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High Society Lady Detective #8
Murder in the Alps
A cold-blooded killer lurks in the luxurious winter wonderland of St. Moritz . . .
Switzerland, 1924. Lady sleuth Olive Belgrave is set to enjoy a holiday of ice-skating and snowshoeing in the glamorous alpine setting of St. Moritz, but her plans are rudely interrupted when an unfortunate accident takes place. It quickly becomes clear that the tragic event was a carefully concealed murder.
Olive isn’t one to shy away from a challenge, and with her sharp intuition and knowledge of the high society set, she uncovers motives among the elite guests. However, this case is one of the most challenging she’s faced.
Her suspects include a famous lady mountaineer, an up-and-coming fashion designer, a mousy lady’s maid, and several gentlemen sportsmen who seem to be only interested in tobogganing, ice-climbing, and the new sport of skiing down the mountain slopes. Can Olive find the cunning killer and solve the impossible crime before it’s too late?
If you enjoy puzzling mysteries set among the glitz and glamor of the 1920s, you’ll enjoy Murder in the Alps, the latest installment of USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett’s High Society Lady Detective series.
Switzerland, 1924. Lady sleuth Olive Belgrave is set to enjoy a holiday of ice-skating and snowshoeing in the glamorous alpine setting of St. Moritz, but her plans are rudely interrupted when an unfortunate accident takes place. It quickly becomes clear that the tragic event was a carefully concealed murder.
Olive isn’t one to shy away from a challenge, and with her sharp intuition and knowledge of the high society set, she uncovers motives among the elite guests. However, this case is one of the most challenging she’s faced.
Her suspects include a famous lady mountaineer, an up-and-coming fashion designer, a mousy lady’s maid, and several gentlemen sportsmen who seem to be only interested in tobogganing, ice-climbing, and the new sport of skiing down the mountain slopes. Can Olive find the cunning killer and solve the impossible crime before it’s too late?
If you enjoy puzzling mysteries set among the glitz and glamor of the 1920s, you’ll enjoy Murder in the Alps, the latest installment of USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett’s High Society Lady Detective series.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 16, 2024
115 people are currently reading
516 people want to read
About the author
Sara Rosett
48 books1,658 followersUSA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett writes lighthearted mysteries for readers who enjoy atmospheric settings, fun characters, and puzzling whodunits.
She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective historical mystery series as well as three contemporary cozy series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline A Cozy Mystery.
Publishers Weekly called Sara's books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.” Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.
She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective historical mystery series as well as three contemporary cozy series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline A Cozy Mystery.
Publishers Weekly called Sara's books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.” Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.
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June 9, 2024
You are the promised kiss of springtime / That makes the lonely winter seem long / You are the breathless hush of evening / That trembles on the brink of a lovely song (All the Things You Are – Ella Fitzgerald).
Hey, I’m on a roll with all these good books lately! Not to brag, but I guess I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing what I’ll end up liking. It really does help that this is the eighth book in a series of books that I’ve only ever adored! After reading heaps and heaps of these “cozy-mystery”-types, I always find myself gravitating towards the ones that always manage to feel alive and breathing despite the genre being done to death. So yeah, Olive Belgrave stuns in yet another wonderful mystery! This one was especially engaging for me because I remember a while back my friend told me in excruciating detail about how an icicle was the best possible weapon to murder someone with. The best accomplice a potential murderer could have! He probably read it in some kind of Buzzfeed article or something because this was all unprompted and I could tell that he was trying to pass it off like he came up with the idea. So don’t worry, he’s not out there, running around like Dexter. Anyway yeah, that's one point to him (or Buzzfeed), because I damn sure couldn’t see any obvious cracks in the logic. For one, there aren’t any fingerprints to worry about, and then after everything, the ice would literally just melt away over time, leaving no trace. Woah, this is sounding suspiciously like a good idea for a mystery novel! Hahah yeah… good times. It's this book. I'm talking about this book. Somebody dies by icicle in this book. I wasn’t just sharing a random weird conversation I had way back when! I read a lot of mysteries, and I don’t think I’ve encountered one that actually went into the logistics of this particular brain teaser, so this book was a lot of fun! I always feel a bit more involved in Olive’s adventures than any of the other amateur sleuths out there because I already have a pretty strong emotional attachment to this series. Lovable characters and tantalizing mysteries? What more could I ever ask for? I even tried to play along, pretending to be a detective in my own right a couple times (it’s kind of impossible not to) throughout the book, but then I remembered I get confused and lost whenever someone happens to change their name on here, removing the “semi-hiatus” and all that, so I figured I’d let the book do the solving instead. Let the professionals handle this one. Hey, maybe that’s why I like mystery books so much! They let me live vicariously, allowing me to see what it’s like to have a good memory! Anyway, my original point was the fact that I’m always looking out for a new installment in the High Society Lady Detective series, and when I saw that this book was out, I pushed aside everything else I was reading just to start it right away. I'm usually patient (kind of, sort of) so it really is a testament to the author how much I love these characters and how much I couldn't wait to see them again after all this time.
Now, this is usually the bit where I talk about the love-interest. And well… I love Jasper! Yup, I’m surprised (and relieved) that I don’t have to talk trash about him! Yesss. You know, I don’t really talk about my “book crushes” much because… I really don’t have any. I just read book after book without a second thought on these “swoon-worthy” guys. I mean, most of the time I barely even remember their names and I for sure can't count the number of times I've had to check the book page of something I just finished so I could remember who anyone was! It’s sad, really. The only fictional characters I’d ever unabashedly say that I have a crush on would be Narsi from Ginn Hale’s Master of Restless Shadows, Dante’s dad from Ari and Dante, ...and I guess Jasper from this book series. Hm, is that really it!? I think there’s a common thread here too; they’re all cool, chill, dudes. I think Jasper is especially great because he’s the classic charmer, sure, but he's also supportive and sweet. I know it doesn’t sound like much, like, I'm doing limbo the bar's so low, but it really does go a long way in the mystery genre, where the love-interest is usually at odds with our main character. It's funny how writers often try so hard to be subversive that their subverted tropes ironically become just as oversaturated as the very thing they tried to avoid, leaving the old clichés to come back around to being a breath of fresh air! Heh heh, how the turn tables, indeed. While so many love-interest guys in fiction (and in real life, I suppose) are so hellbent on fashioning themselves around being as unpleasant and unreachable as possible, Jasper over here is just a calming, serene old chap who's far too busy looking camp right in the eye to be combative with anyone, let alone his partner. No but really, he's always in Olive’s corner, and I almost never need anything more in a mystery book. Especially because there are more important things to focus on! Murder usually. It's usually murder. Sometimes even an impossible murder with an icicle! Gasp! Oh, and also, I’m grateful to this book for being the “aha" moment that made me realize why I like mystery books so much in the first place. Because no matter how cozy they are, reading mysteries also gives me the same thrill I always get from watching horror movies. I don’t mean when everything’s gone to shit and there’s a killer running around (though there's more than enough of that to go around with mysteries too!), but the before bits; the parts of the movie where everything seems idyllic and peaceful, but you just know that something is about to go terribly wrong. I know it sounds macabre, but those moments really are the most fun for me. In a movie, in a book, it doesn’t make a difference to me as long as there’s some delicious tension in the air. And delicious this book was in that regard. I can’t wait for the next one because I just know for a fact that no matter whatever clever conundrum is thrown at Olive, she still won’t fall for the illu-u-u-u-u-u-u-sion.
“Undoubtedly. The world of sport provides many important functions, such as allowing us an escape from all the unpleasantness in the world – politics, personalities, even crime – if only for the length of a race. And it provides an opportunity to challenge oneself, which is always a good thing.”
“I agree, in theory. In practice, I’d rather read a good book.”
Hey, I’m on a roll with all these good books lately! Not to brag, but I guess I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing what I’ll end up liking. It really does help that this is the eighth book in a series of books that I’ve only ever adored! After reading heaps and heaps of these “cozy-mystery”-types, I always find myself gravitating towards the ones that always manage to feel alive and breathing despite the genre being done to death. So yeah, Olive Belgrave stuns in yet another wonderful mystery! This one was especially engaging for me because I remember a while back my friend told me in excruciating detail about how an icicle was the best possible weapon to murder someone with. The best accomplice a potential murderer could have! He probably read it in some kind of Buzzfeed article or something because this was all unprompted and I could tell that he was trying to pass it off like he came up with the idea. So don’t worry, he’s not out there, running around like Dexter. Anyway yeah, that's one point to him (or Buzzfeed), because I damn sure couldn’t see any obvious cracks in the logic. For one, there aren’t any fingerprints to worry about, and then after everything, the ice would literally just melt away over time, leaving no trace. Woah, this is sounding suspiciously like a good idea for a mystery novel! Hahah yeah… good times. It's this book. I'm talking about this book. Somebody dies by icicle in this book. I wasn’t just sharing a random weird conversation I had way back when! I read a lot of mysteries, and I don’t think I’ve encountered one that actually went into the logistics of this particular brain teaser, so this book was a lot of fun! I always feel a bit more involved in Olive’s adventures than any of the other amateur sleuths out there because I already have a pretty strong emotional attachment to this series. Lovable characters and tantalizing mysteries? What more could I ever ask for? I even tried to play along, pretending to be a detective in my own right a couple times (it’s kind of impossible not to) throughout the book, but then I remembered I get confused and lost whenever someone happens to change their name on here, removing the “semi-hiatus” and all that, so I figured I’d let the book do the solving instead. Let the professionals handle this one. Hey, maybe that’s why I like mystery books so much! They let me live vicariously, allowing me to see what it’s like to have a good memory! Anyway, my original point was the fact that I’m always looking out for a new installment in the High Society Lady Detective series, and when I saw that this book was out, I pushed aside everything else I was reading just to start it right away. I'm usually patient (kind of, sort of) so it really is a testament to the author how much I love these characters and how much I couldn't wait to see them again after all this time.
Now, this is usually the bit where I talk about the love-interest. And well… I love Jasper! Yup, I’m surprised (and relieved) that I don’t have to talk trash about him! Yesss. You know, I don’t really talk about my “book crushes” much because… I really don’t have any. I just read book after book without a second thought on these “swoon-worthy” guys. I mean, most of the time I barely even remember their names and I for sure can't count the number of times I've had to check the book page of something I just finished so I could remember who anyone was! It’s sad, really. The only fictional characters I’d ever unabashedly say that I have a crush on would be Narsi from Ginn Hale’s Master of Restless Shadows, Dante’s dad from Ari and Dante, ...and I guess Jasper from this book series. Hm, is that really it!? I think there’s a common thread here too; they’re all cool, chill, dudes. I think Jasper is especially great because he’s the classic charmer, sure, but he's also supportive and sweet. I know it doesn’t sound like much, like, I'm doing limbo the bar's so low, but it really does go a long way in the mystery genre, where the love-interest is usually at odds with our main character. It's funny how writers often try so hard to be subversive that their subverted tropes ironically become just as oversaturated as the very thing they tried to avoid, leaving the old clichés to come back around to being a breath of fresh air! Heh heh, how the turn tables, indeed. While so many love-interest guys in fiction (and in real life, I suppose) are so hellbent on fashioning themselves around being as unpleasant and unreachable as possible, Jasper over here is just a calming, serene old chap who's far too busy looking camp right in the eye to be combative with anyone, let alone his partner. No but really, he's always in Olive’s corner, and I almost never need anything more in a mystery book. Especially because there are more important things to focus on! Murder usually. It's usually murder. Sometimes even an impossible murder with an icicle! Gasp! Oh, and also, I’m grateful to this book for being the “aha" moment that made me realize why I like mystery books so much in the first place. Because no matter how cozy they are, reading mysteries also gives me the same thrill I always get from watching horror movies. I don’t mean when everything’s gone to shit and there’s a killer running around (though there's more than enough of that to go around with mysteries too!), but the before bits; the parts of the movie where everything seems idyllic and peaceful, but you just know that something is about to go terribly wrong. I know it sounds macabre, but those moments really are the most fun for me. In a movie, in a book, it doesn’t make a difference to me as long as there’s some delicious tension in the air. And delicious this book was in that regard. I can’t wait for the next one because I just know for a fact that no matter whatever clever conundrum is thrown at Olive, she still won’t fall for the illu-u-u-u-u-u-u-sion.
“Undoubtedly. The world of sport provides many important functions, such as allowing us an escape from all the unpleasantness in the world – politics, personalities, even crime – if only for the length of a race. And it provides an opportunity to challenge oneself, which is always a good thing.”
“I agree, in theory. In practice, I’d rather read a good book.”
June 12, 2024
Loved the setting! I’m so glad there will be many more Olive books to come. She and Jasper are so great!
January 21, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed the latest entry in the historical mystery series (1924) featuring Olive Belgrave, "female detective." In this entry Olive and her companion/boyfriend Jasper are on a train heading to St. Moritz in Switzerland. Olive is along for some fun winter sports, while Jasper is actually going to get another secret decoding task from a character we met in an earlier book.
Before arriving in Switzerland, Olive is approached by a disagreeable woman on the train who wants to hire Olive to figure out who is blackmailing her. Olive rejects the cause (the woman is far too opinionated) and hopes to never see her again. Of course, the woman, and many other fellow train passengers all end up at the same hotel in St. Moritz. And of course, this being a mystery, a murder shortly occurs, and Olive decides to investigate.
I enjoyed both the mystery and the characters in the book. At the end Olive gets a message that seems to be leading her and Jasper off to France on a case. I will definitely be along for the ride!
Before arriving in Switzerland, Olive is approached by a disagreeable woman on the train who wants to hire Olive to figure out who is blackmailing her. Olive rejects the cause (the woman is far too opinionated) and hopes to never see her again. Of course, the woman, and many other fellow train passengers all end up at the same hotel in St. Moritz. And of course, this being a mystery, a murder shortly occurs, and Olive decides to investigate.
I enjoyed both the mystery and the characters in the book. At the end Olive gets a message that seems to be leading her and Jasper off to France on a case. I will definitely be along for the ride!
December 27, 2023
Another great addition to the series. This time, Olive and Jasper are in the Alps, on holiday, and stumble upon a murder. The police ask her to help investigate, a nice change of pace, and we learn so much about the different suspects as well as the setting and the customs of the time. Olive is such a breath of fresh air: she’s smart and intuitive without being obnoxious about it. She helps the police without withholding information to solve the mystery first (which annoys me so much!) Looking forward to the next in the series.
February 7, 2024
Olive and Jasper are visiting St. Moritz, Switzerland (in separate accommodations, of course. Olive is a nice girl!) for a bit of work and play. While trying to sleep one night on the train, Olive overhears a mysterious conversation she very much fears is a plot to murder someone! The following morning Olive tries to figure out who the voices belonged to so she'll have something to take to the police, but it's no easy task when all she heard was whispers. Then, one of the other ladies in the carriage, upon learning Olive's identity, asks Olive to speak in private. Mrs. Emmaline Lavington has been receiving blackmail letters and wants the blackmail to stop. Olive has nothing to go on since Mrs. Lavington burned the letters but Mrs. Lavington insists on doing this HER way. Olive politely declines and little dreams that case she did NOT take would lead to a murder investigation! As a group of visitors are socializing in the hotel lounge after dinner, Mrs. Lavington heads up to bed leaving her husband behind. Then another guest's sleeve catches on fire and Mr. Lavington rushes off to find the doctor. When he returns his wife is nowhere to be found - except the one place he didn't think to check- the freezing cold, snow-covered terrace. Now what would Mrs. Lavington be doing outside at night and furthermore, why is she lying there DEAD?! Olive has to team up with the local police to ferret out secrets and lies before the case can be solved.
This mystery was very engaging. I couldn't put it down and stayed up very late. There are several suspects with good motives but I didn't want it to be any of them! I didn't think it could be any of them and was surprised at what was revealed. It turned out to be a very uncomplicated motive with a very complicated murder!
It's funny to have the story set exactly 100 years ago. My grandmother was only a few weeks old at the time and she just celebrated her 100th birthday! I, personally, would have set a story revolving around winter sports in Chamonix during the Olympics but that may have been too difficult to insert fictional murder victims and murderers. The St. Moritz crowd doesn't even mention the Olympics are happening now or just happened and I would have liked to have that mention included. Olive likes to skate and I would have mentioned "Did you hear about that little Norwegian girl who showed up and JUMPED on the ice?" But that's my personal interest as an Olympics fan and figure skating fanatic. St. Moritz is equally cold and has many winter sports to offer the Winter Olympic enthusiast from the comfort of one's own bedroom. It sure sounded cold to me.
Olive is a nice girl. She's proud to pay for her own trip and is able to turn down clients. Yet she's humble enough to know starvation was just a few months ago and still around the corner if she doesn't work hard. She just knows what she's capable of and what would require magic of monumental proportions to solve. Olive seems to have moved on and made peace with her father's decisions and her role as a working woman. She actually likes working because she's intelligent and the life of a socialite is not for her anyway. Jasper has to work for most of the trip and doesn't get to play Watson to Olive's Sherlock. They always make a great team but it was good for his character development to see him become jealous. It shows what he's feeling for Olive. He was about to speak at one point and didn't get to say what he wanted and now I want to know what he was going to say! The romance has been shoved off page and I wanted a little more on page. Let's go on that sleigh ride with Jasper and Olive! Swoon! (Move over Olive, I, too, have a "pash" for Jasper.) I liked their banter and how he tries to misrepresent himself as an aging socialite and she calls him on it. They've been friends for a long time and she knows the man beneath the façade. That bodes well for their relationship.
Mrs. Lavington is spoiled beauty who enjoys being catty and creating a stir. She's stubborn and tries to manipulate any situation to make it about HER and what she wants. She never lets go once she gets an idea in her head. It's her way or the highway! Yikes! A more mismatched couple Olive has never met. Mrs. Lavington, Emmaline, loves shopping and hates the outdoors. She claims she's delicate. She might be, no one really knows. Yes if she had rheumatic fever or something as a child, she can't do sports but it sounds like Emmaline just enjoys being a drama queen. Her husband seems much nicer. He's devoted to winter sports and enjoys athletic pursuits outdoors and mentoring younger male climbers. He seems to be a doting husband who gives his wife whatever she wants. Emmaline's death hits her husband hard, the poor man. However, I wonder, why he returned without the doctor and returned disheveled. His explanation doesn't quite make sense.
Emmaline is beastly to her maid, Etta. As a ladies' maid, Etta should be an upper servant and not relegated to drudgery and being ordered around by her employer. Etta is timid and seems afraid of Mrs. Lavington. Etta is afraid of the police too. Why won't she share what she knows? Does she have a secret in her past? Why, yes, she does but not a bad one. She recognizes the doorman at the inn, Frederick, and he recognizes Mrs. Lavington and is not happy to see her. A-ha! Frederick can be the murderer for all I care. I do think Etta is naïve and about to get hurt. She doesn't seem like a murderer but we don't get to know Frederick and he does look daggers at Mrs. Lavington.
Hattie and Rob Grogan are another married couple. They quarrel a lot and she has a quick temper. He claims it fizzles out after a good fight and that's just how they communicate. Hattie has every reason to hate Emmaline but I don't understand why Hattie sticks with it. She wants to get rid of Emmaline and it sure sounds like she's desperate. I don't think Emmaline is the type to give in to someone else's requests. Rob is the more mild-mannered of the couple. They argue but it sounds like Hattie has the more dominant personality. This serves Olive well because Hattie is intelligent and not about to tell Olive the entire truth if she IS a murderer. Rob is easier to work on! He seems to love his wife and be devoted to her. If she asked him, would he kill for her? He doesn't seem bright enough to do it on his own.
Olive admires a Mrs. Ashworth, a lady climber who pioneered the sport of alpine mountain climbing for women. (See also An Unexpected Peril) I admire Mrs. Ashworth too, even though she dresses conservatively in the Victorian fashion. She is a supporter of women in sport but doesn't say if she is for women's rights in general. Mrs. Ashworth is unconventional and forthright. I like her and I do not want her to be a murderer! She has a strong motive but why now? Why resort to murder? I rather suspect she did it though. It HAS to be a skilled climber and who is more skilled than Mrs. Ashworth? Mrs. Ashworth is a member of the Ladies Sporting Association with Juliet Lennox. Juliet is way too energetic and devoted to outdoor winter sports for me. She's very modern and vivacious, more than Olive anyway. I'm not entirely sure I like her. She's a bit too much for me, a bookworm who would rather be in front of the fire indoors watching skating out my window or reading about it. Juliet is pushy and doesn't seem to respect boundaries a whole lot. She can't be the murderer though because she was in the lounge when the murder must have happened. At least she can't have done it alone. Of all the guests, she doesn't seem to have a motive and she encourages Olive in her investigative pursuits.
Also here is Bebe Ravenna, the actress/socialite/spy. She, too, is a little much too much for me. She's quite the whirlwind at times. In this book, she's not really working and able to have fun and enjoy herself in St. Moritz. As an actress, she can make it look like she's just there to do sports and socialize anyway. Now Bebe is accompanied by her flame, a Swedish filmmaker, Evert Vandenberg, who works in German cinema. (Me from the future: Uh-oh! ) He seems as devoted to her as she is to him and they're a little sickening in their lovey dovey always clinging to each other way. This can not possibly go well if he returns to Germany. Hopefully they'll leave Europe before he's trapped into making propaganda films for the Nazis. Or maybe he's a cover and also a spy? The story doesn't go that far. It's only 1924.
Korporel Vogel, a British educated police officer, appreciates Olive's intelligence and insights into things she's observed and heard so far. When he checks up on her and people he trusts vouch for her, Vogel invites Olive to actively investigate! What a change from the stuffy British men who continually warn her to stay out of their investigation. He's friendly, open and honest with her but also not without some of the prejudices of his day which Olive does not appreciate! She's confused when he's nice and totally expects him to stay that way but when he becomes just like any other man, she's furious and can't stay out of the investigation! No way!
The end is a cliffhanger of sorts that sets up for another adventure. I prefer Olive at home in England but I'm eager to see what happens next. The new series sounds good too. I'd be happy to read that one as well.
This mystery was very engaging. I couldn't put it down and stayed up very late. There are several suspects with good motives but I didn't want it to be any of them! I didn't think it could be any of them and was surprised at what was revealed. It turned out to be a very uncomplicated motive with a very complicated murder!
It's funny to have the story set exactly 100 years ago. My grandmother was only a few weeks old at the time and she just celebrated her 100th birthday! I, personally, would have set a story revolving around winter sports in Chamonix during the Olympics but that may have been too difficult to insert fictional murder victims and murderers. The St. Moritz crowd doesn't even mention the Olympics are happening now or just happened and I would have liked to have that mention included. Olive likes to skate and I would have mentioned "Did you hear about that little Norwegian girl who showed up and JUMPED on the ice?" But that's my personal interest as an Olympics fan and figure skating fanatic. St. Moritz is equally cold and has many winter sports to offer the Winter Olympic enthusiast from the comfort of one's own bedroom. It sure sounded cold to me.
Olive is a nice girl. She's proud to pay for her own trip and is able to turn down clients. Yet she's humble enough to know starvation was just a few months ago and still around the corner if she doesn't work hard. She just knows what she's capable of and what would require magic of monumental proportions to solve. Olive seems to have moved on and made peace with her father's decisions and her role as a working woman. She actually likes working because she's intelligent and the life of a socialite is not for her anyway. Jasper has to work for most of the trip and doesn't get to play Watson to Olive's Sherlock. They always make a great team but it was good for his character development to see him become jealous. It shows what he's feeling for Olive. He was about to speak at one point and didn't get to say what he wanted and now I want to know what he was going to say! The romance has been shoved off page and I wanted a little more on page. Let's go on that sleigh ride with Jasper and Olive! Swoon! (Move over Olive, I, too, have a "pash" for Jasper.) I liked their banter and how he tries to misrepresent himself as an aging socialite and she calls him on it. They've been friends for a long time and she knows the man beneath the façade. That bodes well for their relationship.
Mrs. Lavington is spoiled beauty who enjoys being catty and creating a stir. She's stubborn and tries to manipulate any situation to make it about HER and what she wants. She never lets go once she gets an idea in her head. It's her way or the highway! Yikes! A more mismatched couple Olive has never met. Mrs. Lavington, Emmaline, loves shopping and hates the outdoors. She claims she's delicate. She might be, no one really knows. Yes if she had rheumatic fever or something as a child, she can't do sports but it sounds like Emmaline just enjoys being a drama queen. Her husband seems much nicer. He's devoted to winter sports and enjoys athletic pursuits outdoors and mentoring younger male climbers. He seems to be a doting husband who gives his wife whatever she wants. Emmaline's death hits her husband hard, the poor man. However, I wonder, why he returned without the doctor and returned disheveled. His explanation doesn't quite make sense.
Emmaline is beastly to her maid, Etta. As a ladies' maid, Etta should be an upper servant and not relegated to drudgery and being ordered around by her employer. Etta is timid and seems afraid of Mrs. Lavington. Etta is afraid of the police too. Why won't she share what she knows? Does she have a secret in her past? Why, yes, she does but not a bad one. She recognizes the doorman at the inn, Frederick, and he recognizes Mrs. Lavington and is not happy to see her. A-ha! Frederick can be the murderer for all I care. I do think Etta is naïve and about to get hurt. She doesn't seem like a murderer but we don't get to know Frederick and he does look daggers at Mrs. Lavington.
Hattie and Rob Grogan are another married couple. They quarrel a lot and she has a quick temper. He claims it fizzles out after a good fight and that's just how they communicate. Hattie has every reason to hate Emmaline but I don't understand why Hattie sticks with it. She wants to get rid of Emmaline and it sure sounds like she's desperate. I don't think Emmaline is the type to give in to someone else's requests. Rob is the more mild-mannered of the couple. They argue but it sounds like Hattie has the more dominant personality. This serves Olive well because Hattie is intelligent and not about to tell Olive the entire truth if she IS a murderer. Rob is easier to work on! He seems to love his wife and be devoted to her. If she asked him, would he kill for her? He doesn't seem bright enough to do it on his own.
Olive admires a Mrs. Ashworth, a lady climber who pioneered the sport of alpine mountain climbing for women. (See also An Unexpected Peril) I admire Mrs. Ashworth too, even though she dresses conservatively in the Victorian fashion. She is a supporter of women in sport but doesn't say if she is for women's rights in general. Mrs. Ashworth is unconventional and forthright. I like her and I do not want her to be a murderer! She has a strong motive but why now? Why resort to murder? I rather suspect she did it though. It HAS to be a skilled climber and who is more skilled than Mrs. Ashworth? Mrs. Ashworth is a member of the Ladies Sporting Association with Juliet Lennox. Juliet is way too energetic and devoted to outdoor winter sports for me. She's very modern and vivacious, more than Olive anyway. I'm not entirely sure I like her. She's a bit too much for me, a bookworm who would rather be in front of the fire indoors watching skating out my window or reading about it. Juliet is pushy and doesn't seem to respect boundaries a whole lot. She can't be the murderer though because she was in the lounge when the murder must have happened. At least she can't have done it alone. Of all the guests, she doesn't seem to have a motive and she encourages Olive in her investigative pursuits.
Also here is Bebe Ravenna, the actress/socialite/spy. She, too, is a little much too much for me. She's quite the whirlwind at times. In this book, she's not really working and able to have fun and enjoy herself in St. Moritz. As an actress, she can make it look like she's just there to do sports and socialize anyway. Now Bebe is accompanied by her flame, a Swedish filmmaker, Evert Vandenberg, who works in German cinema. (Me from the future: Uh-oh! ) He seems as devoted to her as she is to him and they're a little sickening in their lovey dovey always clinging to each other way. This can not possibly go well if he returns to Germany. Hopefully they'll leave Europe before he's trapped into making propaganda films for the Nazis. Or maybe he's a cover and also a spy? The story doesn't go that far. It's only 1924.
Korporel Vogel, a British educated police officer, appreciates Olive's intelligence and insights into things she's observed and heard so far. When he checks up on her and people he trusts vouch for her, Vogel invites Olive to actively investigate! What a change from the stuffy British men who continually warn her to stay out of their investigation. He's friendly, open and honest with her but also not without some of the prejudices of his day which Olive does not appreciate! She's confused when he's nice and totally expects him to stay that way but when he becomes just like any other man, she's furious and can't stay out of the investigation! No way!
The end is a cliffhanger of sorts that sets up for another adventure. I prefer Olive at home in England but I'm eager to see what happens next. The new series sounds good too. I'd be happy to read that one as well.
January 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this one! I liked the winter sport and lodge aspects. I appreciated the unique relationship to the police as well. I REALLY want to see another book in this series! Sara Rosett’s writing and Elizabeth Klett’s narration were phenomenal together. I’m missing the world and characters they created after reading the most recent book!
January 23, 2024
This was a pretty enjoyable addition to Olive’s stories. I liked the setting, and I always enjoy learning more about life in the 1920s. It was fun to read a winter story during the winter! One big problem for me though - spoiler coming! Maybe I missed something, but there seemed to be a serious lack of motive! Why did Mr. Lavington go along with Juliet’s plan to murder Emmaline?? He never even talks about hating her. Why didn’t he just carry on seeing Juliet? It doesn’t seem like he had much to gain. Juliet’s motive was weak too! I can see her blackmailing Emmaline because she was peeved at being snubbed and left behind, but murder?? Even if she’s a deranged sociopath, how is this worth it for her? And what caused the spat between Mr. Lavington and Juliet at the end. That wasn’t explained. This one didn’t seem quite ready to be published. I think it needed a few more readers and editors looking at it before moving forward.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2025
3,5 stars
January 25, 2024
this is one of my favorite Cozies. It is drama-free, short, breezy, and with fun stories.
There is also something about books set in the 1920s, that just make them more appealing.
Olive and Jasper are back at it, this time in the Swiss Alps. It was a great murder mystery and well planned out.
Who would want to kill the victim and why? I don't feel the WHY was answered, but it's easy to conclude as to why (don't want to give it away).
Olive is asked by a very good-looking Swiss inspector to help with the case, and Olive out does her self.
Great fun and fast read!!!!!
There is also something about books set in the 1920s, that just make them more appealing.
Olive and Jasper are back at it, this time in the Swiss Alps. It was a great murder mystery and well planned out.
Who would want to kill the victim and why? I don't feel the WHY was answered, but it's easy to conclude as to why (don't want to give it away).
Olive is asked by a very good-looking Swiss inspector to help with the case, and Olive out does her self.
Great fun and fast read!!!!!
March 28, 2024
I think that everyone should have a series that they find comforting. The High Society Lady Detective series does that for me. I was pleasantly surprised when a new book came out and I immediately had read it. We are following Olive who has become a ladies detective who is in the Swiss Alps. Naturally there is a murder for her to solve. iIf you haven’t read this series, I definitely recommend it if you love cozy mysteries. Olive is a spunky character and I love how in each of the books we get more information about her background and also about the time period. The afterword made me excited for the authors new series and more from Olive in the future.
January 11, 2025
You know what, this book was the perfect finale to the perfect cozy mystery series. I adored them. Sad to be done.
November 8, 2025
Intressant ända in i slutet. Vem som gjorde det var inte ploten i slutet men hur. Det finns även en liten mysig romans.
January 27, 2024
My favorite cozy historical mystery series! Olive solves the mystery again, with the help of Jasper. The alps setting makes this a great read for the winter.
April 13, 2024
Something was lacking in this book compared to the others, but a cozy enjoyable story non the less.
January 24, 2024
Fun (if murder can be called fun) new entry in the series. Well written and clever. I always like to spend time with Olive.
April 30, 2025
Good story. Nice location.
December 5, 2024
Y'all are sleeping on this series; the atmosphere is so cosy every time, the characters sparkle and the mystery is fun every time. I check this ladies website all the damn time trying to work out when the next one is coming.
March 14, 2024
I really liked some elements of the story, I just felt as if other parts were half-baked. The parts that I really liked were the first conversation on the train, and the scene with the dress. Overall, it felt like the character work was lacking in this addition as well. I really love Olive as a main character, and so that didn't change, but Jaspers character did seem a bit lackluster in this one. It felt like to me that he earned a jealous streak for no reason. He had never expressed jealousy in any of the previous books, so it felt very out of line for him, and seemed very convenient for the story since he was hardly in it at all.
The actual murder was interesting and captured my attention. I especially liked the part about the dress and the fire. The elements that led me to believe that the story was half-baked or unfinished were the motives of the killers. In that there didn't seem to be any.
The setting was beautiful, and the characters were interesting, it just seemed like the story needed another pass before publication. I'm still excited to read on in the series though.
The actual murder was interesting and captured my attention. I especially liked the part about the dress and the fire. The elements that led me to believe that the story was half-baked or unfinished were the motives of the killers. In that there didn't seem to be any.
The setting was beautiful, and the characters were interesting, it just seemed like the story needed another pass before publication. I'm still excited to read on in the series though.
March 8, 2024
Society sleuth Olive Belgrave and her boyfriend Jasper Rimington are traveling by train to St. Moritz, ostensibly for a holiday but really to meet someone who has a decoding job for Jasper. While on the train to the mountains, Olive is approached by Emmaline Lavington, who tells her that she is being blackmailed and requests Olive to discover the culprit; however, given Emmaline’s high-handed behaviour toward her, Olive chooses not to accept the commission. A few days later, while at the hotel in St. Moritz, Emmaline is killed, apparently by a falling icicle. Olive has her doubts about the accidental nature of the death, although the local constabulary is initially reluctant to accept her evidence; nevertheless, Olive continues to look into the matter and soon finds that there are several people at the hotel with ample reason to wish Emmaline dead…. This is the eighth in the High Society Lady Detective series set in the 1920s and featuring a young woman of genteel birth who has to earn her own living despite being amongst the upper classes herself. Indeed, the reason Olive can take on (and solve) cases involving her peers is the fact that she is one of them, and so we are treated to a rather droll look at the mores and manners of that class, which can be pretty funny. This is a light-hearted series, one that reads quickly and gives the reader quiet pleasure for a few hours, and I don’t believe that it is necessary to have read the books in order to enjoy them; recommended.
April 16, 2024
Five reasons I'm giving Five Stars to Murder in the Alps by Sara Rosett:
1. The Setting: This is the eighth book in the High Society Lady Detective series and the first international investigation. The year is 1924 and we are in Switzerland, in the glamorous alpine setting of St. Moritz.
2. The Story: Lady sleuth Olive Belgrave is set to enjoy a holiday of ice-skating and snowshoeing but her plans are rudely interrupted when an unfortunate accident takes place. But is it really an accident?
3. The Star: Olive Belgrave is not your typical high-society gal. She is a resourceful and intelligent young woman who, when faced with the need to make a living, creates a career for herself as a lady detective, using her sharp intuition and knowledge of the high society set.
4. The Sport: The story takes us to the Alps and the early days of winter sports, especially for women. The sporting aspect does not overwhelm the plot but does contribute to a unique, fun and glamorous setting.
5. The Summary: If you are in the market for a fun, readable, gentle murder mystery with an unusual setting and a friendly protagonist, this could well be the book for you. And don't worry about the series, you can jump right in.
1. The Setting: This is the eighth book in the High Society Lady Detective series and the first international investigation. The year is 1924 and we are in Switzerland, in the glamorous alpine setting of St. Moritz.
2. The Story: Lady sleuth Olive Belgrave is set to enjoy a holiday of ice-skating and snowshoeing but her plans are rudely interrupted when an unfortunate accident takes place. But is it really an accident?
3. The Star: Olive Belgrave is not your typical high-society gal. She is a resourceful and intelligent young woman who, when faced with the need to make a living, creates a career for herself as a lady detective, using her sharp intuition and knowledge of the high society set.
4. The Sport: The story takes us to the Alps and the early days of winter sports, especially for women. The sporting aspect does not overwhelm the plot but does contribute to a unique, fun and glamorous setting.
5. The Summary: If you are in the market for a fun, readable, gentle murder mystery with an unusual setting and a friendly protagonist, this could well be the book for you. And don't worry about the series, you can jump right in.
March 7, 2024
Olive Belgrave is on her way to a snowy holiday in the Alps when she's approached by a fellow traveler looking to find the origin of blackmail notes being sent to her. Though Olive listens to her potential client, she ultimately decides not to take her on and move on with her own holiday plans of learning to ski and ice climb, as well as skate and do a bit of shopping and, of course, spend time with her beau, Jasper, who wisps in and out of the story like a ghost.
However, her sleuthing senses are aroused when her once potential client ends up dead on a snowy evening while waiting for her blackmailer to arrive. Olive, not one to let things go, strikes up a friendly relationship with the local constable and soon finds herself in the middle of other people's drama. As usual though, with a good deal of tact, intelligence, a bit of luck, the occasional help from Jasper, and some excellent food, Olive solves the case.
This was an enjoyable read.
However, her sleuthing senses are aroused when her once potential client ends up dead on a snowy evening while waiting for her blackmailer to arrive. Olive, not one to let things go, strikes up a friendly relationship with the local constable and soon finds herself in the middle of other people's drama. As usual though, with a good deal of tact, intelligence, a bit of luck, the occasional help from Jasper, and some excellent food, Olive solves the case.
This was an enjoyable read.
March 12, 2024
Olive is back, and she's travelling to the playground of the rich in the Alps. After a concerning episode on the train, Olive is on her guard... and when a new acquaintance turns up dead, Olive is on the case. This was a pleasant installment, but it wasn't my favorite. I loved the setting and the mystery itself was enjoyable, but I felt like the characters didn't have quite the banter and connection that they've had in previous books. In particular, I didn't love Jasper in this installment; he was mostly missing from the action, and his personality seemed a bit flat. However, the ending gives me hope to see more of him (and hopefully back to his sparkling self) in the next installment, and I also really enjoyed seeing Olive really come into her own as a confident professional in this book. I have high hopes that the next book will feature this confident Olive with more of the old Jasper. 3.5/5 rounded down to 3 stars.
August 15, 2024
Olive, our high society lady detective is traveling with Jasper to a ski resort, muy romantico, except another high society, very entitled annoying lady is murdered with an icicle in the middle of the night, no witnesses and no tracks!
Olive is very thorough of course, investigating, even with the help of the Swiss Guard (very modern, very sensible). Jasper the Dandy, is not just eye candy, he's handy and always willing to lend a hand, they make a sweet couple and finally they seem to be committing.
The mystery is solved because Olive is kind to the mousy assistant, who helps her understand how a suspect could go up in "accidental" fire-proof flames and cause a good distraction for the hubby to climb around and stab his wife with a sharp icicle and climb out of range without making tracks in the snow.
Olive is very thorough of course, investigating, even with the help of the Swiss Guard (very modern, very sensible). Jasper the Dandy, is not just eye candy, he's handy and always willing to lend a hand, they make a sweet couple and finally they seem to be committing.
The mystery is solved because Olive is kind to the mousy assistant, who helps her understand how a suspect could go up in "accidental" fire-proof flames and cause a good distraction for the hubby to climb around and stab his wife with a sharp icicle and climb out of range without making tracks in the snow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2025
The main setting for this series has been 1920s England and in this book, it’s been changed to Switzerland.
That said, if you decide to change the setting, please ensure that the language and vocabulary match said setting.
Especially when you call out the research and help that went into the book - you would expect there to be no spelling or usage errors.
So it was very disappointing that the term “Korporale” was misused every single instance. This is the German plural form and it should have been “Korporal” Vogel instead. So calling him Korporale Vogel or the korporale is simply incorrect and this should have been caught at the editing stage.
And in her afterword, she says Danka to her team, which is not the correct German spelling - it should be Danke. This is such an obvious mistake and should have also been caught by the editors.
That said, if you decide to change the setting, please ensure that the language and vocabulary match said setting.
Especially when you call out the research and help that went into the book - you would expect there to be no spelling or usage errors.
So it was very disappointing that the term “Korporale” was misused every single instance. This is the German plural form and it should have been “Korporal” Vogel instead. So calling him Korporale Vogel or the korporale is simply incorrect and this should have been caught at the editing stage.
And in her afterword, she says Danka to her team, which is not the correct German spelling - it should be Danke. This is such an obvious mistake and should have also been caught by the editors.
April 2, 2024
High Society Lady Detective is a well written series with a likeable protagonist. The author says this is the last book in the series for now. That is a shame, because the relationship between Olive Belgrave and her friend Jasper needs attention now. It keeps lingering in the background and I would like to know more about Jasper, who remains a very underdeveloped character.
This storyry is set in the Swiss alps in the 1920s. It is very obvious who the killer is in this murder mystery, but how it was accomplished is not so obvious. And when it is explained, it is not realistic or believable.
There seems to be a lot of latitude for realism in this cozy mystery. But, nevertheless, I did enjoy it.
3.5 stars rounded up
This storyry is set in the Swiss alps in the 1920s. It is very obvious who the killer is in this murder mystery, but how it was accomplished is not so obvious. And when it is explained, it is not realistic or believable.
There seems to be a lot of latitude for realism in this cozy mystery. But, nevertheless, I did enjoy it.
3.5 stars rounded up
December 9, 2024
Rosett makes good use of an interesting setting in this installment. Aside from a reference to darkness that didn't jive with my experience of Alaska winters (snow actually brightens the night considerably), nothing bumped me out of the narrative. Overall, I think it was stronger and more consistently interesting than the previous book.
This series doesn't have the emotional depth of my favorites, but it makes for good listening while sewing. The point where one character talks about processing grief was probably one of the book's strongest moments. It would be interesting if Rosett brought more of that kind of scene/perspective into her books. I think it would help her writing mature and deepen the way Elizabeth Peters' does over the course of the Amelia Peabody Emerson series.
This series doesn't have the emotional depth of my favorites, but it makes for good listening while sewing. The point where one character talks about processing grief was probably one of the book's strongest moments. It would be interesting if Rosett brought more of that kind of scene/perspective into her books. I think it would help her writing mature and deepen the way Elizabeth Peters' does over the course of the Amelia Peabody Emerson series.
December 14, 2025
A charming, wintry cozy that made me want to book a trip to Switzerland. Olive and her love interest, Jasper, head to St. Moritz for a holiday filled with snow and sport, but the trip takes a darker turn when Olive overhears what sounds like a plot to murder someone on the train. Soon enough, a fellow passenger is killed at the resort, and Olive once again finds herself in the middle of a mystery.
This is a gentle, comforting cozy—the solution won’t tax your brain—but that’s part of its appeal. I continue to enjoy Olive as a protagonist, and I appreciated learning about the early popularity of winter sports like skeleton and skiing. This series is best read from the beginning; I’m now fully caught up and eagerly waiting for book nine.
This is a gentle, comforting cozy—the solution won’t tax your brain—but that’s part of its appeal. I continue to enjoy Olive as a protagonist, and I appreciated learning about the early popularity of winter sports like skeleton and skiing. This series is best read from the beginning; I’m now fully caught up and eagerly waiting for book nine.
March 14, 2024
I enjoyed learning about the glitzy winter fun in St. Moritz in the 1920s, where the story takes place. Lots of suspects in this one, as our victim, Emmeline, was not a beloved person, and while it looks like a horrible winter accident, was it? The suspects are interesting: an up-and-coming hat designer, a lady mountaineer, the victim's lady's maid, and a few winter sportsmen who seem only interested in winter sports. Olive is on the case and is surprised by the fact that her help is being welcomed by the local police... at least in the beginning. Will Olive solve the case before the police do? Will they solve it together? You'll have to read to find out!
March 22, 2025
Olive and Jasper go on vacation to the Alps, and Olive falls face first into a mystery.
As always I'm here for the mood of the piece. These are fun, easy listens, with lots of the 1920's trimmings that I find enjoyable. I often have some quibbles about the characters, their motivations, and that, if Olives believes you are telling the truth, then you are, but I know what I'm getting into, so I'm having a good time. Enough so that I'm disappointed there isn't another one ready for me yet, but it ends on with a hook for the next one, so I have every expectation that I will join Olive and Jasper again soon.
As always I'm here for the mood of the piece. These are fun, easy listens, with lots of the 1920's trimmings that I find enjoyable. I often have some quibbles about the characters, their motivations, and that, if Olives believes you are telling the truth, then you are, but I know what I'm getting into, so I'm having a good time. Enough so that I'm disappointed there isn't another one ready for me yet, but it ends on with a hook for the next one, so I have every expectation that I will join Olive and Jasper again soon.
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