The Dagger Dance by Elizabeth Bailey
Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Lady Fan Mystery #7
Publication Date: 4/13/21
Number of Pages: 341

While this is the seventh book in the series, I feel as if we are just getting started. The book is exciting and filled with red herrings that will keep you guessing whodunit. The only thing you know for sure is that Dorote Gabon didn’t do it. Admittedly, it took me two or three books into the series to warm up to Ottilia and Francis, but now I love them and can hardly wait from one book to the next. This one has a delightful twist that you will love at the end. Oh! And there is a pirate.

It is March of 1793 and Ottilia and Francis are enjoying time at their home, Flitteris. Ottilia’s nephews are visiting and, of course, the lovely young child, Pretty, from the last book is in residence. Things are in happy chaos when Ottilia receives a message from Hemp Roy asking her to come to Bristol to save Dorote Gabon, a woman from his past. Dorote, a slave, has been accused of murder and Hemp knows she is innocent.

Dorote was discovered standing over the body of her owner, Marcus Scalloway, with a bloody knife that she admitted was hers. Sounds like an open and shut case until Ottilia speaks with Dorote and comes to believe what Dorote has to say. It seems that everyone who knew Scalloway had reason to dislike him enough to kill him, so there is no shortage of suspects. It can be anybody from his wife, to her lover, to his business partner, to his skulking minion, to his partner’s skulking minion, or even the pirate who was captaining Scalloway’s ship when it sank.

Ottilia, Francis, and Hemp have their work cut out for them with this investigation and it is even more difficult than usual because Ottilia is ill and Francis has to take on a good bit of the investigation. Hemp doesn’t care who killed the man as long as they can prove that Dorote is innocent – and he also wants to get Dorote free from slavery. That last part may be harder than proving her innocent of murder.

I can definitely recommend this fast-paced, well-written historical mystery. The characters are wonderful and the mystery is intriguing. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Lady Fan Mystery #6
Publication Date: 3/23/20
Number of Pages: 353

England 1791 – Lord Francis Fanshawe (Fan) and his wife Lady Ottilia Fanshawe (Lady Fan/Tillie) are in Tunbridge Wells at the request of Francis’ mother, Sybilla. As it happens, Lady Wem and her family are there as well. To say that Sybilla hates Lady Wem is being very delicate about how she feels. Lady Wem is a despicable, vile, hateful, spiteful, manipulative woman who rules her family like a despot. You’ll just have to read the story to get a feel for this woman – I don’t think I have the words to describe her. The Fanshawe’s certainly plan to avoid any interactions with Lady Wem and her family.

While on an outing with their niece, Lizzie, tragedy finds them. A lovely young woman plummets from the top of High Ricks and lands almost at Tillie’s feet. Did the young woman slip? Jump? Was she pushed? Given what Tillie hears, she believes the young woman was pushed. The young woman is a member of Lady Wem’s family and Tillie knows they won’t welcome her asking questions.

Tillie gets sucked into investigating and as more and more bodies turn up – and the family refuses to cooperate, Tillie begins to believe that the murderer will never be unmasked. Tillie brings in family and servants to aid her in the investigation and they unearth more and more details. Finally, the mystery is solved and the culprits confronted. Who did it? Why? Will they get their just punishments? You’ll just have to read the book to see.

I love the mystery. It is well done and has enough red herrings to keep you guessing right till the end. That said, I thought it was a bit slow-moving – and that is why I didn’t give it 5-stars.