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Kurland St. Mary Mystery #5
Death Comes to the School
A trail of poison-pen letters lead to a dead teacher in this Regency-era mystery by the author of Death Comes to the Fair. Three years have passed since Major Sir Robert Kurland and Lucy Harrington, the rector’s daughter, became husband and wife. Having established a measure of contentment among the local gentry, the couple lately have found an unsettling distance grown between them. But when the small-village peace is disrupted by an anonymous letter accusing Lucy of witchcraft, her as yet unfulfilled desire to be a mother becomes the least of her worries, especially after she learns she is not the only one to have received such a malicious letter. Speculation only escalates when the village schoolteacher, Miss Broomfield, is discovered murdered at her classroom desk. Was the unlikeable teacher the letter writer, and if so, who killed her and why? Despite her husband’s objections, Lucy offers to help out at the school until a replacement can be found, hoping the children might inadvertently reveal a clue, but by doing so she may be putting her own life at risk . . . Praise for Death Comes to the School “A romance of married life intertwined with a murder puzzle featuring a heroine suitable for a Jane Austen novel.”—Kirkus Reviews “The liveliness of Lloyd’s many secondary characters and the marital tensions arising from Lucy’s fertility woes add richness to the well-plotted puzzle.”—Publishers Weekly
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2017
169 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Lloyd
20 books523 followersCatherine Lloyd was born just outside London, England, into a large family of dreamers, artists, and history lovers. She completed her education with a master’s degree in history at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and uses the skills she gained there to research and write her historical mysteries. Catherine currently lives in Hawaii with her husband and youngest daughter..
Please note only the Kurland St. Mary mysteries are written by this Catherine Lloyd, not the romances.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please note only the Kurland St. Mary mysteries are written by this Catherine Lloyd, not the romances.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
November 14, 2017
Series: Kurland St. Mary Mystery #5
Publication Date: 11/28/17
Another outstanding new book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. As always, the mystery is outstanding, full of twists and suspects and keeps you guessing right up until the end. It is a well-written, well-paced and very well executed book – both romance and mystery.
Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. It is not that they don’t love each other, it is that Lucy is horribly depressed and Robert doesn’t know how to help her. He tends to order her around, demands that she take care of herself, etc. Frankly, I’m not sure what else he could actually do because she is inconsolable after going through two miscarriages within six months. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just isn’t good at actually making her understand that. She feels inadequate as a wife because she doesn’t think she can give him the heir he needs and wants. Most of the problems, as usual, fester because two people just don’t actually talk with each other.
What does it take to perk Lucy up? Well, a murder will do it nicely. Lucy has just met the new school teacher and did not like her at all. Normally, she would have been heavily involved in the selection of the new teacher, but she was ill and since Robert was concerned with Lucy’s health, both of them basically left it to Lucy’s father. After doing some checking, they have discovered that the teacher was dismissed without reference from her last position. When Robert goes to confront the teacher and to dismiss her, he finds her dead with a quill lodged in her eye.
Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but she’ll have none of that. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of her old spark come back. That delights Robert, but he still worries about her overdoing. Even with the spark of health coming back, something is still bothering Lucy – a lot. You’ll have to read the book to see what it is and if the relationship survives it.
Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the incendiary notes to people in the community? Are they also being blackmailed? Do we have one perpetrator? Two? More? I’ll not tell – and you won’t guess. You’ll just have to wait until you get to the end of the story!
We get a couple of lovely new romances in this story as well – so they get their HEA’s. They are lovely romances and one of them will probably surprise you because we’ve known those two characters through all of the books.
Check out my reviews of the other books in the series:
Death Comes To The Village
Death Comes To London
Death Comes To Kurland Hall
Death Comes To The Fair
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Publication Date: 11/28/17
Another outstanding new book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. As always, the mystery is outstanding, full of twists and suspects and keeps you guessing right up until the end. It is a well-written, well-paced and very well executed book – both romance and mystery.
Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. It is not that they don’t love each other, it is that Lucy is horribly depressed and Robert doesn’t know how to help her. He tends to order her around, demands that she take care of herself, etc. Frankly, I’m not sure what else he could actually do because she is inconsolable after going through two miscarriages within six months. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just isn’t good at actually making her understand that. She feels inadequate as a wife because she doesn’t think she can give him the heir he needs and wants. Most of the problems, as usual, fester because two people just don’t actually talk with each other.
What does it take to perk Lucy up? Well, a murder will do it nicely. Lucy has just met the new school teacher and did not like her at all. Normally, she would have been heavily involved in the selection of the new teacher, but she was ill and since Robert was concerned with Lucy’s health, both of them basically left it to Lucy’s father. After doing some checking, they have discovered that the teacher was dismissed without reference from her last position. When Robert goes to confront the teacher and to dismiss her, he finds her dead with a quill lodged in her eye.
Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but she’ll have none of that. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of her old spark come back. That delights Robert, but he still worries about her overdoing. Even with the spark of health coming back, something is still bothering Lucy – a lot. You’ll have to read the book to see what it is and if the relationship survives it.
Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the incendiary notes to people in the community? Are they also being blackmailed? Do we have one perpetrator? Two? More? I’ll not tell – and you won’t guess. You’ll just have to wait until you get to the end of the story!
We get a couple of lovely new romances in this story as well – so they get their HEA’s. They are lovely romances and one of them will probably surprise you because we’ve known those two characters through all of the books.
Check out my reviews of the other books in the series:
Death Comes To The Village
Death Comes To London
Death Comes To Kurland Hall
Death Comes To The Fair
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
February 10, 2020
Death Comes to the School
4 Stars
Another enjoyable foray into life in a small Regency village. This time Lady Lucy Kurland (formerly Miss Harrington) and her husband, Sir Robert, investigate the murder of the local school teacher.
The mystery behind who is writing the poison pen letters is intriguing, but it is relatively easy to determine the culprit and the killer once the clues begin piling up.
The developments in Lucy and Robert's relationship is a highlight of the book and is the main reason for my continued enjoyment of this charming cozy historical mystery series. The only minor issue is the couple's lack of communication, which would have prevented a great deal of angst.
Looking foward to Lucy and Robert's further adventures in sleuthing.
4 Stars
Another enjoyable foray into life in a small Regency village. This time Lady Lucy Kurland (formerly Miss Harrington) and her husband, Sir Robert, investigate the murder of the local school teacher.
The mystery behind who is writing the poison pen letters is intriguing, but it is relatively easy to determine the culprit and the killer once the clues begin piling up.
The developments in Lucy and Robert's relationship is a highlight of the book and is the main reason for my continued enjoyment of this charming cozy historical mystery series. The only minor issue is the couple's lack of communication, which would have prevented a great deal of angst.
Looking foward to Lucy and Robert's further adventures in sleuthing.
January 20, 2018
1 1/2 stars.
1) This book was light on mystery and heavy on marital discord. I didn't want to read about the marital discord at all. It wasn't interesting. Also the time jump from them getting married to them being married three years wasn't the best choice in my opinion. I already have doubts about how much they like each other. Cutting to three years and two miscarriages later doesn't improve on their marriage at all.
2) I straight up don't know how I'm supposed consider Kurland an investigator. It always seems to be like he doesn't totally care and he finds out less useful information
3) My main gripe--which I believe was my gripe about the last book too--is that Kurland, despite having solved 4 murders with her, tends to dismiss Lucy rather easily. He says he admires her intelligence, but I've never seen any evidence of it. He is high-handed and often dismissive of her less reasonable theories even though she is just speculating and is often at least partially right. This is not a partnership of equals, and before anyone tells me it's set in the 1800s, let me remind you it's goddamn fiction where a baronet and his wife solves mysteries. They've worked together enough times before so I really don't understand why the author continues to have Robert dismiss her. It's frustrating to read in every book. I won't be picking up the next one.
4) Actually now that I've thought about it some more, I absolutely hated the mystery in this one. The culprit is guessable, while their motivations are kind of ridiculous. It's a mystery that seems to happen only to tie into the marital discord. It's a murder that has zero suspects.
1) This book was light on mystery and heavy on marital discord. I didn't want to read about the marital discord at all. It wasn't interesting. Also the time jump from them getting married to them being married three years wasn't the best choice in my opinion. I already have doubts about how much they like each other. Cutting to three years and two miscarriages later doesn't improve on their marriage at all.
2) I straight up don't know how I'm supposed consider Kurland an investigator. It always seems to be like he doesn't totally care and he finds out less useful information
3) My main gripe--which I believe was my gripe about the last book too--is that Kurland, despite having solved 4 murders with her, tends to dismiss Lucy rather easily. He says he admires her intelligence, but I've never seen any evidence of it. He is high-handed and often dismissive of her less reasonable theories even though she is just speculating and is often at least partially right. This is not a partnership of equals, and before anyone tells me it's set in the 1800s, let me remind you it's goddamn fiction where a baronet and his wife solves mysteries. They've worked together enough times before so I really don't understand why the author continues to have Robert dismiss her. It's frustrating to read in every book. I won't be picking up the next one.
4) Actually now that I've thought about it some more, I absolutely hated the mystery in this one. The culprit is guessable, while their motivations are kind of ridiculous. It's a mystery that seems to happen only to tie into the marital discord. It's a murder that has zero suspects.
February 26, 2018
1820-Lucy and Robert have been married three years already. Lucy has had two miscarriages in the last six months and is wondering what that bodes for her marriage,especially when she receives some poison pen letters indicating she is to blame. Her sister Anna is still unwed and stuck caring for their father and little brothers. Lucy and Robert have endowed a village school to educate the children and adults on their estate. When Lucy finally gets around to meeting the teacher, Miss Broomfield, she does not like the woman. Lucy feels Miss Broomfield should not be teaching impressionable young children and vows to find a new teacher ASAP. When Robert discovers Miss Broomfield dead at her desk, he knows it wasn't a natural death and as magistrate, needs to investigate. He would prefer Lucy to NOT get involved given her fragile state of health. Lucy takes Robert's suggestion as a guideline and promises only to supervise the children as they learn Christmas carols, but she can't help wondering whether Miss Broomfield sent the nasty notes and was killed for it.
It's been awhile since we last saw Lucy and Robert and the village of Kurland St. Mary's. This mystery shows the reality of life after marriage for the couple. The mystery was complicated and very hard to figure out. It was nearly impossible with so many suspects and so many twists and turns. I did suspect that person of something else but I was shocked at the reveal.
The writing is sharp and flows well. I did catch one slight anachronism but it apparently dates to 1826 so close enough to be used orally without formal documentation. There may be others I didn't catch. The historical details are really good though there's nothing specific to set this story in the year 1820 but the year is a natural progression of the series and the other books have more details. I really liked how issues about class and reform came up. Robert, as a land owner, would not be so whiggish but his arguments seem plausible for his character.
The new characters here include a variety of people in the village of Kurland St. Mary. The Greenwells, a gentry family, have moved in nearby. Mr. Greenwell seems kind and progressive but the women are not likeable at all. Mrs. Greenwell and her daughters are gossips of the worst sort. I expected Mrs. Greenwell to be a Mrs. Bennet type but she's not quite that bad! The Greenwells have a ward, Josephine Blake, who lives with them as sort of a companion to the ladies. Sixteen-year-old Josephine seems beaten down by her situation and a nervous type. I felt really bad for her. She is a student at the school and helps out the younger children. Josephine seems to have been affected by Miss Broomfield's dour manner. Miss Broomfield is a fan of the switch and preaches hellfire and brimstone to the children. She labels most of them sinners and scares the poor children half to death. This woman was a nasty person but didn't deserve to die like that. Josephine's fellow student/student teacher is Rebecca, the daughter of the local smithy. I really liked Rebecca's intelligence and cheerful manner. She should go far in life.
Other suspects include a mysterious man who may or may not be who he claims to be. His story was intriguing but I didn't like him. Grace Turner, the village wise woman, also has reason to be angry with Miss Broomfield. Did she do something to cause the other woman's death? Lucy trusts Grace but given her family history, I'm not sure I would. Given the nature of the death, I don't think it's likely Grace was involved. There's also Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis of the local inn. Mrs. Jarvis is an overly friendly sort who claims to have known Robert in London in his younger days. Could one of them have killed Miss Broomfield?
The recurring characters make up a lot of drama and comic relief. Lucy and Robert's relationship hits a bumpy patch. Writing about infertility is a tricky subject, especially for this time period, but I think the author does an admirable job of dealing with Lucy's thoughts and feelings. I really didn't like the angst and wished Lucy would just talk to Robert. She never had problems talking to him before and never doubted his love. I understand she is grieving and she sounds depressed, but it was little too grim for me. Anna's fears and doubts about marriage and motherhood are very valid and I can easily see myself having the same doubts at that time. The secondary romance was brief but sweet. There's another pairing that was obvious though the couple does not seem suited for one another. Penelope Fletcher nee Chingford is still snippy but I kind of like her. She reminds me of Caroline from the Poldark series. Her sister Dorothea is more kind and deserves a happy ending of her own. Dr. Fletcher is an intelligent, good doctor who obviously loves his wife and the village. Again, much like Dr. Enys in the Poldark saga. Sophia, Lucy's best friend, appears in and out of the story to support Lucy but she's a little too happy and cheerful to understand what Lucy is going through. I didn't find her insensitive, but just a bit too perky.
Aunt Rose comes to stay and she adds some cheer to the story with her good humor. I feel sorry for her that her children are so awful. Foley, the aged butler is the best secondary character. He is very devoted to the family, especially Lucy and his kindness is touching as well as a bit funny.
Another great Kurland St. Mary mystery! It needs an epilogue so we know what happens to everyone.
It's been awhile since we last saw Lucy and Robert and the village of Kurland St. Mary's. This mystery shows the reality of life after marriage for the couple. The mystery was complicated and very hard to figure out. It was nearly impossible with so many suspects and so many twists and turns. I did suspect that person of something else but I was shocked at the reveal.
The writing is sharp and flows well. I did catch one slight anachronism but it apparently dates to 1826 so close enough to be used orally without formal documentation. There may be others I didn't catch. The historical details are really good though there's nothing specific to set this story in the year 1820 but the year is a natural progression of the series and the other books have more details. I really liked how issues about class and reform came up. Robert, as a land owner, would not be so whiggish but his arguments seem plausible for his character.
The new characters here include a variety of people in the village of Kurland St. Mary. The Greenwells, a gentry family, have moved in nearby. Mr. Greenwell seems kind and progressive but the women are not likeable at all. Mrs. Greenwell and her daughters are gossips of the worst sort. I expected Mrs. Greenwell to be a Mrs. Bennet type but she's not quite that bad! The Greenwells have a ward, Josephine Blake, who lives with them as sort of a companion to the ladies. Sixteen-year-old Josephine seems beaten down by her situation and a nervous type. I felt really bad for her. She is a student at the school and helps out the younger children. Josephine seems to have been affected by Miss Broomfield's dour manner. Miss Broomfield is a fan of the switch and preaches hellfire and brimstone to the children. She labels most of them sinners and scares the poor children half to death. This woman was a nasty person but didn't deserve to die like that. Josephine's fellow student/student teacher is Rebecca, the daughter of the local smithy. I really liked Rebecca's intelligence and cheerful manner. She should go far in life.
Other suspects include a mysterious man who may or may not be who he claims to be. His story was intriguing but I didn't like him. Grace Turner, the village wise woman, also has reason to be angry with Miss Broomfield. Did she do something to cause the other woman's death? Lucy trusts Grace but given her family history, I'm not sure I would. Given the nature of the death, I don't think it's likely Grace was involved. There's also Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis of the local inn. Mrs. Jarvis is an overly friendly sort who claims to have known Robert in London in his younger days. Could one of them have killed Miss Broomfield?
The recurring characters make up a lot of drama and comic relief. Lucy and Robert's relationship hits a bumpy patch. Writing about infertility is a tricky subject, especially for this time period, but I think the author does an admirable job of dealing with Lucy's thoughts and feelings. I really didn't like the angst and wished Lucy would just talk to Robert. She never had problems talking to him before and never doubted his love. I understand she is grieving and she sounds depressed, but it was little too grim for me. Anna's fears and doubts about marriage and motherhood are very valid and I can easily see myself having the same doubts at that time. The secondary romance was brief but sweet. There's another pairing that was obvious though the couple does not seem suited for one another. Penelope Fletcher nee Chingford is still snippy but I kind of like her. She reminds me of Caroline from the Poldark series. Her sister Dorothea is more kind and deserves a happy ending of her own. Dr. Fletcher is an intelligent, good doctor who obviously loves his wife and the village. Again, much like Dr. Enys in the Poldark saga. Sophia, Lucy's best friend, appears in and out of the story to support Lucy but she's a little too happy and cheerful to understand what Lucy is going through. I didn't find her insensitive, but just a bit too perky.
Aunt Rose comes to stay and she adds some cheer to the story with her good humor. I feel sorry for her that her children are so awful. Foley, the aged butler is the best secondary character. He is very devoted to the family, especially Lucy and his kindness is touching as well as a bit funny.
Another great Kurland St. Mary mystery! It needs an epilogue so we know what happens to everyone.
Read
February 11, 2020Like the character development of this series. The mysteries are well crafted.
January 10, 2020
Another enjoyable installment of the series. I did get frustrated with Lucy and Robert's lack of communication, but overall, it was a great listen.
December 15, 2017
I hope the author will continue writing the sequels, this is such an enjoyable cozy mystery series.
RTC
RTC
November 6, 2018
This is the fifth book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series, but only the second that I have read. I would recommend that if you want to read this series, you read them in order. I missed a lot of the history and back stories of the characters and the village which would have helped me to enjoy the story more. Having said that, the mystery is very good, full of twists and suspects and kept me guessing right up until the end. It is well paced and well written with both some romance and a couple of mysteries
Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. They still love one another very much, but Lucy is depressed, due to a couple of miscarriages, and Robert does not know how to help her. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just doesn't tell her that. Lucy is trying to keep busy and break out of her depression, so she involves herself in the Village Christmas Festivities. What she does not expect is that the miserable school teacher her father hired, ends up dead. Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but that doesn't work. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of the old Lucy. Add in that someone is sending nasty letters to Lucy and others in the village and there is a lot to keep Lucy busy. Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the terrible notes to people in the community? Is there more than one perpetrator?
I did enjoy this story and was rooting that Lucy and Robert would get their relationship back on track. I actually didn't like him much as the beginning of the story because he was so bossy and short with her. There are also a couple of romances developing in St. Mary's that were a nice break from the mystery. I am not usually a big fan of period reads, but this series captures the feel of the late-1800's beautifully. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. I listened to this book and the narrator did a very good job with the story. I think listening also had its downfall as Robert was read as an unlikeable character which had me turned off to him early in the story. Overall, this seems to be a good series that I will continue with, however, I will go back and read/listen to the stories I have missed.
Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. They still love one another very much, but Lucy is depressed, due to a couple of miscarriages, and Robert does not know how to help her. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just doesn't tell her that. Lucy is trying to keep busy and break out of her depression, so she involves herself in the Village Christmas Festivities. What she does not expect is that the miserable school teacher her father hired, ends up dead. Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but that doesn't work. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of the old Lucy. Add in that someone is sending nasty letters to Lucy and others in the village and there is a lot to keep Lucy busy. Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the terrible notes to people in the community? Is there more than one perpetrator?
I did enjoy this story and was rooting that Lucy and Robert would get their relationship back on track. I actually didn't like him much as the beginning of the story because he was so bossy and short with her. There are also a couple of romances developing in St. Mary's that were a nice break from the mystery. I am not usually a big fan of period reads, but this series captures the feel of the late-1800's beautifully. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. I listened to this book and the narrator did a very good job with the story. I think listening also had its downfall as Robert was read as an unlikeable character which had me turned off to him early in the story. Overall, this seems to be a good series that I will continue with, however, I will go back and read/listen to the stories I have missed.
December 29, 2017
I love the premise of this series, but the execution of this one didn’t quite live up to it for me. Mystery-wise, I felt the plot line of the letters wasn’t really fully explored, and the denouement came quite out of the blue (sometimes that’s a good thing, but I felt in this case it was a bit unexplained/ not foreshadowed quite enough). I also felt like the fertility issues between Lucy and Robert, while a refreshing change from the “perfect marriage” scenarios featured so often in these types of books, were a little overdone. And the characters (particularly the secondary ones) seemed more like “characters” than fully-fleshed people—their actions and traits somehow not quite believable enough.
October 28, 2018
The mystery was good, but I was so frustrated with Robert and Lucy. I always get annoyed when characters just won’t talk to each other!!
February 11, 2020
I have enjoyed every book in this series. Lucy, Robert, Anna and the other characters are so well developed that I feel like I am visiting friends each time I begin a new book. This mystery was complex but the end felt a little rushed. Thanks to my public library who provided me with a Kindle copy to read.
December 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this latest book in what has been an uneven series for me. Catherine Lloyd’s Kurland St. Mary Regency mystery series has always had a Pride and Prejudice vibe between former Major Sir Robert Kurland and former rector’s daughter Lucy Harrington.
As this mystery opens, the couple have (finally) been married three years, and Lucy has suffered two miscarriages within six months. Otherwise, all is well as the very active and involved lord and lady of the manor have opened a school for the children of the village. The first teacher worked out well but left to marry a local farmer; the new teacher was hired by Lucy’s father while Lucy was bedridden after her miscarriage. She appears to maintain control of her students, but Lucy walks into the school just before Christmas and sees Miss Broomfield about to cane a small boy. Intolerable!
Apparently the new teacher has a vicious streak,and when Sir Robert goes to the school to fire her he finds her dead at her desk, a quill pen stuck in her eye...Lucy immediately wonders if the teacher was behind the hateful poison pen letters being received throughout the village. Lucy gets a particularly hurtful one claiming she’ll end up barren and alone, and her worries about her marriage provide another layer of concern to her preparations for Christmas and her and Robert’s investigation into the murder of the teacher.
It was a very well-done and interesting story; obviously investigative techniques of the Regency era are slower than today, with letters and deductive reasoning taking the place of technology as the couple struggle to discover a motive from the victim’s sparse possessions and seeming lack of family connections. This series has done a good job, also, of illustrating the limited roles available for ladies of good birth (as opposed to poor women) and the ultimate importance of marriage, as a lady’s happiness and well-being so often depended on the temperament and standing of her husband.
I DNF the last book in the series, (Death Comes to the Fair) but will probably try again in the new year; each book could be read as a stand-alone, but I like to read all of a series in order so I don’t miss character development. I am so glad this author appears to have this series firmly back on track, and I look forward to future installments.
As this mystery opens, the couple have (finally) been married three years, and Lucy has suffered two miscarriages within six months. Otherwise, all is well as the very active and involved lord and lady of the manor have opened a school for the children of the village. The first teacher worked out well but left to marry a local farmer; the new teacher was hired by Lucy’s father while Lucy was bedridden after her miscarriage. She appears to maintain control of her students, but Lucy walks into the school just before Christmas and sees Miss Broomfield about to cane a small boy. Intolerable!
Apparently the new teacher has a vicious streak,and when Sir Robert goes to the school to fire her he finds her dead at her desk, a quill pen stuck in her eye...Lucy immediately wonders if the teacher was behind the hateful poison pen letters being received throughout the village. Lucy gets a particularly hurtful one claiming she’ll end up barren and alone, and her worries about her marriage provide another layer of concern to her preparations for Christmas and her and Robert’s investigation into the murder of the teacher.
It was a very well-done and interesting story; obviously investigative techniques of the Regency era are slower than today, with letters and deductive reasoning taking the place of technology as the couple struggle to discover a motive from the victim’s sparse possessions and seeming lack of family connections. This series has done a good job, also, of illustrating the limited roles available for ladies of good birth (as opposed to poor women) and the ultimate importance of marriage, as a lady’s happiness and well-being so often depended on the temperament and standing of her husband.
I DNF the last book in the series, (Death Comes to the Fair) but will probably try again in the new year; each book could be read as a stand-alone, but I like to read all of a series in order so I don’t miss character development. I am so glad this author appears to have this series firmly back on track, and I look forward to future installments.
March 13, 2018
This book takes place three years after the last one of the series, Death Comes to the Fair--so there was some catching up to do. So much of the book focused on some angst between Robert and Lucy. Still, though they had some misunderstandings, they were able to communicate fairly well and to solve the murder. And the other characters suffered through varied degrees of misunderstandings that seem I inevitable in the time and place. Since I enjoy the relationships as much as the mystery, I was well satisfied. I'm certainly ready for the next one since the characters in many of these English cozies are not as honorable, intelligent and loving as these two.
January 5, 2018
This is the fifth in this mystery series which takes place in England in the early 19th century, three years after Lucy and Robert marry. Lucy wants desperately to give Sir Robert an heir to the Kurland estate, but after several miscarriages, and misunderstandings, their relationship is strained. When the local teacher is murdered, they combine forces to solve the mystery. With the usual banter between them, I enjoyed this fifth book in the series.
January 31, 2019
I almost missed this one. Luckily when I started Death Comes to Bath, I figured out pretty quickly that I had missed an installment. I thought the mystery was okay. Didn't love it, but it was a necessary book for the evolution of the characters."
November 10, 2017
This is truly the perfect series for those who love quiet, intelligent, period mysteries with a strong female protagonist. Lloyd's series, the Kurland St. Mary mysteries, are set in Jane Austen's era and feature perfectly rendered stories of a strong-minded, rather plain, rector's daughter, Lucy, and her life in this small English village. Naturally, there is a titled man in the picture, and the series brings together these stubborn, misfit intellectuals who clash and meld while solving local murders. It's fascinating reading to see how Lloyd develops these stories, always keeping the tone and action accurate to the period. Very well written and intriguing series. Perfect for those who love their mysteries English, historical, and intellectual. Jane Austen fans will adore Lucy! Pick up the first one and then relish the next two. Lloyd keeps the plot steady, building on each one. This third one continues the superb work. Enjoyable!
October 13, 2019
Evil school teachers. A very good story for Halloween.
November 27, 2020
The coolest people called the school "NTHS"
April 20, 2023
Love the characters and the portrayal of life in an English village!
September 30, 2024
Another really good cozy mystery in this series. Wonderful characters.
March 29, 2024
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I absolutely adore this series! The romance (now of a married couple) is perfect. The mystery went down very smoothly. I'm glad that they did a 3 year time jump from the last book. It was getting a little ridiculous how many murders were happening to these poor people! Lucy's struggles with miscarriages was dealt with expertly and had me crying all over the place. I truly love this writing and these characters.
March 30, 2021
Another enthralling book in this cozy series, which also tells the saga of the Kurland family as they deal with the class conflicts of the times, as well as some problems many face today.
October 28, 2017
I am a big fan of this little gem of a historical cozy, so I was anxious to read the latest installment, set three years after the marriage of Lady Lucy (the Rector's daughter) and Sir Robert Kurland (local gentry and injured war hero). Part of the charm of the series has been the evolving relationship of the pair, each of whom in the past has had no trouble expressing an opinion.
This entry finds them mourning significant loss that had led to uncertainty and misunderstandings in their marriage. Despite health issues and against her husband's wishes, Lucy begins investigating the death of the new schoolmistress, who had no fans among the village children or their parents. It also appears that Miss Broomfield possessed a fabulous jewel collection. So why was she working as a teacher? Who disliked her enough to kill her? And was she responsible for writing poison pen letters to the residents of Kurland St. Mary, including Lucy?
While I enjoyed my Christmastime visit with this now familiar cast of characters and found the mystery to be multilayered and well done, I was disappointed regarding the depiction of the relationship between Lucy and Sir Robert. Their misunderstandings, which threaten the very essence of their marriage, could have been cleared up in a couple of pages of dialogue at the beginning of the book; instead the process drags on until book's end. Given the frankness of both characters in previous books, this plot point did not ring true and felt forced. Hence, four stars instead of five.
Nevertheless, I will be looking forward to seeing more of one of my favorite cozy couples in future books, hoping they will return a bit more true to form.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
This entry finds them mourning significant loss that had led to uncertainty and misunderstandings in their marriage. Despite health issues and against her husband's wishes, Lucy begins investigating the death of the new schoolmistress, who had no fans among the village children or their parents. It also appears that Miss Broomfield possessed a fabulous jewel collection. So why was she working as a teacher? Who disliked her enough to kill her? And was she responsible for writing poison pen letters to the residents of Kurland St. Mary, including Lucy?
While I enjoyed my Christmastime visit with this now familiar cast of characters and found the mystery to be multilayered and well done, I was disappointed regarding the depiction of the relationship between Lucy and Sir Robert. Their misunderstandings, which threaten the very essence of their marriage, could have been cleared up in a couple of pages of dialogue at the beginning of the book; instead the process drags on until book's end. Given the frankness of both characters in previous books, this plot point did not ring true and felt forced. Hence, four stars instead of five.
Nevertheless, I will be looking forward to seeing more of one of my favorite cozy couples in future books, hoping they will return a bit more true to form.
Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
March 4, 2018
Not badly plotted mystery-wise, but I'm already tired of the supposedly independent, intelligent, bold, observant, insightful Lucy, now making silly and extremely unfair negative assumptions about the man she can purportedly look at and know how he feels and what he thinks, and never even ask him any questions about her fears and worries. Every time he tries to talk about it, she shuts him down. On top of that, she's now all over the place in her wildly unconsidered theories about who-dunnit.
Yes, Robert is fairly blind to how his actions (or in-actions) affect Lucy, and I am sympathetic to her recent recent devastating experiences, but that does not mean she has to turn into a complete idiot in response, and assume the worst of her husband all the time. If this keeps up, the only feelings either one can have for the other will be condescending slight affection.
Bring back the bright, thoughtful, direct woman we first knew, please. And it would not be unwelcome to have Robert grow somewhat in his self-awareness and attention to his wife's needs. For god's sake after 3 years of marriage, apparent mutual intelligence, love and affection, and much shared experience, please don't let either one of them not grow beyond being too self-absorbed to notice and deal directly with something as important as their marriage and possible misunderstandings.
Character development is wonderful, but in this outing it seems misdirected and distracts from the mystery to the point of being almost painful. It's not going to be interesting to observe 2 self-centered, unaware spouses with absolutely no sense of self or of each other blunder about trying to figure out a mystery. We have seen Lloyd do better with Lucy and Robert - I hope she and they will pull it together.
Yes, Robert is fairly blind to how his actions (or in-actions) affect Lucy, and I am sympathetic to her recent recent devastating experiences, but that does not mean she has to turn into a complete idiot in response, and assume the worst of her husband all the time. If this keeps up, the only feelings either one can have for the other will be condescending slight affection.
Bring back the bright, thoughtful, direct woman we first knew, please. And it would not be unwelcome to have Robert grow somewhat in his self-awareness and attention to his wife's needs. For god's sake after 3 years of marriage, apparent mutual intelligence, love and affection, and much shared experience, please don't let either one of them not grow beyond being too self-absorbed to notice and deal directly with something as important as their marriage and possible misunderstandings.
Character development is wonderful, but in this outing it seems misdirected and distracts from the mystery to the point of being almost painful. It's not going to be interesting to observe 2 self-centered, unaware spouses with absolutely no sense of self or of each other blunder about trying to figure out a mystery. We have seen Lloyd do better with Lucy and Robert - I hope she and they will pull it together.
November 26, 2017
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2017/11...
The fifth Kurland St Mary books finds our protagonists dealing with marital discord (after a pair of miscarriages) as well as the murder of the awful local schoolteacher, who may have been killed after writing a series of poison pen letters. Of course, the former could be handled with one honest conversation, but the latter is a fairly interesting mystery. I still enjoy this series a lot. B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on Tuesday.
The fifth Kurland St Mary books finds our protagonists dealing with marital discord (after a pair of miscarriages) as well as the murder of the awful local schoolteacher, who may have been killed after writing a series of poison pen letters. Of course, the former could be handled with one honest conversation, but the latter is a fairly interesting mystery. I still enjoy this series a lot. B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on Tuesday.
December 3, 2017
The latest entry in the Kurland St. Mary series. In this, the unloved village schoolteacher comes to a bad end, and Lady Lucy and a (reluctant) Sir Robert are on the case. There's hints of blackmail, poison pen letters, and under all is the ongoing tension in the Kurland marriage. I could have done with a lot less marriage angst, and all the internal dialog that accompanies it, but it's a minor quibble. Will all come right in the end? Read and see.
September 18, 2018
I gave this book one star only because that's the lowest rating that can be given. It was a real "penny dreadful" and it was a struggle to finish it. I've read the fist four books in the series and enjoyed them more, but I can't see myself reading the next one when it comes out.
July 29, 2022
Ein Cosy mit ungewohnt tiefer Figurenzeichnung
Buchmeinung zu Catherine Lloyd – Mord lernt nie aus
„Mord lernt nie aus“ ist ein Kriminalroman von Catherine Lloyd, der 2022 im dp Verlag in der Übersetzung von Robin Morgenstern erschienen ist. Der Titel der englischen Originalausgabe lautet „Death Comes to the School“ und ist 2017 erschienen.
Zum Autor:
Catherine Lloyd wurde in der Nähe von London, England, in eine große Familie von Träumern, Künstlern und Geschichtsliebhabern geboren. Sie schloss ihre Ausbildung mit einem Master in Geschichte am University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, ab und nutzt die dort erworbenen Kenntnisse für die Recherche und das Schreiben ihrer historischen Krimis. Catherine lebt derzeit mit ihrem Mann und ihren vier Kindern auf Hawaii.
Klappentext:
Drei Jahre sind seit der Hochzeit von Lucy Harrington und Major Robert Kurland vergangen. Das Paar hat als Adelsfamilie von Kurland St. Mary seinen Platz gefunden und sich eingelebt. Doch nach und nach entsteht aufgrund von Schicksalsschlägen eine gewisse Distanz zwischen den beiden. Als Lucy dann auch noch einen anonymen Brief erhält, in dem sie der Hexerei beschuldigt wird, tritt ihr noch unerfüllter Wunsch, Mutter zu werden, schnell in den Hintergrund. Sie findet heraus, dass sie nicht als Einzige einen solchen Brief bekommen hat. Kurz darauf wird die Dorfschullehrerin ermordet aufgefunden. Hatte sie etwas mit den anonymen Briefen zu tun? Lucy nimmt die Ermittlungen auf und bringt sich damit selbst in höchste Gefahr …
Meine Meinung:
Bei diesem Buch hat mich überrascht, dass die Hauptfigur Lucy Harrington weniger positiv geschildert wird, als es sonst im Cosy-Bereich üblich ist. Natürlich ist sie noch sympathisch, ebenso wie ihr Ehemann Major Robert Kurland, aber die beiden Liebenden durchleben eine satte Krise. Als die unsympathische Dorflehrerin tot von einer Schülerin aufgefunden wird, ist es mit der Idylle endgültig vorbei. Dazu erschüttern anonyme Briefe die Frauenwelt in Kurland. Die Eheleute sind gesundheitlich angeschlagen und beide wollen ihren Partner schützen, aber gute Absichten scheitern an fehlender Kommunikation. So stürzen sich beide in ihre Aufgaben, Major Kurland als Rechtsvertreter und Lucy als Organisatorin der festlichen Aktivitäten. Ein bisschen Zeit für eigene Ermittlungen nimmt sich Lucy aber doch. Am Ende überstürzen sich die Ereignisse und es wird dramatisch.
Besonders die Figurenzeichnung ist ausgeprägter als üblich. Grautöne finden sich sowohl bei den Haupt- als auch bei den Nebenfiguren. Es gibt etliche Perspektivwechsel, auch wenn meist aus der Sicht Lucys erzählt wird. Es gibt Traditionalisten und fortschrittliche Geister im Dorf, wie sich bei dem Thema Schulbildung für alle zeigt. Aber im Mittelpunkt bleibt der Kriminalfall, zu dem immer mehr Einzelheiten gefunden werden. So kann der Leser bequem mitraten und spannend bleibt es auch.
Fazit:
Ein durchaus spannender Cosy-Krimi, der mich vor allem durch seine Figurenzeichnung mit etlichen Grautönen überzeugt hat. Deshalb bewerte ich den Titel mit vier von fünf Sternen (80 von 100 Punkten) und spreche eine Leseempfehlung aus.
Buchmeinung zu Catherine Lloyd – Mord lernt nie aus
„Mord lernt nie aus“ ist ein Kriminalroman von Catherine Lloyd, der 2022 im dp Verlag in der Übersetzung von Robin Morgenstern erschienen ist. Der Titel der englischen Originalausgabe lautet „Death Comes to the School“ und ist 2017 erschienen.
Zum Autor:
Catherine Lloyd wurde in der Nähe von London, England, in eine große Familie von Träumern, Künstlern und Geschichtsliebhabern geboren. Sie schloss ihre Ausbildung mit einem Master in Geschichte am University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, ab und nutzt die dort erworbenen Kenntnisse für die Recherche und das Schreiben ihrer historischen Krimis. Catherine lebt derzeit mit ihrem Mann und ihren vier Kindern auf Hawaii.
Klappentext:
Drei Jahre sind seit der Hochzeit von Lucy Harrington und Major Robert Kurland vergangen. Das Paar hat als Adelsfamilie von Kurland St. Mary seinen Platz gefunden und sich eingelebt. Doch nach und nach entsteht aufgrund von Schicksalsschlägen eine gewisse Distanz zwischen den beiden. Als Lucy dann auch noch einen anonymen Brief erhält, in dem sie der Hexerei beschuldigt wird, tritt ihr noch unerfüllter Wunsch, Mutter zu werden, schnell in den Hintergrund. Sie findet heraus, dass sie nicht als Einzige einen solchen Brief bekommen hat. Kurz darauf wird die Dorfschullehrerin ermordet aufgefunden. Hatte sie etwas mit den anonymen Briefen zu tun? Lucy nimmt die Ermittlungen auf und bringt sich damit selbst in höchste Gefahr …
Meine Meinung:
Bei diesem Buch hat mich überrascht, dass die Hauptfigur Lucy Harrington weniger positiv geschildert wird, als es sonst im Cosy-Bereich üblich ist. Natürlich ist sie noch sympathisch, ebenso wie ihr Ehemann Major Robert Kurland, aber die beiden Liebenden durchleben eine satte Krise. Als die unsympathische Dorflehrerin tot von einer Schülerin aufgefunden wird, ist es mit der Idylle endgültig vorbei. Dazu erschüttern anonyme Briefe die Frauenwelt in Kurland. Die Eheleute sind gesundheitlich angeschlagen und beide wollen ihren Partner schützen, aber gute Absichten scheitern an fehlender Kommunikation. So stürzen sich beide in ihre Aufgaben, Major Kurland als Rechtsvertreter und Lucy als Organisatorin der festlichen Aktivitäten. Ein bisschen Zeit für eigene Ermittlungen nimmt sich Lucy aber doch. Am Ende überstürzen sich die Ereignisse und es wird dramatisch.
Besonders die Figurenzeichnung ist ausgeprägter als üblich. Grautöne finden sich sowohl bei den Haupt- als auch bei den Nebenfiguren. Es gibt etliche Perspektivwechsel, auch wenn meist aus der Sicht Lucys erzählt wird. Es gibt Traditionalisten und fortschrittliche Geister im Dorf, wie sich bei dem Thema Schulbildung für alle zeigt. Aber im Mittelpunkt bleibt der Kriminalfall, zu dem immer mehr Einzelheiten gefunden werden. So kann der Leser bequem mitraten und spannend bleibt es auch.
Fazit:
Ein durchaus spannender Cosy-Krimi, der mich vor allem durch seine Figurenzeichnung mit etlichen Grautönen überzeugt hat. Deshalb bewerte ich den Titel mit vier von fünf Sternen (80 von 100 Punkten) und spreche eine Leseempfehlung aus.
November 22, 2017
Death Comes to the School by Catherine Lloyd is the fifth book in A Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. Christmas is quickly approaching in 1820. Lady Lucy Harrison and her husband, Major Sir Robert Kurland are having issues in their relationship since her last miscarriage. Robert hopes to improve Lucy’s spirits by bringing Aunt Rose Armitage to town who dives in to help Lucy plan the Christmas ball. Then Lucy receives an anonymous threatening note and she is not the only lady to receive one. Who is sending them out and why? Robert goes to the schoolhouse to speak with the schoolteacher, Miss Broomfield about her teaching methods and discovers her dead in her chair with a quill through one eye (someone making a point). Did Miss Broomfield write the threatening notes? Over her husband’s objections, Lucy starts asking questions and nosing around. Will the killer be apprehended before the Christmas festivities commence?
Death Comes to the School can be a standalone. However, you will miss out on the early years of Lucy and Robert’s relationship. I found the story to be nicely written and have a good flow. I did, though, tire of the miscommunication and bickering between the couple. I missed the easy rapport we normally experience between the couple (who are usually open with each other and very frank). It was present throughout the whole book and took away from an otherwise enjoyable story. It was odd and did not fit with the characters. I found the mystery to have several layers, and it was appealing. The killer’s identity can be discerned long before the reveal (which was disappointing to me) despite the author’s attempt at misdirection. I always enjoy visiting A Kurland St. Mary Mystery characters. They are well thought out and developed. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. The author certainly captured the era in this series with the events, how they communicated, method of travel, clothing, and language. My rating for Death Comes to the School is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).
Death Comes to the School can be a standalone. However, you will miss out on the early years of Lucy and Robert’s relationship. I found the story to be nicely written and have a good flow. I did, though, tire of the miscommunication and bickering between the couple. I missed the easy rapport we normally experience between the couple (who are usually open with each other and very frank). It was present throughout the whole book and took away from an otherwise enjoyable story. It was odd and did not fit with the characters. I found the mystery to have several layers, and it was appealing. The killer’s identity can be discerned long before the reveal (which was disappointing to me) despite the author’s attempt at misdirection. I always enjoy visiting A Kurland St. Mary Mystery characters. They are well thought out and developed. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. The author certainly captured the era in this series with the events, how they communicated, method of travel, clothing, and language. My rating for Death Comes to the School is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).
December 11, 2019
This is the first book in the series where I felt let down by the characters and the author. It felt like now that they are married the author just didn't know how to keep the tension and interest in the book series. The marital discord was not a solution because at no point was I actually worried about their relationship falling a part over this (and we, the reader, already knew Lucy's conclusions were wrong because we'd had it very clearly spelled out in an earlier scene with Robert).
Honestly, I feel like this was a book that had some pretty good ideas and potential, that the author wrote it and getting the whole thing to come together made a very long book and someone said "cut out 200 pages" so they just... cut out a bunch of pages and collaged the rest together. I don't feel like the mystery was given enough care or attention. The letters, for all the attention they got in the text, ended up getting very little attention in the wrap up (I'm still confused about who wrote what). The solution to the murder was obvious and I was never really worried about Robert and Lucy's marriage. Which just means in the end I wasn't invested in any of the plot ideas because it was all too much in too small a space.
I could care less about the whole inheritance thing: This is why we invented wills, have Robert write a will. Also, it wasn't uncommon for people to adopt someone and name them their heir (the obvious solution here seems to be Robert adopting the twins and naming them his heirs). I actually think the not being able to bear a baby plot could have made this interesting, but I see by upcoming titles that's not the way this is going to go. Which means we invested this whole book in this one topic (ignoring all the other legal options) to only have it not matter later. Bo-ring.
So in closing, it was a fine story. It was a nice way to spend my afternoon. But it was without its normal charm.
Honestly, I feel like this was a book that had some pretty good ideas and potential, that the author wrote it and getting the whole thing to come together made a very long book and someone said "cut out 200 pages" so they just... cut out a bunch of pages and collaged the rest together. I don't feel like the mystery was given enough care or attention. The letters, for all the attention they got in the text, ended up getting very little attention in the wrap up (I'm still confused about who wrote what). The solution to the murder was obvious and I was never really worried about Robert and Lucy's marriage. Which just means in the end I wasn't invested in any of the plot ideas because it was all too much in too small a space.
I could care less about the whole inheritance thing: This is why we invented wills, have Robert write a will. Also, it wasn't uncommon for people to adopt someone and name them their heir (the obvious solution here seems to be Robert adopting the twins and naming them his heirs). I actually think the not being able to bear a baby plot could have made this interesting, but I see by upcoming titles that's not the way this is going to go. Which means we invested this whole book in this one topic (ignoring all the other legal options) to only have it not matter later. Bo-ring.
So in closing, it was a fine story. It was a nice way to spend my afternoon. But it was without its normal charm.
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