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.

The Dance Before Christmas by Victoria Alexander

On By TracyIn Christmas, Novella, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Dance Before Christmas (The Lady Travelers Society, #2.5)The Dance Before Christmas by Victoria Alexander

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Lady Travelers Society, #2.5

Release Date: October 1, 2018

When Wesley Grant enters the Explorers Club, he is greeted by a lovely young woman, who has clearly has him confused with someone else. Wesley is the president and chief innovator of the very successful Grant Watch and Clock Company, he has come to England from his home in America to meet Sir Archibald Snelling and hopefully get him to endorse his newest invention – a travelers chronometer, at his uncle’s suggestion, he is attending the Explorers Club Christmas Ball and hopes to find a way to get introduced to Sir Archibald. He is about to tell the young woman she has the wrong man, but he becomes intrigued by her story and when he learns she is Sir Archibald’s daughter and wants him to pretend to be her suitor to prevent her father from pressuring her to marry his friend’s son, he can’t seem to disappoint her with the truth and besides, he wanted to meet her father and it seems like fate has dealt him a winning hand.

Anabel Snelling is almost 21 and her father feels it is time for her to marry. He has decided that the perfect man for her is his best friend’s son Douglas Reed. Douglas has been offered a position in India and will be leaving the day after Christmas, so unless she has another serious suitor by Christmas Eve, her father expects to announce her engagement to Douglas at their annual Christmas Eve Ball. But thanks to her Aunt Lillian, her problems are solved! Her Aunt hired an actor to pretend to be her suitor and he will court her until Christmas and then once Douglas has set sail, she will say he doesn’t suit and will be free to carry on with her life. To ensure that her father will accept the fake beau, they have decided to say he is the son of the very famous, very elusive, very dead (and very much admired by her father), Reginald Everheart. When Anabel informs Wesley of the part he is playing, he readily agrees, but refuses to be called Earnest Everheart, he will keep his own first name.

They enter the ball and dance and talk, Wesley knows he should tell her the truth, but he is smitten and doesn’t want to lose the opportunity to meet her father and talk about his chronometer. Anabel introduces him to her father and he tells him that he wants to marry Anabel, they plan to meet the next day. Wesley is satisfied that he will get to talk to Sir Archibald and decides to leave, but on his way out, he is stopped by Effie Higginbotham and detoured to the library with her friends Poppy and Gwen. Effie overheard him telling her friend Archie that he was Reginald’s son and Effie knows something is up, because she and her friends know for a fact that Reginald didn’t have any children – because they made him up!

When confronted, Wesley tells the truth and of Anabel’s dilemma, the trio of ladies are more than willing to help! What could possibly go wrong?

I absolutely loved this novella, it is well written, fast paced, funny and very sweet. So if you are looking for a quick, feel-good, love at first sight novella, look no further! This book is part of the Lady Travelers Society series, but it is more of a prequel than an actual series installment, it can easily be read as a stand-alone and out of order with no problems at all. I really enjoyed this sweet (kisses only) story and am happy to recommend it.