Disinheritance

The Chaplain's Legacy #1

by Mary Kingswood

One man with a secret. A family torn apart by the consequences.Walter Atherton, Viscount Birtwell, has drifted through his charmed life without a care in the world. As the eldest son and heir to an earl, he has never had to make his way in the world. His days are filled with pleasure, and to set the seal on it, he will shortly be married to a vastly wealthy heiress. His future is set fair for happiness. But the brutal murder of the family chaplain reveals a dreadful secret - he was never ordained, and so the earl’s marriage was not legal. Walter finds himself illegitimate, his inheritance lost to him, his whole future upended. What on earth is he to do now?Miss Winifred Strong fell in love with Walter years ago - how could she resist his careless charm? But the daughter of a mere baronet is no fitting wife for a future earl. When the disaster strikes and Walter is suddenly cast down in society’s eyes, Winnie allows herself just a sliver of hope. Surely now her old friend will turn to her for comfort… and love? Or must she remain a spinster forever? But a trip to London brings her an unexpected way out of her dilemma — if she has the courage to take it.This is a complete story with a happy ever after. A traditional Regency romance, drawing room rather than bedroom. Book 1 of a 6 book series.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Friends To Lovers

422 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2024

About the author

I live in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with my husband. I like chocolate, whisky, my Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, chocolate, going places in my campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. I dislike driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals.

The lovely lady in my avatar is Archduchess Clementina of Austria (1798-1881), Princess of Salerno, painted around 1839.

NOTE: I read Regency romances as well as write them, and I review them all on my website, or you can find them right here on Goodreads on my real-name account at Pauline M. Ross.

Reviews

[Anne-Mammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really glad I had read the prequel novella "The Chaplain"(free if you subscribe to Mary's informative newsletter). It really fleshed out the situation the Atherton family found themselves in. It was great to meet Captain Edgerton and his co-workers again and listening to their forensic questioning of the suspects was really enjoyable. However, the discovery of the culprit was such a let down that it leaves me wondering whether there is more to come in further volumes. If you've read The Chaplain you will know that the happenings in Pickering are clearly significant and given Mary's careful attention to Regency mores, I can't believe that Tess's disappearance from the scene, apparently with no chaperon or anyone knowing where she is constitutes an inconsequential loose end.
The romance interest is rather weak. I was not really convinced by Walter changed of heart from sisterly to romantic love and Lomax is a bit of a caricature . However, what is interesting is the way, all the Athertons lives were affected by the stigma of illegitimacy and their subsequent loss of identity.
So all in all, I am looking forward to the second instalment in this series if only to see how the horrible manipulative Bea Franklyn manages Bertram. I am also hoping that there will be more developments on the murder front. I very much liked Aunt Alice in the Chaplain where she was shown to be a very resourceful lady, so who knows...

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter just found out he’s illegitimate because Arthur from book 0 wasn’t ordained when he officiated the marriage of his parents, the earl, Lord Remington and his wife. Walter’s fiancée, Bea, drops him immediately.

Winnie lives on the neighboring property and has loved Walter since they were children. He doesn’t realize he loves her until another suitor enters the picture.

Winnie is so sweet and her mother is such a jerk, telling her Walter isn’t for her. But love wins!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful start to a new series. I enjoyed this book so much. This author is one of very few current authors who write in this very traditional Regency romance style and I love all her books. Her style is more reflective of the time and less of modern sensibilities and may take new readers a bit of adjustment, but it is well worth it. In this book, when the family chaplain was murdered it brought to light that he was never ordained and thus the marriage of the Earl of Rennington was invalid and all his children were therefore illegitimate. Walter, previously the heir, was suddenly in a position to determine his own future, and Winnie, the neighbour and friend who had always loved him, could not help but hope that he would finally see her romantically. This romance runs parallel to the investigation into the murder. We once again get to see our favourite investigators from previous series by the author. Her books usually include an interesting and complex intrigue to be solved, through individual books and entire series, and this book was no exception. With the way that portion of this book resolved, I can’t help but think that there will be more to this intrigue throughout the series. I don’t think this is the end of it. The characters were entertaining and engaging. I particularly liked the journey of Walter and his lost inheritance. “‘It may indeed prove that losing his inheritance is the best thing that could have happened to him, for it has made him address his own weaknesses and become a better man.’” The romance was a gradual development, but very lovely. I absolutely recommend this story (and any series by the author) to readers who enjoy historical romance and mysteries. This is a closed door story with some innuendo and very brief very mild harsh language.

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

[Linda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, the first in a series “The Chaplain's Legacy” is a great introduction to some interesting characters. As I have come to enjoy Mary Kingswood’s books, I love how her characters have many components to their personalities, situations, and dreams. You just want to read more in order to become better acquainted and see them solve the problems or figure out how to get on with life despite of the challenges they face.

The main characters of this story are:
A. Walter and Winnie, neighbors and friends, who seem to never figure out what they believe about each other.
B. The Artherton family, whose lives have been severely impacted by the death of the Chaplain. This is a noble family headed by Charles, 11th Earl of Rennington. Walter is the oldest son.
C. The Franklyn family, the daughter Bea, betrothed to Viscount Birtwell (Walter)
D. The Strong family, Winnie’s family, who are neighbors of the Arthertons. Sir Hubert Strong is the local magistrate and must deal with the mysterious death of the Chaplain. Uncle Albert Strong suggests getting professional help to find the murderer which brings in . . .
E. Edgerton, Alexander, and Associates who solve mysteries and murders discreetly. They can never let a good mystery go unsolved, so I expect to see them again in future books.

Overall, a very good read, I am already rereading it as there are so many unlikely connections, I want to get them straight. I am looking forward to the next books in the series.
I received this as an ARC copy.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A similar theme to Mary Balogh's Westcott series, where a privileged family suddenly find that the younger members are illegitimate, due to an invalid marriage, and their lives are thrown into varying degrees of chaos. The heroine, Winnie, has loved the disinherited heir to the earldom, Walter, for a decade. He is casually fond of her, but only realises that he has romantic feelings for her when it appears that she will marry another.

This is an entertaining read, with Mary Kingswood weaving an intriguing mystery amidst the romance, as her recurring characters, Captain Edgerton and his cronies investigate the murder of Walter's uncle, who has caused the family disaster by acting as chaplain without being ordained. Winnie is an attractive heroine, but annoyingly ready to forgive Walter a fairly major transgression, which could have destroyed her future, while vilifying another man for merely listening to his tales. I also found it unlikely that he would, first of all, have believed that the girl he knew so well, and was so fond of, would behave in a 'wanton' manner, a rumour spread by a rejected suitor, and even less likely that he would repeat this story to other people.

There are other repetitive themes, which have appeared in Mary Kingswood's previous series, such as the revelations about the wrongdoings of the deceased protagonist, but her stories are always compelling, and I look forward to the next instalment - will Bertram escape the machinations of the awful Bea? The resolution of the murder mystery seemed very uncertain, so will the investigation be resumed?

I was given a free arc copy, but am an independent reviewer.

[Vibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable but...

... while there's a happily-ever-after, unless I'm mistaken (and if I am, I'm going to need to lower my rating) the story isn't exactly complete.

The mystery surrounding the Chaplain's secret life remains unknown & sounds like it's an overarching story arc for the whole series rather than the trigger setting off the rest.

The solution to the murder definitely doesn't satisfy & I suspect is going to be discovered to be false later. The romance between the two main characters is bumbly but enjoyable.

So I liked the story, but where it goes from here will determine my actual satisfaction (or possible lack thereof) with it. Got book 2's release marked on my calendar!

Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

[Jane Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kingswood at her Finest

Mary Kingswood writes richly drawn characters— layered, nuanced, compelling. I love her plots but it is her own exceptional characters that bring the story to life. I read Disinheritance twice through, back to back, just to savor the setting, details and lovely emotion. Highly recommend!

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Completely contrived

I feel like the characters acted in ways they SHOULD, rather than how they actually WOULD. Because of that, I felt the dialogue and plotlines unrealistic.

[Shalini M · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my second book by the author. Nothing much happened in the introductory novella (Book 0.5), its more of a bland sequence of events describing how an unscrupulous person lies his way into the home and family of a careless peer. This book, part 1 of the series, details his gruesome murder and a purported solution. Purported - because it is evident that its not the right one. However, one has to wait for several books for the mystery to be resolved. And that's something I find annoying - the mystery is not resolved within the book, but a reader must go through some quite not-so-engaging books to get the answers.

By now I have read the introductory novella and one more book in two series - The Chaplain and Strangers. I tried giving a fair chance to the author by reading two of the more popular of her series, but concluded the author is not for me.

[Emily Rowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

a disappointing and unbelievable end for the underlying mystery

The investigation which is the centerpiece of the book ends in an unconvincing manner. Highly unsatisfying and implausible. The romance part of the story leaves one wondering what the heroine ever saw in the hero. Here’s hoping she picks the thread of the mystery up again.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anticlimactic

Was expecting so much more. Kept waiting for more to happen, and it never did. The mystery was unexciting and wrapped up way too easily. Just kind of boring and…anticlimactic.

[SOM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing and unconvincing ending to the “who done it” mystery. I did not like Walter or could I understand why Winnie loved him. The story left me very unsatisfied.

[Bks43v3r · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I am a Mary Kingswood fan. Therefore, I was looking forward to this. And it did not disappoint. This is book one in the series. Well, there is actually a prequel that I thought about reading but I became busy reading some other new releases. However, another reviewer mentioned it in their review and has re-piqued my interest. I will definitely check that out before reading the next book.

Kingwood books are a bit old fashioned. And I like that. I need a break from all the 'other' not so traditional HRs I tend to read. Another author, M. Balogh, has a series based on a disinherited Earl, and I knew this would be totally different. I was very interested to see how Kingswood would do it. The book starts off with the murder. No spoiler here. The murder, of the family chaplain, is mentioned in the summary. It is a bit gruesome; but more so if the reader has an active imagination. It sets the scene but doesn't really go into details (of the actual victim). Although enough is given that some can picture it in their mind. And for a chaplain, there are a lot of potential suspects. The obvious, being his (loving?) wife. But also several others, even his daughter.

This tragedy (?) upturns life for the Earl of (I can't remember) and his entire family. We see the repercussions, especially for his son/heir Walter, but for others as well. And it isn't over yet, I am sure. Future books are going to bring out more secrets (hand rubbing together).

The books alternates between trying to solve the murder and the developing romance between Walter and Winifred. She's been in love with him forever. Refused at least one proposal due to him. Though she finally gives up, for a while anyway, and considers someone else. For Walter, she's firmly in the friend zone (only). He's never once looked at her and been like, 'hmm...'. So the story is not them falling in love, more like having Walter catching up to Winifred! I did not mind Walter, mostly. He was pretty clueless. I mean he just gave up and got engage to the Horrible Bea character. He was very passive with that whole situation. I wasn't too fond of how he treated Winny (I think that's what they called her). And he does something really cruel to her (it's excused later but really, he should have known better!), which he should have groveled more for--IMHO! His disinheritance changes everything for him. He actually takes it pretty well, considering.

We get some secondary characters from previous novels, specifically Captain Edgerton and his colleagues. They are the detectives. That part of the books was a bit slow moving. But I think that things that were revealed during their investigation will be possibly fleshed out more in the other books of the series. And the person who was revealed to be the murder? I think there's more to it. And there's the other family members. Walter's other siblings, especially his brother who under him (forgot name) who is kind of a jerk. Wonder if he'll get a book?

I plan to read the next book about the Horrible Bea (that's how I think of her). Will something be revealed about her that redeems her? More tidbits about the Chaplain revealed? Hmm...got to get that prequel first though.

CONTENT:
Intimacy: Clean, just some kissing.
Violence: Well, there IS the murder....
Language: None that I recall

[Elizabeth S · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 30 years of living in Lord Rennington's castle as chaplain, Arthur Nicholson is hacked to death with an axe in his sleep. His distraught wife's screams in the middle of the night alerted the family to the gruesome sight. The magistrate and coroner are called, beginning the long process of finding the killer. Capt. Edgerton, Sandy, and Mr. Neate, investigators that have appeared in many of Mary Kingswood's previous series, are called to the castle, later joined by Luce, Edgerton's wife, and Mr. Willerton-Forbes. The chaplain's wife, who is Lord Rennington's sister, is not ruled out, even though she has been blind since childhood, and she and her husband had a loving relationship.

Miss Winifred Strong, daughter of the magistrate, is called upon to take notes and lend her observational skills to the investigation. She has secretly been in love with Walter Atherton, Viscount Birtwell, heir to the earldom, for years, but as the daughter of a baronet, she could not aspire to such heights. Their story adds tension and interest to the book, in alternating story lines with the murder investigation.

The prequel to this series, The Chaplain, prepares us for what's coming. It's a free novella that the author offers on her website. It's a must-read before beginning the series. That is how we know that Mr. Nicholson was never ordained. Since he performed the marriage ceremony for Lord Rennington and his wife decades before, it is revealed that they were never legally married, and all of their children are illegitimate.

As the family attempts to come to terms with their new reality, Edgerton & company begin their long search for the killer. When the perpetrator is named, it seems very anti-climactic and unsatisfying. I'm left with the feeling that this is not the end of it, that more will be revealed, possibly not until the end of the series.

All of Mary Kingswood's books are top of the line, wonderful, superbly-written, with a universe of well-drawn characters. I've read and loved every one of them. 5+ stars

[SuedePuzzler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kingswood's books usually contain a mystery subplot that gets plenty of attention. She did not follow that formula in her latest series, but her new series does. In mixing the romance with other plot, and in the importance of research, she somewhat reminds me of Heyer, even though they are different in other ways.

I like that her detectives are nothing like Poirot or Holmes. They are good, competent workers, but they are as likely as not to stumble on the solution, and if they find it on their own its through hard work, not brilliant deduction. Even though there is an apparent solution to the murder in this one, we are likely to see continuing need for investigation in the other books.

The start of the book led me to believe the heroine would play a larger role in the investigation than she ends up doing. She is very sympathetic. Kingswood's depiction of how she has a loving family, yet would very much like some independence from them is well-done. The hero, who is the one suffering disinheritance, is also sympathetic with believable flaws. Their chemistry is not the very best, but the plot is brought along in very good ways to the HEA.

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disinheritance by Mary Kingswood, the first book in her Chaplain’s Legacy series begins with a brutal murder. The family chaplain seemed rather innocuous, but he hid a secret that would send shock waves throughout an earl’s family. In this first book, Walter, the heir, loses the future that had been mapped by his birth, his fortune and his fiancee when a single letter is found. He now needs to find his way in the world, and appreciates the common sense and company of his neighbor Winnie, his friend since childhood.
Winnie has been pining for Walter for years, and now faces spinsterhood. A trip to London gains her an admirer, rekindling her hope to become a wife and mother. Then Walter interferes, and both of their futures are now unclear. Can they overcome these differences and changes in fortune to find love together? Once again Mary Kingswood starts a series with a mystery or an insurmountable problem and brings together a well crafted story told from two perspectives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and I am willingly offering a review.

[Shebb · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, clean Regency...

This was the first book I've read by this author and I'm likely to pick up another one of her books in the future. The structure of the story was unique in the sense it ran hard with the romance, but it also focused on the who-dun-it part too, so it's not purely a romance as there are scenes neither the hero or heroin star.

I found list of characters before the story quite overwhelming and second guessed if I would keep track of everyone, but after the first scenes of many introductions, the minor character introductions were throughout the story, making it easier to recall people.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and voice. There were slower parts to get through, but it culminated in me wanting to know what happened... and to finish the story before my free Kindle Unlimited trial ended. 😂

Enjoyable even if slightly unconventional. 😊

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new Mary Kingswood series! I enjoyed this story very much and read it in one day, not wanting to put it down. The excellent writing flows smoothly, is well-paced and the dialogues brought the characters to life for me. If you've read other books of this author's series, you'll remember Captain Michael Edgerton and his crew, who are called upon to solve the mystery of the very bloody murder of the chaplain. The good humored rubbing between Sandy and Michael had me grinning.
I love a strong, pragmatic female main character and that is Miss Winnie Strong, yet her expectations and actions are not in conflict with the time period. Walter is also a likable character who must adjust to the changes in his life's pathway, and he is determied to do just that.
I read a free advance copy; the thoughts expressed are my own.

[Diane Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so excited for a new series from Mary Kingswood! This one is going to be darker, I think. There are very few personable characters here, aside from our intrepid Captain and his merry band of adventurerers, who take a more prominent role than they have since The Gentleman Farmer. This is not a “marry off the progeny one by one” story as her books have been in the past. Which is wonderful, because I love the way she weaves the mystery into her books. It’s what drew me to the Silver Linings series, which was the first for me. I suggest you go to her website and download The Chaplain before you start this. I have a totally different feeling for Mr. Nicholson and Lady Alice after reading their story than I did reading Disinheritance. I cannot wait to see where she’s going to take this series, especially since I don’t even like the couple in the next book. This family does not interest me nearly as much as the Mercers did. Well, whatever happens, I know I will love it because MK is the queen in my book.

[Mbuye · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Kingswood’s effortless style, this book combines a brutal murder and the victim's many flaws of character with his actual crimes, punishable in those days with death by hanging. It also has an unrelated subplot of romance, while the main story continues throughout the series (‘The Chaplain’s Legacy’). The investigators in the story are the chief point of interest, though their investigation is long-drawn out and very tedious at times. What is disappointing, though, is the character of the murderer. He seems to have none!

‘Disinherited,’ with its multiple strands of love, family crisis, literal disinheritance, murder and its subsequent investigation is a little too long at more than 400 pages, but is well plotted and readable. Hopefully, the characters assume more definition as the series moves on, but in this first book, they remain mysterious and even amorphous.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Disinheritance' is the start of a new Mary Kingswood series. It's off to an ingenious start. One man's selfish negligence and apathy towards what is right has consequences that echo down generations.
All of the characters are fully fleshed, dialogue and conversational flow are easy, natural. The historical details are flawlessly accurate, never jarring you by being otherwise. Ms. Kingwood's mysteries are intricately plotted, carrying forward through several books.
Many old friends join in this series beginning book, I personally love when they are called back. Like seeing smart, lively old friends, but ones who will solve your murder should the need arise.
I received a free arc copy in return for an honest review - I loved it.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Mary Kingswood which I loved in many ways. At the same time, it did not ‘grab’ me in the same way as her other books, I think mainly because of the murder mystery element within it. Whilst it was lovely to have old, well-loved characters such as Captain Edgerton back once again, murder mysteries really aren’t my thing, combined with the fact that the conclusion to the mystery felt flat -at one point they seemed to be getting no closer to finding the murderer and then hey presto, iin the blink of an eye it was all done and dusted! The romance side of the story, however, fully satisfied and was truly beautiful. While I was almost certain how it would end there was enough doubt to keep me on tenterhooks and enthralled until the end!

[Tessa Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first in a new series, and gets off to a cracking start with the brutal murder of the family’s Chaplain in the first two pages. It’s not long before some of the investigators from previous series reappear, and soon they’re sniffing out clues as to who the killer might be. There is a lot going on in this story, and a great many characters, but that is one of the reasons I enjoy Mary Kingswood’s books so much. I found the search for the murderer rather more interesting than the love story, but it was still a great read, and there are hints that there is a lot more to discover about the dead cleric, which will no doubt emerge in future books. Definitely looking forward to the next in the series.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an advance reading copy and asked to give my honest review. First of all, I love this author because she writes traditional regency romance but has original plots and characters, so it doesn’t feel like that same old book you’ve read a hundred times before. I also like that the books are in more than one series, but the same characters appear in many of them. As to this particular book, I enjoyed it. I was a little disappointed at the lack of resolution of the murder, but I know it’s the beginning of a series, so hopefully more will come to light later. I felt very sympathetic to the heroine and was glad she got her happily ever after.

[Dorothy R. Till · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Mary Kingswood books

Mary Kingswood is now one of my favorite authors. I love her series about families. This book was so good that I can hardly wait till the next one is published. Walter and Winnie are wonderful as the hero and heroine. With Winnie loving Walter for so long and Walter loving her as his best friend makes the whole book wonderful. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the man arrested for the murder. I don't think he did it and what about all the unanswered questions about the chaplain? I hope the Captain, Sandy, Luce, and Neate get it all figured out in the next book. I can hardly wait to read it. I highly recommend this book!

[Saysha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a great deal of potential. But it started as a murder mystery and ended as a romance, and I was severely disappointed by the way the mystery was resolved. So many pieces were put in place, and then they were all rendered completely unnecessary. The romance was more fleshed out (not literally). At least the author has the grace to explain why the MMC calls the FMC "Mouse" when she hates it so much. Thank heaven his character evolved over the course of the book. The writing was good, and I loved the detective and his crew but I felt like they were severely underutilized, and the ending definitely felt like it was left open for the next installment.

[Christin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ho hum

Rather boring and sedate. I appreciated the historical accuracy and that it was clean but the plot was pretty basic and soooo slow. I never understood why Winnie loved Walter—he seemed kind of dumb the entire book. The murder mystery that took up too much time at the beginning was dropped abruptly toward the end—giving the author the benefit of the doubt, maybe it is picked up again in other novels? You’d think she would’ve included something that would have implied that more was to come but instead that part of the book just ended with an unsatisfying solution to the mystery. Quite odd. I think this author isn’t for me.

[Louie Halfacre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Courage and disappointment

I started this book with a bad feeling about someone being disinherited. Having read the Westcott series by Mary Balogh I was not comfortable reading another tragedy of that type as good as it was. I thought Walter showed a lot of grit and determination as he traveled through this tragedy. Winnie endured much as she fought through her long love of Walter and finally persevered in her battle with numerous obstacles thrown in her way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all readers.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contains: kisses, murder, mentions of infidelity.

This was not quite what I had expected and was a bit of a step away from Kingswood’s more recent books. The focus on this one is mostly the murder giving Edgerton and Co quite a bit of screen time. I enjoyed reading the investigation but I’m not convinced that the “murderer” really did it. Maybe it was because things didn’t get wrapped up nicely leaving me with a lack of closure but the book felt incomplete. I hope the next books in the series can shed some light onto the situation.

[Sallie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful new series!

Oh how I love Mary Kingswood’s writing. I practically live for new books to be released. Each can technically stand alone or enjoyed as a series. Even better, characters from different books pop in to be involved. In this book you have Walter who has to overcome a buried family secret and Winnie who has loved him since childhood. There is also a murder! A real whodunnit! If you are just starting with Mary Kingswood, this is a great book to start with.