The Mystery of the Missing Misses

A Lady Darriby-Jones Mystery #8

by C.M. Rawlins

Darriby Hall is famous for entertaining busybody aristocrats, tales from distant lands and a dead body... now and then.

Against her will and better judgment, the elegant Lady Darriby-Jones sets off with her loyal household to the picturesque coast of Devon. Her destination? The charming estate of her dear friends, the identical Barrington-Webb triplet sisters. Renowned for their flourishing military supply firm, inherited from their late father, the Barrington-Webb sisters have always been the darlings of Devonshire society.

However, their idyllic reunion takes a sinister turn when the firm’s manager is found dead under suspicious circumstances. The situation escalates when the triplets themselves vanish without a trace. With the air thick with mystery and danger, Lady Darriby-Jones steps up to unravel the enigma that threatens the privileged but clueless sisters.

Her investigation is hampered by the bumbling DCI Rude Manners, whose ineptitude seems boundless. Suspects abound: an American rival with unknown motives, local villagers with secrets of their own, and even relatives who might wish harm upon the triplets.

As Lady Darriby-Jones delves deeper into the murky waters of deceit and danger, she realises that time is running out. Will she uncover the truth behind the manager’s death and the triplets’ disappearance before it’s too late? Or will she, too, fall prey to a sinister plot?

The Mystery of the Missing Misses is a delightful historical cozy mystery, filled with intrigue, suspense, and the charm of 1920s England. Join Lady Darriby-Jones in a tale where every clue unravels a new twist, and trust is the most elusive treasure of all.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2024

Reviews

[Ka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The standard party (including slugs) goes to stay with some friends for a few weeks, which you'd think would give us some respite from the obnoxious DCI Manners, but no, he's on holiday in the same region. Despite this annoyance plus a clueless young local cop, this story still manages to be more pleasant than usual, since Manners manages to do less damage since he's not at home. It felt fairly obvious to me who the culprit probably was as soon as some suspicious financial stuff was mentioned, but I was still sort of surprised as the author had previously made Lord Baritone out to be an okay, if hot-headed, type of dude... certainly not the kind who'd murder his 3 aunts in cold blood. Geez! On the plus side, I was pleased that the gigantic scary loud American turned out to be a pretty great guy and I hope we see him again as I found him to be a fun character.

[JOAN SALLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

While visiting her friends, the Barrington-Webb triplet sisters Lady Darriby-Jones and her family find themselves drawn into the mysterious murder of the sisters' firms' manager and the disappearance of the sisters. An injured ankle doesn't keep Lady Darriby-Jones out of commission for long, as she is determined to find out where the sisters are and what happened to their firms' manager. Along the way she runs into DCI Manners who is on vacation, but he tries to hamper her efforts as usual. A great read and I can definitely empathize with Lady Darriby-Jones, as I recently sprained my ankle and had to spend a few days off my feet.

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

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great tale about Lady Darriby-Jones! All of the people who live at Darriby Hall are invited to visit Barrington Court by Connie, Margie & Dottie Barrington-Webb, they are triplets who are very alike. There are two other people there a very pompous man & his secretary. The pompous man gets murdered & the next day the sisters are discovered to be missing, believed to be kidnapped. The local DI is a bit “wet behind the ears” & unfortunately for him DCI Manners is on holiday in the area! Other visitors arrive as well, adding to the mess! Great fun is had by Lady Darriby-Jones as she sorts through what is a clue & what isn’t.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of fun, a bit of romance, and a bit of mystery all packaged in a delightful story. I really like the Lady Darriby-Jones character and all her supporting characters. They seem so human and likable. Of course there are pills in the form of DCI Manners and the antagonist of this story, but Life is full of both good and bad so the balance is maintained. The plot is easily followed and the premise is finding out who killed the company manager and where the three elder twins were kidnapped and taken. The answers were not easily found and things happened to complicate matters. I definitely recommedn this book and the entire portion of the series I have read.

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Darriby-Jones is off to Devon to visit some friends of hers but after she arrives she's faced with a murder and a triple disappearance. It's up to her to solve the murder mystery and locate her three friends. There are plenty of suspects in this humorous, cozy mystery and the Lady won't let a bum ankle and a bumbling DCI stop her from getting to the truth. I look forward to her next adventure!

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trip to Devonshire to visit her dear friends’ estate turns deadly. The manager is found suspiciously dead and she’ll have to solve another murder. Danger lurks as secrets threatens to destroy these aristocrat sister from a deadly fate. Will she be able to solve the case before bodies pile up? An intriquing mystery.

[Dianne Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic mystery!

A classic mystery with a murder and the disappearance of three sisters. Amusing as always to follow Lady Darriby-Jones and her family as the investigation develops. An unexpected ending makes this an interesting story.

I read this book as part of an advanced reader team and am voluntarily reviewing it.

[Jaclyn Kitchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it's a little unfair, but I didn't start at the beginning of the series and jumped into this one as my introduction to the series. It was fine, but I didn't find myself drawn in or very invested in the characters or the story.

[Gillie Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Lady Darriby-Jones is my new favorite heroine.

[Patricia Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute

Bungling along and eventually stumbling upon the solution. Enjoyable zany characters. There are a number of editing errors in the book

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read! The triplets were a hoot. And Lady Darriby-Jones on crutches was a true menace. These books are not to be taken seriously in any way or shape or form and it's good so!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery of missing misses

These stories are like reading Wodehouse. Quick and so amusing.
I would love to see them as movies. Just like Jeeves and Wooster.