Category: Historical Mystery

A Shot In The Dark by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Interwar Period (Nov 1918 - Sep 1939)Leave a comment

A Shot in the Dark (Mydworth Mysteries #1)A Shot in the Dark by Matthew Costello

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Mydworth Mysteries #1
Publication Date: 7/31/19

What a delightful introduction to a new series this book was! I love historical mysteries and this will be a new favorite series for me. I love that it features an American and a Brit and that the writers are also – one American and one Brit. That means that we get the correct lingo, etc. from both sides. Love it!

Kat Reilly and Sir Harry Mortimer are, on the surface, an unlikely match. He is an English aristocrat and she is the daughter of an American pub owner. Yet, each has served in the war and then served their countries in other capacities. Now, they have found each other and love.

Kat and Sir Harry are on their way to Mydworth Manor to begin their new life together. As their car and baggage are being unloaded from the steamer ship, a messenger shows up with an urgent summons for Harry to make an appearance at the Home Office. So, Kat heads to Mydworth on her own – driving Harry’s prized Alvis motorcar. She had a lovely adventure with learning the rules of the English road.

When she arrives at the dower house they plan to live in, it is dark and boarded up. Didn’t their housekeeper get the cable advising of their arrival? Kat heads off, on foot, across the field to the manor house where Harry’s aunt lives hoping for a place to spend the night and await Harry’s arrival. She arrives to find a man climbing out a window – only to be shot – and then more bullets are flying all around – several flying very close to Kat. What a welcome to her new home!

Since Mydworth is a very small community, Harry’s aunt asks him and Kat to investigate. When the dead man is identified, they worry that the murderer might be close to home. With the house full of guests and servants galore, there are plenty of suspects to go around. Time is of the essence since the guests are all planning to leave.

With suspects aplenty, Kit and Harry have to work quickly to identify the guilty party. Who murdered the man who just happened to be a jewel thief? The solution is hard-won, the villain unexpected and the punishment sad.

I loved the romance and the mystery was interesting – but I never did understand why the dower house was unprepared for their arrival. Just something that was left undone and unexplained, yet it was an integral part of the plot

I am really looking forward to the next books in the series.

Murder At The Opera by D.M. Quincy

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Murder at the Opera (Atlas Catesby #3)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Atlas Catesby #3
Publication Date: 12/10/19
Number of Pages: 283

This is a very well-written, well-plotted, page-turning, adventurous romance and mystery with wonderfully well-developed characters. There are twists and turns aplenty and you are always wondering – right to the end. You will think you know who the villain is – but, you can’t be sure. My only complaint is that is has been over a year-and-a-half since the last book. I definitely hope we don’t have to wait that long for the next book.

Solving the murder of Mrs. Wendela Pike turns out to be bittersweet for Atlas Catesby. If you read the earlier books, you are aware that Atlas has been haunted by the murder of his sister, Phoebe. Twenty years ago, her husband pushed her down the stairs and eleven-year-old Atlas, who was in the house at the time, was sure it was a deliberate act. Now, that same husband, Malcolm Lennox, the Marquess of Vessey, is involved in another murder. You see, Mrs. Pike is the long-time mistress of the Marquess. Atlas would love for the Marquess to be guilty – but – that would hurt his nephew Nicholas, and Atlas is only just getting to know him – so – bittersweet.

There are actually several suspects – the Marquess had several children with Mrs. Pike, could it be one of them? Then, there is the vicar who says he was betrothed to Mrs. Pike – could he have done it? Was she involved with someone besides the Marquess? Could it be Atlas’ nephew, Nicholas, who murdered her? Then, of course, there is the Marquess himself. Yes, there are lots of twists and turns and more suspects than you can shake a stick at. Just buckle your seatbelt and hang on for the ride.

Atlas is still, of course, besotted with Lilliana and their romance is softly and unobtrusively woven within the mystery. As always, Lilliana helps with the solutions and constantly confounds Atlas by insisting on going places he doesn’t want her to be. It is too bad Atlas is still feeling that he, the fourth son of a baron, isn’t good enough for the daughter and sister of a duke. He probably just needs a big shock to get him moving – maybe he’ll get it.

It was fun visiting with all of the returning characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Jaimie and it was nice to see how he’s growing and adapting as Atlas’s Valet. Of course, we couldn’t have a book without Atlas’s best friend, the Earl of Charlton and Lilliana’s brother, the Duke of Somerville.

I can definitely recommend this book and this series. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have.

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