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Cleopatra Fox #8
Murder at the Dinner Party
The staff in high society households are expected to be unobtrusive, but a dead butler in the dining room tends to get noticed. Did he die of natural causes or was he poisoned?
Cleo is hired by the housekeeper at a Mayfair residence after the police rule the sudden death of the butler was the result of natural causes. Not convinced by the verdict, she wants Cleo to prove foul play was involved. Considering he was acting mysteriously around some of the guests, and they were equally mysterious when they saw him, murder is a possibility.
When the investigation leads Cleo to another decades-old murder and the sudden disappearance of the primary suspect, she’s even more determined to uncover the truth. But the rich and powerful don’t like airing their dirty laundry, and her efforts are thwarted at every turn. Enlisting Harry Armitage to assist her, Cleo matches wits with her suspects in an effort to discover the secrets they’re trying desperately to hide.
Cleo is hired by the housekeeper at a Mayfair residence after the police rule the sudden death of the butler was the result of natural causes. Not convinced by the verdict, she wants Cleo to prove foul play was involved. Considering he was acting mysteriously around some of the guests, and they were equally mysterious when they saw him, murder is a possibility.
When the investigation leads Cleo to another decades-old murder and the sudden disappearance of the primary suspect, she’s even more determined to uncover the truth. But the rich and powerful don’t like airing their dirty laundry, and her efforts are thwarted at every turn. Enlisting Harry Armitage to assist her, Cleo matches wits with her suspects in an effort to discover the secrets they’re trying desperately to hide.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 4, 2024
505 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Archer
99 books5,677 followersC.J. Archer is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of historical mystery and historical fantasy novels including the GLASS AND STEELE series, the CLEOPATRA FOX MYSTERIES, the MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES and THE GLASS LIBRARY series.
She has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, 2 children and Coco the black and white cat.
Subscribe to C.J.'s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book. Join via her website: www.cjarcher.com
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She has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, 2 children and Coco the black and white cat.
Subscribe to C.J.'s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book. Join via her website: www.cjarcher.com
You can follow her on social media to get the latest updates on her books:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CJArcherAuthorPage
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
June 15, 2024
Love this series but how are Cleo and Harry still not together??? It’s been 8 books! I’m not sure I understand Cleo’s problem is at this point.
December 16, 2024
Fun enough, but after reading several of these back-to-back, feels like my brain has just read a bunch of celebrity gossip magazines. Ready for something more challenging now.
June 5, 2024
If youre reading this after the 9th book has come out, you can go ahead and skip book 8. I'm actually angry at this book! I'm so sick of the will-they-wont-they drama!!!! Just move the relationship along or end it! I love this series, but we already had the "we just kissed!" story 4 books ago and I'm getting bored. It's especially annoying because I waited 6 months to see how the relationship would progress after the end of the last book only to find ZERO progress has been made and shes set it up so the next book will be more of the same. My biggest pet peeve with any story is fake problems. Quit trying to make problems where none exist. They like each other, just let the relationship happen already!
The mystery itself was also lackluster. We spend 3/4 of the book following one line then suddenly abandon it for something that was barely mentioned earlier at all.
The only reason why this book gets 2 stars instead of 1 is because I like the series overall, but this book was a big disappointment.
The mystery itself was also lackluster. We spend 3/4 of the book following one line then suddenly abandon it for something that was barely mentioned earlier at all.
The only reason why this book gets 2 stars instead of 1 is because I like the series overall, but this book was a big disappointment.
July 24, 2024
This is one of my favorite mystery series, and I think it's gotten better as it's gone along. The cases in the last several books especially have been more interesting to me personally and other elements with the Mayfair Hotel, the staff, and Cleo's family are so much fun to follow. This mystery involved a 22-year-old cold case and ever since reading Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie, I've been a fan of cold case mysteries.
I love how the relationship between Floyd and Cleo continues to grow. They're much more on the same side now instead of working against each other (except about Harry!). It's fun to see the genuine affection between Cleo and her two cousins and how they banter. We see a lot more of Cleo's interactions with Uncle Ronald in this too, which is fun. He's still a typical overbearing, short-sighted male of the time, but Cleo is out to slowly shake him up. And I think it's working...somewhat!
I enjoy the contrast between Cleo's later years in Cambridge before her grandmother died and the life she's thrown into at the Mayfair after her grandmother's death. Cleo is used to make small means go a long way and to taking advantage of the intellectually stimulating climate of Cambridge. When she settles into the Mayfair, many people assume that she's an heiress (she's not) and like other young women of the day (hothouse plants - she's definitely not!). In this mystery, the Mayfair's housekeeper questions her relationship with the staff but doesn't realize that Cleo herself bridges a gap between the high society world of her uncle, aunt, and cousins and the middle-class world of her growing up years. This gives her the ability to be a good bridge between her family and the Mayfair staff. It helps that she is not afraid to speak her mind.
I love how the relationship between Floyd and Cleo continues to grow. They're much more on the same side now instead of working against each other (except about Harry!). It's fun to see the genuine affection between Cleo and her two cousins and how they banter. We see a lot more of Cleo's interactions with Uncle Ronald in this too, which is fun. He's still a typical overbearing, short-sighted male of the time, but Cleo is out to slowly shake him up. And I think it's working...somewhat!
I enjoy the contrast between Cleo's later years in Cambridge before her grandmother died and the life she's thrown into at the Mayfair after her grandmother's death. Cleo is used to make small means go a long way and to taking advantage of the intellectually stimulating climate of Cambridge. When she settles into the Mayfair, many people assume that she's an heiress (she's not) and like other young women of the day (hothouse plants - she's definitely not!). In this mystery, the Mayfair's housekeeper questions her relationship with the staff but doesn't realize that Cleo herself bridges a gap between the high society world of her uncle, aunt, and cousins and the middle-class world of her growing up years. This gives her the ability to be a good bridge between her family and the Mayfair staff. It helps that she is not afraid to speak her mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2024
Not gonna lie I wasn’t expecting Cleo to be the problem. Get it together girlfriend
June 23, 2024
To be honest, I would have rated this lower if I wasn’t so in love with the characters. The case was way too predictable and the series has officially maxed out my already meager patience for a slow burn several times over. If Cleo and Harry don’t get together in the next book—or at the very least if Cleo doesn’t confront her feelings—I might commit a crime!
June 5, 2024
This is the worst of the lot so far. The mystery itself was fun enough. There were a few fun plot twists. The investigation was messy, par of the course for the series. However, the relationships between the characters, especially the one between Cleo and Harry, usually made up for that for me. That was not the case for this book.
Cleo running away/becoming avoidant post the cliff hanger kiss of the last book is not unexpected. That it is accompanied with little to no yearning or any real thinking on Cleo’s part at all is a massive let down. It makes the chemistry of the last few books and Cleo’s own motivations behind all of her actions in the last few books feel unimportant. If she is no longer going to work with Harry as an investigator, what does her future look like? How is she planning to become financially independent? After all, her avoidance of Harry is based on her fear of marriage and her wish to be independent. At least, that is what can be assumed based on previous books. In this one, she does not seem to give that wish much thought, which is wild considering all her actions in this book seem to be caused by that wish.
Her actions occasionally make sense, but they are accompanied by so little insight into her thought process etc that they feel divorced from any emotional motivation whatsoever. Considering that basically all of her previous actions have been emotionally driven, it makes it hard for her to feel like the same character at all. It makes Cleo’s avoidance of Harry feel less character motivated more like an authorial excuse to write more books, which is a shame.
Similarly, a large B plot of the story is the hotel manager stepping away from his work. Cleo’s uncle is concerned that the man is looking for another job. Cleo is concerned that something is wrong. It is understandable that she does not want to investigate the man for her uncle. It makes much less sense for her to never voice her concern given her warm relationship with the man in the previous books. He might not have told her anything, but he would likely have appreciated her concern. Her not talking to him at all, outside of mentioning a job at another hotel, feels very out of character. In truth, that entire B-plot feels rather half-assed. The stakes are high considering Cleo’s relationships with everyone involved, but, again, the lack of any emotional thought or action on Cleo’s part neuters the tension or any associated consequences. She expresses her concerns to Harmony and realizes she shouldn’t have. As readers however, we never really feel or hear those concerns. We do not see the consequences of Cleo speaking with Harmony. There is just such a lack of detail in this plot, in the book in general, that it is hard to get invested. It is a shame as there was so much promise for this book. Hopefully, the next one is better.
Cleo running away/becoming avoidant post the cliff hanger kiss of the last book is not unexpected. That it is accompanied with little to no yearning or any real thinking on Cleo’s part at all is a massive let down. It makes the chemistry of the last few books and Cleo’s own motivations behind all of her actions in the last few books feel unimportant. If she is no longer going to work with Harry as an investigator, what does her future look like? How is she planning to become financially independent? After all, her avoidance of Harry is based on her fear of marriage and her wish to be independent. At least, that is what can be assumed based on previous books. In this one, she does not seem to give that wish much thought, which is wild considering all her actions in this book seem to be caused by that wish.
Her actions occasionally make sense, but they are accompanied by so little insight into her thought process etc that they feel divorced from any emotional motivation whatsoever. Considering that basically all of her previous actions have been emotionally driven, it makes it hard for her to feel like the same character at all. It makes Cleo’s avoidance of Harry feel less character motivated more like an authorial excuse to write more books, which is a shame.
Similarly, a large B plot of the story is the hotel manager stepping away from his work. Cleo’s uncle is concerned that the man is looking for another job. Cleo is concerned that something is wrong. It is understandable that she does not want to investigate the man for her uncle. It makes much less sense for her to never voice her concern given her warm relationship with the man in the previous books. He might not have told her anything, but he would likely have appreciated her concern. Her not talking to him at all, outside of mentioning a job at another hotel, feels very out of character. In truth, that entire B-plot feels rather half-assed. The stakes are high considering Cleo’s relationships with everyone involved, but, again, the lack of any emotional thought or action on Cleo’s part neuters the tension or any associated consequences. She expresses her concerns to Harmony and realizes she shouldn’t have. As readers however, we never really feel or hear those concerns. We do not see the consequences of Cleo speaking with Harmony. There is just such a lack of detail in this plot, in the book in general, that it is hard to get invested. It is a shame as there was so much promise for this book. Hopefully, the next one is better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
I’ll start with saying I have enjoyed this series and was extremely excited for this book.
I am however frustrated that Harry and Cleo have not moved forward in their relationship. Mainly bc I anticipated it would bc of the ending in book 7.
Harry’s demeanor has also changed, from reluctant and protective to not cause additional problems with her family and not moving forward in their relationship; to now making silly comments about it. He passive aggressively states they should be together even making jokes about it. I’m not sure how I feel about this change.
The ending?!? Ugh, the ending lacked everything. In book 7 we were left in pins and needles with that KISS. I loved it. This ending didn’t give you anything.
I will continue to read the series, but this booked was in my opinion, disappointing.
Is you are listening to the audiobook Marian Hussey is, per usual, amazing in her narration. She has become one of my favorites.
I am however frustrated that Harry and Cleo have not moved forward in their relationship. Mainly bc I anticipated it would bc of the ending in book 7.
Harry’s demeanor has also changed, from reluctant and protective to not cause additional problems with her family and not moving forward in their relationship; to now making silly comments about it. He passive aggressively states they should be together even making jokes about it. I’m not sure how I feel about this change.
The ending?!? Ugh, the ending lacked everything. In book 7 we were left in pins and needles with that KISS. I loved it. This ending didn’t give you anything.
I will continue to read the series, but this booked was in my opinion, disappointing.
Is you are listening to the audiobook Marian Hussey is, per usual, amazing in her narration. She has become one of my favorites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2025
At the end harry says he is a patient man, well I am not a patient woman and omg cleo for why are you denying yourself love?
She keeps saying oh I cant be with him its best to avoid him but hello, why?
She doesn’t give a valid reason
We already established she doesn’t gaf about the opinion of her family she’ll end up dating whoever she want anyways
And if it’s the marriage thing its also unbelievable
So she doesnt want marriage because she says a man wont let her work
But is she conscious? Does she have a brain? Would you really think the man, youre working with will make you stop working? Harry? Like ate we seeing the same man? If that is her worry I dont get it he wont make her stop working.
She keeps saying oh I cant be with him its best to avoid him but hello, why?
She doesn’t give a valid reason
We already established she doesn’t gaf about the opinion of her family she’ll end up dating whoever she want anyways
And if it’s the marriage thing its also unbelievable
So she doesnt want marriage because she says a man wont let her work
But is she conscious? Does she have a brain? Would you really think the man, youre working with will make you stop working? Harry? Like ate we seeing the same man? If that is her worry I dont get it he wont make her stop working.
June 11, 2024
The mystery is fine but the back story is getting really stale, same old and not moving forward. At least add more problems for them so we have an understanding to why they are not getting together.
And then we have all the supporting characters doing nothing. Flossy doing nothing, Floyd (?) doing nothing, Harmony doing nothing, Aunt with a drug problem is going nowhere. Nothing is happening. Felt almost like a rushed early draft.
Marian Hussey is doing a good job as a narrator though.
And then we have all the supporting characters doing nothing. Flossy doing nothing, Floyd (?) doing nothing, Harmony doing nothing, Aunt with a drug problem is going nowhere. Nothing is happening. Felt almost like a rushed early draft.
Marian Hussey is doing a good job as a narrator though.
August 12, 2024
'Murder at the Dinner Party' is the eighth book of the 'Cleopatra Fox' series.
Though it's far into the series, it's not hard to read without having read the rest of the series, though, I will admit, it robs you of some of the romantic banter.
Still, the characters were interesting and the author managed to create the perfect atmosphere.
However, the mystery, though it started strong, it got a bit side-sided as the story progressed.
Though it's far into the series, it's not hard to read without having read the rest of the series, though, I will admit, it robs you of some of the romantic banter.
Still, the characters were interesting and the author managed to create the perfect atmosphere.
However, the mystery, though it started strong, it got a bit side-sided as the story progressed.
June 12, 2024
capital-B Boring and Bland and seemingly written to keep trying our patience. pointless addition to the series.
October 18, 2024
Cleo has her own case to solve when Mrs. Short, the hotel housekeeper, tells Cleo her sister wants someone to investigate the death of the butler in the household where she works. The death was ruled natural causes but the housekeeper is not convinced. Meanwhile, Mr. Hobart is taking days off and disappearing! Sir Ronald wants Cleo to investigate. As usual, her investigation intersects with one of Harry's and they team up to solve the murder together. Miss Hessing's wedding plans are moving forward but instead of Harmony planning the event, Mr. Chapman, the hotel steward, plans the engagement dinner and it is not quite what Mrs. Hessing planned. Nevertheless, Floyd is put in charge of the wedding planning and he doesn't have a clue.
This series has gotten so much better since the first few books. The mystery in this one is twisty. I never guessed who! I thought Cleo and Harry had it figured out halfway through and just had to find a way to prove it and get their murderer but then there were other developments and more twists I didn't expect. I really like Cleo. She's highly intelligent and unlike many other cozy sleuths, she actually figures out the clues and suspects. Sometimes her methods of getting information are unethical and downright illegal and that I don't approve of. Even her uncle admits he would have helped her and she didn't have to do that. Cleo is good with her cousins. She shows Flossy there's more to life than beaux and shopping but knows how to comfort Flossy when Flossy's suitors reject her. Cleo doesn't push her own beliefs about marriage on Flossy and even Floyd helps to improve Flossy's sense of self worth. Floyd is clueless about women and especially Cleo. He'll settle down with some young lady like Miss Hessing and run the hotel while she runs the household and charity events. Boring. Cleo is showing him that not all women are like Flossy.
The romance is going nowhere because it can't. Harry knows what he wants and is prepared to wait. He's treating Cleo differently now. Instead of keeping her at arm's length and scowling at her, her teases her and hints at a future together. She just can't see what he's thinking just yet. It won't work. Though Harry thinks Cleo can sweet talk her uncle Ronald into anything, I think if she announced she wanted to marry Harry, Uncle Ronald would blow his top and she'd have to make a choice. As it is, he puts Cleo in a difficult spot. She stands up to him, finally, and tells it like it is but she has to show appreciation for all he's done for her already and love for her cousins. Cleo is determined to be independent and never to marry. She'll be a lady private detective and have her work to keep her mind occupied. She won't have to give her money to a husband or be subjected to his whims and demands. Go Cleo! Yet ... Harry isn't like that.
Mrs. Short is a mean person. She's hard on the staff and hates Cleo for no good reason. She assumes Cleo is an heiress and therefore a toff and toffs are not to be trusted or liked. Mrs. Short adheres to the strict social class structure and doesn't want her maids fraternizing with the family. They may get IDEAS above their station! Pass the smelling salts! Wake up Mrs. Short. The 20th century is upon you and for girls like Harmony, the new century and new technology will bring more opportunities. (See Downtown Abbey, Season 1, Gwen the housemaid). Harmony is too smart to waste on the duties of a housemaid. If the best she can hope for is housekeeper, she better hope to manage a large, busy, important household - the Mayfair Hotel! Cleo knows Harmony is destined for better things and even Floyd begrudgingly admits he needs her help. Yet Harmony is too proud to accept favors from Cleo and wants to succeed on her own.
Sir Ian and Lady Campbell's butler has dropped dead. Cleo walks into a den of iniquity there. The Campbells have secrets and don't want to give up those secrets. They don't believe a crime as been committed. They seem cheap. I wonder if they're having money troubles? They no longer have a country estate and they employ a small staff of inexpensive servants. Their butler, Mr. Hardy, started acting differently after old friends of the Campbells came to dinner. He seemed to recognize them and they him! Housekeeper Mrs. Turner is a kind lady. She gives people second chances and takes the time to judge a person by the content of their character and not by their intellectual abilities or morals. Mr. Hardy hadn't worked there long and no one knows his background. Who was he really? Cleo has an idea but she needs to prove it! The theory has merit and I think she may be right. The Campbells don't want Cleo to investigate or dig up old secrets. Lady Campbell is snobby and rude to Cleo and this is not going to be an easy investigation.
Birdy, the cook's assistant, is a girl they refer to as "simple." She's childlike and teases she knows a secret. Does she know Hardy's truth? Does she know who killed him? Cleo dismisses Birdy's mutterings at first and that could cost her the investigation. Birdy is a sweet girl and I'm betting she holds the key to the mystery because everyone has overlooked her and dismissed her. Davey, a footman, is charming and easy to talk to. He's quick to answer Cleo's questions and seems to want to please. Everyone likes him, at least Cleo does. Mr. Hardy didn't seem to like Davey. They were overheard arguing just before Mr. Hardy died. Betty, the housemaid, is sensitive and doesn't like talking about Mr. Hardy's death. She's anxious too. Her mother, a retired housekeeper, is a tartar with strong opinions on morals - her own and everyone else's! She's one of THOSE types who imposes their own personal moral code on others. Yet she got Betty the job through her connections and didn't have problems doing that. I think she's the murderer.
Lord and Lady Whitchurch's visit for dinner precipitated Hardy's death. Young Lady Whitchurch is a kind young woman but anxious because her mother-in-law is a dragon and hates her. Lord Whitechurch seems nice and loves his wife but unable to stand up to his mother. His family has a lot of skeletons in their closet, almost literally. 25 years ago, a maid in their household was found stabbed through the heart in the kitchen. She was deemed a girl of loose morals and her death hushed up. No one knows who killed her or specifically why. Cleo has a good theory. Not only does this family have the scandal of the dead made but Lord Whitchurch's older brother disappeared around the same time the maid was killed. He was a rake and troublemaker. The family was about to marry him off to the present Lady Whitchurch! The young lovers married shortly after the heir went missing and it appears they may have been in love even before his disappearance. Did they conspire to remove the older brother who stood in their way of happiness? Did Hardy know about it? Is Hardy connected to the Whitchurch family in some way?
I was listening to the audio book at work so I didn't catch every word or have a good grasp on the entire plot but I enjoyed it and can't wait for the next! I like this narrator a lot too and I can hear her voice in my head now should I choose to read the next book instead of listen to the audio.
This review by Elizabeth is excellent and expresses my sentiments almost exactly
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This series has gotten so much better since the first few books. The mystery in this one is twisty. I never guessed who! I thought Cleo and Harry had it figured out halfway through and just had to find a way to prove it and get their murderer but then there were other developments and more twists I didn't expect. I really like Cleo. She's highly intelligent and unlike many other cozy sleuths, she actually figures out the clues and suspects. Sometimes her methods of getting information are unethical and downright illegal and that I don't approve of. Even her uncle admits he would have helped her and she didn't have to do that. Cleo is good with her cousins. She shows Flossy there's more to life than beaux and shopping but knows how to comfort Flossy when Flossy's suitors reject her. Cleo doesn't push her own beliefs about marriage on Flossy and even Floyd helps to improve Flossy's sense of self worth. Floyd is clueless about women and especially Cleo. He'll settle down with some young lady like Miss Hessing and run the hotel while she runs the household and charity events. Boring. Cleo is showing him that not all women are like Flossy.
The romance is going nowhere because it can't. Harry knows what he wants and is prepared to wait. He's treating Cleo differently now. Instead of keeping her at arm's length and scowling at her, her teases her and hints at a future together. She just can't see what he's thinking just yet. It won't work. Though Harry thinks Cleo can sweet talk her uncle Ronald into anything, I think if she announced she wanted to marry Harry, Uncle Ronald would blow his top and she'd have to make a choice. As it is, he puts Cleo in a difficult spot. She stands up to him, finally, and tells it like it is but she has to show appreciation for all he's done for her already and love for her cousins. Cleo is determined to be independent and never to marry. She'll be a lady private detective and have her work to keep her mind occupied. She won't have to give her money to a husband or be subjected to his whims and demands. Go Cleo! Yet ... Harry isn't like that.
Mrs. Short is a mean person. She's hard on the staff and hates Cleo for no good reason. She assumes Cleo is an heiress and therefore a toff and toffs are not to be trusted or liked. Mrs. Short adheres to the strict social class structure and doesn't want her maids fraternizing with the family. They may get IDEAS above their station! Pass the smelling salts! Wake up Mrs. Short. The 20th century is upon you and for girls like Harmony, the new century and new technology will bring more opportunities. (See Downtown Abbey, Season 1, Gwen the housemaid). Harmony is too smart to waste on the duties of a housemaid. If the best she can hope for is housekeeper, she better hope to manage a large, busy, important household - the Mayfair Hotel! Cleo knows Harmony is destined for better things and even Floyd begrudgingly admits he needs her help. Yet Harmony is too proud to accept favors from Cleo and wants to succeed on her own.
Sir Ian and Lady Campbell's butler has dropped dead. Cleo walks into a den of iniquity there. The Campbells have secrets and don't want to give up those secrets. They don't believe a crime as been committed. They seem cheap. I wonder if they're having money troubles? They no longer have a country estate and they employ a small staff of inexpensive servants. Their butler, Mr. Hardy, started acting differently after old friends of the Campbells came to dinner. He seemed to recognize them and they him! Housekeeper Mrs. Turner is a kind lady. She gives people second chances and takes the time to judge a person by the content of their character and not by their intellectual abilities or morals. Mr. Hardy hadn't worked there long and no one knows his background. Who was he really? Cleo has an idea but she needs to prove it! The theory has merit and I think she may be right. The Campbells don't want Cleo to investigate or dig up old secrets. Lady Campbell is snobby and rude to Cleo and this is not going to be an easy investigation.
Birdy, the cook's assistant, is a girl they refer to as "simple." She's childlike and teases she knows a secret. Does she know Hardy's truth? Does she know who killed him? Cleo dismisses Birdy's mutterings at first and that could cost her the investigation. Birdy is a sweet girl and I'm betting she holds the key to the mystery because everyone has overlooked her and dismissed her. Davey, a footman, is charming and easy to talk to. He's quick to answer Cleo's questions and seems to want to please. Everyone likes him, at least Cleo does. Mr. Hardy didn't seem to like Davey. They were overheard arguing just before Mr. Hardy died. Betty, the housemaid, is sensitive and doesn't like talking about Mr. Hardy's death. She's anxious too. Her mother, a retired housekeeper, is a tartar with strong opinions on morals - her own and everyone else's! She's one of THOSE types who imposes their own personal moral code on others. Yet she got Betty the job through her connections and didn't have problems doing that. I think she's the murderer.
Lord and Lady Whitchurch's visit for dinner precipitated Hardy's death. Young Lady Whitchurch is a kind young woman but anxious because her mother-in-law is a dragon and hates her. Lord Whitechurch seems nice and loves his wife but unable to stand up to his mother. His family has a lot of skeletons in their closet, almost literally. 25 years ago, a maid in their household was found stabbed through the heart in the kitchen. She was deemed a girl of loose morals and her death hushed up. No one knows who killed her or specifically why. Cleo has a good theory. Not only does this family have the scandal of the dead made but Lord Whitchurch's older brother disappeared around the same time the maid was killed. He was a rake and troublemaker. The family was about to marry him off to the present Lady Whitchurch! The young lovers married shortly after the heir went missing and it appears they may have been in love even before his disappearance. Did they conspire to remove the older brother who stood in their way of happiness? Did Hardy know about it? Is Hardy connected to the Whitchurch family in some way?
I was listening to the audio book at work so I didn't catch every word or have a good grasp on the entire plot but I enjoyed it and can't wait for the next! I like this narrator a lot too and I can hear her voice in my head now should I choose to read the next book instead of listen to the audio.
This review by Elizabeth is excellent and expresses my sentiments almost exactly
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 1, 2024
Although I continue to love this series, this particular installment spent so much time on a red herring that I felt slightly irritated by it. Also, Cleo‘s continuing stubborn insistence that she “never plans to marry” isn’t ringing entirely true. Presumably, she wants her independence, but she doesn’t have independence now and it doesn’t seem entirely realistic that she’ll find a way to be independent. 🤷🏼♀️ I hope the author gives us some resolution to this in the next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2024
2 ⭐️
Probably my least favorite so far in the series. I didn’t care for the murder mystery piece at all. I usually love Cleo but her resistance to love and romance was mildly irritating. I hope the next one has more development in their relationship.
Probably my least favorite so far in the series. I didn’t care for the murder mystery piece at all. I usually love Cleo but her resistance to love and romance was mildly irritating. I hope the next one has more development in their relationship.
June 16, 2024
This was a good one!! The tension was delicious.. but I was missing some of our usual suspects! Flossy was barely there, and I wanted more of the family in general. It seems like we can’t have lots of Harry/Cleo content without everyone else fading into the background.
Either way I had a lot of fun- even if I was wanting more than a glancing hand holding moment 😭
Either way I had a lot of fun- even if I was wanting more than a glancing hand holding moment 😭
January 23, 2025
these books are just such fun, cozy mysteries. I love them as an audio book
October 15, 2024
En la línea de los anteriores. Si es que qué puedo decir sin repetirme. El final me ha parecido más original que otras veces, eso sí. Ahora a esperar a diciembre hasta el siguiente.
June 5, 2024
Aaaaaagh! Romantic tension is ridiculous.... literally yelled so many curse words while reading the last page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2025
This is the most frustrating one out of all of these. Cleo kisses Harry and then spends four books pining after him and being jealous when he dates other people until he finally kisses her, but then she spends this entire book suddenly fleeing from him as if she's JUST realized everything he's said about the societal view of it all even though she's been the one insisting to him the whole time it's not important. also how are we eight books in and NO ONE HAS HELPED AUNT LILIAN. the subplots in this series move at such a glacial pace that it's almost insulting.
June 6, 2024
3.5 stars. Although I’m totally enjoying Cleo and Harry, the murder mystery didn’t really hold my attention like it should have.
June 14, 2024
Once again, really enjoyed the mystery. There were a few red herrings. While I guessed who the culprit was quite early on I did enjoy the investigation and the process of getting to the end. It’s a nice cozy mystery.
The romance part has moved on to the next tiny step. There was a lot of flirting between Harry and Cleo, mostly from Harry though. Cleo just kept denying her feelings. Which comes to the point why I didn’t give this book a 4-star. I have always find Cleo’s character quite annoying and a bit selfish. I get that the author is trying to create a strong feminist woman but her denials of her feelings is getting ridiculous. Especially at 8-books in. She doesn’t want to get involved with Harry not because of the social differences but because she is adamant about not marrying. If she is true to that she would’ve been able to resist Harry. A strong woman described by the definition of the author would not let her guard down and “liked” to be kissed. I find the author trying way too hard to paint Cleo in that image, to a point I stopped believing Cleo’s hesitancy. I would read the next book only for the cozy mystery part but if I am getting distracted by Cleo’s behavior then I am going to drop the rest of the series.
I compare this series with the Lady Darby series and the relationship between Kiera and Sebastian. They had similar angst and slow burn BUT their relationship progressed in a proper pace and had moved on as expected. I wish the author will stop beating around the bush with Cleo and get a move on. I am at this point of hoping Harry gives up waiting and just find another woman to court. I have this desire for Cleo to lose out on what she really wants just to watch her suffer. LOL
Another issue I have is I don’t think the author understands how timing works in her plot. Only two weeks occurred between this book and the last. So many books in and Cleo is still walking around in circles.
The romance part has moved on to the next tiny step. There was a lot of flirting between Harry and Cleo, mostly from Harry though. Cleo just kept denying her feelings. Which comes to the point why I didn’t give this book a 4-star. I have always find Cleo’s character quite annoying and a bit selfish. I get that the author is trying to create a strong feminist woman but her denials of her feelings is getting ridiculous. Especially at 8-books in. She doesn’t want to get involved with Harry not because of the social differences but because she is adamant about not marrying. If she is true to that she would’ve been able to resist Harry. A strong woman described by the definition of the author would not let her guard down and “liked” to be kissed. I find the author trying way too hard to paint Cleo in that image, to a point I stopped believing Cleo’s hesitancy. I would read the next book only for the cozy mystery part but if I am getting distracted by Cleo’s behavior then I am going to drop the rest of the series.
I compare this series with the Lady Darby series and the relationship between Kiera and Sebastian. They had similar angst and slow burn BUT their relationship progressed in a proper pace and had moved on as expected. I wish the author will stop beating around the bush with Cleo and get a move on. I am at this point of hoping Harry gives up waiting and just find another woman to court. I have this desire for Cleo to lose out on what she really wants just to watch her suffer. LOL
Another issue I have is I don’t think the author understands how timing works in her plot. Only two weeks occurred between this book and the last. So many books in and Cleo is still walking around in circles.
June 18, 2024
This was a 4⭐️ read. It’s Book #8 in the Cleopatra Fox series. I enjoyed this book significantly more than book #7. Cleo, Henry, and the rest of the beloved characters from the Mayfair Hotel are back in action. Cleo is hired to investigate the death of a butler for a well to do family in London. The most interesting piece of information is the staff who worked with the butler hired him not his employer.
This mystery series is a fun, easy read set in England during the 1900’s. If you enjoy Agatha Christie books, you should check out this series!
This mystery series is a fun, easy read set in England during the 1900’s. If you enjoy Agatha Christie books, you should check out this series!
December 2, 2024
4.5 stars
Cleo and Harry rock, and the whole cast is terrific. The writing is lovely and atmospheric, and the threads are all resolved nicely. There were a few short stretches where the investigation seemed a bit labored, but overall the plot moved at a perfect pace. I'm pretty crazy about this series and excited for the next book!
Cleo and Harry rock, and the whole cast is terrific. The writing is lovely and atmospheric, and the threads are all resolved nicely. There were a few short stretches where the investigation seemed a bit labored, but overall the plot moved at a perfect pace. I'm pretty crazy about this series and excited for the next book!
March 4, 2025
Another brilliant mystery
This series just continues to keep being interesting and I just want to read the next book. The mystery in this one was brilliant, and even I did get tricked by a red herring, and that takes some skill. And the relationship ship Cleo has with everyone keeps developing, and there is some nice characters development because of it.
This series just continues to keep being interesting and I just want to read the next book. The mystery in this one was brilliant, and even I did get tricked by a red herring, and that takes some skill. And the relationship ship Cleo has with everyone keeps developing, and there is some nice characters development because of it.
June 5, 2024
Cleo does it again.
I like the way that Cleo and Harry blunder their way through their investigations, accusing this person and that with very little evidence. I’m even coming to like Floyd and Flossie.
Read on and enjoy this little yarn.
I like the way that Cleo and Harry blunder their way through their investigations, accusing this person and that with very little evidence. I’m even coming to like Floyd and Flossie.
Read on and enjoy this little yarn.
June 8, 2024
I love this crew of characters! And while I appreciate Cleo wanting to be independent… can she really push the love off anymore? We did see an openness to Harry that we haven’t seen. CJ is a champion of the slow burn…but I hope book 9 brings their relationship forward.
July 3, 2024
My least favorite of the series, so far…but I do love Cleo and will read them all. 😁
December 31, 2024
Another satisfying listen in this cozy mystery series. I admire the gumption of Cleo.
May 23, 2025
4.25 I genuinely enjoy this series so much!
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