Murder at the Front

Dora and Rex 1920s Mysteries #0

by Lynn Morrison

When marrying at the front lines, there's always a chance that death will be a guest at the wedding. Le Touquet, France, 1918 - Lady Dorothy entered into a marriage of convenience with her eyes wide open. But even she never expected to go from newlywed to newly widowed overnight. When her husband is ambushed during a secret war mission, she's left with more questions than answers. How did the enemy know exactly where to find them? Why did only one man — Lord Rex — survive? Luck may have saved him once, but Rex knows he can't count on good fortune to solve the mystery of why his fellow soldier was gunned down. Injury may have sidelined him from battle. It won't stop him from ferreting out the truth. Dora's determination to prove her worth faces off against Rex's drive to avenge his fellow soldier. Only one of them is smart enough to unmask the traitor in their midst. The shocking reveal and subsequent fall-out will lead to a dramatic change in both of their lives. This twisty prequel takes place near the battlefields of World War I. It will be almost half a decade before Dora and Rex meet again in 1920s London's glittering ballrooms, for Murder, I Spy - book one in the Dora & Rex mysteries.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Historical, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Ebooks

156 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 29, 2023

About the author

Lynn Morrison lives in Oxford, England along with her husband, two daughters and two cats. Originally from the US, she has also lived in Italy, France and the Netherlands. It’s no surprise then that she loves to travel, with a never-ending wishlist of destinations to visit. She is as passionate about reading as she is writing, and can almost always be found with a book in hand. You can find out more about her on her website LynnMorrisonWriter.com.

You can chat with her directly in her Facebook group - Lynn Morrison’s Not a Book Club - where she talks about books, life and anything else that crosses her mind.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to be able to see where Dora came from and how she got her start spying. The mystery was interesting and while it was sad to read about Dora’s husband’s murder, it was nice to see how she bounced back and used that as a springboard for where she is now. I look forward to more in the series.

[Lynn Morrison]

Murder at the Front is a prequel to my new 1920s historical mystery series. I loved delving into the history of the final months of WW1 while writing this tale. Le Touquet, France provided a perfect setting for the story I had in mind. I had so much fun seeing my characters come to life on the page. Writing the first book in a series is usually tough, but I'd spent so much time dreaming of Dora and Rex that I didn't have any trouble.

I really hope you enjoy this preview of my new series! Drop me a rating and/or review to let me know what you think.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realise this was a prequel for a series until about halfway through the book. I think the characters who will continue throughout the books are written well, but the rest of them are clearly in the background as we barely learn anything about them. Admittedly, this is a short book as it's a prequel but I prefer guessing from a list of suspects while we get to know them, this story felt a bit rushed to me. It was a quick read, I finished it in one sitting and it does make me curious about the other books in the series so it did its job.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable mystery.
Thanks to the author for the free digital copy.
🙂

[Allyson Dyar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This free novella serves as an introduction to the "Dora and Rex" series of books in which Dora and Rex meet up. The novella takes place during World War I where Dora is married and widowed on the same day. Her suspicions as to why Rex was spared while her new husband was killed culminates with Dora suspecting Rex.

Rex wants to know who killed his friend and wounded him. Eventually, Dora and Rex cross paths and work together to bring the miscreant to justice. Dora and Rex make a cute couple and there's even a kitten that Rex ends up adopting.

You can obtain a copy of the book using this URL: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8ln9kn5234.

If you enjoy mysteries that are set between the wars, then you'll definitely enjoy this one. It's not a difficult read and the story moves along at a good pace.

I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the series as I'm really not into espionage books but I'll certainly consider it if the books are being sold at a reasonable price.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynn Morrison is a high caliber cozey mystery writer bringing history and fiction together bringing life to bold, brave, and vibrantly characters into the world of espionage, secrets and lies in a quest to keep king and countrymen safe during and after the great war finding those who would do damage. The array of these characters will draw you in at the first chapter through the independence of a young woman. The drama surrounding her. A young man wanting to make his and other's futures safe during times of strife and a future of uncertainty. Enticing you further into wading through the intrigue, secrets, lies and misadventures, that mixed with its plot will keep you turning page after page finding answers and delving into history you never thought to examine. This is a compelling read that you won't want to miss and once you start reading won't want to put down until you've reached its climatic conclusion. Acquire " Murder at the Front " so you yourself can enjoy it as much as I have.Kat

[Deborah Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Dora's story of being a nurse at the front in France in 1918. Just married and then widowed in a day her husband was killed in a secret mission but she suspects there is a traitor in their midst. Then reports of missing equipment and supplies being damaged means their is someone determined to doom the allies from within. She is determined to find out who leaked the mission to the enemy and find out who is putting the troops into danger all while nursing the wounded soldiers and seeing first hand all the horror these men are put through. I enjoyed the story and it brought me to tears reading what happened to her husband. I would recommend this story I really enjoyed it.

[Starfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super short, fun, simple cozy mystery novella that details how Rex and Dora (both of whom we met in the last Oxford Keys instalment) first crossed each others' paths back during WWI.

While there's nothing super special that stands out about the story for me, I did enjoy getting to hang out with early Rex and Dora, and see the seeds of who they're going to become just starting to sprout.

I know this novella also functions as a prequel to Ms Morrisson's upcoming cozy historical mystery trilogy, so I'm quite looking forward to seeing how they get from where they were at the end of this story, to where they are when we first meet them in Homicide at Holly Manor.

[Erin Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy little sleuthing read set in WWI era. The author does rely quite a bit on the reader's imagination to fill in the settings of each location, but the mystery that the story is built on is well constructed. I personally felt that the ending was a bit flat, but it did open the way to continue the series. Don't let the premise of "A Dora and Rex Mystery" get your hopes up for any romance, or even a platonic pairing - for this particular book, they come across each other once briefly, without more than a few words uttered between them. There is promise of more interactions between them in the rest of the series, though. Great if you want an easy, short read!

[Juliet Minerva Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very compulsively readable! I think the mystery was okay, I don’t love it when the whole story is having to find a traitor, but the writing was so engaging, and it was a breath of fresh air to have a story set in the 1920s. The language is maybe not very classic of the times but it was easy for me to read.
Dora is spunky and fun, I like how she wants to live out of society’s rules. Lucien was definitely gay so a nice inclusion, and it also nice that she was fine with it. Rex is so far not super characterised, but I like that he adopts a kitten.
I have a good feeling for this series.

[Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t really paying attention to this and was expecting post WWI mystery vibes, instead it is a wartime novella. I kept waiting for the time jump but it never happened. Definitely my fault for not reading the book description properly and realising this was a prequel.

The mystery was simple but good. The main characters weren’t overly remarkable, Dora seemed smart and not insufferable.

Will probably read a sample of the next book (aka the first in the series) and see how it goes. Get the feeling it might lean a little bit too much towards war-related/spy territory for my tastes.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short prequel to the 1920's aristocrats Rex (a Lord) and Dora (a Lady) mystery series set in France during the final months of WWI. Dora is married and widowed on the same day. It was a marriage of convenience for both. Dora seeks to find out who betrayed her husband while her husband's driver who survives the ambush also want to discover who betrayed them. Both are separately empowered by the base commander to discover who was responsible so work independently without really knowing each other.

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This prequel was included in the back of the audio version of Book one Murder, I Spy. We found out how Dora knew Rex but not vice versa and how it's linked to Dora's marriage and the death of her late husband in the war. I liked that it also gives quite a bit of background on Dora and how she got into the spy business.

[Narelle Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a freebie in return for an honest review.
I really enjoy stories that have an historical element, and the story weaves around strong characters, both male and female. The story is enjoyable, but doesn't hide the fact that war is brutal and it brings out the best in some people and the worst in others.
I will be interested in reading more stories about the main characters Dora and Rex.

[Sharon M. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dora!

Dora gets married during WW1 in a marriage of convenience. She is working as a nurse near the front. Her brand new 1 day husband is sent out on a mission and is killed. She finds out that there is a traitor in the main headquarters and sets out to get him. Meanwhile her late husbands best friend is also hunting this traitor. Unbeknownst to each other they solve the problem. Short but well written.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I had difficulty believing the character of Dora in the first book of the series. As the story progressed, she became real to me. Reading this prequel first would have prevented the difficulty. Understamding Dora's back story is essential.to understanding her character.

Terrific story, explores how people's true nature is revealed when removed from their familiar surroundings and communities and confronted with the stress of war.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just completed a book about nurses at the front in France during World War I, it was interesting to read another with the same setting but a totally different focus. Murder at the Front involves a nurse as well, but in this case it appears that there’s a traitor in their midst. Being intelligent and determined, she is determined to identify this person. Characters are fairly realistic, I suppose, and the story moves quickly and easily.

[Fred Masek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place during World War 1. Dora is an intelligent, attractive, determined woman who wants to find out who the spy is that’s betraying plans and ruining supplies. The author gives several clues but as usual there is a slight twist and again I picked the wrong suspect. I enjoyed the conversation, that occurred after the spy was caught, regarding her new job. I recommend this book

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Prequel novella for the Dora & Rex post WWI mystery series. Introducing Dora, an aristocrat whose last minute marriage during wartime ended the next day when her husband was killed. Another aristo, Lord Rex, was with him and suspects they were set up. The two team up to solve the crime.

[Marietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good murder mystery and I loved how the writer exknowledge how women were treated back in the 1920's. That they were only put here for man pleasure and to rise his family and could not do anything else. I loved the main character Dora and how she could think for herself and not just due what was excepted. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed a good mystery/

[Terry Polston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prequel Dora and Rex mystery. WWI, nearing the end it becomes apparent secrets are being leaked and provisions are missing. It's personal for Dora as her husband of one day is murdered. Both Dora and Rex start investigating what happened, independent of each other. Poor Lucien paid the price for someone else's religious and familial fervor. I would like to read more in this series.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well told story
Dora is married for less than a day before Lucien is killed by German soldiers. Rex, Lord Reginald, was ordered to drive Lucien on a secret mission to Aimens. They are caught in an abandoned house here Lucien is killed. Rex returns to base determined to find out how the Germans knew their destination. Dora is determined to find who was responsible for the death of Lucien.

[Belinda Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Great War story!

Brilliant Dora unravels the mystery of the traitor responsible for her husband’s death. She is feisty and daring in her methods, which impress the base commander. Rex is equally intelligent and employs methods similar to Dora’s. The espionage part of the story keeps the reader engaged and quickly turning the pages to see what happens next.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series. Great introduction to some new, wonderful characters. War time spy mystery with plenty of suspects, plenty of intrigue, and plenty of misdirection. Will be fun to see the two main characters cross paths again. Looking forward to the next book.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a shortish book but the story is well-developed.

Dora and Rex are separately investigating to find a traitor among the British forces. The traitor had caused the death of Dora's new husband and had nearly killed Rex as well.

Definitely entertaining

[Chili Diane Evance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The intrigue of finding a traitor in WW1. And a woman of resolve is dedicated to finding out who it is. A military Captain is on the same quest. Will they solve it? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

[Nancy Gerards · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's shortish story is well-developed.
Great start to a new series
Althoug WW1 , or any war for that matter, is not my favorite subject to read about this one kept me reading
Nice set up in the twists and turns

[Mrs LIR Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed the story set in Le Touquet during the First World War.
Doro marries Lucian, and the next day her spouse is killed.... Lucian was on a secret war mission with Rex, who does return injured.
Both Doro and Rex want to avenge Lucian's betrayal and catch the spy within who is helping the enemy.
This is a well described mystery. The hospital and the gassed and / or wounded men are heartbreaking.
The horror of war is always there.
The peculiarities of social classes are pertinent to the story.
A good rewarding read.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many anachronisms; each one jerked me out of the story like a splash of cold water in the face. Also, characters acting in ways that just didn't seem plausible. It wasn't horrible - I finished the story - but I won't bother with the next in the series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book but enjoyable nevertheless. It's the backstory of Dora and Rex's first meeting and joint adventure. Not a lot of character development but enough to get the job done. A nice filler piece.