Still enjoying historical cosy mysteries, this is the third book in this 1920s set series. You can see my review of the first in series here:

#BookReview – Murder at Millar’s Hotel: a 1920s Mystery by Kelly Mason #HistoricalCosyMystery #CozyMystery

I obviously failed to get around to reviewing book 2, A Killer at the Castle, but suffice it to say I enjoyed it as much as the first.

Even so, I was offered an ARC of book 3, which I accepted with enthusiasm, and here are my thoughts on it.

Blurb

Marooned after a garden party turns sinister, Lady Ellen finds herself in the midst of an unsettling mystery.

An unexpected summer storm leaves occupants and visitors, including Ellen, Lottie and Captain Hamilton, contained within Moor House and grounds after it is cut off from the outside world. When a priceless Egyptian artefact is stolen, the thief leaves the man guarding it brutally maimed. Tasked by the artefact’s secretive owner to recover the relic, Lady Ellen must sift through a web of secrets and motives. As she delves into the lives of both the family and staff at Moor House, the question arises: Who is truly capable of such a betrayal?

With her companions Lottie, Captain Hamilton and her faithful dog Prince by her side, will she be able to locate the treasure and discover the thief before they escape? Or will the artefact be lost forever?

Immerse yourself in the glitz and glamour of the 1920s with ‘A Mystery at Moor House,’ the thrilling third instalment of Kelly Mason’s ‘Lady Ellen Investigates’ series. Perfect for fans of twisty, period mysteries.

And my review:

A Mystery at Moor House by Kelly Mason
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lady Ellen, along with her companion, Lottie, and faithful dog, Prince, travels to Moor House where Captain Hamilton is contracted to provide security for a mysterious item that is for auction. The invite was for a garden party, but when they arrive, it seems the rather secretive widower who owns the place is more interested in gaining a rich wife than he is in hosting a party. His grown up children do not impress, nor does the strange lord who has apparently arrived a week too early for the auction viewing.
When an unexpected storm cuts Moor House off from the village, they all reluctantly settle in to await the clearance of the bridge that is the only vehicular access to the property. Then the artifact goes missing, and a guard is stabbed, and Lady Ellen is asked to delve discretely into the mystery. Her investigations are frustrating and perplexing, and she is anxious to leave the place as soon as possible.
Therein, for me, lay one of the less than enjoyable aspects of this story. Previous novels have been charming and engaging, with wonderful evocation of the period. The latter is still there, but I found Ellen’s dislike of her situation rubbing off on me. I also found her annoying for the first time. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to like in the characters, the setting, and the story, but for a woman who considers herself modern, with a progressive attitude, her reluctance to consider Hamilton as a potential suitor flies in the face of how she considers herself. She married beneath herself before, and often recalls this, so what is so very different this time? She is positively encouraging a relationship between the son of a duke, and Lottie, a girl from a poor family, and yet thinks it is too far a reach to allow herself to fall for an educated war veteran.
These aspects made me less enthralled with this volume than the previous two, yet the mystery is nicely complex, and wrapped up in a satisfying manner. I get that the tension over another woman lusting after Hamilton is a great plot driver, but to me it just felt a little forced.
I will continue with this series, I just hope that the next situation will be less disagreeable for Ellen, and hence for me!


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