What do you think?
Rate this book
Dorothy Martin #21
A Dagger Before Me
Dorothy Martin and her husband Alan have been invited to rural Suffolk to take part in the christening of the newest member of the aristocratic Montcalm family. But on arriving at Dunham Manor, they discover the household in turmoil as the ceremonial dagger used in Montcalm family christenings for generations past, has gone missing. Dorothy and Alan offer their help in locating the ancient heirloom, but when a stranger is murdered in the village – stabbed in the back with an ornate dagger – Sir Edwin Montcalm finds himself the prime suspect in a very puzzling murder.
It will take all Dorothy and Alan’s well-honed investigative skills to untangle a web of long-buried secrets, historic conflicts and murderous inclinations which threaten to destroy the traditions and the very existence of the Montcalms’ way of life for ever.
It will take all Dorothy and Alan’s well-honed investigative skills to untangle a web of long-buried secrets, historic conflicts and murderous inclinations which threaten to destroy the traditions and the very existence of the Montcalms’ way of life for ever.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2019
246 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne M. Dams
46 books217 followersJeanne M. Dams lives in South Bend, Indiana. The Body in the Transept, which introduced Dorothy Martin, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dams is also the author of Green Grow the Victims and other Hilda Johansson mysteries published by Walker & Company.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 9, 2019
The first half of the book more or less is nothing but a story of village life and traveling about England and a collection of odd British facts. About halfway into the book, Dorothy and Alan visit one of Alan's former colleague's sons to be godparents at the christening of a newborn son. A rite involving a dagger must be performed at the christening so the boy can inherit according to the estate's entail. Unfortunately the dagger is missing. Then a woman claiming to be mother of the current estate holder is found with a dagger in her back although she died of smoke inhalation. Alan and Dorothy assist a bit but most of the investigation is handled by the police. The ending seemed a bit abrupt. A better editor would have told the author to cut the first half of the book and expand the rest. Waiting until halfway through a book for a stolen dagger and corpse is too long in a mystery. I used to love the Dorothy Martin series but the last few I read contain major problems. Dams needs to decide whether she wants to write about village life or mysteries and stick with the genre. I received an advance electronic review copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2019
Spring has arrived in England and Dorothy Martin has an urge to get out and travel. Her husband, Alan Nesbit, has the perfect solution. While Dorothy is an American, she admires English tradition and history. Through spring and summer Alan arranges a number of trips, including the manor where the voyage that established Jamestown was planned. They also witness a celebration to commemorate the death of Henry VI and a swan upping, once an activity once done to identify swans belonging to the Crown and those ceded to others and now used to educate the public on environmental impacts.
On one of their later excursions in the fall they encounter Edwin Montcalm, a baronet and Alan’s godson. At his invitation they agree to become godparents to Edwin’s own newborn son. When they arrive for the celebration they find the house in turmoil and Edwin in despair. Tradition demands that the Montfort dagger be present at the christening of the first-born son. Without the dagger, the title and estate can not be passed on. Now that the celebration is scheduled, the dagger is missing.
As a retired police investigator, Alan offers his help, but the dagger was rarely used and anyone who had access to the home could have stolen it. When the body of an older woman is found in the village with an ornate dagger in her back, Edwin falls under suspicion.
Jeanne Dams offers several suspectsfor consideration and while each has a motive, they are all tied into the estate property. It is Dorothy’s personality and the way she relates to Alan and the Montcalm family that enchants the readers. She has an ability to display compassion and resourcefulness as she questions the situation. Her excursions give the reader an interesting look at some British history and tradition and segues into the mystery with an explanation of the dagger’s history. While fascinating, it consumes the first half of the book before getting to the Montcalms and their predicament. Still, this is an enjoyable read and I look forward to further mysteries with Dorothy Martin.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House for providing a copy of this book for my review..
On one of their later excursions in the fall they encounter Edwin Montcalm, a baronet and Alan’s godson. At his invitation they agree to become godparents to Edwin’s own newborn son. When they arrive for the celebration they find the house in turmoil and Edwin in despair. Tradition demands that the Montfort dagger be present at the christening of the first-born son. Without the dagger, the title and estate can not be passed on. Now that the celebration is scheduled, the dagger is missing.
As a retired police investigator, Alan offers his help, but the dagger was rarely used and anyone who had access to the home could have stolen it. When the body of an older woman is found in the village with an ornate dagger in her back, Edwin falls under suspicion.
Jeanne Dams offers several suspectsfor consideration and while each has a motive, they are all tied into the estate property. It is Dorothy’s personality and the way she relates to Alan and the Montcalm family that enchants the readers. She has an ability to display compassion and resourcefulness as she questions the situation. Her excursions give the reader an interesting look at some British history and tradition and segues into the mystery with an explanation of the dagger’s history. While fascinating, it consumes the first half of the book before getting to the Montcalms and their predicament. Still, this is an enjoyable read and I look forward to further mysteries with Dorothy Martin.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House for providing a copy of this book for my review..
April 26, 2019
I have loved, loved, loved nearly everything I have read by this author and Jeanne M. Dams didn't fail me with this novel.
Dorothy, an expat American married to an Englishman and living in the UK,is learning about traditions. Alan is teaching her by taking her to various events over the course of a year. It tickled me that Dorothy was reading a book about obscure traditions while Jeanne was writing such a story!
One of the obscure traditions is an entailment to property. Alan and Dorothy are invited to a christening at which an ancient dagger must be displayed or the child cannot inherit the property. This is something we Americans can't even imagine! But before the chistening can take place, the dagger disappears. And then it is discovered in the back of a dead woman.
How did the dagger get there? Who would want to kill this woman? Why is someone trying to buy the property? Many, many questions are posed but the answer doesn't come until the final pages.
The characters who are recurring (Dorothy and Alan) are true to the people we know from the past. The family they are visiting are so familiar and real as to seem to be part of the reader's family. The children especially are well portrayed, something some writers who normally deal with the adult workd have a hard time doing.
This just makes me long for the next book in the Dorothy Martin series. I could read these all day!
Dorothy, an expat American married to an Englishman and living in the UK,is learning about traditions. Alan is teaching her by taking her to various events over the course of a year. It tickled me that Dorothy was reading a book about obscure traditions while Jeanne was writing such a story!
One of the obscure traditions is an entailment to property. Alan and Dorothy are invited to a christening at which an ancient dagger must be displayed or the child cannot inherit the property. This is something we Americans can't even imagine! But before the chistening can take place, the dagger disappears. And then it is discovered in the back of a dead woman.
How did the dagger get there? Who would want to kill this woman? Why is someone trying to buy the property? Many, many questions are posed but the answer doesn't come until the final pages.
The characters who are recurring (Dorothy and Alan) are true to the people we know from the past. The family they are visiting are so familiar and real as to seem to be part of the reader's family. The children especially are well portrayed, something some writers who normally deal with the adult workd have a hard time doing.
This just makes me long for the next book in the Dorothy Martin series. I could read these all day!
August 21, 2019
For some months, I've been reading and rereading this series, trying to figure out why I am so much less enthusiastic about it than other readers are. Now I see that I don't care for the lead character, Dorothy Nesbit. I should, I see that--Dorothy is an aging American anglophile who loves pastry, struggles with an extra few pounds, and reads mysteries. She even has cats! But she rubs me the wrong way and thus the books do, too. This is the latest, I believe, and despite a rather strained plot, I found some of the other characters amusing as they struggle to locate a missing heirloom that must be used at the christening of a baby. Oh, there's a murder, too. But the police, Dorothy's husband (a retired policeman) and Dorothy herself figure out what's going on after a while.
October 11, 2019
If you favour cozy-style mysteries set in present day England, A Dagger Before Me by Jeanne M. Dams is a must-read! I haven't read the earlier books in the series but I was happy to jump in here.
American-born Dorothy Martin loves the old English buildings, traditions and ceremonies of her new homeland. This engaging story involves her retired DCI husband Alan and enthralled me with a jewelled dagger, a non-transferable estate, a newborn baby and a murdered woman. But just how will Dorothy and Alan solve all the mysteries?
It took a while for this to murder-mystery to get going as the first part of the book involved them travelling to different English festivals and events and touring rural England.
The couple are invited to attend the christening of a friend’s son in an ancient manor house and the jewelled, historic dagger, used for generations in the christening of heirs, has vanished. When a stranger in the village is stabbed in the back with a dagger, their friend, Sir Edward Montcalm, becomes the chief suspect. Dorothy and Alan know that Sir Montcalm isn't a murderer and the identity of the woman is unknown, as is the reason why she was killed, especially since the stab wound wasn’t the cause of her death.
I loved this charming, quiet and traditional tale and the refinement of the older couple's adventures. I also adored the author’s overall style and the lovely, gentle plot in this puzzling, historical mystery. Another of my favourite aspects of this novel was the fluidity of the writing. The details of the plot were very well executed and I felt a compelling need to read on.
Overall, this was a very worthwhile read.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Severn House via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
American-born Dorothy Martin loves the old English buildings, traditions and ceremonies of her new homeland. This engaging story involves her retired DCI husband Alan and enthralled me with a jewelled dagger, a non-transferable estate, a newborn baby and a murdered woman. But just how will Dorothy and Alan solve all the mysteries?
It took a while for this to murder-mystery to get going as the first part of the book involved them travelling to different English festivals and events and touring rural England.
The couple are invited to attend the christening of a friend’s son in an ancient manor house and the jewelled, historic dagger, used for generations in the christening of heirs, has vanished. When a stranger in the village is stabbed in the back with a dagger, their friend, Sir Edward Montcalm, becomes the chief suspect. Dorothy and Alan know that Sir Montcalm isn't a murderer and the identity of the woman is unknown, as is the reason why she was killed, especially since the stab wound wasn’t the cause of her death.
I loved this charming, quiet and traditional tale and the refinement of the older couple's adventures. I also adored the author’s overall style and the lovely, gentle plot in this puzzling, historical mystery. Another of my favourite aspects of this novel was the fluidity of the writing. The details of the plot were very well executed and I felt a compelling need to read on.
Overall, this was a very worthwhile read.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Severn House via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 31, 2019
It's got quite an unusual plot, part description and part mystery, but I found it enjoyable and entertaining.
I learned some new things and I appreciated the descriptions and the travel.
The mystery was fun to read even if it was not hard to guess who the culprit was.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I learned some new things and I appreciated the descriptions and the travel.
The mystery was fun to read even if it was not hard to guess who the culprit was.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
April 3, 2019
Another excellent Dorothy Martin book has debuted!
If you love cozy mysteries set in present day England, you will love to read this new Dorothy Martin book written by Jeanne M. Dams. American-born Dorothy loves the old English buildings, traditions and ceremonies of her new homeland. This new mystery involves her retired Superintendent policeman Alan and will enthrall you with a jeweled dagger, an entailed estate, a newborn baby, and a murdered woman. How will Dorothy and Alan solve all the mysteries?
If you love cozy mysteries set in present day England, you will love to read this new Dorothy Martin book written by Jeanne M. Dams. American-born Dorothy loves the old English buildings, traditions and ceremonies of her new homeland. This new mystery involves her retired Superintendent policeman Alan and will enthrall you with a jeweled dagger, an entailed estate, a newborn baby, and a murdered woman. How will Dorothy and Alan solve all the mysteries?
September 25, 2019
This is the coziest of cozy mysteries. It is a lot like visiting old, favorite friends. The mystery itself is slow to develop, but the descriptions of various historical sights around England are not to be missed. At one of these events, Alan and Dorothy run into the nephew of a former colleague of Alan's, a young man he hasn't seen since his christening. But since Edwin Montcalm has very few friends, he invites Alan and Dorothy to be godparents to his infant son — if the ceremony occurs! Interesting characters, and an imaginative plot made this hard to put down. Recommended.
June 1, 2019
I have enjoyed this series from its debut. Dorothy and her husband, Alan are people I would like to know, to have as nextdoor neighbors. Each mystery is am delightful blend of the sights and sounds of England and a well crafted puzzle. This entry outdoes itself - it's part travelogue, part lessons on British history and the main reason the reader is here, to delve into the crime. If history and travel don't appeal to your sense of pace, that the body should show up in the first chapter or two, then do take the authors advice and skip on to chapters 8 or 9, ready to meet the corpse.
When Dorothy and Alan arrive at Montcalm Manor, having been asked to be godparents of Alan's godson's new born son, the mystery begins to unfold. In order to inherit, the baby boy must be christened with a family dagger as part of the ceremony and it has gone missing. As the search begins, the body of an unknown woman is found with a dagger in her back but not the missing one. On top of that she has been poisoned and has smoke inhalation. Dorothy and Alan are, as they say, on the case and the mystery is in full swing. As I have enjoyed all of the previous books in this series I knew my patience would be rewarded and all would be revealed. I can't recall having to wait so long for the action to begin but don't let those first 8 chapters turn you off. There is a lot of interesting historical information packed in them.
My thanks to the publisher Severn House and to NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
When Dorothy and Alan arrive at Montcalm Manor, having been asked to be godparents of Alan's godson's new born son, the mystery begins to unfold. In order to inherit, the baby boy must be christened with a family dagger as part of the ceremony and it has gone missing. As the search begins, the body of an unknown woman is found with a dagger in her back but not the missing one. On top of that she has been poisoned and has smoke inhalation. Dorothy and Alan are, as they say, on the case and the mystery is in full swing. As I have enjoyed all of the previous books in this series I knew my patience would be rewarded and all would be revealed. I can't recall having to wait so long for the action to begin but don't let those first 8 chapters turn you off. There is a lot of interesting historical information packed in them.
My thanks to the publisher Severn House and to NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 8, 2023
Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, have spent some months visiting peculiar and eccentric English rituals and pageants, enjoying the spectacles while not particularly impressed with their costs. In the course of their travels, they run into the nephew of one of Alan’s old colleagues when he worked in Cornwall, a young man who has a minor hereditary title, a nice manor house and a newborn son who is to be baptized and confirmed as the heir to the title. The young man asks Alan to stand godfather to his son, as he has no living male relatives, and Alan agrees, but when the time comes and he and Dorothy travel to the man’s estate, they find the place in an uproar: it seems the baptism ceremony had to include the presence of a hereditary knife in order to the child to be considered the legitimate heir, and that knife is missing! Matters only become more confused when a woman claiming to be the young man’s birth mother is found dead, with a suspicious-looking ornamental knife in her back….This tale, the 21st in the long-running Dorothy Martin series, is rather more absurd than most of the books. There are a lot of digressions into various silly-sounding rituals, while at the same time Dorothy’s frequent praising of various Anglican Christian rituals are presented as utterly rational, and the solution to the crime is really quite arbitrary and rushed. However, I’ve stuck with Dorothy for this long and there are only a few more books in the series to date, so I’ll keep on going; a very mild recommendation from me, though.
March 24, 2022
I’ve enjoyed this series and didn’t mind the English history lessons and travelogue since they fit in with facts that I’ve been learning while researching my family tree. I can see why others weren’t as excited about it if they were only interested in the mystery part of the book. I think it was good that she warned her readers that they could skip ahead if that was the case. However I am beginning to tire of her derogatory remarks about Americans in general. We’re not all shallow and brash with no love of history or sense of place. My family has lived in the same area for over 340 years and many generations. Before that our roots were firmly established in the UK and can be traced back to before 1066. I love BOTH places and there are good things to be said about each. Maybe it’s time to quit stereotyping all Americans just because of the bad behavior of a few. Other than that pet peeve, the books are good and I like the characters even though Dorothy is getting a little “preachy” and grumpy in her old age!
July 30, 2022
The mystery is very slow to start, and even the author says if you want to skip the descriptions of historical traditions and celebrations, go directly to chapter 9 and you won't miss much. But those descriptions are interesting, and they do set the stage for the tradition being honored in the mystery part of the novel--the presence of the family dagger at the christening of the next heir. There is a lot to learn about entail, too.
Alan and Dorothy meet the nephew of an old friend of Alan's at one of these events, and because there is no one else more appropriate, Edwin, the nephew, invites Alan and Dorothy to be godparents at the christening, scheduled to take place at the family estate just before Christmas. But upon arrival at the appointed time, the dagger has disappeared, and Edwin is in a swivet. And then it is discovered that Edwin's mother was not his mother, and he is illegitimate. And the real mother is murdered...and of course Edwin is chief suspect.
Actually, the whole mystery has a rather slow pace, but it is a satisfying cozy, nonetheless.
Alan and Dorothy meet the nephew of an old friend of Alan's at one of these events, and because there is no one else more appropriate, Edwin, the nephew, invites Alan and Dorothy to be godparents at the christening, scheduled to take place at the family estate just before Christmas. But upon arrival at the appointed time, the dagger has disappeared, and Edwin is in a swivet. And then it is discovered that Edwin's mother was not his mother, and he is illegitimate. And the real mother is murdered...and of course Edwin is chief suspect.
Actually, the whole mystery has a rather slow pace, but it is a satisfying cozy, nonetheless.
April 9, 2019
It took quite awhile to get interested when reading this story. The author suggests you could skip the first several chapters of the book and miss nothing important...and she is so right. So, why were they left in? It was interesting to read about various archaic traditions, but did nothing to advance the story. Finally, Dorothy and Alan travel to a christening for the infant son of the son (Edwin) of an old friend of Alan’s. They have been asked to be godparents, and the ceremony must involve a dagger that was once given to the family by a king. Without the dagger, the son will not inherit the title and estate. When Dorothy and Alan get there, the house is in an uproar because the dagger is missing. The father of the infant is rather a twit, but his wife, luckily, is very capable. Things become more complicated and soon Edwin is a suspect in a murder. Dorothy puts her teacher personality to work and manages to get Edwin to show a little spine, and eventually all is solved.
March 10, 2019
Dorothy and her husband Alan have been invited to a traditional baptism for the son of a childhood friend. After a long drive through the English countryside they arrive at Montcalm manor only to find a family heirloom has been stolen. Without the heirloom, the baby cannot be baptized or inherit. Luckily for the Montcalm family, Dorothy and Alan planned to remain for the christening so are able to lend their inquisitive natures to uncovering the culprit. Anglophiles and history buffs alike will enjoy the cozy mystery merged with travelogue details. The strong sense of place, both for the quaint English countryside and the bustling big city of London is enriched by Dams’ descriptions of the somewhat archaic English traditions paramount to the plot. The leisurely pacing of the novel is perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Alexander McCall Smith.
July 12, 2023
lovely plot, as always!
This book has the usual twists and turns along with the frustration of not finding valid clues. The young family is warm, lovable and caught in a tangled mess of trying to unravel a mystery. Alan is the character who explains police procedure. Dorothy faces the pain she’s felt all of her life for being barren. Edgar is the son of an old friend’s father who served with Alan 30 years earlier. As the circumstances become more dire, and the circumstance of Edgar’s child being christened with a family heirloom dagger that has disappeared, culminate in disaster, Dorothy sees an ending that fits the facts. Fast-paced. Following Dorothy as she makes lists and pulls a little information together, but is frustrated pulls it all together. A satisfying read with characters who feel like friends.
This book has the usual twists and turns along with the frustration of not finding valid clues. The young family is warm, lovable and caught in a tangled mess of trying to unravel a mystery. Alan is the character who explains police procedure. Dorothy faces the pain she’s felt all of her life for being barren. Edgar is the son of an old friend’s father who served with Alan 30 years earlier. As the circumstances become more dire, and the circumstance of Edgar’s child being christened with a family heirloom dagger that has disappeared, culminate in disaster, Dorothy sees an ending that fits the facts. Fast-paced. Following Dorothy as she makes lists and pulls a little information together, but is frustrated pulls it all together. A satisfying read with characters who feel like friends.
May 16, 2019
It takes a bit for this to get to the murder and mystery so be patient and enjoy the tour of rural England. If you aren't familiar with the concept of entailment, you'll learn about it because Dorothy and Alan find themselves wrapped up in a case where a ceremonial dagger critical to inheritance first goes missing and then is found in a woman's back! They know Sir Montcalm isn't a murderer but no one knows who the woman is and why she was killed (especially since she didn't die from the stab wound.). This is is essentially a cozy and if you like me haven't read the earlier books, you'll be ok with stepping in here. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
July 15, 2019
How odd that so many reviews speak to the author suggesting that one could skip to Chapter 9 and not miss anything when they take Dorothy through a process that, in the end, helps her to understand how the importance of the dagger is an integral part of the Montcalm family history. This makes me wonder why they have continued reading about Dorothy and Alan's crime-solving abilities. I personally enjoy the plots, the interesting array of supporting characters and the history lessons taught along the way. WARNING - this series should not be read by those who do not enjoy a British history lesson.
July 15, 2019
Dorothy and Alan have been asked to stand godparents by a young father whom Alan hasn’t seen since he attended his christening. Being that he was the nephew of Alan’s old partner on the force, they felt they couldn’t refuse. But there is a hitch in the ceremony: an ancient family dagger must be present at the christening for the infant to inherit the entail, and it is missing. Thus begins a rather long and twisty tale, with of course, a murder along the way. An enchanting cozy, the plot is intriguing and the characters are delightful and sure to delight cozy mystery readers.
August 28, 2021
It was wonderful
I plan on reading the book that is referred to in Chapters 1-9. The author was kind enough to tell her readers that you can skip over those chapters if you're not interested in English history.
I am an American with a great deal of English friends, so it's fascinating to me. I remember taking my friends to Charleston and blathering on and on about my favorite city. I didn't quite understand why they looked politely bored, until Pete said that he lived in a building that was 3,000 years old!
I plan on reading the book that is referred to in Chapters 1-9. The author was kind enough to tell her readers that you can skip over those chapters if you're not interested in English history.
I am an American with a great deal of English friends, so it's fascinating to me. I remember taking my friends to Charleston and blathering on and on about my favorite city. I didn't quite understand why they looked politely bored, until Pete said that he lived in a building that was 3,000 years old!
May 31, 2022
The Jeweled Dagger
Alan wanted to acquaint Dorothy with some of the English historical happenings that are celebrated yearly that are not common. The historical travelogue in the first five or six chapters is just like the author stated in the forward. BUT…I found it just as interesting as Dorothy did. When the story accelerated into the true plot it was very good. The woman who was killed, her story was so sad. 😢 It makes you wonder what she would have been like if she had been properly cared for from the start.
Alan wanted to acquaint Dorothy with some of the English historical happenings that are celebrated yearly that are not common. The historical travelogue in the first five or six chapters is just like the author stated in the forward. BUT…I found it just as interesting as Dorothy did. When the story accelerated into the true plot it was very good. The woman who was killed, her story was so sad. 😢 It makes you wonder what she would have been like if she had been properly cared for from the start.
April 22, 2019
The author was correct. If you have no interest in British ceremony you can skip to Chapter 9 without missing much of the plot. Dorothy and her husband are visiting friends for the purpose of a christening, when they become involved in a bit of a mystery over a lost dagger and another dagger that is used in a murder. These books are all easy reading and "pleasant" stories and happen at different places around the British countryside. A nice read.
December 16, 2021
Another Twisty Tale
I took the advice in the introduction about starting at chapter 9 if you get unhappy with all the history and explanations of historic events still taking place today in England. I read the first chapter and a half, but oh dear, I wanted a mystery not a history lesson! Even a well written history.
Chapter 9 actually begins the mystery story, yay, and it's very good. I recommend it.
I took the advice in the introduction about starting at chapter 9 if you get unhappy with all the history and explanations of historic events still taking place today in England. I read the first chapter and a half, but oh dear, I wanted a mystery not a history lesson! Even a well written history.
Chapter 9 actually begins the mystery story, yay, and it's very good. I recommend it.
April 12, 2019
I have generally enjoyed this series by Jeanne M. Dams until this latest entry. There is not much incentive to keep reading when the author indicates you can safely skip to Chapter 9 without missing too much of the plot. That's nearly one third of the book, which begs the question, why would you even include that much detail?
June 20, 2019
The best part of this book were the first chapters in which Dorothy and her husband travel through England exploring the unusual traditions and ceremonies unique to the British. After that, it's your typical British murder mystery, complete with bloody dagger and snowed-in manor house. But Dorothy and Alan do make new friends and enjoy the unique baptism ceremony of their newest godchild.
September 9, 2019
I'm not sure if I have read any previous books in this series. Although likely falling into the British historical cozy genre, it has its' moments. I was pleased to see "Freddy the Pig" books make an appearance later in the story. A bonus for me, since I quite enjoyed reading that series when I was younger!
August 30, 2021
I really enjoyed this new to me book. Know that the first several chapters are all about English traditions and ceremonies and not everybody’s gonna like that but I did enjoy it. There were several twist to the story line which made it fun to read and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I look forward to reading all the rest of the books!!
June 18, 2022
Another very fine mystery another original idea
As I was reading I was lamenting a dearth of suspects, but sure enough the author had all the pieces in place, set a few key red herrings, and made for a surprising and satisfying conclusion. Another excellent job by Ms. Dams. As we say about the Queen, long may and live....and write.
As I was reading I was lamenting a dearth of suspects, but sure enough the author had all the pieces in place, set a few key red herrings, and made for a surprising and satisfying conclusion. Another excellent job by Ms. Dams. As we say about the Queen, long may and live....and write.
August 14, 2019
This a wonderful cozy mystery set in England. Dorothy and her former police detective husband find themselves in the middle of another unusual circumstance when they agree to be godparents. Lots of details about English ceremonial occasions.
September 29, 2019
Another enjoyable addition to the Dorothy Martin series. I like the historical & regional tidbits of information, I feel as if the characters are old friends at this point in the series & can relate to many of Dorothy's feelings on aging. Very nice!
September 9, 2021
After a slow start JMD gets on with what she does best
It was interesting to read about our weird an wonderful ceremonies here in Britain but not what I expected. Then Dorothy got into her stride until everything ended happily ever after.
It was interesting to read about our weird an wonderful ceremonies here in Britain but not what I expected. Then Dorothy got into her stride until everything ended happily ever after.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews