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Miss Underhay #7
Убийство на сватбата
Докато смъртта ни раздели...
Англия, 1934 година.
Кити Ъндърхей пристига като шаферка на сватбата на своята братовчедка в уединения замък Търском. Но още преди празненството да започне истински, прозвучава фатален изстрел и господин Евънс пада мъртъв.
Когато става ясно, че кумът – достопочтеният депутат Алигзандър Голсуърти – е бил жертва на изнудване, Кити предполага, че убиецът е сред гостите. Заедно със своя спътник – капитан Матю Брайънт, тя се заема да разкрие истината.
Но сватбените камбани бързо заглъхват под звука на нова трагедия – самият Голсуърти е намерен мъртъв, премазан от рухнала зидария. В замъка явно се крие пресметлив и коварен убиец. Дали Кити и Матю ще успеят да го разобличат, преди да загине още някой? Или този път самата Кити ще чуе погребалния звън...
Очарователно и напрегнато криминале в духа на Агата Кристи, Т. Е. Кинси и Лий Щраус.
Англия, 1934 година.
Кити Ъндърхей пристига като шаферка на сватбата на своята братовчедка в уединения замък Търском. Но още преди празненството да започне истински, прозвучава фатален изстрел и господин Евънс пада мъртъв.
Когато става ясно, че кумът – достопочтеният депутат Алигзандър Голсуърти – е бил жертва на изнудване, Кити предполага, че убиецът е сред гостите. Заедно със своя спътник – капитан Матю Брайънт, тя се заема да разкрие истината.
Но сватбените камбани бързо заглъхват под звука на нова трагедия – самият Голсуърти е намерен мъртъв, премазан от рухнала зидария. В замъка явно се крие пресметлив и коварен убиец. Дали Кити и Матю ще успеят да го разобличат, преди да загине още някой? Или този път самата Кити ще чуе погребалния звън...
Очарователно и напрегнато криминале в духа на Агата Кристи, Т. Е. Кинси и Лий Щраус.
270 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2021
1238 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
About the author
Helena Dixon
30 books303 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
For other authors of this name, see also:
see: Helena Dixon - Erotica
This author also writes as:
Nell Dixon - Contemporary Womens Fiction
Nell is an multi-award winning author who splits her time between Devon and the Black Country. She lives with her husband, daughters, a tank of tropical fish, and a crazy Cockerpoo called Teddy. She writes contemporary romance as Nell Dixon and historical cozy crime set in 1930's Dartmouth as Helena Dixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
For other authors of this name, see also:
see: Helena Dixon - Erotica
This author also writes as:
Nell Dixon - Contemporary Womens Fiction
Nell is an multi-award winning author who splits her time between Devon and the Black Country. She lives with her husband, daughters, a tank of tropical fish, and a crazy Cockerpoo called Teddy. She writes contemporary romance as Nell Dixon and historical cozy crime set in 1930's Dartmouth as Helena Dixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
October 3, 2021
In Murder at the Wedding Kitty travels all the way to Yorkshire to attend her cousin Lucy's wedding at Thurscomb Castle. It is a good thing her Private Investigator boyfriend Matt goes too because there are two murders in rapid succession as well as sightings of the resident ghost.
It all builds up to a wonderful finale from the mystery aspect plus an even better one from the relationship side of things. I really enjoy this series. Kitty and Matt are both really likable, rational people and they get along well - most of the time. Matt has a few issues from the past to resolve but that seems to be happening.
I am looking forward with great interest to see what happens next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
It all builds up to a wonderful finale from the mystery aspect plus an even better one from the relationship side of things. I really enjoy this series. Kitty and Matt are both really likable, rational people and they get along well - most of the time. Matt has a few issues from the past to resolve but that seems to be happening.
I am looking forward with great interest to see what happens next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 4, 2021
It was 1934 and Kitty Underhay and her maid Alice were aboard the train heading for Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire. Kitty was to be bridesmaid for her cousin Lucy’s wedding in a few days and their early arrival meant Kitty could be of help to Lucy in the preparations leading up to the wedding. Many guests would be arriving, staggered over the few days and Kitty hoped for some quiet times with Lucy before the rush. As people went their various ways the following day, Kitty was with her friend Daisy, taking tea and chatting when they both heard what sounded like a gunshot…
Sandy, best man and his wife Moira, along with Sinclair and his wife Caliope – both men had been friends since school with Lucy’s intended Rupert, but because of their political leanings, Rupert had confided he doubted they’d remain friends after the wedding. When Captain Matthew Bryant, PI and Kitty’s beau arrived later that evening, both he and Kitty decided to put their heads together to see what clues were out there. The Inspector wasn’t pleased. It was after the wedding when the second death occurred and most of the party were in shock. Who was the culprit? What were the reasons? Could Matt and Kitty solve the mystery?
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon and once again it was fabulous! Fast paced with plenty of red herrings and twists to keep the reader guessing, I guessed wrong! This series is one of the best of Historical Cozy Mystery that I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoy each episode. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Sandy, best man and his wife Moira, along with Sinclair and his wife Caliope – both men had been friends since school with Lucy’s intended Rupert, but because of their political leanings, Rupert had confided he doubted they’d remain friends after the wedding. When Captain Matthew Bryant, PI and Kitty’s beau arrived later that evening, both he and Kitty decided to put their heads together to see what clues were out there. The Inspector wasn’t pleased. It was after the wedding when the second death occurred and most of the party were in shock. Who was the culprit? What were the reasons? Could Matt and Kitty solve the mystery?
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon and once again it was fabulous! Fast paced with plenty of red herrings and twists to keep the reader guessing, I guessed wrong! This series is one of the best of Historical Cozy Mystery that I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoy each episode. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2021
“’Till death do us part may come sooner than they thought…”
This is one of two ‘Golden Age’ mystery series I am totally invested in right now and they are both set apart by their strong and feisty female lead characters, who are streets ahead of their times in the female independence and equality stakes and who don’t hold on too strongly to all the traditions and accepted social mores of the times.
Kitty Underhay, does have something of a personal history, which has cameoed in all her investigations to date, as she crosses paths time and again with her nemesis, usually when he is trying to bump her off, which annoyingly for him he hasn’t managed to achieve so far, although once or twice it has been a close call! However, any past events were woven so seamlessly into the current storyline where appropriate, that I never felt as though I was missing out, neither did I ever get to point where explanations in any way threatened to overwhelm the present investigation, making the individual books eminently readable as stand alone stories, although I guarantee you will definitely become addicted to Kitty Underhay and will soon have the entire series all lined up to read!
The action in previous episodes of the series, has hitherto taken place in Kitty and Matt’s home county of Devon, where, whilst they don’t altogether agree with the interfering ways of amateur sleuth, Kitty, during an investigation, Inspectors Pinch and Greville have built up a certain grudging respect for her astute ways, sharp mind and often acerbic tongue. It also helps Kitty’s case that she is in a relationship with widower and registered Private Investigator, Matt, who often finds himself acting as a buffer between Kitty and the law! However we now find Kitty and Matt totally out of their comfort zone in rural Yorkshire, attending the wedding of Kitty’s cousin, so when the almost inevitable happens and a double murder threatens to spoil the future of the happy couple, Kitty and Matt find themselves at loggerheads with the dour and rather uninspiring, Inspector Lewis, who wants nothing more than the most speedy solution to the case possible.
The chapters are kept to a length where the travel of the story is both fluid and evenly paced, so whilst wonderfully descriptive narrative and dialogue are among the most endearing features about this series, with the author’s skilled imagery adding real depth and range, there is never a wasted word or gesture, making this multi-layered, well structured, traditional mystery storyline from the 1930s, highly textured, rich in atmosphere and totally immersive from the word go. Some skilled and assured plot building throws up more than enough twists and turns, as Kitty and Matt try to get to the bottom of what transpires to be a potentially treasonous scandal of epic proportions, with reverberations and consequences which have the power to topple governments and change the face of British politics. Whilst I did manage to narrow down my own suspect list to somewhere near the right mix of characters, I certainly didn’t unravel all the whys and wherefores of this nefarious and duplicitous little gang; which, even had I succeeded would have all been in vain anyway, when the ‘official’ version of events was so manipulated as to distract attention from the grubby truth – Some things never change, even after almost a hundred years of ‘progress’!
A cast of well developed, multi-faceted characters, collectively added a strong voice and a realistic sense of time and place to the storyline, and although not all were likable, or reliable witnesses by any stretch of imagination, they all remained authentic and true to their roles throughout. There may have appeared to be quite a profusion of characters populating this drama, however, true to any worthy ‘Agatha Christiesque’ plot, once they were all safely gathered in one place, the pieces of the jigsaw began to slot neatly into place for Kitty and Matt, as the closely woven threads of this tissue of lies began to unravel.
Kitty and her maid come companion, Alice, together with Matt, make a formidably addictive and ever evolving team, who are relatable and easy to connect with. The synergy and dynamics between them works really well, making them genuine and believable. I read for all the escapism, enjoyment, entertainment and emotion a good storyline and engaging cast of characters can offer and this little trio tick all those boxes for me.
This time Kitty finds herself trapped in one of her most perilous situations yet and although Matt has plucked up the courage to make all the correct representations to the appropriate people, he is left wondering if a future with such a free-spirited and controversially independent forward-thinking woman, who expects and demands equality in a relationship, is really one he can handle. I am so pleased I was able to be a ‘fly on the wall’ when Matt reached his final decision, but what was Kitty’s response?
Might it be the last we shall see of the dastardly Hammett and his sister, Esther and will Kitty be able to wrest the truth about her mother’s fate from him, to help her set her mind at rest and find peace with the past, as she embarks upon a new chapter in her life? I’m still not sure I would bet on it!
To read the full review post, which contains additional content, please visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
This is one of two ‘Golden Age’ mystery series I am totally invested in right now and they are both set apart by their strong and feisty female lead characters, who are streets ahead of their times in the female independence and equality stakes and who don’t hold on too strongly to all the traditions and accepted social mores of the times.
Kitty Underhay, does have something of a personal history, which has cameoed in all her investigations to date, as she crosses paths time and again with her nemesis, usually when he is trying to bump her off, which annoyingly for him he hasn’t managed to achieve so far, although once or twice it has been a close call! However, any past events were woven so seamlessly into the current storyline where appropriate, that I never felt as though I was missing out, neither did I ever get to point where explanations in any way threatened to overwhelm the present investigation, making the individual books eminently readable as stand alone stories, although I guarantee you will definitely become addicted to Kitty Underhay and will soon have the entire series all lined up to read!
The action in previous episodes of the series, has hitherto taken place in Kitty and Matt’s home county of Devon, where, whilst they don’t altogether agree with the interfering ways of amateur sleuth, Kitty, during an investigation, Inspectors Pinch and Greville have built up a certain grudging respect for her astute ways, sharp mind and often acerbic tongue. It also helps Kitty’s case that she is in a relationship with widower and registered Private Investigator, Matt, who often finds himself acting as a buffer between Kitty and the law! However we now find Kitty and Matt totally out of their comfort zone in rural Yorkshire, attending the wedding of Kitty’s cousin, so when the almost inevitable happens and a double murder threatens to spoil the future of the happy couple, Kitty and Matt find themselves at loggerheads with the dour and rather uninspiring, Inspector Lewis, who wants nothing more than the most speedy solution to the case possible.
The chapters are kept to a length where the travel of the story is both fluid and evenly paced, so whilst wonderfully descriptive narrative and dialogue are among the most endearing features about this series, with the author’s skilled imagery adding real depth and range, there is never a wasted word or gesture, making this multi-layered, well structured, traditional mystery storyline from the 1930s, highly textured, rich in atmosphere and totally immersive from the word go. Some skilled and assured plot building throws up more than enough twists and turns, as Kitty and Matt try to get to the bottom of what transpires to be a potentially treasonous scandal of epic proportions, with reverberations and consequences which have the power to topple governments and change the face of British politics. Whilst I did manage to narrow down my own suspect list to somewhere near the right mix of characters, I certainly didn’t unravel all the whys and wherefores of this nefarious and duplicitous little gang; which, even had I succeeded would have all been in vain anyway, when the ‘official’ version of events was so manipulated as to distract attention from the grubby truth – Some things never change, even after almost a hundred years of ‘progress’!
A cast of well developed, multi-faceted characters, collectively added a strong voice and a realistic sense of time and place to the storyline, and although not all were likable, or reliable witnesses by any stretch of imagination, they all remained authentic and true to their roles throughout. There may have appeared to be quite a profusion of characters populating this drama, however, true to any worthy ‘Agatha Christiesque’ plot, once they were all safely gathered in one place, the pieces of the jigsaw began to slot neatly into place for Kitty and Matt, as the closely woven threads of this tissue of lies began to unravel.
Kitty and her maid come companion, Alice, together with Matt, make a formidably addictive and ever evolving team, who are relatable and easy to connect with. The synergy and dynamics between them works really well, making them genuine and believable. I read for all the escapism, enjoyment, entertainment and emotion a good storyline and engaging cast of characters can offer and this little trio tick all those boxes for me.
This time Kitty finds herself trapped in one of her most perilous situations yet and although Matt has plucked up the courage to make all the correct representations to the appropriate people, he is left wondering if a future with such a free-spirited and controversially independent forward-thinking woman, who expects and demands equality in a relationship, is really one he can handle. I am so pleased I was able to be a ‘fly on the wall’ when Matt reached his final decision, but what was Kitty’s response?
Might it be the last we shall see of the dastardly Hammett and his sister, Esther and will Kitty be able to wrest the truth about her mother’s fate from him, to help her set her mind at rest and find peace with the past, as she embarks upon a new chapter in her life? I’m still not sure I would bet on it!
To read the full review post, which contains additional content, please visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
December 1, 2021
Kitty Underhay is off to Thurscomb Castle to attend the wedding of her cousin Lucy to Rupert Woodcomb, the lord of the castle with the added bonus of her private investigator beau Matthew Bryant planning to join her there. Kitty is all set to be a bridesmaid and is determined to enjoy the happy event but like in Kitty's own words, murder is never far off wherever she is present and such is the case here too. By the time the wedding festivities end, Thurscomb Castle is a venue for a double murder and two additional deaths. There is also good news: Matthew and Kitty decide to make their relationship official and they also receive encouraging news in relation to the murder case of Kitty's mother. It will be interesting to see how events for this cold case move forward as well as the evolving equation between Kitty and Matthew in their relationship.
A very well written and enjoyable book with yet another stunning cover picture! The description of the castle and the customs followed by the elite class reminded me of the Downton Abbey TV series. I am really enjoying this series even though I still have to read three of the earlier books.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Helena Dixon for the e-Arc of the book.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
A very well written and enjoyable book with yet another stunning cover picture! The description of the castle and the customs followed by the elite class reminded me of the Downton Abbey TV series. I am really enjoying this series even though I still have to read three of the earlier books.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Helena Dixon for the e-Arc of the book.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
October 17, 2021
Here we are with book seven from Helena Dixon and I have been with Kitty since the beginning and whilst you can always guarantee a dead body or two may well turn up wherever she is going, you really don’t think it will be at a wedding.
Kitty on her way to her cousin’s wedding as a bridesmaid with her faithful maid and friend, Alice in tow, they travel to Yorkshire. Captain Matt Bryant is to follow later, but is not quite sure of his strong feeling for Kitty as her previous exploits left him wondering whether he could cope with the trauma of losing her.
A society wedding seems a relatively safe place, you would think. However clearly when Kitty arrives, there is definitely an undercurrent by the guests already assembled. Lucy, Kitty’s cousin and her betrothed, Rupert having invited boyhood friends Sandy and Sinclair along with respective wives. Sandy is to be the best man but there seems to be much more going on with talk of threatening letters and political conflicts.
Then a shot rings out, the valet is dead, but it seems to have shook Sandy who is convinced someone is out to get him. But perhaps the valet has some secrets to share.
In the classic country house mystery, it has to have been committed by someone within the confines of the house. But who? The police find the culprit very quickly and it all seems to be wrapped up very quickly until someone else dies……
In steps Kitty and Matt, much the the chagrin of the local inspector. As they get closer to the truth, the feelings between them grow and when the answer is at the end of a corridor it seems that both Kitty and Matt have to overcome fears to get to the truth.
This is another great story in the series, I love the different characters and how that Kitty, Matt and Alice work well together out of their normally setting of Dartmouth and the hotel. I can see adventures further afield in the future but as the book comes to its conclusion it seems we are nearing the truth about the one main theme running through all the stories – what happened to Kitty’s mother.
Lovely cosy crime of the era of Agatha Christie and a must of fans of the Queen of Crime and historical fiction. This combines the both so well. Looking forward to the next.
Kitty on her way to her cousin’s wedding as a bridesmaid with her faithful maid and friend, Alice in tow, they travel to Yorkshire. Captain Matt Bryant is to follow later, but is not quite sure of his strong feeling for Kitty as her previous exploits left him wondering whether he could cope with the trauma of losing her.
A society wedding seems a relatively safe place, you would think. However clearly when Kitty arrives, there is definitely an undercurrent by the guests already assembled. Lucy, Kitty’s cousin and her betrothed, Rupert having invited boyhood friends Sandy and Sinclair along with respective wives. Sandy is to be the best man but there seems to be much more going on with talk of threatening letters and political conflicts.
Then a shot rings out, the valet is dead, but it seems to have shook Sandy who is convinced someone is out to get him. But perhaps the valet has some secrets to share.
In the classic country house mystery, it has to have been committed by someone within the confines of the house. But who? The police find the culprit very quickly and it all seems to be wrapped up very quickly until someone else dies……
In steps Kitty and Matt, much the the chagrin of the local inspector. As they get closer to the truth, the feelings between them grow and when the answer is at the end of a corridor it seems that both Kitty and Matt have to overcome fears to get to the truth.
This is another great story in the series, I love the different characters and how that Kitty, Matt and Alice work well together out of their normally setting of Dartmouth and the hotel. I can see adventures further afield in the future but as the book comes to its conclusion it seems we are nearing the truth about the one main theme running through all the stories – what happened to Kitty’s mother.
Lovely cosy crime of the era of Agatha Christie and a must of fans of the Queen of Crime and historical fiction. This combines the both so well. Looking forward to the next.
February 3, 2023
This is the 7th entry in the author’s historical mystery series, featuring Kitty Underhay. In this book, set in 1934, Kitty is set to be a bridesmaid at her cousin Lucy’s wedding (we met Lucy in an earlier book). The overarching mystery related to the murder of Kitty’s mother continues in this book, with the evil Ezekiel Hammett still at large.
The wedding is to be held at the “castle” of Lucy’s fiancée. Kitty and Alice, her sometimes maid, head to the wedding early in the book, with plans for Matt, Kitty’s “beau” set to meet them in a few days. Things are clearly not right, with many of the wedding guests acting strangely. When a murder occurs, there seems to be an abundance of suspects. Mix in reports of a ghost, and there’s a lot for Kitty and Matt to investigate.
I have enjoyed seeing many characters develop over the course of this series. Kitty is even more determined to be an independent woman, while Matt has grown more accepting of that aspect of Kitty. Alice, Kitty’s sometime maid and perhaps almost friend has also grown. It was fun to revisit Lucy and her fiancée in this book, as well as Lucy’s dog.
The mystery was quite interesting. At the end of the book, we seemed to be reaching a potential resolution on several fronts, and I look forward to reading the next in the series. This is definitely a series that should be read from the beginning, as there are many inter-connections and developments across the entries. I enjoyed this latest entry, and would give it a B, so four stars here.
The wedding is to be held at the “castle” of Lucy’s fiancée. Kitty and Alice, her sometimes maid, head to the wedding early in the book, with plans for Matt, Kitty’s “beau” set to meet them in a few days. Things are clearly not right, with many of the wedding guests acting strangely. When a murder occurs, there seems to be an abundance of suspects. Mix in reports of a ghost, and there’s a lot for Kitty and Matt to investigate.
I have enjoyed seeing many characters develop over the course of this series. Kitty is even more determined to be an independent woman, while Matt has grown more accepting of that aspect of Kitty. Alice, Kitty’s sometime maid and perhaps almost friend has also grown. It was fun to revisit Lucy and her fiancée in this book, as well as Lucy’s dog.
The mystery was quite interesting. At the end of the book, we seemed to be reaching a potential resolution on several fronts, and I look forward to reading the next in the series. This is definitely a series that should be read from the beginning, as there are many inter-connections and developments across the entries. I enjoyed this latest entry, and would give it a B, so four stars here.
October 21, 2021
Another winner in this delightful cozy mystery series.
Kitty Underhay is off to Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire to attend her cousin Lucy’s wedding to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. Her beau, Matthew Bryant, also plans to stay at the castle along with other friends and family for the duration of the festivities. The revelry is interrupted by the sudden death of a guest and the local constabulary seems inept with their investigation. Kitty and Matt probe into the situation on their own as it seems that someone is intent on murder.
As always, I enjoy the period details and the setting of these novels. It’s fun to read about the customs, dress, food, and habits of society in 1934. I love the partnership between Kitty and Matt and look forward to the developments in their romance. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
Kitty Underhay is off to Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire to attend her cousin Lucy’s wedding to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. Her beau, Matthew Bryant, also plans to stay at the castle along with other friends and family for the duration of the festivities. The revelry is interrupted by the sudden death of a guest and the local constabulary seems inept with their investigation. Kitty and Matt probe into the situation on their own as it seems that someone is intent on murder.
As always, I enjoy the period details and the setting of these novels. It’s fun to read about the customs, dress, food, and habits of society in 1934. I love the partnership between Kitty and Matt and look forward to the developments in their romance. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
October 8, 2021
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
Here comes the bride, the groom…and the corpse. Cause it wouldn’t be a Kitty Underhay adventure without a dead body. Such fun!
Murder at the wedding is the 7th installment in the Miss Underhay Mysteries Series and a Good addition to it. Kitty and Captain Bryant travel to Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire to attend the wedding of her cousin Lucy, but soon the festivities are interrupted by a murder that may or may not have claimed the correct victim. Kitty and Matthew put their brains to work to try and save the wedding but another murder will threaten the happily ever after.
Once again, this was a really enjoyable murder mystery. Kitty and Matt are both well developed characters and Kitty is such a breath of fresh air, an independent and strong woman defying the conventions of her time. I like how she won’t accept to change for any man and her conviction that if Matthew want to be with her he’ll have to take her as she is. I also love how he slowly seems to be overcoming this idea that he needs to be her savior each and every time. The ending, to that respect, was so perfect. I can’t wait t osee how their story continues.
The murder mystery was also a good one with plenty of suspects and red-herrings and, although the choice of “villain” was not that surprising, the final confrontation was a fun and tense one to read.
If you’re a fan of cozy historical mysteries what are you waiting for to start this series?
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Here comes the bride, the groom…and the corpse. Cause it wouldn’t be a Kitty Underhay adventure without a dead body. Such fun!
Murder at the wedding is the 7th installment in the Miss Underhay Mysteries Series and a Good addition to it. Kitty and Captain Bryant travel to Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire to attend the wedding of her cousin Lucy, but soon the festivities are interrupted by a murder that may or may not have claimed the correct victim. Kitty and Matthew put their brains to work to try and save the wedding but another murder will threaten the happily ever after.
Once again, this was a really enjoyable murder mystery. Kitty and Matt are both well developed characters and Kitty is such a breath of fresh air, an independent and strong woman defying the conventions of her time. I like how she won’t accept to change for any man and her conviction that if Matthew want to be with her he’ll have to take her as she is. I also love how he slowly seems to be overcoming this idea that he needs to be her savior each and every time. The ending, to that respect, was so perfect. I can’t wait t osee how their story continues.
The murder mystery was also a good one with plenty of suspects and red-herrings and, although the choice of “villain” was not that surprising, the final confrontation was a fun and tense one to read.
If you’re a fan of cozy historical mysteries what are you waiting for to start this series?
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing and eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2021
I can't believe it's already book seven in this fabulous series and I, for one, still can't get enough of it!
If you don't know this series, they're historical cozy mysteries set in the 1930s following amateur sleuth and hotelier Kitty Underhay who solves mysteries with the help of her PI beau Matt and maid Alice. There are a few storylines that have continued over the course of the previous books, so I would definitely recommend you start at the beginning of the series to get the full enjoyment out of these books.
In Murder at the Wedding, Kitty travels to Yorkshire for her cousin Lucy's wedding but what should be a joyous occasion, but when not one but two of the guests ends up dead, it's up to her and Matt to solve the case.
As always, there was a puzzling mystery, a dash of romance, with a cast of intriguing characters and plenty of red herrings to keep you on your toes.
The ending was one I've been hoping for for a while now and I was so happy when I read it, I couldn't stop grinning. I already know book eight is on the way soon and I can't wait to see what happens next for Kitty and Matt!
Murder at the Wedding is a gentle yet enjoyable mystery, perfect to lose yourself in for a few hours.
If you don't know this series, they're historical cozy mysteries set in the 1930s following amateur sleuth and hotelier Kitty Underhay who solves mysteries with the help of her PI beau Matt and maid Alice. There are a few storylines that have continued over the course of the previous books, so I would definitely recommend you start at the beginning of the series to get the full enjoyment out of these books.
In Murder at the Wedding, Kitty travels to Yorkshire for her cousin Lucy's wedding but what should be a joyous occasion, but when not one but two of the guests ends up dead, it's up to her and Matt to solve the case.
As always, there was a puzzling mystery, a dash of romance, with a cast of intriguing characters and plenty of red herrings to keep you on your toes.
The ending was one I've been hoping for for a while now and I was so happy when I read it, I couldn't stop grinning. I already know book eight is on the way soon and I can't wait to see what happens next for Kitty and Matt!
Murder at the Wedding is a gentle yet enjoyable mystery, perfect to lose yourself in for a few hours.
September 23, 2021
Kitty Underhay is excited to be traveling to Thurscomb Castle to perform her role as bridesmaid at her cousin Lucy's wedding. Wanting all attention pointed at the bride, Kitty is disconcerted with well-meaning comments regarding her marital status. This is especially so because she has often been seen in close company with ex-army captain Matthew Bryant. Not only do the pair have an affinity for one another, they often work together to solve murders that have taken place at certain locations.
They get another chance to do this very thing when a bullet practically whizzes right by her. She is not struck, but the valet, Evans, is. Dead on the spot is shocking enough. However, the best man, Sandy Galsworthy has strong reasons for believing that the bullet was meant for him. So there are two questions right at the outset. Who shot the gun and why?
Kitty cannot help herself. Rather adept with her skills of deduction she feels she is the perfect one to answer those very questions. Asking for Matt's assistance in this endeavor comes naturally to her and the two do what they can to prove who the killer is.
Despite the murder, the wedding does indeed take place. During the reception, Sandy steps out for a smoke and before Matt can go after to him in order to question him, Sandy is killed. Before Sandy's death Kitty and Matt were made aware of threatening notes that he was receiving, so his sudden death comes as no surprise.
Despite the bleakness shrouding over the wedding guests in this story, there are moments of levity, especially when it comes to a delightful character who makes a brief appearance in this book, Matt's aunt Euphemia. Characters such as hers provide brief respite in stories where death is a major player.
Murder at the Wedding is the seventh book in the truly enjoyable Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon. I love the time frame, mid 1930s, and how strong a character that Kitty is. Not only does she defy convention, but she proves the perfect amateur detective in a successful and delightful series. I love how her relationship with Matt has bloomed over the course of the stories, which provides a nice layer to an often amusing series.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
They get another chance to do this very thing when a bullet practically whizzes right by her. She is not struck, but the valet, Evans, is. Dead on the spot is shocking enough. However, the best man, Sandy Galsworthy has strong reasons for believing that the bullet was meant for him. So there are two questions right at the outset. Who shot the gun and why?
Kitty cannot help herself. Rather adept with her skills of deduction she feels she is the perfect one to answer those very questions. Asking for Matt's assistance in this endeavor comes naturally to her and the two do what they can to prove who the killer is.
Despite the murder, the wedding does indeed take place. During the reception, Sandy steps out for a smoke and before Matt can go after to him in order to question him, Sandy is killed. Before Sandy's death Kitty and Matt were made aware of threatening notes that he was receiving, so his sudden death comes as no surprise.
Despite the bleakness shrouding over the wedding guests in this story, there are moments of levity, especially when it comes to a delightful character who makes a brief appearance in this book, Matt's aunt Euphemia. Characters such as hers provide brief respite in stories where death is a major player.
Murder at the Wedding is the seventh book in the truly enjoyable Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon. I love the time frame, mid 1930s, and how strong a character that Kitty is. Not only does she defy convention, but she proves the perfect amateur detective in a successful and delightful series. I love how her relationship with Matt has bloomed over the course of the stories, which provides a nice layer to an often amusing series.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
October 8, 2021
It was 1934 and Kitty Underhay and her maid Alice head for Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire, where Kitty will be a bridesmaid for her cousin Lucy’s wedding. Many guests begin arriving at the castle, with a lot of coming and going. Two of Rupert's friends from childhood, Sinclair and Sandy, are invited with their wives. When a servant of Sandy's father-in-law is shot and killed, the suspicion is that Sandy was the intended target. When another murder occurs, Kitty becomes even more curious and both her and her friend Captain Matthew Bryant, a PI, become involved in the investigation, much to the chagrin of the local constabulary. Who was the culprit? What were the reasons? Will Matt and Kitty solve the mystery before someone else is hurt?
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon. I have not read them all, but I am working my way through the previous books in the series. There is an overreaching story arc that runs through the books. I really like Kitty and Matt. They are both likable, relatable, rational people and they get along well as well as work well together solving crimes. They both have some things in their past that interfere with their relationship at times, but I am hoping their relationship proceeds. This is a well-plotted story, with several suspects and plenty of red herrings. The mystery is interesting and kept me guessing. It is also a character driven series and I love knowing what is going on in the lives of the various characters in this historical fiction story. I recommend this one for mystery lovers, cozy mystery lovers, and fans of the golden age. I really enjoyed it. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon. I have not read them all, but I am working my way through the previous books in the series. There is an overreaching story arc that runs through the books. I really like Kitty and Matt. They are both likable, relatable, rational people and they get along well as well as work well together solving crimes. They both have some things in their past that interfere with their relationship at times, but I am hoping their relationship proceeds. This is a well-plotted story, with several suspects and plenty of red herrings. The mystery is interesting and kept me guessing. It is also a character driven series and I love knowing what is going on in the lives of the various characters in this historical fiction story. I recommend this one for mystery lovers, cozy mystery lovers, and fans of the golden age. I really enjoyed it. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
September 8, 2021
1934. Kitty Underhay and Captain Matthew Bryant have been invited to her cousin, Lucy Medford’s wedding, to be held at the groom’s home of Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire. On arrival Kitty is faced with Lucy’s concerns of a ghost roaming the burnt out wing, which foretells a death. Soon a murder occurs, but will this be the last. But what is the motive and the guilty party. Kitty and Matthew start to investigate, parallel with the local police.
An entertaining and well-written cozy mystery with its likeable main characters. Another good addition to the series which can be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
An entertaining and well-written cozy mystery with its likeable main characters. Another good addition to the series which can be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2025
Murder at the Wedding by Helena Dixon is the 7th book in the Miss Underhay Mystery series. Kitty Underhay is bridesmaid at her cousin Lucy's wedding but shortly after arriving, a valet is shot with the Right Honourable Alexander Galsworthy believed to be the target, especially when it is found he has been receving threats, and then is found murdered after the ceremony. A delightful and charming historical cozy mystery. Kitty and Captain Bryant make a great team and it is nice to see their relationship developing. The mystery was interesting with underlying political intrigue and I enjoyed it very much.
October 6, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th Miss Underhay cozy by Helena Dixon. Released 6th Oct 2021, it's 277 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is an engagingly well written classic country house murder set in the interwar period in the north of England. Kitty and her intrepid maid/companion/sidekick Alice are off to Kitty's cousin's wedding and it's not long before a murder shows up to disrupt all their well laid plans. When Kitty's friend Matt arrives, they help one another investigate. There are several disparate subplot threads which entwine to a satisfying denouement and resolution.
This is a consistently well written and entertaining modern classic English mystery series with well wrought characters and clever plots. The dialogue is well written and never clunky or overwrought.
Well worth a look for mystery lovers and fans of the golden age. I really enjoyed it.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th Miss Underhay cozy by Helena Dixon. Released 6th Oct 2021, it's 277 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
This is an engagingly well written classic country house murder set in the interwar period in the north of England. Kitty and her intrepid maid/companion/sidekick Alice are off to Kitty's cousin's wedding and it's not long before a murder shows up to disrupt all their well laid plans. When Kitty's friend Matt arrives, they help one another investigate. There are several disparate subplot threads which entwine to a satisfying denouement and resolution.
This is a consistently well written and entertaining modern classic English mystery series with well wrought characters and clever plots. The dialogue is well written and never clunky or overwrought.
Well worth a look for mystery lovers and fans of the golden age. I really enjoyed it.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
November 7, 2021
Once again we join Kitty on a murder mystery! Lucy, her cousin, is to be wed from the bridegroom’s family manor. Suspicion falls on the small cast of guests when one of them is killed but was he the intended victim?
Whilst pondering who the bullet was meant for, everyone knows that amongst them is a murderer! Is one of them next on the hit list? Once again, Matt, Kitty’s boyfriend, is called on to aid in the investigation and Kitty and he debate the best way to approach it.
The mystery didn’t have quite as many unexpected twists as I’d normally like but then I read a lot of this genre! It was still an enjoyable, cosy mystery and I am looking forward to the next Miss Underhay mystery! It’s a four out of five on the enJOYment scale!
Merged review:
Once again we join Kitty on a murder mystery! Lucy, her cousin, is to be wed from the bridegroom’s family manor. Suspicion falls on the small cast of guests when one of them is killed but was he the intended victim?
Whilst pondering who the bullet was meant for, everyone knows that amongst them is a murderer! Is one of them next on the hit list? Once again, Matt, Kitty’s boyfriend, is called on to aid in the investigation and Kitty and he debate the best way to approach it.
The mystery didn’t have quite as many unexpected twists as I’d normally like but then I read a lot of this genre! It was still an enjoyable, cosy mystery and I am looking forward to the next Miss Underhay mystery! It’s a four out of five on the enJOYment scale!
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review is completely my own.
Whilst pondering who the bullet was meant for, everyone knows that amongst them is a murderer! Is one of them next on the hit list? Once again, Matt, Kitty’s boyfriend, is called on to aid in the investigation and Kitty and he debate the best way to approach it.
The mystery didn’t have quite as many unexpected twists as I’d normally like but then I read a lot of this genre! It was still an enjoyable, cosy mystery and I am looking forward to the next Miss Underhay mystery! It’s a four out of five on the enJOYment scale!
Merged review:
Once again we join Kitty on a murder mystery! Lucy, her cousin, is to be wed from the bridegroom’s family manor. Suspicion falls on the small cast of guests when one of them is killed but was he the intended victim?
Whilst pondering who the bullet was meant for, everyone knows that amongst them is a murderer! Is one of them next on the hit list? Once again, Matt, Kitty’s boyfriend, is called on to aid in the investigation and Kitty and he debate the best way to approach it.
The mystery didn’t have quite as many unexpected twists as I’d normally like but then I read a lot of this genre! It was still an enjoyable, cosy mystery and I am looking forward to the next Miss Underhay mystery! It’s a four out of five on the enJOYment scale!
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review is completely my own.
September 8, 2021
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. This one sees Kitty and Matt attend cousin Lucy’s wedding, and try to solve two murders. Enjoyable as always, with loved characters. This one wasn’t set in Dartmoor, which I missed, but a change can be good. And I was happy with the ending... 😉❤️
August 20, 2023
(A big thank you to NetGalley for supplying a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!)
While I was planning Alex’s and my wedding, I thought it would be fun to read a cozy mystery that takes place at a wedding. After all, aren’t weddings the perfect setting for cozies? With large numbers of guests, emotions running high, and everyone decked out in extravagant clothing, a wedding has endless possibilities for things to go awry.
And so I came across Murder at the Wedding, a historical cozy mystery by Helena Dixon. I figured that since I was busy stressing about worst-case scenarios for my own wedding, why not read about a wedding that was sure to be more chaotic than ours? Despite my free range anxiety about event planning, I felt fairly confident my own upcoming wedding was, at the very least, unlikely to involve murder.
Murder at the Wedding is the seventh in Dixon’s “Miss Underhay Mystery” series, a set of novels centering around the clever Miss Kitty Underhay, a sleuth in early 1930s England. I don’t often pick up books in the middle of a series, but Dixon does a terrific job weaving past events into the story. As a reader jumping into the series, I didn’t at all feel like I was too far behind to understand (or simply enjoy) this book.
The story begins with a wedding announcement in the local paper. Kitty Underhay, a woman seemingly plagued by mysteries, has been invited to be a bridesmaid in her cousin Lucy’s wedding. The ceremony is scheduled to be held in Thurscomb Castle, an old estate that’s been in the groom’s family for years.
Accompanied by her cheerful maid Alice, Kitty sets out to help her cousin prepare for her marriage to the sweet Mr. Rupert Woodcomb. From the moment of Kitty and Alice’s arrival, something seems amiss. The typically thoughtful Lucy has forgotten to send a car to pick them up as planned, and Kitty and Alice are forced to arrive at the castle later than expected.
Upon her arrival, Kitty meets several other wedding guests who are spending the week at Thurscomb Castle. Some of the guests she’s previously met, but many of the others strike her as peculiar. There’s a friendly American named Mr. Barnes, who is attending the wedding alongside his daughter Moira and her quick-to-anger husband Sandy. Two other guests are a gorgeous woman by the name of Calliope and her politically driven husband Sinclair. Also staying at the castle are the groom’s sister Daisy and her husband Aubrey, both constantly under watch by his quarrelsome mother Adalia.
Matt, Kitty’s own partner who mourns a tragic past, later joins the wedding group. It isn’t long before Kitty quickly becomes embroiled in mystery amidst this idyllic setting. From a possible ghost roaming the premises to an unexplained death, there is no shortage of strange things happening in Thurscomb Castle. Kitty does her best to piece together a puzzling series of clues and figure out which of the wedding guests might not be who they appear to be.
This book was so much fun to read! I love castle settings and thought Dixon described the location well. I appreciated the fact that most of the characters were distinct from one another, which was especially since there were so many introduced at once.
Something about this book reminded me of a Nancy Drew mystery (in a good way!), and I’m trying to put my finger on it. I think it may have been the mixture of the old, crumbling castle setting, the fancy dinner parties and dresses, and the sprinkling of ghostly elements.
I do wish more of the plot had focused on some of those ghostly elements, though, mostly because I love the paranormal. I almost think the ghost subplot could have worked better as the basis for a separate story, but it was still fun to read about. This story was still a lovely read that I finished in one or two sittings. I’m definitely marking the Miss Underhay series as one to watch out for.
If you’re all about cozy mysteries or simply want to feel better about your own wedding planning, definitely check out this book!
Merged review:
(A big thank you to NetGalley for supplying a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!)
While I was planning Alex’s and my wedding, I thought it would be fun to read a cozy mystery that takes place at a wedding. After all, aren’t weddings the perfect setting for cozies? With large numbers of guests, emotions running high, and everyone decked out in extravagant clothing, a wedding has endless possibilities for things to go awry.
And so I came across Murder at the Wedding, a historical cozy mystery by Helena Dixon. I figured that since I was busy stressing about worst-case scenarios for my own wedding, why not read about a wedding that was sure to be more chaotic than ours? Despite my free range anxiety about event planning, I felt fairly confident my own upcoming wedding was, at the very least, unlikely to involve murder.
Murder at the Wedding is the seventh in Dixon’s “Miss Underhay Mystery” series, a set of novels centering around the clever Miss Kitty Underhay, a sleuth in early 1930s England. I don’t often pick up books in the middle of a series, but Dixon does a terrific job weaving past events into the story. As a reader jumping into the series, I didn’t at all feel like I was too far behind to understand (or simply enjoy) this book.
The story begins with a wedding announcement in the local paper. Kitty Underhay, a woman seemingly plagued by mysteries, has been invited to be a bridesmaid in her cousin Lucy’s wedding. The ceremony is scheduled to be held in Thurscomb Castle, an old estate that’s been in the groom’s family for years.
Accompanied by her cheerful maid Alice, Kitty sets out to help her cousin prepare for her marriage to the sweet Mr. Rupert Woodcomb. From the moment of Kitty and Alice’s arrival, something seems amiss. The typically thoughtful Lucy has forgotten to send a car to pick them up as planned, and Kitty and Alice are forced to arrive to the castle later than expected.
Upon her arrival, Kitty meets several other wedding guests who are spending the week at Thurscomb Castle. Some of the guests she’s previously met, but many of the others strike her as peculiar. There’s a friendly American named Mr. Barnes, who is attending the wedding alongside his daughter Moira and her quick-to-anger husband Sandy. Two other guests are a gorgeous woman by the name of Calliope and her politically driven husband Sinclair. Also staying at the castle are the groom’s sister Daisy and her husband Aubrey, both constantly under watch by his quarrelsome mother Adalia.
Matt, Kitty’s own partner who mourns a tragic past, later joins the wedding group. It isn’t long before Kitty quickly becomes embroiled in mystery amidst this idyllic setting. From a possible ghost roaming the premises to an unexplained death, there is no shortage of strange things happening in Thurscomb Castle. Kitty does her best to piece together a puzzling series of clues and figure out which of the wedding guests might not be who they appear to be.
This book was so much fun to read! I love castle settings and thought Dixon described the location well. I appreciated the fact that most of the characters were distinct from one another, which was especially since there were so many introduced at once.
Something about this book reminded me of a Nancy Drew mystery (in a good way!), and I’m trying to put my finger on it. I think it may have been the mixture of the old, crumbling castle setting, the fancy dinner parties and dresses, and the sprinkling of ghostly elements.
I do wish more of the plot had focused on some of those ghostly elements, though, mostly because I love the paranormal. I almost think the ghost subplot could have worked better as the basis for a separate story, but it was still fun to read about. This story was still a lovely read that I finished in one or two sittings. I’m definitely marking the Miss Underhay series as one to watch out for.
If you’re all about cozy mysteries or simply want to feel better about your own wedding planning, definitely check out this book!
While I was planning Alex’s and my wedding, I thought it would be fun to read a cozy mystery that takes place at a wedding. After all, aren’t weddings the perfect setting for cozies? With large numbers of guests, emotions running high, and everyone decked out in extravagant clothing, a wedding has endless possibilities for things to go awry.
And so I came across Murder at the Wedding, a historical cozy mystery by Helena Dixon. I figured that since I was busy stressing about worst-case scenarios for my own wedding, why not read about a wedding that was sure to be more chaotic than ours? Despite my free range anxiety about event planning, I felt fairly confident my own upcoming wedding was, at the very least, unlikely to involve murder.
Murder at the Wedding is the seventh in Dixon’s “Miss Underhay Mystery” series, a set of novels centering around the clever Miss Kitty Underhay, a sleuth in early 1930s England. I don’t often pick up books in the middle of a series, but Dixon does a terrific job weaving past events into the story. As a reader jumping into the series, I didn’t at all feel like I was too far behind to understand (or simply enjoy) this book.
The story begins with a wedding announcement in the local paper. Kitty Underhay, a woman seemingly plagued by mysteries, has been invited to be a bridesmaid in her cousin Lucy’s wedding. The ceremony is scheduled to be held in Thurscomb Castle, an old estate that’s been in the groom’s family for years.
Accompanied by her cheerful maid Alice, Kitty sets out to help her cousin prepare for her marriage to the sweet Mr. Rupert Woodcomb. From the moment of Kitty and Alice’s arrival, something seems amiss. The typically thoughtful Lucy has forgotten to send a car to pick them up as planned, and Kitty and Alice are forced to arrive at the castle later than expected.
Upon her arrival, Kitty meets several other wedding guests who are spending the week at Thurscomb Castle. Some of the guests she’s previously met, but many of the others strike her as peculiar. There’s a friendly American named Mr. Barnes, who is attending the wedding alongside his daughter Moira and her quick-to-anger husband Sandy. Two other guests are a gorgeous woman by the name of Calliope and her politically driven husband Sinclair. Also staying at the castle are the groom’s sister Daisy and her husband Aubrey, both constantly under watch by his quarrelsome mother Adalia.
Matt, Kitty’s own partner who mourns a tragic past, later joins the wedding group. It isn’t long before Kitty quickly becomes embroiled in mystery amidst this idyllic setting. From a possible ghost roaming the premises to an unexplained death, there is no shortage of strange things happening in Thurscomb Castle. Kitty does her best to piece together a puzzling series of clues and figure out which of the wedding guests might not be who they appear to be.
This book was so much fun to read! I love castle settings and thought Dixon described the location well. I appreciated the fact that most of the characters were distinct from one another, which was especially since there were so many introduced at once.
Something about this book reminded me of a Nancy Drew mystery (in a good way!), and I’m trying to put my finger on it. I think it may have been the mixture of the old, crumbling castle setting, the fancy dinner parties and dresses, and the sprinkling of ghostly elements.
I do wish more of the plot had focused on some of those ghostly elements, though, mostly because I love the paranormal. I almost think the ghost subplot could have worked better as the basis for a separate story, but it was still fun to read about. This story was still a lovely read that I finished in one or two sittings. I’m definitely marking the Miss Underhay series as one to watch out for.
If you’re all about cozy mysteries or simply want to feel better about your own wedding planning, definitely check out this book!
Merged review:
(A big thank you to NetGalley for supplying a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!)
While I was planning Alex’s and my wedding, I thought it would be fun to read a cozy mystery that takes place at a wedding. After all, aren’t weddings the perfect setting for cozies? With large numbers of guests, emotions running high, and everyone decked out in extravagant clothing, a wedding has endless possibilities for things to go awry.
And so I came across Murder at the Wedding, a historical cozy mystery by Helena Dixon. I figured that since I was busy stressing about worst-case scenarios for my own wedding, why not read about a wedding that was sure to be more chaotic than ours? Despite my free range anxiety about event planning, I felt fairly confident my own upcoming wedding was, at the very least, unlikely to involve murder.
Murder at the Wedding is the seventh in Dixon’s “Miss Underhay Mystery” series, a set of novels centering around the clever Miss Kitty Underhay, a sleuth in early 1930s England. I don’t often pick up books in the middle of a series, but Dixon does a terrific job weaving past events into the story. As a reader jumping into the series, I didn’t at all feel like I was too far behind to understand (or simply enjoy) this book.
The story begins with a wedding announcement in the local paper. Kitty Underhay, a woman seemingly plagued by mysteries, has been invited to be a bridesmaid in her cousin Lucy’s wedding. The ceremony is scheduled to be held in Thurscomb Castle, an old estate that’s been in the groom’s family for years.
Accompanied by her cheerful maid Alice, Kitty sets out to help her cousin prepare for her marriage to the sweet Mr. Rupert Woodcomb. From the moment of Kitty and Alice’s arrival, something seems amiss. The typically thoughtful Lucy has forgotten to send a car to pick them up as planned, and Kitty and Alice are forced to arrive to the castle later than expected.
Upon her arrival, Kitty meets several other wedding guests who are spending the week at Thurscomb Castle. Some of the guests she’s previously met, but many of the others strike her as peculiar. There’s a friendly American named Mr. Barnes, who is attending the wedding alongside his daughter Moira and her quick-to-anger husband Sandy. Two other guests are a gorgeous woman by the name of Calliope and her politically driven husband Sinclair. Also staying at the castle are the groom’s sister Daisy and her husband Aubrey, both constantly under watch by his quarrelsome mother Adalia.
Matt, Kitty’s own partner who mourns a tragic past, later joins the wedding group. It isn’t long before Kitty quickly becomes embroiled in mystery amidst this idyllic setting. From a possible ghost roaming the premises to an unexplained death, there is no shortage of strange things happening in Thurscomb Castle. Kitty does her best to piece together a puzzling series of clues and figure out which of the wedding guests might not be who they appear to be.
This book was so much fun to read! I love castle settings and thought Dixon described the location well. I appreciated the fact that most of the characters were distinct from one another, which was especially since there were so many introduced at once.
Something about this book reminded me of a Nancy Drew mystery (in a good way!), and I’m trying to put my finger on it. I think it may have been the mixture of the old, crumbling castle setting, the fancy dinner parties and dresses, and the sprinkling of ghostly elements.
I do wish more of the plot had focused on some of those ghostly elements, though, mostly because I love the paranormal. I almost think the ghost subplot could have worked better as the basis for a separate story, but it was still fun to read about. This story was still a lovely read that I finished in one or two sittings. I’m definitely marking the Miss Underhay series as one to watch out for.
If you’re all about cozy mysteries or simply want to feel better about your own wedding planning, definitely check out this book!
September 5, 2025
'Murder at the Wedding' is seventh in the Kitty Underhay cosy mystery series by Helena Dixon and the series is definitely reaching that familiar point where it is necessary to read from book one to appreciate everything. There are so many familiar characters from previous books, the nuances of things said and not said, the promise of romance, that this novel is definitely not a standalone read.
This time Kitty and her beau, private detective Captain Matthew Bryant, face a ghost, a shocking shooting, a domineering old lady and a fascist who supports Oswald Moseley. Kitty is in Yorkshire at Thurscomb Castle for the wedding of her cousin Lucy to her fiancé Rupert, now Lord, Woodcomb. This is ripe territory for mysteries. Rupert has only just assumed his title and ownership of the estate after the death of his uncle. The estate is rundown and in need of repair. There is a derelict wing burned in a horrible fire, the electrics have a mind of their own and there are rumours of a ghost. Kitty and her maid Alice arrive to find Lucy in the midst of pre-wedding jitters. The guests are gathering, the house is being spring cleaned and the flowers are arriving by the cartload.
There are some familiar faces – Lucy’s parents Lord and Lady Medford of Enderley Hall, Lord Medford’s cousin Hattie, Rupert’s sister Daisy and her new husband Aubrey. Newcomers include Aubrey’s cantankerous mother Adalia Watts, Rupert’s best man Sandy Galsworthy and his wife Moira, Moira’s father Ralston Barnes, Rupert’s old schoolfriend Sinclair Davies and his wife Calliope. It is quite a cast of characters to get your head around and they all appear by the second chapter.
When Ralston’s butler Evans is shot dead, the local inspector soon arrests a man staying at the local inn. But Kitty and Matt are not so sure this is the guilty man. Inspector Lewis is however cut from different cloth to the policemen Kitty and Matt are used to working with in Devon and on no account will he allow amateurs to interfere with police investigations. Then on the evening of the wedding there is a second death.
'Murder at the Wedding' takes a while to get going but once it does the shocks, the suspicions and the clues continue to arrive. There is a concern about poisoning, the electrics frequently fail plunging the house into darkness, and items of furniture and decorative items seem to be moving around. Then just when I’d forgotten about it, the ghost appears again.
This is a cosy mystery in that the gruesome details of murder are not described, but the action is fast and the threat to the vulnerable is great. Kitty as usual heads into danger without hesitation and by now Matt realises he can’t stop her. Is she simply too headstrong and independent for him, does he want and need a wife he can protect and care for. Their tentative courtship adds romance while the 1934 setting brings a dark political element, something which I’m sure will be developed in further books.
Great fun and tricky to predict.
Next in line is Murder in First Class.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
This time Kitty and her beau, private detective Captain Matthew Bryant, face a ghost, a shocking shooting, a domineering old lady and a fascist who supports Oswald Moseley. Kitty is in Yorkshire at Thurscomb Castle for the wedding of her cousin Lucy to her fiancé Rupert, now Lord, Woodcomb. This is ripe territory for mysteries. Rupert has only just assumed his title and ownership of the estate after the death of his uncle. The estate is rundown and in need of repair. There is a derelict wing burned in a horrible fire, the electrics have a mind of their own and there are rumours of a ghost. Kitty and her maid Alice arrive to find Lucy in the midst of pre-wedding jitters. The guests are gathering, the house is being spring cleaned and the flowers are arriving by the cartload.
There are some familiar faces – Lucy’s parents Lord and Lady Medford of Enderley Hall, Lord Medford’s cousin Hattie, Rupert’s sister Daisy and her new husband Aubrey. Newcomers include Aubrey’s cantankerous mother Adalia Watts, Rupert’s best man Sandy Galsworthy and his wife Moira, Moira’s father Ralston Barnes, Rupert’s old schoolfriend Sinclair Davies and his wife Calliope. It is quite a cast of characters to get your head around and they all appear by the second chapter.
When Ralston’s butler Evans is shot dead, the local inspector soon arrests a man staying at the local inn. But Kitty and Matt are not so sure this is the guilty man. Inspector Lewis is however cut from different cloth to the policemen Kitty and Matt are used to working with in Devon and on no account will he allow amateurs to interfere with police investigations. Then on the evening of the wedding there is a second death.
'Murder at the Wedding' takes a while to get going but once it does the shocks, the suspicions and the clues continue to arrive. There is a concern about poisoning, the electrics frequently fail plunging the house into darkness, and items of furniture and decorative items seem to be moving around. Then just when I’d forgotten about it, the ghost appears again.
This is a cosy mystery in that the gruesome details of murder are not described, but the action is fast and the threat to the vulnerable is great. Kitty as usual heads into danger without hesitation and by now Matt realises he can’t stop her. Is she simply too headstrong and independent for him, does he want and need a wife he can protect and care for. Their tentative courtship adds romance while the 1934 setting brings a dark political element, something which I’m sure will be developed in further books.
Great fun and tricky to predict.
Next in line is Murder in First Class.
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October 6, 2021
Kitty Underhay is a bridesmaid in her cousin Lucy’s wedding at Thurscomb Castle in Yorkshire. Cousin Lucy is marrying Lord Rupert Woodcomb. Kitty is so excited to be taking part in all the wedding festivities until family and friends start making comments and asking her questions about her marital status. She needs a quick exit strategy to avoid answering. She steps away and takes a walk on the Castle grounds, she ends up walking through the beautiful well kept gardens, when she hears a gunshot and the valet, Evans is dead. Kitty can’t help but notice how shaken up the man is that was standing next to Evans. It’s Rupert’s best man, Right Honourable Alexander ‘Sandy’ Galsworthy. When Kitty discovers Sandy has been receiving blackmail letters, she thinks one of the wedding guests is sending the letters. The local authorities don’t follow Kitty’s hunches so she asks her boyfriend Matthew Bryant to help her. The wedding is a huge success, but when Sandy sneaks away during the dancing, Matthew follows him only to find Sandy dead on the terrace by some masonry that fell from above. Kitty and Matthew are certain that there is a murderer within the castle, but will they catch them before they kill again? Oh my goodness I love this series so much. Miss Kitty Underhay is such a joy to read. This unputdownable, fast-paced, wonderful cozy mystery is definitely a must read. The energetic, lovable and dynamic characters of this charming read, will certainly be a favorite. This phenomenal story is the perfect addition to this amazing series.
Thank you Helena Dixon for such a wonderful continuation to Miss Underhay Mystery Series. Definitely a wonderful and enjoyable must read. I love this cozy mystery series, and I highly recommend not only this book, but the entire series.
Thank you Helena Dixon for such a wonderful continuation to Miss Underhay Mystery Series. Definitely a wonderful and enjoyable must read. I love this cozy mystery series, and I highly recommend not only this book, but the entire series.
August 28, 2021
A wedding is a time for meeting friends and family, buying new outfits, having fun and eating cake, at least Kitty Underhay is hoping that is how her cousin Lucy's forthcoming nuptials will pan out. Unfortunately, as they are unable to marry in Devon, everyone is heading to her fiancé, Lord Rupert Woodcomb's castle in Yorkshire and, even in May, it is cold and a little neglected.
With her maid and friend, Alice, Kitty is determined to enjoy herself even if her beau, Captain Matt Bryant, has been delayed and is unable to travel with them. The newly assembled guests are a mix of friends and strangers and not all of them are planning to enter into the spirit of the festivities. When a member of one of the guest's party is killed Kitty and the newly arrived Matt realise they can no longer be just guests. Beginning their investigation they have to decide whether the deceased was in fact the murderer's intended target or if everyone is still in considerable danger.
This is the seventh in the Kitty Underhay series and once again most of the now familiar group of characters are present. Although not set in Devon and without the familiarity of the Dolphin Hotel, or the willingness of Inspector Greville to include Kitty and Matt in his investigations, Yorkshire is an altered but no less successful working environment for our main protagonists. The opportunity to hint how the storyline in the forthcoming eighth book will concentrate on things which were left tantalisingly unresolved here has definitely been realised and is an exciting prospect!
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this easy-going, cosy crime adventure which is a great addition to this series.
With her maid and friend, Alice, Kitty is determined to enjoy herself even if her beau, Captain Matt Bryant, has been delayed and is unable to travel with them. The newly assembled guests are a mix of friends and strangers and not all of them are planning to enter into the spirit of the festivities. When a member of one of the guest's party is killed Kitty and the newly arrived Matt realise they can no longer be just guests. Beginning their investigation they have to decide whether the deceased was in fact the murderer's intended target or if everyone is still in considerable danger.
This is the seventh in the Kitty Underhay series and once again most of the now familiar group of characters are present. Although not set in Devon and without the familiarity of the Dolphin Hotel, or the willingness of Inspector Greville to include Kitty and Matt in his investigations, Yorkshire is an altered but no less successful working environment for our main protagonists. The opportunity to hint how the storyline in the forthcoming eighth book will concentrate on things which were left tantalisingly unresolved here has definitely been realised and is an exciting prospect!
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this easy-going, cosy crime adventure which is a great addition to this series.
August 9, 2023
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley, too,
For my copy of this book, here's my honest review:
Travel back to 1934
To a wedding, mystery, murder and more!
Another story for Kitty and Matt to investigate,
Can they identify the killer before it is too late?
When Kitty's cousin, Lucy, was getting married
Kitty travelled to Yorkshire, she never tarried.
There she meets Lucy and Rupert's families and friends
And with them all some time spends.
When a valet is murdered, shot dead,
It is thought the target was someone else instead.
Kitty and Matt are both at the scene
So friends ask them to investigate but the police aren't so keen!
Kitty thinks the perpetrator is someone staying there
But the police won't listen to her or seem to care.
Or so it seems, until another victim is killed
Then the police response isn't quite so chilled.
I really like the characters in this fascinating book
You really get to know them as you take a look.
There's a wedding ceremony that passes so well
But there's also secrets that no one is prepared to tell.
With red herrings and true clues to keep you guessing
And Alice to help - she's a real blessing!
This is a great addition to this brilliant series
To encourage you to read on and develop new theories.
There's also the possible romance for Kitty and Matt
Will their past experiences put an end to that
Or will they finally give their potential romance
Something more significant than just a chance?
For my copy of this book, here's my honest review:
Travel back to 1934
To a wedding, mystery, murder and more!
Another story for Kitty and Matt to investigate,
Can they identify the killer before it is too late?
When Kitty's cousin, Lucy, was getting married
Kitty travelled to Yorkshire, she never tarried.
There she meets Lucy and Rupert's families and friends
And with them all some time spends.
When a valet is murdered, shot dead,
It is thought the target was someone else instead.
Kitty and Matt are both at the scene
So friends ask them to investigate but the police aren't so keen!
Kitty thinks the perpetrator is someone staying there
But the police won't listen to her or seem to care.
Or so it seems, until another victim is killed
Then the police response isn't quite so chilled.
I really like the characters in this fascinating book
You really get to know them as you take a look.
There's a wedding ceremony that passes so well
But there's also secrets that no one is prepared to tell.
With red herrings and true clues to keep you guessing
And Alice to help - she's a real blessing!
This is a great addition to this brilliant series
To encourage you to read on and develop new theories.
There's also the possible romance for Kitty and Matt
Will their past experiences put an end to that
Or will they finally give their potential romance
Something more significant than just a chance?
September 15, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Murder at the Wedding" in exchange for my honest review.
This is the seventh book in the Miss Underhay series and it just get better and better with each book. The story begins in Torbay in May 1934 where the police are still on the hunt for Ezekiel Hammett who is wanted for the murder of Denzil Hammett. Catching him could possibly bring answers to Kitty regarding the historic murder of her mother Elowed in June of 1916.
Kitty is attending the wedding of her cousin Lucy Medford to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. Readers will be familiar with Lord and Lady Medford, Lucy and her adorable dog Muffy from Kitty's previous visits to Enderley Hall. Also along on the trip is Alice from the the Dolphin Hotel who often accompanies Kitty on her trips as her maid but more importantly her friend. Captain Matthew Bryant whom Kitty has been walking out with also joins them.
As the title suggests there is a murder as is expected when Kitty is around it seems. Was the victim the actual target? The story is very well woven and it involves ideas that were introduced in previous books. Once again Kitty places herself in danger to protect someone precious. There are 2 brilliant revelations at the end of this story which makes me extra eager for the next story involving Kitty and her family and friends.
This is the seventh book in the Miss Underhay series and it just get better and better with each book. The story begins in Torbay in May 1934 where the police are still on the hunt for Ezekiel Hammett who is wanted for the murder of Denzil Hammett. Catching him could possibly bring answers to Kitty regarding the historic murder of her mother Elowed in June of 1916.
Kitty is attending the wedding of her cousin Lucy Medford to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. Readers will be familiar with Lord and Lady Medford, Lucy and her adorable dog Muffy from Kitty's previous visits to Enderley Hall. Also along on the trip is Alice from the the Dolphin Hotel who often accompanies Kitty on her trips as her maid but more importantly her friend. Captain Matthew Bryant whom Kitty has been walking out with also joins them.
As the title suggests there is a murder as is expected when Kitty is around it seems. Was the victim the actual target? The story is very well woven and it involves ideas that were introduced in previous books. Once again Kitty places herself in danger to protect someone precious. There are 2 brilliant revelations at the end of this story which makes me extra eager for the next story involving Kitty and her family and friends.
October 6, 2021
4.5 Stars
1934 & Kitty Underhay & her maid Alice travel to North Yorkshire to Thurscomb Castle for her cousin Lucy’s wedding to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. She’s honoured to be a bridesmaid at the wedding & can't wait for her beau, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant to join her. The following day whilst catching up on gossip with her friend Daisy, who’s Rupert's sister they hear a gunshot. Evans, Ralston Barnes' right hand man has been shot. Rupert’s best man, The Right Honourable Alexander ‘Sandy’ Galsworthy, believe the speeding bullet was meant for him? Then there's another murder so Matt & Kitty finding themselves aiding the local police.
This is the seventh outing for Kitty & another well written engrossing read which could be read on its own. I love Matt & Kitty & I’m thoroughly enjoying their slow burn romance. They are both well portrayed & over the series I feel as though I’ve really got to know them. The secondary characters both old & new were also well fleshed. There were plenty of new characters assembled for the wedding & it took me a little while to get everyone sorted. The setting was both beautiful & a bit eerie too. There were plenty of twists, turns & red herrings, which kept me guessing until the culprit was revealed. I’m now looking forward to the next book especially after the couple of teasers
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
1934 & Kitty Underhay & her maid Alice travel to North Yorkshire to Thurscomb Castle for her cousin Lucy’s wedding to Lord Rupert Woodcomb. She’s honoured to be a bridesmaid at the wedding & can't wait for her beau, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant to join her. The following day whilst catching up on gossip with her friend Daisy, who’s Rupert's sister they hear a gunshot. Evans, Ralston Barnes' right hand man has been shot. Rupert’s best man, The Right Honourable Alexander ‘Sandy’ Galsworthy, believe the speeding bullet was meant for him? Then there's another murder so Matt & Kitty finding themselves aiding the local police.
This is the seventh outing for Kitty & another well written engrossing read which could be read on its own. I love Matt & Kitty & I’m thoroughly enjoying their slow burn romance. They are both well portrayed & over the series I feel as though I’ve really got to know them. The secondary characters both old & new were also well fleshed. There were plenty of new characters assembled for the wedding & it took me a little while to get everyone sorted. The setting was both beautiful & a bit eerie too. There were plenty of twists, turns & red herrings, which kept me guessing until the culprit was revealed. I’m now looking forward to the next book especially after the couple of teasers
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
October 8, 2021
My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder at the Wedding’ by Helena Dixon in exchange for an honest review.
This is Book 7 in the Miss Kitty Underhay series of historical cosy mysteries. It is May 1934 and Kitty Underhay travels to Yorkshire to attend her cousin Lucy’s wedding. It is being held at Thurscomb Castle and is going to be a posh affair as the groom has inherited the castle and title from his recently deceased uncle. Kitty’s plus one is ex-army captain turned private detective, Matthew Bryant.
Given the novel’s title it’s no spoiler to say that before long there will be a murder. As usual, there are plenty of suspects and a few red herrings. The local police, led by Inspector Lewis, are not happy with any input from Kitty declaring: ‘Whatever they may tolerate in Devon, I can assure you it is not the same here in Yorkshire. I would suggest you leave any idea of investigating to the professionals.’ Oh well, that’s bound to deter her.
While this is very much a cosy mystery, Helena Dixon does acknowledge the legacy of the Great War and the rising threat of fascism in Europe as well as its British sympathisers led by Oswald Mosley.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable mystery that sparkled with wit and a touch of romance. I was very pleased to read that the next mystery with Miss Kitty Underhay and friends will be published in February.
This is Book 7 in the Miss Kitty Underhay series of historical cosy mysteries. It is May 1934 and Kitty Underhay travels to Yorkshire to attend her cousin Lucy’s wedding. It is being held at Thurscomb Castle and is going to be a posh affair as the groom has inherited the castle and title from his recently deceased uncle. Kitty’s plus one is ex-army captain turned private detective, Matthew Bryant.
Given the novel’s title it’s no spoiler to say that before long there will be a murder. As usual, there are plenty of suspects and a few red herrings. The local police, led by Inspector Lewis, are not happy with any input from Kitty declaring: ‘Whatever they may tolerate in Devon, I can assure you it is not the same here in Yorkshire. I would suggest you leave any idea of investigating to the professionals.’ Oh well, that’s bound to deter her.
While this is very much a cosy mystery, Helena Dixon does acknowledge the legacy of the Great War and the rising threat of fascism in Europe as well as its British sympathisers led by Oswald Mosley.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable mystery that sparkled with wit and a touch of romance. I was very pleased to read that the next mystery with Miss Kitty Underhay and friends will be published in February.
November 19, 2021
Lady Kitty Underhay and her private investigator beau Matthew Bryant are invited to Thurscomb Castle for her cousin's wedding. But the nuptials are overshadowed by a murder and the pair are straight on the case. Can they find the killer and prevent another death?
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th book by Helena Dixon to feature Lady Kitty Underhay. We revisit characters from previous books as well as mentions of plotlines that have threaded through the rest of the series. However, there are no major spoilers and this could be read as a stand alone novel.
The 1930s are brought to life, especially the upper classes as Kitty travels to a stately home to celebrate the nuptials of her cousin Lucy who we had met in a previous book. However, Kitty's gentle nature allows her to makes friends in all classes although once again the police are not keen on her involvement!
There are whole array of characters to suspect as they all seem to be acting suspiciously or be hiding secrets. I admit I did get a little confused as they are referred to variously by their first or second names. Kitty and Matt have to wade through the red herrings to find the correct motive and therefore the killer.
But perhaps more important for fans of the series... the love blossoming between the lead characters finally seems on track...
Murder at the Wedding is an enjoyable historical and cosy murder mystery.
Murder at the Wedding is the 7th book by Helena Dixon to feature Lady Kitty Underhay. We revisit characters from previous books as well as mentions of plotlines that have threaded through the rest of the series. However, there are no major spoilers and this could be read as a stand alone novel.
The 1930s are brought to life, especially the upper classes as Kitty travels to a stately home to celebrate the nuptials of her cousin Lucy who we had met in a previous book. However, Kitty's gentle nature allows her to makes friends in all classes although once again the police are not keen on her involvement!
There are whole array of characters to suspect as they all seem to be acting suspiciously or be hiding secrets. I admit I did get a little confused as they are referred to variously by their first or second names. Kitty and Matt have to wade through the red herrings to find the correct motive and therefore the killer.
But perhaps more important for fans of the series... the love blossoming between the lead characters finally seems on track...
Murder at the Wedding is an enjoyable historical and cosy murder mystery.
September 12, 2021
The Miss Underhay mystery series has been a favourite ever since I discovered it, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Murder at the Wedding.
I honestly enjoyed this book so much. I love Kitty and Matt, they are both great characters. I love their slowly developing relationship, and the fact that it’s progressing over the course of so many wonderful stories. It’s so much more rewarding than a whirlwind romance.
Murder at the Wedding takes place at Thurscomb Castle, where friends and family are gathered for Kitty’s cousin Lucy’s wedding. The setting is atmospheric and a great place for a murder mystery. It was fun to spend more time with Lucy, who is another character that I really like.
The mystery was a good one, it kept me guessing until the end. With so many people who were suspicious, or not very likeable, for one reason or another, there was a excellent pool of suspects.
And what an ending! I can’t say more without spoilers, but it was really excellent. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Overall, this was a wonderful story, with a great murder mystery, and a continuing romance. I recommend it, and the whole series.
I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
I honestly enjoyed this book so much. I love Kitty and Matt, they are both great characters. I love their slowly developing relationship, and the fact that it’s progressing over the course of so many wonderful stories. It’s so much more rewarding than a whirlwind romance.
Murder at the Wedding takes place at Thurscomb Castle, where friends and family are gathered for Kitty’s cousin Lucy’s wedding. The setting is atmospheric and a great place for a murder mystery. It was fun to spend more time with Lucy, who is another character that I really like.
The mystery was a good one, it kept me guessing until the end. With so many people who were suspicious, or not very likeable, for one reason or another, there was a excellent pool of suspects.
And what an ending! I can’t say more without spoilers, but it was really excellent. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Overall, this was a wonderful story, with a great murder mystery, and a continuing romance. I recommend it, and the whole series.
I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
September 11, 2021
Kitty Underhay and beau Matt Bryant are back in this English historical cozy series set post WWI. Kitty is a bridesmaid at her cousin Lucy's wedding at an old and slightly sketchy English castle. It seems several of the groom's former friends have become not so wonderful -- scandalous personal behavior and discredited political views. But wedding plans roll on.
Several days before the wedding, the servant of one of the groomsmen is shot dead by a sniper. Was he the target -- or was it his employer? Before the week is out, there is another dead body. The local constabulary is not up to snuff in their investigative prowess so Matt and Kitty are called upon to help.
Kitty and Matt are very appealing characters, smart, forthright and modern in their viewpoints. It's always enjoyable to spend time with them. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
One minor gritch: I enjoy this series and always look forward to the next one. It's not necessary, in fact it's annoying, that the author feels she has to end with a teaser for the next in line.
Several days before the wedding, the servant of one of the groomsmen is shot dead by a sniper. Was he the target -- or was it his employer? Before the week is out, there is another dead body. The local constabulary is not up to snuff in their investigative prowess so Matt and Kitty are called upon to help.
Kitty and Matt are very appealing characters, smart, forthright and modern in their viewpoints. It's always enjoyable to spend time with them. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
One minor gritch: I enjoy this series and always look forward to the next one. It's not necessary, in fact it's annoying, that the author feels she has to end with a teaser for the next in line.
October 2, 2021
This is the seventh outing for the heroine of this amazing cozy historical crime series, Miss Kitty Underhay and it was as well written and full of adventures as the previous books.
In this book Kitty is attending the wedding of her dear cousin Lucy and the action is now in Yorkshire at her family home. Lucy seems troubled and confesses she has seen the ghost of a nun which foretells death, a legend that Kitty tells her is nonsense. However a seemingly accidental shooting is followed by a tragic death on the evening of the wedding and the duo of Kitty and her detective friend Captain Matt Bryant are on the case.
We see a change again in the relationship between Kitty and Matt at the end of the novel and a message from the detective at home brings joy to Kitty and the possibility that the man who murdered her mother may have been caught.
Highly recommend this as all the others in the series and would definitely say that reading them in order is best to understand the development of the characters. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
In this book Kitty is attending the wedding of her dear cousin Lucy and the action is now in Yorkshire at her family home. Lucy seems troubled and confesses she has seen the ghost of a nun which foretells death, a legend that Kitty tells her is nonsense. However a seemingly accidental shooting is followed by a tragic death on the evening of the wedding and the duo of Kitty and her detective friend Captain Matt Bryant are on the case.
We see a change again in the relationship between Kitty and Matt at the end of the novel and a message from the detective at home brings joy to Kitty and the possibility that the man who murdered her mother may have been caught.
Highly recommend this as all the others in the series and would definitely say that reading them in order is best to understand the development of the characters. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2025
4 Stars specifically for the ending cause AHHHHHA PROPOSAL!!!!!! I totally forgot what book number I was in as I knew they got married later but I didn’t realize it was so soon for me! The proposal was so so cute I had my partner listen with me when I realized what was happening. The rest of the book-I feel like Helena Dixon’s not great with large casts of characters or I guess medium really. What bothers me a lot is how certain things make characters seem suspicious but they’re NEVER addressed when the book comes to a close. Like we get the antagonist reveal and how they did things but there’s no reveal for other people who are genuinely suspicious.
Also-the narrator who had been doing these books from 1-6 didn’t do this one and I heavily disliked this narrator. Her voice was way too uppity and haughty for Kitty, who has a kind but firm disposition. She made her sound like a bitch tbh. Apparently, according to the narrator for book 8 (not the Same as this one which is 7) the original narrator retired the be an occupational therapist so-cool to have can’t reasons but now I’m sad because that was Kitty’s voice to me.
Also-the narrator who had been doing these books from 1-6 didn’t do this one and I heavily disliked this narrator. Her voice was way too uppity and haughty for Kitty, who has a kind but firm disposition. She made her sound like a bitch tbh. Apparently, according to the narrator for book 8 (not the Same as this one which is 7) the original narrator retired the be an occupational therapist so-cool to have can’t reasons but now I’m sad because that was Kitty’s voice to me.
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