Of Deadly Descent

Alex and Briggie #2

by G.G. Vandagriff

Join Alex and Briggie on a trip to France and then to Oxford in this stand-alone sequel to Cankered Roots. On the trail of Alex's newfound cousins who are heirs under an old will, the pair scarcely arrive in Oxford before one of Alex's cousins is killed. Was it murder? Did it have anything to do with their search? If so, who even knew they were coming? While trying to answer these questions, they uncover among Alex's relatives a number of secrets someone would kill for. In the midst of her sleuthing, Alex attracts the attention of Charles Lamb, an impossibly handsome bachelor who is used to having women fall at his feet.

Genres: Mystery, Lds Fiction, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Lds, Adult Fiction

238 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2011

About the author

G.G. Vandagriff is the author of over thirty novels Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. The Last Waltz, the first novel in her 20th Century Historical Romance Series won the Whitney Award for Best Historical Novel in 2009. There are now two more books in that series—Exile and Defiance.
Thirteen of her novels are Regency romances, compared by critics to the witty novels of Georgette Heyer. She has also written a lively genealogical mystery series featuring Briggie and Alex, two whacky widows, as sleuths. Her most recent publications are Romantic Suspense. Her trilogy featuring Breaking News, Sleeping Secrets, and Balkan Echo tell the tale of high profile TV journalists--the Super Sleuths of WOOT TV station in Chicago.
GG graduated from Stanford and received her master’s degree from George Washington University. She worked as an associate editor at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, an assistant treasurer in the Harvard Treasurer’s office, a bond analyst at Fidelity Investments, and an international banker for Continental Illinois National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America).
She and her husband David are the parents of three children and seven grandchildren, her greatest joys in life. Her favorite novel? Jane Eyre. She also loves Florence, Sundance Resort, The Voice, hot chocolate, lilacs, and dachshunds.
Find out more about her books, download a free novella, and sign up for her newsletter at http://ggvandagriff.com. Also, be the first to know when Vandagriff’s next book is available by following her at http://bookbub.com/authors/G.G.Vandag... to receive new releases and discount alerts.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genealogy, premeditated murder, the Atonement and Oxford, England. An eclectic mix to be sure, but one that makes for a very satisfying reading experience. Alex Campbell and Brighamina Poulsen are partners in Root Search Inc. They are professional genealogists. They arrive in Oxford, England to find the legal heirs to an American meat-packing fortune accumulated by Alex’s grandfather and her lately departed father. They are in pursuit of the mystery surrounding Alex’s grandfather’s origins. Alex’s recently discovered English cousins may have a greater share in the family inheritance than she does.

I like the mix of genealogy and mystery in this series of books. Vandagriff does a nice job, I think, of blending concepts of faith, recognizable by LDS readers, with the elements of a basic who-done-it. In this particular episode in the adventures of Alex and Briggy , Alex, who is a fledgling in her newly found faith, begins to understand how the Atonement has meaning and application in her life. I found the passage where Alex comes to this precious understanding touching and nicely described by Vandagriff. It was a pleasant interlude in the middle of this tale of deception, greed, and madness.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this sequel to Cankered Roots, Alex and Briggie are in England to track down Alex's long lost cousins who don't know that they might be heirs to a rather large inheritance left by Alex's Grandfather. Shortly after arriving in England, Alex's new found cousins start turning up dead and of course, someone is after Alex as well.
I don't want to say this is the most enjoyable of the 3 novels by G.G. Vandagriff that I read because I don't know that I really enjoyed any of them. It was the one that had me rolling my eyes the least. Like Cankered Roots, the characters were poorly developed and flat. Only this time there were too many and I did not want to make the effort to try and keep track of all the characters when I did not really care about them. The ending was not very believable and the killer's motive was odd and weak. I found myself skimming over the parts when the characters started talking about religion, not because I have a problem with the topic but because it just did not fit in and made the story even more choppy.
I like a good mystery and while this one was clean, it was not very entertaining.

[Annabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much like the first book, as in VERY CONFUSING. I read the first couple of chapters, could tell it was going to be a doozy, skipped to the last few chapters, and finished it up. Quick read! And I skipped the wife's cousin's dead neice's great-aunt's second marriage web. (kidding about those details. I don't even remember who-done-it).

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book continues where the first left off. Alex is still trying to determine what happened to her great uncle and if she has distant cousins who should inherit the family fortune. This time Alex and Briggie are off to France and England for more genealogical research, but the murder of a fellow genealogist who is also most likely her cousin throws Alex into another murder mystery. When another person involved is also murdered and Alex is attacked the stakes are even higher. Once again we find that genealogy can be dangerous.

[Sandi Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, yet again I think that the mystery had some potential but the author just struggles to create characters ... they are very flat. Also, I hate that in this book and in Cankered Roots she throws in the diagnosis of schizophrenia for random people without 1) ever having a clue as to what it is, 2) ever developing it properly or correctly, and 3) adding to more misunderstandings about mental health issues. That irritated me to the point of almost hating the book but I will give her points on trying to create a genealogical mystery.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alex and Briggie are on the case to find legal heirs to a fortune. They travel to England and France looking for factual information that will prove the true identity of Alex's missing and presumed dead great uncle Jo. Someone else does not want them to find out if it is true or not and they are willing to kill to make sure of it. After Alex's life is threatened, the case takes on a new urgency.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. If you love genealogy/family history you will enjoy the twist and turns as Alex and Briggie find themselves in Oxford on a probate case. They need to find answers to the Borden - Cuendet mystery. There is a murder again that must be solved. It is also a clean read.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful setting! Fun mystery but the main character was not as likeable in this book

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this and the characters were believable, now onto the third book.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good book. It has great characters and a good clean mystery. I really enjoy reading books by G.G. Vandagriff.

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

After solving Alex's family's first pedigree problem, Alex and her genealogy business partner, Briggie, go to France to continue the puzzle in the pedigree. They find a number of cousins and Alex serves once again as a catalyst for murder, which she must solve with Briggie's help and that of her boyfriend's father.

A new romantic interest is introduced, along with complicating factors that have to do with Alex's Mormon faith, neither of which I welcomed in this book series, mostly because I found them a distraction to the plot. I think the author is putting in too much by combining the psychological and spiritual journey of Alex Campbell with the genealogical/murder investigations of Alex and Briggie.

I really liked the setting in this one--I love Oxford, England, having spent a lot of time visiting relatives there, and also being on my own there. I visited France only briefly, but I really liked the towns we drove through and stayed in, and this was quite evocative of that pleasant time. I liked it that the author's writing style is smoothing out. I like the characters, so maybe my disagreement with including Alex's inner life is not justified--but only if I am the target audience.

Perhaps that is the key--these books are written specifically for the Mormon-genealogist-murder-mystery-lovers audience.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis:
Alex and Briggie go to France and then to Oxford, on the track of cousins Alex discovered in Cankered Roots who will possibly disinherit her. They scarcely arrive in Oxford before one of her cousins is killed. Was it murder? Did it have anything to do with their search? If so, who even knew they were coming? While trying to answer these questions, they uncover among her relatives a number of secrets someone would kill for. In the midst of her sleuthing, Alex attracts the attention of Charles Lamb, an impossibly handsome bachelor who is used to having women fall at his feet.

[Mashell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing until the very end. This is actually book 2 of 3 in this series, written by an LDS author. The reason I gave it four stars is because there are parts where the author includes spiritual beliefs among some of the character's conversations. Even though her and I believe the same, I felt it detracted from the story. What I loved is that I didn't have the mystery figured out 1/2 way through.

[Kimberly Fields · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of Deadly Descent takes Alex to new terrain-- Oxfordshire, England-- where she continues to work on uncovering her family history, and in the process, becomes entangled in another murder.

This was a worthy sequel to Cankered Roots. The new setting was interesting, as were the new characters. I did start to wonder just how many deep dark secrets one family can have, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. A fun new genealogy mystery.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story picks right up following "Cankered Roots". Alex and Briggie have been hired to follow the trail of Joe Cuendet and find his heirs. They learn that the Cuendet family has their own geneologist, Philippa, and make arrangements to meet her in Oxford. The day they arrive is also the day Philippa is murdered. Once again Alex and Briggie must solve the mystery using their research skills. Scarry moments as Alex learns the truth.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the 2nd book in this series. It takes place in England and Alex and Briggie of Root Search Inc. go there to find and meet Alex's new found relatives. A murder occurs and they are again in danger as they find out more and more of Alex's genealogy. Once again I enjoyed the link to the LDS church.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy mystery, tied in with history, you should enjoy any books written by this author. Plus her books are very clean. I always think that the sign of a good author is someone who can write a book that keeps the reader's attention without a bunch of smut and coarse language--anyone can do that stuff!

[Mabeo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, the mystery part of this was a great follow up to the previous book. I'm just not following the personal part. Alex is so together in every other part of her life but romantically she's struggling and I wish there had been more definition to her feelings.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a number of years ago. I read it again in 2019. I had forgotten who the murderer was. This is an interesting genealogy mystery and it is a deadly situation for more than one person.
I like the LDS references in the story.

[Kaitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I own this book. Not sure if I ever finished it or not. It was pretty good but I guess not good enough to keep my attention or else I read it during my single years when I was not easily captivated by books... more by boys :)

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by a friend of mine. I've had it on my shelf for a while. It was a fun distraction. Lots of twists and turns in the plot. If you are a genealogy buff you will particularly enjoy it. This is the sequel to "Cankered Roots".

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was totally a great mystery book! Yet another great one from this author, who I truly enjoy reading her books. By the middle of the book I thought that I had figured out the whodunit part but was totally shocked by the real person whodunit in the end.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book begins shortly after Cankered Roots ends. It's also a continuation of sorts--Alexander Campbell, certified geneologist, is still trying to put the pieces of her family history in order. As before, someone prefers things to stay as they are. And they're willing to kill for it.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way the author weaves the beliefs of he characters into the story. Proof possitive a book does not have to use bad language and sex to sell a story. The characters are diverse and very well developed. The plot has twists and turns and plenty of excitement. This is a great read.

[Jackie Cain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite a fun genealogical mystery with our Latter Day Saints let lose in Oxford and London. Never quite sure that the England felt real to me. I still want to shake the protagonist and I'm not sure I buy the romance involved.

[Dalesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed her other two books with the same main character so I hope to get this book soon.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This installment took place in England and was centered around an inheritance with many family members making up the murder suspect list.

[Universitybabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one better than #3 but still found it a little lacking. Another family history mystery to solve.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I can't believe I haven't found this author before now! Maybe it's just cuz I am a geneology wannabe...........

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun mystery series solve with genology