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Doyle & Acton #7
Murder in Misdirection
It was a bit puzzling, that Chief Inspector Acton hadn't mentioned the body they'd discovered in the burnt-out church, even though he must have known that Doyle would find it of great interest. Was the arsonist caught up in her own fire, or was there a deeper, more sinister tale told by the blackened rubble? Although she was sidelined on maternity leave, Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle was fast coming to the realization that her husband hadn't told her, because he was masterminding some scheme-a scheme that may-or-may-not involve arson, blood money, and the ducks of St. Petersburg.
261 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2018
121 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Anne Cleeland
36 books474 followersAnne Cleeland writes a contemporary Scotland Yard mystery series that is featured in the Amazon top 100 best sellers. She also writes a historical series of stand-alone books set in the Regency period. A member of International Thriller Writers, The Historical Novel Society, and Mystery Writers of America, she lives in California and has four children. www.annecleeland.com; @annecleeland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 15, 2020
Maybe it is this particular moment, but I found soothing this series... But I also completly agree with what my friend Ira said in her review HERE
February 19, 2018
Another great sequel!
I will make no secret about it, I adore the Doyle & Acton series. Lady and Lord Acton are two of the most refreshing main characters I have ever encountered in the mystery genre. They are flawed, sometimes criminally, and yet you end up rooting for them and secretly happy that most things come out okay in the end. Even the secondary characters are not what they seem and keep turning the plot around so that you never really know how everything will turn out until Doyle, that is Lady Acton, explains it all. A tongue-in-cheek adventure that is in turns amusing, yet somehow poignant as well. All I know is that whenever I finish a Doyle & Acton novel, I am already looking forward to the next one.
I will make no secret about it, I adore the Doyle & Acton series. Lady and Lord Acton are two of the most refreshing main characters I have ever encountered in the mystery genre. They are flawed, sometimes criminally, and yet you end up rooting for them and secretly happy that most things come out okay in the end. Even the secondary characters are not what they seem and keep turning the plot around so that you never really know how everything will turn out until Doyle, that is Lady Acton, explains it all. A tongue-in-cheek adventure that is in turns amusing, yet somehow poignant as well. All I know is that whenever I finish a Doyle & Acton novel, I am already looking forward to the next one.
November 28, 2019
3.5 stars
February 27, 2018
There are characters in a series in whom readers become so invested that reading a new book in their continuing story is like receiving a letter from home detailing the news of kith and kin. You tear open the letter/book and dive in, reading to the end in a breathless aura of suspense, and there is always plenty of suspense in a Doyle and Acton story. Murder in Misdirection, the seventh book in this series is a particularly satisfying one, as the story line of Detective Sergeant Kathleen Doyle and her pregnancy has kept readers on pins and needles for several books now. We want a baby.
Kathleen is on maternity leave from Scotland Yard, and so Michael Sinclair, Lord Acton and DCI at the Yard, has some peace of mind that she is safe and out of the Met's business (and his) that usually puts her in harm's way. As Acton says more than once, he's got to stop underestimating his wife. Being close to giving birth doesn't sideline Doyle from trying to help solve problems, problems that usually end up tangled in the web of Acton's maneuverings. A request from Father John, the priest at Doyle's church, to aid in his efforts to convince the bishop that a recently departed man be granted burial in sacred ground has Doyle looking into matters best left undisturbed.
And to further plunge Doyle into the fray of business which Acton wants her to stay clear is the appearance of a ghost in the form of a dead priest. Ghosts are just a normal occurrence to Doyle, whose fey abilities are both a useful resource and a curse. The dead priest is urging Doyle to take action where blood money and arson involve a relative of his. A recent fire that destroyed a Catholic church has some smoldering clues to examine. It's clear that Acton is in the middle of this puzzle, but Doyle once again has to keep her investigations secret from her husband, as he is keeping his actions secret from her, to help prevent Acton from damning his soul any more than he already has. Of course, Acton's view of the matter is centered around making Doyle's life and the life of their unborn child safe in perpetuity. Although the story is told from Doyle’s point of view, we are allowed glimpses into Acton’s unspoken thoughts through the author’s use of beginning each chapter with one of his observations.
There are some fascinating subplots going on in this book, too. Philippe Savoie, dangerous criminal and friend of the fair Doyle’s, is sitting in prison awaiting either a trial or a prison escape. And, of course, Savoie is involved with Acton’s plans to tidy matters up from the corruption ring at the Met that Acton uncovered in the last book. Savoie’s adopted son Emile is staying with Doyle and Acton while the criminal is incarcerated, as is the young girl Gemma, the ward of Mary, who is the intended nanny for Doyle’s and Acton’s soon-to-be-arriving Edward. Emile and Gemma have secrets about themselves that will be uncovered, too, secrets that will gobsmack the adults in charge. Reynolds, Lord and Lady Acton’s butler and jack-of-all-trades, shows a new skill as he deftly handles the young children underfoot. Lizzie Mathis, Acton’s no-nonsense partner in shady doings is back and doing Acton’s bidding. Detective Inspector Thomas Williams is doing some bidding, too, but for Doyle. And Detective Sergeant Isabel Munoz is on hand to spar with Doyle, always some favorite pieces of dialogue.
At this point in reading Anne Cleeland’s writing, the Acton and Doyle series and her adventure books, too, I have probably sung Anne’s praises with untold number of superlatives. However, I don’t think I can ever thank her enough for creating the Doyle and Acton series that gives me such a thrill in each book. Fans of this series, and there are many, aren’t just fond readers. We have rather the same diagnosis as Acton in his uncontrollable passion for Doyle, happily addicted.
Kathleen is on maternity leave from Scotland Yard, and so Michael Sinclair, Lord Acton and DCI at the Yard, has some peace of mind that she is safe and out of the Met's business (and his) that usually puts her in harm's way. As Acton says more than once, he's got to stop underestimating his wife. Being close to giving birth doesn't sideline Doyle from trying to help solve problems, problems that usually end up tangled in the web of Acton's maneuverings. A request from Father John, the priest at Doyle's church, to aid in his efforts to convince the bishop that a recently departed man be granted burial in sacred ground has Doyle looking into matters best left undisturbed.
And to further plunge Doyle into the fray of business which Acton wants her to stay clear is the appearance of a ghost in the form of a dead priest. Ghosts are just a normal occurrence to Doyle, whose fey abilities are both a useful resource and a curse. The dead priest is urging Doyle to take action where blood money and arson involve a relative of his. A recent fire that destroyed a Catholic church has some smoldering clues to examine. It's clear that Acton is in the middle of this puzzle, but Doyle once again has to keep her investigations secret from her husband, as he is keeping his actions secret from her, to help prevent Acton from damning his soul any more than he already has. Of course, Acton's view of the matter is centered around making Doyle's life and the life of their unborn child safe in perpetuity. Although the story is told from Doyle’s point of view, we are allowed glimpses into Acton’s unspoken thoughts through the author’s use of beginning each chapter with one of his observations.
There are some fascinating subplots going on in this book, too. Philippe Savoie, dangerous criminal and friend of the fair Doyle’s, is sitting in prison awaiting either a trial or a prison escape. And, of course, Savoie is involved with Acton’s plans to tidy matters up from the corruption ring at the Met that Acton uncovered in the last book. Savoie’s adopted son Emile is staying with Doyle and Acton while the criminal is incarcerated, as is the young girl Gemma, the ward of Mary, who is the intended nanny for Doyle’s and Acton’s soon-to-be-arriving Edward. Emile and Gemma have secrets about themselves that will be uncovered, too, secrets that will gobsmack the adults in charge. Reynolds, Lord and Lady Acton’s butler and jack-of-all-trades, shows a new skill as he deftly handles the young children underfoot. Lizzie Mathis, Acton’s no-nonsense partner in shady doings is back and doing Acton’s bidding. Detective Inspector Thomas Williams is doing some bidding, too, but for Doyle. And Detective Sergeant Isabel Munoz is on hand to spar with Doyle, always some favorite pieces of dialogue.
At this point in reading Anne Cleeland’s writing, the Acton and Doyle series and her adventure books, too, I have probably sung Anne’s praises with untold number of superlatives. However, I don’t think I can ever thank her enough for creating the Doyle and Acton series that gives me such a thrill in each book. Fans of this series, and there are many, aren’t just fond readers. We have rather the same diagnosis as Acton in his uncontrollable passion for Doyle, happily addicted.
February 18, 2018
Absolutely outstanding! Murder in Misdirection was such a wonderful, exciting read wherein the reader is treated to another adventure with tow of Scotland Yard's finest, DS Kathleen Doyle and her husband DCI Lord Michael Acton. This entry finds Doyle on maternity leave, Acton is about to be confirmed RC, and mayhem is swirling all around them. Once again, it's Doyle's fey-like intuition that saves her wily husband from going over a cliff of his own making.
Kathleen is such a breath of fresh air. She is intuitive, loyal, and humorous with a spine of steel. I love how she, along with some ghostly nudging, pulls small clues together and figures things out on her own. The secondary characters also make this series such a strong read. I adore Reynolds, he must have been doing handstands arriving at Trestles and meeting the aging Lord Aldwych. I nearly fell over laughing when Doyle remarked that with an earldom on horizon, Reynolds "must be crossing his fingers and checking the obituaries every morning."
That rapscallion Philippe Savoie was not as savvy as he thought he was, Acton is always ten steps ahead of everyone. The new revelation about young Gemma was mind-blowing and lovely turn of events of Mary. I cannot wait to see that romance blossom in future stories. Poor Thomas, losing out again but I have a feeling that there is a woman who will love him for himself. I was very happy seeing Lizzie Mathis again and willing to risk her safety to protect Doyle.
I was truly surprised at the motivations and knowledge that the ghostly knight imparted to Doyle. Some very crucial loose ends were tied up that will profoundly and hopefully, curb some of Acton's behaviors in the future. I was hoping to see snarky Dowager Acton, but Acton booted "his grifting" relatives out of Trestles for the birth of baby Edward. I would like find out whether or not Acton's mother was in on the plot to kill Doyle. I hope not, I hope that she is just a snooty, mean mother in-law who misjudged her complicated son.
One of the most poignant moments was the quasi-reconciliation between Lord Aldwych and Acton. Seeing the arthritic nonagenarian take a snap of his newborn great-great grandson nearly brought me to tears. Lord Aldwych finally reached out to his estranged great grandson because the earl knows that his days are numbered and he turned to Acton to set some family matters straight. Kathleen Doyle has made all this possible. I think as she does that fate sent her to Acton because he was about to implode when she entered his life.
I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this novel and look forward to Murder in Spite this fall.
Kathleen is such a breath of fresh air. She is intuitive, loyal, and humorous with a spine of steel. I love how she, along with some ghostly nudging, pulls small clues together and figures things out on her own. The secondary characters also make this series such a strong read. I adore Reynolds, he must have been doing handstands arriving at Trestles and meeting the aging Lord Aldwych. I nearly fell over laughing when Doyle remarked that with an earldom on horizon, Reynolds "must be crossing his fingers and checking the obituaries every morning."
That rapscallion Philippe Savoie was not as savvy as he thought he was, Acton is always ten steps ahead of everyone. The new revelation about young Gemma was mind-blowing and lovely turn of events of Mary. I cannot wait to see that romance blossom in future stories. Poor Thomas, losing out again but I have a feeling that there is a woman who will love him for himself. I was very happy seeing Lizzie Mathis again and willing to risk her safety to protect Doyle.
I was truly surprised at the motivations and knowledge that the ghostly knight imparted to Doyle. Some very crucial loose ends were tied up that will profoundly and hopefully, curb some of Acton's behaviors in the future. I was hoping to see snarky Dowager Acton, but Acton booted "his grifting" relatives out of Trestles for the birth of baby Edward. I would like find out whether or not Acton's mother was in on the plot to kill Doyle. I hope not, I hope that she is just a snooty, mean mother in-law who misjudged her complicated son.
One of the most poignant moments was the quasi-reconciliation between Lord Aldwych and Acton. Seeing the arthritic nonagenarian take a snap of his newborn great-great grandson nearly brought me to tears. Lord Aldwych finally reached out to his estranged great grandson because the earl knows that his days are numbered and he turned to Acton to set some family matters straight. Kathleen Doyle has made all this possible. I think as she does that fate sent her to Acton because he was about to implode when she entered his life.
I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this novel and look forward to Murder in Spite this fall.
February 18, 2024
Acton finally gets his confirmation ceremony and I was surprised Doyle didn't threaten to leave him after the craziness that ensued!
Baby Edward finally makes his appearance near the end and just after more craziness.
More blacklegs get justice. More manipulations by Acton.
This one is a more high octane book but was a lot of fun to read/listen to!
The audio read is the same as the last two and does a fine job with the Irish accent and the variety of voices.
Baby Edward finally makes his appearance near the end and just after more craziness.
More blacklegs get justice. More manipulations by Acton.
This one is a more high octane book but was a lot of fun to read/listen to!
The audio read is the same as the last two and does a fine job with the Irish accent and the variety of voices.
February 24, 2018
3.0 - 3.5 ***
I though this book was OK. I found it confusing. Too many characters doing too many things. Too many wild theories from Doyle and not enough true communication with Acton. I don't understand what Acton sees in Dolye. She's too impulsive and needs to trust Acton more.
I though this book was OK. I found it confusing. Too many characters doing too many things. Too many wild theories from Doyle and not enough true communication with Acton. I don't understand what Acton sees in Dolye. She's too impulsive and needs to trust Acton more.
May 1, 2019
A very good mystery that I didn't figure out tho I tried. And I loved the ending...the future books I get to see these two very memorable hero and heroine be parents and solve mysteries. Lovely!
September 10, 2021
Although I truly enjoyed reading this book I almost want to cut back on number of stars just because some of Doyle's actions are more appropriate for staged farce. Despite her lack of caution and/or wisdom at times the action is entertaining. A lot does happen and I have no wish to spoil it for others.
Edward makes his debut in a most dramatic fashion.
Edward makes his debut in a most dramatic fashion.
April 12, 2018
Not sure about this ...
I'll give it a 4 but wish there were a 3 1/2. I actually enjoyed the zany, unbelievable continued mishaps of Doyle and Acton. But the typos, the weird use of commas and things like calling Tasza Tanya twice on the same page are beginning to grate. I don't know if the author is in a hurry to turn out books or what. But she badly needs a proofreader. There was a second instance of misusing a name, but don't know how to go back and look for it without losing this review. And yes, I may have misspelled Tasza, but didn't look it up for the same reason.
I'll give it a 4 but wish there were a 3 1/2. I actually enjoyed the zany, unbelievable continued mishaps of Doyle and Acton. But the typos, the weird use of commas and things like calling Tasza Tanya twice on the same page are beginning to grate. I don't know if the author is in a hurry to turn out books or what. But she badly needs a proofreader. There was a second instance of misusing a name, but don't know how to go back and look for it without losing this review. And yes, I may have misspelled Tasza, but didn't look it up for the same reason.
February 20, 2018
Edward baby 🎉🎉🎉
February 20, 2018
Love, love this series. Quirky and wonderful characters and hilarious Irish dialogue.
March 9, 2018
Love this series but this book not my favorite. Just got way too repetitive. Needed editing.
March 1, 2018
The characters of Acton and Doyle continue along as in previous works; Doyle has visions and intuitive gifts using these to bring her husband, Acton, onto the straight and narrow. They both are cops! In this seventh installment, Doyle is heavily pregnant and sees some difficulty with a murder committed by poisoning (by the hand of her husband or a trusted associate), and another about to happen which would put paid to some serious misdeeds and corruption on the force. This volume had two grammar errors, which I found surprising, no page numbers, and I found the reasoning and history behind the poisoning strangely unsatisfactory. Additionally, Doyle should not be both undereducated and as incredibly bright as she is, so I would advise the author to drop the trope of having this detective misuse certain words of the Queen’s English. I do love the language in this series; I have a soft spot for Irish expressions such as, “He is as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.” I will continue reading Cleeland’s books, as I have not a clue as to what may follow.
September 22, 2019
A wild ride
Okay, the ongoing cases that Doyle and Co. discovered were linked over the last few books are slowly being resolved. However there are more revelations that point to further investigations into the station.
Doyle is feeling frustrated and left out now that she’s on maternity leave (and possibly limited bed rest), and while Acton is still the loving and devoted husband, and father to be, he is still up to his eyeballs in a myriad of plots that would put Machiavelli to shame.
More family drama is unveiled, and a certain little man finally makes an appearance.
4 stars ⭐️
Okay, the ongoing cases that Doyle and Co. discovered were linked over the last few books are slowly being resolved. However there are more revelations that point to further investigations into the station.
Doyle is feeling frustrated and left out now that she’s on maternity leave (and possibly limited bed rest), and while Acton is still the loving and devoted husband, and father to be, he is still up to his eyeballs in a myriad of plots that would put Machiavelli to shame.
More family drama is unveiled, and a certain little man finally makes an appearance.
4 stars ⭐️
May 28, 2021
In all seriousness, can someone explain the ‘prison riot’ to me? Huh? I couldn’t figure out why Doyle felt like she needed to go there... to save the DCS, right? But Savoie showed up? And the guards were rioting?? I found this one hard to follow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2019
Can’t get enough!!
October 4, 2021
Excellent
These stories are just chock full of surprised and schemes and all kinds of thing. Grin. I love the characters. Truly memorable.
These stories are just chock full of surprised and schemes and all kinds of thing. Grin. I love the characters. Truly memorable.
March 3, 2018
Worth the wait!!! But...
Great story, but the formatting was a crime...doesn't anybody review these things before they are released? SHAME ON YOU!!! But...b
Great story, but the formatting was a crime...doesn't anybody review these things before they are released? SHAME ON YOU!!! But...b
February 22, 2018
I find this series irresistible.
The characters are so complex with appropriately dense stories.
The quirkiness of Doyle and Acton's relationship is marvelous and they work so well together, even when they aren't aware that they are, in fact working together!
The dream sequences, truth telling, and sudden "ah, ha!" moments are marvelous.
I zip through these books, hardly able to put them down, the whole time thinking, "Slow down!" . It'll be a while until the next one
The characters are so complex with appropriately dense stories.
The quirkiness of Doyle and Acton's relationship is marvelous and they work so well together, even when they aren't aware that they are, in fact working together!
The dream sequences, truth telling, and sudden "ah, ha!" moments are marvelous.
I zip through these books, hardly able to put them down, the whole time thinking, "Slow down!" . It'll be a while until the next one
February 24, 2018
I love all of these books. The characters are different from the norm and there is tons of plot threads woven through each book and the whole series.
March 22, 2018
Another fabulous instalment in the Doyle & Acton mystery series. This one is particularly funny. Heavily pregnant, Doyle is sidelined at home with Reynolds and two rambunctious children who have ended up in the Acton household, while the illustrious Chief Inspector is up to his usual mysterious tricks. Doyle, however, finds herself having to intervene in her husband's latest scheme--which puts her in the middle of a prison breakout while on the verge of childbirth. Murder in Misdirection would be worth it for those scenes alone, although I loved everything about it!
March 4, 2018
In Murder in Misdirection, Cleeland cleverly adds to the layers upon layers which have been gradually stacking up since the series' origin, Murder in Thrall. Detective Kathleen Doyle, the heart and soul of the series, is now sidelined from active duty at Scotland Yard in her last weeks of pregnancy and adjusting to the domestic complications which accompany marriage into the aristocracy when a corpse's mistaken identity stirs up a number of complicated suspenseful plotlines involving corrupt officials, embezzlement, a prison break and more.
I adore this series and these characters! They feel almost like family members. It is a truly happy day when there is a new Doyle & Acton Mystery! Thank you, Anne Cleeland, for creating this pair of intelligent, addictive crime solvers, for taking them to freshly exciting and unexpected places personally and professionally in each story. With Murder in Misdirection, we readers find ourselves invested more than ever in Cleeland's recurring set of well-drawn, appealingly flawed primary and secondary characters, excellent and realistic dialogue, timely insights and themes.
Doyle is a wonderfully rich central female character with a keenly developed need to do the right thing which occasionally puts her at odds with her enigmatic husband, a Scotland Yard chief inspector famous for his success rate and unorthodox methods. Luckily, he is hopelessly in love with his wife, and their intense partnership and respect for each other are the engines which drive the series forward and make it so uniquely readable. Both a good detective and a good person, Doyle's fascinates with unique her gift for reading people. She has grown and matured through the series, steadily impacting and improving her anti-hero husband's life. Can't wait to see what happens next to the extended Acton family!
I adore this series and these characters! They feel almost like family members. It is a truly happy day when there is a new Doyle & Acton Mystery! Thank you, Anne Cleeland, for creating this pair of intelligent, addictive crime solvers, for taking them to freshly exciting and unexpected places personally and professionally in each story. With Murder in Misdirection, we readers find ourselves invested more than ever in Cleeland's recurring set of well-drawn, appealingly flawed primary and secondary characters, excellent and realistic dialogue, timely insights and themes.
Doyle is a wonderfully rich central female character with a keenly developed need to do the right thing which occasionally puts her at odds with her enigmatic husband, a Scotland Yard chief inspector famous for his success rate and unorthodox methods. Luckily, he is hopelessly in love with his wife, and their intense partnership and respect for each other are the engines which drive the series forward and make it so uniquely readable. Both a good detective and a good person, Doyle's fascinates with unique her gift for reading people. She has grown and matured through the series, steadily impacting and improving her anti-hero husband's life. Can't wait to see what happens next to the extended Acton family!
March 1, 2018
5 stars!!! Acton at his trapping best, and Doyle was no slouch either!!!
April 24, 2019
This book was an amazing 2018 Valentine's gift. Sharing what I loved about the story with you.
All of them might or might not be SPOILERS for you. Please read at your own risk:
All of them might or might not be SPOILERS for you. Please read at your own risk:
💕Acton's devotion to Doyle. . .
💙 Acton finally realized that he was the True Heir! Well . . . not him now. . . But Edward 💙
🌸 Doyle's quirky personality still entertained!
💕 Doyle once again would be receiving another Commendation for Bravery! 🏅
(while on her maternity leave!!! Yay!)
💐 Yes! Doyle made a mass arrest! Without weapon!
🌷 Doyle solved cases by being Irish?!? Via her dreams of helpful ghosts. . .
💙 Baby Edward will totally ROCK!
February 24, 2018
Series: New Scotland Yard/Doyle and Acton #7
Publication Date: 2/8/18
I love this series – mostly because it is filled with quirky, warped and wonderful characters. The story is well plotted, the writing is superb and the characters – well – I just love them all.
Acton, the anti-hero, is up to his antics again. Given his upbringing and what he THINKS is his family history, he has never felt comfortable with where he is and what he has. Since he’s fallen head-over-heels, hopelessly in love with the fair Doyle, he has become obsessed with seeing that she is well cared for and is safe. He’ll do anything, absolutely anything, to assure that all is well in Doyle’s world and now with Edward’s birth nearing, he’s engrossed with assuring there is nobody that can hurt them and they’ll always be financially secure.
Doyle is hugely pregnant, uncomfortable, unhappy to be on leave from work, and she’s absolutely sure Acton is up to something – and that something is not good. Doyle is Irish and a bit fey. She gets visits from ghosts in her dreams, gets tingly feelings when important points are mentioned and can always tell when someone is lying. She’s picking up some strong vibes from Acton and knows that she has to take action to save him from himself. She’s trying her best to be a good influence on him and turn him from his nefarious ways, but she often feels it is pointless. It is a good thing she loves him.
Acton always manages to underestimate Doyle. You would think he would have learned by now, but he always makes the same mistakes in underestimating her. As always, she’s puzzled out his plot and gets herself into a mess while she’s trying to save him – all while she’s in labor. What exciting action!
Reynolds, the butler, is one of my favorite characters. He takes everything in stride. I get the feeling that there is more to him than meets the eye – as there is with all of Acton’s employees – but I haven’t figured out what it is. Maybe we’ll learn more in another book.
Williams is back, of course, but with a smaller role this time. Poor boy, you can only hope his love life will take off one of these days. He’s a bit of an Acton clone – but much more mellow.
One of my favorite scenes is the quasi-reconciliation with Lord Aldwych and Acton. Aldwych is very, very old and won’t be around much longer, but I’d like to know what prompted his visit and what he had to say. I’d think maybe there was more to it than just that he knew he wasn’t long for this world and he wanted to meet his great-great-grandson. I hope there is a full reconciliation before he passes.
I can’t wait for the next book!
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"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: 2/8/18
I love this series – mostly because it is filled with quirky, warped and wonderful characters. The story is well plotted, the writing is superb and the characters – well – I just love them all.
Acton, the anti-hero, is up to his antics again. Given his upbringing and what he THINKS is his family history, he has never felt comfortable with where he is and what he has. Since he’s fallen head-over-heels, hopelessly in love with the fair Doyle, he has become obsessed with seeing that she is well cared for and is safe. He’ll do anything, absolutely anything, to assure that all is well in Doyle’s world and now with Edward’s birth nearing, he’s engrossed with assuring there is nobody that can hurt them and they’ll always be financially secure.
Doyle is hugely pregnant, uncomfortable, unhappy to be on leave from work, and she’s absolutely sure Acton is up to something – and that something is not good. Doyle is Irish and a bit fey. She gets visits from ghosts in her dreams, gets tingly feelings when important points are mentioned and can always tell when someone is lying. She’s picking up some strong vibes from Acton and knows that she has to take action to save him from himself. She’s trying her best to be a good influence on him and turn him from his nefarious ways, but she often feels it is pointless. It is a good thing she loves him.
Acton always manages to underestimate Doyle. You would think he would have learned by now, but he always makes the same mistakes in underestimating her. As always, she’s puzzled out his plot and gets herself into a mess while she’s trying to save him – all while she’s in labor. What exciting action!
Reynolds, the butler, is one of my favorite characters. He takes everything in stride. I get the feeling that there is more to him than meets the eye – as there is with all of Acton’s employees – but I haven’t figured out what it is. Maybe we’ll learn more in another book.
Williams is back, of course, but with a smaller role this time. Poor boy, you can only hope his love life will take off one of these days. He’s a bit of an Acton clone – but much more mellow.
One of my favorite scenes is the quasi-reconciliation with Lord Aldwych and Acton. Aldwych is very, very old and won’t be around much longer, but I’d like to know what prompted his visit and what he had to say. I’d think maybe there was more to it than just that he knew he wasn’t long for this world and he wanted to meet his great-great-grandson. I hope there is a full reconciliation before he passes.
I can’t wait for the next book!
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"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."
March 8, 2021
I enjoyed this book, but it lacked a bit of the punch that some of the other books in the series gave me when I read them. I felt it lacked some fleshing out of detail of certain elements, particularly the birth of Edward that had been long awaited for. Acton also seemed to be missing some of the intensity I know and love him for, particularly surrounding his son's birth and the surrounding circumstances. It was still a solid read - I just expected more oomph for an event that has been building over several books. Due to the book's slightly different feel (maybe because Doyle was on leave? Not sure), some of the repetitive elements seen throughout the series (Doyle's ghostly visitors, Acton keeping secrets and having a thousand different schemes going at once, Doyle inevitably stumbling upon said secret plots, etc.) became a bit stagnant and tiresome rather than retaining their usual charm. This could also be related to the fact that the corruption case is still being dragged out by the author - give me another investigation to focus on, for the love of God!
Doyle is off on maternity leave so has to use a bit of subterfuge and deception to attain information from Williams and Munoz on her own investigation about Acton paying an unknown person blood money regarding the burning down of Holy Trinity Church (the headquarters of the corruption ring). When an unfamiliar ghost visits Doyle in her sleep, she sets off on a course to find a missing person and save Acton from himself. The corruption conspiracy continues and characters familiar to the case are revisited. Honestly, I'm almost at the end of my tether with this particular plot point, so this could also be the reason I took a star off. There were also quite a few errors with punctuation, particularly speech marks - enough so that fluency was sometimes affected.
The usual characters are seen throughout although due to Doyle being on leave, characters such as Williams and Munoz are seen less frequently. There's a new mysterious element tied in concerning Mary, Edward's future nanny, which was a tad over the top, even for this series. A familiar character is killed and, of course, the plot of the book winds around all over the place before some key story lines are expanded upon or given some small solution. Not all as I'm assuming plot points continue to carry over into at least the next book. Doyle's struggle with vocabulary continues, which I loved, and it caused me to laugh out loud a couple of times. The snippets at the start of the chapter are present and from Acton's point of view, which I also adore. Doyle's running monologue retained most of its usual charm, only dampened by some of the repetition I mentioned earlier. There was a good build up of suspense and action towards the end and while I would have liked more detail and even more Acton, it finished on a strong note. I'll be continuing with the series - hopefully by Book 8 the apparently brilliant Acton has figured out not to underestimate Doyle as he said he did - again - in this novel.
Doyle is off on maternity leave so has to use a bit of subterfuge and deception to attain information from Williams and Munoz on her own investigation about Acton paying an unknown person blood money regarding the burning down of Holy Trinity Church (the headquarters of the corruption ring). When an unfamiliar ghost visits Doyle in her sleep, she sets off on a course to find a missing person and save Acton from himself. The corruption conspiracy continues and characters familiar to the case are revisited. Honestly, I'm almost at the end of my tether with this particular plot point, so this could also be the reason I took a star off. There were also quite a few errors with punctuation, particularly speech marks - enough so that fluency was sometimes affected.
The usual characters are seen throughout although due to Doyle being on leave, characters such as Williams and Munoz are seen less frequently. There's a new mysterious element tied in concerning Mary, Edward's future nanny, which was a tad over the top, even for this series. A familiar character is killed and, of course, the plot of the book winds around all over the place before some key story lines are expanded upon or given some small solution. Not all as I'm assuming plot points continue to carry over into at least the next book. Doyle's struggle with vocabulary continues, which I loved, and it caused me to laugh out loud a couple of times. The snippets at the start of the chapter are present and from Acton's point of view, which I also adore. Doyle's running monologue retained most of its usual charm, only dampened by some of the repetition I mentioned earlier. There was a good build up of suspense and action towards the end and while I would have liked more detail and even more Acton, it finished on a strong note. I'll be continuing with the series - hopefully by Book 8 the apparently brilliant Acton has figured out not to underestimate Doyle as he said he did - again - in this novel.
March 7, 2018
"Murder in Misdirection," the 7th of Anne Cleeland's books featuring Scotland Yard detectives Acton and Doyle, is an exciting, twisty addition to the series. Newcomers might be forgiven for assuming Cleeland's series is another following in the well-established footsteps of P.D. James, Ngaio Marsh, and Elizabeth George (gentleman sleuth at Scotland Yard), but in creating Acton, Cleeland has gone well outside the box. Acton is indeed an aristocrat - the heir to an Earldom, in fact - and a detective, but he's also a vigilante and (moving to the beat of his own drum) an occasional criminal, reined in only by his passionate love for his working-class, devotedly Catholic Irish wife, Kathleen, who began as his subordinate. (Their unorthodox romance is delightfully recounted in the first book of the series, "Murder in Thrall.") While there is, of course, a murder to be solved in each book, much of the charm and intrigue of the stories is generated by Doyle's efforts to figure out exactly what her husband is up to. A good thing that she's Irish and slightly "fey;" she can almost always tell when someone is lying, even the smooth and seductive Lord Acton.
In this latest book, ripples from corruption at Scotland Yard continue to disturb the lives of our heroes. A young financier is dead, and Doyle's priest seeks her help in determining whether the death was murder or suicide. Meanwhile, Acton and Doyle's old frenemy Savoie is safely tucked away in prison and out of trouble…or is he? To complicate matters, Doyle is in the last stages of pregnancy, Acton clearly is hiding something from her, and Doyle's friend and colleague Williams is pursuing a great deal of illegal money that keeps moving about and may have ended up, of all places, at Savoie's prison. The book barrels along to a nail-biting conclusion in which the lives of Doyle and her baby are on the line, Lord Acton is pushed to the edge, and we finally get the answers to some puzzling questions.
This book can certainly be read and enjoyed on its own merits, but Acton and Doyle and the other cast of characters by now have a complex backstory; if at all possible, read the earlier books first, especially "Murder in Thrall," which does a masterful job of telling us who Acton and Doyle are.
In this latest book, ripples from corruption at Scotland Yard continue to disturb the lives of our heroes. A young financier is dead, and Doyle's priest seeks her help in determining whether the death was murder or suicide. Meanwhile, Acton and Doyle's old frenemy Savoie is safely tucked away in prison and out of trouble…or is he? To complicate matters, Doyle is in the last stages of pregnancy, Acton clearly is hiding something from her, and Doyle's friend and colleague Williams is pursuing a great deal of illegal money that keeps moving about and may have ended up, of all places, at Savoie's prison. The book barrels along to a nail-biting conclusion in which the lives of Doyle and her baby are on the line, Lord Acton is pushed to the edge, and we finally get the answers to some puzzling questions.
This book can certainly be read and enjoyed on its own merits, but Acton and Doyle and the other cast of characters by now have a complex backstory; if at all possible, read the earlier books first, especially "Murder in Thrall," which does a masterful job of telling us who Acton and Doyle are.
January 17, 2019
Murder in Misdirection- A Doyle and Acton Mystery, is book 7 of 8 in the New Scotland Yard Series by Anne Cleeland. I read this on Kindle – 266 pages. In my opinion, the publishing quality has deteriorated as the series has gone on, however, I like the characters and will read the 8th book. I’m giving this one only three stars, despite its 4.28 average stars on Goodreads, primarily due to content errors.
Kathleen Doyle and Michael Acton are with Scotland Yard, he is her superior, and they are married. The books have a recurring cast of characters. Doyle and Acton each have their idiosyncrasies, redeeming qualities, and faults. Her intuition and sixth sense helps her ferret out the truth while solving crimes. He is a Detective Inspector, who has a high crime solving rate, is loved by the public, and secretly dispenses vigilante justice behind the scenes. She is a devout Catholic and hopes to get him to change his ways, but she loves him and somehow manages to live with the bad things he does. While this book deals with “misdirection” murders and the mysteries are solved within the 266 pages, they are a continuation of storylines in the prior 6 books. I do not recommend reading these out of order due to continuity. Start with book one and work your way through. People love the series, so if you can accept that you will come across typos, at least in the current eVersion, you might enjoy these quick reads.
A note to the author -
Dear Anne Cleeland: What has happened to the quality of your product? You should be speaking, sternly, to your editors and your publisher! I feel like they are forcing you into pumping out stories while people are buying your work, and that your proofreaders for the eVersions, at least, are overpaid! I noted 13 typos in this book and I suspect there were more! Some examples: “It is [a] happy occasion, indeed.” “Doyle case [cast] a knowing glance at her companion.” “even before she saw the bottle of scotch as [at] his elbow” “Tanya shook her head” (That one may not seem wrong, but this was 66% of the way through the book and the character’s name is Tasza, not Tanya!) “He arranged for her the doctor to visit that afternoon.” and I could list several more. Light a fire under the people who put your product out, Anne, and get new proofreaders because your work deserves a better package than this!
Kathleen Doyle and Michael Acton are with Scotland Yard, he is her superior, and they are married. The books have a recurring cast of characters. Doyle and Acton each have their idiosyncrasies, redeeming qualities, and faults. Her intuition and sixth sense helps her ferret out the truth while solving crimes. He is a Detective Inspector, who has a high crime solving rate, is loved by the public, and secretly dispenses vigilante justice behind the scenes. She is a devout Catholic and hopes to get him to change his ways, but she loves him and somehow manages to live with the bad things he does. While this book deals with “misdirection” murders and the mysteries are solved within the 266 pages, they are a continuation of storylines in the prior 6 books. I do not recommend reading these out of order due to continuity. Start with book one and work your way through. People love the series, so if you can accept that you will come across typos, at least in the current eVersion, you might enjoy these quick reads.
A note to the author -
Dear Anne Cleeland: What has happened to the quality of your product? You should be speaking, sternly, to your editors and your publisher! I feel like they are forcing you into pumping out stories while people are buying your work, and that your proofreaders for the eVersions, at least, are overpaid! I noted 13 typos in this book and I suspect there were more! Some examples: “It is [a] happy occasion, indeed.” “Doyle case [cast] a knowing glance at her companion.” “even before she saw the bottle of scotch as [at] his elbow” “Tanya shook her head” (That one may not seem wrong, but this was 66% of the way through the book and the character’s name is Tasza, not Tanya!) “He arranged for her the doctor to visit that afternoon.” and I could list several more. Light a fire under the people who put your product out, Anne, and get new proofreaders because your work deserves a better package than this!
February 18, 2021
Continuing the major investigation of the major corruption charges to both the Law (Judges) and Order (Police) branches of government and also the Roman Church... here are some developments:
1. Philippe Savoie is in Police custody at Wexton Prison owing to his standing warrant of arrest hence Doyle had to made good her promise to him... to take care of his adoptive son Emile should anything happen to him. Emile is now living with the Actons at their Kensington penthouse... and Gemma, Mary the nanny's stepdaughter is an almost daily visitor while Mary works pending Edward's birth... and Gemma's most noble origins would also be revealed here.
2. The Holy Trinity Church (where the corrupt officials usually met and exchange envelopes containing their takes) was burned down with the purported body of the arsonist. Doyle wondered why Acton did not mention the incident to her. More sinister forces to uncover as Doyle's antenna for danger is acting up plus the ghost of a Filipino priest who died on a mission to Africa is troubling Doyle about Acton paying his sister blood money. Speaking of blood money... Doyle wondered where the illegal profits from the exposed sordid transactions were, considering the suspicious diggings of Hudson on Acton's directions at Trestles are for and given her husband is not above stealing from the blacklegs.
3. The former DCS is now a popular prison minister with his own airtime having seen the Light in his own 'road to Damascus' epiphany (aforementioned money was traced by Williams to Wexton Prison into the prison ministry's account)... he would soon play a part of as yet another Doyle (this time, full term pregnant) dramatic mass arrest and rescue operation at the prison's roof no less (and with the ghost knight protecting his progeny) and in the rain too... confronting corrupt prison authorities being as yet another tentacle of this widespread dastardly scheme... guess where Edward would pop his lordly head to enter his parents' world... the Acton Legacy is secure and legitimized to be revealed by Doyle in the last chapter of this book.
4. The Solonik sinister sister would make her re~appearance for the last time as a burnt offering to the altar of Acton's brand of Justice.
1. Philippe Savoie is in Police custody at Wexton Prison owing to his standing warrant of arrest hence Doyle had to made good her promise to him... to take care of his adoptive son Emile should anything happen to him. Emile is now living with the Actons at their Kensington penthouse... and Gemma, Mary the nanny's stepdaughter is an almost daily visitor while Mary works pending Edward's birth... and Gemma's most noble origins would also be revealed here.
2. The Holy Trinity Church (where the corrupt officials usually met and exchange envelopes containing their takes) was burned down with the purported body of the arsonist. Doyle wondered why Acton did not mention the incident to her. More sinister forces to uncover as Doyle's antenna for danger is acting up plus the ghost of a Filipino priest who died on a mission to Africa is troubling Doyle about Acton paying his sister blood money. Speaking of blood money... Doyle wondered where the illegal profits from the exposed sordid transactions were, considering the suspicious diggings of Hudson on Acton's directions at Trestles are for and given her husband is not above stealing from the blacklegs.
3. The former DCS is now a popular prison minister with his own airtime having seen the Light in his own 'road to Damascus' epiphany (aforementioned money was traced by Williams to Wexton Prison into the prison ministry's account)... he would soon play a part of as yet another Doyle (this time, full term pregnant) dramatic mass arrest and rescue operation at the prison's roof no less (and with the ghost knight protecting his progeny) and in the rain too... confronting corrupt prison authorities being as yet another tentacle of this widespread dastardly scheme... guess where Edward would pop his lordly head to enter his parents' world... the Acton Legacy is secure and legitimized to be revealed by Doyle in the last chapter of this book.
4. The Solonik sinister sister would make her re~appearance for the last time as a burnt offering to the altar of Acton's brand of Justice.
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