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Miss Busby #5
The Mystery of the Midnight Swan (Miss Busby Investigates Book 5): A 1920s Cotswolds Murder Mystery
Miss Busby Investigates Book 5: The Mystery of the Midnight Swan
A young man died, consumed by fire. There was no evidence of crime, but suspicions persist. Julian Courtauld had raised hackles, not that he cared. Rich, confident and handsome, he saw a glittering future for himself. He was a budding playwright, he had girls swooning at his feet despite just becoming engaged to a dazzling heiress. And then the fire ended it all.
Five years later a parcel arrives on Miss Busby's doorstep. The anonymous letter begs for her help. Julian Courtauld was murdered, the letter writer is convinced the evidence is hidden within the pages of Julian's play, but they haven't been able to decipher them. Perhaps Miss Busby can? Charred pages are included in the parcel. It's the play, or what's left of it.
Miss Busby and Adeline must piece together the secrets woven into the script. But someone else remembers that fire — and they’ll do anything to keep the truth from surfacing.
A young man died, consumed by fire. There was no evidence of crime, but suspicions persist. Julian Courtauld had raised hackles, not that he cared. Rich, confident and handsome, he saw a glittering future for himself. He was a budding playwright, he had girls swooning at his feet despite just becoming engaged to a dazzling heiress. And then the fire ended it all.
Five years later a parcel arrives on Miss Busby's doorstep. The anonymous letter begs for her help. Julian Courtauld was murdered, the letter writer is convinced the evidence is hidden within the pages of Julian's play, but they haven't been able to decipher them. Perhaps Miss Busby can? Charred pages are included in the parcel. It's the play, or what's left of it.
Miss Busby and Adeline must piece together the secrets woven into the script. But someone else remembers that fire — and they’ll do anything to keep the truth from surfacing.
- GenresMystery
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2026
About the author
Karen Baugh Menuhin
49 books860 followers1920's, Cozy crime, Traditional Detectives, Downton Abbey - I love them!
Along with my family, my dog and my cat.
At 60 I decided to write, I don't know why but suddenly the stories came pouring out, along with the characters. Eccentric Uncles, stalwart butlers, idiosyncratic servants, machinating Countesses, Fogg the dog and the hapless Major Heathcliff Lennox.
Suddenly a whole world built itself upon the page and I just followed along.
Along with my family, my dog and my cat.
At 60 I decided to write, I don't know why but suddenly the stories came pouring out, along with the characters. Eccentric Uncles, stalwart butlers, idiosyncratic servants, machinating Countesses, Fogg the dog and the hapless Major Heathcliff Lennox.
Suddenly a whole world built itself upon the page and I just followed along.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 25, 2026
Enjoyed the book very much. This author is one of my favourite modern writers. Well worth a read.
March 31, 2026
1924. Miss Isabelle Busby receives via the post the scorched and uncompleted manuscript of 'The Midnight Swan'. Written by Julian Court who died five years earlier. The sender wants her to prove it was murder. And what of his father, was that a suicide.
An entertaining historical mystery with its likeable characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An entertaining historical mystery with its likeable characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
March 22, 2026
10 stars! An excellent, well written mystery. It had me guessing until the very end!
June 1, 2026
Good mystery, poor proofreading
This one kept me guessing. Everybody looked guilty, and I didn't come close to guessing who was really at fault. So it was fun seeing all the characters in action.
The burnt play was a bit tiresome, but luckily it gets handed off for a while.
Owing to the era and to Miss Busby's former profession as a teacher, I thought it was an annoying cheat of the author to have Busby and the inspector, once Busby solved the case, to refer to the killer as "they" when she certainly knew the killer's gender AND never ever would have used a plural pronoun for a singular referent. Clearly the author didn't want the killer revealed quite yet and couldn't think of a smarter way to handle it appropriately.
As for proofreading two characters' names were wrong, one character had multiple mouths, and all the possessives were wrong for any name ending in s already. So many authors screw this up and perpetuate the problem.
I've never much cared for Busby herself, actually, with all her tea drinking and pet stuff. But Mrs. F is fun and balances out Busby quite well, thank goodness.
However, I still enjoy these stories and look forward to the next one.
This one kept me guessing. Everybody looked guilty, and I didn't come close to guessing who was really at fault. So it was fun seeing all the characters in action.
The burnt play was a bit tiresome, but luckily it gets handed off for a while.
Owing to the era and to Miss Busby's former profession as a teacher, I thought it was an annoying cheat of the author to have Busby and the inspector, once Busby solved the case, to refer to the killer as "they" when she certainly knew the killer's gender AND never ever would have used a plural pronoun for a singular referent. Clearly the author didn't want the killer revealed quite yet and couldn't think of a smarter way to handle it appropriately.
As for proofreading two characters' names were wrong, one character had multiple mouths, and all the possessives were wrong for any name ending in s already. So many authors screw this up and perpetuate the problem.
I've never much cared for Busby herself, actually, with all her tea drinking and pet stuff. But Mrs. F is fun and balances out Busby quite well, thank goodness.
However, I still enjoy these stories and look forward to the next one.
July 2, 2026
A bit confusing....and all wad solved by the rnd as usual!
I Love these Cozy Mysteries. MS Karen writes well and for the most part, Her books are well plotted , fun to read, challenging and satisfying...
This book had plenty of suspects and p!entry of motives and though a bit confusing...all turned out solved, though sadly in the end.
I Love MS Busby, Lord Richard, Adelaide, Lucy and Inspector Alistair McCay....She writes her characters well.
Zoe Markham is Co-Author...would be nice to hear about Her contributions...
I recommend these books to anyone who love Cozy and Well told Mysteries!
I Love these Cozy Mysteries. MS Karen writes well and for the most part, Her books are well plotted , fun to read, challenging and satisfying...
This book had plenty of suspects and p!entry of motives and though a bit confusing...all turned out solved, though sadly in the end.
I Love MS Busby, Lord Richard, Adelaide, Lucy and Inspector Alistair McCay....She writes her characters well.
Zoe Markham is Co-Author...would be nice to hear about Her contributions...
I recommend these books to anyone who love Cozy and Well told Mysteries!
March 22, 2026
The Mystery of the Midnight Swan
Another enthralling story in the “Miss Busby Investigates” series. After being sent a very fire damaged manuscript by someone unknown Miss Busby Adeline Fanshaw being researching the apparent suicide of Cesar Courtauld and the subsequent accidental death of his son Julius. What they find leads them to suspect that one or both of them were actually murdered. This time I didn’t manage to guess correctly the murderer’s identity nor their motive. If I’m honest I hoped it would be a particular character that I found very loathsome and duplicitous.
Another enthralling story in the “Miss Busby Investigates” series. After being sent a very fire damaged manuscript by someone unknown Miss Busby Adeline Fanshaw being researching the apparent suicide of Cesar Courtauld and the subsequent accidental death of his son Julius. What they find leads them to suspect that one or both of them were actually murdered. This time I didn’t manage to guess correctly the murderer’s identity nor their motive. If I’m honest I hoped it would be a particular character that I found very loathsome and duplicitous.
May 10, 2026
I love this series! I think the mystery was engaging. However, I found myself annoyed by the language of the "American" in the story....we don't all talk like that and it was distracting. Secondly, this particular book had a little too much best friend opinion and not enough Miss Busby and her thought processes. There was a lot of driving about, but few clues. I would still recommend it and look forward to the next available installment.
March 23, 2026
Very good book
I enjoyed reading this book very much. It is well written. The time period is after the first World War. Miss Busby receives a charred manuscript in in mail and a letter suggests murder! The investigation begins with a gathering of friends who help to uncover clues. It's a twisted path that leads to murder!
I enjoyed reading this book very much. It is well written. The time period is after the first World War. Miss Busby receives a charred manuscript in in mail and a letter suggests murder! The investigation begins with a gathering of friends who help to uncover clues. It's a twisted path that leads to murder!
April 3, 2026
I love the Miss Busby mysteries, as well as all the rest of the series by Karen Baugh Menuhin.
Another intriguing mystery that keeps you guessing. I really enjoy all the characters. They are so well fleshed out that you feel as though you know them personally. I find myself thinking about them and looking forward to spending time with them in the evenings.
Another intriguing mystery that keeps you guessing. I really enjoy all the characters. They are so well fleshed out that you feel as though you know them personally. I find myself thinking about them and looking forward to spending time with them in the evenings.
April 9, 2026
Another Elaborate Puzzle
Miss Busby is sent a charred, incomplete manuscript and asked to solve a cold case the authorities ruled accidental. It wasn’t, of course, and Miss Busby’s team comes through. I’m not sure the motive was adequately explained but I suppose you wouldn’t want to know the murderer too soon.
Miss Busby is sent a charred, incomplete manuscript and asked to solve a cold case the authorities ruled accidental. It wasn’t, of course, and Miss Busby’s team comes through. I’m not sure the motive was adequately explained but I suppose you wouldn’t want to know the murderer too soon.
March 24, 2026
What an amazing mystery!
This is another incredible mystery by Karen Baugh Menuhin. Well developed characters, interesting details, and a complex mystery. This book has everything a murder mystery needs to make it outstanding! Well done! I highly recommend this book.
This is another incredible mystery by Karen Baugh Menuhin. Well developed characters, interesting details, and a complex mystery. This book has everything a murder mystery needs to make it outstanding! Well done! I highly recommend this book.
March 28, 2026
Very good
These books would be better if only someone would stand up to Adeline every now and again. The fact that she simply tanks over anyone (usually Miss Busby) without any comeback is rather annoying. That said the actual mystery was very good.
These books would be better if only someone would stand up to Adeline every now and again. The fact that she simply tanks over anyone (usually Miss Busby) without any comeback is rather annoying. That said the actual mystery was very good.
March 28, 2026
Great and sad.
I liked this story even though it was so sad that both after and son that seemed lovely were both dead. Miss Busby is so smart and kind, no wonder Sir Richard is sweet on her. I like Adalind even if I find her a bit overbearing. Alistair and Lucy are adorable.
I liked this story even though it was so sad that both after and son that seemed lovely were both dead. Miss Busby is so smart and kind, no wonder Sir Richard is sweet on her. I like Adalind even if I find her a bit overbearing. Alistair and Lucy are adorable.
March 28, 2026
Well done
I love these mysteries, I never know who did it until the end. I admit I had hope Julian escaped the fire and faked his death, but the solution still fit. I look forward to the next one.
I love these mysteries, I never know who did it until the end. I admit I had hope Julian escaped the fire and faked his death, but the solution still fit. I look forward to the next one.
April 6, 2026
Barnaby😘
Miss Busby, Mrs. Fanshaw and Sir Richard feature in this double murder mystery. They seem to figure it out, reasonably, but the dog Barnaby is the one to convince Miss Busby of the truth.
Miss Busby, Mrs. Fanshaw and Sir Richard feature in this double murder mystery. They seem to figure it out, reasonably, but the dog Barnaby is the one to convince Miss Busby of the truth.
April 9, 2026
I like Miss Busby books but I found this one difficult to read. I think it’s probably me as I don’t enjoy “cold cases” and I felt there was quite a lot of coincidences in this plot. I did finish it, but it wasn’t my favourite-but still worth reading!
May 5, 2026
Absorbing mystery
I love this series! The author is a master at mysteries. If you have never read Menuhin’s Heathcliff Lennox series, may I respectfully suggest you get right on that!
I love this series! The author is a master at mysteries. If you have never read Menuhin’s Heathcliff Lennox series, may I respectfully suggest you get right on that!
June 27, 2026
Barnaby saves the day
As ever a complex puzzle solved via an entertaining cast - KBM writes first class, well constructed stories - am always rather sad when I get to the end. Roll on the next one in this particular series.
As ever a complex puzzle solved via an entertaining cast - KBM writes first class, well constructed stories - am always rather sad when I get to the end. Roll on the next one in this particular series.
March 23, 2026
Another great read!
I love how this author writes and enjoy all her books. I look forward to the next in the series.
I love how this author writes and enjoy all her books. I look forward to the next in the series.
March 23, 2026
On the Edge of my seat!
Did not predict the ending as I sometimes do with other novelists!
Love, loved it! Thanks MS Menuhin-- another winner!!
Did not predict the ending as I sometimes do with other novelists!
Love, loved it! Thanks MS Menuhin-- another winner!!
March 28, 2026
wow
I read EVERYTHING this Author writes!! She just keeps getting better and better with every word she writes!!! I can’t next for her next book!!!!
I read EVERYTHING this Author writes!! She just keeps getting better and better with every word she writes!!! I can’t next for her next book!!!!
April 7, 2026
Good Story!
Miss Busby is my favorite Sleuth by far. All the characters fit so well together and they work wonderfully well with the plots.
Miss Busby is my favorite Sleuth by far. All the characters fit so well together and they work wonderfully well with the plots.
April 11, 2026
The principal characters in this series are quite good but the whole play within a novel concept was overdone and tedious. Early on my reaction became one of “Really?, Who cares who did it?”
May 14, 2026
An extremely enjoyable read. Clever plots are joined by well written dialogue that moves the story along effortlessly.
May 15, 2026
The first absolute miss with Karen Baugh Menuhin.
June 17, 2026
A nice twisty historical cozy mystery. But not quite as much of Lucy and the inspector as I would like.
July 29, 2026
Not bad
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews