The Mystery of the Missing Man: Heathcliff Lennox Investigates: A Cotswolds murder mystery

Heathcliff Lennox #16

by Karen Baugh Menuhin

The Mystery of the Missing Man
Murder, mystery and a dog of distinction.
Heathcliff Lennox investigates.
Summer 1924. Seven archaeologists board the morning train from Oxford to witness the Roman villa excavation at Ashton Steeple. Only six arrive.
Dr Mortimer Quayle was seen settling into his compartment with his leather case. The conductor punched his ticket. Witnesses claimed to have seen him. But somewhere during the thirty-mile journey through the peaceful Cotswold countryside, Dr. Quayle vanished without a trace.
How does a man disappear from a moving train?
What begins as a strange puzzle becomes something far deadlier. Someone among the respectable scholars committed murder–but who would kill such a distinguished man, and what secret was worth killing for?
In a world of buried artefacts and ancient mysteries, Lennox and Swift must uncover which team member has buried their past as carefully as any Roman treasure.
Major Heathcliff Lennox - ex WW1 war pilot, 6feet 3inch, tousled dark blond hair, age around 30 – named after the hero of Wuthering Heights by his romantically minded mother – much to his great annoyance.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Historical, Cozy

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 22, 2025

About the author

1920'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.

Reviews

[Yuvaraj kothandaraman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystery of the Missing Man by Karen Baugh Menuhin is a well-crafted murder mystery set in the English Cotswolds in 1924. The novel opens with an intriguing setup: a group of archaeologists arrives by train at a small village for an excavation project, but one of them, Dr Mortimer Quayle, mysteriously disappears from a moving first-class carriage. What begins as a straightforward missing person case transforms into a complex murder investigation with layers of historical secrets, hidden gold, and family conspiracies stretching back to the English Civil War. The author weaves together a contemporary mystery with historical intrigue, creating a satisfying blend of detective work and academic investigation.

The book's greatest strength is its sense of place. The Cotswolds setting feels authentic and lived-in. The descriptions of the village, the Manor, the railway station, and the archaeological dig site are vivid without being excessive. Readers can easily picture the landscape and understand how the geography influences the mystery. The author has clearly done her research into both the English countryside and the practicalities of 1920s train travel and archaeological work.

The characterization is surprisingly strong for a mystery novel. While the archaeologists are initially presented somewhat superficially, they gradually reveal themselves as complex individuals with their own motives, conflicts, and histories. Professor Mannering is particularly well-drawn, starting as a seemingly bumbling academic but revealing hidden depths. Constance Carrew is charmingly ineffectual in a way that feels authentic rather than annoying. Lady Ethel is a wonderful example of an intelligent, opinionated woman of her era who refuses to be constrained by convention.

The mystery itself is constructed cleverly. The opening puzzle of Dr Quayle's disappearance is genuinely mysterious, and the shift from a missing person case to a murder investigation keeps readers off balance. The red herrings are sprinkled throughout without feeling cheap or manipulative. Several characters have reasons to appear suspicious, and the author does not make it obvious who is guilty until the final revelation.

The integration of the Civil War history with the contemporary mystery is creative and well-executed. Rather than feeling like two separate plots forced together, the historical mystery about the Redeemer and the stolen gold forms an organic part of the present-day investigation. The reader gradually realizes that the past is not truly past but remains alive in the present, influencing people's actions in the current day.

The protagonist, Major Heathcliff Lennox, is a likable and competent hero. Unlike many amateur detectives in mysteries, he feels like a man with real responsibilities, real relationships, and genuine concerns beyond solving the case. His partnership with the professional detective Swift creates good dynamic tension, with the amateur and professional bringing different perspectives to the investigation.

The dialogue is natural and often quite witty. Characters sound like distinct individuals, and their conversations reveal personality and advance the plot simultaneously. The banter between characters never feels forced or artificial.


The novel begins when Major Heathcliff Lennox and Inspector Swift meet an archaeologist group arriving by train at Ashton Steeple station. They are waiting to meet seven archaeologists, including Dr Mortimer Quayle, a prominent anthropologist from Oxford. However, when the train arrives at the station, Dr Quayle is nowhere to be found. Despite searches of the train, his luggage is discovered in his first-class compartment, but the man himself has vanished. A fresh scratch on the exterior door of his compartment suggests it was forced open, indicating he may have exited the train while it was moving.

The mystery deepens when a body is discovered in the nearby river. The dead man is initially believed to be Dr Quayle, but an autopsy reveals it is actually Professor James Ashcroft, another archaeologist. Ashcroft died from a blow to the back of the head with a blunt instrument, likely a rock, and was placed in the river after death. Now the case has become even more perplexing: Dr Quayle is missing, and Professor Ashcroft, who should have been accounted for, is dead.

Investigation reveals that Dr Quayle and Professor Ashcroft had a bitter professional rivalry. During an excavation at Islip, they discovered a skeleton with a coin. Quayle insisted it be removed to Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum for study, arguing he had academic authority. Ashcroft furiously opposed this, viewing it as theft of his discovery. The tension between them had festered for months, with each man avoiding the other whenever possible.

However, further investigation uncovers a much deeper historical mystery. The archaeologists had been interested in a legendary Civil War figure called the Redeemer, a Parliamentary officer who wore an iron helmet with eye holes and apparently had a personal vendetta against the aristocracy. The Redeemer was known for a brutal execution method: circling his victim on horseback while shouting accusations of sin. Quayle had been investigating whether the Redeemer was a figure named Silas Morton, a man from the village of Shipton under Wychwood who had been declared dead in 1652.

Through examination of family papers and historical records, the investigation reveals that Silas Morton was the Redeemer. Morton was a farmhand who had loved Katherine (Kitty), but she was forced to marry Lucius Lennox, an ancestor of the Major. Lucius had stolen a substantial quantity of gold from the King's mint and brought it to the estate, planning to hide it. Silas Morton, motivated by political ideology and personal love for Kitty, murdered Lucius at the Islip dig site. He then came to the Lennox estate searching for the gold, destroying the house in his quest. Kitty's father, William Carter, a blacksmith, stopped Morton and killed him with a pitchfork, the same weapon he had used to force Lucius to marry his daughter years earlier. William recovered the gold and made it into jewelry and broken items, which he later sold when the monarchy was restored, using the money to buy back the family lands.

The actual murderer is revealed to be Professor Bertrand Mannering. Mannering had learned through Dr Quayle about the connection between Silas Morton and the Lennox estate. Mannering desperately needed academic credibility and recognized that proving the identity of the legendary Redeemer would make his career. He believed Ashcroft also knew about this connection and was competing for the same discovery.

On the day of the murder, Mannering intercepted Ashcroft, probably demanding information about what he knew of the Redeemer's identity. When Ashcroft refused to share information, Mannering killed him with a rock near the riverbank and pushed his body into the river. Mannering then traveled to Oxford that evening and, using a disguise and wearing a gardener's hat, impersonated Dr Quayle boarding the train. He was the man on the train in first class, not Quayle himself. His plan was to create the appearance that Quayle had mysteriously vanished, making Quayle look suspicious. With Quayle discredited and out of the way, Mannering could pursue the archaeological discovery alone.

Dr Quayle's actual story is this: He received a typed note asking him to meet Ashcroft at a riverside slipway. Upon arrival at 9 PM, he discovered Ashcroft's body. As he knelt beside it in shock, someone hidden in bushes shouted "Murderer!" in a disguised voice, terrifying him. Quayle found his Bodleian Library card had been stolen from his rooms, and someone had conducted a search. Realizing he was being framed, he panicked. He received another threatening note saying "You did it, you were seen." He boarded a train to Ashton Steeple but exited without being noticed. He then hid in an abandoned shepherd's dwelling near the Rollright Stones for two days, living on apples and blackberries. Unable to endure further, he walked to Ashton Hall at dawn and turned himself over to Lennox and Swift for protection, admitting the entire ordeal and his desperate research into the Redeemer's identity.

However, the plan unraveled. Swift and Lennox's investigation uncovered the truth. Mannering eventually confessed under pressure, admitting to the murder of Ashcroft. The evidence proved devastating: witnesses placed Mannering at various locations that couldn't be easily verified, the timing of his movements became suspicious, and ultimately he broke down and admitted to killing Ashcroft in a fit of rage over the academic rivalry and competitive discovery.

Simultaneously, the investigation revealed another secret. The body of Silas Morton had been discovered buried beneath the dovecote at the Manor. Swift, Lennox, and Fossett had moved it to the charnel house beneath the chapel before the archaeologists' arrival, protecting the family's privacy. When questioned, the archaeologists admitted they had suspected this all along but chose not to pursue the matter because the discovery itself was genuine.

The novel concludes with Persi giving birth to a son, Ethan Hugh Lennox, providing a hopeful counterpoint to the darkness of the murder investigation. The archaeologists return to complete their dig, finding evidence of a Roman temple and the blessing stone. Life at the Manor begins to return to normal, though the weight of history and the sins of the past have been acknowledged.

Professor Mannering is revealed to have been a broken man by the murder and its aftermath. His confession comes in a rambling state of confusion, suggesting his mind has fractured under the weight of his crime and its discovery. He faces imprisonment for murder, likely spending the rest of his life in prison rather than facing execution due to his deteriorating mental state.

Dr Quayle faced professional humiliation at Oxford and suffered career consequences despite being innocent of the murder.

[Sheila-Merle Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollicking read

As always, these Heathcliff Lennox books are a pleasure to read, filled with historical and archaeological learnings, as well as a good mystery that is hard if not almost impossible to guess. This particular one had the additional pleasure of bringing us to a sense of hope for the future, which is sorely needed these days.

[Daniel W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always enjoy time spent with Lennox, Swift, Persi, Greggs, etc...

I do enjoy Karen Baugh Menhuin's Lennox books. Regardless of the current crime, there's the butler, lots of tea and tasty snacks, a loyal spaniel and self centered cat; beautiful, loving wife; bickering detective partner; whiskey, and secrets. I'm so thankful she can supply a couple a year. Reading these is time well spent...,

[Joan Maddax · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Favorite Thus Far !

I honestly thought The Gathering of Clan McFee was the best book of this series but the author has proven me wrong. This book is full of unexpected twists and turns combined with very interesting family history. As always the author's ability to describe the the surrounding environment rings true. The author has surpassed herself with this book and I am excited to see what is next !

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer 1924. Seven archaeologists have boarded a train to Ashton Steeple to excavate the Roman temple but only six arrive. Lennox and Swift investigate, but then a dead male is discovered, and threatening letters are received. What is the connection to 1645, gold, and the Lennox estate.
An entertaining and well-written nhistorical mystery with its cast of likeable characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.

[Tonya Seel · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the fantastic things that make Karen’s books instant classics!

An archaeological dig and new excavation: of course murder and mystery. Add a dash of witty humor and loads of warmth from spending time with old friends. A fabulous read!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stellar way to start the new year

This story delivers far more depth than I expected—plenty of twists and turns, a smartly layered mystery, and genuinely satisfying character growth along the way. The characters evolve naturally as the stakes rise, which adds real emotional payoff rather than just moving pieces around the board.

That said, this is very much a cozy—not a step-by-step police procedural—and it’s all the better for it. If you’re looking for charm, intrigue, and a well-constructed mystery that trusts the reader, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Charline Romine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lennox Happenings

Absolutely riveting! Lennox has to make a leap of truth and Lady Persi delivers the next generation. The archaeological expedition that this story is wrapped around is fascinating, and in their own backyard!

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good One

This was a good one. I always enjoy books in this series and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The mystery and solution were neat and tidy, with no plot holes. It came to a satisfying conclusion without a lot of conflict. I gave this book five stars for being one of the best in the series, not necessarily for being one of my favorite books.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

This was really rather good. Even better I had no idea who had done what. Always a bonus for me! There is one thing that always... well slightly annoys me, I suppose. And that is men, particularly husbands, in stories like these can never keep a secret from their wife, or lie convincingly. I can honestly say I have yet to meet a man who cannot lie convincingly if he wants or needs to. But I suppose it would have been a very different story if Lennox hadn't blurted the story, (one that his family had kept secret for three hundred years) to practically the first person that asked him!

[Kerrie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good mystery

I very much enjoy this series. This book is no exception. Persi, though great with child, had invited fellow archaeologists to dig in an area where she had discovered a temple. When Lennox and Swift no to the train station to pick then up, one is missing. Professor Quayle. When searching for him they find notes that appear to be threats. Then a body is found - not Professor Quayle, but another archaeologist. There is another mystery to be solved, one that happened in the 1650's during Cromwell reign and this one has connections to Lennon's ancestors. Great characters, I look forward to more books in this series

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the Best of the Lennox Mysteries

This one was lots of fun; Persi, Swift, Florence and a gaggle of archeologists dealing with murder, a missing colleague, and academic skullduggery all at Lennox’s neighborhood with our favorite people helping out. Crimes of the past act the catalyst to the current mayhem. As usual, Lennox puts it all together and then Persi has the baby. Enjoy the whole series starting from the first book if you haven’t already.

[Boardwalk Babe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lennox does it once more

As a lover of the Heathcliff Lennox mysteries, I was, of course, thrilled to have a brand new addition to read.

And yes, it was full of twists and turns, richly integrated snippets of history and deliciously described characters and settings.

But this one was different. Woven into a fine mystery was more emotion, more human angst, more self-realization, and a rich cascade of gathering joy.

Sigh. Menuhin has done it again; pleased me, surprised me and made me thoroughly grateful she is still writing in her magical way. Thank you Ms. Menuhin.

[Anne Marie Schauman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Major Lennox mystery

I love this whole series and was thrilled to see it arrive early. This time we got both Heathcliff,Swift and Inspector Mackay. No more spoilers from me.

[Vero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really really good!

The crime plot was interesting, actually more the ancient one than the current one, but nicely intertwined!

It felt more emotionally charged because Lennox was more directly involved, I guess.

Fantastic read.

[John S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful adventure with the Lenox and Swift families. This one closer to home. Touching on closely held family secrets and all the while Persi is very pregnant. I could not put it down. Great job once again Karen. Thank you.

[Nadine Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting mystery, delightfully satisfying!

A mystery set among historical ruins, a story of clever detection, and amazingly real and loveable characters. Ms Menuhin excels once again but with a pièce de résistance! Make time, you will be unable to put it down.

[Nancy E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous addition to the series!

This novel in the Heathcliff Lennox series is definitely the best one yet! I loved the characters and the plot, which took unexpected turns and resolved beautifully. Well done, Karen!

[Lisa Bjornstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

High praise is not high enough

What a phenomenal addition to the Heathcliff Lennox series! Several mysteries confront the team here, and the unraveling of each one is thoroughly spellbinding. Fantastic read!

[Denise M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well told story

The Heath cliff Lennox never disappoint. The characters ring true.

The settings are described without becoming overly didactic.
Keep writing!

[Lavada Haga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

I enjoyed reading this book very much. There was a lot going on and all of it very interesting so I couldn't put it down!

[Leanne Pazik · Rating 5 out of 5]

a baby is born!!!!

Finally Happiness for Heathcliff Lenox! No spoilers here, but I cried at the birth, it was hard to keep reading because of the tears!!!!

[Lawrence FitzGerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lennox solves another with a summation gathering. But Persi gives birth and I fear this series will go the way of the Thin Man movies after Nora gave birth. Oh well, it was a good run.

[Jean Sokell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another great read

I love following the adventures of Lennox, Perci Swift Florence and the gang. Cannot wait for the next one .

[Carola Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

I really enjoyed this one. I really liked the history around the Lennox family. And the birth of the baby was the best ending of all. I can’t wait for the next one.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a pleasure to spend time with Lennox, Persi, Greggs and the extended family. I think the series gets stronger with every new book.

[Shirley J. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Lennox and Persi

This took me awhile to grab onto to theme...but, once it did I couldn't stop reading.

Im excited for the next adventure.

[Ester M.M.S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really very good!