Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Gravesyde Priory Mystery #4
Publication Date: 7/11/24
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 291

I was surprised to look at the title and see this was only the fourth book in the series. Not because it seems to have dragged on, but because so many interesting, exciting, and romantic things have already happened. Have you read the first three books? If not, you should if you want to really be immersed in the dynamic of the story and the relationships between all the characters. The author does very nicely include a section in the front of the book called The History of Wycliffe Manor which spells out a lot of it.

While the tired, worn-down manor isn’t exactly bursting at the seams (yet), there are already more guests and residents than there are staff to serve them or furniture to give them comfort. With two weddings and a valuable book auction in the immediate future, even more guests are expected. What they really didn’t need was two sets of unexpected and uninvited guests. What are they up to? They are all of French ancestry, are they spying now that Napoleon has broken free and is back in France?

Another thing they didn’t need was to discover a murder victim. Such a young man! What was he doing on a trail almost no one knew about – not even the local villagers? Who is he? There is nothing to identify him. How can they investigate if they don’t even have a place to start? When they do finally identify him, it is a shock, and some will dearly mourn his passing. At least they knew the identity of the second victim – yes, there was another murder. The two victims couldn’t possibly be related – except through the murderer. Oh! No! The murderer has to be someone within the Manor because there is no way a stranger could have gotten to the second victim. Hunt and Jack are practically panicking because their main concern is keeping Clare and Elsa safe – and finding the murderer.

While they search for the murderer, there is also the code to decipher, the treasure to find, weddings to plan, and solving the mystery of the pearls. Yes, folks, the manor is a beehive of activity and filled with the most disparate group of individuals you may ever meet. They are all interesting, fun, intelligent, eccentric, and have their own agenda – but they all also fully intend to work together to make the manor their home. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.