Death in a Gilded Frame

The Roddy and Val DeVere Gilded Age Series #2

by Cecelia Tichi

Newport Summer 1899-yachts, balls, and famed artists eager to paint portraits of Society's "Queens."

Western silver heiress Val Mackle DeVere (Mrs. Roderick W.) agrees to "sit" for a portrait for her beloved Roddy, only to stumble on a scene of bloody, grisly homicide at an art gallery.

Like a figure from Pompeii, the dead Newport gallery manager screams in silence, his hands like claws clutching at a gilt frame pulled down over his head and shoulders while blood darkens his cream-colored suit. 

Impulsive, Val reaches for the murder weapon and will find herself suspected, shamed, and shunned as she seeks the killer while learning yet again a lesson taught by Cornelius Vanderbilt "No city on earth is as hostile to outsiders as Newport." 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2024

About the author

A fresh start for every new book, and author Tichi's zest for America's Gilded Age and its boldface names draws this seasoned writer to a crime fiction series while uncorking the country's cocktail cultures on the printed (and ebook) page. Tichi digs deep into the Vanderbilt University research library to mine the late 1800-1900s history and customs of Society's "Four Hundred," its drinks, and the ways high-stakes crimes in its midst make for a gripping "Gilded" mystery series that rings true to the tumultuous era. The decades of America's industrial titans and "Queens" of Society have loomed large in Tichi's books for several years, and the titles track her recent projects:
• Civic Passions: Seven Who Launched Progressive America (and What They Teach Us)
• Jack London: A Writer's Fight for a Better America
• What Would Mrs. Astor Do? A Complete Guide to the Manners and Mores of the Gilded Age
• Gilded Age Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from the Golden Age
• Jazz Age Cocktails: History, Lore, and Recipes from the Roaring Twenties.
• A Gilded Death (crime fiction)
• Murder, Murder, Murder in Gilded Central Park (crime fiction)
• A Fatal Gilded High Note (crime fiction)
Cecelia is at work on a fourth in the series, “A Gilded Free Fall.” She enjoys membership and posting in Facebook’s The Gilded Age Society. You can read more about Cecelia by visiting her Wikipedia page at: https://bit.ly/Tichiwiki or her website: https://cecebooks.com.

Reviews

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death in a Gilded Frame was an historical fiction mystery/ thriller in crime fiction by Cecelia Tichi. The novel is set in the Gilded Age in 1899 Newport where all of the wealthy people have fled from New York City in the summer to the exclusive seaside. Valentine Mackle DeVere, a silver heiress from the Rocky Mountain West, and her husband Roderick Windham DeVere, a New York Knickerbocker gentleman, a lawyer and a mixologist of cocktails have settled for the summer in the family ocean cottage in Newport, Drumcliffe. It should be noted that this is the time of not only the Women's Suffrage movement but also the rise of the temperance movement. The Gilded Age is one of my favorite periods in American history for its many contrasts.

As Val Mackle DeVere agrees while in Newport to sit for a portrait as a gift for her husband Roddy's study in New York, she and her husband stumble on the scene of a grisly murder scene in an art gallery. Val finds herself suspected, shamed and shunned by Newport society for much of the summer as she and her husband attempt to solve the mystery of death that is hovering over this Newport seaside community.

"Halfway sitting on a table like a figure from Pompeii, Warren Eccles screamed in silence, his hands like claws that clutched at a gilt frame pulled down over his head and shoulders. Framed. . . the man was framed. Then the blood, the ripe red that darkened his cream-colored suit coat and shirt, and dribbled to the floor where I saw the knife."

My sincere thanks to Deborah Guistini, author Cecelia Tichi, and Booksirens for a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death in a Gilded Frame is the sixth book in the Val and Roddy DeVere mystery series. I have not read the previous five books but I think I would like them. That being said, I believe you can read this as a stand alone story and enjoy it as much as I did.
I loved the Newport setting and the author does a wonderful job of painting life in the summer of 1899 amidst the very affluent summer residents. I enjoyed reading about their beautiful summer “cottages” and busy social calendars including parties, ladies lunches, boating, horse back riding, gentlemen’s clubs and all the gossip!
Val, a young woman from out west whose father made his fortune in silver mining, is married to Roddy a NY Knickerbocker gentleman. In this book they are in Newport for the summer. Val is trying to realize her place in the upper echelons of high society. Roddy insists she needs her portrait painted by a new artist at the local gallery and this sets the story in motion. The gallery director is murdered and Val gets her hands dirty…literally! Roddy and Val will be under scrutiny and the subject of gossip, risking their place in Newport’s cutthroat social circles if they don’t solve the mystery before the summer is out!
The story has lots of twists and turns and I enjoyed the pace of the action and the way the story wraps up. Val is spunky and refuses to let the snobby women of Newport crush her. She and Roddy are devoted to each other and work nicely together. This was a fun historical mystery and I’ll check out the author’s other books. Oh and a bonus with this one is a few fun cocktail recipes that Roddy mixes up…ingredients and instructions included.
I received this advanced reader copy for free in exchange for my honest review.

[Kymm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really come to love Roddy and Val, the high society couple who've become quite adept at solving crime. A large part of their success is due to their station in life in 1899 and how it gives them exclusive access to the rich and powerful, who are not always as innocent as they'd like you to believe. In "Death in a Gilded Frame" by Cecelia Tichi Roddy and Val are vacationing in Newport where Val decides to finally give Roddy what he's always wanted, a portrait of herself. She's avoided this so far as the thought of sitting for an artist for hours on end seemed silly. With her portrait sitting they become enthralled with Newport's art scene and when a gallery owner shows up dead, well it's Roddy and Val to the rescue.

These books are so much fun to read! I love the back-and-forth banter that goes on between Roddy and Val, it's priceless. Each book in the series has a complicated murder mystery that I find hard to figure out even with only a few chapters left. Tichi builds the suspense far beyond what some authors do and keeps you guessing. I look forward to more Roddy and Val mysteries in the future and hope this series goes on and on. Happy Reading!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manners or etiquette? Character or reputation? Once again, Valentine DeVere struggles with the latter, but shows she has boatloads of the former. I love Val’s passion for her talented husband, Roddy, and her loyalty toward her ‘unique’ friend Cassie. This threesome makes every “Gilded” book in this series golden. I Iove the Newport setting, but most of the summer residents would make me opt for a more private retreat - their riches certainly make them snobby and unkind. But poverty is no guarantee of niceness either, as the path of this murder investigation makes plain. An interesting book, but I would’ve preferred less ‘foreshadowing’ remarks. I received an early copy via Book Sirens and was not required to post a review.

[Gerrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

Death in a Gilded Frame, by Cecilia Tichi, is the newest cozy mystery novel featuring high society lawyer Roderick DeVere and his spirited wife Valentine, the daughter of a Silver King in the Wild West. While only married four years, they somehow have already been involved in solving five murders! Now, summering in Newport, RI, with the Society set, they stumble onto a bloody murder scene where not only is the victim wearing a frame, but Val is forced to defend herself from being framed for the murder.
This is the sixth novel in the series, and it is satisfying again to enjoy the rich cast of recurrent characters—spunky, independent Val, slightly stuffy husband and mixologist Roddy, Val’s clairvoyant friend Cassie, and even the owlish housekeeper, Mrs. Thwaite. The darker unsavory characters are well-drawn also—the petulant artist Andre Cole, his quiet assistant Marianne, and the greedy group of investors.
No spoilers here—the mystery is interesting and complex, and the reader is treated to excellent descriptive prose and atmospheric writing that wonderfully illuminates the culture and mores of the Gilded Age. Val is fiercely independent and will not succumb to High Society pressure, instead championing causes that support women and the poor.
Roddy struggles with his ingrained attitudes, as a fifth generation Knickerbocker, but also grudgingly acknowledges the correctness of Val’s logic and her position on matters. After spats, they make up with charm and grace, as Rod declares, “a beautiful woman needs no gilt frame.”
The author’s attention to details of the everyday lives and mores of this time period in American history is remarkable. I learn much with each successive novel. This mystery can be certainly be read as a stand-alone, although I recommend reading the earlier books in the series for added immersion into and enjoyment of the culture of the Gilded Age of the 1890s.

Thank you to Cecilia Tichi and BookSirens for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death In A Gilded Frame by Cecelia Tichi is an alluring Historical Fiction novel packed with hefty servings of mystery and snippets of romance. Set in Newport, New York in 1899, it oozes the intrigue, charm and atmosphere of the era.

Val Mackle's family struck it rich in the west's mines. She has plenty of finances but lacks finesse and snobbery of the Newport area, where her husband Roddy DeVere is from. As a new DeVere she is invited to luxurious dinners where the quantity of cutlery is almost as generous as the food courses. But when a murder happens, she is caught red handed with the weapon. She and Roddy inveigle and investigate in desperation to clear her name. Meanwhile, she commissions an eccentric artist to paint her portrait which adds an additional layer to the mystery.

My favourite aspects of the novel are the delectably rich historical details including food, art, fashion, dinners and splendid summer "cottages" of the Knickerbocker set. The writing is very pleasing; the words dance on the page. The pace is quick and snappy. "Dull" doesn't stand a chance.

This is the sixth installment in The Roddy and Val DeVere Gilded Age series but you can jump right into the deep end without feeling clueless. Just be sure to read the others, well worth your time!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th book in the Val and Roddy DeVere Gilded Age series and it is one of the best so far. Our intrepid heroes, Val and Roddy, once again find themselves in the midst of murder and mayhem, this time in decidedly upscale Newport, RI. A favorite place to summer of the rich and sometimes famous, they have come to their summer home in 1899 to get away from the NY city heat and take part in the social scene. Val still struggles with fitting into high society, but her friend Cassie is also summering in Newport. It is wonderful to see more of Cassie in this book – I love her “intuitions” and “sixth sense” she has about events and people – and she is a support for Val who still carries the stigma of being a “Western” girl and “new money,” both frowned upon by the movers and shakers of NY society. I don’t want to talk a lot about the plot, since summaries are available from the publisher. Suffice to say that Val and Roddy once again find themselves at the forefront of a murder by discovering the body. Thanks to an unfortunate response to that by Val, tongues start wagging that she may have had something to do with the murder. Val also agrees to sit for a portrait that Roddy wants and that piece becomes important to the story also. I shall say no more about the plot. It does end satisfactorily and the story is complete, no cliffhangers.

I love stories about the Gilded Age and high society, and Ms. Tichi has researched the times extensively. The Newport setting for this book also thrilled me, since I have been to Newport twice, toured both the Breakers and Marble House mansions mentioned by Val, and walked the Cliff Walk which is also an important piece of this story. Val shows her Western toughness at times in the story, although not as much as my modern sensibilities would like. I have to keep in mind that Val is completely out of her element and even after 4 years of marriage to Roddy, she stills struggles with being the wife and woman that society expects her to be. Roddy struggles with the independent spirit of his wife also, but he is slowly coming around (although he still doesn’t support a woman’s right to vote, something Val feels very strongly about). I believe Ms. Tichi accurately depicts the struggles that women of both high society and the so-called lower classes dealt with at the end of the 19th century. I love the way she brings in historical figures by way of changing them up just a bit (she explains this in notes at the end of the book). The book is written in first person past tense, so we know what Val is thinking and feeling all along the way. I admit this is not my favorite voice for a book (I prefer third person past which gives more perspectives) but Ms. Tichi employs it well. As with all her books in the series, this is well paced, well written, well edited, and we continue to get character development not only of Val and Roddy but of minor characters like Cassie. I would love to see more of Cassie in future books. The mystery in this book is a little more complex than in previous stories, making for an attention-keeping read. And of course, we are blessed with a few more cocktail recipes from Roddy, who is a behind the scenes mixologist for several bars in NY. What more can one ask from a book than refreshing characters, a wonderful story, and cocktail recipes?

I received an Advance Reader Copy of Death in a Gilded Frame for free, and I leave this review voluntarily and with great pleasure.

[Teri Radogna-linquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Val and Roddy's adventures and while this was another solid read, I really struggled with the story line in this one. Reading historical fiction when women were treated less than because they were female is always a reminder of how far we have come but for some reason Val's emotional treatment in this one really got to me. The mystery itself was a great story and kept me engaged but I keep hoping that one of these days society and Roddy will start seeing Val for the wonderfully strong female heroine that she is. I'm also hoping that Cassie comes into her own and is able to embrace her gifts publicly. If you like historical fiction at the turn of the century this is another great read.

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for allowing me the opportunity to read another chapter of Val and Roddy's adventures. Hoping there is another in the future.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kat Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gilded Mystery: "Death in a Gilded Frame" by Cecelia Tichi

Imagine Newport in the summer of 1899: the air is filled with the scent of the sea, yachts dot the harbors, and the high society buzzes with balls and soirees. It is here, among the celebrated artists and society's elites that Cecelia Tichi sets her historical mystery, "Death in a Gilded Frame."

At the heart of this narrative are Val, heiress to a Western silver fortune, and her husband, Roderick. They navigate the glittering social maze of the time, in a summer that takes a chilling turn when Val encounters a murder scene. A single impulsive gesture—grasping the murder weapon—plunges her into a vortex of scandal and suspicion.

The DeVere's relationship, imperfect yet endearing, draws us in. The elite world they inhabit is vividly depicted, from the sumptuous parties to the detailed descriptions of gowns and the idle chatter of the upper echelons.

Amidst the backdrop of potential fires and the elite's preoccupations, Tichi weaves a tale that goes beyond the typical whodunit. The investigation into the murder takes us on a tour of Newport, from the grand oceanfront cottages to the simplest homes. The socialite community is quick to gossip and even quicker to condemn Val as complicit in the murder.

The narrative is not just about the high society's intrigues; it's also a culinary journey, sharing Roddy's favorite cocktail recipes, adding a unique flavor to the storytelling.

"Death in a Gilded Frame" is a delightful journey through time, a mystery wrapped in the luscious fabrics of a bygone era. It's the perfect read to transport you to the intrigue and opulence of Newport's summer society, all from the comfort of your home—ideal for those cold and windy days when you crave a touch of historical elegance and suspense, and the whodunit will keep you guessing until the end.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Thanks to Book Sirens for providing a copy of this book.)

Really would give 3.5.

This is apparently the fourth in a series of mysteries. I have not read the first three and while it seems to me that it isn't necessary to do so, I think I'd recommend it. There are frequent references to things which must take place in those earlier books and to the extent I found the characterizations a bit thin, that could well be addressed by adding the earlier books. After all, we'd know our protagonists so much better.

This story is set in 1899 (I think) in Newport, Rhode Island. This is one of the places that New York's wealthy decanted to for the summer. Having seen the "cottages" I really enjoyed reading a book set in their heyday. In general the style of living there--the social calendar, the meals, the conventions--gave the setting depth and texture.

The mystery itself was also just fine. A murder is committed. Husband and wife become involved with solving it. As they have done before (see those earlier books in the series.)

The problem, for me, is the characterization of the two protagonists, particularly the wife is is undoubtedly the main character. On the one hand, she is a scrappy western import to NY society--she comes from western mining wealth. Growing up in Nevada is not like growing up in the higher tiers of NY society. And yet at the same time, she seems (overly) sensitive to what people thing of her. The very idea that some people might think she was the murderer is destabilizing to her. This just didn't seem to fit with the rest of what I knew about her. And her sensitivity to this suspicion drives a lot of the action, so you cannot just ignore it.

Still, i think I would read more of the series to see if I can find the key to her character with gretr exposure,.

[Mrs LIR Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th book in the series of Roderick and Val de Vere mysteries. The story can be read as a standalone however I would say that this is like the mysteries of old that were published chapter by chapter in magazines……… this is now book by book online………. once hooked you want to read the next installment!

This story is set in the escape from the heat of New York: Newport. The 'aristocracy' of New York migrate to Newport. The De Vere's are an odd couple he is from vintage New York and Val is the daughter of a silver miner who made a fortune. Thanks to Val's money the De Veres are still able to live the life of the rich. Yet Roderick works as a lawyer and as a hidden cocktail creator. Through out the series the sense of the prohibition to come is looming, but I was soon lost in the concoctions that are detailed every so often.

Newport is a hub of activity and some of it is around the painting of portraits and art galleries. A curator is murdered and Val finds the corpse and misguidedly holds the weapon. This is the story of the couple sleuthing along with their friends when it is obvious that snobbery of some of the so called elite are pinning the murder on Val.

The story is well told - the historic details excellent and the atmosphere of New York society in Newport with all its snobbery is brilliantly depicted.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lesley Olariu · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this novel, Cecilia Tichi recreates the golden age of 1899 and the hazy, lazy, days of summer vacationing in Newport for the social elite of New York. Roderick de Vere and his intrepid wife Val stumble into a case of art fraud/theft and murder (literally) when Val agrees to have her portrait painted as per the custom in the day. Unfortunately Val becomes something of a suspect and society tongues wag making life uncomfortable for our heroine. Nonetheless she (supported by her quirky friend Cassie and lawyer/mixologist spouse) ) teases out the threads of the crimes and despite a close call, lives to fight another day.
I love the detailed background and location detail in these novels. I am always left wanting to follow up on certain aspects and looking forward to the next instalment. Although this is the sixth in the series it can be read as a standalone. Thanks to the author and Book Sirens for the advance copy and I leave this review voluntarily.

[Ulrika Gustafsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Val and Roddy DeVere are one of my favourite detective couple.

This is the fifth book in the series, which all takes place in the gilded era in the upper class of New York society.

It’s summer and the DeVeres are at their summer house in Newport where most of their Manhattan neighbours also resides.

A murder is committed and Val accidentally happens to be in the wrong place and is to a lot of gossip and slander.

This book is a bit more dark than the earlier. I feel that both Val and Roddy are more withdrawn than in earlier stories, they don’t communicate as well as usually even if they are still close.

I like that I always learn a lot from these books, historical fiction at it’s best.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[CoffeeandInk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this novel is the sixth in the series, I was surprised how well it did as a standalone. A few brief paragraphs about what was pertinent to the story—enough to draw me in but not overwhelm.
Roddy and Val are in Newport for the summer, surrounded by mansions, high society, and the sea. I love Val, the silver heiress from the West, who always feels out of place. Newport does not tolerate newcomers, though Val’s husband is not a newcomer by any means. Everyone seems anxious for her to slip up or to correct her, though she is a very capable and independent woman for the era. When she does make the mistake of picking up a bloody knife at a murder scene, she works hard to investigate the murder and get herself off the suspects list.
The prose is perfection, the immersive experience vivid, and I highly recommend this very well-plotted murder mystery. I just started the first book in this excellent series.

Thanks BookSirens for a copy of this book to read and review.

[Pamela Sewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Sirens eARC. Silver heiress Val DeVere and her Knickerbocker husband Roderick have a nose for trouble usually involving in a suspicious death. In the summer of 1899 their sojourn in Mrs. Astor's opulent Newport resort is hampered by the stabbing of a local gallery owner. Arriving to make arrangements for a portrait of Val they discover the body. Impulsively Val picks up the weapon coming under suspicion. I enjoy this Gilded Age historical mystery series. Val is a well developed character who balances her husband with pragmatic realism. The author, herself a historian enhances the story line with interesting historical details of the era's fashions and mores. An engaging read that would appeal to any reader who enjoys a solidly plotted historical mystery.

[Cri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another glimpse in Newport society!

Thanks to the author and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

What follows is my own opinion on the book.

I have read all the books in this series and this one follows directly what happens in "a Guilded drowning pool".

Once again Val and Roddy found themselves caught up in a murder, with Val being the prime suspect.

Will Val defeat her high society accusers? The situation becomes increasingly tensed for the couple.

The book is well written and keeps in style with the series.

A really nice reading heightened by a mystery to be solved.

[M. K. French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Western silver heiress Val Mackle DeVere plans to sit for a portrait for her beloved husband. Instead of the artist, she finds a bloody body in the art gallery. The dead Newport gallery manager is clutching at a gilt frame pulled down over his head and shoulders. When Val touches the murder weapon, she is suspected to be the killer. Society is only too eager to see her shamed, and isolates her as she seeks the true killer.

While there's a series of Val and Roddy DeVere novels taking place in the Gilded Age, this can be read as a standalone. (The series titles all have Gilded in the title.) This can be read without the others because Val is narrating, and in the manner of Gilded Age novels, proceeds to explain everything about herself immediately. Newport, Rhode Island is full of the monied elite, and Val wasn't born into money. The people here consider twenty room homes a cottage, and teams of people are at the ready to satisfy their every whim. Roddy wants a portrait of Val for his New York City office, setting the stage for finding the body. The gallery sequence itself is full of tiny jabs to show how important the families and gallery owner are.

The sharp eyed reader will catch people behaving oddly more than Val will, but we know the kind of book we're reading. The police question people regarding the murder and the gallery contents as Newport residents belittle and ostracize Val at every opportunity because she's from the West and isn't East Coast old money. I was angry on her behalf, and how oblivious Roddy seemed to it at times. With the conversation he had with Val on a few occasions, I was just as angry with him as I was with the elites poking fun at Val without recourse. The portrait artist is another self important man who refuses to consider others or their opinions.

Cecelia Tichi has extensive knowledge of this time period, and it shows. There's such lavish details throughout the novel. You can't read this book without seeing the extravagance in dress, food, drinks and buildings of the time period. It's incredibly well done, and grafted to this story is a mystery that will keep you interested until the very end.

[carolintallahassee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the premise of this book, the stars of this book are Roddy DeVere, his wealthy wife Valentine DeVere. This story takes place in Newport during the Gilded Age, when the Vanderbilts, the Astors, the Harrimans, the wealthiest Knickerbocker families are all here. Into this rarified playland, even the servants are snobs, who works for the Astors is more prestigious than who works for the oleo King of Wisconsin. The lifestyle of the rich and famous, and into this enclave is the heroine of our story, her father, mining for Silver out west, and finds plenty of it, marries into one of the oldest families, they were in dire need of an heiress themselves, the in - laws promptly took themselves off to Bar Harbor, leaving Newport to their son and sniff, his unfortunate but wealthy wife. Into the closed rank atmosphere our girl, Valentine finds herself as the number one murder suspect, and aren't these people thrilled, told you Roddy made a mistake. The aristocracy in England have nothing on these families. I have nothing against people with money, I like it myself, my one observation is the snobbish factor, I have a sister-in-law just like some of these ladies, even though my husband makes more money than his brother, her attitude is, my parents are wealthy, so that still makes you unfit to be Godparents, even though I can trace my ancestry back to the aristocracy in England, I understand the dynamics at play here, what is difficult is the Alice in Wonderland situations that Valentine gets herself into, I would have loved a simpler approach from the author, I picked out the murderer from the beginning, and using a word salad to describe the scrape she finds herself in, doesn't make Valentine look like the intelligent young lady she is suppose to be. I liked the premise, and will try another book in this series, I tried giving this one a 3.5, it didn't work, I think all Gilded Age fans will enjoy this tale of murder in the playground of the rich and famous. I appreciate the Arc, as always the opinions are my own. Thank you.

carolintallahassee

[Katrina Freckleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic book in this series! I love following Roody and Val De Vere , how they interact in this era – being out of the norm. I also like this author’s style, the thoughts of the characters , it all just flows. I also enjoy that the bulk of the story is unusual, the scenarios are interesting well thought out. I hope there is more to come.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Deborah L. Sefton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the main character and her husband and friend. I did feel that I popped in the middle of the series wanting to know more about the relationship between Val and Roddy, how they met, their courtship, why they were so attracted to one another and why society isn't happy with the match. Similarly I would like to know more about the relationship with Val's psychic best friend Cassie. The book was well paced and fun to read. The mystery kept my attention.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to preview this story and can't wait to see more in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[DJ McCready · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a third party ARC on the prmise of a review.

I had reas a few of Tichi's books in the series and certainly the two main sleuths (main characters) have not changed is Rhode Island with the rich having summer cottages, my own experience is that they are truly not cottages. Moreover, this book brings in a smmattering of well-known names who had old money and were not so sure of Roddy;s wife who came from the mines her father owned in the west.

The difference with this book is the art pieces mentioned and the fact the real discovery of the criminal was not Roddy's wife or Roddy himself but a coordination of small bits of gossip.

I will read moe of this series as I get an opportunity.

[Ruth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed every previous book in the Gilded series by Cecilia Tichi. This one is no different.

Val and her husband Roddy are spending the summer in Newport RI and happen across an art gallery, where they find a dead man. He's been stabbed and Val, in a state of "not thinking" does something that will color the rest of their summer in a way they never expect.

Who killed the gallery owner? Will anyone else end up dead as well? Will Val and Roddy survive the events that follow? Is this a crime that they can even solve?

This was a fantastic read with quite a few twists and turns. Read it! You'll love it!

I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my voluntary review.

[Denzel Struchen]

Set in 1899 in Newport RI amongst the cabins of the rich, more like mansions used for 2 months. A young couple who are on the edge of society due to the wife's background are drawn into a murder by finding it. Set out to solve the crime after being accused of it things take. Is the artist real ,a copist or outright fraud? The story is well paced and will draw you into the ending of the golden age of Great Society.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the Gilded Age series featuring Val and Roddy DeVere by Cecelia Tichi. I love the stories as well as the facts that she gives us about the time period and places in the books. I will read all books she writes for this series. The characters are interesting, the mysteries keep me reading to see how they go.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tricia Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read that takes you back in time. I could imagine what it was like to live in that time period. What fancy dresses and social gatherings. Then to add a murder amongst the society that looks down on others within their own group. I did figure out the murderer before it was accused. I wasn’t sure if I was correct until the end.

[Becky Durstenfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a mostly enjoyable read. The book is well written and is a bit different from other books about the main characters. The mystery was a pretty good one.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read, good for summer. Familiar with the area so it was interesting to read with landmarks that could be visualized.

[Scuffed Granny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read quite a few books by Cecelia Tichi now and I've come to know what to expect from them. We follow Val and Roddy DeVere, who are in some ways an odd couple, Roddy being from a well-to-do New York Society family and Val being the daughter of a self-made mining magnate: a little more rough around the edges in Society's eyes but actually, just a grounded gal, not prone to airs and graces. She might not be refined but she's astute and intelligent and I like her very much.

Set in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s, Roddy's upbringing dominates as there are expected behaviours that must be followed (although arguably, Roddy, in his choice of bride, is less bothered by this than most and add to that his cocktail making and he's positively a bad boy!). One of these duties is spending summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Val is less than keen but tends to go along with things, making the best of it and trying not to draw too much attention to herself whilst remaining irresolutely herself. Not easy.

However, it gets worse for Val on this particular summer vacation when she is implicated in someone's murder. It is more important than it usually is to find the real killer before Val is permanently excluded from Society in a cloud of shame never to be dispersed. Already, the barbed comments and the withdrawn invitations manifest themselves and so, the couple try to get to the bottom of it.

Tichi's titles always give a clue into which world we are entering and with the inclusion of "frame" in the title of this one, it will be no great surprise to know that this book is centred on art and in particular, portraiture. The couple investigate, mostly separately, as they do in other books, coming together over meals and to fuss their French Bulldog, Velvet, to discuss their findings and plan what to do next.

Tichi shows us members of the select company with whom Roddy is aligned status-wise and paints a picture of the Gilded Age based on people from the time, their character traits and desires and their expectations regarding those who want to fraternise with them. All very strict and unforgiving.

This book, I felt, was better than the ones I've read previously, which I've enjoyed; however, there was something more solid about this one in the flow of the narrative and the roundedness of the interactions between the characters that made it feel more confident, like Tichi has found her stride.

For cozy mystery lovers who like their history just this side of old, this book is a good read.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set against the opulent backdrop of late 19th century America, specifically in Newport, a summer haven for New York's aristocracy, this historical mystery fiction intriguingly intertwines the lives of an elite couple, Roddy and Val, with a heinous crime. As they consider commissioning a portrait from a newly arrived artist, they become embroiled in the brutal murder of an art gallery manager, setting off a whirlwind of gossip and societal scorn among their peers. The narrative propels Val and her husband into a quest to unearth the true culprit, thereby extricating themselves from the web of public accusation and disdain.

As part of a series, this standalone installment presents some challenges in character development. Val, portrayed as a defiant woman from the West, grapples with her identity in high society and as a wife, exhibiting a perplexing blend of resistance and compliance. This is particularly evident in her acquiescence to sit for a portrait, despite her reservations about the artist and personal discomfort, ostensibly to appease her husband. Her character's internal turmoil in response to public slander seems at odds with her otherwise resilient persona, driving the narrative with an undercurrent of seeking redemption.

The author skillfully immerses readers in the Gilded Age setting, a delight for enthusiasts of this historical era, with detailed depictions of luxurious lifestyles and intricate societal dynamics. While this richly woven backdrop may be particularly resonant for some, it provides a lush context for the story's unfolding. The narrative, intriguingly dotted with hints of potential threats and regrets, invites readers to engage deeply, even though some aspects may seem less explored, contributing to a resolution that encourages reflection and imagination. The core mystery remains engaging, with the amateur sleuthing efforts of the couple culminating in a solution that leaves room for reader interpretation.

This historical mystery offers a vibrant journey into America's Gilded Age, blending a suspenseful plot with a vivid portrayal of societal norms and extravagances. Death in a Gilded Frame stands as a compelling read for those drawn to historical settings and intricate plots, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the complexities of high society and the intrigue of an unsolved crime.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roderick and Valentine DeVere are spending the summer of 1899 in Newport, Rhode Island, at their 20- or 30-room “cottage,” where an esteemed art gallery is to open for the season, affording Roddy the opportunity to have a “school of Rembrandt” family painting assessed and providing them both with the chance to have Val’s portrait done, an undertaking that Val loathes but that she will endure for Roddy’s sake. However, the art gallery director is soon found stabbed to death, and it is Val and Roddy’s misfortune to be the persons who discover the body; worse, Val impulsively picks up the dagger, bloodying her gloves, just in time for the Season’s worst gossip to come across her. Now, Val is being branded a possible murderer and several paintings are missing; she and Roddy must somehow navigate the perilous gossip to uncover the real culprit…. I much enjoy the “Gilded” series from Ms. Tichi, this being the sixth, but had some difficulty getting into this one. Part of it is, I think, perhaps an over-reliance on foreshadowing - there are many instances of “had I but known” type comments made ahead of events - and partly there are some threads that are not followed through on, such as the family painting which is mentioned frequently but about which nothing ever actually happens. That said, I still very much like Roddy and, especially, Val, the Western silver heiress who must learn to cope with exceedingly formal New York Society ways, but I think a reader new to this series should start with the first book, “A Gilded Death,” rather than jumping in here. Nevertheless, I recommend the series as a whole. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.