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Murder at Crime Manor: Martin's Fishback's ridiculous second Detective Roger LeCarre parody 'thriller' (Roger LeCarre)
by Fergus CraigTHE MANOR HOUSE MURDER MYSTERY AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT . . . DETECTIVE ROGER LECARRE IS BACK!!!'What's better than a good crime novel? I'll tell you - a spoof crime novel, by the absurdly funny and clever Fergus Craig'MIRANDA HART'We all need more laughs like this'AISLING BEADetective Roger LeCarre. Scourge of crime. Guardian of Exeter. Amateur squash player. And now, party guest at Powderham, the manor house owned by mysterious billionaire tech genius Eli Quartz.It is a small and unconventional gathering: the Bishop, a fading radio star, a desperate aristocrat, the aging butler and his absurdly beautiful daughter - and Detective Roger LeCarre. Then a snowstorm blows in and the group realise they are trapped.And when, completely against expectations for this kind of situation, someone winds up dead, it's obvious who must solve the crime. Obvious, but for the fact the murder weapon was in Detective Roger LeCarre's hand, and the body was at his feet...From the creator of BBC2's Martin Fishback comes the second Detective Roger LeCarre crime fiction parody, daring to go where so many other crime novels have gone before.
Murder at Crime Manor: Martin's Fishback's ridiculous second Detective Roger LeCarre parody 'thriller' (Roger LeCarre)
by Fergus CraigTHE MANOR HOUSE MURDER MYSTERY AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT . . . DETECTIVE ROGER LECARRE IS BACK!!!'What's better than a good crime novel? I'll tell you - a spoof crime novel, by the absurdly funny and clever Fergus Craig'MIRANDA HART'We all need more laughs like this'AISLING BEADetective Roger LeCarre. Scourge of crime. Guardian of Exeter. Amateur squash player. And now, party guest at Powderham, the manor house owned by mysterious billionaire tech genius Eli Quartz.It is a small and unconventional gathering: the Bishop, a fading radio star, a desperate aristocrat, the aging butler and his absurdly beautiful daughter - and Detective Roger LeCarre. Then a snowstorm blows in and the group realise they are trapped.And when, completely against expectations for this kind of situation, someone winds up dead, it's obvious who must solve the crime. Obvious, but for the fact the murder weapon was in Detective Roger LeCarre's hand, and the body was at his feet...From the creator of BBC2's Martin Fishback comes the second Detective Roger LeCarre crime fiction parody, daring to go where so many other crime novels have gone before.
Murder at Crime Manor: Martin's Fishback's ridiculous second Detective Roger LeCarre parody 'thriller' (Roger LeCarre)
by Fergus CraigTHE MANOR HOUSE MURDER MYSTERY AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT . . . DETECTIVE ROGER LECARRE IS BACK!!!'What's better than a good crime novel? I'll tell you - a spoof crime novel, by the absurdly funny and clever Fergus Craig'MIRANDA HART'We all need more laughs like this'AISLING BEADetective Roger LeCarre. Scourge of crime. Guardian of Exeter. Amateur squash player. And now, party guest at Powderham, the manor house owned by mysterious billionaire tech genius Eli Quartz.It is a small and unconventional gathering: the Bishop, a fading radio star, a desperate aristocrat, the aging butler and his absurdly beautiful daughter - and Detective Roger LeCarre. Then a snowstorm blows in and the group realise they are trapped.And when, completely against expectations for this kind of situation, someone winds up dead, it's obvious who must solve the crime. Obvious, but for the fact the murder weapon was in Detective Roger LeCarre's hand, and the body was at his feet...From the creator of BBC2's Martin Fishback comes the second Detective Roger LeCarre crime fiction parody, daring to go where so many other crime novels have gone before.
Murder at Crossways (A Gilded Newport Mystery #7)
by Alyssa MaxwellIn late August 1898, reporter Emma Cross attends the final fête of the Newport social season and discovers the party's over for a visiting prince . . . The approaching end of summer means it's time for the Harvest Festival, the last big event of the season, held by Mamie Fish, wife of millionaire tycoon Stuyvesant Fish, at their grand &“cottage,&” Crossways. The mansion is decked out in artificial autumn splendor and an extravagant scavenger hunt will be held. But the crowning jewel of the evening will be the guest of honor, Prince Otto of Austria. As acting editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, Emma had hoped to leave her days as a society reporter behind her. But at the last moment, she must fill in at the Harvest Festival. With nearly every eligible daughter of Newport high society in attendance, Emma can almost hear romantic dreams shattering like glass slippers when the prince finally appears—as a corpse in the garden. The prince was stabbed in the same manner as another man recently found on nearby Bailey's Beach, who strongly resembles a relation of Emma's presumed dead for nearly thirty years. It&’s up to Emma to find a connection between the two victims—before a killer slips away like the fading summer . . . &“Another tricky mystery set against the backdrop of some great real-life mansions.&”—Kirkus Reviews
Murder at Derivale
by John RhodeMurder at Derivale, first published in 1958, is book no. 66 in the Dr. Priestley detective story series. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961. Murder at Derivale one of the final books in the Priestley series, has Inspector Jimmy Waghorn (assisted by the now elderly Dr. Priestley) investigating the death by poisoning of a man found dead in a truck parked in his neighbor's yard. Diamond smuggling and realistic police procedures are also featured.
Murder at Ebbets Field: A Mickey Rawlings Baseball Mystery (A Mickey Rawlings Mystery #2)
by Troy SoosIt's One. . .Two. . .Three Strikes You're Dead. Mickey Rawlings will do whatever it takes to help his New York Giants get past the Brooklyn Dodgers and into the World Series. If that means playing a bit part in a movie starring screen goddess Florence Hampton, he's game. What's not in the lineup is Florence washing up on a beach bloated and dead following a glitzy night of champagne and paparazzi. Since Rawlings has a perfect batting average when it comes to solving murders, he can't just walk away from the crime--especially when the killer has an agenda that could change more than a few lives forever--and puts the Series into perspective for Rawlings. While the boys of summer heat up for the final playoff stretch, every pitch, every swing heightens the tension on a mystery that might be too tough for Rawlings to deliver in the clutch this time.
Murder at Five Finger Light
by Sue HenryThe Jessie Arnold mysteries offer “real thrills set against the wild beauty of Alaska” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)—and this time, Jessie unscrambles a deadly puzzle along the Alaskan Inside Passage… Two of Jessie’s friends are throwing a party at their new digs—an old lighthouse on the Alaskan Inside Passage. Not a party in the typical sense, but one where guests earn their keep by scraping, painting, and generally restoring Five Finger Light, named after the long, low islands around it. So Jessie decides to leave her partner-in-crime, Alex, alone for a few days and lend a hand. With the company of old friends and a view to die for, Jessie won’t soon forget this weekend—especially when she stumbles across a dead body. Looks like an accident. But even as a frantic Alex learns that someone’s cut the phone lines and wrecked the radio, Jessie realizes there’s a killer loose on the island. Worse yet, the killing spree might not be over—even though the party certainly is. . . . .
Murder at Fontainebleau (An Elizabethan Mystery)
by Amanda CarmackIn the latest Elizabethan mystery by the author of Murder at Whitehall, amateur sleuth Kate Haywood investigates deadly machinations unfolding behind the scenes in the magnificent French court.1561. Queen Elizabeth's throne is threatened as Mary Queen of Scots--pushed in every direction by opposing and powerful forces--declares herself the rightful Queen of England. To discover her rival's next unpredictable move, Elizabeth dispatches a party of trustworthy intimates to Mary's court at Fontainebleau. Chief among them is Kate Haywood, who finds that the glittering balls and genial banquets conceal a web of poisonous ambition that soon turns deadly. When a beautiful and disruptively flirtatious member of the visiting party is murdered, Kate suspects that the man who stands accused has been set up to discredit Elizabeth. She vows to find the real killer, but the French court is a labyrinth unlike any she has ever navigated before--and at every turn there are more traps set to spring.From the Paperback edition.
Murder at Ford's Theatre (Capital Crimes #19)
by Margaret TrumanIt was the site of one of the most infamous assassinations in American history. Now bestselling mystery master Margaret Truman premieres a new murder at Ford’s Theater–one that’s hot off today’s headlines. The body of Nadia Zarinski, an attractive young woman who worked for senator Bruce Lerner–and who volunteered at Ford’s–is discovered in the alley behind the theatre. Soon a pair of mismatched cops–young, studious Rick Klieman and gregarious veteran Moses “Mo” Johnson–start digging into the victim’...
Murder at Glenloch Hill (A Stella and Lyndy Mystery #6)
by Clara McKennaOn a weekend trip to the Scottish countryside, American transplant Stella, and British aristocrat, Viscount &“Lyndy&” Lyndhurst, learn how sinister bad sportsmanship can be when a prestigious golf tournament becomes a deadly game of murder . . . Along with cheering on her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Freddie Kentfield, at The British Open in Scotland, Stella embraces the chance to connect with her distant cousins, the McEwens, at their grand estate, Glenloch Hill. But she and Lyndy don&’t receive the warm welcome they expect when their arrival is marred by missing luggage, evasive hosts, and the perceived mistreatment of a young laundry maid. Adding to the tense atmosphere, Freddie's roguish father, Sir Edwin, appears at the manor uninvited, his presence casting a shadow over the events—and stirring up more unanswered questions . . . As golf clubs swing on the green, so do Lyndy&’s fists in an uncharacteristic outburst. Chaotic circumstances take a dark turn when Sir Edwin is found bludgeoned outside the laundry house—the maid waiting beside the body, no murder weapon in sight—and all eyes on Lyndy . . . Suddenly caught in a whirlwind of kilts, elite golfers, and deadly rumors, Stella rushes to protect Lyndy's innocence and save herself from real danger. But can she both navigate the unspoken rules at Glenloch Hill and survive a cutthroat competition against a killer who will stop at nothing to win?
Murder at Greysbridge (An Inishowen Mystery #4)
by Andrea CarterPerfect for fans of character driven mysteries with a powerful sense of placeBeing adapted for a television crime series Summer has arrived in Inishowen and solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O'Keeffe is greatly tempted by a job offer from a law firm in America. Yet before making any life-changing decisions, there is her assistant Leah's wedding to attend at the newly restored Greysbridge Hotel—with its private beach and beautiful pier. The perfect location—but the festivities are brutally cut short when a young American, a visitor also staying at the hotel, drowns in full view of the wedding guests. And when a second death is discovered the same evening, Ben finds herself embroiled in a real country-house-murder-mystery, where all the guests are suspects. Sergeant Tom Molloy's appearance to investigate throws Ben into turmoil, especially when the pursuit of two runaways leads the pair to an island off the Donegal coast, where a violent storm traps them together, completely cut off from the mainland. A deadly conspiracy is unfolding on this tiny North Atlantic island—fueled by the ruthless pursuit of money—careening toward disaster for the inhabitants—and for Ben.Perfect for fans of Louise Penny, Lisa Gardner—and, of course, Agatha Christie While all of the novels in the Inishowen Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:Death at Whitewater Church Treacherous StrandThe Well of IceMurder at GreysbridgeThe Body Falls (coming November 2022)
Murder at Greysbridge (Inishowen Mysteries #4)
by Andrea Carter'Haunting, atmospheric and gripping' John Connolly, New York Times best-selling author'A beguiling heroine - clever, sympathetic and bearing a weight of guilt' The TimesAccident or murder? A perfect day hides the perfect crime . . . Summer has arrived in Inishowen and solicitor Ben O'Keeffe is greatly tempted by a job offer she's received from a law firm in America. Yet before making any life-changing decisions there is her friend Leah's wedding to attend at the newly restored Greysbridge Hotel, with its private beach and beautiful pier. It's the perfect location, everyone agrees, but the festivities are brutally cut short when a young American, a visitor also staying at the hotel, drowns in full view of the wedding guests. And when a second death is discovered the same evening, Ben finds herself embroiled in a real country house murder mystery, where all the guests are suspects . . .Praise for Andrea Carter'I adored this traditional crime novel; it's modern day Agatha Christie with Ben as Miss Marple' Irish Examiner'Atmospheric and vivid' Irish Times'An engaging read' Irish Independent'The colourful cast of characters may be fictional, but the landscapes, towns and villages are instantly recognisable' Irish Daily Mail'. . . filled with well-drawn and engaging characters, lyrical descriptions of the stunning scenery, and intriguing mysteries to be unravelled . . . hugely enjoyable . . .' Irish Independent'A modern day Agatha Christie . . . it builds to a crescendo in a dramatic and highly satisfying close' Books Ireland Magazine'A proper old-fashioned crime novel in the best sense of the word' Jane Casey
Murder at Gulls Nest: A Novel
by Jess KiddFrom Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of Things in Jars who &“is so good it isn&’t fair&” (Erika Swyler, nationally bestselling author), the first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears.I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret. 1954: When her former novice&’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda&’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it&’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.
Murder at Half Moon Gate (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery #2)
by Andrea PenroseAs the Industrial Revolution roils London, &“a daring pair of Regency sleuths tackle a series of coldblooded murders&” in this historical mystery (Kirkus Reviews). When the eminent scientist Lord Wrexford discovers the body of a gifted inventor in a dark London alley, he promptly alerts the authorities. But Wrexford soon finds himself drawn into the murder investigation when the inventor&’s widow tells him that the crime was no random robbery. Her husband&’s designs for a new steam-powered engine went missing the night of his death. The plans could be worth a fortune . . .and very dangerous in the wrong hands. Joining Wrexford in his investigation is Charlotte Sloane, who publishes scathing political cartoons under the pseudonym A. J. Quill. Her extensive network of informants is critical for her work—and for tracking down the occasional killer. The suspects include ambitious assistants, greedy investors, and even the inventor&’s widow. And when another victim falls, Wrexford and Sloane know they are on the trail of a cunning and deadly foe. &“Penrose deftly combines a Regency romance with a tricky mystery that delves into social unrest and the darker side of this storied period.&” —Kirkus Reviews
Murder at Harbor Village (A Cleo Mack Mystery #1)
by G. P. GardnerYoung retiree Cleo Mack is trading in academia for a second act in Harbor Village, a community for active seniors in coastal Alabama. But someone in this picture-perfect coastal town is burning the candle at both ends . . . It’s love at first sight when Cleo arrives in Fairhope, Alabama, after taking early retirement from her longtime position as professor of social work. Touted as “the nicest town in the world,” Fairhope is home to an eclectic community of retirees. Harbor Village boasts classes in painting, pottery, and photography, not to mention being a buyer’s market for husbands. It seems an ideal place to make new friends and rediscover life. Until a dead body is found in the pool. When the victim turns out to be the unpopular director of senior living, Cleo is named acting director. Now she must rely on her well-honed people skills to uncover a killer in a place where short-term memory isn’t what it used to be, and age is just a number. And if Cleo keeps snooping around, her number may soon be up . . .
Murder at Hatfield House (Elizabethan Mystery #1)
by Amanda CarmackKate Haywood, a simple musician in the employ of a princess, will find herself involved in games of crowns as she sets out to solve the murder of the queen's envoy.... <P><P>England is in tumult under the rule of Queen Mary and her Spanish husband. Confined to house arrest at Hatfield House, young Princess Elizabeth is the country's greatest hope. Far from court intrigues, Elizabeth finds solace in simple things: the quiet countryside and peaceful recreation, including the melodies of her chief musician and his daughter, Kate Haywood. But Kate will prove herself most valuable when an envoy of the queen--sent to flush out heretics in the princess's household--is found dead on the grounds of Hatfield.<P> Acting as Elizabeth's eyes and ears, Kate is sent out on the trail of a killer whose mission could destroy her family, friends--and the future of England.
Murder at Haven's Rock: A Novel (Haven's Rock #1)
by Kelley ArmstrongNew York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven's Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start... with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town's construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.
Murder at Honeychurch Hall (Honeychurch Hall #1)
by Hannah DennisonIf the stones of the house could talk…When Kat Stanford abandons a successful television career to help her mother Iris move into a rustic carriage house in Devon, she quickly discovers that behind the well-trimmed hedgerows, Honeychurch Hall is populated by more eccentrics than Kat had ever met in all her time in London.The Dowager Countess, Lord and Lady Honeychurch, their precocious seven-year-old heir, his missing nanny, a brooding stable manager, a housekeeper with an extensive designer shoe collection… Everyone seems to harbour a secret -- and Kat’s mother may be hiding the darkest of them all…
Murder at Honeychurch Hall (Honeychurch Hall Ser. #1)
by Hannah DennisonIn Hannah Dennison's Murder at Honeychurch Hall, Kat Stanford is just days away from starting her dream antique business with her newly widowed mother Iris when she gets a huge shock. Iris has recklessly purchased a dilapidated carriage house at Honeychurch Hall, an isolated country estate located several hundred miles from London. Yet it seems that Iris isn't the only one with surprises at Honeychurch Hall. Behind the crumbling façade, the inhabitants of the stately mansion are a lively group of eccentrics to be sure—both upstairs and downstairs —and they all have more than their fair share of skeletons in the closet. When the nanny goes missing, and Vera, the loyal housekeeper ends up dead in the grotto, suspicions abound. Throw in a feisty, octogenarian countess, a precocious seven year old who is obsessed with the famous fighter pilot called Biggles, and a treasure trove of antiques, and there is more than one motive for murder. As Iris's past comes back to haunt her, Kat realizes she hardly knows her mother at all. A when the bodies start piling up, it is up to Kat to unravel the tangled truth behind the murders at Honeychurch Hall.
Murder at Hotel 1911: An Ivy Nichols Mystery (An Ivy Nichols Mystery #1)
by Audrey KeownA hotel clerk prone to panic attacks turns amateur detective in this elegant and atmospheric murder mystery.If you want to spend a night amid the luxury and charm of the early 20th century, book a room at Hotel 1911. You'll find 28-year-old Ivy Nichols behind the reception desk. The hotel is Ivy's only link to the family that abandoned her when she was a small child. Now, plagued by panic attacks, she pedals her sea-green Schwinn bicycle to work every evening, hoping desperately to hold on to her job.When wealthy, imperious Ms. Swain arrives at the hotel and belittles Ivy, the young woman seeks consolation in the welcoming kitchen of George, the hotel's chef. Despite her tormentor's barbs, she dutifully informs George that Ms. Swain has a deadly allergy to shellfish. So when Ms. Swain collapses at dinner and dies, the police suspect that the chef made a tragic, inexcusable error. Desperate to save George's career, Ivy sets out sleuthing. She learns that numerous people in and around the hotel had motives to contaminate Ms. Swain's plate. Among them are Jeffrey Swain, the victim's son and heir; painter Rose Jewett; and British expat Hemal Sandeep.Even after the police find traces of shellfish in George's kitchen, Ivy is determined to clear her friend's name. But the stress of the investigation, in a hotel filled with suspects, threatens to precipitate another terrifying panic attack...or something more deadly.
Murder at Icicle Lodge (A Ferrara Family Mystery #3)
by J.D. GriffoSeasoned Italian-American Alberta Scaglione can whip up a traditional dish for any occasion. But when an impromptu vacation turns deadly, can she sift out the deadly ingredient? When her granddaughter lands a reporting gig at the grand opening of the luxurious Icicle Lodge, Alberta and friends tag along for a week of much-needed R&R amid the snowcapped hills of northeastern Pennsylvania. But the idyllic winter getaway becomes a nightmare after the gang discovers blood on the ice—and the dead body of celebrity guest Pamela Gregory, a frosty Olympic gold medal figure skater who won herself more enemies than fans . . . With a killer on the loose, multiple suspects, and a blizzard on the way, Alberta must now race to crack a bone-chilling case . . . before the outspoken Ferrara ladies get served murder: family style! Includes Italian recipes from Alberta’s kitchen! Praise for Murder on Memory Lake “Griffo launches a series with something for everyone: eager young newshounds, well-seasoned sleuths, and a stash of Italian recipes (some gluten-free) to boot.”—Kirkus Reviews
Murder at Kensington Palace (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery #3)
by Andrea PenroseWrexford and Sloane must unravel secrets within secrets—including a few that entangle their own hearts—when they reunite to solve a string of shocking murders that have horrified Regency London . . . Though Charlotte Sloane&’s secret identity as the controversial cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she&’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man&’s innocence. Though she finds the brooding scientist just as enigmatic and intense as ever, their partnership is now marked by an unfamiliar tension that seems to complicate every encounter. Despite this newfound complexity, Wrexford and Charlotte are determined to track down the real killer. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair&’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer&’s madness seizes another victim . . . Praise for the Wrexford & Sloane Historical Mysteries &“Penrose deftly combines a Regency romance with a tricky mystery that delves into social unrest and the darker side of this storied period.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“Its complex story line and authentic historical details bring the early days of the Industrial Revolution vividly to life. Bound to fascinate readers of C.S. Harris and even fans of Victorian mysteries.&”—Library Journal, Starred Review
Murder at Keyhaven Castle (A Stella and Lyndy Mystery #3)
by Clara McKennaWith her wedding to Viscount &“Lyndy&” Lyndhurst just days away, strong-willed ex-pat Stella Kendrick is the talk of Edwardian England—and the focus of a deadly mystery! Between ornate bridal gown fittings and meetings with Lyndy&’s distant relatives, Stella finally feels less like an out-of-place American and more like a respected aristocrat. Everything changes as the arrival of an anonymous gift and return of her overbearing father cast a dark shadow over the festivities, conjuring difficult memories and new fears . . . Tensions intensify when a daytrip to Southampton ends with a suspicious stranger getting trampled by a horse-drawn cab. Before anyone can explain why the victim possessed a newspaper clipping about the upcoming ceremony at Morrington Hall, tragedy strikes again, this time resulting in a murder that turns Stella&’s world completely upside down while implicating one of Lyndy&’s well-regarded family members . . . Facing loss, postponed nuptials, and uncertain threats, Stella and Lyndy rush to connect two very different crimes and identify the guilty culprit hiding among elite wedding guests. But as the couple blows the lid off of scandalous secrets, they realize that catching this killer—and living to tell the tale—may prove as impossible as closing the class divide.
Murder at Kingscote (A Gilded Newport Mystery #8)
by Alyssa MaxwellIn late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . . On a clear July day in 1899, the salty ocean breeze along Bellevue Avenue carries new smells of gasoline and exhaust as Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, covers Newport's first-ever automobile parade. But the festive atmosphere soon turns to shock as young Philip King drunkenly swerves his motorcar into a wooden figure of a nanny pushing a pram on the obstacle course. That evening, at a dinner party hosted by Ella King at her magnificent Gothic-inspired "cottage," Kingscote, Emma and her beau Derrick Andrews are enjoying the food and the company when Ella&’s son staggers in, obviously still inebriated. But the disruption is nothing compared to the urgent shouts of the coachman. Rushing out, they find the family's butler pinned against a tree beneath the front wheels of Philip's motorcar, close to death. At first, the tragic tableau appears to be a reckless accident—one which could ruin Philip's reputation. But when Emma later receives a message informing her that the butler bullied his staff and took advantage of young maids, she begins to suspect the scene may have been staged and steers the police toward a murder investigation. But while Emma investigates the connections between a competing heir for the King fortune, a mysterious child, an inmate of an insane asylum, and the brutal boxing rings of Providence, a killer remains at large—with unfinished business to attend to . . .
Murder at King’s Crossing (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery #8)
by Andrea PenroseFor fans of Miss Scarlet and the Duke and Bridgerton—a masterfully plotted mystery that combines engaging protagonists with rich historical detail and &“an unusually rich look at Regency life,&” (Publishers Weekly), plus a touch of romance that readers of Amanda Quick and Deanna Raybourn will savor. Celebration is in the air at Wrexford and Charlotte&’s country estate as they host the nuptials of their friends, Christopher Sheffield and Lady Cordelia Mansfield. But on the afternoon of the wedding, the festivities are interrupted when the local authorities arrive with news that a murdered man has been discovered at the bridge over King&’s Crossing, his only identification an invitation to the wedding. Lady Cordelia is horrified when the victim is identified as Jasper Milton, her childhood friend and a brilliant engineer who is rumored to have discovered a revolutionary technological innovation in bridge design. That he had the invitation meant for her cousin Oliver, who never showed up for the wedding, stirs a number of unsettling questions. Both men were involved in the Revolutions-Per-Minute Society, a scientific group dedicated to making radical improvements in the speed and cost of transportation throughout Britain. Is someone plotting to steal Milton&’s designs? And why has her cousin disappeared? Wrexford and Charlotte were looking forward to spending a peaceful interlude in the country, but when Lady Cordelia resolves to solve the mystery, they offer their help, along with that of the Weasels and their unconventional inner circle of friends. The investigation turns tangled and soon all of them are caught up in a treacherous web of greed, ambition, and dangerous secrets. And when the trail takes a shocking turn, Wrexford and Charlotte must decide what risks they are willing to take with their family to bring the villains to justice . . .