Lord James Harrington and the Spring Mystery

Lord James Harrington #2

by Lynn Florkiewicz

Meet Lord James Harrington and his delightful wife, Beth; residents of the tiny village of Cavendish, deep in the heart of West Sussex in England. They adore hosting seasonal events, running their country hotel, keeping the local folklore alive and listening to the latest murder mystery on the wireless. But mysteries don’t always remain on the airwaves.........

It’s 1958 and James and Beth are hosting the annual spring fair where wealthy recluse, Delphine Brooks-Hunter, is murdered. James is summoned to the reading of her will and is tasked with solving an intriguing riddle. Meanwhile, Beth tackles her own mystery after discovering a homeless man suffering with amnesia.

As they delve deeper, a number of questions emerge. What links Delphine to the fairground folk? Who would harm such a refined lady? Are rumours of World War espionage true? Is the homeless man everything he purports to be? Will James solve the mystery set before him? Will Beth discover the identity of the homeless man?

They go about unravelling the truth but uncover far more than they ever bargained for.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2013

Reviews

[Nicole Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much BUT it was spoiled by the sloppy details, as well as poor proofreading. Such a shame. The plot was intriguing and the characters and setting well-described and endearing, but who writes a mystery without meticulous attention to finer (important and pertinent) details? Disappointing :(

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to the next visit with Lord and Lady Harrington ever since I finished the last one. here there are the same cast of wonderful characters and it's like visiting old friends. The book is a relaxing read, perfect for reading with a cup of tea or coffee and a pastry.

[LadyS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one held me captive until the early hours, not releasing its grip until 4:15 am, thanks to the compelling mystery

The need to unravel the mysteries gripped me entirely. Lord James Harrington, with his insatiable curiosity, becomes the driving force in uncovering the enigma surrounding the death of the elderly recluse, Delphine. Adding to the intrigue, Delphine herself foresaw her demise and, in a letter, requested Lord James's presence at the reading of her will.

At the will's reading, a riddle is presented to Lord James, a puzzle that holds the key not only to Delphine's fortune but also to the revelation of her true identity.

This one was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I appreciated the substantial focus on unraveling the history of Delphine and understanding her motivations, making the mystery even more captivating.

[Vanessa-Ann Dowsett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous book in this series. I know that I am biased because it's set in Sussex in the late 1950's and I both live in the area and it's set in the time when I was a little girl. Another story based in the fictional village of Cavendish. An elderly lady is murdered at an event and Lord James aided by the locals, who are quirky and delightful. As the tale evolves much is found out about the dead lady. No spoilers from me but I will tell you that much attention is given, like the first in the series, to local history and life in the 1950's. Highly recommend this book

[L Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful Mystery

When a charming, though reclusive, neighbor visits the Spring Fair someone gets murderous ideas. Meanwhile Lady Harrington finds a charming young stranger in the rundown stables with amnesia. Mysteries and Fairs abound keeping both Lord and Lady Harrington busy. Fun and “educational” mystery fare.

[Holly H Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relaxed read perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

A sweet mystery in a lovely English village setting with charming, likeable characters, this book has an aura of an old fashioned mystery. The setting is a bonus.

[Karen Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing and unusual

I thorough enjoyed this romp of a story, and the intriguing and unusual plot. It’s rare that I find myself actually liking the victim in a murder mystery, but in this case, I really did. A great plot with intertwining story arcs and a great read.

[JoyceCharbonneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan!

Another good read. Not only enjoy the "imperfect " regular cast of characters but find the mystery bringing new additions intriguing. The very Britishness of Lord James n friends so much fun.

[Dail Willeford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for a rainy day... enjoyed

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good! Looking forward to reading others in the series.

[Teddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle mystery with likable characters. I was a bit disappointed by the obvious killer.

[Kathryn Fields · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordy

Too many pages of non relevant discus
sion of things like meal preparation room decorations style of dress etc, etc

[Betsy loves books Gooding · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun, light, amateur detective cozy.

[Judith Rich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather silly mystery set in the 1950s. The number of coincidences in it are just unbelievable, as to be honest is much of the plot. The cardboard cut-out French chef who cooks a really weird mixture of traditional English fare with French haute cuisine is irritating (ditto the equally cardboard cut-out camp antiques expert) and as usual, there are endless descriptions of what characters are eating and wearing and what the interiors of their houses are like.

I could also really have done without the constant references back to The Winter Mystery. Because I started reading this one first (thinking, you know, logically Spring is likely to be the first in the series) and within a few pages, it referred to the solution of The Winter Mystery. And kept referring to it.

And she needed a better proof-reader. As well as a misuse of "comprised of" (although right elsewhere - it's a pet hate), if I'm not mistaken, the name of the schoolteacher is actually wrong in one place!

A light enough read but you really have to suspend your disbelief. And make sure you've read The Winter Mystery first.

[BookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

#2 in the Lord Harrington series and I am enjoying these immensely. Lord and Lady Harrington are a bit like Tuppence and Tommy, maybe not as funny, but just as charming. The mysteries are fun and we'll done. I'm amazed that such clever little books are so inexpensive! These read as well if not better than many other cozies I've read. I believe I'll devour the whole series

[Beverly Mccollum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, easy read. THE typical Sunday afternoon/ cozy mystery story. Fun characters in the 1950s English village of Cavendish. This second of the series uses the major characters from the first work and simply embroils them in another murder. Enjoyable

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very lightweight mystery involving the lord of a small English village in the early 50s. It's a fun read. Nothing very serious but fairly entertaining. I'll probably read another one in the series.

[Lori Hendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit for Lord Harrington

I really love this series of books. The mysteries always have a twist. The good guys win, the bad guys lose and the mystery has a satisfactory conclusion. And I love how characters are added to Cavendish as the series progresses.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 2nd outing for Lord James Harrington

This is a good follow-up to Lord & Lady Harrington's first mystery. I love the mix of mystery and village life, which seems to make all the more believable somehow.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Harrington repeats

Simply a delightful series. Lord James does Lord Peter more than his due. For those who enjoy an intriguing cozy.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light holiday read great fun but perhaps a bit too cozy.

[Carolynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in a fun series that provides light reading as it works its way through mysteries in a village in the four seasons, starting with Winter.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story of a by-gone era. The info about the 1950s is really interesting along with that of wartime Britain.

[Linda Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery

Very dashing full of many clues which lead to different solutions to old mysteries lovely characters in traditional English manner

[Rosie Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steady read.

This is a steady ready. There are no big highs or lows and no surprises. It is a pleasant read.

[Nancy W. Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very pleasant old fashioned cozy and a fun read.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay as a 'cozy mystery' I did enjoy the descriptions of the English countryside.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in the series - again a nice summer read.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read.

[Teresa Tovar · Rating 5 out of 5]

No boring fluff, I did not have to skim over pages to keep the flow

Total enjoyment, the story kept a steady beat.the faire and peaks at their world, food, and especially the characters, great