust anyone or like anyone. Mathilde is tough on her sister who is more of a free spirit and more lively. Blythe stepped out around the time of the murder, according to her sister. Yeesh really? Mathilde is quick to throw her sister under the bus and my guess is, her sister loved not wisely but maybe too well and she loved Unwin? She seems to be the only one mourning his death so I think that's a safe assumption to make. Maybe her older sister did the man in. I sure hope it's not "Loony" Luna. Why is everyone Luna believed to be "loony"? This Luna is eccentric in a different way than Luna Lovegood but she's an adult and chooses to be odd. Luna was the young lady of the manor until her parents lost their money and perished in a fire. She got blamed and now lives in the woods in a cabin, dresses all in black and flits around mysteriously. I rather like the sound of her and I hope she's not the murderer. She does have a strong motive though. 

Mr. Dunstan O'Brien, the church warden, whatever that is, is a newcomer to the village. He's kind of odd and cranky. Dunstan asked for the job the day after Rev. Ansel arrived and says he's helped out at churches before. He went through a tough time and just wants to be left alone and not asked a million questions that remind him of who he used to be. Or maybe he's just suspicious because he has something to hide? He's not in the story much and he was at Mass but not the whole time! He had means and opportunity but what about motive? Douglas "Digger" Dilkes, a mysterious man, is the grave digger. A-ha! He had means and opportunity to kill Unwin but again, what motive? He had more motive to kill the second person who turns up dead but not Unwin. Jarrett Maystone, the stone mason, is a little creepy. He's fascinated by Ellie's green eyes, so like the stones he tumbles and polishes. He's hoping to find a real gem some day. Ah... a jewel heist was referenced in the first chapter... could he have found real gems after all and sold them to shady characters? Could he then have gotten involved in stealing jewels? But he lives so far and out of the way from civilization so I doubt it. He was friendly enough until the sleuths mentioned Pritchard's grave and he seemed to be issuing a veiled threat about not sticking their noses in things that are none of their business. 

Constable Farnaby Quilter is a good man. He is respected in the village and can handle local petty crimes but he's never had a murder case before. He wants to solve this one and retire but needs the Byron Detective Agency's help. Constable Quilter is bashful around Ellie but comfortable celebrating Christmas with the ladies and Kofi. Yet, the sleuths feel he is not as forthcoming as he should be and withholding information that could be pertinent to the case. I don't know why they suspect that though. I think he's being open with them as much as he can. Rev. Thaddeus Ansel is the new, young vicar in the hamlet. He's a bachelor and as a young man, has difficulty convincing the parishioners he is as good as an elderly vicar. Sure his Christmas Eve Midnight Mass sermon is in Latin and way too long but he's kind and really wants to help people. He starts by helping the sleuths by providing information. He observed strange lights in the graveyard but was unable to identify the people. He also knows who was at Mass and who was not which helps narrow down the suspect pool. Most importantly, he does a real good deed for the sleuths on Christmas when they're homesick and missing family. He's a sweet man and I think Blythe should marry him. 

Professor Pike is not the murderer as he was in jail, drunk at the time but he's a delightful character. A professor of "phony English" I knew just what Quilter meant! Professor Pike is Henry Higgins and that's made clear late in the novel with a reference to George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion. Unlike the staid Henry Higgins, Professor Pike is perpetually drunk and can't hold down a job. They need him to not be drunk to help them out. Can he do it?

This was one twisty mystery! I'm still a little confused as to how they figured it out! 

Check out the other stops on the blog tour and Happy Christmas to all who celebrate!

What to Read This Fall

​What to Read This Fall

Murder at the Royal Palace by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookoture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

A month after her marriage to Scotland Yard's finest detective, Ellie is thrilled her new husband will finally get the recognition he deserves from the Crown. She can hardly contain her excitement while she waits for Hugh to be knighted! Before Hugh can receive the honors, a man nearly collapses in Ellie's lap. Her natural compassion and nurse's training jump in to help but she's roughly dismissed and on the verge of breaking protocol. After Hugh's big honor, they attend the garden party at Buckingham Palace where the man who seemed ill previously collapses again. He's carted off to the hospital still alive but doesn't survive. Ellie and Hugh, about to start their own detective agency, invite the head of the Royal Police, Sir Leonard Dalrymple to dine with them in hopes of making a useful contact for their new agency but he turns the tables on them and imperiously asks them to investigate the ill man's death- unofficially. Hugh is uninterested but Ellie's compassion is roused. It turns out the dead man, Dillon "Dilly" Dalrymple, was Sir Leonard's brother. This case has Ellie posing as a journalist and Clifford as a photographer to infiltrate the secret community within the Tower of London where something suspicious is going on and people are seeing ghosts. Will they be able to solve the case in one week's time and see the murderer brought to justice? With the help of The Ladies, the might just do it but Sir Leonard is not an easy client and the investigation doesn't go as planned. Will this first case also be the last for the new detective agency?

First, I want to say, this book is dedicated to Laura, who was the heart and soul of Verity Bright. Laura's heart and soul is what makes this series special. I keep coming back for the characters BECAUSE they have so much heart. It has been delightful to watch Ellie go from insecure, immature, terrified young woman to mature, confident and caring adult. Her heart is what sets her apart from other sleuths of this time. She may have lost her parents when she was young but her heart has room for more love and she finally has the family she always wanted. I'm happy the Ladies are included as an official part of the sleuthing team now and sweet young Polly has really grown and found her voice. Hugh is a little grumpy but he's still officially working for Scotland Yard and has a huge load of case files to go through. He's walking a fine line doing double duty as both an official copper and a PI. He's frustrated because Sir Leonard is playing his wife and not being honest. Hugh is also grumpy because he's a newlywed separated from his wife. Clifford as a riot! He may be a prim and proper butler but incognito as a Cockney photographer, he can really let his fondness for his mentor's niece show. His banter with Ellie is always delightful but here he lets his hair down a bit (so to speak). He really seems to enjoy acting more than he would admit. He's still some sort of super spy secret agent who can pick locks and a proper butler who keeps Ellie in line. Kofi is away at school and not present in this novel but the Terrible Two are along for the ride but not involved in the investigation. Gladstone is there to provide comfort to his humans when needed - or is he merely begging for more sausages? How is this dog still ALIVE? LOL! 

The plot of this book was excellent too. It did seem to bear a resemblance to an episode of Murder She Wrote that I watched the DAY I started reading this novel so I wasn't surprised by WHY but WHO was a shock. I didn't think it was that person at all. I did figure out HOW it was done right away when the clue was revealed, long before Ellie and Clifford got it. Even though I've been to the Tower of London, I had no idea about the secret community within for the staff. That was fascinating! (My dad, who is not a big reader, recommends [book:The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise|7745326] to learn all about the Yeoman Warders). The information is presented as part of the story as told to Ellie and Clifford so it works naturally and isn't just dumped in there for the sake of relaying information to the reader. I really hate it when authors do that. Here it could have been too much but it was all part of the investigation and Ellie and Clifford learning what they needed to know that it worked. This one also lacked the repetitive going over the suspect list too many times. There were a couple of phrases and words that sounded too modern American and kind of took me out of the story momentarily. I think the term should be "stepped out with" and not "gone out with" but I'm not an expert in early 20th century slang. Also "brass knuckles" is American slang. Other than that, I felt like I was there with Ellie and Clifford. 

Sir Leonard is a tough customer. He keeps his cards close to his vest. Of course he's a policeman and  that's his job but he's not a very forthcoming client. The sleuths have to keep him in the loop and he can stop the investigation at any time. This is different from what they're used to and of course Ellie's impetuosity and compassion often clash with authority figures. Sir Leonard was once close with his brother but they fought a lot and didn't speak often but when one needed the other, they'd drop everything and rush to the other's side. That's very sweet and sad. Sir Leonard must be grieving inside because he doesn't seem to be outwardly. He believes his brother's death was suspicious but officially, his brother died of natural causes. Therefore, Sir Leonard needs experienced problem solvers to investigate and let him know if there's enough evidence to bring to Scotland Yard to investigate a murder. I don't fully trust him. Is he lying? Did he do away with his brother himself and the investigation is a smokescreen? He seems a little too nice at first, too accepting to Ellie's sleuthing skills but he has the power to end Hugh's career early and probably toss Ellie in jail. He exudes power and influence. 

The victim, Dilly, sounds like a nice man and didn't deserve to die. He may have been involved in a few things he shouldn't have been doing but overall, it sounds like he was a man of good character. It looks like he was either killed for one of those things or may have stumbled across something he wasn't supposed to see/hear. The killer was truly unhinged and arrogant to think they could get away with it. 

Who else could have done it? How about Chief Yeoman Warder Rufus Irving. This man is a FUSSpot! He is a stickler for rules and regulations - no exceptions. He doesn't have a fun bone in his body. Of course he is military like all the other men. These men are all walking around with PTSD, toxic masculinity issues and empire obsession. Most of that is not addressed, this novel being set in the 1920s, but it means I try to make allowances for the characters. However, I'm certain Rufus Irving is up to something! He locks "Elaine" and "Birdie" in each night but lets other men wander around. is this for their own safety or to keep them from seeing something they shouldn't? Todd Mace is the new Ravenmaster. He's cheeky, arrogant and young. He doesn't understand the ravens the way Dilly did or seem to care for them, only the money the job brings him. Todd is upset two ravens took off and one returned to die, the other presumed dead. Old Joe was poisoned! Did someone poison the old Ravenmaster, Dilly and the bird got into it? Todd just shrugs it off as lead poisoning. Todd doesn't seem too upset about Dilly's death either. He's too busy trying to flirt with "Elaine" (Ellie) who is much too old for him! Is he really that callous, inexperienced or lying? Did he kill Dilly to get the job?

Mrs. Hilda Erskine is a lively wife of a beefeater. She is attracted to "Birdie" (Clifford) and enjoys winding him up trying to flirt. She's also a big gossip and prattles on about everything. She seems upset about Dilly's death. Hilda has a reason to be. She was either the murderer or perhaps suspects her husband! Arthur fits the profile. He's quiet, moody and antisocial. He tried to block Dilly's appointment as a Beefeater for...? no good reason? I'm sure he had a reason but he wasn't willing to say. He made no secret of his hatred for the other man and isn't happy about this article Ellie's alter ego is supposed to be writing. He's an old timer, Dilly was a newcomer who didn't know his place. But Arthur doesn't even LIKE his job! My money is on the doctor, Norman Orton. He has a medical garden with poisonous plants! He could have easily killed Dilly with something and he did seem shifty at the knighting ceremony. What is his motive though? Did Dilly know a secret about the doctor he threatened to expose? 

Another new character is Francis Caudle, current barman and the executioner. I can't imagine he has to do his regular job at all these days! Or even his job as jailer. I hope. He's forthcoming with information in a matter of fact way and seems to do his job as bartender and beef server well. Yet he's a little suspicious of "Elaine" and the jist of her article. Of course no one wants a tabloid story written about them, especially former military men. The Chaplin, Cyril Royce, can't be the murderer! He's a man of God! But does he know who is the murderer but won't say because he can't? Does he value his profession over justice? Dilly's friend, Corporal Whitgift, was hired by Sir Leonard to keep an eye on Dilly. Dilly confided something to Whitgrift but not specifics. Even so, Whitgrift ends up dead too! Does the murderer fear Whitgrift knows who he is and willing to rat him out? 

My very favorite new character is Rune, a chatty, mischievous raven. He's so funny and charming! "Bloody Murder!" He teams up with the Terrible Two to make a Terrible Threesome! The three pets are charming and adorable, especially Rune who is based on the Raven in Poe's poem, making this story a good Halloween season read. My second favorite new character is Miss "Bibby" Peach, a librarian at the British Library. She is eager to help research for both Ellie's personal mission and the case. She's a lot of fun and doesn't seem to act her age at all! Bibby is not proper and stuffy like Clifford, but she loves to read and learn the way he does. Ellie is trying to play matchmaker! Will it work? 

This was such a great story and I am thankful to the Bookouture team for making it happen!

Check out the other stops on the blog tour!

What to Read This Summer

​What to Read This Summer

Death at a Paris Hotel by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookoture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

Ellie and her beloved Hugh have finally tied the knot and are looking forward to a romantic honeymoon in Paris. Hugh has invited Clifford and Gladstone along as well. Sadly, Tomkins has to stay home nursing a sore paw. Aw! There's so much to see and do in Paris and Ellie can't wait to see it all but first, a champagne toast to their marriage at the hotel restaurant. Unfortunately just as they're about to toast to happy ever after, a man comes crashing through the glass roof of the hotel restaurant right in front of Ellie! She has some compassion for the poor man but the hotel manager is curiously reluctant to call a doctor. Ellie does all she can to save the man's life but as his life fades before her eyes, he presses something into her hand. Ellie isn't sure why but she has an odd feeling of familiarity. The French police suspect the man was a thief and Ellie his accomplice! No one seems too interested in investigating the real crime- murder. It's up to Ellie, Hugh and Clifford to follow the trail of clues throughout Paris. Along the way they discover Impressionist art, the Eiffel Tower, possibly corrupt police, a mysterious nobleman and another dead body! 

An excellent adventure for Ellie, her love, Clifford and Gladstone. It's very twisty and the most fraught adventure yet. My subconscious actually put it together but there was so much going on, I forgot about my earlier thought and couldn't put the book down. This book was tinged with some sadness. As Ellie begins her married life, hopefully forever is a very long time, I learned Laura Tong, half of the husband and wife duo writing the books, died unexpectedly. 

Paris of the 1920s plays a huge role in the story, almost a major character. Can you imagine a time when the Impressionist painters were not well known and their art was only just beginning to sell for a lot of money? Can you imagine when the Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world and when elevators were so new, just taking one up the tower was scary enough without thinking about how high up you were. The rooftop party was interesting and really helped created the 1920s setting. I can't imagine NOT going to Paris and geeking out in Montmatre! the windmill! ! EEEEE!!! I'd go EEEE it's Le Moulin de la Galette! You know, Renoir? I love Impressionist art and I loved seeing the familiar scenes from the paintings come to life with the characters. Ellie is not an art connoisseur and even Clifford seems to be unfamiliar with the Impressionists. I want to jump into the book and hang out with Ellie and show her all of my favorite paintings and tell her about the artists.  SIGH. DO buy a painting! I think she would like the colors and the light of a Monet Water Lily painting. I'm not a fan of post-Impressionism as much and that's what she's seeing in this adventure but I'd still recognize a famous painting if I saw one. It was fun to time travel and see everything fresh and new. If you don't know much about French art of the early 20th-century, this book has just enough information to send readers looking for pictures but not too much to be boring. 

Watching the development of these characters has been wonderful. Ellie arrived with a chip on her shoulder, ready to sell Henley Hall, convinced Clifford was trying to kill her and now look at her! She banters with Clifford like the brother she never had and he adores her. Even if he acts like a devoted servant, they're family. Ellie took awhile to figure out what she wanted and how she wanted to live her life and now she's self-assured and mature. Hugh arrived on the scene grumpy and tried to arrest Ellie. Now they're madly in love and he's so very sweet! Who knew Hugh was a romantic? Ellie does have some trepidations about marriage after her first ended in a spectacular failure but doesn't dwell on it too long. She knows that wasn't her fault and she knows in her heart Hugh loves her and won't let her down and she loves him and would never hurt him. They are the real deal - happily ever after! And Hugh inviting Clifford on the honeymoon signifies Hugh's awareness of how important Ellie's found family is to her. It's too bad she didn't get to reconcile with her uncle but I think somehow he knows how much she loves him. Ellie's endless compassion and empathy make her one of the most appealing cozy mystery sleuths I've ever read. 

Monsieur Provonost, the hotel manager, is a shady guy. He is reluctant to call a doctor when a man needs urgent medical care and instead calls the police. The police arrive very quickly and are eager to accuse Ellie of being an accomplice to a theft! The piece stolen from the modern art museum was so minor and unimportant but the police make it out to be a huge deal. Gardien Thierry Haqueville of the police municipale thinks he has all the answers right away. He doesn't even investigate or ask questions. It's all finger pointing and blaming the foreign strangers. Gardien Luc Bernier is a little nicer but kind of wimpy. He's the good cop in the good cop/bad cop scenario but that's not saying much. He does his job but nothing more and is reluctant to speak out when he sees something not quite right. Inspector Grippernel of the Police Nationale is scary. He's eager to lock up our dear friends and pin the blame on them. He's tough and very by the book. French laws are strict and he won't break them. Ellie thinks there's holes in his story and Grippernel must be lying. Yet, there may be a heart inside him after all. I don't think Haqueville has a heart. He's the most self-serving, conniving man and set in motion a chain of events that led to the man falling through the hotel restaurant roof. 

Years ago Christophe Ury was a little known painter who died in obscurity and poverty about 26 years ago. He is now, in the time of the story, considered one of the great Post-Impressionist painters and his works are highly sought after and command high prices. Emile, the victim, was a troubled young man who had a tragic childhood. He blamed others for his misfortunes and while some of that was true, the man didn't seem to have a lot of common sense or practical know-how. Emile had a chip on his shoulder and I don't think it endeared him to many people. I don't blame him for his feelings but his actions were not right. 

Mr. Eustance Omroy, director of the Musée d'art Contemporain is only too happy to exhibit Christophe Ury's paintings AND his studio. No one can get enough! Omroy is not friendly and doesn't understand intelligent women. He falls for Ellie's ditzy socialite act and allows her to wander the museum searching for clues. Omroy seems weasley to me and probably not on the up and up. He claims nothing was stolen and then later changes his tune. Security in this museum is a little lax for holding such expensive, important art. He works closely with noted art expert, Monsieur Delorme, owner of his own gallery. Delorme is arrogant, egotistical and insincere. He thinks he's going to make a huge commission selling a painting to Ellie so he's nice to her - fake charming. He's a dandy and a smooth talker. He has a story ready for every question Ellie throws at him. Whether the story is true or not, I can't tell you. He's quick to invite Ellie and Hugh to a party he can't attend. Um OK. Is he just sucking up to what he thinks is a wealthy socialite dilettante art collector or is there more to him than that? 

Security guard Alain Rion sounded the alarm but something about him seems off. Was he involved with the theft? What does he know about who was in the museum when and where? He must know who the thief was, what the thief took and why. I'm sure Rion even let the thief in! He even admits to getting a good look at the thief and recognizing the man.  Sabine, a sculptress, knew Emile. She's created a beautiful and lifelike sculpture of a man Ellie recognizes as Emile. Yet Sabine lies and says she didn't know him well. She doesn't know much of anything and is uncooperative when Ellie questions her. I get the impression she knows more than she's sharing and is lying to save herself. She obviously knew Emile well. Did she know what he was up to that night? Did she know he was dead before Ellie told her? This woman is knee-deep in the thick of things- whatever was going on. They're all lying! The full story is rather tragic and heartbreaking. 

Comte Victor Yves Archambeault is very friendly and invites the travelers to come stay with him. They've only just met and Ellie and Hugh are on their honeymoon. That's kind of odd. He's friendly at the party, introducing Ellie to his niece, Odette. Odette claims they never entertain but she seems to be of marriageable age. The Comte is brooding and mysterious. Does he have a role in this mystery or is there some other reason he is the way he is? Can they trust him? Can they trust anyone? Emile's grandmother is a lovely woman but elderly, blind and feeble. She couldn't do much to stop the tragedy in motion. How heartbreaking for her! 

This is the most hair-raising adventure yet and I hope the rest of the trip is uneventful! 

There are more books yet to be published so we haven't seen the last of Ellie and co. yet but it sure is a terrible tragedy to have such a talent leave us so soon.

Read more about the book on the blog tour!

What To Read This Spring

  What to Read This Spring

A Recipe For Murder  by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookoture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

It's only days before Ellie is set to walk down the aisle with her beloved Hugh (WOOO! FINALLY!) and there's much to do at Henley Hall to prepare a celebration for the villagers. Before the big day, Ellie must make herself available as the lady of the manor and attend the Spring Supper in the village, a pot luck event to celebrate spring and ensure good luck for the coming growing season. While visiting the homes of the villagers and mingling with them, Ellie devours the local foods and drinks and partakes a little too much. That night she is sick to her stomach and soon discovers the ladies were as well. Clifford, not having eaten anything in the presence of his lady, was fine and has a remedy ready to hand. It wasn't just Henley Hall affected, the milkman brings news of a widespread outbreak of food poisoning in the village. Ellie's wedding caterer, Annie Tibbets, is so gravely ill, she is in the hospital. Even Constable Fry is down with food poisoning and can't begin to investigate the source. When Annie Tibbets dies, the village is in an uproar. While Ellie and co. were absent traveling, a new mill opened up on the other side of the village. The mill has a self-contained mill village and the mill villagers are not welcome in Little Buckford. A full scale war is about to break out with both sides blaming the other. Ellie feels responsible for the rift, after all, as Lady Eleanor Swift, she's the lady of the manor and should have made the mill workers feel welcome upon their arrival. Without Constable Fry and with Hugh busy working right up until the wedding, it's up to Ellie, with the help of Clifford to solve the mystery. Meanwhile, wedding preparations can't seem to go right. Is someone trying to sabotage the wedding? Who on earth could it be? Can Ellie figure out the answers to the two mysteries before anyone else dies and in time for her big day?

This is another great mystery! We're back in Little Buckford and Ellie and Hugh are FINALLY going to tie the knot! wooohoo! It's been 5 years since their first dance in Brighton! The mystery is a little slow and confusing at first but then it gets going once Ellie begins her investigation. Then Hugh joins in, in a surprise visit to Henley Hall, to assist Ellie. The furry "terrible twosome" add some levity and humor to the story. Gladstone gets his moment to assist in the action though and I never knew the old fellow had it in him. The murderer turned out not to be who I expected nor was the motive. It turns out Ellie had the answer the whole time, she just didn't know she had it. I wasn't crazy about that twist because I really didn't think it was that character and liked that character. 

The history is much better in this one than some of the previous books. However, the timeline of the 1920s does NOT equal the Edwardian era as the author's note keeps stating. The Edwardian era was Ellie's childhood,1901-1910 (sometimes scholars push it to 1912 or 1914). I work WITH industrial collections and am well aware of the mill system and the way the workers were treated. I would have expected a better system already after WWI with more worker protections and unions but I know some mill owners ignored the laws and the workers were too poor and desperate to do anything. The mill owner also owns the workers, paying in tokens rather than cash. The workers redeem the tokens for food in the mill village store. I can see how Little Buckford, an agrarian economy, would look down on these rough industrial types. It made me upset how little empathy anyone had for the unfortunate mill workers who are so desperate for food they'd come and join the festivities of the Spring Supper.

Poor Ellie is wracked with guilt she hasn't been able to be lady of the manor recently. I feel bad she feels guilty. She's so sweet and caring. It's been lovely to watch her blossom and find family with Clifford and the ladies. They could not be more dear to her than if they were related by blood. Little Polly has grown up so much she even has a young man who is interested in her! Having Lizzie there has helped Polly grow a lot and of course Ellie's empathy, because she's clumsy and awkward at times herself. Polly's mind has grown as well and now she's figuring out clues Ellie and Hugh hadn't thought of. Go Polly! Mrs. Trotters and Mrs. Butters are a hoot and excited to have Hugh move in. Poor Hugh LOL! They'll do anything for Ellie, even if it means more work and less recreation time. How old IS Mrs. Trotters supposed to be? She learned to cook in the Victorian era which ended a good 25 years earlier. I guess she could be in her 50s? What can I say about Clifford? He loves Ellie like the daughter he never had. He loved Uncle Byron for giving him a second chance and helping him become the man he is today and that love and loyalty has extended to Ellie. Now he loves her for herself and has young Kofi to love as a son. Kofi is highly intelligent and perceptive. When he enters the story, things start to click into place for our sleuths. Hugh is a romantic at heart! When he's not working, he's not a curmudgeon. He eats well at Henley Hall, relaxes playing ball with Gladstone and watching Gladstone and Tompkins's antics. He's SOOOO swoony and romantic! He says he has a surprise for Ellie but he really has more than one and I would be so moved and touched. One thing he does is very sweet and unexpected. We never did get to hear their discussion about what they wanted from married life but they seem to have worked it out or Hugh knows what Ellie wants and needs. Realistically, there's not much she can compromise on since she IS Lady Swift. She can't abandon Henley Hall and her family there or the villagers nor would she want to. Hugh knows this and he doesn't even think about asking her to move to Oxford. I don't know how they're going to work out his work schedule and commute but they'll figure it out.   

I was so happy to be back in Little Buckford. The villagers are so quirky and fun. The Spring Supper sounds like a madhouse but fun.

Annie Tibbets is the estranged wife of the pub owner. She's a talented cook and happy to cater such a large affair as a wedding. Everyone loves Annie - or so Ellie thinks. Who would want to kill this lovely woman? Well, for starters, there's Hester Hopcroft who is another local cook. She turned down the chance to cater the wedding fearing it was too big for her to manage by herself. Is she having regrets now? Did she kill Annie to get the catering contract back? It seems like a plausible motive. That or revenge. Maybe she expected Annie to demure or to ask her for help. 

Then there's "Milky" Wilkes, the milkman. He claims he was seeing Annie but she was interested in other men! He's quick to bring news of the good poisoning and he isn't affected himself. I don't think he's the poisoner because his business is affected. Well, yeah... that makes sense to me! Bad milk may not be his fault but it does happen. Wilkes blames Giggs, the fishmonger. Yes that makes sense TOO but again his business is affected. Turns out Giggs was the other man Annie was seeing and the milkman and fishmonger have always had a friendly rivalry and fighting over Annie ended up NOT so friendly for any of them. Did one of the men kill her? Annie was once married to Mr. Stokes, the publican. She left him a few years ago and they've been estranged ever since. Mr. Stokes claimed they had a huge fight right before the Spring Supper and Annie was greedy and trying to get money from him. That doesn't sound like the Annie everyone else knew. Was there another reason they fought? 

I feel uneasy about Annie's neighbor, Phyllis Ingleby. She's super nosy and loves to gossip. She's quick to share anything she knows about Annie, which is quite a lot, and claims to have nursed Annie through her illness. Did she ingratiate herself with her neighbor to get something in return? She seems to have a serious case of envy and I think she wants Annie's house- fully furnished. I get the impression the spinster doesn't have much money and isn't clever or talented like Annie was. I feel bad for her but she's such an annoying person that I don't! She has motive, means and opportunity!

Sergeant Brice from the Chipstone Constabulary fills in for Constable Fry. Sgt. Brice is overzealous, not very bright and isn't part of the fabric of village life in Little Buckford. He's an outsider and that should be an asset in solving the poisoning case but it's actually a liability. Brice is unable to deal with the locals easily and they resent him as an outsider. He even gets Ellie into trouble with her own villagers. Brice accuses Mr. Shackley, the baker, of having poisoned the village with his flour. That doesn't make ANY sense whatsoever. He's losing business because people are suspicious. Why would he poison the entire village on purpose? If not for what the police found, I'd say maybe the flour was adulterated or not cooked enough and people got sick. Mr. Shackley is furious and so is his wife. They're both usually so lovely, he's affable and peaceable, whenever Ellie is around anyway. I don't see a strong motive here for Mr. Shackley. 

Miss Joyce Dunne is Hester's new friend. Miss Dunn lives in the mill village and is the schoolteacher for those youngsters able to attend. She is no nonsense, sensible, practical and rather hard. A spinster who probably rose above circumstances, she seems to want to befriend a more educated class of people and eager for female friendship. Miss Dunne attends the spring supper with Hester. Could they be behind the poisonings? Maybe Miss Dunne poisoned Annie out of misguided friendship loyalty or knows Hester did it and is covering for her? Maybe it was something that got out of a hand, an attempt to get the two sides of the village to come together against a common enemy? Miss Dunne seems too practical for that sort of thing. I like her a lot. She was very ill too and in the hospital. 

The wedding florist, Lucetta Moore is also under suspicion. The poison that killed Annie was a plant and where can you find dried plants in the village? Hmm. I'm beginning to think the murderer might be jealous of single career women! Mrs. Moore seems nice and knowledgeable about plants. I believe her when she claims she would never have any poisonous plants lying around. Her son Alvan is a hothead known for getting into trouble. He's disrespectful to his mother when she's conducting business with the lady of the manor. Ellie believes he's a good hearted lad but I suspect he's spoiled and has a chip on his shoulder from growing up without a dad. I can't see him as a poisoner though. What motive would he have? 

On the other side of the bridge is the mill and mill village. They're not very friendly and the manager is a bully who doesn't treat his workers well. I guess they pick up on his attitude and do what he says or risk losing their jobs. However, Nathan Kemp and Lewis Villin attended the Spring Supper and started a fight with the Little Buckfordians. They don't seem remorseful or respectful of the deceased and are certainly not respectful of Lady Swift's position. I think they're up to no good and could have poisoned the village just to make trouble. Perhaps the fight was a diversion? Natty seems a little nicer and more willing to talk than his friend. They claim they simply wanted hot, tasty food which is unavailable in their store. Mr. Oxdale, the manager, is a giant bully. He's a tyrant who runs the mill with an iron fist and doesn't take opposition. He doesn't know Ellie or care to know her, doesn't believe in her friendly neighborliness and insists her day is done. The day of Little Buckford is coming to an end and they'll soon be redundant. Of that I have no doubt because that's "progress" in the Industrial era but it sounds like a direct threat that's going to happen if she keeps poking her nose where it's not wanted. 

Rosine Crory helps her dad, Jared, run the mill store. He, like Oxford, rules his family and store with an iron fist. He bullies his daughter. Ellie has more empathy for him than I do. I don't like him and feel bad for poor Rosine. She's just a girl and seems sweet and lovely. 

Jack Browne is a shy lad who is sweet on our Polly! He seems sensible and springs into action when Ellie needs him to. I missed a book and thus my introduction to Ellie's BFF, Constance, Lady Davenport. [book:Death Down the Aisle|61178235]. Constance seems fun but marriage is not what she expected. She's pregnant and feeling not herself. She feels neglected by her husband, especially now he's inherited. He's going away on business and needs her to come too. I say, that's pretty rotten of him! Ellie is a hopeless romantic and thinks there's a surprise for her friend in the works. Since I don't know this Peregrine, I'm inclined to doubt he has romantic intentions. Dr. Browning is gruff and doesn't seem to like Ellie but he's smart and an honorable doctor. He helps with the investigation, albeit reluctantly. I don't blame him for being grouchy. He just lost a patient and doesn't know who would have killed her or why. Elijah Edwards of the County Herald is a tabloid reporter of the worst sort. He's fanning the flames and adding fuel to the fire of the tinderbox that is the village. His story will pit neighbor against neighbor and nothing will be the same again. Luckily Ellie knows just how to deal with him. 

The author's note includes a recipe for a Victorian era wedding cake. It's not one I'd want to try and I'd be wary about eating a cake that lasts YEARS! This type of brandy-soaked cake was still all the rage for weddings in the 1920s and even into the 1980s.

I enjoyed catching up with everyone in Little Buckford and Henley Hall. I hope there are more adventures in store for Ellie and the gang AFTER her honeymoon! I'm sure there will be babies soon enough and then I'll be forced to break up with this series. *sigh*

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What To Read This Winter

 What to Read This Winter

A Midwinter Murder  by Verity Bright-- 1920s Cozy Mystery

Thank you Bookoture, Verity Bright and NetGalley for an e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own and not affected by the giveaway.

Ellie is eager to spend Christmas at home at Henley Hall with the ladies, Clifford, the pets - and HUGH, who will be taking a much-needed vacation. Yet here she is in the wilds of Scotland at the Duke of Auldwyk's estate attending a house party she never RSVPd yes to! She'll just bring the party with her, after all, her fiancé was included in the invitation as well. Shortly after her arrival, Ellie and Gladstone stumble across the dead body of the Duke's secretary, Mr. Porritt, in the study. Oh no! Not again! With only one police constable available and the reclusive Duke's insistence on not bringing in Scotland Yard, it will be up to Hugh- with help from Ellie and Clifford (and maybe Gladstone) to solve the murder. Ellie soon discovers this house party is a shooting party (glass pigeons) with a bunch of strangers. At least they claim to be strangers but Ellie soon discovers a connection between them all that dates back 10 years to when the Duke's wife was killed and he became a recluse. Are the events connected? The more they dig, the more Hugh and Ellie are convinced there's a killer among them and no one is telling the truth. Can they solve the mystery before someone else is killed?

Ooh! This is a twisty mystery! It was a little dark for a holiday story but also very charming. I never guessed who but in hindsight I DID pick up on the clue Ellie missed! This story also has much more romance than any of the previous stories! Ellie and Hugh manage to carve out time to spend alone together and discuss their future plans - or not. It's all very sweet and innocent even though they've both been married before. My big quibble is with the author's note where they refer to the 1920s as Edwardian when the Edwardian era ended before World War I/with WWI depending on who you ask. My minor quibble is some of the language sounds too modern. According to the internet, "Faffing" became common around the 1940s and 50s. Errors like that take me out of the story. My big pet peeve is that no one knows how to spell all right. All right. Two words, not one. Two ls not one. Please? Thank you.

As always, Ellie's warmth and heart make her an appealing heroine. The way she treats her staff as if they were family is very unusual for the time. She's not "to the manor born" and still, after all this time, not comfortable living that lifestyle. The ladies and Clifford are like family. She's like a proud mom to young Polly who is growing up and more self-aware. Lizzie is growing up too and there's a male friend in her life who makes her blush. Trotters and Butters are a hoot as they usually are but they tone it down a bit because there's a man staying in their cottage.

 Ellie and Clifford's easy banter and their close relationship is so touching. They've come a long way since she suspected him of trying to kill her! Clifford stands in for Uncle Byron but he seems to be getting younger and has more tricks up his sleeve in each passing book. Also growing younger and more spry is Gladstone. If memory serves, initially he was elderly and spent his time sleeping on the sofa and drooling on slippers. Now he's playing with Hugh and his feline buddy and acting like a puppy again. Maybe he just needed more stimulation. 

Hugh is sweet and romantic-finally. He's thawing out and has learned to trust Ellie's "intuition" (intelligence?) and trying not to freak out about her investigations. He knows they need to discuss their future but SHE is the one putting it off. Hugh finally has the courage to speak his dreams out loud. I wasn't crazy about him at first but he's grown and adapted to Ellie's way of life. This cast of characters is one of my favorites. There isn't a one I don't love and at this point they feel like MY family too!

The new characters, aside from two, are not at all likable. Mr. Pruitt, the Duke's secretary, is young. He's very kind and charming but he may not be the most efficient secretary because he swears Lady Eleanor Swift RSPVD to the invitation. I find it weird that he's the only one who ever sees the Duke. Mr. Pruitt may have had secrets - secrets he could have been killed for. Did he have a lady friend? Was she from a higher social class? A secret wife? An affair? How else to explain the jewelry he was clutching when he died? I think our young secretary had some hidden depths and dark secrets in the closet. I don't know why else anyone would kill him - unless ... maybe he saw something... Knew something... Learned something, that got him killed?

The Duke of Auldwyke is very weird. He's reportedly reclusive, no one sees him except his secretary and his orders are to be obeyed. Does this guy even exist? I'm thinking he doesn't. I think he died long ago and the staff are running the house according to his wishes. I think this guy doesn't exist in the first place. The whole situation is weird. The Duke - if he exists- is cranky, autocratic, demanding and rude. Who is he- Blackbeard? The Beast? I don't like the sound of him and if they weren't snowed in, if I were Ellie, I would turn around and go home! Clifford would find a way. What happened to Lancelot and his plane? SOS Lance! Get us out of here!

Mr. Lofthouse takes over secretarial duties when Mr. Pruitt is killed. He also has his regular duties as first (only) footman and chauffeur. He's lower class, less educated than Mr. Pruitt and seems kind of lazy too. He doesn't like doing the secretary's job, he seems gloomy and creepy too. I don't trust him. I hope Mr. Bowes, the gardener, didn't do it. He seems humble and proud but clues do point to him. What about the Duke's former secretary, Derek Taylor, turned off after an argument? Could he have returned for revenge?

The guests include Mr. Wilfred Willoughby Taylor "soon to be Sir". ick. Is this guy for real? Who introduces themself like that? He's sleazy and probably a womanizer. Julius Huish is an artist with a large, scary, untrained dog who terrorizes poor Gladstone. Barnabus Musgrave, ESQ. is a blowhard businessman. He's the type that always has to be right and always portrays himself as larger than life. His wife Viola is along for the shooting contest too. These two don't seem to have a happy, loving relationship. They seem to be hiding something including the cracks in their relationship. Maybe this party is making things worse but I think the richer this guy gets, the worse he's going to be. She's not so nice herself and they both want something. Pearl Whitwell, the only other single woman, is super competitive. She's the man eating type and the type who sees all other women as competition. She comes across as catty and witchy. Ellie doesn't seem to like Pearl very much either. None of these people are sincere, they're all lying and they all want something. Which one killed Mr. Pruitt? Maybe they all did it?

Constable Danby is young and untried but he's up for the challenge of assisting in the murder investigation. He has no qualms about Scotland Yard OR a woman doing the bulk of the investigating. In fact, he seems to be excited to be in the presence of real detectives. He's a lovely young man.

I really enjoying spending the holidays (early) with Ellie and the gang. I hope to visit with them again soon! This series has gotten better and better as it has gone along.

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