The Death of Colonel Mann

Beacon Hill #1

by Cynthia Peale

When Colonel William D'Arcy Mann is found shot to death in his Boston hotel, few Brahmins mourn his passing. The Colonel had published far too many of Boston's highest caste's indiscretions in his gossip rag; those who had escaped such public ignominy had paid an equally high price, for Mann was not averse to a spot of genteel blackmail.

The cast of suspects is large, and Peale's team of amateur sleuths is perfectly placed to ferret out the murderer. Addington Ames and his sister Caroline can trace their blue-blooded lineage back to the Ark, although their social standing teeters precariously when Addington is so gauche as to actually discover the Colonel's body. And unless Addington and Caroline can solve the crime, their beautiful young cousin Val's engagement (the ne plus ultra for a proper young Victorian woman) will be at risk—her future mama-in-law has a decided aversion to scandal.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Victorian

352 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2000

About the author

Cynthia Peale is the pseudonym of Nancy Zaroulis.

Reviews

[Carolyn Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good sense of time and place and social mores.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems I'm eternally in search of another Anne Perry, and while this author isn't that, she's still put together a fairly enjoyable mystery, set in the somewhat snooty and scarifyingly proper world of 1890s Boston. The story had just enough twists to keep the culprit hidden for much of the book, and the main characters are for the most part an interesting group ("for the most part" only because they lacked sufficient detail; the doctor's crush seemed to be his only defining characteristic, and while the Ameses were given a bit more attention, I still don't think we spent quite enough time in either of the Ames pair's heads to really distinguish them as characters, either. Hopefully a second book will help with this problem.)

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a mystery set in the 1800's and this book does deliver a good period piece. My issue with the book is with the heroine. Because Caroline was so highly featured, it was difficult to like this story due to her constant presence. I found her whiny and shallow. I couldn't get past the first few scenes in which she uses tears to manipulate her brother. I couldn't understand why Dr. MacKenzie had any interest in her at all. I really wanted to like this book, but the irritating presence of Caroline's silliness spoiled the story for me. I don't think other people will have this problem, but it was definitely an issue for me. So disappointed.
I will say that the mystery was fairly well done, it just wasn't enough to save the book for me.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Beacon Hill Mystery series, this introduces the characters of Addington, his sister Caroline and their border, Dr. John MacKenzie as amateur detectives in Boston during the late 19th century. In this story, Colonel Mann, an odious man who's been blackmailing the Boston elite has been murdered and Caroline and Addington are embroiled in the mystery of his death due to the fact their niece Val had fallen victim to the blackmailer. This is an entertaining and charming read.

[Walanski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read while visiting my sister in Boston this historically based fiction mystery was a good vacation read.

[C3wach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant read. Nothing of literary interest.

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

1891, The Gilded Age, finds Colonel William D’Arcy Mann dead; a well-known publisher of a notorious newspaper that focuses on scandal. Mann is lso a blackmailer of the wealthy that knows many secrets of the Boston Socialites and will not publish them — for a fee.

Addington Ames discovers the body when he visits Mann’s hotel suite. Ames has been asked by his cousin to try and get letters that were exchanged between her and a summer failed romance. The cousin is engaged to marry a member of high society, but knowledge of this summer romance would cancel the engagement and destroy the cousin’s reputation.

Addington, with help from his sister, Caroline, and their boarder, MacKenzie, work together to find the missing letters. While investigating who murdered Mann, they learn how Mann obtains his damaging information, and discover some damaging information on a neighbour residents.

This is the first of a series. And enjoyable read with a touch of romance.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up enjoying this a lot more than I expected to when I was only a little way into it. It's not destined to be a classic, but it's a solid, fun read. There were a few places where I had to re-read a sentence or paragraph to figure out who the author meant to say did something, so the writing/editing could have been better. The plot revolves around who is "in" and who is "out" of society, so the reader who is bored by that will not enjoy this book.

[Julie]

A lackadaisical Holmesian take, but with a manipulative sister whose character irritated the pants off me.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review here:

https://sarahoverbooked.wordpress.com...

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy to read who-done-it set in 1800s Boston among the wealthy. Colonel Mann is an odious person making money on the secrets of vulnerable socialites and scions of wealth and his character is based on a real person who lived a long-life in New York. Addington Ames discovers the body and is mentioned in the newspaper (oh! escandale!!) I liked Addington but had an off-again/on-again relationship to his sister who does more than her share of moaning and cajoling the men in her life to DO THE RIGHT THING. I liked the Doctor who has romantic feelings towards Addington's sister; he seems very Decent with a capital D. This book was perfect for a plane ride and I'd get more in the series by borrowing them from the library.

[Ken Bickley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of four Beacon Hill mysteries written by Nancy Zaroullis under the name Cynthia Peale. Set in 1890s Boston, it follows the murder of a notorious blackmailer. Siblings Addison and Caroline Ames are drawn into the affair because Mann had obtained a packet of indiscreet letters their cousin had written to a lover some time before. It probably accurately portrays the extremely strait-laced "high society" of that period in Boston. Naturally, the very mention of Ames' name in the newspapers causes them a great deal of embarrassment; and Addison, assisted by his friend, Dr. John MacKenzie, undertakes to find the real killer to prevent the arrest of his cousin. The book is well-researched and well-written. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery.

[Janellyn51 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, it's not totally enthralling, but I always enjoy reading about places I know. The Ames family lives at Louisburg Sq., that's where the Govenor's mansion is if I remember correctly. Really good trick or treating in that neighborhood....late 1800's, Scandal runs rampant, and there's a guy, Colonel Mann who blackmails upstanding Brahmin's of my fair city and gets his just deserts. A glamorous actress, a full figured sister, a visiting recuperating doctor, an obnoxious detective...it's all there and it's pretty Boston.

[Miss Lemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Another Victorian murder mystery but the characters were well done and the murder interesting enough. Colonel Mann is dead in the first line (a despicable blackmailer) and now our hero, his doctor side kick (yes, yes, I know) and the hero's sister will figure things out in their very English style. Lots of running around upper class London haunts so not bad at all.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, it wasn't that great, but I'll read the two sequels. The main detective, Addington Ames, has a good name but he's a little highstrung in a very copycat Peter Wimsey kind of way. Bought it second hand at Aunt Agatha's--I love that store.

[C.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun mystery series based in Boston so I love it of course...lovable characters...Just fun! Does keep you guessing.

[mary elizabeth Williams]

Good and entertaining.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, if predictable, historical mystery. The atmosphere and attitudes of Victorian Boston was very well done.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in the series - love, love, love!!!!

[Linda Tiessen-Wiebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

started Feb. 10