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Laurence Bartram #2
The Strange Fate Of Kitty Easton
When former infantry officer Laurence Bartram is called to the small village of Easton Deadall, he is struck by the beauty of the a crumbling stately home; a centuries-old church; and a recently planted maze, a memorial to the men of the village, almost all of whom died in one heroic battle in 1916.But it soon becomes clear to Laurence that while rest of the country is alight with hope for the first time since the end of the War, as the first Labour government takes power, the Wiltshire village is haunted by its tragic past. In 1911, five-year-old Kitty Easton disappeared from her bed and has not been seen only her fragile mother believes still she is alive. When a family trip to the Empire Exhibition in London ends in disaster and things take an increasingly sinister turn, Laurence struggles to find out what has happened as it seems that the fate of the house, the men and of Kitty herself may be part of a much longer, darker story of love, betrayal - and violence.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2011
135 people are currently reading
982 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Speller
15 books122 followersElizabeth Speller is a poet and author of four non-fiction books including a biography of Emperor Hadrian, companion guides to Rome and to Athens, and a memoir, Sunlight on the Garden. She has contributed to publications as varied as the Financial Times, Big Issue and Vogue and produced the libretto for a requiem for Linda McCartney, Farewell, composed by Michael Berkeley (OUP). She currently has a Royal Literary Fund Fellowship at Warwick and divides her life between Gloucestershire and Greece. She was a prize-winner in both the Ledbury and Bridport poetry competitions in 2008, and her poem, 'Finistere' was shortlisted for the Forward Poetry Prize in 2009. More profitably she is also a ghost blogger.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
December 31, 2012
Love a good British mystery. Why does it being British matter? I DON'T KNOW BUT IT DOES.
Tea and murder, please and thank you.
The detective here is Laurence Bartram, and he's not really a detective. He's an expert on English churches. He's been invited to an estate house, Easton Deadall (ominous, yes?), to help an architect friend with his knowledge. This is the second book featuring Mr. Bartram, however, so I believe that if the series continues that death will plague him to the point where he should probably consider just becoming a detective. GIVE IN.
A large part of Bartram's character comes from the fact that he fought in WWI. The traumas affecting those who fought, and the consequences for the nation at large factor heavily in both of the Bartram stories to date. But while that informs the characters, there is actually a mystery here. More than one, really.
Laurence arrives to discover a family inhabiting a crumbling estate, which they aim to renovate, along with the cottages of the nearby village. But even with the Eastons looking to the future, it's not long before he learns that more than a decade ago 5-year-old Kitty Easton disappeared without a trace. Despite the thorough searching that went on at that time, everyone's aware that with the new renovations that they could stumble upon a small set of bones at any moment. Would this be a blessing or a curse? Some members of the family prefer to think that Kitty's still alive.
The best part of this book is the atmosphere the author creates. As characters explore the grounds, from an ancient church to still-watered ponds to a hedge maze the family is in the process of creating, you feel like you're exploring with them. The estate is as much of a character as anyone else in the book, and that's not a bad thing.
Tea and murder, please and thank you.
The detective here is Laurence Bartram, and he's not really a detective. He's an expert on English churches. He's been invited to an estate house, Easton Deadall (ominous, yes?), to help an architect friend with his knowledge. This is the second book featuring Mr. Bartram, however, so I believe that if the series continues that death will plague him to the point where he should probably consider just becoming a detective. GIVE IN.
A large part of Bartram's character comes from the fact that he fought in WWI. The traumas affecting those who fought, and the consequences for the nation at large factor heavily in both of the Bartram stories to date. But while that informs the characters, there is actually a mystery here. More than one, really.
Laurence arrives to discover a family inhabiting a crumbling estate, which they aim to renovate, along with the cottages of the nearby village. But even with the Eastons looking to the future, it's not long before he learns that more than a decade ago 5-year-old Kitty Easton disappeared without a trace. Despite the thorough searching that went on at that time, everyone's aware that with the new renovations that they could stumble upon a small set of bones at any moment. Would this be a blessing or a curse? Some members of the family prefer to think that Kitty's still alive.
The best part of this book is the atmosphere the author creates. As characters explore the grounds, from an ancient church to still-watered ponds to a hedge maze the family is in the process of creating, you feel like you're exploring with them. The estate is as much of a character as anyone else in the book, and that's not a bad thing.
February 4, 2012
So disappointing but was it a surprise? …I would have to say yes. It’s The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton the new mystery by Elizabeth Speller. This is the second novel featuring post WW1 veteran, detective and all around sensitive guy Laurence Bartram
Last year I was perplexed as to why I enjoyed Speller’s first mystery novel featuring Bartram, The Return of Captain John Emmett as much as I did. I think it was a combination of the victim’s back story and the time period. The mystery itself and Bartram were not as well developed as I would have liked them to be but given the quality of Speller’s writing I thought things would only get better.
Alas The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton suffers from the same deficiencies as its predecessor. The back ground is there, the atmosphere is there but the mystery is missing and amateur detective Bartram does not have the level of charisma you want in your crime solver. Sigh.
Elizabeth Speller can write. She has complete control of the time period. The history, the settings, the behavior and speech of her characters is all right on point. Maybe the third time will be the charm?
Last year I was perplexed as to why I enjoyed Speller’s first mystery novel featuring Bartram, The Return of Captain John Emmett as much as I did. I think it was a combination of the victim’s back story and the time period. The mystery itself and Bartram were not as well developed as I would have liked them to be but given the quality of Speller’s writing I thought things would only get better.
Alas The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton suffers from the same deficiencies as its predecessor. The back ground is there, the atmosphere is there but the mystery is missing and amateur detective Bartram does not have the level of charisma you want in your crime solver. Sigh.
Elizabeth Speller can write. She has complete control of the time period. The history, the settings, the behavior and speech of her characters is all right on point. Maybe the third time will be the charm?
August 8, 2012
This second novel of the post war (WWI) life of Laurence Bartram takes him to Easton Hall to investigate the small church on the grounds of the Hall. The Easton family are planning a memorial to the war dead of their family and village and the church is central to that plan. Of course, there is much more happening here within the family, within the family retainers in the village. There is a history that Bartram sinks into in addition to the architectural history.
While I did enjoy this novel, I found that it was not quite as intriguing as the first, The Return of Captain John Emmett. Perhaps it simply tried to do too much in one book. One aspect of these novels that I find consistent however, while they have elements of mystery, they are first historical fiction.
I am very much looking forward to the next installment. I enjoy Speller's recreation of the time period and it's people. I also like Laurence Bartram and feel for his quiet struggle to rebuild a life after the war, along with thousands of other former soldiers.
Rating 3.5*
While I did enjoy this novel, I found that it was not quite as intriguing as the first, The Return of Captain John Emmett. Perhaps it simply tried to do too much in one book. One aspect of these novels that I find consistent however, while they have elements of mystery, they are first historical fiction.
I am very much looking forward to the next installment. I enjoy Speller's recreation of the time period and it's people. I also like Laurence Bartram and feel for his quiet struggle to rebuild a life after the war, along with thousands of other former soldiers.
Rating 3.5*
December 7, 2012
I loathe starting books mid-series, although from perusing some other reviews, it doesn’t seem as though there is much overlap beyond a few of the characters in this sequel to The Return of Captain John Emmett. There are a few obvious references to its predecessor here, but there is no indication of anything vital connecting the two novels. When I first discovered that this is the second book in a series, I planned on going back and reading it, but now that I have finished this snail-paced historical mystery, I have no intention of doing so.
The initial premise of this story - a deteriorating manor is slowly starting to come back to life after an early tragedy of a missing five-year-old girl until more tragic circumstances call the past back to the present - sounds so much more intriguing than its execution. The slow pacing makes the book feel much longer than its four hundred pages and the frankly unlikable cast of characters offers readers not much to connect with here. The series title character, Laurence (or Laurie), makes an unconvincing sleuth (his motivation for his nosiness is never full explored), and the majority of the action takes place in the long sections of conversations - conversations which often feel a bit repetitive.
While Speller’s research into her post-WWI time period is obviously impeccable, a lot of that historic detail is crammed into every nook and cranny of the story. There are a wide-range of details presented, which would have been more interesting with a greater balance of character development and plot progression. The book’s pacing literally does not start picking up until after the 191st page! And unfortunately any momentum gained by the actions there quickly peters out into a most unsatisfying conclusion. With several references to Agatha Christie, it feels like Speller attempted to emulate that style and format of mystery. Unfortunately, with less-than-charming characters and a plot that does not follow logical progression and compounded with one of the most unsatisfying conclusions that that I have read in a long time, this novel is a far cry from Mrs. Christie’s work. Needless to say, I don’t plan on catching up or continuing on with this series.
The initial premise of this story - a deteriorating manor is slowly starting to come back to life after an early tragedy of a missing five-year-old girl until more tragic circumstances call the past back to the present - sounds so much more intriguing than its execution. The slow pacing makes the book feel much longer than its four hundred pages and the frankly unlikable cast of characters offers readers not much to connect with here. The series title character, Laurence (or Laurie), makes an unconvincing sleuth (his motivation for his nosiness is never full explored), and the majority of the action takes place in the long sections of conversations - conversations which often feel a bit repetitive.
While Speller’s research into her post-WWI time period is obviously impeccable, a lot of that historic detail is crammed into every nook and cranny of the story. There are a wide-range of details presented, which would have been more interesting with a greater balance of character development and plot progression. The book’s pacing literally does not start picking up until after the 191st page! And unfortunately any momentum gained by the actions there quickly peters out into a most unsatisfying conclusion. With several references to Agatha Christie, it feels like Speller attempted to emulate that style and format of mystery. Unfortunately, with less-than-charming characters and a plot that does not follow logical progression and compounded with one of the most unsatisfying conclusions that that I have read in a long time, this novel is a far cry from Mrs. Christie’s work. Needless to say, I don’t plan on catching up or continuing on with this series.
April 2, 2011
I just finished this book and am unable to start another one yet because I was so entangled with the characters and plot. It is hard to leave that world. I can't wait for the author's next book. Her first two are compelling, emotional reads that are hard to forget. I highly recommend this book.
February 6, 2013
Enjoyable mystery set in England between the wars. Reminded me (a tiny bit) to Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series.
There were some parts that were very suspenseful and page turning, but as my lower rating indicates, these moments were few and far between times when nothing much happened with the plot at all. Not sure what Speller was trying to go for: a mystery, a character study, a period piece exposition. There was a little bit of everything, and the story overall seemed to suffer as a result. Still, it was well written, and made me want to read the first book in the series: The Return of Captain John Emmett.
There were some parts that were very suspenseful and page turning, but as my lower rating indicates, these moments were few and far between times when nothing much happened with the plot at all. Not sure what Speller was trying to go for: a mystery, a character study, a period piece exposition. There was a little bit of everything, and the story overall seemed to suffer as a result. Still, it was well written, and made me want to read the first book in the series: The Return of Captain John Emmett.
August 16, 2012
In The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton, the title character disappeared in 1911, 13 years ago as this novel opens, and her loss shrouds the estate of Easton in mystery and fear. Having been without men to work the land during the Great War, the estate is crumbling and the church has not been used for many years. Laurence Bartram, an expert on historic churches, is visiting at the request of his friend, William Bolitho, an architect who has been hired by Lydia Easton to repair workers' cottages, design and have installed a stained glass window in the church, and build a maze. . . .
Read the rest of my review on my blog at:
http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...
Read the rest of my review on my blog at:
http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...
January 15, 2019
In 1911 Kitty Easton, age 5, disappears. The rest of the family and staff on the estate are all locked in their own beliefs and tragedies but it is only when an architect comes in and takes a good look at the estate church that events come to a head. This story is a gradual uncovering of both an ancient maze and the family story until the truth finally emerges - but only the outsider knows everything, and has to make the ultimate decision about Kitty's fate.
This book is an intriguing mystery. The characters are depicted in a cerebral way - more through their attitudes and wonderings about their own past life and behaviour and how they impact on current events.
It feels like the 1920s, in which it is set, when life was much slower and everyone was expected to follow set codes of behaviour. Despite the slower pace, I enjoyed meeting the characters (even when, at times, I wanted to tell them to get on with it and stop dithering), and I will definitely find some more of Speller's books to read.
This book is an intriguing mystery. The characters are depicted in a cerebral way - more through their attitudes and wonderings about their own past life and behaviour and how they impact on current events.
It feels like the 1920s, in which it is set, when life was much slower and everyone was expected to follow set codes of behaviour. Despite the slower pace, I enjoyed meeting the characters (even when, at times, I wanted to tell them to get on with it and stop dithering), and I will definitely find some more of Speller's books to read.
June 25, 2019
Tiene su encanto pero el "suspenso" se consigue no revelando ninguna información clave hasta las páginas finales. Es un recurso válido, lo sé, pero no para mi gusto.
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May 10, 2014This was really quite good, and I notice that the jacket copy (which describes it as a manor-house mystery) actually asserts it will "entrance literary, historical, and crime fiction readers" which must be a first in book-jacket advertising. It also takes advantage of the success of Downton Abbey and the upcoming centennial of World War I--I'm getting the impression that the immediate postwar period is a newly popular era for novels set in the past.
Why did I like this particular one? Good writing--well phrased narrative, psychologically sensitive portrayals of a diverse cast of characters, intriguing central mystery (what became of the child who disappeared before the War). The protagonist is a veteran, a teacher and expert on church architecture, asked to the manor house in question to help a friend (architect and wounded vet) with renovations to the local church. The church itself almost becomes a character--deconsecrated and only relatively recently reconsecrated, with beautiful carvings and hidden architectural features that are only gradually discovered. Mazes and labyrinths and archaeology play important roles the story, as do the war and family relationships. One body is discovered in the course of the story, but while very unpleasant, this actually never becomes the focus of the book, which is something of a curious feat.
Some of the characters appear in a previous book, and with luck the library will have that. In the meantime, perhaps I'll finish some of the numerous non-mysteries that are underway around the house, which get read during the day rather than at bedtime.
Why did I like this particular one? Good writing--well phrased narrative, psychologically sensitive portrayals of a diverse cast of characters, intriguing central mystery (what became of the child who disappeared before the War). The protagonist is a veteran, a teacher and expert on church architecture, asked to the manor house in question to help a friend (architect and wounded vet) with renovations to the local church. The church itself almost becomes a character--deconsecrated and only relatively recently reconsecrated, with beautiful carvings and hidden architectural features that are only gradually discovered. Mazes and labyrinths and archaeology play important roles the story, as do the war and family relationships. One body is discovered in the course of the story, but while very unpleasant, this actually never becomes the focus of the book, which is something of a curious feat.
Some of the characters appear in a previous book, and with luck the library will have that. In the meantime, perhaps I'll finish some of the numerous non-mysteries that are underway around the house, which get read during the day rather than at bedtime.
January 9, 2018
It took a long time to finish listening to this, not because it was so long but because the story seems so much more interested in atmosphere than plot. Our detective is several years on from the last book, where he reluctantly learned about the reasons for a war friend’s death, and he’s been asked to help renovate a church in the country. So far so good, and some interesting relationships are set up, but more and more plot elements creep in until we’ve got critical mass of missing people, possible love interests, vaguely pagan church bits (my favorite part) and horror stories. Split into a few books these would all be great plot elements but here they end up jumbled together at times incomprehensibly. In addition, a few bits made me actively dislike the detective hero, especially his attitude towards women and graphic description of non-consensual (or at least impaired-consent) sex. In fact, other than to make me dislike him I’m not sure why that scene was in the book, conflating his behavior with another character’s constant abusive behaviors. Some of this feels realistic to the time (especially the horrific paternalism of the ending) and some feels completely anachronistic. Not as enjoyable as the first but at least this is a thoughtful book. Whether I’d be willing to read another in the series is questionable though.
July 23, 2018
Another mystery set in post WWI England, this one begins leisurely and continues on at the same pace. One by one, the reader eliminates suspects, though right before the reveal there are a couple still standing. There are two mysteries here, really, that of Kitty Easton and that of an unknown woman found murdered in the estate's church. Lots of local color, interesting archaeology and ecclesiastical history make this an unusual read. While one mystery is solved, the reader is kept hanging as to #2 until the very end. Did Bertram make the right choice?
Did I find the characters attractive? Bertram is less attractive than in book 1; the bordello scene put me off, though it did have some function in advancing the plot. William and Eleanor both are less attractive than in book 1 and I think they are doomed to split. Kitty is an empathetic victim treated badly by all the adults around her save her governess, which does not make me have hopes for the little boy. Bertram's indecision about his past lover/present obsession and his attraction to another woman--well, make up "your mind"! I may read book 3 if only because of Speller's ability to set scenes and time.
Did I find the characters attractive? Bertram is less attractive than in book 1; the bordello scene put me off, though it did have some function in advancing the plot. William and Eleanor both are less attractive than in book 1 and I think they are doomed to split. Kitty is an empathetic victim treated badly by all the adults around her save her governess, which does not make me have hopes for the little boy. Bertram's indecision about his past lover/present obsession and his attraction to another woman--well, make up "your mind"! I may read book 3 if only because of Speller's ability to set scenes and time.
November 16, 2023
I picked up this book on a whim and have always enjoyed a historical mystery. I do realize that this is the second book in the series and so take my review with some salt. While the history is definitely there, the mystery seems to be forgotten through out the novel. Elizabeth Speller has done her research and it shows, along with her love for a post World War I England trying to resume life after such a tragedy. Laurence embodies this in his flash backs and general talk with others always making it a point to reference the war and it's effects on people. Yet, this seems to take center stage over the mystery. You would imagine that two missing girls would be the main focus but alas it seems to fall to the side for a majority of the novel. The occasional clue pops up and a lead followed, but the pace is so slow that you sometimes go "oh yeah, we still don't know where they are!"
For those who enjoy a view of English town's people and how World War I affected them, this is a fine read. If you are looking for an actual mystery however, I would avoid this book.
For those who enjoy a view of English town's people and how World War I affected them, this is a fine read. If you are looking for an actual mystery however, I would avoid this book.
July 5, 2012
A well-written but extremely depressing story which is not so much a mystrey but rather a gothic, with women and children passively but nobly suffering the abuse and violence of men, while the "good" male characters alternately pretend they don't see or make excuses for the male abusers. I kept waiting for someone to do something active, but even the ending is something of a nonaction on the part of the protagonist. The mysteries are not very mysterious and the plot is somewhat plodding: this is another of those pseudo-gothics such as _The Historian_ or _The Woman in Black_ in which there is very little actual suspense or atmosphere.
January 7, 2023
It's a story about good people with flaws and the pull of the past and moving on - in more than one sense.
I loved every bit of it (and would have loved it even more if Laurences friend Charles would've been part of the story ;D).
It's a me thing but one of the scenes made me so anxious I had to put the book down a few times.
Highly recommend.
I loved every bit of it (and would have loved it even more if Laurences friend Charles would've been part of the story ;D).
It's a me thing but one of the scenes made me so anxious I had to put the book down a few times.
Highly recommend.
July 11, 2013
*Special Content only on my blog, Strange and Random Happenstance during Golden Summer (May-September 2013)
Laurence Bartram has been invited by his friends the Bolithos to come to Easton Deadall. William, despite his injuries from the war, has found a job. He is restoring the cottages in the village as well as creating a monument to the fallen. Easton Deadall lost all their men in the Great War, though the sad tragedy of the town goes back to before the war, when the five year old Kitty Easton was kidnapped out of her bedroom in the manor house and never seen again. While Laurence may question William's idea that a maze is the best tribute to the fallen, he is intrigued by the church he has been asked to look at. The carvings and the hastily tarred floor have secrets. They have pagan accents of green men and labyrinths. Yet inside the house is a world of hurt and pain. Kitty's mother still clings to the belief that her daughter is alive, while the rest of the household cannot move forward while Lydia clings to her dreams. Lydia is a sick woman, often laid up in bed, and the thought of her daughter is all that keeps her alive while it sinks the house into the quagmire of the past.
The arrival of Laurence and the Bolithos, as well as the return of the youngest Easton, Patrick, brings some much needed life and change to the house. Yet it also stirs up the past. When an excursion to London and the great 1924 British Empire Exhibition leads to the disappearance of the household's young maid, Maggie, the disappearance of Kitty, all those years ago, is brought even more into everyone's mind. The discovery of a dead female at Easton Deadall and a hidden chamber beneath the church lead to more questions and perhaps the possibility of finding out what happened to Kitty all those years ago.
I always find it interesting that my expectations versus the reality of a book can vary so much. I was not prepared to adore the first book in this series, The Return of Captain John Emmett, viewing it more as the book I had to read to be able to get to The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton, which I assumed would be my dream book. I mean a country house in Wiltshire, land of chalk and Terry Pratchett (yes, that's how I refer to it in my head), a mysterious disappearance years earlier, and mazes! I mean, that maze is what was really selling it for me, seeing as I have more then a little obsession with mazes and have built more then my fair share in cardboard, paper, and metal over the years. So yes, you might say me and mazes, and labyrinths in particular, are buddies. But when it came to the book, I just felt it didn't live up to the promise of the first book. Maybe it was my expectations, but while I enjoyed this book, it lacked the spark and originality of The Return of Captain John Emmett. It was less unique and more a mish mash of other things. The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton was a bit of the Lindbergh kidnapping, deformities included, very much a strong helping of the Inspector Lynley episode "Limbo," and then to top it of, quite a bit of Gosford Park, at least with Digby and his darkness that mirrors Michael Gambon to an extent.
Now lets get to specifics. One aspect of the book that really annoyed me was the layout of the manor house, Easton Deadall. Now, I don't know if Speller intended the layout of the house to be a bit confusing to mirror the history of the house and its connection with mazes, the name itself perhaps a bastardization of Daedalus, but it just really got under my skin. I don't really get the layout at all. Were the gardens, terraces, maze, pond, basically all in front of the house? Because that doesn't really fit with, well, any kind of English architectural style. Usually they were behind the house with terraces, gardens, then tamed wilderness, to indicate mans taming of nature in successive steps from the full control of the house environs to the return to nature the further away you got. And William Bolitho, being an architect, would have commented on this rather strange set up in my mind. I need a place that I can get my mind around, a place of respite in the land red herrings and mysterious machinations, and the competing architectural styles combined with what Laurence saw out of certain windows drove me a little round the bend. His view from his room seemed to randomly change. Also, don't get me started on that oppressive maze. I like a maze, more then the next, but the setting was too confusing, labyrinthine and oppressive and instead of adding to the feel of the book, it just set me against it.
Yet, the manor house and all it's issues was nothing to what I found as the main flaw in this book. The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton is seedy and debauched. I couldn't get around this fact. While you might take the view that exposing the aristocracy and their flaws would be historically accurate and liberating to an extent, there's handling it with kid gloves and making it fascinating, a la Gosford Park where we absorb the horrors without them being explicit, and then there's exposing us to this world and going into vibrant detail about beatings and sexually transmitted diseases, pederasts and whore houses. No thank you! This also feeds into my issue of character development. Speller is a master of unique and individualized characters, but here, in the suffocating world of Easton Deadall, they are so beaten down and depressive, that I wanted to run there and give them all happy pills. Where was Laurence's wise cracking friend Charles when he was desperately needed? Speaking of favorite characters from the previous volume... one of the characters does something that I will not forgive Speller for writing. Is it realistic, yes. But you know what, in this horrid little bleak world she has created, I needed something good, someone good to hang onto. To take that away from me... that was the last straw. The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton may have kept me absorbed, but it did not keep me happy, which is what a great book should do.
Laurence Bartram has been invited by his friends the Bolithos to come to Easton Deadall. William, despite his injuries from the war, has found a job. He is restoring the cottages in the village as well as creating a monument to the fallen. Easton Deadall lost all their men in the Great War, though the sad tragedy of the town goes back to before the war, when the five year old Kitty Easton was kidnapped out of her bedroom in the manor house and never seen again. While Laurence may question William's idea that a maze is the best tribute to the fallen, he is intrigued by the church he has been asked to look at. The carvings and the hastily tarred floor have secrets. They have pagan accents of green men and labyrinths. Yet inside the house is a world of hurt and pain. Kitty's mother still clings to the belief that her daughter is alive, while the rest of the household cannot move forward while Lydia clings to her dreams. Lydia is a sick woman, often laid up in bed, and the thought of her daughter is all that keeps her alive while it sinks the house into the quagmire of the past.
The arrival of Laurence and the Bolithos, as well as the return of the youngest Easton, Patrick, brings some much needed life and change to the house. Yet it also stirs up the past. When an excursion to London and the great 1924 British Empire Exhibition leads to the disappearance of the household's young maid, Maggie, the disappearance of Kitty, all those years ago, is brought even more into everyone's mind. The discovery of a dead female at Easton Deadall and a hidden chamber beneath the church lead to more questions and perhaps the possibility of finding out what happened to Kitty all those years ago.
I always find it interesting that my expectations versus the reality of a book can vary so much. I was not prepared to adore the first book in this series, The Return of Captain John Emmett, viewing it more as the book I had to read to be able to get to The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton, which I assumed would be my dream book. I mean a country house in Wiltshire, land of chalk and Terry Pratchett (yes, that's how I refer to it in my head), a mysterious disappearance years earlier, and mazes! I mean, that maze is what was really selling it for me, seeing as I have more then a little obsession with mazes and have built more then my fair share in cardboard, paper, and metal over the years. So yes, you might say me and mazes, and labyrinths in particular, are buddies. But when it came to the book, I just felt it didn't live up to the promise of the first book. Maybe it was my expectations, but while I enjoyed this book, it lacked the spark and originality of The Return of Captain John Emmett. It was less unique and more a mish mash of other things. The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton was a bit of the Lindbergh kidnapping, deformities included, very much a strong helping of the Inspector Lynley episode "Limbo," and then to top it of, quite a bit of Gosford Park, at least with Digby and his darkness that mirrors Michael Gambon to an extent.
Now lets get to specifics. One aspect of the book that really annoyed me was the layout of the manor house, Easton Deadall. Now, I don't know if Speller intended the layout of the house to be a bit confusing to mirror the history of the house and its connection with mazes, the name itself perhaps a bastardization of Daedalus, but it just really got under my skin. I don't really get the layout at all. Were the gardens, terraces, maze, pond, basically all in front of the house? Because that doesn't really fit with, well, any kind of English architectural style. Usually they were behind the house with terraces, gardens, then tamed wilderness, to indicate mans taming of nature in successive steps from the full control of the house environs to the return to nature the further away you got. And William Bolitho, being an architect, would have commented on this rather strange set up in my mind. I need a place that I can get my mind around, a place of respite in the land red herrings and mysterious machinations, and the competing architectural styles combined with what Laurence saw out of certain windows drove me a little round the bend. His view from his room seemed to randomly change. Also, don't get me started on that oppressive maze. I like a maze, more then the next, but the setting was too confusing, labyrinthine and oppressive and instead of adding to the feel of the book, it just set me against it.
Yet, the manor house and all it's issues was nothing to what I found as the main flaw in this book. The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton is seedy and debauched. I couldn't get around this fact. While you might take the view that exposing the aristocracy and their flaws would be historically accurate and liberating to an extent, there's handling it with kid gloves and making it fascinating, a la Gosford Park where we absorb the horrors without them being explicit, and then there's exposing us to this world and going into vibrant detail about beatings and sexually transmitted diseases, pederasts and whore houses. No thank you! This also feeds into my issue of character development. Speller is a master of unique and individualized characters, but here, in the suffocating world of Easton Deadall, they are so beaten down and depressive, that I wanted to run there and give them all happy pills. Where was Laurence's wise cracking friend Charles when he was desperately needed? Speaking of favorite characters from the previous volume... one of the characters does something that I will not forgive Speller for writing. Is it realistic, yes. But you know what, in this horrid little bleak world she has created, I needed something good, someone good to hang onto. To take that away from me... that was the last straw. The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton may have kept me absorbed, but it did not keep me happy, which is what a great book should do.
November 18, 2022
I read this book on the recommendation of my local library. It was very interesting. Somewhat long-winded in sections, but with a couple of good mysteries in the story, I enjoyed it.
November 5, 2014
The strange fate of Kitty Easton by Elizabeth Speller
A mystery story with a twist to stop you in your tracks
The second book telling the story of Lawrence Bartram, Captain during WW1. Who keeps getting asked to look into the mysteries of life affecting friends and acquaintances.
William and Eleanor Bolitho are at Easton Deadall a country house with a church in the grounds. They have great plans for the church and the village attached to the house and building a maze to commemorate the men who had gone from the village and died on the killing field of France.
The Church is of interest to Lawrence and when he is asked to go and look at the church and help with the developments he accepts.
What an unhappy house he finds everyone walking on eggshell all except Nicholas William and Eleanor's son.
Kitty Easton, the missing probably dead daughter of Digby and Lydia Easton.
There are three Easton sons, Digby died in the war, Julian the only survivor of the men that went from Easton Deadall and Patrick, unable to go and fight as he was diagnosed with a dicky heart.
Digbys wife Lydia Who is very Ill and who continues to believe her daughter Kitty is still alive and her sister Frances, who had been at collage with Eleanor.
David and Sue Eddings work for the Eason's and Mrs Hill works in the kitchen.
On day trip to London sees one of the village girls Maggie who often works with Mrs Hill going missing and David starts acting funny, Sue is about to have a child.
Mystery surrounds many aspects of the occupants of the house and as you read clues start coming to the surface. When a vault is found in the church with a body the people in the house have to start looking at the truth.
What is the truth -
A good question, The story is well written and you have to keep reading, there is a temptation to read chapters and pages before you get to them but you must not, be patient and you will be glad you did.
Some of the memories Julian has of the war are harrowing but are an integral part of the story.
A very good book with clues through out but you don't get the answers before the end. I did not see the twist at the end coming.
can't wait for the next book.
A mystery story with a twist to stop you in your tracks
The second book telling the story of Lawrence Bartram, Captain during WW1. Who keeps getting asked to look into the mysteries of life affecting friends and acquaintances.
William and Eleanor Bolitho are at Easton Deadall a country house with a church in the grounds. They have great plans for the church and the village attached to the house and building a maze to commemorate the men who had gone from the village and died on the killing field of France.
The Church is of interest to Lawrence and when he is asked to go and look at the church and help with the developments he accepts.
What an unhappy house he finds everyone walking on eggshell all except Nicholas William and Eleanor's son.
Kitty Easton, the missing probably dead daughter of Digby and Lydia Easton.
There are three Easton sons, Digby died in the war, Julian the only survivor of the men that went from Easton Deadall and Patrick, unable to go and fight as he was diagnosed with a dicky heart.
Digbys wife Lydia Who is very Ill and who continues to believe her daughter Kitty is still alive and her sister Frances, who had been at collage with Eleanor.
David and Sue Eddings work for the Eason's and Mrs Hill works in the kitchen.
On day trip to London sees one of the village girls Maggie who often works with Mrs Hill going missing and David starts acting funny, Sue is about to have a child.
Mystery surrounds many aspects of the occupants of the house and as you read clues start coming to the surface. When a vault is found in the church with a body the people in the house have to start looking at the truth.
What is the truth -
A good question, The story is well written and you have to keep reading, there is a temptation to read chapters and pages before you get to them but you must not, be patient and you will be glad you did.
Some of the memories Julian has of the war are harrowing but are an integral part of the story.
A very good book with clues through out but you don't get the answers before the end. I did not see the twist at the end coming.
can't wait for the next book.
June 4, 2012
This review of The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton first appeared in the May 2012 issue of Historical Novels Review where it was featured as an Editors' Choice.
Set in post World War I England, The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton is an unconventional but compelling mystery. As with her first book, Speller’s main character is Laurence Bartram, not a sleuth, but a veteran now a teacher, who like so many of the lost generation, has put his life back together in fits and starts. An architect friend asks Laurence, an expert on churches, to spend his break at Easton Hall to consult on the renovations of their church. On the surface a tame and benign scene—but even the landscape and church will enter into the intrigue. There’s more mystery lying around the Easton estate than the reader can hope to guess.
Early in the novel we learn that many years before, the Easton’s little girl disappeared one night never to be seen again. This mystery intrigues Laurence. He finds himself drawn in further when an unidentified dead woman appears, and he realizes the fate of little Kitty is tied into puzzles involving both the village and estate in a complicated human web. How much Laurence should and will unburden on others of what he learns is one of the many subtleties of this book.
The novel builds page-turning suspense, but I find the character development most masterful. Speller’s characters are as layered and subtle, as blundering and graceful as any living being. They, as much as the plot, draw you in, wanting to know their futures and their pasts. Laurence develops a romantic attachment—it’s as ambivalent as his dreams for the future. What will or can this man do to find love? Passion and violence do rip through the polite veneer of this country home—in ways that ring utterly true to life.
Set in post World War I England, The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton is an unconventional but compelling mystery. As with her first book, Speller’s main character is Laurence Bartram, not a sleuth, but a veteran now a teacher, who like so many of the lost generation, has put his life back together in fits and starts. An architect friend asks Laurence, an expert on churches, to spend his break at Easton Hall to consult on the renovations of their church. On the surface a tame and benign scene—but even the landscape and church will enter into the intrigue. There’s more mystery lying around the Easton estate than the reader can hope to guess.
Early in the novel we learn that many years before, the Easton’s little girl disappeared one night never to be seen again. This mystery intrigues Laurence. He finds himself drawn in further when an unidentified dead woman appears, and he realizes the fate of little Kitty is tied into puzzles involving both the village and estate in a complicated human web. How much Laurence should and will unburden on others of what he learns is one of the many subtleties of this book.
The novel builds page-turning suspense, but I find the character development most masterful. Speller’s characters are as layered and subtle, as blundering and graceful as any living being. They, as much as the plot, draw you in, wanting to know their futures and their pasts. Laurence develops a romantic attachment—it’s as ambivalent as his dreams for the future. What will or can this man do to find love? Passion and violence do rip through the polite veneer of this country home—in ways that ring utterly true to life.
June 3, 2012
One of the most interesting periods in England for a reader is after WWI. Owners of the old manors were faced with a real dilemna. Their sprawling homes needed manpower to function well but there was a shortage of people "in service". The country was decimated by wartime deaths and men were a premium. So the gentry limped along just making do. It is this setting that draws veteran Laurence Bartram to the estate and town of Eastman Deadall. The lady of the manor is creating some memorials including a maze and restoration of an old church.
The house has been touched with tragedy. The heir of the estate, five year old Kitty, disappeared one night thirteen years ago and has not been seen since. After Bertram's arrival, a ladies body is discovered in an underground vault of the church. A housemaid goes missing in London while accompanying the family on a visit to the big exhibition.
The story unwraps very slowly until the end when it finally mixes up speed with very satisfying and surporising answers. I think editing of 40-50 pages at the beginning would have made this a much more compelling novel. The premise and mysteries are unique and interesting and would have been in the "Can't put it down" category with tighter writing. The other problem is this is the second book in a series. While many series will bive you a quick recap so you can get up to speed, this book does not. There are a lot of reference to the earlier book and they peppered throughout. The author doesn't give you any explanations so you always feel like you are missing essential parts of the story. This is a definate drawback and I hope the author corrects it in future books.
Still, I liked this story. I only wished I had read the first book and am glad I stuck with it through the slow parts.
The house has been touched with tragedy. The heir of the estate, five year old Kitty, disappeared one night thirteen years ago and has not been seen since. After Bertram's arrival, a ladies body is discovered in an underground vault of the church. A housemaid goes missing in London while accompanying the family on a visit to the big exhibition.
The story unwraps very slowly until the end when it finally mixes up speed with very satisfying and surporising answers. I think editing of 40-50 pages at the beginning would have made this a much more compelling novel. The premise and mysteries are unique and interesting and would have been in the "Can't put it down" category with tighter writing. The other problem is this is the second book in a series. While many series will bive you a quick recap so you can get up to speed, this book does not. There are a lot of reference to the earlier book and they peppered throughout. The author doesn't give you any explanations so you always feel like you are missing essential parts of the story. This is a definate drawback and I hope the author corrects it in future books.
Still, I liked this story. I only wished I had read the first book and am glad I stuck with it through the slow parts.
December 9, 2012
This is the sequel following The Return of Captain John Emmett, although it would be ok to read as a stand-alone novel as there is no direct continuation of any storyline from the previous book. It's 1924, 3 years after the events of the first book, and Laurence Bartram sets out to the small village of Easton Deadall to join his friends the Bolithos to help create a maze as a memorial to the fallen men of the area and restore a church. It soon becomes clear that everyone at Easton Hall still lives under the shadow of a tragedy that happened 13 years earlier - five-year-old Kitty Easton had disappeared from her bedroom in 1911 and was never seen again.
The story unfolds very slowly, very subtly in a seemingly aimless way; this is not an action-packed mystery. I'm sure some readers will be put off by rather expansive descriptions of the maze, the estate and church architecture in general and I can understand where they're coming from, although it didn't worry me too much. I have to admit though that I found the first 100 or so pages fairly tedious, as there was a rather large cast to get aquainted with, as well as their backgrounds and their relationships with each other to establish; obviously necessary (it does make sense in the end), but at that point I wasn't exactly thrilled. However, once things start to happen, I found myself drawn into the story and I enjoyed it a lot more than I would have thought at the beginning. As with the previous book, the author brilliantly highlights the effects and ongoing fallout of the Great War on everyday lives and takes the reader to that time and place.
The story unfolds very slowly, very subtly in a seemingly aimless way; this is not an action-packed mystery. I'm sure some readers will be put off by rather expansive descriptions of the maze, the estate and church architecture in general and I can understand where they're coming from, although it didn't worry me too much. I have to admit though that I found the first 100 or so pages fairly tedious, as there was a rather large cast to get aquainted with, as well as their backgrounds and their relationships with each other to establish; obviously necessary (it does make sense in the end), but at that point I wasn't exactly thrilled. However, once things start to happen, I found myself drawn into the story and I enjoyed it a lot more than I would have thought at the beginning. As with the previous book, the author brilliantly highlights the effects and ongoing fallout of the Great War on everyday lives and takes the reader to that time and place.
January 22, 2013
I love this series, which captures the loss of the interwar period and displays the remains of The Great War's carnage with unflinching realism and pathos.
Once again Captain Laurence Bartram finds himself drawn into a mystery, as he's asked to examine an old church in Easton Deadall: what happened to five-year old Kitty Easton, long vanished these ten years? And when a servant of the house disappears from the British Exhibition of 1924, Easton Hall seems to be exhibiting a terrifying curse to rival that of Carter and Carnarvon finding Tutankhamen's tomb.
While Speller continues her mastery over the interwar period, she adds to it an examination of the strictures of English society, and combines them in a way that turns the English manor house mystery forever on its head.
Noted crime author and critic Julian Symons once wrote that "what crime literature offered to its readers for half a century from 1890 onwards was a reassuring world in which those who tried to disturb the established order were always discovered and punished." Speller's work portrays these times much more as they really were, where the horrors of war, of surviving, of remembering, were all too real, and where they combine with the continued impositions of a class structure designed to keep things status quo at all costs. The "Golden Age", mysteries were written for those, says Symons, who "had everything to lose by social change." Speller's work pays homage to those works, but makes painfully clear how much a fantasy those works truly were.
Once again Captain Laurence Bartram finds himself drawn into a mystery, as he's asked to examine an old church in Easton Deadall: what happened to five-year old Kitty Easton, long vanished these ten years? And when a servant of the house disappears from the British Exhibition of 1924, Easton Hall seems to be exhibiting a terrifying curse to rival that of Carter and Carnarvon finding Tutankhamen's tomb.
While Speller continues her mastery over the interwar period, she adds to it an examination of the strictures of English society, and combines them in a way that turns the English manor house mystery forever on its head.
Noted crime author and critic Julian Symons once wrote that "what crime literature offered to its readers for half a century from 1890 onwards was a reassuring world in which those who tried to disturb the established order were always discovered and punished." Speller's work portrays these times much more as they really were, where the horrors of war, of surviving, of remembering, were all too real, and where they combine with the continued impositions of a class structure designed to keep things status quo at all costs. The "Golden Age", mysteries were written for those, says Symons, who "had everything to lose by social change." Speller's work pays homage to those works, but makes painfully clear how much a fantasy those works truly were.
November 18, 2014
"Laurence Bartram was waiting for a late connection at Swindon station." Ah, comfy English mystery, I've missed you, with your stately manors, your afternoon teas and all those glances fraught with meaning. "The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton," by Elizabeth Speller was a welcome addition to my summer reading. The only quibble I have is my own fault - I should have started with her previous Bartram novel, "The Return of Captain John Emmett," and then some relationships and comments would have made much more sense. It's still on my "To Read" list though and after the Kitty Easton book, I'll certainly fit it in.
Laurence is an expert on English churches and travels to Easton Deadall to help an architect friend investigate an ancient church on the grounds. Characters enter the story in a rapid fire manner and it took me a bit to sort them out, but it was delightful to watch the story unfold and see all the events that connected them through the years. The time period during and following WWI are not chronicled often in novels and Speller's characterization of the horrors and the aftermath were well done.
This thoroughly enjoyable novel was enhanced by Speller's writing style in which everyone is watching everyone else, but not talking. Loosened tongues were plentiful at the end and the wrapup was very satisfying. A favorite quote: "If we could rustle up some tea I'd actually treasure a rest."
Laurence is an expert on English churches and travels to Easton Deadall to help an architect friend investigate an ancient church on the grounds. Characters enter the story in a rapid fire manner and it took me a bit to sort them out, but it was delightful to watch the story unfold and see all the events that connected them through the years. The time period during and following WWI are not chronicled often in novels and Speller's characterization of the horrors and the aftermath were well done.
This thoroughly enjoyable novel was enhanced by Speller's writing style in which everyone is watching everyone else, but not talking. Loosened tongues were plentiful at the end and the wrapup was very satisfying. A favorite quote: "If we could rustle up some tea I'd actually treasure a rest."
December 17, 2020
The Strange Fate Of Kitty Easton is British author Elizabeth Speller's Second novel in her Laurence Bartram series.
The estate "Easton" is the home of Easton family,who had lost theirs son in the war
The story is about kitty,who had disappeared from her bed..this book was a slow starter and I was tempted to give up after a hundred pages or so but am glad I didn't since the first major event happened shortly
Laurence Basrtram is great war veteran and teacher with expertise in churches. He has been invited by a fellow veteran to visit the Easton estate to look at a church there that might have something spectacular and also about Kitty Easton's disappeared from her bed when she was fight and it's happens right before the beginning of the war.She has searched for her body was never found her disappearance has hunted Easton Family.. evan few family members thought she is still alive
Just like every family have secret to hide, Easton Family have so many secrets and also in book there is family-drama,darken story of love and betrayal
Speller's writing style is really good and the character are depicted in cerebral way-more thought their attitude and wondering about past life and behaviour and how they impact on current events
The best part of this book is atmosphere the author creates. As the character explore the ground from an ancient church to still watered pond to hedge maze the family is in the process of creating you feel like you're exploring with them.
The estate "Easton" is the home of Easton family,who had lost theirs son in the war
The story is about kitty,who had disappeared from her bed..this book was a slow starter and I was tempted to give up after a hundred pages or so but am glad I didn't since the first major event happened shortly
Laurence Basrtram is great war veteran and teacher with expertise in churches. He has been invited by a fellow veteran to visit the Easton estate to look at a church there that might have something spectacular and also about Kitty Easton's disappeared from her bed when she was fight and it's happens right before the beginning of the war.She has searched for her body was never found her disappearance has hunted Easton Family.. evan few family members thought she is still alive
Just like every family have secret to hide, Easton Family have so many secrets and also in book there is family-drama,darken story of love and betrayal
Speller's writing style is really good and the character are depicted in cerebral way-more thought their attitude and wondering about past life and behaviour and how they impact on current events
The best part of this book is atmosphere the author creates. As the character explore the ground from an ancient church to still watered pond to hedge maze the family is in the process of creating you feel like you're exploring with them.
October 28, 2020
This book wrote itself out of a 5-star rating in several ways. It was overly long by at least 100 pages. It started out strong and the set-up was intriguing, but after the harrowing gauntlet beneath the church, it fell apart and lost focus. The author has clearly taken a page (almost literally!) out of the Charles Todd series by referencing a phantom soldier who haunts her main character, Laurence Bartrum. Finally, just when it's almost finished, there are graphic, nearly pornographic, scenes in a brothel that I had to skip, and would have quit reading altogether, but by then, the book was less than 10 pages from the end. An ending that I must say was anti-climactic in the extreme.
The only murder here came out of left field in what I can only assume was an attempt to fool everyone. It definitely fooled me, but only in the most prosaic and lackluster way.
The first half of the book is good, followed by a hash of sordid secrets, personal tragedies, past sorrows and current anxieties. It was not a satisfying read. The 3-star rating is for the premise and first half of the story.
The only murder here came out of left field in what I can only assume was an attempt to fool everyone. It definitely fooled me, but only in the most prosaic and lackluster way.
The first half of the book is good, followed by a hash of sordid secrets, personal tragedies, past sorrows and current anxieties. It was not a satisfying read. The 3-star rating is for the premise and first half of the story.
June 6, 2012
I chose this book because the cover looked interesting and because it was a mystery crime novel. It turned out to be a great choice, well written and a good mystery. Best of all it was based in Wiltshire near where I live and the storytelling evoked nostalgia for the villages as they had been before and after the Great War.
A sad tale that made you care about all the characters and left you wanting to know what happens to Laurence, Patrick, Frances and of course David. No doubt we will find out more about Laurence if Elizabeth Speller writes a third novel. Having not read the first book I cannot wait to read The Return of Captain John Emmett.
If you love crime mysteries, the Edwardian era and Wiltshire then I heartily recommend you read this book.
A sad tale that made you care about all the characters and left you wanting to know what happens to Laurence, Patrick, Frances and of course David. No doubt we will find out more about Laurence if Elizabeth Speller writes a third novel. Having not read the first book I cannot wait to read The Return of Captain John Emmett.
If you love crime mysteries, the Edwardian era and Wiltshire then I heartily recommend you read this book.
February 1, 2013
I nearly gave up after 108 pages when the plot was moving at such a glacial pace, there were so many characters to keep track of and the story wasn't particularly interesting. Then something happened that picked up the pace, but then it gradually wound down to finally end at a two star review. I didn't realize that this was the second book of a series - it could stand alone except for the several-times mention of someone named "Mary" and "Pip" who aren't explained very well - I guess you should read the first book to understand who they are as this book doesn't really say. Thank heavens this was a library book and I didn't shell out any money for it. I won't be reading anything else by this author. I really enjoy books about WWI and that period, but this one is not recommended.
June 10, 2011
This was OK, although at times I felt the pace was a bit too leisurely; nothing really happened for the first two-thirds of the book. As in The Return of Captain John Emmett, she clearly wants to evoke a period, which she does well, but she could have moved the story along faster at the same time. It never really grabbed me, but I liked the ending; it was nicely understated. I have a feeling her next book will involve Laurence in Italy during the rise of Mussolini ...
September 3, 2012
The second Laurence Bartram book finds him at an estate that is being transformed (addition of a maze and a church restoration) by a friend. The family proves to be welcoming but also haunted by past tragedies, especially the disappearance years before of a young daughter, followed by the loss of most of the men in the village during the Great War. The book moves slowly, but interest builds and suspense (retroactive) grows as the family's secrets begin to emerge. It's worth the long read, and Bartram emerges a bit more as a character.
February 4, 2015
I so thoroughly enjoyed this post WWI English mystery that I purchased the first in the series at full price. There are mysteries within mysteries, with suspects galore, twists you don't see coming, and an actual solution. Along the way you are treated to period details so exacting that when you stop reading, it takes a minute to adjust back to your own reality. In case you get bored with the historical aspect or the mystery, there are also some interesting archaeological notes as well.
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