Murder at Hawthorne Hall

A Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne Mystery #7

by Olivia Rose

Birthright, bigamy, and betrayal.

When a mysterious claimant arrives at Hawthorne Hall declaring himself the rightful heir, Aunt Beatrice's world crumbles. His evidence of her late husband's previous marriage threatens everything she holds dear – her family, her home, and four decades of devoted widowhood.

But when the claimant is found murdered, Aunt Beatrice becomes the prime suspect.

Trapped between family loyalty and mounting evidence, Elizabeth races to uncover the truth about her Uncle Arthur's past, and soon discovers even the most steadfast love can hide the darkest secrets.

With the Hawthorne legacy at stake and her beloved aunt facing the gallows, can Elizabeth expose Arthur's secrets before his past destroys them all?

Genres: Mystery

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2026

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 7th book in the Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne Mystery Series. When Aunt Beatrice receives a letter from South Africa, with the sender claiming to be a previously unknown heir, Lady Elizabeth begins to ponder how the claim can be proven or not. Aunt Beatrice tries to maintain an air of business as usual, but when a murder occurs at Hawthorne Hall, Lady Elizabeth must unravel the mystery to save her aunt from a murder charge.

With secret passages and hiding places, Lady Elizabeth has to use all of her wits as well as her title to discover the truth. From the staff that have been with the family for generations through a physician who is new in town, there is no shortage of suspects for her to eliminate as she works to find the murderer.

This is an easy to read historical cozy mystery that will have you engrossed from beginning to end whether you’ve read the prior books in the series or not. It is a quick read. If you enjoy reading cozies, lady detectives that must challenge the norms of their times, then you will certainly enjoy this one and if you are new to the series you’ll want to read the others as well.

[Lynette Alder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collision of past and present

This new book in the Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne series is hard to put down, so much is riding on the investigation. Lady Elizabeth must save her Aunt Beatrice and the family name. How can she do it with so little documentation? Lady Elizabeth and Meli are under so much pressure. The secrets of the past have joined them. Who do they really belong to?
Lady Elizabeth has to decide what is the truth and then prove it before Aunt Beatrice suffers the consequences. The only people that can help are not even still alive. The prejudices of the authorities is also against them.
It is a tale of the past and present colliding with dire outcomes. Fortunately fate and the truth help to solve this mystery. A great read

[Robin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne and her cousin Meli head to Hawthorne Hall for a visit with Elizabeth’s Aunt Beatrice. They are soon compelled to investigate when a man claiming to be the rightful heir is murdered, and Beatrice is arrested for the crime. Mildly entertaining mystery as the ladies delve into the past to find out the truth. Ok addition to the series.
I received a free copy from the author, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Valeri Sullivan (vsulvn29) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no time for sentiment, Elizabeth. You have a killer to catch.’

When a strange shows up at Hawthorne Hall claiming to be the eldest son of her grandfather, Elizabeth and her grandmother’s whole world tilts, as this could mean that they lose everything. Then the heir apparent ends up dead and her grandmother is arrested, leaving Elizabeth and Meli no choice but to find the culprit in yet another solid outing in this series. Well done.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

While visiting Aunt Beatrice, Lady Elizabeth and her cousin Meli find themselves embroiled in an inheritance scam,phony disguises, and multiple murders involving her uncles - one living and one dead. All things point to her aunt and the clock is ticking. Great plot twists?

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Elizabeth and cousin Meli venture forth on another adventure. Lady Elizabeth has been summoned to Hawthorne Hall by Aunt Beatrice. A boorish new heir appears and soon is murdered. Did Uncle Arthur have another family before marrying Aunt Beatrice? The girls strive to find the answer.

[Stephanie Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the latest installment of the Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne mystery series! The plot was engaging with several red herrings. I love the characters and can’t wait for the next adventure!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Elizabeth Hawthorne Book 7

Goodness! Twists, turns, and so many surprises. This book kept me turning pages until the end. Glad I didn't start reading it at night.