The Penford Manor Murders

Miss Clara Vale Mysteries #4

by Fiona Veitch Smith

It's open season at Penford Manor - and someone has murder in their sights...

At Penford Manor, the guests are arriving to celebrate the start of the grouse-hunting lords and ladies, barons and baronesses, a Member of Parliament - and chemistry graduate turned detective, Miss Clara Vale, an old friend of the family. But Clara is no ordinary she's secretly investigating a blackmail plot against Lady Penford herself.

Someone in the house is already up to no good, but when the body of a local trade unionist is found in the grounds, Clara's case gets even more complicated because a clue left by the body links it to the blackmail note.

Who has discovered Lady Penford's secret? Can Clara and her trusted assistant Bella work together to find the murderer? And what do the cornflowers which keep popping up everywhere mean?

Amidst the glittering dresses and sparkling conversation of society, Clara must find the truth - before the killer acts again!

The perfect Golden Age cosy mystery for fans of Helena Dixon, Agatha Christie and Verity Bright won't want to miss this!

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Historical, Crime, Historical Mystery

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2025

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lady Penford turned up at private detective Clara Vale's office, requesting she investigate a plot of blackmail on her, they decided Clara and her assistant, Bella, could join the guests at Penford Manor the following weekend. There would be many guests because of the annual grouse hunting tradition, and as long as Clara and Bella were discreet, Lady Penford was sure her secret would not have to be divulged. But what followed was murder and several attempted murders, including of Clara herself. Was the murder and the blackmail attempt connected? Who was the culprit, and what was the motive? Inspector Hawkes and some of his men arrived at the Manor, locking it down until he was able to find the killer, with Clara and Bella working alongside him...

The Penford Manor Murders is the 4th in the Miss Clara Vale Mysteries by Fiona Veitch Smith, set in 1930s England. I've enjoyed the previous in the series and this one is no different. Clara and Bella are independent young women with a strong penchant for detecting, which they do well. The guilty ones had no chance!! Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Embla Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. I have read all the books in this series and look forward to the next one.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

3.5☆
A fun edition to the series.
Cozy, easy read.
I did get frustrated at Clara and Bella at points for either missing the obvious or doing something that would absolutely get them arrested.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Miss Clara Vale, an old friend of the family at Penford Manor, is tasked by Lady Justina Penford to investigate a blackmail plot against her but Clara has to do it secretly so the rest of the house party thinks she’s just a guest, even Clara’s parents & brother are invited to give credibility to the rouse. However when the body of a local trade unionist is found in the grounds, Clara's case gets even more complicated because a clue left by the body links it to the blackmail note.
The fourth outing for Clara & another well written engrossing cosy mystery, this time she & Bella her intrepid assistant are “guests” at the Glorious Twelfth house party in the Northumberland countryside. There are a select number of suspects who all seem to have secrets. Clara gradually routes out the secrets & when D I Alexander Hawkes arrives he actually lets her continue to investigate. There were twists, turns & red herrings as well as lots of secrets & I was kept guessing. I love Clara’s relationship with Bella, they work well together & a mutual respect has developed, I also like the chemistry between Sandy & Clara & I hope their relationship develops further in future books
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have grown to really enjoy this series and this one was a very good addition to this overall series.

This book finds Clara and her assistant Bella [who I just love - her ability to take ZERO crap from anyone, especially those who think they are better than everyone else] summoned to Penford Manor [where Clara also has to deal with her obnoxious family] to help solve a touchy blackmail case [the secret behind this was C R A Z Y and not anything I would have ever guessed!]; unfortunately, murder is also on the menu and it will take all of Clara, Bella, and Inspector Hawkes' detective skills to keep themselves alive and solve both the blackmail AND the murder.

This was a well-written mystery with great clues, red herrings, and a fantastic reveal and I am very much looking forward to book 5!!

I was invited to read/review this book by the publisher [Embla Books], and I thank them, Fiona Veitch Smith and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Paula R C R. C. Readman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Great characters and setting.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 4th in the Miss Clara Vale mysteries is more traditionally set than its predecessors, being a murder-at-the-manor mystery. Previous outings have included a vanished fairy godmother from the pantomime and a jaunt to Egypt, like Poirot or even Miss Amelia Peabody. It's easy to read, excellent on the Art Deco settings beloved of that mad decade, the 1920s, and with nice touches of fashion that show the shifting lines between flapper frivolities and the businesslike austerity of impending WW2 fashions.

Manor mysteries traditionally come with a closed collection of suspects. This one might be said to come with multiples of those: the set of manor residents first listed by Lady Penford in a handy cheat-sheet at Miss Vale's office, then those in residence when she arrives at the manor (some overlap with #1 but includes servants), and then a pre-dinner review of the guests that includes some not earlier listed, and then the next day when more guests arrive. All this before we get to the police personages! As I was reading an e-ARC, I didn't have access to a cast list but if there's one in the finished book I urge you to bookmark it immediately.. It will be of more use to you than the rather crowded map of Northumberland.

That minor quibble aside, the book delves into the tricky business of coal mining in an England tangled in production caps and export regulations, as well as the delicate matter of whether Germany is sneakily using English coal in its even more surreptitious attempt to rebuild its war machine that was outlawed by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. There's even a historical personage, Sir Charles Trevelyan, who provides invaluable assistance to Miss Vale via his standing as an MP. His wife is a mere walk-on although in real life her claim to fame was as sister to the famous - some say notorious - explorer/adventurer Gertrude Bell.

So, lots of historical meat to sink your fingers into and it never overpowers the narrative. In fact it helps drive the plot. A worthy weekend read for the mystery lover in your life.

Thanks, Netgalley!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Penford Manor Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith is a Miss Clara Vale Mystery. Lady Justina Penford had a secret and someone was threatening to unveil it. They were attempting blackmail. Clara had been flattered when Lady Penford had come to her, but it turns out she was just located far enough away and was close enough to being of the right social status. It had nothing to do with her skills. Ah, well! Clara arrived for the house party only to discover her parents were expected in a few days. Another surprise she could have done without. The family had seen sadness. The two eldest sons, both set to inherit, had been killed in the war. That left the youngest, the one who had never been quite right. Part of the purpose of this house party was to find him a wife. That may solve the problem, they hoped. His father had been German, which had caused trouble during the war, and some German cousins were there for their annual visit. Bella, her assistant, had come along as her lady’s maid, thereby able to investigate below stairs as she did above stairs. Then there was a murder.

Clara Vale is on the cusp of a changing world and it is difficult to navigate. Her parents just wan’t the best for her: a husband and a life like theirs. Not what she wanted at all. Bella had met on another investigation and they rubbed along together well in her fledgling business. They are both interesting characters. Smith has done well with them. The mystery was a good one, but complicated. It always get complicated when death occurs. The entire situation was a little sad for the people involved, even without the murders. Smith painted an amazing portrait of a time slipping away and the lengths to which people would go to save it.

I was invited to read The Penford Manor Murders by Embla Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #EmblaBooks #FionaVeitchSmith #ThePenfordManorMurders

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Fiona Veitch Smith for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Penford Manor Murders coming out April 15, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

At Penford Manor, the guests are arriving to celebrate the start of the grouse-hunting season: lords and ladies, barons and baronesses, a Member of Parliament - and chemistry graduate turned detective, Miss Clara Vale, an old friend of the family. But Clara is no ordinary guest: she's secretly investigating a blackmail plot against Lady Penford herself.

Someone in the house is already up to no good, but when the body of a local trade unionist is found in the grounds, Clara's case gets even more complicated because a clue left by the body links it to the blackmail note.

Who has discovered Lady Penford's secret? Can Clara and her trusted assistant Bella work together to find the murderer? And what do the cornflowers which keep popping up everywhere mean?

Amidst the glittering dresses and sparkling conversation of society, Clara must find the truth - before the killer acts again!

I really love this series! The Pyramid mystery was definitely my favorite. This one felt different because of the setting, but I really enjoyed it. I love English manors. It felt very much like Agatha Christie. Clara is a fun character and I loved the mystery. I would definitely read more books in this series!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

[Mary Polzella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Clara Vale has been invited to Penford Manor by Lady Penford on the pretense of attending the opening of the grouse-hunting season. In reality, she and her assistant Bella are secretly investigating an anonymous blackmail letter sent to Lady Penford, threatening to divulge a secret. With Lady Penford refusing to tell Clara what he secret involves, she and Bella have little to go on except the knowledge that someone within the household must have slipped the blackmail letter under Lady Penford's door. The case becomes more complicated and dangerous when a dead body turns up on the grounds and Clara suspects her blackmail case is linked to the murder, especially when someone tries unsuccessfully to push her off a cliff top when she starts asking too many questions.

Set at Penford Manor in the 1930s amongst the glamour of high society, this is murder mystery about a young socialite making her mark on the world as an independent woman (despite her parents' protestations) is a fabulous read. It has a well-written storyline filled with the glamour of that era, and enough twists to keep you interested and guessing. A great read - I will definitely be reading the other Miss Clara Vale mysteries and highly recommend you read this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to read and review this book. Publication date is 15 April 2025

[Liz Feldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden Age detective Clara Vale is at it again in a new, intricate mystery. When an aristocratic matriarch is blackmailed, Clara is hired to uncover the blackmailer before a mysterious secret is revealed. She questions suspects under the guise of attending a weekend celebration, but when a body is discovered, things get complicated.

As with all of Fiona Veitch Smith’s historical mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed this story — very frequently while I sipped warm tea before “retiring for the evening” and feeling as British as an American can. I love Clara Vale and her sidekick, Bella. Their bravery, tendency, and willingness to buck cultural norms are always fun to read.

This story in particular was almost too complicated for me, however. I struggled to track each of the characters and their associations with each other as the plot progressed. I also guessed some of the ending relatively early on, primarily because of the absence of some characters on the page.

Nevertheless, it was a great story, and I look forward to more mysteries from the author. (Side note: kudos to Smith for releasing stories so prolifically!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Writing style
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Characters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plot
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Premise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pacing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Impact

Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of period mysteries with plucky heroines, meet Miss Clara. She has rejected her high Society roots, much to the chagrin of her acid tongued mother, to follow her own trail as a private detective and a jolly good one at that. Because of her lineage, she is hired by Lady Penford to find out who sent a blackmail note that threatens to reveal a deep dark secret. She is invited to investigate as a guest at the Penford estate during a very social weekend. In that she is ably assisted by Bella who has the unenviable task of pretending to be her lady’s maid.

As Clara checks out the toffs, Bella is handling the below stairs folks. While they are trying to figure out who committed blackmail, they learn some extremely dangerous secrets that might or might not be connected to the original crime. There is also a murder and that opens up an entirely different “can of worms” or is it so different. In the course of finding the truth and aiding Detective Sandy Hawkes, both Clara and Bella are put in harms way. I had twigged quite early to some of the entanglements that were at play and had definitely suspected some of the players. But when it all evolved, there were still lots of twists to delight the reader. And as always, both Clara and Bella are two very capable and refreshing principals.
Five purrs and two paws up.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest Clara Vale mystery was jam packed full of mysteries, characters and dastardly schemes!

Miss Clara was as canny as ever and having a female heroine work alongside the police instead of the police being a stupid lot of buffoons was a nice contrast. Bella was as usual, witty and full of sass. The two ladies are a fantastic set of crime busters.

This novel was set at a different location, away from her office and residence and at a country manor estate. She was thrust into high society and even worse, her family's company. Managing to not disgrace them too badly, Clara found a lot more than she initially bargained for.

Another hit for Fiona Veitch Smith and although it was quite slow in some places, the mysteries certainly kept me guessing to the end. The only downside to this book was the sheer amount of characters that had me a tad confused at times. The author does try and describe them as well as name them when they come up, which is admirable, but in the end I think a few less would have been easier to keep track of.

My sincere thanks to Netgalley and Embla Books for an ARC. All opinions stated are my own.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara Vale and her investigative assistant, Bella, go to Northumberland to investigate a bit of blackmail among the upper class. Unfortunately, her parents and brother are going to be there as well. Then comes the murder of a renowned miner followed by several attempted murders and a DI she has had contact with before. Lots of due diligence on everyone's part as the investigation turns into a Gordian knot. Well done!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Embla Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Apr 15, 2025
#ThePenfordManorMurders by @fionaveitchsmith_author #MissClaraValeMysteriesBk4 @emblabooks #cozymystery #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones *****Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk @kobo #scandals #plottwists @bonnierbooks_uk #historicalnovel #privateinvestigators #extortion #countryhouse #Northumberland #international intrigue
#suspense #lawenforcement #murder#attemptedmurder #intrigue

[Paul Trembling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara Vale is adept at moving in all social circles, so an invitation to Penford Manor, apparently as a guest but in reality to deal with a little bit of blackmail, is well within her abilities. Even when her family turns up unexpectedly. Her assistant, Bella, is less comfortable with her role as a lady's maid, but it's only for a few days, after all. How hard could it be?

Except, of course, it turns out to be a lot more than just a bit of blackmail! When a body is discovered, Clara and Bella find that they have a very complex - and dangerous - mystery to solve.

Well developed characters, an intricate plot and an authentic background make this another great read from Fiona Veitch Smith. And, as always, the historical detail is well researched and fascinating. The Lunacy Office, for example - yes, a lot of us think we've worked there, but it turns out that there really was an institution of that name! Wonderful to be able to work that into the story.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite detectives is back. This time Clara is invited by Lady Justina Penford to ostensibly be a guest at her annual grouse shooting party, but really to investigate who is behind a blackmail note to Lady Justina. However, soon after Clara, Bella and the other guests arrive, there is a murder. What follows are several other attempted murders, including on Clara herself.

I really enjoy the Clara Vale series. Clara and Bella are strong, clever, independent women who insist on living life on their own terms, and they are both a joy to follow. This time they are joined by DI Hawkes, who allows the women to carry on their investigation while he tries to solve the murder. But if course, Clara and Bella don't stick to solving blackmailing only when there are murder and attempted murders around.

I highly recommend this series and the audio book version. It is one of my favourite detective series ever, and I hope there will be many more books in the series.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1930 England, Clara Vale has turned her back on her rich, aristocratic family and become a private detective. She is hired by Lady Penrose, who has received a blackmail note. As cover, Clara is invited to a country house party. She takes along her assistant Bella posing as her maid. The basic dynamic of the story is the titled aristocrats with fancy estates needing to marry rich spouses – generally from untitled industrial families. In the background, the land around Penrose Manor has coal seams and it appears that they have attracted the attention of Germans eager for their country to rearm.

Harry Stanaley is found murdered on the grounds of Penrose Manor. The policeman called in to investigate seems smitten with Clara, but that is certainly no excuse for the extent to which he allows her to get involved. Lots of characters, some of whom are also attacked or disappear. Complicated plot that required a lot of explanation at the end.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara Vale Mysteries are always an excellent read. In the Penford Manor Murders she encounters blackmail, murder, peril, romance and many other challenges as a guest in the splendour of a manor house decorated in the modern style of the day (Art Deco). The period details are intricately researched but don’t take away from the storyline and eclectic cast of characters. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to work out who done it alongside Clara as she and her trusty assistant Bella uncover more evidence that alter the obvious path that initially create more danger to all involved than answers. I was pleased to see reoccurring characters including some of her much maligned family members and a certain enigmatic Inspector. I was delighted to be given an opportunity to read an eARC of this book and look forward to read more adventures with Clara in the future.

[Jenny Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara Vale, independent and intrepid private detective has her work cut out when a case of blackmail turns into a murder investigation. Are the two connected or not?

A gathering of the titled friends of Lord and Lady Penford gather at their country house for a weekend of socialising before the start of the grouse season. German relatives of her first husband are also present and Clara and her assistant, Miss Cuddy, try rather unsuccessfully to blend in. Business talk, German psychiatric advances, primogeniture and the dilemma of working women who have to give up their careers if they marry all combine to give grist to the mill of a sparkling narrative firmly anchored in 1930.

Fiona Veitch Smith has (apparently) effortlessly proved, yet again, that she is a shining light in the cozy mystery genre.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was probably my favorite in the series so far. I love the fierce independence of both Clara and Bella in the times they live in where they are not given the same respect due to being women. I know I got a little confused by the twists and turns and multiple potential murderers. I always enjoy colorful side characters with strong personalities, which this had. It was interesting to see the interactions between Clara and her parents and realize how much she had to work to succeed on her own. I would have liked to see a bit more of their interactions. I can’t wait to see what Clara & Bella get up to next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

The evocation of events in an aristocratic ancestral home in 1930 is so perfectly done that one could easily believe this is a novel from the Golden Age of Crime Fiction. And it's easy to imagine Agatha Christie would have been proud to see her name on the cover of such a stylishly written mystery. It has all her best tropes but is enhanced by the genuine talent of Fiona Veitch Smith.
Clara and Bella are characters as enticingly modern as they are of the period. The mystery is clever, compelling and complex and had me hooked from first page to last.
The accuracy of the historical backdrop - Northumberland's coal mining industry in the grip of the early months of the Great Depression - adds a layer of fascinating realism.
A superb series which I intend to follow.

[Randee Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite trying to avoid house parties hosted by England’s titled elite, Clara Vale and her assistant, Bella Cuddy, go undercover at Penford Manor during the opening of grouse season to hunt for the person blackmailing Lady Penford and prevent the woman’s secrets from being revealed. While Clara investigates upstairs among the family and guests, Bella works behind the scenes alongside the servants. The discovery of the body of a local trade unionist on the manor grounds gives Clara and Bella another mystery to investigate—one that appears to be connected to the blackmail. Clara and Bella team up with the local detective to investigate both crimes before time runs out and Lady Penford is forced to pay her blackmailer.

I’m a big fan of Clara and Bella. They’re modern women working as private detectives in the early 1930s England. They’re learning as they go. And, while not everyone takes them seriously, they always get the job done. There were plenty of suspects with varying motives for wanting the labor unionist dead and to ruin Lady Penford’s reputation. Throw in a mentally unstable son, spinster women desperate to marry, and a group of men circumventing the law, THE PENFORD MANOR MURDERS makes for a compelling read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[GBL · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth novel in the series featuring Clara Vale, a private investigator, based in Newcastle in 1930.

Clara is asked to investigate a blackmail scheme against a local aristocrat, Lady Penford and with Bella, her trusty assistant, goes undercover at Penford Manor. The discovery of a dead body complicates the story and reveals there is more than just a blackmail plot to investigate.

This is an interesting series of novels and Fiona Veitch Smith creates a real sense of the period, showing how the class system is an important element of English life. The plot is complex enough to keep the reader happy and the characters are developing nicely as the series progresses.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara Vale and Bella are both invited to the uncover the blackmailer before a mysterious secret is revealed at a manor.

Funny thing is the secret is not a secret when more than 1 person knows about the secret.

The other funny thing it seems the detective Sandy seems to be in love with Clara and has asked her out and request her to wear a certain dress that she looked beautiful in it.

Bella, just love her. She certainly isn't cut out to be a servant. I love it when she gave the butler what for. I love it when She told Clara's mom off.

I am also really happy when Clara's dad told her mom to beg for forgiveness from the daughter. That mom of hers have no sense at all.

[Kathleen Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book when a woman comes seeking Clara’s help to figure out who is threatening to expose her secrets, Clara and Bella head to Penford Manor to investigate, however when gunshots are fired Clara knows there is more going on, she just needs to figure out what. I have say I enjoyed this book, set in August 1930 this book again features great historical information to help us understand what life was like at this place and time in history. Bella has also grown into a great character and I loved her scenes. Of course there is a hint of a new love interest for Clara so needless to say I will eagerly await the next book in the series.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 4th book in the Clara Vale series and like its predecessors it didn’t disappoint.

Miss Vale is to attend a shooting party in order to investigate blackmail. Her disapproving family are also invited. There are lots more returning characters, but still could be read as a stand alone.

She’s a woman ahead of her time, but her modern outlook doesn’t jar in the period setting.

A great series of books. I look forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara and Bella to the Rescue

Clara and Bella start a very discrete investigation of blackmail in the claustrophobic atmosphere of a grand country house. They wind up solving multiple murders amid family drama, tangled romances, and financial skullduggery. Clara’s mysteries are all carefully plotted, intricate and plausible. People do stupid things and then keep on doing more stupid things. Everyone lies and the reader gets to untangle all the threads. Just the kind of story I like!

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this entry to the series as, if memory serves, I did not love the third book (reading that review it was the second I disliked more actually).

I was glad Jack doesn't make an appearance, I liked the friendship being shown between the detective and Clara, but as with its predecessor you do need to suspend your disbelief a fair amount with some of the situations in this as they were a little absurd. Still, the third book was a LOT worse.

If more books are available when I have KU again I do think I would read on.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful cosy detective series! The Penford Manor Murders is book four in the Clara Vale series and each one takes us somewhere different! this one is more tradional closed location mystery, set in a sprawling Manor house. Clara is contacted by the owner, who is being blackmailed and lands on the weekend of the first Grouse Hunt of the year. Amongst the brood is someone with murderous intent and even Clara is not safe. Can she solve the mystery before the body count rises? lots of red herrings make for an entertaining read. #thepenfordmanormurders #fionaveitchsmith #netgalley #embla

[Avril Hemingway · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting for this mystery is Penford Manor in the 1930s and shows off the glamour of a wealthy high society family desperate to keep their secrets by any means possible even when death comes calling to their very garden. Full of twist turns and secrets galore to keep it interesting and the reader guessing. It's a very enjoyable and entertaining read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.