Death in Westminster

Augusta Peel #5

by Emily Organ

A macabre discovery in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey.

Augusta Peel is puzzled by a mysterious customer in her bookshop. But when the encounter leads to an attack in the abbey cloisters, she finds herself entangled in a murder investigation. Who is the mystery customer? And why did he give a false name?

Obscure information imparted on a death bed forces Augusta and Scotland Yard detective Philip Fisher to follow a trail of clues. It’s not long before they’re pulled into the shadow of an event everyone would rather the Great War.

When the murderer strikes again, Augusta and Philip are forced to rethink their investigation. But just as they’re making progress, Philip makes a decision which changes everything…

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, British Literature, Crime, Cozy Mystery

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 28, 2023

About the author

Emily Organ is the author of over thirty historical cozy mysteries set in Victorian and 1920s England. Her bestselling series include the Penny Green Victorian Mysteries, the Augusta Peel Mysteries, and her newest Emma Langley Victorian Mysteries, in which a plucky widow teams up with former reporter Penny Green. She also writes the Churchill & Pemberley cozy mysteries, featuring two spirited senior sleuths. Emily’s books combine warmth, wit, and a love of history, inspired by her fascination with London’s past. 

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read given to us by author Emily Organ, featuring part-time bookstore owner and part-time sleuth, Augusta Peel. The heroine is smart, independent and charming and I have high hopes for a possible romance with a certain male detective in the future. Very good series - highly recommend.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some man has been acting furtively at the bookshop. It turned out that he was just waiting for all the shop's customers to leave so he could make an appointment with Augusta. He said his name was Symes and that Augusta would meet him at Westminster Abbey Cloisters at 6 o'clock the following day for he wanted her to find a Missing Person. Augusta kept the appointment accompanied by Fred given the strange circumstances leading to their meeting. They found Symes (not his real name) almost dead with a sharp wound to his heart. He later on died in hospital making his attack a murder investigation. This would also mark a career change for the betrayed husband and thus estranged from his his wife, Fisher. Just when he and Augusta narrowed down the list of suspects, the Commissioner's son took over the case and the tried and true Detective was put to organizing police files, hence Fisher's career change.

[Ruth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I have read all of the Augusta Peel books and enjoyed them. So I was very excited to read the fifth installment.
A man walks into Mrs Peel's bookshop and asks her to find someone for him. He doesn't say who the person is, but that he'll meet her the next day at the Westminster Abbey cloisters.
Only when Augusta gets there with her friend Fred, the mysterious man is dead!
What follows is a long line of investigating the many people who branch off from this one man.... some have nothing to do with the man's murder..... altho all knew him or knew of him. The tough question is.... who killed him? And why does it set off a chain of events that Augusta and Philip have no idea where it's all going to lead them?
This book has a lot of twists and turns and several very viable suspects to choose from. I really like how it all played out and the ending leaves you with quite a nice surprise!!
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my voluntary review.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the Augusta Peel mystery series. Author Emily Organ brings us another thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing mystery. Mrs Peel and Detective Inspector Philip Fisher are working together to solve the crime, but are hampered by lying witnesses and the clueless commissioner's son.

I did not guess the culprit, and was misled a number of times. In this book we learn a little bit more about her wartime intelligence work, and as always are entertained by Sparky the canary. However, she is so busy in this one that she doesn't get many old books repaired!

I really like Emily's books because they contain interesting facts about London at that time woven into the plot. She does good historical research for each book. I also like the fact that each chapter is fairly short, so I can easily find a place to pause my reading.

Please check out her other series too. The Churchill and Pemberley Series is hysterical!

[Amanda Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of dubious suspects

A well woven tale... when a visitor to Augusta's bookshop asks her to find someone for him, she's reluctant to take the case. Past experience proves it's not always in the interests of the missing person. She does, however, agree to meet Mr Symes at Westminster Cloisters.

Fred, her assistant, is concerned about her safety, and the pair arrives a few minutes late to discover Symes slumped on a bench unconscious. Despite their efforts and the efforts of the hospital, he dies the very next day.

Now Augusta is caught up in the case being run by her long-term friend Detective Inspector Fisher. Inevitably, they are going to have to find the missing man who's reluctant to talk and evasive, but a wealth of other suspects come to light, and it takes Augusta's keen sense to get to the bottom of the case after Fisher is taken off the case for the nepotism of the commissioner.

[KathleenWH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I truly enjoy the August Peel series, and, in my opinion, this is the best.

Quite a few red herrings are placed throughout the work, but it is probably true
that much non fictional detective work has as many if not more distractions.

At the end of the work, changes are are discussed by the main characters that may take the series in a slightly different direction.

But I must stress the word “may” because I’m sure most readers have realized that authors sometimes end their series with the fifth book. (Maybe a minimum of five books is some Amazon contractual matter. Alternately, it may simply be a coincidence.)

I hope this is not an end, and I do congratulate Ms Organ on an excellent series.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I just noticed that I forgot to review this one! *bangs head against desk*

This one was fantastic! This time Mrs Peel finds herself in a spot of trouble when a man who asked her to find him at the Westminster Abbey cloisters ends up dead.

From then on, lots of lies, twists and turns in a case that proves to be difficult enough without having to deal with the Commissioner's son hindering their efforts.

I only began to suspect who was the culprit by the end of the book and was completely enthralled until the very end.

And it's at the very end that we find that changes are coming to the lives of our protagonists.

As always, a great, deeply enjoyable story

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Augusta Peel Mystery series by Emily Organ! Set in London a few years after the Great War, Augusta is a full-time bookseller/repairer and part-time investigator, helping her friend Philip (DI Fisher of Scotland Yard), and assisted by her shop assistant, Fred.

When a stranger asks for her help locating an old friend, Augusta agrees to meet him but when she and Fred arrive at Westminster Abbey, they find him mortally wounded! Death in Westminster is a fun historical cozy to spend an afternoon reading, and I give it 5 stars!!!

[Lisa Teves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each book in the Augusta Peel series gets better and better. Death In Westminster is particularly challenging because there are several different storylines which all come together at the end. The actual killer was a surprise to me and yet when Augusta puts all the evidence together, who else could it have been? Excellent but perfect ending for the book too because it tells the reader that there are more adventures to come for Mrs. Peel and the inspector.

[Christa Saccullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What A Fun Mystery!

Augusta Peel is at it again... though still reluctantly. She still cannot resist a plea of help though. No harm in being curious. The problem is, the messenger is found dead in Westminster Abbey... so Augusta is left with nothing but immense curiosity and a few clues.

This mystery seemed to twist all over itself until the final reveal at the end...and it was really fun! And little glimpses into history are always fascinating.

Christa

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was disappointing for me. The whole nonsense with the door in the mezzanine when one answer would have solved the problem. Seemed like a need for words. And though the story and mystery was a good one the solution offered no clever solving, just confessions.
OTOH the History Notes at the end were very interesting.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at Westminster Abbey in London which I visited last year so this book intrigued me. Well written story about the years after WWII and how the deaths of so many men affected society and lives. This is a story of trying to cope with desperation and lack of hope ending in murders . Also the problems of getting jobs and living life under extra stress after the war’s end.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nepotism, inheritance, and murder

Help me find my friend. Meet me at 6pm in the Westminster Abby cloisters. This meeting plunges Augusta and Phillip into a murder investigation filled with rumors, fraud, and misdirection. They are forced to work with an inexperienced, bumbling Detective whose daddy is the police commissioner!

[Brian Holmwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of the Augusta Peel books and the series just gets better and better. As always with Emily's books the characters are relatable, the plots clever and the suspects numerous. I do enjoy the sense of the time that Emily evokes and the historical notes she attaches at the end of the book. On to the next one in the series Murder On The Thames.

[PIETER · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest mystery was as good as the others but holds some special surprises. Apparently future mysteries will take a new direction. This current one involves three murders, all in one family. There is a background love story which was just discarded at the quick resolution of the story. I wasn't too happy about that but otherwise I found it a pleasant read.

[Christmas Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a pleasure to read an Augusta Peel adventure. Cloaked in mystery, August and Philip join forces to find the killer and discover the truth. And Philip makes a life-changing decision. Can August handle it? Highly Recommended.

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 5th installment in the Augusta Peel Mysteries is my favorite so far. I love getting more of the backstory between Augusta and Philip. They make a great team. Their past association during the war has always been cloaked in mystery. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the intrepid detectives.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Organ is great at weaving tales! This #5 in the Augusta Peel series just made an interesting series that much more remarkable. I hope to be around for #6 whenever that may be. I have found anything that this author writes to be 'good reads'!

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

In this interesting tale Augusta and Phillip are embroidered in a murder with many twists and turns and suspects who in themselves are up to no good. With a very surprising ending this is a great reading experience.

[ying · Rating 4 out of 5]

overall, the book was a great read. I really enjoyed reading it. I learned new things about history as well because of this book. I shall give credit to this book for getting me out of my reading slump 👍

[Caridad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I’m glad I started this series. Have always liked the relationship between inspector Fisher and Mrs. Peel.
I will continue reading their adventures now that a new future awaits them.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death in Westminster

I really like (cosy/cozy) mysteries. All the puzzle, none of the gore or sex. Guess I'm just too old for that stuff!

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Augusta and enjoyed the book. I wish the connection between Granger and Robson was explained. Otherwise a good mystery.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Just truly enjoy the Augusta Peel 1920's mysteries series. The plot has multiple themes, and Augusta keeps you turning pages. Enjoyed the ending.

[Margaret Dorroh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet read- a cozy mystery What's not to like about a secondhand bookstore proprietress who assists Scotland Yard with an investigation? And it did keep me guessing.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series. Love it.

[Alaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the pace of this book and the way in which it twisted and turned

[BookswithLydscl | · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25* - I really enjoy this series and like the dynamic of mrs peel and detective fisher. Another good mystery and looking forward to the next book.

[Daniy ♠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* because I was interested the whole book right to the reveal where I was like ah shit ok. lmao

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

death in Westminster

A man approached Augusta to find a friend of his. Next day he is dead. Who did it and why? Many suspects and many reasons and secrets to uncover.