Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries #10
Publication Date: 6/13/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 278
Goodness! What a lovely fun and entertaining read filled with wit and great good humor. I can only imagine how exasperating it must be to live with Bea, Duchess of Keswick. Then, to be her husband must make Damian’s, Duke of Keswick, hair turn prematurely gray from worry over the heedless risks she takes. I guess all of that is to say that the author definitely manages to bring the characters to life. Bea is definitely NOT your regular, run-of-the-mill duchess.
“From almost the very beginning, I have been troubled by your recklessness, the way you bound heedlessly into danger, determined to investigate murders that have nothing to do with you,”
“Realizing that I can lose you at any moment to a stupid and senseless accident is a thoroughly unpleasant revelation for me. I never imagined I could feel this way, and if I had had an inkling of what was in store, I would never have knocked on your window.”
All of that said, he doesn’t limit her – he tried once, but that didn’t last long. Now, he just goes along, helps her, and does his best to protect her. You’ll love Keswick! That is how he ended up in the pre-dawn hours picking a lock to enter a large building where an explosion happened the afternoon before. Bea is certain that the explosion was purposeful and therefore, the death that occurred was murder.
What good was a Corinthian if he could not rise at dawn, fully awake and alive to all the possibilities of life?
Their investigation moves along and Bea and Keswick sort through and eliminate suspects as they learn more – and sometimes they add suspects back to the list. What could the motive for murder be? Was it really an accident? No, Bea is sure it wasn’t and Keswick agrees with her. Could the murderer have intended all of the dire consequences for so many people – just by murdering one man? Was the man who died really the intended victim?
I absolutely love the light and witty banter between Bea and Damian as they solve the crime. I’d say you could read this as a stand-alone, and you can, but you might have a few ‘scratch your head’ moments because you’ll have missed out on learning the backgrounds of Damian and Bea and how they came together.
I definitely enjoyed this book and hope you will as well.
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