Category: Historical Mystery

A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge

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A Trace of Poison (Phyllida Bright Mystery, #2)Barbara’s rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Series: Phyllida Bright Mystery
Publication Date: 10/25/22
Period: 1930s Listleigh, England
Number of Pages: 304

I am always on the lookout for a new ‘favorite’ historical mystery series and author, and though I rarely read the fan fiction types of books, I thought I’d give this one a try. I did not read the first book in the series, but I don’t feel as if I missed anything that this book didn’t fill in for me – nor did this one enthuse me to go back and read that first book.

Mrs. Phyllida Bright is housekeeper to the famous author Agatha Christi and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan. Agatha and Phyllida became best friends during the war and they remain so. Phillida is perceptive, and exacting, and expects those who report to her to be efficient with their tasks and exacting with their personal grooming. She sets high standards and expects them to be followed to the letter.

The local Catholic church, St. Wendreda, supports an orphanage that happens to need a new roof. So, it was decided that a Murder Fete would be held and that the local Listleigh Murder Club members (they are amateur murder fiction writers) would each write and submit a short story to be judged by the members of The Detection Club (that really existed as did the members). The author of the winning entry would be published in both England and America and they would also get an agent. Those are very valuable prizes to would-be professional writers.

On the first evening of the Fete, there is a murder and as the Fete goes on, there are more murders and attempted murders – not to mention thefts. Everyone (including Phyllida) knows it is up to Phyllida to solve the crime. The police, Constable Greensticks and Detective Cork are both bumbling idiots that Phyllida looks down her nose at, so they cannot be trusted to solve the murder. Yes, it has to be Phyllida.

While continuing to manage the Fete and run her household with ease and efficiency, Phyllida investigates the crimes. Everyone is hiding some secret or another. Are those secrets pertinent to the crime or are they just embarrassing bits of information they don’t want to share?

There are so many characters and references to popular murder mysteries of that period that you’ll need a pen and paper to keep up with them. The author does provide a ‘Cast of Characters’ section at the front of the book to help you keep up, and I believe it is multiple pages long. I believe the author is trying to write in the style of those early mystery writers without directly copying them and, to me, it was just too much, too many twists, too many out-of-left-field things happening, and the end was a major leap of – logic??? For me, the story gets bogged down in so much minutia that it just almost comes to a halt. I believe the author could present the same general story with many fewer words and have a much more readable story.

I just could not come to like Phyllida. I know I was supposed to like her, but try as I might, I just couldn’t. I thought she was condescending, aloof, and a bigger snob than her ‘betters’. Some of my favorite parts are when the driver, Bradford, gets the better of her. Frankly, I was rooting for him to solve the mystery and leave Phyllida in the dust. I wouldn’t mind knowing more about Phyllida and Bradford because the author keeps hinting that there is more to them than we are privy to know. I’m not sure I’m interested enough to find out by reading the next book though. I’ll have to think about that for a while. Should you choose to read the book, I hope you’ll love it. It just wasn’t the style of book I enjoy.

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

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Murder at the Majestic Hotel by Clara McKenna

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Murder at the Majestic Hotel (Stella and Lyndy Mystery #4)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Stella and Lyndy Mystery #4
Publication Date: 10/25/22
Period: Edward VII (1905 Yorkshire, England)
Number of Pages: 304

Three-and-a-half years ago when I read this author’s debut book, I had no idea I was discovering both a new favorite author and a new favorite series. We’re four books in now, and the writing quality is still excellent as is the quality and complexity of the mystery, and that doesn’t even mention the wonderful romance.

Lyndy and Stella are finally off on their honeymoon and they have chosen York as their destination. They are so excited to begin their new life together and can hardly wait to arrive at the Majestic Hotel in York where they have reserved the honeymoon suite. Only, when they try to check in, they find someone else is already in the honeymoon suite. They’ve had the reservations made for weeks – how can that be? The hotel manager offers them the Royal Suite instead, but Lyndy nor Stella is happy about that – and they confront the man in the room. The man, Horace Wingrove, will not budge and informs them that they can have the room starting tomorrow night. That, of course, doesn’t happen because a maid discovers the man’s body when she opens the room to clean it the next morning. He was an old and frail man; did he just die naturally in his sleep? If it wasn’t natural – was he the intended victim or was it Lyndy and Stella because they were supposed to be in the room?

Another hotel guest, Dr. Bertram Bell, is summoned to the room and quickly says the death was accidental asphyxia (carbon monoxide poisoning from the grate). The hotel, concerned about its reputation if the death was their fault, calls the police. When Detective Sergeant Thomas Glenshaw arrives, he sees no reason to rule it murder and is happy enough to rule it accidental – though they will investigate a bit further. DS Glenshaw is very unhappy to have been called out for such a minor thing – he should be totally focusing on the plans and security for the unveiling of the statue in honor of the late Queen Victoria that is being unveiled at the Guildhall.

Stella knows she should just forget about it and let DS Glenshaw handle it, but there are some things that niggle at her – and she just cannot sit back when she’s puzzled, she has to solve it. To add to her initial concerns, there are strange people who demand to speak with them, strange whispers in the hallway, hotel employees who seem to be tainted, and the victim’s heir, Morgan Amesbury-Jones, who seems as perplexed as everyone else. Nobody knows why Mr.Wingrove was even at the hotel because the reason he gave isn’t really why he was there.

Lyndy just wants to get on with their honeymoon, but Stella can’t curb her voracious curiosity. Lyndy knows that Stella’s intuition is rarely wrong and goes along with her. Can they solve Mr. Wingrove’s murder? Oh! And did I mention there are more murders, more attacks, and even a bombing? Yes! This book is filled with non-stop excitement and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. There are murderer(s), anti-Royalists, disgruntled employees, thieves, happy reunions, and romance all in one book. Will Stella and Lyndy survive to solve the crime and finally get back to their honeymoon? Oh! You’ll just have to read this fast-paced, excellently plotted, and well-written story to find out. I hope you’ll read it and love Stella and Lyndy as much as I do. BTW, you can read this as a standalone book if you haven’t read the first three. There is enough background dribbled into it to get the gist of the series so far. However, to REALLY understand Stella – an American – and how she came to be betrothed to an English viscount, you really need to read at least the first book in the series. Happy reading!

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

View all my reviews