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Ellen Cuthbert’s husband, Randolph, is now the Earl of Keswick’s heir. Their marriage is a sham, and Randolph’s mistress, Lydia, is present at the house party. When she is found murdered in a locked room, all the evidence seems to point to Ellen. And how could the murderer have escaped the locked room except by witchcraft? Sir Hugh accompanies his cousin, a magistrate, to the scene of the murder. They investigate, appalled to find their childhood friend Ellen appears to be the chief suspect. Hugh’s lack of prospects years ago prevented their marriage. Now if he cannot find the real murderer, there may be only one final service he can perform for Ellen to spare her a slow death at the end of the hangman’s rope.
Wallace’s response to whatever news her husband’s uncle had imparted carried. “Good! You can supply a wagon or cart and driver to take it to Penrith?” Another few words, apparent agreement, and he sketched a bow to the earl. Had they been talking about the body? Randolph’s face revealed nothing.
“My lord, ladies, gentlemen, I must beg your indulgence. There is someone Sir Hugh and I must speak with immediately,” Wallace said. “We will begin your interviews as soon as we can.”
The earl nodded curtly and departed.
Sir Hugh, now; his father and his older brother must have died.
Cuthbert drawled, “Need we be confined here while you take some servant or menial out of order?”
“Yes, I fear you must, as Lord Keswick wishes this matter dealt with in the most expeditious manner. To do so, my colleague and I must attend upon the doctor—”
“Why, if she’s dead?”
Wallace replied more peaceably than Ellen would have managed, but then, she had had years of Cuthbert’s ways. “So that we can get his immediate impressions, which may help us direct our investigation. And our work will be needlessly slowed if we have to have you and his lordship’s other guests sent for.”
He turned to approach Ellen, who prayed he would not address her informally.
“Mistress Cuthbert, I must beg your patience and ask you to wait for me in the Yellow Parlor. I do not expect to be long. A footman will escort you there.”
“Certainly, sir.” She curtsied and started for the door. Randolph continued to sprawl in his chair.
4 out of 5 (very good)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
When Lydia is found dead in a locked room, Ellen becomes the prime suspect. Lydia is, after all, her husband's mistress. Sir Hugh is sent to investigate. He might be the only one to save her from the hangman's noose.
For the most part, I really did enjoy this. It's a step out my comfort zone, and I do like to step out from time to time. This one, though, was a tad too far. Let me tell you why.
There are hints, and clues along the way as to whodunnit. many clues. MANY MANY hints. So many that I started to get mighty confused with it all and I could not see the bigger picture, nor who might have committed this crime. I'm still not 100% certain who actually did it, or why! It does tell you, in the book, but I was so flummoxed by it all that I lost the plot.
What I did like, though, was that I got to hear from all the major parties. I liked the level of drama (murder suspect notwithstanding!)
I liked the way it was written, and how the story was delivered, apart from the overwhelming amount of things to process. And that was the only reason I gave it...
4 solid stars
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
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One day after coming home from first grade, Kathleen Buckley set about writing her own dictionary but quickly realized it would take too much time, so she read a book instead. Possibly Space Cat.
After a career which included customer service, light bookkeeping, working as a paralegal, and a stint as a security officer, she began to write as a second career, rather than as a hobby. Her first historical romance was written after re-reading Georgette Heyer’s Georgian/Regency romances for the tenth or twelfth time and wondering if she could do something like that. Apparently she could, as her eleventh will be released on 3/24/2025. As a change of pace, it’s a murder mystery, but still set in the mid-1700s (but still with some romance).
Warning: no bodices are ripped in her romances, which might be described as "powder & patch & peril" rather than Jane Austen drawing room. They contain no explicit sex, but do contain the occasional den of vice and mild bad language, as the situations in which her characters find themselves sometimes call for an oath a little stronger than "Zounds!"
https://18thcenturyromance.com/ (website)
https://www.amazon.com/author/kbuckley (Author page)
Tour hosted by: Goddess Fish Promotions
This looks like a very good book and I look forward to reading it.
Sounds like a good read.
Thank you so much for hosting and reviewing today.