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Manor House Mysteries #8
Wedding Rows
The eighth book in the fabulous Manor House Mystery Series by Kate Kingsbury, the bestselling author of the Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries! Enthralling mystery, lots of laughter and a little bit of romance – that’s village life in wartime England…. Left with only a muddle-headed butler, a bossy cook/housekeeper and a couple of energetic maids, Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton has enough problems on her hands. Not only is she struggling to upkeep the sprawling Manor House and vast acres she inherited, she must also take care of her numerous tenants, while coping with the inconveniences and sacrifices of wartime England. Fortunately Sitting Marsh is far removed from the bombing going on in London and other cities. That doesn’t mean that peace prevails in the tiny village. There’s the handsome American major who takes over the Manor House for officers’ quarters, and the group of belligerent housewives determined to take on the German invaders, not to mention a murder or two… Lovers of Agatha Christie’s books will find much to enjoy in this tale of intrigue and laughter in an English village, and Emily Brightwell fans will fall in love with the offbeat characters of Sitting Marsh. WEDDING ROWS Having endured five years of sacrifices, threatened invasions and possible bombing raids, the villagers are excited about the chance to let down their hair at the upcoming wedding. The reception is in full swing when an uninvited guest is found murdered, and Elizabeth is obligated to investigate. Suspects abound, and a race is on to find the killer before an innocent man is charged with the crime.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2006
47 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Kate Kingsbury
90 books572 followersKate Kingsbury grew up in London, England, and at a very early age began telling stories to her school friends during the London Blitz of WW II while huddling in bomb shelters. Kate moved to the U.S. in the early sixties, and had passed her 50th birthday when she published her first book. Writing as Doreen Roberts, (her real name at the time) she published 26 romance novels for Harlequin/Silhouette. In 1991 her first Pennyfoot Hotel book was published and since then Kate has written 35 mysteries, including the Manor House mysteries, the Bellehaven House mysteries(written as Rebecca Kent) and the Raven's Nest mysteries, (written as Allison Kingsley.) Her new series, The Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries debuted in January, 2017 with Dead and Breakfast, featuring a B & B on the Oregon coast. She has one son, Regan, and lives with her husband, Bill, in the beautiful state of Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 24, 2019
I enjoy this series and am sad that I am getting close to the end. I enjoy the small English town during WWII setting and the interaction between the English townspeople and the American soldiers stations nearby. Lady Elizabeth is a good character who is trying to both uphold tradition and change with the times. The mystery did keep me guessing and I liked the side plot with the "three musketeers".
February 9, 2024
A cute story. A whole village bands together to throw a wedding for a loved resident during the privations of WWII in England by pooling ration coupons and talents. A man is found dead in the village hall basement at the close of the wedding - stabbed with the missing cake knife. The Lady of the Manor investigates and of course eventually sorts out the perp from among the many possibilities. There was a sweet romance with a Yank officer from the nearby Aviation Base. I loved the whole WWII homefront in a village feel. Could easily picture a Masterpiece Theatre production of this. Very atmospheric.
Read for Wheel of Hist Myst for Historical Mystery Lovers Group
Read for Wheel of Hist Myst for Historical Mystery Lovers Group
December 31, 2013
This is the penultimate novel in the Manor House series, following “Fire When Ready.” This is not a standalone novel; all the backstory for the characters has been firmly established many books ago and is not summarized here. And it is set at the end of May 1944. The war in Britain has been going on for 5 years and the Allied Invasion of Normandy is rumored to be only days away.
Each of the seven previous books has revolved around three plot lines – two major, one secondary. The two major storylines revolve around a murder and around the relationship between Lady Elizabeth and Major Earl Monroe. The secondary plot line, that of the relationship between Polly (Lady Elizabeth’s assistant) and Sam Cutter (an injured American pilot now back in the States) is finally resolved early in this book and is replaced by a totally different type of plot – a kidnapping.
The murder plot for this novel involves the demise, during a wedding reception, of the boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids. It seems that the dear departed has been arguing with everyone lately, including the bridesmaid, so there is no lack of suspects. Lady Elizabeth feels that the constables have focused on the wrong suspect and sets out to identify the real murderer.
Lady Elizabeth’s brain, by her own acknowledgement, is over-tasked and muddled by her fears for Earl Monroe’s safety in the air. Therefore, she misses clues left and right, particularly one early on, when a character refers to the manner of death when Elizabeth has not yet revealed that information.
But missing those clues is not just because of her fears for Earl. It is also related to the second plot line. Her housekeeper, Sadie, is the third of three ladies to go missing in less than 24 hours. So now, Lady Elizabeth has to sort out two cases simultaneously, a device that Kate Kingsbury has not used in this series previously.
And another device that is not usually in Kingsbury’s repertoire also shows up in that same kidnapping story line – comedy. When Sadie disappears practically under Polly’s nose, Lady Elizabeth mounts a rescue attempt on her own. Now imagine Lady Elizabeth and Polly on the motorcycle, Constable George in the sidecar and it’s after dark during a wartime blackout. Kingsbury uses 16 pages to affect the chase and rescue. It is hilarious to the point of tears, but it is also totally plausible within the culture and conditions of the time.
But Kingsbury employs yet a third device to bring this story home. Kingsbury has only written Earl into the novel physically two or three times. This is a different absence than the one precipitated by events in “Berried Alive.” By limiting his exposure, Kingsbury is setting the stage for what the series has been leading up to for so many entries.
As occurs in many cozies, the heroine solves the crime but at unintended peril to her own health and safety. But what doesn’t occur in many cozies is a cliffhanger, particularly a cliffhanger that has a huge formation of bombers flying across real cliffs.
Each of the seven previous books has revolved around three plot lines – two major, one secondary. The two major storylines revolve around a murder and around the relationship between Lady Elizabeth and Major Earl Monroe. The secondary plot line, that of the relationship between Polly (Lady Elizabeth’s assistant) and Sam Cutter (an injured American pilot now back in the States) is finally resolved early in this book and is replaced by a totally different type of plot – a kidnapping.
The murder plot for this novel involves the demise, during a wedding reception, of the boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids. It seems that the dear departed has been arguing with everyone lately, including the bridesmaid, so there is no lack of suspects. Lady Elizabeth feels that the constables have focused on the wrong suspect and sets out to identify the real murderer.
Lady Elizabeth’s brain, by her own acknowledgement, is over-tasked and muddled by her fears for Earl Monroe’s safety in the air. Therefore, she misses clues left and right, particularly one early on, when a character refers to the manner of death when Elizabeth has not yet revealed that information.
But missing those clues is not just because of her fears for Earl. It is also related to the second plot line. Her housekeeper, Sadie, is the third of three ladies to go missing in less than 24 hours. So now, Lady Elizabeth has to sort out two cases simultaneously, a device that Kate Kingsbury has not used in this series previously.
And another device that is not usually in Kingsbury’s repertoire also shows up in that same kidnapping story line – comedy. When Sadie disappears practically under Polly’s nose, Lady Elizabeth mounts a rescue attempt on her own. Now imagine Lady Elizabeth and Polly on the motorcycle, Constable George in the sidecar and it’s after dark during a wartime blackout. Kingsbury uses 16 pages to affect the chase and rescue. It is hilarious to the point of tears, but it is also totally plausible within the culture and conditions of the time.
But Kingsbury employs yet a third device to bring this story home. Kingsbury has only written Earl into the novel physically two or three times. This is a different absence than the one precipitated by events in “Berried Alive.” By limiting his exposure, Kingsbury is setting the stage for what the series has been leading up to for so many entries.
As occurs in many cozies, the heroine solves the crime but at unintended peril to her own health and safety. But what doesn’t occur in many cozies is a cliffhanger, particularly a cliffhanger that has a huge formation of bombers flying across real cliffs.
August 11, 2014
Kate Kingsbury tells a nice cosy mystery, and I love the World War II homefront background. Interesting and believable characters, too. I really hope there'll be tidy solutions for all our protagonists by the end of the next (and last) volume. And please, have someone cut Rita Crumm down to size!!!
January 22, 2019
Another wonderful entry in this series. Too bad I only have one more to go. I'm going to miss visiting Sitting Marsh. Love all the characters and also love seeing the growth to them and their relationships. I also like the fact Kingsbury's characters think and speak true to the times and she doesn't make things PC just for the sake of being PC. The mystery in this book was a little harder to deduce than previous entries, hence the extra star.
March 29, 2020
Cute cozy mystery with a main mystery and two minor ones as well.
A murder happens at a wedding and Lady Elizabeth Compton is an amateur sleuth who looks into it, though the constable would rather she stay out of it. As the suspects accumulate, it is up to Lady Elizabeth to figure out what really happened and who did it and why.
A murder happens at a wedding and Lady Elizabeth Compton is an amateur sleuth who looks into it, though the constable would rather she stay out of it. As the suspects accumulate, it is up to Lady Elizabeth to figure out what really happened and who did it and why.
October 22, 2020
Such an interesting cast of characters and so very glad several of them are not my friends! This is a good read for this year, making one thankful for all we have.
October 16, 2009
Residents of the small town of Sitting Marsh in England are looking for a distraction from the worries of World War II and find it during the wedding of Priscilla Pierce and Captain Willy Carbunkle. The residents band together, even donating their own rations, to give Priscilla and Wally a perfect wedding. Unfortunately, the wedding celebration is marred by the stabbing death of a stranger who wasn't even invited to the wedding. When it turns out that the victim was the boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids and they had been seen arguing earlier, suspicion falls on her and her family. But Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton has solved a few mysteries in the past and isn't convinced the police have the right suspects and decides to investigate the murder herself.
This is yet another delightful entry in Kate Kingsbury's Manor House mystery series. The mystery was intriguing and well plotted and Kingsbury threw in a nifty red herring that had me convinced early on that I knew who the murdered was, but I was totally wrong. The historical background is interesting, especially the details of rationing and blackouts. The real strength in these books are the characters: Lady Elizabeth struggling with her duties as Lady of the Manor and her love for Major Earl Monroe (who is regrettably in the background for much of this book); her faithful servants Violet and Martin; the various village ladies; and, of course, Sadie and Polly, young girls looking for love in war torn England.
Unfortunately, this is the second to last book in the Manor House series. The series will be missed, but this gives Kingsbury a chance to tie together the many themes that have gone on through all the books, including the identity of the "three musketeers" and a resolution of Elizabeth's relationship with Earl.
This is yet another delightful entry in Kate Kingsbury's Manor House mystery series. The mystery was intriguing and well plotted and Kingsbury threw in a nifty red herring that had me convinced early on that I knew who the murdered was, but I was totally wrong. The historical background is interesting, especially the details of rationing and blackouts. The real strength in these books are the characters: Lady Elizabeth struggling with her duties as Lady of the Manor and her love for Major Earl Monroe (who is regrettably in the background for much of this book); her faithful servants Violet and Martin; the various village ladies; and, of course, Sadie and Polly, young girls looking for love in war torn England.
Unfortunately, this is the second to last book in the Manor House series. The series will be missed, but this gives Kingsbury a chance to tie together the many themes that have gone on through all the books, including the identity of the "three musketeers" and a resolution of Elizabeth's relationship with Earl.
October 26, 2014
This is one of those cozy English mysteries I love so much. This one takes place during World War II. American soldiers are based at a manor in England. It is interesting to note the mixed feelings the villagers have about the Yanks. The main characters have all been introduced before and are like old friends. Of course, there is a murder and Lady Elizabeth has to solve it. Enjoy!
January 6, 2014
Things are heating up in Sitting Marsh. The second to the last book in the series.
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/748710...
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/748710...
April 16, 2011
very good cozy mystery.
November 7, 2013
Nice easy read cozy mystery. Wonder why this is the last Manor House book in the series?
August 14, 2013
A good cozy, #8 in the series...
My mind will be nagging- What of the photo negatives?
My mind will be nagging- What of the photo negatives?
January 25, 2015
My thanks to the author for finally writing a book where Elizabeth doesn't have to be saved by a man!
March 28, 2015
Nice and sweet
Very good like the many characters with all their stories mixed in with the murder mystery funny in parts will earl and lady Elizabeth ever be to
Very good like the many characters with all their stories mixed in with the murder mystery funny in parts will earl and lady Elizabeth ever be to
September 22, 2018
Excellent story
I quite enjoyed the book. It has a good story and interesting characters. I always enjoy her books. Good job.
I quite enjoyed the book. It has a good story and interesting characters. I always enjoy her books. Good job.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews