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Crimes of the Brothers
Brothers are supposed to be kind... caring... supportive... protective. Catherine Walman's brother, however, is not. He has maligned her reputation until no honorable man will seek her company, wasted her dowry and endangered her home with his gambling and now his new wife has made it clear Catherine is no longer welcome.
The hand of fortune intervenes when a letter arrives advising Catherine that a stranger has bequeathed to her "a home and money to keep it." Catherine seizes upon this chance, hoping that it might be enough for her to be independent, to be free - only to discover this stranger also had a brother, or two, or three.
The hand of fortune intervenes when a letter arrives advising Catherine that a stranger has bequeathed to her "a home and money to keep it." Catherine seizes upon this chance, hoping that it might be enough for her to be independent, to be free - only to discover this stranger also had a brother, or two, or three.
601 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
August 17, 2018
Miss Catherine Walman controls the finances for the family. The household is under strict economy. When her brother, James, arrives on the doorstep, he brings his debts with him. The family travels to Lake Windermere. There her father collects wild bird eggs and her brother steals the mail coach money to gamble away. Luckily, Earl and Countess Marbone witness the confrontation between Catherine and James over the coach money. Countess Marbone decides to give Catherine a beaded purse with enough money for the fare home. The Marbone consult Sir Philip De Clerke, the local magistrate, on the character reference of Miss Catherine Walman. Sir Philip travels to Essex to gather information on Catherine and her family.
Catherine learns that her brother stole her dowry. Her father and her brother try to steal Catherine's secret inheritance. She only learns about the inheritance by happenstance. During the night, Catherine and her maid, Kay Roberts, leave in secret to travel to Lake Windermere to claim her inheritance of a home and the funds to keep it. She soon discovers from lawyer Mr. Fitzhugh and magistrate Sir Philip that she has inherited the estate, properties and monies of Earl and Countess Marbone. Catherine has, furthermore, inherited the problem of the four claimants to the Marbone title. When some of the claimants are found dead, false wills and marriage licenses surface laying claim to the Marbone title, estates and monies. Three of the claimants say that Catherine stole the inheritance. The community of Windermere believe the gossip and are ready to accuse her of the theft. Only Kay, Sir Philip and the Marbone staff believe her innocent. Can Sir Philip and Catherine solve the murders, the missing persons and the inheritance claims before the community sacrifices her on the altar of society?
Leeway must be given for formatting and punctuation. The author is from Australia and their grammar and punctuation must be different from American. That being said, the characters were flesh and blood personalities. There were times when I questioned just how many times one character could stand under the mounting problems, murders, thefts, and society pressures. Stand firm under them Catherine did. The plot and subplots we're neatly tied up. There were instances when I thought "not one more subplot!" In the end, all the subplots we're essential to the plot. The description of Lake Windermere is picturesque. One feels as if one is part of the very Windermere community.
Catherine learns that her brother stole her dowry. Her father and her brother try to steal Catherine's secret inheritance. She only learns about the inheritance by happenstance. During the night, Catherine and her maid, Kay Roberts, leave in secret to travel to Lake Windermere to claim her inheritance of a home and the funds to keep it. She soon discovers from lawyer Mr. Fitzhugh and magistrate Sir Philip that she has inherited the estate, properties and monies of Earl and Countess Marbone. Catherine has, furthermore, inherited the problem of the four claimants to the Marbone title. When some of the claimants are found dead, false wills and marriage licenses surface laying claim to the Marbone title, estates and monies. Three of the claimants say that Catherine stole the inheritance. The community of Windermere believe the gossip and are ready to accuse her of the theft. Only Kay, Sir Philip and the Marbone staff believe her innocent. Can Sir Philip and Catherine solve the murders, the missing persons and the inheritance claims before the community sacrifices her on the altar of society?
Leeway must be given for formatting and punctuation. The author is from Australia and their grammar and punctuation must be different from American. That being said, the characters were flesh and blood personalities. There were times when I questioned just how many times one character could stand under the mounting problems, murders, thefts, and society pressures. Stand firm under them Catherine did. The plot and subplots we're neatly tied up. There were instances when I thought "not one more subplot!" In the end, all the subplots we're essential to the plot. The description of Lake Windermere is picturesque. One feels as if one is part of the very Windermere community.
January 31, 2018
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
First things first-
Is this not the most hideous cover?
With that said, the author does a phenomenal job with research and keeping you locked into the story. Her characters are realistic, flesh and blood people. They are so real at times that you feel as if you know them.
Catherine was entrancing at first and a true heroine. When she meets Sir Philip DeClerk, that is when she begins to annoy the heck out of me. Truly. All the extreme bitchiness and condemnation without proof was too much. At first, her mindset is understandable after enduring her vicious narcissistic brother James and her weak passive-aggressive parents. She rages on and on at the wrong person but the people she should shut down (like the doctor) run rough-shod over her. Her inconsistent behavior is too much.
The villains are pretty darned good. Some are outspoken bullies while others are scheming nefarious sociopaths with severe personality disorders. The motivations are consistent in this way though not always made clear. But there is murder and mayhem abounding to intrigue everyone. Catherine is tested time and time again.
One thing about this novel. It proves that money does not necessarily bring you happiness. That greed is brutal and that knowledge is power. The saddest part is that many of the women in this novel have been shaped by their stations in life and their complete lack of power, as well as being oppressed by the rules of society, status and men.
In countless ways, this book proves that in our time, we aren't too far removed from these issues but have made considerable progress while still having a long way to go. Thankfully there are amazing writers like this one who creates strong believable heroines who triumph over the odds.
First things first-
Is this not the most hideous cover?
With that said, the author does a phenomenal job with research and keeping you locked into the story. Her characters are realistic, flesh and blood people. They are so real at times that you feel as if you know them.
Catherine was entrancing at first and a true heroine. When she meets Sir Philip DeClerk, that is when she begins to annoy the heck out of me. Truly. All the extreme bitchiness and condemnation without proof was too much. At first, her mindset is understandable after enduring her vicious narcissistic brother James and her weak passive-aggressive parents. She rages on and on at the wrong person but the people she should shut down (like the doctor) run rough-shod over her. Her inconsistent behavior is too much.
The villains are pretty darned good. Some are outspoken bullies while others are scheming nefarious sociopaths with severe personality disorders. The motivations are consistent in this way though not always made clear. But there is murder and mayhem abounding to intrigue everyone. Catherine is tested time and time again.
One thing about this novel. It proves that money does not necessarily bring you happiness. That greed is brutal and that knowledge is power. The saddest part is that many of the women in this novel have been shaped by their stations in life and their complete lack of power, as well as being oppressed by the rules of society, status and men.
In countless ways, this book proves that in our time, we aren't too far removed from these issues but have made considerable progress while still having a long way to go. Thankfully there are amazing writers like this one who creates strong believable heroines who triumph over the odds.
April 6, 2017
I feel like this is my first five star review in a long time but this book deserves all of the praise that it can get. It was a breath of fresh air in a genre mostly dedicated to dominant men who always get their way and simpering maidens who shrink away and acquiesce to their demands.
This book is none of that. It has character development. It has depth. It has real life situations. It has a beautifully strong setting and a plot that does not leave you wondering what the author was smoking.
So beginning at the beginning of things, let's start with the main character, Miss Catherine Walman. I almost instantly liked her. Her brother and family has metaphorically run her ass over for years. She is the one in charge of finances which means she knows how her brother has gambled away every cent that they have and their father does not give enough of a fuck to care about the estate. She is left to take care of it. Catherine stands up to her family regularly (and in public) and in doing so, wins a few admirers.
Now this is not what you think. This is not where the love interest comes in. These are an old couple with no kids and a lot of greedy psuedo-relatives that wish to leave their estate, their titles, and their wealth to someone deserving.
When Catherine returns home from a trip with her family, she finds that her brother has a wife, a baby, and a 6,000 guinea debt that has to be paid. She is trying to make ends meet until she finds out that her brother has also stolen her fucking dowry.
When I read that, I was mad enough to chew bricks.
Can you imagine? Her brother has been bad mouthing her to every potential suitor her entire life so that she may never discover that he stole her dowry and then tries to steal more. That would be the making of a dead brother but she withstands that urge. Bless her.
It is only after all of this that she finds out that she has been willed an estate that is hers and hers alone.
So she runs off in the middle of the night and finds her new home and goes through all of the legals with it. It's hers. It's huge. And nobody can take it from her...right?
So here come the theives. There are 3 other people that think that they have a right to the house and there is a whole different drama with a royal bitch of a housekeeper. So poor Miss Catherine, who would never harm a fly unless it deserved it, has inherited a whole bunch of problems.
And these problems lead to theft, assault, deception, and murders.
So without giving away too much about the plot, let's talk about another character.
Sir Philip is the love interest. But it's not typical. He is not overcome with lust and desire every time he sees her. He first sees her as a person, and then as a woman. Their acquaintance is initially professional as he is the magistrate in town but he quickly becomes enamored. He tries to look out for her and makes several significant blunders along the way.
He tries to control her and protect her from all evils. And Catherine is having none of that.
When Philip fucks up, she lets him know. When he is acting too presumptuous, she lets him know. When he acts like an ass, she does not forgive him right away and he has to work his ass off to earn her trust and eventually her love.
There is no bodice ripping but there is tension and heat which was absolutely perfect.
There is so much character development in this book. It's wonderful. Catherine learns to trust but not because a man has declared that she should trust him. She sheds bitterness from her family as she learns to look out for herself and not worry so damn much. Philip learns that he cannot and should not control everything. That this woman that he loves is strong and will not be pressured into anything that she does not want to do. You watch their love and trust grow gradually, naturally.
And finally, the last reason I loved this book.
Sometimes, books with really strong lessons can come off as preachy. This book is about trust and respect. It's about people learning from each other. But it does not feel like a sermon. There is no lecturing about virtue or why anything that is happening is right or wrong. The lessons in this book about being true to yourself are subtle and appropriate which was beautiful and refreshing.
This book was a joy to read. Granted, the first quarter was stressful but I loved this book.
This book is none of that. It has character development. It has depth. It has real life situations. It has a beautifully strong setting and a plot that does not leave you wondering what the author was smoking.
So beginning at the beginning of things, let's start with the main character, Miss Catherine Walman. I almost instantly liked her. Her brother and family has metaphorically run her ass over for years. She is the one in charge of finances which means she knows how her brother has gambled away every cent that they have and their father does not give enough of a fuck to care about the estate. She is left to take care of it. Catherine stands up to her family regularly (and in public) and in doing so, wins a few admirers.
Now this is not what you think. This is not where the love interest comes in. These are an old couple with no kids and a lot of greedy psuedo-relatives that wish to leave their estate, their titles, and their wealth to someone deserving.
When Catherine returns home from a trip with her family, she finds that her brother has a wife, a baby, and a 6,000 guinea debt that has to be paid. She is trying to make ends meet until she finds out that her brother has also stolen her fucking dowry.
When I read that, I was mad enough to chew bricks.
Can you imagine? Her brother has been bad mouthing her to every potential suitor her entire life so that she may never discover that he stole her dowry and then tries to steal more. That would be the making of a dead brother but she withstands that urge. Bless her.
It is only after all of this that she finds out that she has been willed an estate that is hers and hers alone.
So she runs off in the middle of the night and finds her new home and goes through all of the legals with it. It's hers. It's huge. And nobody can take it from her...right?
So here come the theives. There are 3 other people that think that they have a right to the house and there is a whole different drama with a royal bitch of a housekeeper. So poor Miss Catherine, who would never harm a fly unless it deserved it, has inherited a whole bunch of problems.
And these problems lead to theft, assault, deception, and murders.
So without giving away too much about the plot, let's talk about another character.
Sir Philip is the love interest. But it's not typical. He is not overcome with lust and desire every time he sees her. He first sees her as a person, and then as a woman. Their acquaintance is initially professional as he is the magistrate in town but he quickly becomes enamored. He tries to look out for her and makes several significant blunders along the way.
He tries to control her and protect her from all evils. And Catherine is having none of that.
When Philip fucks up, she lets him know. When he is acting too presumptuous, she lets him know. When he acts like an ass, she does not forgive him right away and he has to work his ass off to earn her trust and eventually her love.
There is no bodice ripping but there is tension and heat which was absolutely perfect.
There is so much character development in this book. It's wonderful. Catherine learns to trust but not because a man has declared that she should trust him. She sheds bitterness from her family as she learns to look out for herself and not worry so damn much. Philip learns that he cannot and should not control everything. That this woman that he loves is strong and will not be pressured into anything that she does not want to do. You watch their love and trust grow gradually, naturally.
And finally, the last reason I loved this book.
Sometimes, books with really strong lessons can come off as preachy. This book is about trust and respect. It's about people learning from each other. But it does not feel like a sermon. There is no lecturing about virtue or why anything that is happening is right or wrong. The lessons in this book about being true to yourself are subtle and appropriate which was beautiful and refreshing.
This book was a joy to read. Granted, the first quarter was stressful but I loved this book.
February 15, 2018
Sorry to do this to an Aussie-born romance writer (living in the US), but this book was a bit of a mess.
The heroine had the family from hell. That was just for starters. It was like a really OTT melodramatic farce, where people run on and off stage, a new villain pops up every other scene, there are murders aplenty, bigamy, poisoning, drugging. I felt like it would never end. For the heroine. For me.
Everyone "cried" instead of "said". There is even a town mob out to lynch the heroine - in the Cumbrian Lake District. Oh dear. For the poor, benighted heroine, it was always: what fresh hell can this be? (Apologies to Dorothy Parker, although whenever the heroine answered the door she was definitely thinking this!)
I have never, ever read a book where almost every single character, major and minor, was either mean and opportunistic or downright psychotic. I felt like the town was possessed by an evil spirit. In fact, demonic possession would have explained a lot.
Writing was solid, but the plot seemed convoluted and the characterisation cartoonish. This author needs an editor who will discipline her excesses but allow her imagination free rein.
Hung in there hoping for something- even a good sex scene would have given me a break from the histrionics and unmitigated selfish viciousness of the book's characters- but I was not even granted that.
Sigh.
The heroine had the family from hell. That was just for starters. It was like a really OTT melodramatic farce, where people run on and off stage, a new villain pops up every other scene, there are murders aplenty, bigamy, poisoning, drugging. I felt like it would never end. For the heroine. For me.
Everyone "cried" instead of "said". There is even a town mob out to lynch the heroine - in the Cumbrian Lake District. Oh dear. For the poor, benighted heroine, it was always: what fresh hell can this be? (Apologies to Dorothy Parker, although whenever the heroine answered the door she was definitely thinking this!)
I have never, ever read a book where almost every single character, major and minor, was either mean and opportunistic or downright psychotic. I felt like the town was possessed by an evil spirit. In fact, demonic possession would have explained a lot.
Writing was solid, but the plot seemed convoluted and the characterisation cartoonish. This author needs an editor who will discipline her excesses but allow her imagination free rein.
Hung in there hoping for something- even a good sex scene would have given me a break from the histrionics and unmitigated selfish viciousness of the book's characters- but I was not even granted that.
Sigh.
April 25, 2019
This was like The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and Peyton Place got together and had a Regency baby!! It was crazy every time our heroine turned around something was happening to her. A better editor would have improved this book. I got PTSD from just reading the book almost, between the robberies, shootings, poisoning and beatings!!
July 28, 2018
This is a big soap opera, but there is something about the way the writer paints it. I just can't put it down.
April 13, 2018
Miss Catherine is quite possibly the most put-upon human being on the planet. Her family is awful. They've treated her like a servant for years. She finally gets a secret inheritance, and flees her family in the hopes of a better life.
Not so fast! The inheritance is AWESOME! And so are the headaches. There are a number of people who believe that they are the rightful heirs. Then there's the nosy busy bodies in the neighborhood who want nothing more than to ruin her reputation.
And, and, and. Poor Miss Catherine has one problem piled on top of another. Then dead bodies start to turn up! What's a poor heiress to do?!
Honestly, I couldn't stop reading. What new horror was going to be visited upon Miss Catherine? There were so many awful people in this book. For every person who was good and kind, there were two with ulterior motives. Or blatant motives! I mean, people were trying to very boldly steal her inheritance!
Then there's Sir Philip, the local magistrate trying to help Miss Catherine and solve the murders, as well as find missing persons. Oh, I didn't mention the missing persons? Yes, there's a helluva lot of crime going on! It's in the title, even!
The plot is fairly intricate, and I was surprised at how some things turned out. Not surprised by others. Oh, and there's romance too.
I enjoyed the book. Some of the burdens piled on top of Miss Catherine got to be a bit much, and the plot could have wrapped up a bit quicker, but really, I was well entertained.
Not so fast! The inheritance is AWESOME! And so are the headaches. There are a number of people who believe that they are the rightful heirs. Then there's the nosy busy bodies in the neighborhood who want nothing more than to ruin her reputation.
And, and, and. Poor Miss Catherine has one problem piled on top of another. Then dead bodies start to turn up! What's a poor heiress to do?!
Honestly, I couldn't stop reading. What new horror was going to be visited upon Miss Catherine? There were so many awful people in this book. For every person who was good and kind, there were two with ulterior motives. Or blatant motives! I mean, people were trying to very boldly steal her inheritance!
Then there's Sir Philip, the local magistrate trying to help Miss Catherine and solve the murders, as well as find missing persons. Oh, I didn't mention the missing persons? Yes, there's a helluva lot of crime going on! It's in the title, even!
The plot is fairly intricate, and I was surprised at how some things turned out. Not surprised by others. Oh, and there's romance too.
I enjoyed the book. Some of the burdens piled on top of Miss Catherine got to be a bit much, and the plot could have wrapped up a bit quicker, but really, I was well entertained.
April 4, 2017
Not great but not bad either. This book had all the necessary ingredients for a Good Read. But somehow it did not sit well with me, maybe because the Antagonists were so appallingly disgusting in their malefaction and so Dickensian that I thought I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds (an UnSub torturing his victim). I enjoyed the humorous parts, admired the brave strong inner core of Catherine and was appreciative of the ingeniously smart ways she dealt with her detractors; but what really lingered was the callous indifference of James and Jocelyn and the total lack of honor and of personal integrity and respect for ownership displayed by all the Antagonists. So after reading the last page ~ the evil that men do, was all that was left.
April 22, 2015
A cracking read! Strong, interesting characters; a novel (for a Regency) storyline, part romance, part mystery crime thriller, no insipid heroine for a change. Not too many Americanisms to make it annoying, being as it is set in Regency England ('fall' instead of 'autumn', 'vacation'- not sure if this was in common usage then). Overall, this was a great read; I think I've found another new author to follow - her other Regency: 'Ridiculous' was equally good and laugh out loud funny.
October 14, 2013
I LOVE this author! Her regency novels are excellent and her humor delightful. This one had a darker tone than Ridiculous with plenty of twists and turns in the plot line. Small wonder Catherine had difficulty learning to trust Sir Philip after growing up with her idiot brother and ineffectual parents.
November 5, 2019
Excellent
D.L. Carter writes excellent historical romances. Crimes of the Brothers is engaging from the first page. The protagonist, Catherine, is a sweet character in a difficult situation and I rooted for her all the way! I highly recommend this book.
D.L. Carter writes excellent historical romances. Crimes of the Brothers is engaging from the first page. The protagonist, Catherine, is a sweet character in a difficult situation and I rooted for her all the way! I highly recommend this book.
February 2, 2022
I went into this with high expectations after reading Ridiculous, which was hilarious and all-around delightful, a few years ago and seeing that this book had an even higher Goodreads rating.
After reading this, though, I can only ask: WHAT are all those 5-star raters thinking?
I give this one star because:
1) The hero sleeps with the heroine WHILE SHE’S HALF-DRUGGED. (This is also the heroine’s first sexual experience.)
2) The hero addresses his penis as “Mr. Phallus.” I kid you not.
3) Almost every character in this is mean-spirited, selfish, or otherwise deeply unpleasant.
4) While this book is classified as a romance, the romance is an afterthought to a never-ending string of burglaries, identity theft, murders, druggings, hostage-taking, beatings, and a lynch mob that would make an 18th century Gothic novelist proud.
5) This was published straight to ebook (with a print copy only coming out years later), but the Kindle formatting is atrocious.
All in all, just: no.
After reading this, though, I can only ask: WHAT are all those 5-star raters thinking?
I give this one star because:
1) The hero sleeps with the heroine WHILE SHE’S HALF-DRUGGED. (This is also the heroine’s first sexual experience.)
2) The hero addresses his penis as “Mr. Phallus.” I kid you not.
3) Almost every character in this is mean-spirited, selfish, or otherwise deeply unpleasant.
4) While this book is classified as a romance, the romance is an afterthought to a never-ending string of burglaries, identity theft, murders, druggings, hostage-taking, beatings, and a lynch mob that would make an 18th century Gothic novelist proud.
5) This was published straight to ebook (with a print copy only coming out years later), but the Kindle formatting is atrocious.
All in all, just: no.
January 16, 2018
Crimes Of The Brothers
The love story of Philip and Catherine. Catherine take care of her mother, father and his estate. Her brother has stole everything of value from the home and now Catherine lean he stole her dowry and her father will do nothing about it. How Catherine has inheritance a fortune and her brother plan to stole that too. Can he do it?
The love story of Philip and Catherine. Catherine take care of her mother, father and his estate. Her brother has stole everything of value from the home and now Catherine lean he stole her dowry and her father will do nothing about it. How Catherine has inheritance a fortune and her brother plan to stole that too. Can he do it?
April 25, 2018
I had to give this book one of my rare 5-star ratings. It has elements I love (i.e. white-knuckle suspense, twists, intrigue, romance to name but a few), and is a great story overall. I received an advance copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
It’s the age of the Regency, and Jon Anglesby and his wife have not shared a table in years. He regrets marrying her, but not for any fault of hers. He wishes her only happiness, and since he is dying, he has made arrangements for any progeny, which she is still young enough to have, to inherit his title of the Earl of Marbone. Unfortunately, she also is not expected to live long.
During their meeting, Lady Marbone witnesses a young lady who is ill-treated by her brother. He has taken the last of the family's money from her room, leaving nothing for them to pay for their room or passage home from this vacation spot. Shortly after, she and Lord Marbone see the same girl fending off the attentions of a young rake who they have seen in the company of her brother. Lord Marbone even advises her of how to better deliver a left hook!
Knowing what it is like to be at the mercy of uncaring parents and a rogue brother who besmirches her honor instead of defending it, Lady Marbone slips the girl enough money to pay for their stay and trip home. The girl tries to say 'no', but ends up reluctantly accepting and expresses her gratitude. The girl is obviously proud, but intelligent enough to know when to say ‘thank you’.
Soon after Catherine Walman and her family return home, she finds her brother James up to his tricks again. Their parents do nothing to curb the extravagance of their precious son. As the only one in the household responsible enough to manage the finances, Catherine is told ‘surely you can cut back on something else’ when her brother over-extends himself. There IS nowhere to cut back! There hasn’t been for some time. The only remaining staff has not been paid for months as it is, and it doesn’t look like they will be in the near future. No one but she seems to care they’re on the verge of being evicted for non-payment of the mortgage. In an effort to keep Catherine from keeping any money away from James, they hide the incoming mail from her. …Then James’ ‘wife’ shows up with a petulant infant son in tow, doing nothing but complain about the lack of money, fine food, a new wardrobe fitting the ‘lady of the house’ (meaning herself…WHAT? His mother IS still alive…) and fine things.
Then one day, completely by chance, Catherine intercepts the post. There is a letter from a lawyer addressed to her, and it’s clear when she reads it that someone else in the house has intercepted previous post from this lawyer and responded to him while pretending to be her. She learns she has inherited an estate from someone she does not know. She immediately knows it is her brother, James, and his vile wife who have been responding, supposedly on her behalf. Taking her only her maid, Kay, and a bag of belongings, she disappears that night. The lawyer had ‘advanced’ a rather large sum of money – at the request of her brother to ‘pay for travel’ – and she uses it to make her way to Windermere to meet with the lawyer.
Once she arrives, she meets with the lawyer, a Mr. Fitzhugh, and the local magistrate, Sir Philip De Clerke. She immediately recognizes Sir Philip as the man who visited her home town over the summer, though she doesn’t realize his intention in visiting was to investigate her! Lord and Lady Marbone had her investigated to see if she was the type of person they suspected her to be. She is informed that there are no ‘legitimate’ heirs to the Marbone title, considerable fortune and estates, and the Anglesby’s have bequeathed it to her! Not only that, her first born son will inherit the Marbone title.
Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with this. It isn’t long before she has to fire the housekeeper, she herself falls ill repeatedly with stomach issues, and bodies start to pile up in the region. Every time Sir Philip thinks he has found answers and is getting closer to finding out who is killing people, even more questions pile up.
I have to say, when I finally got to the end and found out who was responsible for everything, I definitely did not see it coming. I normally figure out the antagonist fairly early in the book, and I admit I had some suspicions, but it definitely did not play out as I had expected!
It’s the age of the Regency, and Jon Anglesby and his wife have not shared a table in years. He regrets marrying her, but not for any fault of hers. He wishes her only happiness, and since he is dying, he has made arrangements for any progeny, which she is still young enough to have, to inherit his title of the Earl of Marbone. Unfortunately, she also is not expected to live long.
During their meeting, Lady Marbone witnesses a young lady who is ill-treated by her brother. He has taken the last of the family's money from her room, leaving nothing for them to pay for their room or passage home from this vacation spot. Shortly after, she and Lord Marbone see the same girl fending off the attentions of a young rake who they have seen in the company of her brother. Lord Marbone even advises her of how to better deliver a left hook!
Knowing what it is like to be at the mercy of uncaring parents and a rogue brother who besmirches her honor instead of defending it, Lady Marbone slips the girl enough money to pay for their stay and trip home. The girl tries to say 'no', but ends up reluctantly accepting and expresses her gratitude. The girl is obviously proud, but intelligent enough to know when to say ‘thank you’.
Soon after Catherine Walman and her family return home, she finds her brother James up to his tricks again. Their parents do nothing to curb the extravagance of their precious son. As the only one in the household responsible enough to manage the finances, Catherine is told ‘surely you can cut back on something else’ when her brother over-extends himself. There IS nowhere to cut back! There hasn’t been for some time. The only remaining staff has not been paid for months as it is, and it doesn’t look like they will be in the near future. No one but she seems to care they’re on the verge of being evicted for non-payment of the mortgage. In an effort to keep Catherine from keeping any money away from James, they hide the incoming mail from her. …Then James’ ‘wife’ shows up with a petulant infant son in tow, doing nothing but complain about the lack of money, fine food, a new wardrobe fitting the ‘lady of the house’ (meaning herself…WHAT? His mother IS still alive…) and fine things.
Then one day, completely by chance, Catherine intercepts the post. There is a letter from a lawyer addressed to her, and it’s clear when she reads it that someone else in the house has intercepted previous post from this lawyer and responded to him while pretending to be her. She learns she has inherited an estate from someone she does not know. She immediately knows it is her brother, James, and his vile wife who have been responding, supposedly on her behalf. Taking her only her maid, Kay, and a bag of belongings, she disappears that night. The lawyer had ‘advanced’ a rather large sum of money – at the request of her brother to ‘pay for travel’ – and she uses it to make her way to Windermere to meet with the lawyer.
Once she arrives, she meets with the lawyer, a Mr. Fitzhugh, and the local magistrate, Sir Philip De Clerke. She immediately recognizes Sir Philip as the man who visited her home town over the summer, though she doesn’t realize his intention in visiting was to investigate her! Lord and Lady Marbone had her investigated to see if she was the type of person they suspected her to be. She is informed that there are no ‘legitimate’ heirs to the Marbone title, considerable fortune and estates, and the Anglesby’s have bequeathed it to her! Not only that, her first born son will inherit the Marbone title.
Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with this. It isn’t long before she has to fire the housekeeper, she herself falls ill repeatedly with stomach issues, and bodies start to pile up in the region. Every time Sir Philip thinks he has found answers and is getting closer to finding out who is killing people, even more questions pile up.
I have to say, when I finally got to the end and found out who was responsible for everything, I definitely did not see it coming. I normally figure out the antagonist fairly early in the book, and I admit I had some suspicions, but it definitely did not play out as I had expected!
October 21, 2015
I don't give out a lot of 5-star reviews, because a book has to grab me by the throat and shake me in order to merit it. And although I've really, really enjoyed all of the author's other books so far (only one I haven't read yet--The Adventures of a Super Hero's Insurance Adjuster), none of the others grabbed me by the throat quite the way this one did. The suspense begins soon after Catherine arrives at her unexpectedly inherited home, and it never lets up until "who dunnit" is revealed at the end.
Despite the blurb, this book is more of a combined romance and suspense/murder mystery, set nicely in the Regency era. The heroine is strong, the hero is caring, and the supporting cast is both original and interesting. And the mystery is sufficiently gripping to have kept me up repeatedly past my bedtime.
So how did this book manage to elude that fifth star, so very, very close to the ending? Alas, one tiny but unforgivable thing: an unbelievable disguise. I read another book a few months ago that had this same problem, and it went similarly from "what an awesome story!!!" to "WTF???"
Why??? *weeps* Why???
March 30, 2018
I wavered over whether to give this anywhere between 2 and 4 stars (no 3.5 unfortunately). It really didn't grab me in the beginning and I had to force myself to keep reading.
The number of villains and idiots was a bit much before we ever made it to Windermere. After that it was just overwhelming. Is the entire town possessed? They're more than just snobs, they're evil. Their background stories were so convoluted. I started thinking Lord and Lady Marbone were horrible for leaving their mess to Catherine. Maybe they had their own secret, evil plot?
I don't know what to say about the doctor and how we was allowed to move in with no fight. Really?? That was not at all like Catherine. And no one recognized Jenny??
I was not completely appeased with the ending for the Walmans, but there were entirely too many people who deserved some comeuppance anyway. But Fitzhugh got off easy for sure, whether he was just an idiot or not.
So... I landed on 3 stars because I reserve 2 for books that I think are close to crap and I think this one has potential. There are just too many villainous storylines to follow.
The number of villains and idiots was a bit much before we ever made it to Windermere. After that it was just overwhelming. Is the entire town possessed? They're more than just snobs, they're evil. Their background stories were so convoluted. I started thinking Lord and Lady Marbone were horrible for leaving their mess to Catherine. Maybe they had their own secret, evil plot?
I don't know what to say about the doctor and how we was allowed to move in with no fight. Really?? That was not at all like Catherine. And no one recognized Jenny??
I was not completely appeased with the ending for the Walmans, but there were entirely too many people who deserved some comeuppance anyway. But Fitzhugh got off easy for sure, whether he was just an idiot or not.
So... I landed on 3 stars because I reserve 2 for books that I think are close to crap and I think this one has potential. There are just too many villainous storylines to follow.
July 6, 2017
Catherine Walman cares for her feckless parents and her ne'er do well brother in Regency era England. Due to her brother's gambling addiction and spendthrift ways, the family is on the verge of bankruptcy. From unknown benefactors, Catherine inherits a large estate, to which she escapes with her best friend. This is almost a Gothic novel; while the house isn't malevolent, almost all the characters (and there are a lot) are either mean, stupid, evil, murderous, and above all greedy. It's no wonder Catherine suffers from an ulcer! The story is very long; unfortunately, my Kindle copy digitized poorly--the line and paragraph spacing was all over the place, and there were a lot of misspellings.
March 20, 2014
I enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the second half of the book.
June 13, 2019
Very good! I love reading about the period manners and personalities.
September 22, 2019
I downloaded this book for free from Amazon, the formatting is awful, I am 20% through reading this book and have given up. I don’t like the language used and have a life.
December 27, 2018
Historical English romance set in the gentry and not so much with the titled rich folks.
I like this story. The characters don't evolve at all, the good stay good and the bad stay bad but there is a fun murder mystery and lots of old time-y English probate law which really captured by interest (I am not being facetious, this has historical accurate facts which builds the suspense in the story). We meet Miss Catherine Walman is a really awkward situation which show the real personality of each of the main players in this story. This does have a HEA although from the first part of the story it seems like the author is digging themselves into a hole because everything thing seems hopeless. I liked Catherine, she stays a kind loving person, although her tendency to want to take care of others is abused in her first life, once she arrives in Lake Windermere, she starts her next life which is a bittersweet mix of good (she is now a rich heiress) and bad (dealing with all the people that though they should have inherited). Sir Philip De Clerke is our detective and hero for Catherine in this story and he is trying his best, but still makes lots of mistakes while courting Catherine, but that makes moments when we see how people deal with challenges.
Seriously fun read. I'm not sure who was counting pages, but this really read like a 300 page book and not the 700+ pages that is listed.
716 pages but felt more like a normal 300ish page novel and kindle freebie
3 stars
I like this story. The characters don't evolve at all, the good stay good and the bad stay bad but there is a fun murder mystery and lots of old time-y English probate law which really captured by interest (I am not being facetious, this has historical accurate facts which builds the suspense in the story). We meet Miss Catherine Walman is a really awkward situation which show the real personality of each of the main players in this story. This does have a HEA although from the first part of the story it seems like the author is digging themselves into a hole because everything thing seems hopeless. I liked Catherine, she stays a kind loving person, although her tendency to want to take care of others is abused in her first life, once she arrives in Lake Windermere, she starts her next life which is a bittersweet mix of good (she is now a rich heiress) and bad (dealing with all the people that though they should have inherited). Sir Philip De Clerke is our detective and hero for Catherine in this story and he is trying his best, but still makes lots of mistakes while courting Catherine, but that makes moments when we see how people deal with challenges.
Seriously fun read. I'm not sure who was counting pages, but this really read like a 300 page book and not the 700+ pages that is listed.
716 pages but felt more like a normal 300ish page novel and kindle freebie
3 stars
June 9, 2019
Despite awful kindle formatting it was a surprisingly fun book...
I am not a grammar or formatting snob but the formatting of this book was really off and I do hope it is fixed soon for this is really a very entertaining story.
First the mystery really was a mystery until the end. Second it takes a lot of tropes and adds a level of reality to it both funny and interesting. For instance I loved that when Catherine inherited it wasn't a case where she goes into the manor house and makes sweeping changes and fixed everyone's lives right away. No sir. She entered the manor house and realized she had tons of bookkeeping to read, business to learn, responsibilities needing attention and was constantly having to make notes to herself of all the things she would need to attend to. Money didn't make her life easier it just shifted the burdens. I also loved the funnier bits of reality like when Catherine sees Phillip at one point and feels like it was suddenly a lovely morning ignoring the fact that it was hot and uncomfortable and someone had spread fresh manure on the grounds. Or my favorite bit when Phillip has to carry Catherine, who has hurt her foot, to her bedroom. He does so while trying hard to not show that he is struggling and wonders how the men in books sweep the women up and carry them across moors and hills all without being tired without of breath. Him and me both! I loved it.
I am not a grammar or formatting snob but the formatting of this book was really off and I do hope it is fixed soon for this is really a very entertaining story.
First the mystery really was a mystery until the end. Second it takes a lot of tropes and adds a level of reality to it both funny and interesting. For instance I loved that when Catherine inherited it wasn't a case where she goes into the manor house and makes sweeping changes and fixed everyone's lives right away. No sir. She entered the manor house and realized she had tons of bookkeeping to read, business to learn, responsibilities needing attention and was constantly having to make notes to herself of all the things she would need to attend to. Money didn't make her life easier it just shifted the burdens. I also loved the funnier bits of reality like when Catherine sees Phillip at one point and feels like it was suddenly a lovely morning ignoring the fact that it was hot and uncomfortable and someone had spread fresh manure on the grounds. Or my favorite bit when Phillip has to carry Catherine, who has hurt her foot, to her bedroom. He does so while trying hard to not show that he is struggling and wonders how the men in books sweep the women up and carry them across moors and hills all without being tired without of breath. Him and me both! I loved it.
April 5, 2018
Too long, but a good plot
This story is rather convoluted, but a good basic plot. The problem is the length of the book. It is way too wordy. The story goes on and and on as characters thoughts, indecisions and hopes are beaten to death. I found myself skipping ahead to avoid the repetitious blather.
We are constantly reminded of the travails of Miss Catherine, the main character. I actually didn't like her much as she seemed stiff and unbendable even when she falls in love. The romance aspect of this book is stilted due to her harridian attitude.
On the other hand, Sir Phillip is a dream...knight in shining armor.
I believe a good editor should have been employed to whittle the excessive and repetitive storyline down.
As I say, the plot is good. I would recommend to readers of historical romance fiction as there are some interesting facts regarding law and medicine of the times. Just expect a long read.
This story is rather convoluted, but a good basic plot. The problem is the length of the book. It is way too wordy. The story goes on and and on as characters thoughts, indecisions and hopes are beaten to death. I found myself skipping ahead to avoid the repetitious blather.
We are constantly reminded of the travails of Miss Catherine, the main character. I actually didn't like her much as she seemed stiff and unbendable even when she falls in love. The romance aspect of this book is stilted due to her harridian attitude.
On the other hand, Sir Phillip is a dream...knight in shining armor.
I believe a good editor should have been employed to whittle the excessive and repetitive storyline down.
As I say, the plot is good. I would recommend to readers of historical romance fiction as there are some interesting facts regarding law and medicine of the times. Just expect a long read.
January 7, 2019
3.5
I wouldn’t read it twice, and will think about the characters for the next week and never again.
I really enjoy walking around the regency period in my brain, so I read most things that come across. This had enough murder mystery and mayhem to keep me interested. The center of the story, Catherine, is... eh. I mean. The characters within are real. They act and behave like real people. Well maybe not Philip. But the rest, and Catherine is a girl I’d have found hard to resist slapping. She lets herself be walked all over (the whole way through the book) but with the one decent person she’s met she is... a total dolt. She cry’s bad intentions but welcomes the men show knows have bad intentions with open arms. And! Concerning her lawyers and doctors misstep and over sights she says nothing. It makes no sense.
Writer did well to set us up in the time period, and flesh out characters to have a firm grip of the story.
I wouldn’t read it twice, and will think about the characters for the next week and never again.
I really enjoy walking around the regency period in my brain, so I read most things that come across. This had enough murder mystery and mayhem to keep me interested. The center of the story, Catherine, is... eh. I mean. The characters within are real. They act and behave like real people. Well maybe not Philip. But the rest, and Catherine is a girl I’d have found hard to resist slapping. She lets herself be walked all over (the whole way through the book) but with the one decent person she’s met she is... a total dolt. She cry’s bad intentions but welcomes the men show knows have bad intentions with open arms. And! Concerning her lawyers and doctors misstep and over sights she says nothing. It makes no sense.
Writer did well to set us up in the time period, and flesh out characters to have a firm grip of the story.
April 20, 2024
This is a unique story and I enjoyed each page. It was billed as "humorous fiction," but I had a hard time finding a laugh in the first several chapters. Catherine Walman's parents and brother were abominations and made her suffer for the error of being in their family.
Due to a chance meeting, a dying earl (and his also dying countess) met Catherine while she was trying to get her family back home after a short vacation (that they couldn't afford but insisted Catherine find the funds for). The dying couple was so impressed with the possession and integrity of the young woman that they decided to gift her with their estates.
One would think that that would be the end of Catherine's woes. However, there are at least four men with illegitimate claims against the estate. Catherine spends the rest of the book straightening out the legal issues of inheriting from people to whom she was not related.
This is an involved, but absorbing story that will keep the reader turning pages quickly. Enjoy.
Due to a chance meeting, a dying earl (and his also dying countess) met Catherine while she was trying to get her family back home after a short vacation (that they couldn't afford but insisted Catherine find the funds for). The dying couple was so impressed with the possession and integrity of the young woman that they decided to gift her with their estates.
One would think that that would be the end of Catherine's woes. However, there are at least four men with illegitimate claims against the estate. Catherine spends the rest of the book straightening out the legal issues of inheriting from people to whom she was not related.
This is an involved, but absorbing story that will keep the reader turning pages quickly. Enjoy.
January 10, 2018
Fascinating and worth the read
First let me start by saying I love all the little tidbits of history in this book. I had to look a few things up because I had no idea! Next, I just want to complement the author on having a wide array of imperfect characters. I wasn't bored with a completely perfect and selfless heroine who had perfect body and hair and winning personality... no... I was charmed by this story of an amazing heroine, with real problems, who at times put herself before others even though she felt guilty. There is so much I could say but won't because of spoilers. My only issue with this story is that it was long and dragged a little in places but not a lot!! Even in those moments there was still something to the story that kept going and carried me through it. I will definitely read more books by D.L. Carter.
First let me start by saying I love all the little tidbits of history in this book. I had to look a few things up because I had no idea! Next, I just want to complement the author on having a wide array of imperfect characters. I wasn't bored with a completely perfect and selfless heroine who had perfect body and hair and winning personality... no... I was charmed by this story of an amazing heroine, with real problems, who at times put herself before others even though she felt guilty. There is so much I could say but won't because of spoilers. My only issue with this story is that it was long and dragged a little in places but not a lot!! Even in those moments there was still something to the story that kept going and carried me through it. I will definitely read more books by D.L. Carter.
October 25, 2018
Just couldn't like it that much
Let me say first off that the formatting of this book made reading a chore. Text size jumped around and sentences stopped in the middle of page -at other times everything ran together.
The premise was good but the story dragged on and on at times when I think the point was more than made. The heroine's family was horrible to her, putting the burden of looking after them on her shoulders and never taking any responsibility for anything - but good grief this went on for several chapters. We get it!!!!!
When the heroine does strike out on her own I found her to be unpleasant. Standing up for yourself is admirable but being a shrew is not.
Let me say first off that the formatting of this book made reading a chore. Text size jumped around and sentences stopped in the middle of page -at other times everything ran together.
The premise was good but the story dragged on and on at times when I think the point was more than made. The heroine's family was horrible to her, putting the burden of looking after them on her shoulders and never taking any responsibility for anything - but good grief this went on for several chapters. We get it!!!!!
When the heroine does strike out on her own I found her to be unpleasant. Standing up for yourself is admirable but being a shrew is not.
March 16, 2019
Intricate combination of Regency romance and murder mystery
This novel covers sizable story-telling acreage. It manages to be a good romance, a decent murder mystery and a young woman's transformative story. Things remain quite uncertain throughout - the plot twists and turns, the characters are detailed and unrelentingly realistic and the settings' descriptions are evocative and ungilded. Catherine is a wonderful heroine whose foibles and stomach problems are endearing. But her courage, independence and upright nature are what wins the reader's favor. Philip, her complimentary love interest, is a bit of a snooty dork at first, but quickly rises to hero level. His willingness to accept Catherine's strength and stubborn will makes him an ideal romantic foil.
This novel covers sizable story-telling acreage. It manages to be a good romance, a decent murder mystery and a young woman's transformative story. Things remain quite uncertain throughout - the plot twists and turns, the characters are detailed and unrelentingly realistic and the settings' descriptions are evocative and ungilded. Catherine is a wonderful heroine whose foibles and stomach problems are endearing. But her courage, independence and upright nature are what wins the reader's favor. Philip, her complimentary love interest, is a bit of a snooty dork at first, but quickly rises to hero level. His willingness to accept Catherine's strength and stubborn will makes him an ideal romantic foil.
September 21, 2019
From hell to heaven with an inheritance.
The title describes Catherine's life. She had a lot if bumps and hurdles to overcome even after she was given the inheritance by strangers, but it was sure an interesting read as she was getting her reward. Not only did Catharine get land, many homes, and money she also got a husband. Sir Philip became her Knight, protector, lover and the one she could depend on. It was a story with murder, deception, lies, fickle gossips, and a hosts of drama filled events to keep it moving along at a very quick pace. A must read to the end. Even with an epilogue it could have used a couple of chapters to tie up a few more loose ends, since it had an abundance of supporting characters.
The title describes Catherine's life. She had a lot if bumps and hurdles to overcome even after she was given the inheritance by strangers, but it was sure an interesting read as she was getting her reward. Not only did Catharine get land, many homes, and money she also got a husband. Sir Philip became her Knight, protector, lover and the one she could depend on. It was a story with murder, deception, lies, fickle gossips, and a hosts of drama filled events to keep it moving along at a very quick pace. A must read to the end. Even with an epilogue it could have used a couple of chapters to tie up a few more loose ends, since it had an abundance of supporting characters.
October 4, 2019
Seriously considered giving this two stars but was feeling generous so...
Liked the heroine, Catherine, who bore the weight of the crappiest family ever on her shoulders with grace and uncommon strength.
The twists and turns in this story regarding whether Catherine would actually get to keep her newfound wealth were very entertaining although somewhat convoluted.
I did not like the hero, Phillip. He was presumptuous, his mother was a battleaxe, and as a magistrate, he was not too bright. His affection for Catherine seemed to come out of the blue and did not feel genuine to me.
The author attempted to tie up loose ends (and by loose ends I mean an unwanted child) with the epilogue but it fell short. I just wanted to know what was in the damn missing estate books but alas...
Liked the heroine, Catherine, who bore the weight of the crappiest family ever on her shoulders with grace and uncommon strength.
The twists and turns in this story regarding whether Catherine would actually get to keep her newfound wealth were very entertaining although somewhat convoluted.
I did not like the hero, Phillip. He was presumptuous, his mother was a battleaxe, and as a magistrate, he was not too bright. His affection for Catherine seemed to come out of the blue and did not feel genuine to me.
The author attempted to tie up loose ends (and by loose ends I mean an unwanted child) with the epilogue but it fell short. I just wanted to know what was in the damn missing estate books but alas...
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