A Party to Murder

by Diana Harper

Romance, intrigue, family quarrels, secrets, the party at Cheveley Manor has it all. And everyone but the butler is a suspect.

It’s the summer of 1922, and preparations for an extravagant party are underway at the Marchmont’s stately country pile. Patriarch Richard Marchmont is fabulously wealthy, moderately eccentric, and very fond of getting his own way. With the family gathered to celebrate his 85th birthday, the scene is set for a memorable weekend ... in more ways than one, because Richard has quarreled with his heirs and is set upon changing his Will to teach them all a lesson. The arrival of unexpected guests, return of a long-lost relative, and sundry romantic entanglements only make matters more complicated.

When Richard is found dead in his study, a glass of poisoned wine by his side, there is a surfeit of suspects on hand. Clever Inspector Hawthorne has his work cut out for him; everyone at Cheveley Manor is hiding something – and for the murderer, the party isn’t over yet.

A classic English country-house whodunit garnished with a dash of fizzy romance, A PARTY TO MURDER will delight fans of Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, and Golden Era murder mysteries.

311 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2026

About the author

As a child, Diana Harper had a modest dream. Being a writer, as it turned out, required her to reconsider her definition of ‘modest’ but she can happily confirm that achieving one’s dream is, in fact, all that and a bag of (Gen X flavored) chips. Her historical murder mysteries are love letters to Diana's favorite Golden Era writers – Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Georgette Heyer – and were made possible by the many, many, many hours of English period dramas that she has binge-watched over the years.

When she’s not writing, editing, or thinking about one or both of those things, Diana enjoys thrifting, gardening, and imagining herself as a Canadian Prairies version of Jessica B. Fletcher. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband, two kids, and about 2,000 books.

You can follow Diana on Instagram (@murders_she_writes).

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of A Party to Murder from the author, Diana Harper. The story is set in the early 1920’s in a country estate and is filled with interesting main characters who belong to the same extended family. When the head of the family ends up dead, there are many family members who have reasons for wanting him dead. I enjoyed learning about all the characters and their relationship to each other. The author did a great job in evoking a murder mystery from the Golden Era (think Agatha Christie) with the dialogue, setting and character development. It was great fun trying to figure out whodunnit (I got it wrong!). The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I found it difficult to figure out the connections between the family members. I learned that the published book will have a family tree - which is a terrific idea. Overall, it was a fun read!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A debut novel set in England in the 1920s, with murder, mystery, romance, and plenty of delightful British last names. If you like Agatha Christie and/or murder mysteries from that era, give this a go. It's not graphic or heavy in the murders. It's not thick and cloying in the romance. It's light and fun, while still be well written.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The drastic number of characters introduced in the first 20 pages of this book had me sweating, but eventually I did get ahold of everyone's relation to the story and each other (I think). I think a few characters could have been cut or combined to make this easier to follow without really losing much of the plot. Do not read this book if you don't like flowery language - the number of big words and oldy-time phrases shoved into a paragraph was definitely overkill at times. I too enjoy words, but whoa.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing and very promising debut novel. The opening was a bit tough-going with a lot of characters and vibe setting. But what great fun once you arrive. She's very good at dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery itself. And she is *fantastic* at capturing that Agatha Christie frisson and magic. I would absolutely read this author again. Entertaining and effervescent.

[Caroline Fortin · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I have to say that for me, the novel really began at chapter 4. The first 3 introduces too many characters and names not really relevant to the story. That being said, if you're looking for an Agatha Christie kind of vibe, THIS IS IT! A true whodunit, with misleading clues and a really well written ending. I am definitely looking forward to Diana Harper's next novel!