I only realised I hadn’t reviewed this book when I finished #2 in the series, so I’m going back to address that oversight.

I do adore the elegance of the 1920s setting, and enjoy this sort of rather gentle murder mystery which doesn’t take much effort to read. So without further ado, please meet Evelyn and Tommy Christie.

Blurb

Downton Abbey crossed with Murder, She Wrote…set in a Yorkshire village!

Evelyn Christie has resigned herself to another long, boring weekend at Hessleham Hall, the home of her husband, Tommy’s, family. However, it turns out to be anything but dull when his uncle, the Earl of Northmoor, is shockingly murdered!

Evelyn must use all of her sleuthing knowledge, gained whilst she was a member of the Police force during the war, to find out who the murderer is before the bungling local police force decide the Earl was bumped off so Tommy could inherit his title.

If you enjoy the glamour of bygone eras like 1920s Downton Abbey and gentle, cozy mysteries set in the English countryside then you will love this new series.

My Review

Murder at the Manor by Catherine Coles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite Evelyn’s husband, Tommy, being nephew of the Earl of Northmoor, the young couple live simply and quite happily in the local village. When they attend a family weekend at Hessleham Hall, Evelyn expects a quiet dinner or two, and a little socialization with Tommy’s relatives. When the Earl collapses at the dining table, and subsequently dies, the whole affair turns into something sinister. Was he murdered, and if so, by whom? With both Evelyn and Tommy having previously served in the police force, what should a couple do, but investigate?
Set in the 1920s, the story is told in language appropriate to the era, so do expect absolutely correct sentence construction, and dialogue that might seem a little stiff to some. For me, this enhanced the setting, but some may find it ‘old fashioned’ in style.
Also, Evelyn, whose thoughts we are privy to, displays the sort of straight-forward, honest thinking of a woman of this time period and social class, that some modern readers might scoff at, but which I felt was quite reflective of post WW1 females who were just starting to question their roles in the new age.
Needless to say, as a period cozy mystery, there are plenty of obnoxious toffs, mysterious servants, more bodies, and a slow-paced unravelling of the motives behind the murder. Not to mention the wonderfully snarky Aunt Em.
If you are a fan of this type of cozy, I can thoroughly recommend it. I have already finished book #2 and now onto #3.


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