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Emily: Case 23: A Lt. Kate Gazzara Novel
Two murders. Same library. Ninety-nine years apart.
When Captain Kate Gazzara investigates the poisoning death of Augustus Aldridge III in his Chattanooga mansion, she discovers something the victim had been secretly obsessed with a 1926 cold case. A young pregnant woman named Emily Caldwell was murdered in that same library nearly a century ago.
Augustus was close to solving Emily's murder. Someone made sure he never got the chance.
Now Kate is hunting a killer who's been hiding in plain sight—inside a household full of desperate family members, loyal staff with hidden grudges and secrets that powerful people will kill to protect. The son drowning in gambling debts. The cook facing forced retirement. The gardener who grows the very plants that produced the poison.
Everyone had motive. Everyone had opportunity. And someone is still watching.
New to Kate Gazzara? Start here. Already a fan? You know what to do.
When Captain Kate Gazzara investigates the poisoning death of Augustus Aldridge III in his Chattanooga mansion, she discovers something the victim had been secretly obsessed with a 1926 cold case. A young pregnant woman named Emily Caldwell was murdered in that same library nearly a century ago.
Augustus was close to solving Emily's murder. Someone made sure he never got the chance.
Now Kate is hunting a killer who's been hiding in plain sight—inside a household full of desperate family members, loyal staff with hidden grudges and secrets that powerful people will kill to protect. The son drowning in gambling debts. The cook facing forced retirement. The gardener who grows the very plants that produced the poison.
Everyone had motive. Everyone had opportunity. And someone is still watching.
New to Kate Gazzara? Start here. Already a fan? You know what to do.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 22, 2025
About the author
Blair Howard
302 books347 followersBlair C. Howard is a Royal Air Force veteran, a retired journalist, and the best-selling author of more than 50 novels, including the international best-selling Harry Starke series, and 23 travel books. In 2021, having been fascinated by the heavens almost from childhood, and a SciFi fan for almost as long, he decided to try his hand at writing a military space opera. His first journey into this genre resulted in the Sovereign Stars series. Book 1 in the series, Avenger was quickly followed by Gods of War and Armored Fleet.
Blair lives in East Tennessee with his wife Jo, and Jack Russell Terrier, Sally.
Blair lives in East Tennessee with his wife Jo, and Jack Russell Terrier, Sally.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
November 20, 2025
Yet another, complex, captivating case for Captain Kate Gazzara of the Chattanooga PD.
Wealthy aristocrat, Augustus Albridge 111, had been found dead in the library of his mansion, Kate's suspicion of poisoning was confirmed, but this poisoning had been very carefully orchestrated. It just so happened that the victim had been secretly researching another murder that happened in the same library a century ago, coincidence ? Kate didn't believe in coincidence, she had been taught by the best.
It soon became clear to Kate that every one living in the mansion, both the diverse family, his wife, his son, his daughter, his son in law, and all the staff, had a motive for wanting Augustus 111 dead, none of them had an alibi, or if they did it was shaky, and when a second murder occurred they didn't have alibis for that one either, the MO was totally different, Kate and her team had to start unravelling their stories "Find the snag and pull".
This story is a maze of blind alleys leading nowhere, of red herrings by the bucketful, Kate needed to delve deep into the family history of the Albridge family, the skeletons in the cupboards. Blair Howard has successfully illustrated the superiority of "old money" and the yawning chasm between the classes, this story has more twists than a corkscrew, it will keep you turning pages until the unexpected end. I love Kate's stories, she is like an old friend.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary.
Wealthy aristocrat, Augustus Albridge 111, had been found dead in the library of his mansion, Kate's suspicion of poisoning was confirmed, but this poisoning had been very carefully orchestrated. It just so happened that the victim had been secretly researching another murder that happened in the same library a century ago, coincidence ? Kate didn't believe in coincidence, she had been taught by the best.
It soon became clear to Kate that every one living in the mansion, both the diverse family, his wife, his son, his daughter, his son in law, and all the staff, had a motive for wanting Augustus 111 dead, none of them had an alibi, or if they did it was shaky, and when a second murder occurred they didn't have alibis for that one either, the MO was totally different, Kate and her team had to start unravelling their stories "Find the snag and pull".
This story is a maze of blind alleys leading nowhere, of red herrings by the bucketful, Kate needed to delve deep into the family history of the Albridge family, the skeletons in the cupboards. Blair Howard has successfully illustrated the superiority of "old money" and the yawning chasm between the classes, this story has more twists than a corkscrew, it will keep you turning pages until the unexpected end. I love Kate's stories, she is like an old friend.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary.
January 17, 2026
A complex story with many suspects after the body of a prominent local identity is discovered at his home having died under suspicious circumstances. Lieutenant Kate Gazzara of the Chattanooga Police Department is called to the scene and of course because of the prominence of the victim, pressure comes from her boss as she and the team commence their investigation. An intriguing discovery is a further unsolved murder in the very same room, 100 years prior. The victim then, was a young woman, and this leads to a number of possibilities as the investigation proceeds. Then there’s a second murder on the property, this time of a staff member which adds to the complexity. There are many twists and turns as the investigation unfolds and the team must wade through these matters as they arise, throwing suspicions on a number of the family members, but few hard facts.
With numerous suspects identified, all with potential motives but no firm evidence to be found, Kate and the team need to look outside the obvious. A good read with so many complexities that the reader has to think hard with some of those facts coming forward.
With numerous suspects identified, all with potential motives but no firm evidence to be found, Kate and the team need to look outside the obvious. A good read with so many complexities that the reader has to think hard with some of those facts coming forward.
December 22, 2025
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This story begins with the killing of Emily in 1925. The story then picks up 99 years later when the body of Augustus lll is discovered in his study. It is finally determined that he was murdered and Kate is assigned the case. All of the individuals were interviewed which was composed of the wife, both son and daughter in law, both daughter and son-in-law as well as 5 staff employees. After interviewing all of them, both the son and son-in-law were considered suspects.
Follow along and discover how Kate and her team pursue their search for the killer. Learn what the method of the killing was and how Rosa came into the picture. The story will keep you guessing right till the end. The ending answers all questions. This is a definite read, don't miss out!
This story begins with the killing of Emily in 1925. The story then picks up 99 years later when the body of Augustus lll is discovered in his study. It is finally determined that he was murdered and Kate is assigned the case. All of the individuals were interviewed which was composed of the wife, both son and daughter in law, both daughter and son-in-law as well as 5 staff employees. After interviewing all of them, both the son and son-in-law were considered suspects.
Follow along and discover how Kate and her team pursue their search for the killer. Learn what the method of the killing was and how Rosa came into the picture. The story will keep you guessing right till the end. The ending answers all questions. This is a definite read, don't miss out!
January 16, 2026
This is book 23 in a series. It would help the reader to begin the series at the beginning. I recently read books 21 & 22, then this one. I felt that the author was rushing to finish these 3 books, because there were errors in the plot & whoever edited these last 3 books did a half- fast job. Read that last sentence fast. This is unfortunate, because having read the other books in the series, it does the rest of the books an injustice. The other books were written & thought out well. Can’t say the same for these 3. I have also read & enjoyed the author’s Harry Starke series, & didn’t see the same kind of editing errors in those. I was greatly disappointed by the editing errors of the last three books in the Kate Gazzara series.
January 21, 2026
Emily: Case 23: A Lt. Kate Gazzara Novel (The Lt. Kate Gazzara Murder Files), my seventy-eighth read from author Blair Howard. Haunting, well-written, enjoyable, edge-of-your-seat police procedural/vigilante justice thriller, thoroughly entertaining, as always! I always look forward to the next work from Howard. A Blair Howard book is like a visit from an old detective friend. I received a complementary Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Next in the Kate Gazzara Murder Files; The Murder of Orson Crane: Case 24: A Lt. Kate Gazzara Novel (The Lt. Kate Gazzara Murder Files)due out in February. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
February 27, 2026
Another tough case for Kate & crew. The patriarch of a prominent family is murdered in his library. He had been obsessed with, and was close to revealing, the culprit of an unsolved 100-year-old murder in that same room. There were many suspects with hidden motives, including several family members, as well as staff members. I found this story a bit hard to follow, especially in trying to keep the characters and their motives identified. To combat that, there was a lot of repetition, which helped, but the repeated questioning of the same people with the same questions made the story drag. I stuck with it because I really enjoy the sleuthing. I was sad that Samson didn’t have a very active role in this tale.
November 19, 2025
I love the way Blair Howard mixed the past with the present in his newest book. It's a well written book about the way things were in the south when old money and privilage reigned and things were swept under the rug to the present day with the death of a prominant Chattanooga businessman. It takes turns you wouldn't believe as Kate and her crew try to solve puzzle of is death. Is it the son who has money problems and doesn't share the same bedroom as his wife? Is it the son in law who is a prominant surgeon? The list goes on as Kate is pressured to find the killer. Just when you think you know who it is, it turns out it isn't. If you like crime thrillers, this is a must read.
November 22, 2025
To solve this crime you have to dig very deep.
A double murder mystery a century apart – can Kate and her team connect the dots? Likely suspects are of a prominent family of old money wealth. The place is in the library of a large Chattanooga estate where several people had access and equally good motives but where is the irrefutable evidence?
Blair Howard delivers another well-written and intriguing story that will keep you guessing till the end with a multitude of interesting characters and new and age-old secrets. This was a very entertaining read…I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read “Emily” and offer my honest and voluntary review.
A double murder mystery a century apart – can Kate and her team connect the dots? Likely suspects are of a prominent family of old money wealth. The place is in the library of a large Chattanooga estate where several people had access and equally good motives but where is the irrefutable evidence?
Blair Howard delivers another well-written and intriguing story that will keep you guessing till the end with a multitude of interesting characters and new and age-old secrets. This was a very entertaining read…I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read “Emily” and offer my honest and voluntary review.
December 9, 2025
A prominent businessman is found dead in his library. The same place where a woman was found murdered nearly a century earlier. Kate and her team are asked by the Chief, due to political pressure, to investigate the man’s death. All the family members seem to have motive and opportunity, but there’s not much useful evidence. The man had been researching ancestral family history at the time of his death. Did that have anything to do with his death? Was he murdered over information he discovered or something else? Enjoy this intriguing read to find the answers. Another great story from Blair Howard.
November 4, 2025
Blair Howard delivers another gripping installment in the Lt. Kate Gazzara series with Emily: Case 23. This time, Kate investigates the chilling murder of a prominent businessman found dead in his mansion’s library—eerily echoing a century-old murder in the same room. As Kate unravels layers of family secrets, inheritance schemes, and historical obsession, the novel blends classic whodunit suspense with a haunting dual timeline. The pacing is tight, the suspects are richly drawn, and the twisty resolution keeps readers guessing. I definitely recommend this new book in the series.
November 8, 2025
Emily - a review by Rosemary Kenny.
Captain Kate Gazzara investigates a murder that's linked to a century-old cover-up, in Blair Howard's police procedural, Emily. But that's not the last untimely death linked to the Aldridges, as Kate enters into a convoluted case that includes her lengthy and very detailed procedures.
It isn't the 'traditional' whodunit...? (a butler definitely didn't do it), but be warned, Emily will tug at your heart-strings as the truth is eventually revealed. Why not try it for yourself by getting a copy today!
Captain Kate Gazzara investigates a murder that's linked to a century-old cover-up, in Blair Howard's police procedural, Emily. But that's not the last untimely death linked to the Aldridges, as Kate enters into a convoluted case that includes her lengthy and very detailed procedures.
It isn't the 'traditional' whodunit...? (a butler definitely didn't do it), but be warned, Emily will tug at your heart-strings as the truth is eventually revealed. Why not try it for yourself by getting a copy today!
December 3, 2025
A high-society big-wig is murdered, but why and by whom. The Aldridges were very well-known and very powerful in Chattanooga. But like many families their secrets ran deep. Would Captain Kate Gazzara and her team be able to unearth the connections and determine the identity of the killer. None of the puzzle pieces seemed to fit. Will they be dogged enough to unravel the history and connections? This book kept me intrigued. It definitely could be a work of art imitating life. I really think you'll enjoy it.
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January 27, 2026This has to be one of my most favorite books by Blair Howard. I have read a few LT Kate Gazzara series and loved them all. This was an intriguing mystery. So many secrets. I thought I had it figured out about half way through, but then another secret revealed and I had to figure it out all over again. The twist at the end I never saw coming.
I love the story, the characters and the twists and turns. I really like Blair Howard's writing style. If you haven't read a book in this series, I highly recommend it. If you have, keep reading this one is the best.
I love the story, the characters and the twists and turns. I really like Blair Howard's writing style. If you haven't read a book in this series, I highly recommend it. If you have, keep reading this one is the best.
November 2, 2025
Kate gets an early morning call from the Chief. There is a dead body, not positively a murder, but the "victim" is from old money and the Chief needs answers as soon as possible. Kate and her crew are in for a tangled web, a web that goes back almost 100 years. With old money, comes old secrets and possible scandals. For some, secrets and scandals are worth killing for - either to keep or to awaken. Another great story from the mind of author Blair Howard. A great read.
November 8, 2025
An excellent murder investigative story with a well written plot and an outstanding female main character. Kate and crew are trying to solve murders that are tied to past family secrets of the rich and entitled. Contains plenty of action, complex subjects, lots of potential motives, and several twists and turns. A real page turner that I enjoyed and highly recommend. An excellent series that keeps getting better.
November 12, 2025
The Kate and Samson stories have been among my favourite by this author. I’m adding this book to that list. It is a very good investigative procedural that has an interesting plot and has twists to keep you guessing and reading. It deals with family secrets that span decades and requires a deep dive by Kate’s team to solve the mystery. I admit I lost track of time while reading it. I’m recommending it for these reasons. I gave it 5 stars.
November 16, 2025
Love all this authors books but this story stands out as one of the best so far. As always the storyline wove an intricate story beyond the murder mystery, this time revolving around generational trauma and family pride. I was struck at how much the relationship between Corbin and Kate has evolved, from boss to subordinate at the beginning and now respected colleague. Definitely a book to be savored.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
November 21, 2025
Augustus Aldridge lll who is a wealthy aristocrat has been found dead in the library of his mansion. The second death in that same room except that the last body was found ninety nine years ago. Two murders, is there a connection?
Kate and her team definitely have a lot to sort through.
Family secrets, old money, scandals, twists and turns as they start to untangle a web.
I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.
Kate and her team definitely have a lot to sort through.
Family secrets, old money, scandals, twists and turns as they start to untangle a web.
I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.
December 4, 2025
Kate and her team are called in to investigate the death of a prominent wealthy businessman. Things are not what they appear. Pressure from the chief and pushback from the family members who all have motive as well as the staff. Ties to a century old murder, in the same library where this man was found, leads to family secrets that some do not want disclosed. Well written. Great cast of characters. Everyone is a suspect.
January 9, 2026
Emily
I've read all the Kate and Harry books by Blair, but sadly Emily proved hard going. The time frame of the families and the number of characters dating back to the year 1925 I found confusing. Also, the repetition became annoying. A good story but I was pleased to reach the epilogue,only to find that was even more repetitive. Hopefully the next in the series will have more of a storyline and Samson will get to see some action, in this book of which there was none.
I've read all the Kate and Harry books by Blair, but sadly Emily proved hard going. The time frame of the families and the number of characters dating back to the year 1925 I found confusing. Also, the repetition became annoying. A good story but I was pleased to reach the epilogue,only to find that was even more repetitive. Hopefully the next in the series will have more of a storyline and Samson will get to see some action, in this book of which there was none.
November 4, 2025
Two deaths separated by ninety nine years but in same house library. Both murdered - connected? 1925 - young lady strangled but no suspects and case unsolved. 2024 Augustus Aldridge III killed by poison. He had been researching family history including 1925 death. So who killed him? Family secrets unveiled finally lead to the killer but surprise after long slog by Captain Gazzera and her team.
November 13, 2025
An age old murder, family secrets and discord sets the pace of this complex and frustrating case for Kate and her team. A Who Dunnit’ where many household members could have been the murderer. With Kate on the case, their secrets are soon revealed. Recommended. I received an ARC and my review is honest and voluntary.
November 28, 2025
Received as ARC. A prominent businessman is found murdered in his library. Lt Kate Gazzara is called in. She finds that he was investigating the murder of a young woman in the same library almost a century ago. As usual, the plot is great, the characters are fantastic, and Kate does her usual great job.
December 22, 2025
The latest murder case for Kate's team has political implications since the victim is from a prominent family. Due to the means of death, poisoning, the family and staff are the prime suspects. As the investigation evolves, secrets will be revealed. But are any of those secrets a clue to the killer? There are plenty of surprises as the killer is revealed.
November 21, 2025
Another great addition the the Kate Gazzara series. A wealthy man dies and there is quite the list of suspects. Could this possibly be related to a murder in the same room almost 100 years ago? Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. A great read.
December 22, 2025
A wealthy businessman is found dead in the mansion's library. Another death occurred in the same library many years prior. Kate Gazzara is put on the case because of the political nature of the case. A page turning story line that keeps your interest.
December 24, 2025
Emily is the twenty third book in the phenomenal Kate Gazzara series. The plot is intriguing, gripping, interesting and entertaining. The twists and turn kept me engaged from start to finish. Just when I thought I had it figured out……I didn’t! A great suspenseful mystery.
December 28, 2025
How can 2 deaths, 100 years apart be related?
That is what Kate has to figure out. There are a lot of people with motive, but only one killer. The end is a surprise and the justice sought and bitterly won. Highly recommend!
That is what Kate has to figure out. There are a lot of people with motive, but only one killer. The end is a surprise and the justice sought and bitterly won. Highly recommend!
March 3, 2026
Wow! What a story full of secrets and guilt! All the characters have something to hide and Kate has a rough time sorting through this one. Couldn't put this down till the end and it kept me guessing the whole time. Loved it!
November 5, 2025
Another worthy addition to the Kate Gazzara series of books. Good story line and usual good characters. Worth the read I recommend it highly
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews