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John Pickett Mystery #4
Dinner Most Deadly
When Julia, Lady Fieldhurst returns from her sojourn in Scotland restless and out of sorts, her friend Emily, Lady Dunnington decides what Julia needs is a lover. Lady Dunnington plans a dinner party with carefully selected male guests from whom Julia may choose a paramour. Emily also invites a potential lover for herself: Sir Reginald Montague, a man whose urbane manner and dangerous good looks hide a host of unsavory secrets.
Alas, Emily’s little dinner is a disaster from the outset. Every gentleman at the table bears some unspoken grudge against Sir Reginald, and then dinner is interrupted by Emily’s estranged husband. He and Emily have a heated discussion that ends with Lord Dunnington’s vowing to put a stop to his wife’s pursuit of Sir Reginald “no matter what it takes.” But the coup de grâce comes at the end of the evening, when Sir Reginald is shot dead.
Bow Street Runner John Pickett is summoned to Emily’s house, where he is taken aback to find Julia. For in addition to investigating the case, he is faced with the awkward task of informing her that their masquerade as a married couple in Scotland has resulted in their being legally wed. Beset by distractions—not least the humiliating annulment process and the flattering attentions of Lady Dunnington’s pretty young housemaid—Pickett must find the killer of a man whom everyone has reason to want dead.
Alas, Emily’s little dinner is a disaster from the outset. Every gentleman at the table bears some unspoken grudge against Sir Reginald, and then dinner is interrupted by Emily’s estranged husband. He and Emily have a heated discussion that ends with Lord Dunnington’s vowing to put a stop to his wife’s pursuit of Sir Reginald “no matter what it takes.” But the coup de grâce comes at the end of the evening, when Sir Reginald is shot dead.
Bow Street Runner John Pickett is summoned to Emily’s house, where he is taken aback to find Julia. For in addition to investigating the case, he is faced with the awkward task of informing her that their masquerade as a married couple in Scotland has resulted in their being legally wed. Beset by distractions—not least the humiliating annulment process and the flattering attentions of Lady Dunnington’s pretty young housemaid—Pickett must find the killer of a man whom everyone has reason to want dead.
231 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2015
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June 30, 2024
Review from 2018
I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals.
Sheri Cobb South’s series of historical mysteries featuring the charming young Bow Street Runner John Pickett continues apace with the fourth full-length novel in the series, Dinner Most Deadly. It’s another enjoyable mix of murder-mystery and romance, but here, the romantic angle is as much the focus as the mystery, as John and the love of his life, Lady Julia Fieldhurst, struggle to deal with the ramifications of their recent masquerade as Mr. and Mrs. Pickett in book three, Family Plot. This instalment is particularly angsty in terms of their continuing relationship; John has been in love with Julia since they met in book one, In Milady's Chamber, and while it’s taken Julia longer to realise the truth of her feelings for the thoughtful, insightful and achingly sweet young man who is so devoted to her, she is finally starting to see them for what they really are. But… a viscountess and a thief-taker who earns the princely sum of twenty-five shillings a week? The social divide between them is too great to permit even the merest nodding acquaintance.
Or… it should be. At the end of Family Plot, John’s mentor, Magistrate Patrick Colquhoun, pointed out that because John and Julia had publicly pretended to be man and wife during the investigation they had pursued while in Scotland, they are, in fact, married under Scottish law – and that the marriage is perfectly legal in England. As Dinner Most Deadly opens, John, who has been back in London for a couple of weeks, has yet to work up the courage to tell his ‘wife’ the truth, while Lady Julia has been out of sorts ever since she returned from Scotland and doesn’t know why. Or rather, she knows perfectly well why, but is attempting to remain in denial about it.
Her closest friend, Lady Emily Dunnington decides Julia needs to be hauled out of her fit of the blue-devils, and suggests – again – that Julia should find herself a lover. Julia, who knows there’s only one man she really wants (but that she can’t have him), tries to get her friend to drop the idea, but Emily is persistent, and announces she will host a dinner party to which she will invite a number of suitable gentlemen for Julia to choose from.
Julia is still feeling rather insecure after her last attempt to secure a lover (she propositioned John at the end of Family Plot) went badly wrong and he turned her down. So, torn between dread of opening herself up once more to rejection and a rather desperate need for confirmation of her own desirability, she tells herself that perhaps Emily is right; maybe some male companionship is what she needs in order to help her to put John out of her mind. The night of the dinner arrives, and Emily has secured the attendance of a half-dozen attractive, unattached (well, mostly) men, including Sir Rupert Latham, the man with whom Julia had been about to embark upon an affair in the first book. (Things didn’t quite proceed as planned when they entered her room to discover her dead husband’s body lying on the floor. Must have been quite the mood killer!)
Time was when Julia would have been happy to have been the subject of the attention of such appealing gentlemen and to consider something more with one of them. But there is an oddly strained atmosphere at the dinner table, which Julia realises is due to the fact that the guests are clearly not pleased at the presence of Sir Reginald Montague, an imposing, good-looking man whose appeal seems to lie in the aura of danger that emanates from him.
Juila can’t help but wonder what it is about the man that causes the others to treat him with such veiled hostility – but her musings are brought to a halt when Emily’s estranged husband arrives at the house, and demands to see her. Julia tries valiantly to steer attention away from the sounds of marital discord coming from the next room, and not long after Donnington departs and the dinner ends, the guests take their leave, until only Sir Reginald – who has made his interest in Emily clear – remains. He, too, is on his way out when the sound of shots rings out – and Julia and Emily rush to the front hall, only to discover him lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
It’s Emily who insists on sending for “your Mr. Pickett”, as she terms him to Julia, and our intrepid young hero finds himself once again sleuthing within the hallowed halls of Mayfair as he works to discover the identity of Sir Reginald’s murder. As the case progresses, he learns that the other gentlemen present at the dinner party all had good reason to despise the victim and even to want him dead; but which of them – if any – pulled the trigger?
The mystery is nicely done, and as I wasn’t able to guess the identity of the culprit before the reveal, it came as a surprise, which is always a good thing in a mystery novel! But the meat of the story – for me, at least – is found in the complications of the increasingly angsty relationship between John and Julia. John knows it’s ridiculous to harbour any hopes that Julia might wish their marriage to stand, but even so, is hurt when she quickly suggests they seek an annulment. When it emerges there is only one way such a thing can happen (so often in historical romances, the idea of getting a marriage annulled is treated as though it’s easy, when it really wasn’t), Julia is horrified by the thought of John having to subject himself to intimate, humiliating medical examinations – but he is resigned to doing what he must and there really is no other way. I admit I was a little annoyed with her at this point. She clearly loves John but isn’t – yet – willing to put him before maintaining her position in society; but on the other hand, I can understand her reluctance to set aside the life she’s known for one that will be unlike anything she’s imagined for herself or been brought up to. It’s quite the dilemma, and Ms. Cobb South does a very good job of keeping emotions high and stretching out the tension. Seeing this is the fourth in a seven (so far) book series, I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that the lump-in-the-throat ending isn’t the last word in the relationship.
I’ve been impressed with Joel Froomkin’s work on this series (and other narrations of his I’ve listened to) and continue to be so. He delivers another highly accomplished performance which works on every level; his pacing, characterisation and differentiation are all excellent and he really gets to grips with the emotional undercurrent that runs between John and Julia and throughout the story. The writing is skilfully understated and his performance equally so while at the same time breathing life and sometimes heart-breaking emotion into the exchanges between the couple – but he never goes over the top. These are Regency characters who act and speak in a way that feels right for the period, and Mr. Froomkin obviously ‘gets it’. His interpretation of the various characters is extremely good, from the aristocratic hauteur and smarm of Julia’s former beau, to the cheeky sweetness of Dulcie, the housemaid, and the bluff Scottish-ness of Magistrate Colquhoun. But as usual, the star turns are the portrayals of the two principals; John’s intelligence, earnestness and all-round decency are evident in his voice, and as I’ve said before, the rendition of Julia is so good as to make it easy to forget that one is listening to a man!
A well-conceived mystery, an angsty romance and expert narration all combine to make Dinner Most Deadly an enjoyable listen, and it’s one I’m happy to recommend.
I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals.
Sheri Cobb South’s series of historical mysteries featuring the charming young Bow Street Runner John Pickett continues apace with the fourth full-length novel in the series, Dinner Most Deadly. It’s another enjoyable mix of murder-mystery and romance, but here, the romantic angle is as much the focus as the mystery, as John and the love of his life, Lady Julia Fieldhurst, struggle to deal with the ramifications of their recent masquerade as Mr. and Mrs. Pickett in book three, Family Plot. This instalment is particularly angsty in terms of their continuing relationship; John has been in love with Julia since they met in book one, In Milady's Chamber, and while it’s taken Julia longer to realise the truth of her feelings for the thoughtful, insightful and achingly sweet young man who is so devoted to her, she is finally starting to see them for what they really are. But… a viscountess and a thief-taker who earns the princely sum of twenty-five shillings a week? The social divide between them is too great to permit even the merest nodding acquaintance.
Or… it should be. At the end of Family Plot, John’s mentor, Magistrate Patrick Colquhoun, pointed out that because John and Julia had publicly pretended to be man and wife during the investigation they had pursued while in Scotland, they are, in fact, married under Scottish law – and that the marriage is perfectly legal in England. As Dinner Most Deadly opens, John, who has been back in London for a couple of weeks, has yet to work up the courage to tell his ‘wife’ the truth, while Lady Julia has been out of sorts ever since she returned from Scotland and doesn’t know why. Or rather, she knows perfectly well why, but is attempting to remain in denial about it.
Her closest friend, Lady Emily Dunnington decides Julia needs to be hauled out of her fit of the blue-devils, and suggests – again – that Julia should find herself a lover. Julia, who knows there’s only one man she really wants (but that she can’t have him), tries to get her friend to drop the idea, but Emily is persistent, and announces she will host a dinner party to which she will invite a number of suitable gentlemen for Julia to choose from.
Julia is still feeling rather insecure after her last attempt to secure a lover (she propositioned John at the end of Family Plot) went badly wrong and he turned her down. So, torn between dread of opening herself up once more to rejection and a rather desperate need for confirmation of her own desirability, she tells herself that perhaps Emily is right; maybe some male companionship is what she needs in order to help her to put John out of her mind. The night of the dinner arrives, and Emily has secured the attendance of a half-dozen attractive, unattached (well, mostly) men, including Sir Rupert Latham, the man with whom Julia had been about to embark upon an affair in the first book. (Things didn’t quite proceed as planned when they entered her room to discover her dead husband’s body lying on the floor. Must have been quite the mood killer!)
Time was when Julia would have been happy to have been the subject of the attention of such appealing gentlemen and to consider something more with one of them. But there is an oddly strained atmosphere at the dinner table, which Julia realises is due to the fact that the guests are clearly not pleased at the presence of Sir Reginald Montague, an imposing, good-looking man whose appeal seems to lie in the aura of danger that emanates from him.
Juila can’t help but wonder what it is about the man that causes the others to treat him with such veiled hostility – but her musings are brought to a halt when Emily’s estranged husband arrives at the house, and demands to see her. Julia tries valiantly to steer attention away from the sounds of marital discord coming from the next room, and not long after Donnington departs and the dinner ends, the guests take their leave, until only Sir Reginald – who has made his interest in Emily clear – remains. He, too, is on his way out when the sound of shots rings out – and Julia and Emily rush to the front hall, only to discover him lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
It’s Emily who insists on sending for “your Mr. Pickett”, as she terms him to Julia, and our intrepid young hero finds himself once again sleuthing within the hallowed halls of Mayfair as he works to discover the identity of Sir Reginald’s murder. As the case progresses, he learns that the other gentlemen present at the dinner party all had good reason to despise the victim and even to want him dead; but which of them – if any – pulled the trigger?
The mystery is nicely done, and as I wasn’t able to guess the identity of the culprit before the reveal, it came as a surprise, which is always a good thing in a mystery novel! But the meat of the story – for me, at least – is found in the complications of the increasingly angsty relationship between John and Julia. John knows it’s ridiculous to harbour any hopes that Julia might wish their marriage to stand, but even so, is hurt when she quickly suggests they seek an annulment. When it emerges there is only one way such a thing can happen (so often in historical romances, the idea of getting a marriage annulled is treated as though it’s easy, when it really wasn’t), Julia is horrified by the thought of John having to subject himself to intimate, humiliating medical examinations – but he is resigned to doing what he must and there really is no other way. I admit I was a little annoyed with her at this point. She clearly loves John but isn’t – yet – willing to put him before maintaining her position in society; but on the other hand, I can understand her reluctance to set aside the life she’s known for one that will be unlike anything she’s imagined for herself or been brought up to. It’s quite the dilemma, and Ms. Cobb South does a very good job of keeping emotions high and stretching out the tension. Seeing this is the fourth in a seven (so far) book series, I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that the lump-in-the-throat ending isn’t the last word in the relationship.
I’ve been impressed with Joel Froomkin’s work on this series (and other narrations of his I’ve listened to) and continue to be so. He delivers another highly accomplished performance which works on every level; his pacing, characterisation and differentiation are all excellent and he really gets to grips with the emotional undercurrent that runs between John and Julia and throughout the story. The writing is skilfully understated and his performance equally so while at the same time breathing life and sometimes heart-breaking emotion into the exchanges between the couple – but he never goes over the top. These are Regency characters who act and speak in a way that feels right for the period, and Mr. Froomkin obviously ‘gets it’. His interpretation of the various characters is extremely good, from the aristocratic hauteur and smarm of Julia’s former beau, to the cheeky sweetness of Dulcie, the housemaid, and the bluff Scottish-ness of Magistrate Colquhoun. But as usual, the star turns are the portrayals of the two principals; John’s intelligence, earnestness and all-round decency are evident in his voice, and as I’ve said before, the rendition of Julia is so good as to make it easy to forget that one is listening to a man!
A well-conceived mystery, an angsty romance and expert narration all combine to make Dinner Most Deadly an enjoyable listen, and it’s one I’m happy to recommend.
February 25, 2021
Regency London. Sheri Cobb South’s Dinner Most Deadly (John Pickett Mysteries, #4) once again provide a setting where Julia, Lady Fieldhurst and Bow Street Runner, John Pickett meet unexpectedly. Lady Dunnington is convinced that Julia, Lady Fieldhurst should take a lover, and she immediately begins to plan a dinner party where Julia will have her choice from about six men for her lover. Julia, Lady Fieldhurst is definitely not on the same wavelength as Lady Dunnington as Julia continues to think of a certain Bow Street Runner even though the English class system would not permit such a union without various repercussions such as ostracism from the ‘ton’ for Lady Fieldhurst and complete non-acceptance by the ‘ton’ for John Pickett, Bow Street Runner. Lady Dunnington’s dinner party ends early as each male participant has an appointment the following morning, but the dinner party ends with a bang, a very loud bang. Ladies Fieldhurst and Dunnington move towards the front door to find Sir Reginald Montague “sprawled face down on the marble tiled floor ina pool of blood.” A Bow Street Runner is required, and thus, Mr. John Pickett arrives at Lady Dunnington’s, and he learns the ‘deadly’ dinner party was given for Julia, Lady Fieldhurst who is present when Mr. Pickett appears. There are misunderstandings, awkward personal information that Mr. Pickett must relay to Lady Fieldhurst, and a murder investigation Mr. Pickett must solve. The author does a great job covering all the bases with witty narrative and descriptions of character reactions. 4 stars.
April 28, 2018
I can’t seem to help myself binging on this series! As I said in my review of Family Plot, while I’ve enjoyed the mysteries, it’s really the relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst that has captured my imagination.
At the end of Family Plot, they discovered that under Scottish law, the fact of them having stated to witnesses that they were husband and wife actually made them to be so legally. Of course a real marriage between them is impossible, so Julia, with John’s knowledge and consent, contacts the family solicitor to initiate annulment proceedings. They little realize the humiliation that such proceedings will cause for John, the grounds for annulment being fraud, insanity and impotence - no Court is going to find that either of them are insane or acted fraudulently, so that leaves impotence. Eurgh! Poor John. Finished before he ever gets started, so to speak (he’s a virgin).
In the meantime there is a murder investigation to solve: a gentleman was shot as he was leaving a dinner party given by Lady Dunnington, who just happens to be Julia’s best friend. Julia and Lady Dunnington were in the house at the time of the shooting and Lady D sends for “her Mr. Pickett.”
John has to balance the investigation with the annulment issues which leaves him pretty raw. There is one particular scene between John and Julia that is so poignant - you just can’t help feeling for them.
As far as the solution to the mystery, I must admit I never saw it coming! Plot-wise and character development, I think this one is the tightest so far. 4.25 stars.
At the end of Family Plot, they discovered that under Scottish law, the fact of them having stated to witnesses that they were husband and wife actually made them to be so legally. Of course a real marriage between them is impossible, so Julia, with John’s knowledge and consent, contacts the family solicitor to initiate annulment proceedings. They little realize the humiliation that such proceedings will cause for John, the grounds for annulment being fraud, insanity and impotence - no Court is going to find that either of them are insane or acted fraudulently, so that leaves impotence. Eurgh! Poor John. Finished before he ever gets started, so to speak (he’s a virgin).
In the meantime there is a murder investigation to solve: a gentleman was shot as he was leaving a dinner party given by Lady Dunnington, who just happens to be Julia’s best friend. Julia and Lady Dunnington were in the house at the time of the shooting and Lady D sends for “her Mr. Pickett.”
John has to balance the investigation with the annulment issues which leaves him pretty raw. There is one particular scene between John and Julia that is so poignant - you just can’t help feeling for them.
As far as the solution to the mystery, I must admit I never saw it coming! Plot-wise and character development, I think this one is the tightest so far. 4.25 stars.
March 19, 2018
Lady Julia Fieldhurst has been in a blue study since returning home from Scotland. Her friend, Lady Emily Dunnington knows just the thing to cheer Julia up- a dinner party. Not just another boring, stuffy dinner party but a scandalous one-one to choose a lover from among a number of gentlemen. Lady Julia isn't so sure she is ready for a lover. She tried that before and it went horribly wrong, but Lady Emily is eager to choose HER next lover, Sir Richard Montague, a man with a dangerous charm. The dinner party is a disaster and culminates in Sir Richard being shot dead at the front door! Lady Emily sends for John Pickett, who is reluctantly to deal with the aristocracy again. He must though for personal reasons as well as professional. It seems that while he was in Scotland, Lady Julia accidentally declared herself married to him. Now what to do? They are so far apart in station that a marriage would never work. How can he support a wife on 25 shillings a week? As for Lady Julia, she longs for someone to love her.
This book was not the best entry in the series. It focused much more on the angsty relationship than the mystery. The mystery concludes too quickly as almost an afterthought. I didn't enjoy the relationship drama. It was too much and too repetitive. Poor John! Poor Julia! Woe is me she/he doesn't love me. The annulment proceedings were way too graphically detailed and mentioned too often to be funny. I started trying to solve the mystery with 5 suspects, narrowed it down to 3 and then finally 2. I wasn't totally surprised yet I was. Nothing really adds up.
John is a wonderful, honorable young man by our modern standards, which makes him an anachronism. He's so sweet and innocent despite a childhood spent with a thief. He also had modern values. I admire the author for taking a stand but by Regency standards what the young lady said was considered true. John should have said "While any person with morals would say X, the law unfortunately says Y" to show how far attitudes have changed in 200 years (or not). John's lack of amorous experience is sweet but also not all that accurate for the time. He fell a few notches in my estimation for his rebound relationship. That was not very honorable.
Julia is annoying in this book. She dithers, wrings her hands and lies. She finally comes to her senses towards the end. I got tired of reading "he doesn't love me" over and over again. Given her past experience with men, I don't blame her for being reluctant to take a lover though. Lady Emily is a very forceful friend. She isn't very sensitive. Her plot was a little silly. Lady Emily's maid Dulcie is silly and romantic. She's pretty and I can see that causing trouble. I didn't really like her much.
The dinner party guests are far from the pick of the ton. Julia's husband had once referred to Sir Reginald as a "loose fish" and "bad ton." He's certainly on the edge of polite society. His actions, while despicable by modern standards, were relatively normal for the time. His worst crime would be what happened at White's followed by the military problem. He didn't deserve to die though. I felt sorry for his daughter who was looking forward to her upcoming wedding. His long-suffering wife seemed to feel relief but what happens next? Does he have a son? Who is the heir? Is there any money? None of those questions arise. Lord Derham and Lord Edwin Braunton are both a bit enigmatic. They're polite but have undercurrents of anger and sadness. There's also Lord Rupert Latham, Lady Julia's would-be lover. I really didn't like his word weary airs and his goading of John. His vanity and male pride may be wounded or he may really care for Julia. It's hard to tell. Captain Sir Charles Ormond and Martin Kenney round out the dinner party. I liked Mr. Kenney and felt a bit sorry for him. Captain Sir Charles seems like an honorable gentleman and I liked him too.
I still look forward to reading the next novel and perhaps the rest of the series to see what happens next but if there's too much angst, I will quit.
Content: Though the romance is clean, there's talk of taking lovers and the chapter where John is subjected to a physical examination is a little racy.
This book was not the best entry in the series. It focused much more on the angsty relationship than the mystery. The mystery concludes too quickly as almost an afterthought. I didn't enjoy the relationship drama. It was too much and too repetitive. Poor John! Poor Julia! Woe is me she/he doesn't love me. The annulment proceedings were way too graphically detailed and mentioned too often to be funny. I started trying to solve the mystery with 5 suspects, narrowed it down to 3 and then finally 2. I wasn't totally surprised yet I was. Nothing really adds up.
John is a wonderful, honorable young man by our modern standards, which makes him an anachronism. He's so sweet and innocent despite a childhood spent with a thief. He also had modern values. I admire the author for taking a stand but by Regency standards what the young lady said was considered true. John should have said "While any person with morals would say X, the law unfortunately says Y" to show how far attitudes have changed in 200 years (or not). John's lack of amorous experience is sweet but also not all that accurate for the time. He fell a few notches in my estimation for his rebound relationship. That was not very honorable.
Julia is annoying in this book. She dithers, wrings her hands and lies. She finally comes to her senses towards the end. I got tired of reading "he doesn't love me" over and over again. Given her past experience with men, I don't blame her for being reluctant to take a lover though. Lady Emily is a very forceful friend. She isn't very sensitive. Her plot was a little silly. Lady Emily's maid Dulcie is silly and romantic. She's pretty and I can see that causing trouble. I didn't really like her much.
The dinner party guests are far from the pick of the ton. Julia's husband had once referred to Sir Reginald as a "loose fish" and "bad ton." He's certainly on the edge of polite society. His actions, while despicable by modern standards, were relatively normal for the time. His worst crime would be what happened at White's followed by the military problem. He didn't deserve to die though. I felt sorry for his daughter who was looking forward to her upcoming wedding. His long-suffering wife seemed to feel relief but what happens next? Does he have a son? Who is the heir? Is there any money? None of those questions arise. Lord Derham and Lord Edwin Braunton are both a bit enigmatic. They're polite but have undercurrents of anger and sadness. There's also Lord Rupert Latham, Lady Julia's would-be lover. I really didn't like his word weary airs and his goading of John. His vanity and male pride may be wounded or he may really care for Julia. It's hard to tell. Captain Sir Charles Ormond and Martin Kenney round out the dinner party. I liked Mr. Kenney and felt a bit sorry for him. Captain Sir Charles seems like an honorable gentleman and I liked him too.
I still look forward to reading the next novel and perhaps the rest of the series to see what happens next but if there's too much angst, I will quit.
Content: Though the romance is clean, there's talk of taking lovers and the chapter where John is subjected to a physical examination is a little racy.
May 5, 2015
I loved the previous three books in this series and was delighted to be offered the chance to offer an honest review for an ARC .
This series just gets better and better! Dinner Most Deadly was a fast fun read and I literally couldn't put it down.
What I loved -
*The mystery was well done and the identity of the murderer was foreshadowed cleverly. I had a few guesses but didn't know for sure until the final reveal.
*There were multiple romantic sub-plots and I was reminded of Agatha Christie books where not only the mystery was solved at the end but many of the character's personal problems. We learned more back story about some of the minor characters from previous books and I enjoyed seeing them happy at the end of this book.
*Lots of humor. I almost woke the baby up from a nap laughing at one part.
This book could be read as a stand alone book but I think it would be enjoyed so much more if it was read after the previous books. The back story really makes this a fun read.
This series just gets better and better! Dinner Most Deadly was a fast fun read and I literally couldn't put it down.
What I loved -
*The mystery was well done and the identity of the murderer was foreshadowed cleverly. I had a few guesses but didn't know for sure until the final reveal.
*There were multiple romantic sub-plots and I was reminded of Agatha Christie books where not only the mystery was solved at the end but many of the character's personal problems. We learned more back story about some of the minor characters from previous books and I enjoyed seeing them happy at the end of this book.
*Lots of humor. I almost woke the baby up from a nap laughing at one part.
This book could be read as a stand alone book but I think it would be enjoyed so much more if it was read after the previous books. The back story really makes this a fun read.
November 7, 2017
"Dinner Most Deadly" is the fourth book in this series and while it moved the plotline along, I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous three books. In the previous book John and Julia discovered that they were accidently married by Scottish law and now Julia is seeking an annulment before the marriage is general knowledge. I found John to be way too beta; he spends most of the book in frustrated and anguished at losing his "wife" and consents to an embarrassing examination to give grounds for the annulment.
While in the middle of investigating the murder of one of Lady Dunnington dinner guests, one of the five men invited to the dinner party as a possible lover for Julia to pick from, John winds up playing match maker for an estranged couple and pitching a poor landowner prospect as a possible husband for wealthy and titled, albeit, pregnant young woman who needs a husband to save face for her family. As usual, a decent man ends of cleaning up the leavings of an evil villain.
John seemed to dispense relationship advise to others with ease but he was struck mute when it comes to communicating with the woman he loves above all others. His frustrated thoughts and Julia's waffling made for a frustrating read at times.
Nevertheless, the mystery was well-done and John has a methodical and sharp mind that makes him shine with intelligence and wit. I have become very fond of the Bow Street runner and the viscountess he adores and and I am still rooting for John Pickett and Lady Julia Fieldhurst.
While in the middle of investigating the murder of one of Lady Dunnington dinner guests, one of the five men invited to the dinner party as a possible lover for Julia to pick from, John winds up playing match maker for an estranged couple and pitching a poor landowner prospect as a possible husband for wealthy and titled, albeit, pregnant young woman who needs a husband to save face for her family. As usual, a decent man ends of cleaning up the leavings of an evil villain.
John seemed to dispense relationship advise to others with ease but he was struck mute when it comes to communicating with the woman he loves above all others. His frustrated thoughts and Julia's waffling made for a frustrating read at times.
Nevertheless, the mystery was well-done and John has a methodical and sharp mind that makes him shine with intelligence and wit. I have become very fond of the Bow Street runner and the viscountess he adores and and I am still rooting for John Pickett and Lady Julia Fieldhurst.
July 10, 2018
In Dinner Most Deadly by Sheri Cobb South, Lady Julia Fieldhurst’s friend, Lady Emily Dunnington, decides to host a dinner in Julia’s honor for the purpose of the latter to choose a lover. It proves to be a highly awkward dinner, in the midst of which it gets crashed by Lord Dunnington, furious that his estranged wife has made overtures of taking on Sir Reginald Montague as her own lover. The men all rush out early, soon after the dinner is over. The only man not eager to exit is Sir Reginald, who grudgingly takes his leave of the women. Just as the women are settling in to talk, they hear a shot, and rushing out to the doorstep, they find the body of Sir Reginald.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
December 28, 2019
4.5 Audio version- This series is definitely lighter fare than I usually enjoy but enjoy it I do. John Pickett is just a nice guy to be around. I can see why Julia, Lady Fieldhurst, is infatuated with him. The mysteries are clever enough, but it is the relationships that keep me coming back to this series.
January 16, 2019
“Dinner Most Deadly,” fourth book in Sheri Cobb South’s John Pickett series, plays off the familiar mystery meme of a dinner guest murdered. Viscountess Fieldhurst is of course at the event, which means her favorite Bow Street Runner John Picket is soon on the case.
South uses the subsequent murder investigation to explore the very peculiar marital issue introduced at the conclusion of the preceding book. As a result, John faces some embarrassing and humorous situations. Skillfully plotted (as always), this Regency-era mystery is an ingenious and entertaining read.
South uses the subsequent murder investigation to explore the very peculiar marital issue introduced at the conclusion of the preceding book. As a result, John faces some embarrassing and humorous situations. Skillfully plotted (as always), this Regency-era mystery is an ingenious and entertaining read.
April 7, 2021
This was spoiled for me after I read a review on Goodreads. It would be appreciated if reviewers put spoilers behind a spoiler tag.
I wonder how I would’ve fared if I hadn’t had that knowledge while reading the story.
I wonder how I would’ve fared if I hadn’t had that knowledge while reading the story.
September 7, 2015
DINNER MOST DEADLY by Sheri Cobb South, the latest John Pickett Regency mystery, intertwines a satisfying murder mystery with the latest wrinkles in the up-and-down romance of Bow Street Runner John Picket and the widowed Julia, Lady Fieldhurst.
Julia, at the urging of her friend, hosts a dinner party at which she will select a lover. Reluctantly. The only man she wants is John Pickett, but society’s strictures forbid a linkage between a baron’s widow and a poor commoner. One of her candidates is a man no one at the dinner likes, each for a very good reason. But, by the end of the evening, the object of their dislike can no longer cause trouble, because someone shoots him dead in the foyer.
John Pickett is called in to investigate. He must solve the case, as well as explain to Julia the ramifications of their visit to Scotland (in Family Plot). Even worse, he discovers the distasteful thing he must do to free them both from the effects.
Ms. South writes truly villainous villains, this one so bad you’re glad when he is killed, and even wish the murderer could get away with the crime. But that is not to be, since John is so good at his work. Still…
While the mystery is intriguing, at this point, John and Julia’s romance is the main draw.
In John Pickett, Ms. South gives us a portrait of the common man as superior to the aristocrat. Though not born to the Quality, he is more of a gentleman than most of the so-called “gentlemen” in Society. With each installment in this series, he becomes more of a hero. Here, he is willing to debase himself in order to protect Julia, while still refusing to do anything that will dishonor her or their love. What a man.
Julia still wavers in her commitment, though not her desire, for John, and that’s understandable, given all the pressure applied to her to conform, which is worse for a woman than for a man. Will she take a stand for love?
But John is also human, and he’s almost at the breaking point. Something has to give. While money and class are very real impediments to John and Julia’s love, we still root for love to win.
Julia had better make her decision soon. If she doesn’t snatch up John, I’ll take him.
ARC provided by the author
Julia, at the urging of her friend, hosts a dinner party at which she will select a lover. Reluctantly. The only man she wants is John Pickett, but society’s strictures forbid a linkage between a baron’s widow and a poor commoner. One of her candidates is a man no one at the dinner likes, each for a very good reason. But, by the end of the evening, the object of their dislike can no longer cause trouble, because someone shoots him dead in the foyer.
John Pickett is called in to investigate. He must solve the case, as well as explain to Julia the ramifications of their visit to Scotland (in Family Plot). Even worse, he discovers the distasteful thing he must do to free them both from the effects.
Ms. South writes truly villainous villains, this one so bad you’re glad when he is killed, and even wish the murderer could get away with the crime. But that is not to be, since John is so good at his work. Still…
While the mystery is intriguing, at this point, John and Julia’s romance is the main draw.
In John Pickett, Ms. South gives us a portrait of the common man as superior to the aristocrat. Though not born to the Quality, he is more of a gentleman than most of the so-called “gentlemen” in Society. With each installment in this series, he becomes more of a hero. Here, he is willing to debase himself in order to protect Julia, while still refusing to do anything that will dishonor her or their love. What a man.
Julia still wavers in her commitment, though not her desire, for John, and that’s understandable, given all the pressure applied to her to conform, which is worse for a woman than for a man. Will she take a stand for love?
But John is also human, and he’s almost at the breaking point. Something has to give. While money and class are very real impediments to John and Julia’s love, we still root for love to win.
Julia had better make her decision soon. If she doesn’t snatch up John, I’ll take him.
ARC provided by the author
September 21, 2015
Sweet torture! Amidst sleuthing through an abundance of murder suspects, John Pickett's personal life is in upheaval due to his involvement with Julia, Lady Fieldhurst. As a result of an innocent masquerade in Scotland as husband and wife, John and Julia find they are legally wed. Angst abounds. The numerous lines of plausibility in the murder case are nothing compared to the struggles within the wanted but forbidden relationship of John and Julia. How does the saying go? A bird and a fish may fall in love, but where will they make their nest? Oh my goodness does the plot ever thicken! I find I am in absolute desperate need of book #5 in the John Pickett series.
October 14, 2015
Disappointing!
A reasonably good character was emasculated and humiliated and I the reader was supposed to accept his oh, so noble gestures of his sacrifice of his love to protect her place in society? I think not! I was angry at the finish and felt cheated! The only thing that redeemed the story is with the maid acting as the butler, you can safely say the butler did it!
A reasonably good character was emasculated and humiliated and I the reader was supposed to accept his oh, so noble gestures of his sacrifice of his love to protect her place in society? I think not! I was angry at the finish and felt cheated! The only thing that redeemed the story is with the maid acting as the butler, you can safely say the butler did it!
December 3, 2015
loved it! I do wish one of them would just come out with it and say how much they like the other. Was surprised to learn of the annulment requirements.
December 13, 2017
4.5 stars
This was my first John Picket mystery and I am just sorry I had not discovered them sooner. The book was entertaining and fun to listen to as it contains many of the things I like to read about. There’s a mystery to solve, a romance to sigh over and it takes place during Regency England, a time period that I find fascinating, especially from a social history perspective.
Though the romance between John Pickett and Julia, Lady Fieldhurst develops across the series, you can pick a book midstream – like I did – and not be lost. Each mystery begins and is solved during the one book and the romance arc develops nicely. You understand what has gone on before but there are no detailed spoilers.
The writing is wonderful. There is no purple prose here. It’s crisp, expressive and articulate. The openness of some of the characters may not be in keeping with the times but it works well in telling this story to a 21st century audience who may not understand the nuances of Regency times; It was definitely a time where you could say much without using words at all.
Joel Froomkin’s narration is excellent. His portrayal of each character is very well done. The character of John Pickett is the star. His romantic feelings for Julia, his resignation at not being ‘the right sort’ for her, his desire to honour the man who helped him rise to his current position in society all come through in the narration.
The identity of the murderer is kept until the end. I did not guess who it was, but then I rarely do. I could find no fault in the steps and logic taken to determine who committed the murder. In fact, it’s a nice change of pace to read about solutions that don’t rely on technology to help solve a crime.
Finally, a special mention goes to the character of Emily Dunnington. She is an excellent representation of what was expected of and what was condoned for a woman of her standing but underneath this, she was still a person with thoughts and feelings who was trapped by her circumstances. I loved hearing about her life and listening to her advice to Julia.
Most highly recommended.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This was my first John Picket mystery and I am just sorry I had not discovered them sooner. The book was entertaining and fun to listen to as it contains many of the things I like to read about. There’s a mystery to solve, a romance to sigh over and it takes place during Regency England, a time period that I find fascinating, especially from a social history perspective.
Though the romance between John Pickett and Julia, Lady Fieldhurst develops across the series, you can pick a book midstream – like I did – and not be lost. Each mystery begins and is solved during the one book and the romance arc develops nicely. You understand what has gone on before but there are no detailed spoilers.
The writing is wonderful. There is no purple prose here. It’s crisp, expressive and articulate. The openness of some of the characters may not be in keeping with the times but it works well in telling this story to a 21st century audience who may not understand the nuances of Regency times; It was definitely a time where you could say much without using words at all.
Joel Froomkin’s narration is excellent. His portrayal of each character is very well done. The character of John Pickett is the star. His romantic feelings for Julia, his resignation at not being ‘the right sort’ for her, his desire to honour the man who helped him rise to his current position in society all come through in the narration.
The identity of the murderer is kept until the end. I did not guess who it was, but then I rarely do. I could find no fault in the steps and logic taken to determine who committed the murder. In fact, it’s a nice change of pace to read about solutions that don’t rely on technology to help solve a crime.
Finally, a special mention goes to the character of Emily Dunnington. She is an excellent representation of what was expected of and what was condoned for a woman of her standing but underneath this, she was still a person with thoughts and feelings who was trapped by her circumstances. I loved hearing about her life and listening to her advice to Julia.
Most highly recommended.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 6, 2019
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
I am enjoying each book in the John Pickett Mysteries more than the last. This is the fourth book in the series and is a standalone book in that there is a complete story and ending. However, there are events which occur in the 3rd book, Family Plot, which heavily influence the plot in this book. Additionally, the relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst has been slowly developing since the first book in the series, In Milady's Chamber and you will miss all the fun if you dive in for the first time with this book. I strongly recommend that you start with the first book in the series [note: there is a novella which is prior to book one - Pickpocket's Apprentice - which focuses on John and how he became a Bow Street Runner].
Here, Lady Fieldhurst has returned from Scotland and to her friend Emily Dunnington she is in a depressed state for which there is only one cure - take a lover. In an effort to get this done, Emily Dunnigton organizes a dinner party and invites several gentlemen for Lady Fieldhurst's selection. The dinner party does not go well - Emily's husband shows up; one of the gentleman is a recent widower and not interested; and Lady Fieldhurst just cannot get John Pickett off her mind. No sooner has the dinner party dissolved, when one of the guests has been murdered. The Bow Street Runners are summoned and John Pickett is assigned the case. In addition, he has just learned that the trip to Scotland with Lady Fieldhurst has had consequences on their future.
This book is full of interesting historical facts, humor and an interesting mystery to boot. John and Lady Fieldhurst continue with their will they/won't they relationship, which is both endearing and heartbreaking.
I listened to this book -- the narrator, Joel Froomkin, was excellent and a perfect fit for this series.
I am enjoying each book in the John Pickett Mysteries more than the last. This is the fourth book in the series and is a standalone book in that there is a complete story and ending. However, there are events which occur in the 3rd book, Family Plot, which heavily influence the plot in this book. Additionally, the relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst has been slowly developing since the first book in the series, In Milady's Chamber and you will miss all the fun if you dive in for the first time with this book. I strongly recommend that you start with the first book in the series [note: there is a novella which is prior to book one - Pickpocket's Apprentice - which focuses on John and how he became a Bow Street Runner].
Here, Lady Fieldhurst has returned from Scotland and to her friend Emily Dunnington she is in a depressed state for which there is only one cure - take a lover. In an effort to get this done, Emily Dunnigton organizes a dinner party and invites several gentlemen for Lady Fieldhurst's selection. The dinner party does not go well - Emily's husband shows up; one of the gentleman is a recent widower and not interested; and Lady Fieldhurst just cannot get John Pickett off her mind. No sooner has the dinner party dissolved, when one of the guests has been murdered. The Bow Street Runners are summoned and John Pickett is assigned the case. In addition, he has just learned that the trip to Scotland with Lady Fieldhurst has had consequences on their future.
This book is full of interesting historical facts, humor and an interesting mystery to boot. John and Lady Fieldhurst continue with their will they/won't they relationship, which is both endearing and heartbreaking.
I listened to this book -- the narrator, Joel Froomkin, was excellent and a perfect fit for this series.
January 29, 2018
( Format : Audio book )
"Neither birth, nor breeding, nor brass."
Emily has noticed that, since returning from her holiday in Scotland, her friend Vicountess Fieldhurst has been restless and despondent. Her diagnosis is instant - Julia needs to take a lover. To that end, she organises a dinner party to be held at her house to which she invites six eligible gentlemen from whom Julia can make a selection. But it all goes wrong when one prospect is shot dead and the Bow Street runners are called. John Pickett is back on the scene. But this time he is not just an investigator. Earlier that day, John had learned of an unexpected development which had followed himself and Lady Fieldhurst from Scotland which seriously impacts on both of their lives.
Another delightful and well written murder mystery who-dun-it? with the additional pleasures of watching a juggling of niceties of a bygone era, again deliciously narrated by Joel Froomkin,. His reading is well paced and articulated and suitably English accented, everything delivered with the lightest of touches, emphasising the comedic content but never simply playing it for laughs. I did however, increase the playback speed very slightly to fully enjoy his excellent performance.
In part an historic comedy of manners, part blighted romance, all wrapped into a really good story of murder and intrigue, with realistic characters and an above average narration, this is a book to be enjoyed by everyone with a delight in crime thrillers. My thanks to the rights holder of Dinner Most Deadly not only for freely gifting me a complementary copy, via Audiobook Boom, but also, in so doing, continuing my association with the John Pickett series. The follow on book, Too Hot to Handle, does not yet seem to be available on Audible but I will be looking out for it.
A real pleasure.
"Neither birth, nor breeding, nor brass."
Emily has noticed that, since returning from her holiday in Scotland, her friend Vicountess Fieldhurst has been restless and despondent. Her diagnosis is instant - Julia needs to take a lover. To that end, she organises a dinner party to be held at her house to which she invites six eligible gentlemen from whom Julia can make a selection. But it all goes wrong when one prospect is shot dead and the Bow Street runners are called. John Pickett is back on the scene. But this time he is not just an investigator. Earlier that day, John had learned of an unexpected development which had followed himself and Lady Fieldhurst from Scotland which seriously impacts on both of their lives.
Another delightful and well written murder mystery who-dun-it? with the additional pleasures of watching a juggling of niceties of a bygone era, again deliciously narrated by Joel Froomkin,. His reading is well paced and articulated and suitably English accented, everything delivered with the lightest of touches, emphasising the comedic content but never simply playing it for laughs. I did however, increase the playback speed very slightly to fully enjoy his excellent performance.
In part an historic comedy of manners, part blighted romance, all wrapped into a really good story of murder and intrigue, with realistic characters and an above average narration, this is a book to be enjoyed by everyone with a delight in crime thrillers. My thanks to the rights holder of Dinner Most Deadly not only for freely gifting me a complementary copy, via Audiobook Boom, but also, in so doing, continuing my association with the John Pickett series. The follow on book, Too Hot to Handle, does not yet seem to be available on Audible but I will be looking out for it.
A real pleasure.
February 6, 2018
I'm going to consolidate (repeat myself) reviews of this series, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 4.5 and 5 because I had to get through all of those to resolve the romantic story begun in the the first book. I supposed most women like a touch of romance and these have it, albeit full of angst that is drawn out over a time period of about 10 months. I got impatient with the progress of the romance taking so long. I would characterize these stories as Romance with only a touch of Mystery rather than the other way around. At least there were mysteries to be solved by the Bow Street Runner, John Pickett and he was good enough to figure it out. I figured them out pretty easily myself.
I very much liked John Pickett. In my mind I pictured Colin Firth (as seen in Pride and Prejudice, except with longer hair). I could not quite get a visual image of the Lady Fieldhurst in my mind. I felt a little jolted every time it referred to her as a golden-haired blonde, so I suppose I thought she ought to be a dark-haired beauty.
The audiobook narrator, Joel Froomkin was pretty amazing. You'd swear it was another reader doing the female voices, as they sounded so naturally female. I did have a little problem, as a listener, with the heavy Scottish accents he used in Book 3, Family Plot, but felt that he probably did those fairly true to dialect and my ear was just not tuned in for the accents. (I was a bit curious to know if the print version had the dialect written out or if Mr. Froomkin just knew how to do them.)
There is a Book 6, but I might be satisfied to imagine that the romantic couple will live happily every after.
I very much liked John Pickett. In my mind I pictured Colin Firth (as seen in Pride and Prejudice, except with longer hair). I could not quite get a visual image of the Lady Fieldhurst in my mind. I felt a little jolted every time it referred to her as a golden-haired blonde, so I suppose I thought she ought to be a dark-haired beauty.
The audiobook narrator, Joel Froomkin was pretty amazing. You'd swear it was another reader doing the female voices, as they sounded so naturally female. I did have a little problem, as a listener, with the heavy Scottish accents he used in Book 3, Family Plot, but felt that he probably did those fairly true to dialect and my ear was just not tuned in for the accents. (I was a bit curious to know if the print version had the dialect written out or if Mr. Froomkin just knew how to do them.)
There is a Book 6, but I might be satisfied to imagine that the romantic couple will live happily every after.
December 14, 2017
I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author in exchange for an honest review.
From the publisher's summary: "When Julia, Lady Fieldhurst, returns from Scotland restless and out of sorts, her friend Emily Dunnington plans a select dinner party with half a dozen male guests from whom Julia may choose a lover.
But Emily's dinner ends in disaster when one of her guests, Sir Reginald Montague, is shot dead.
When Bow Street Runner John Pickett is summoned to Emily's house, he is faced with the awkward task of informing Lady Fieldhurst that their recent masquerade as a married couple (Family Plot) has resulted in their being legally wed.
Beset by distractions - including the humiliating annulment procedure and the flattering attentions of Lady Dunnington's pretty young housemaid - Pickett must find the killer of a man whom everyone has reason to want dead."
I continue to enjoy this series. I kind of got the impression that the author was using this story as a place-holder to extend the the ultimate resolution to the marriage annulment issue, but it was a diverting story, nevertheless. I did not guess the ultimate solutions to the mystery -- and that plot was quite ingenious! I pitied Pickett in his emotional turmoils, in many areas.
From the publisher's summary: "When Julia, Lady Fieldhurst, returns from Scotland restless and out of sorts, her friend Emily Dunnington plans a select dinner party with half a dozen male guests from whom Julia may choose a lover.
But Emily's dinner ends in disaster when one of her guests, Sir Reginald Montague, is shot dead.
When Bow Street Runner John Pickett is summoned to Emily's house, he is faced with the awkward task of informing Lady Fieldhurst that their recent masquerade as a married couple (Family Plot) has resulted in their being legally wed.
Beset by distractions - including the humiliating annulment procedure and the flattering attentions of Lady Dunnington's pretty young housemaid - Pickett must find the killer of a man whom everyone has reason to want dead."
I continue to enjoy this series. I kind of got the impression that the author was using this story as a place-holder to extend the the ultimate resolution to the marriage annulment issue, but it was a diverting story, nevertheless. I did not guess the ultimate solutions to the mystery -- and that plot was quite ingenious! I pitied Pickett in his emotional turmoils, in many areas.
January 13, 2021
The mystery here shares the spotlight with the complicated relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst. While Pickett knows his feelings for Julia,she continually seems unsure or surprised by how much she thinks of him. and wants to see him. I guess she's so steeped in the ideas of her class to even consider she could be falling in love with a totally unsuitable man. They find out some surprising news concerning their meeting in Scotland (Family Plot) and as Pickett again tries to solve a mystery where Julia was present, they also need to figure out what to do about each other.
The mystery involved the murder of a much disliked member of the ton, one whose carelessness and entitlement have caused more than one death. It seems the problem will be deciding who among the many people with motives actually did the deed. As usual I enjoyed the mystery and did not solve this one ahead of the author's reveal. I do hope the relationship between Julia and John gets some closure in the next book, as situation is beginning to get repetitive instead of interesting.
The mystery involved the murder of a much disliked member of the ton, one whose carelessness and entitlement have caused more than one death. It seems the problem will be deciding who among the many people with motives actually did the deed. As usual I enjoyed the mystery and did not solve this one ahead of the author's reveal. I do hope the relationship between Julia and John gets some closure in the next book, as situation is beginning to get repetitive instead of interesting.
May 29, 2025
As with all the books in this series, this should be read in order, as each story builds upon the others. John Pickett meets up with Lady Fieldhurst in a most unusual manner. She was at a dinner with her friend, Lady Dunnington, when one of the male guests was shot as he was leaving the dinner. The Bow Street Runners were called to investigate, which brought John Pickett to the home in question. Unfortunately, he has something else to tell Lady Fieldhurst: they are legally married under Scottish law.
When they agree to an annulment, John is subjected to a humiliating procedure to satisfy the requirements of the dissolution of the marriage. This is a continuation of the long-term relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst. The author rounds out the book with solid, fully functioning secondary characters and a fantastic plotline.
John Pickett Total of 10
0.5. Pickpocket's Apprentice (2015)
1. In Milady's Chamber (2006)
2. A Dead Bore (2008)
3. Family Plot (2014)
** 4. Dinner Most Deadly (2015)
When they agree to an annulment, John is subjected to a humiliating procedure to satisfy the requirements of the dissolution of the marriage. This is a continuation of the long-term relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst. The author rounds out the book with solid, fully functioning secondary characters and a fantastic plotline.
John Pickett Total of 10
0.5. Pickpocket's Apprentice (2015)
1. In Milady's Chamber (2006)
2. A Dead Bore (2008)
3. Family Plot (2014)
** 4. Dinner Most Deadly (2015)
January 5, 2022
Another Fantastic Pickett Mystery
These books are so much fun, with interesting and relatable characters, and mysteries that keep you guessing. The narration is top-notch and very entertaining. Although these books can be read on their own I do recommend reading them in order... you just get more out of the story and they're so well written that you don't want to miss out on a book.
Parents: PG13 rating on content. These are mostly clean but this one does have a little more in the intimate scenes side and one is potentially triggering, nothing explicit but it does go a touch borderline with a scene at a doctor's office with a ED screen with two street walkers and a retelling of a rape. Beyond that it's really pretty clean, there's no bad language and the violence/murder scenes are not overly graphic.
These books are so much fun, with interesting and relatable characters, and mysteries that keep you guessing. The narration is top-notch and very entertaining. Although these books can be read on their own I do recommend reading them in order... you just get more out of the story and they're so well written that you don't want to miss out on a book.
Parents: PG13 rating on content. These are mostly clean but this one does have a little more in the intimate scenes side and one is potentially triggering, nothing explicit but it does go a touch borderline with a scene at a doctor's office with a ED screen with two street walkers and a retelling of a rape. Beyond that it's really pretty clean, there's no bad language and the violence/murder scenes are not overly graphic.
December 14, 2017
Audiobook Review:
"Sweet and Emotional"
I am greatly enjoying the John Pickett Mysteries.
The interactions between John Pickett and Julia, Lady Fieldhurst, are sweet and a little heartbreaking. Following John while he unravels the mystery is intriguing and amusing as he often tends to bumble his way through the members of the high society. John's cluelessness to his appeal to the young ladies is also quite humorous as he really has no idea what is going on or what to do about it.
It will be interesting to see where the series takes John and Julia next and what they end up doing about their marital predicament.
Joel Leslie Froomkin's performance is, as always, excellent.
I received a copy of this audiobook at my request and am providing this honest unbiased review.
"Sweet and Emotional"
I am greatly enjoying the John Pickett Mysteries.
The interactions between John Pickett and Julia, Lady Fieldhurst, are sweet and a little heartbreaking. Following John while he unravels the mystery is intriguing and amusing as he often tends to bumble his way through the members of the high society. John's cluelessness to his appeal to the young ladies is also quite humorous as he really has no idea what is going on or what to do about it.
It will be interesting to see where the series takes John and Julia next and what they end up doing about their marital predicament.
Joel Leslie Froomkin's performance is, as always, excellent.
I received a copy of this audiobook at my request and am providing this honest unbiased review.
October 7, 2019
2019 bk 320. Back from Scotland finds Lady Fieldhurst pensive, Bow Street Runner John Pickett bemused and the people around them putting their fingers in the pie. When a murder occurs after a dinner party, John Pickett is again pulled into the world of Mayfair - and the lives of Julia and her friends. Needless to say, Julia is not sure whether to be happy or not when Pickett reveals their Scots wedding. Pushed by her brother-in-law and others to try for annulment, Pickett knows he is not happy with the process. This sidebar seeming puts the murder to the side, except that it doesn't and John Pickett solves the murder case in the end - but what about the annulment?
March 7, 2021
Very, very clever. Also, I freely admit, I’m now totally In love with John Pickett. Here in the fourth book we finally have gotten to the heart of this series. The mystery is also the best so far, and took me completely by surprise, though there were plenty of clues spread about to pick up on. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Reader is incomparable with these difficult accents and names. If you don’t listen to it you will never know that Magistrate Colquhoun’s name is pronounced Kuh-hoon! Or that Mr. Joel Froomkin’s name is pronounced Frem-kin. Honestly, British names! Just listen to it. It will as even more to the enjoyment of a terrific story.
February 22, 2022
Story: 3.75 * (reduced due to level of angst and pining)
Narration: 5 brilliant *. Joel Froomkin blew me away again with his diverse character representations and accents!
This is such a fun series. The writing was great, the mystery was enjoyable, but I'm in agony over their relationship. So much pining and lack of communication. Argh! I adore John Pickett, but was so frustrated by Lady Fieldhurst's waffling and hand wringing in this book that I wanted to give her a stern talking to.
I will continue the series, but I may need to peek ahead -for my heart's sake - to see if these two actually wind up together.
Narration: 5 brilliant *. Joel Froomkin blew me away again with his diverse character representations and accents!
This is such a fun series. The writing was great, the mystery was enjoyable, but I'm in agony over their relationship. So much pining and lack of communication. Argh! I adore John Pickett, but was so frustrated by Lady Fieldhurst's waffling and hand wringing in this book that I wanted to give her a stern talking to.
I will continue the series, but I may need to peek ahead -for my heart's sake - to see if these two actually wind up together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 30, 2024Emily, Lady Dunnington encourages Julia to take a lover and Emily plans a dinner party with single and married male guests for Julia to choose a lover. Julia has wanted a lover for a long time even when she was married before she became a widow.
John Pickett has desired Julia since the first book and behaves like a horny teen around her.
He forcefully pins to wall and kisses a maid or kisses her with the promise of marriage. He does this to get over his obsession of Julia.
John Pickett has desired Julia since the first book and behaves like a horny teen around her.
He forcefully pins to wall and kisses a maid or kisses her with the promise of marriage. He does this to get over his obsession of Julia.
February 9, 2017
A complete and total success
This is my first book by this author but will not be the last! I completely fell in love with each of the characters. They were totally believable and now I want more. I appreciated the fact that this is a clean story. I will recommend this author to all my friends. I can't wait to purchase another story about Mr. Pitt.
This is my first book by this author but will not be the last! I completely fell in love with each of the characters. They were totally believable and now I want more. I appreciated the fact that this is a clean story. I will recommend this author to all my friends. I can't wait to purchase another story about Mr. Pitt.
December 15, 2017
Wow! This is book 4 in the John Pickett Mysteries. I read book 3 but have not yet read 1&2. The way Sheri writes is so entertaining and clever. I am also truly taken with the narrator Joel Froomkin. Joel's voice really makes the characters come alive for me. I was gifted this audio book with the understanding that I would leave an honest review.
January 19, 2019
Sheri does it again.
I’m addicted to this series . Sheri Cobb South makes your heart ache for John Pickett and His Lady, whilst twisting you in a complicated mystery, it’s a pleasure to read such well written novels with such an gift for recreating the Regency world. Please can we have a HEA some time in the future?
I’m addicted to this series . Sheri Cobb South makes your heart ache for John Pickett and His Lady, whilst twisting you in a complicated mystery, it’s a pleasure to read such well written novels with such an gift for recreating the Regency world. Please can we have a HEA some time in the future?
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