Category: Historical Mystery

The Mystery of the Missing Heiress by Patricia Rice

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

The Mystery of the Missing Heiress (Gravesyde Priory Mysteries #2)

Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Gravesyde Priory Mysteries #2
Publication Date: 10/6/23
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 328

Oh! If you love mysteries, then this is the book for you because it is chock full of them! There are two overarching mysteries where the residents of Wycliffe Manor must manage to find the hidden family jewels in order to support themselves and the Manor, and the actual ownership of the Manor. Can they save the Manor from Snidely Whiplash the banker and continue with their hodge-podge family? With the additional mysteries of who is after their cook and why – as well as – will Oliver be taken away? Then, of course, there is the murder, who did that? Ah! Yes, mysteries aplenty, action aplenty, dastardly characters aplenty, and all of them seem to find their way to Wycliffe Manor.

What isn’t there plenty of? Weddings! Lots of romances, we just haven’t gotten around to a wedding yet. Soon – I’m sure there will be weddings soon! Perhaps we are going to wait and have some big group wedding in one of the books. I like weddings and I like HEAs and I can’t wait for these to start. Of course, I guess we’ll have to wait for some part of the HEA since the mystery of the Priory isn’t solved – and I’m sure that once it is solved, the series will end. Bummer! I can hardly wait to see who the next featured couple will be. I really hope there is a bang-up Epilogue in the last book that will show the Manor and its residents several years in the future. It will be so much fun to see how such a disparate group of folks will manage to make it all work. I really like all of these characters and want to be sure their HEA really is a lasting one.

Lieutenant Jack de Sackville is making a years-overdue delivery to Oliver Owen who is the seven-year-old nephew of Clarissa (Clare) Knightley (The Secrets of Wycliffe Manor) when he discovers the body of a man along the road. What in the world was Basil Culpepper doing this far away from London and in such a remote area? Needless to say, he’s welcomed with a bit of suspicion when he delivers a dead body to the village of Gravesyde Priory. However, someone at the Manor recognizes Jack and does her very best to keep him from recognizing her.

Lady Elspeth (Elsa) Villiers is a heiress who grew up in a family that didn’t value her and allowed her younger step-brother to torment and abuse her. Her escape from the abuse was the kitchen where she could lose herself in cooking. Elsa’s brother is now trying to force her into marriage with an odious man, so she escapes them all and finds refuge at Wycliffe Manor. At Wycliffe, she is welcomed with open arms and she finds the acceptance and family she never had.

Soon after Jack arrives, others begin to arrive. Elsa has been found! Will her new family manage to protect her from all of the villains who keep arriving at the door? Will Elsa have to flee yet again?

This book has something for everyone. There is murder and mayhem, kidnappings, and attempted murders along with an eclectic, diverse cast that will immediately endear themselves to you. Then, when you add in wounded soldiers returned from war, but not welcomed home and cute puppies – not to mention romance. Goodness! Yes, I can definitely recommend this book and I hope you’ll love it as much as I did.

Happy Reading!

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

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A Cold Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Edwardian Age (1901-1910), Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Scottish/HighlanderLeave a comment

A Cold Highland Wind (Lady Emily #17)Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries
Publication Date: 10/3/23
Period: 1905 – Highlands of Scotland (Edwardian)
Number of Pages: 304

This book is basically two novellas totally unrelated in everything except place. The book blurb makes it sound as if something in the story from the past helped solve the mystery from 1905. That isn’t the case. The two storylines are alternated throughout the book – one chapter from 1905, the next chapter from 1676, etc. I read it that way for a while, but it really got annoying and detracted from the enjoyment of each story. So, I just went through and read all of the chapters from 1676 and then I read all of the chapters from 1905. I honestly saw no point in including the 1676 story other than to fill pages so it would be a ‘book’ rather than a ‘novella’. Both stories were excellent and I enjoyed both, but I didn’t care for the delivery method.

1676 – Tasnim (Tansy) was the daughter of well-to-do Moors. She spoke several languages and was well-educated. Then, she was kidnapped and made a slave to a sea captain who used her for his own pleasure – then gave her away. She was finally given as a wedding present to the wife of a Highland Laird. This is an excellent story of slavery, selfishness, betrayal – and witch hunts which were rampant in Scotland at that time. However, I was left wondering – Did Tansy ever actually make it home to reunite with her family? Did she get the life she so richly deserved? I sort of felt as if that was left hanging.

1905 – Lady Emily along with her husband Colin, their three children, and a crocodile have traveled to the Highlands for a family vacation with Emily’s lifelong friend, Jeremy Sheffield, the Duke of Bainbridge. Not long after their arrival, the brutally murdered body of Jeremy’s gamekeeper was discovered by the loch. He was a well-liked man and much admired by all of the ladies, though he didn’t encourage them – so, who murdered him? With a close-knit and tight-lipped community, it was really hard for Emily and Colin to get the information they needed to solve the crime. But goodness, when they did – what a crime and resolution it was! There are lots of red herrings for you to analyze and discard – or keep – and there are many very likable characters to keep you smiling.

One thing that took away from my enjoyment – though I’m sure it was supposed to add a lighter touch – was the ten-year-old boy walking around with a crocodile on a leash. I cringed every time I read that. I loved having the boys along as more than just afterthoughts in the story, but the crocodile. No, just no. I grew up in a state filled with alligators, and there is no way I would have let a grown-up, much less a child anywhere near one. Yet, this story had ten-year-olds walking an alligator’s older, meaner brother on a leash.

So, I enjoyed both stories – other than the crocodile – but the way it was delivered was just annoying. Having two stories included seems to be a hallmark of this series, and I’m just tired of the flipping back and forth between storylines. While I enjoyed the mystery, I would not read it again, and I think it will be a good while before I read another book in the series.

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

View all my reviews