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Pennyfoot Hotel #22
A Merry Murder
It is an Edwardian Christmas, and the Pennyfoot Hotel is all dressed up. But when one of the guests turns up dead, owner Cecily Sinclair Baxter realizes it is not only the Pennyfoot that is back in business—the hotel's Christmas curse is, too...
The Pennyfoot halls are decked with boughs of holly, a magnificently decorated tree graces the lobby, and the hotel's bookings are finally looking up. Owner of the Pennyfoot, Cecily Sinclair Baxter is in high holiday spirits until disaster strikes, threatening to ruin yet another Yuletide. Her chief housemaid Gertie McBride has found a man's body in the hotel laundry room—with a woman's scarf wrapped around his neck and a note in his pocket from the hotel's new maid.
Cecily is determined to track down the culprit, but with multiple suspects icing her out of crucial clues, she realizes this killer may be more slippery than most. With Christmas right around the corner, it is up to Cecily to prevent this holiday season at the Pennyfoot from turning out more fatal than festive.
The Pennyfoot halls are decked with boughs of holly, a magnificently decorated tree graces the lobby, and the hotel's bookings are finally looking up. Owner of the Pennyfoot, Cecily Sinclair Baxter is in high holiday spirits until disaster strikes, threatening to ruin yet another Yuletide. Her chief housemaid Gertie McBride has found a man's body in the hotel laundry room—with a woman's scarf wrapped around his neck and a note in his pocket from the hotel's new maid.
Cecily is determined to track down the culprit, but with multiple suspects icing her out of crucial clues, she realizes this killer may be more slippery than most. With Christmas right around the corner, it is up to Cecily to prevent this holiday season at the Pennyfoot from turning out more fatal than festive.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2019
61 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
About the author
Kate Kingsbury
85 books569 followersKate Kingsbury grew up in London, England, and at a very early age began telling stories to her school friends during the London Blitz of WW II while huddling in bomb shelters. Kate moved to the U.S. in the early sixties, and had passed her 50th birthday when she published her first book. Writing as Doreen Roberts, (her real name at the time) she published 26 romance novels for Harlequin/Silhouette. In 1991 her first Pennyfoot Hotel book was published and since then Kate has written 35 mysteries, including the Manor House mysteries, the Bellehaven House mysteries(written as Rebecca Kent) and the Raven's Nest mysteries, (written as Allison Kingsley.) Her new series, The Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries debuted in January, 2017 with Dead and Breakfast, featuring a B & B on the Oregon coast. She has one son, Regan, and lives with her husband, Bill, in the beautiful state of Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
November 29, 2019
It is great fun to be back at the Pennyfoot. Kate Kingsbury’s A Merry Murder (A Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery #10) has help me to get into the holiday spirit. Being back among those lovely characters at The Pennyfoot Hotel enabled me to join in their Christmastime activities with, of course, a murder to solve. The town of Badger’s End is well on its way to an interesting and quite possibly, a dangerous holiday season. The owner, Cecily Sinclair Baxter, just happens to involved in murder investigation of a person who meets his/her demise in The Pennyfoot Hotel’s laundry room. Gertie, chief housemaid, is the ‘lucky’ person who finds the corpse! With all Cecily has to do to prepare for Christmas and keep her guests happy, now is not the time for the dead to appear in the laundry room. And just whose scarf is it that is wound around the poor dead soul’s neck? Join the fun and make a return visit to The Pennyfoot Hotel! 4.5 stars.
December 6, 2019
I enjoyed the earlier episodes of this series more than this one, but the real reason it gets a two star rating is that it seems to run on two tracks at the same time. The "downstairs" doings seem more superficial than previously, but the arcs of the stories are incomplete and disconnected. Meanwhile, upstairs (although the body is discovered downstairs by head housemaid Gertie), a participant in the illegal card games at the Pennyfoot Hotel is murdered and a servant arrested. Sure that the suspect is innocent, hotel owner Cecily determines to investigate. Her two longtime friends are downgraded to very bit parts--we don't even get to witness the traditional disaster in the theatrical performance that friend Phoebe organizes each year.
October 18, 2019
This is the first cozy mystery I've read in the delightful Pennyfoot series, and I hope it won't be the last! The murder is finely plotted and executed, the characters are unique and demonstrated through their words and actions, and the rural, early 20th century setting is perfect for the Christmas season.
I think that it would have been helpful for me to read some of the earlier books in the series before jumping in with this one, as I had a bit of catch-up to do with the hotel, characters, and era. The mystery itself can be read as a standalone, but reading a couple of the earlier ones might have filled in some of the details much sooner.
Christmas is less than a week away, and Phoebe, a close friend of Cecily, the Pennyfoot's owner, is getting ready for the annual Christmas production. This is the year Phoebe is convinced will be the best. Cecily's other closest friend, Madeline, is decorating the interior of the hotel. The rooms are completely booked. What can go wrong?
Every year, it seems something happens during the Christmas rush. Cecily calls it the Christmas Curse. This year, sadly, is no exception. The chief housemaid finds the body of a dead man in the laundry room and goes to tell Cecily and her husband, Hugh. Gertie didn't recognize the man as an employee or guest, another housemaid has seen him in the secret card room but is sure he is not a guest. Police Constable Northcott thinks the man died from a blow to the head, and Cecily finds the weapon, a flatiron. The delicately-scented ladies' silk scarf around his neck looks familiar to some, but nobody can quite place it. The only thing helpful is the note in his pocket that claims to be from Mazie, their 14-year-old housemaid, inviting him to meet her in the laundry room at midnight. Why, the girl couldn't even reach the man's head, much less clobber him with a flatiron! But arrest her they did, when they finally found the frightened girl.
Cecily has solved several mysteries over the years, especially since Northcott isn't the brightest star in Badgers End. All she needs is some information from him and she is off and running. He is identified as Lord Percival Farthingale, and his widow is not going to miss him very much. Due to his gambling jaunts - mostly losing - she is more relieved than grief-stricken.
I enjoyed watching Cecily handle her staff, especially Mazie, with concern and skill. I also enjoyed watching her think through and discuss various scenarios with her husband as she tries to solve the murder. It is a hard crime to solve with limited clues, but I did figure out whodunit and possibly why only a couple breaths before Cecily did. I highly recommend this to those who like well-written Christmas cozy mysteries set when motor cars are just starting to be seen and telephones are new in the English countryside.
I think that it would have been helpful for me to read some of the earlier books in the series before jumping in with this one, as I had a bit of catch-up to do with the hotel, characters, and era. The mystery itself can be read as a standalone, but reading a couple of the earlier ones might have filled in some of the details much sooner.
Christmas is less than a week away, and Phoebe, a close friend of Cecily, the Pennyfoot's owner, is getting ready for the annual Christmas production. This is the year Phoebe is convinced will be the best. Cecily's other closest friend, Madeline, is decorating the interior of the hotel. The rooms are completely booked. What can go wrong?
Every year, it seems something happens during the Christmas rush. Cecily calls it the Christmas Curse. This year, sadly, is no exception. The chief housemaid finds the body of a dead man in the laundry room and goes to tell Cecily and her husband, Hugh. Gertie didn't recognize the man as an employee or guest, another housemaid has seen him in the secret card room but is sure he is not a guest. Police Constable Northcott thinks the man died from a blow to the head, and Cecily finds the weapon, a flatiron. The delicately-scented ladies' silk scarf around his neck looks familiar to some, but nobody can quite place it. The only thing helpful is the note in his pocket that claims to be from Mazie, their 14-year-old housemaid, inviting him to meet her in the laundry room at midnight. Why, the girl couldn't even reach the man's head, much less clobber him with a flatiron! But arrest her they did, when they finally found the frightened girl.
Cecily has solved several mysteries over the years, especially since Northcott isn't the brightest star in Badgers End. All she needs is some information from him and she is off and running. He is identified as Lord Percival Farthingale, and his widow is not going to miss him very much. Due to his gambling jaunts - mostly losing - she is more relieved than grief-stricken.
I enjoyed watching Cecily handle her staff, especially Mazie, with concern and skill. I also enjoyed watching her think through and discuss various scenarios with her husband as she tries to solve the murder. It is a hard crime to solve with limited clues, but I did figure out whodunit and possibly why only a couple breaths before Cecily did. I highly recommend this to those who like well-written Christmas cozy mysteries set when motor cars are just starting to be seen and telephones are new in the English countryside.
December 26, 2019
Pleasant if unexceptional, I enjoy this series. However, I wish the author would have developed a couple of relationships further. Gertie is attracted to Archie, but nothing happens here, and Charlie feels a strange attraction to Henry, the mechanic, but does not know that "he" is a girl. He does find out the truth in the end, but still does not discuss it with her or tell Henry of his attraction to her.
I do not like cliff hangers or anything left unfinished or unresolved. It leaves me unsatisfied, but by the time I read the next book in the series I have forgotten and don't care.
I do not like cliff hangers or anything left unfinished or unresolved. It leaves me unsatisfied, but by the time I read the next book in the series I have forgotten and don't care.
December 7, 2019
I have read several of Kingsbury's Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mysteries particularly the Christmas ones. This one just didn't keep my attention as well as the others. It seemed to drag somewhat and not have as much mystery as previous books.
December 13, 2020
It's been a long time since I've spent time at the Pennyfoot Hotel, and it was great fun to be back. I hope I can do more catching up in the coming year!
October 30, 2019
https://openbooksociety.com/article/a...
A Merry Murder
Pennyfoot Hotel #22
By Kate Kingsbury
ISBN 9781984805928
https://www.katekingsbury.net
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
It is an Edwardian Christmas, and the Pennyfoot Hotel is all dressed up. But when one of the guests turns up dead, owner Cecily Sinclair Baxter realizes it is not only the Pennyfoot that is back in business—the hotel’s Christmas curse is, too…
The Pennyfoot halls are decked with boughs of holly, a magnificently decorated tree graces the lobby, and the hotel’s bookings are finally looking up. Owner of the Pennyfoot, Cecily Sinclair Baxter is in high holiday spirits until disaster strikes, threatening to ruin yet another Yuletide. Her chief housemaid Gertie McBride has found a man’s body in the hotel laundry room—with a woman’s scarf wrapped around his neck and a note in his pocket from the hotel’s new maid.
Cecily is determined to track down the culprit, but with multiple suspects icing her out of crucial clues, she realizes this killer may be more slippery than most. With Christmas right around the corner, it is up to Cecily to prevent this holiday season at the Pennyfoot from turning out more fatal than festive. (From Goodreads)
Review:
What a great Christmas mystery! It is the first I’ve read of the many Pennyfoot mysteries and won’t be the last. The characters are as well developed as necessary for their roles, the setting of rural Badgers End in England at the shore sounds gorgeous, and the mystery is hard to solve. There is never a good time for a murder, occurring against the backdrop of Christmas preparations at the Pennyfoot, the Baxters’ struggle to keep the guests from worrying about a murderer on the loose.
Gertie, the chief housemaid, went to the laundry and found a heap of clothing that turned out to be a man. A dead man. Every year Christmastime there is an incident at the Pennyfoot, what Cecily, the owner, calls the Christmas Curse. When Gertie told Cecily, she and her husband Hugh Baxter knew the “curse” continues. They call in the bumbling Police Constable Northcott, who Cecily has learned over the years needs her help much more than she needs his. Well, except she needs to learn what he discovers so she can do her own search for the bad guy herself.
They don’t recognize the man as an employee, so they fear he is a guest. The Constable thinks the man died from a blow to the head. A very feminine, perfumed silk scarf is found around his neck, but did not contribute to his death. A note is in his pocket signed by the newest housemaid, Mazie, asking him to meet her in the laundry room at midnight. Another housemaid recognizes him as having been in the secret, guests-only cardroom. H was not a guest at the Pennyfoot; his name is Percy. When Northcott wants to take Mazie away, Cecily doesn’t want the girl, only 14, to be arrested as she is sure Mazie isn’t guilty. She is running scared, however, as her clothes are packed and gone, and so is she.
When talking with hotel guests who appreciated the card room, Cecily learns Percy had argued with Edwin Coombs, accusing him of cheating, but nobody seems to know who he is. Coombs suggested Sir Clarence Oakes might know Percy’s last name, as they were all members of the Bond Street Club in London. Sir Clarence says he can’t help, denying the man was a club member.
Finally, Northcott learns the man was Lord Percival Farthingale from London and was indeed a member of the club. Cecily has shopping to do in London, so she offers to tell his widow about his demise. He agrees, and she meets Lady Farthingale, who almost seems glad her husband is gone. She said they stayed at the Regency in Badgers End since Pennyfoot was full. He went out to play cards and didn’t return. After a couple days, she returned to London since his gambling excursions could last a week or more. Cecily assured her the killer would be caught.
The police arrest Mazie, and they await the Scotland Yard investigator, William Cranshaw, to charge her. Cecily visited her and learned what she could so she could proceed to find the real killer. In the meantime, one of Cecily’s best friends, Phoebe, is rehearsing her dancers for this year’s Christmas pantomime of Aladdin to entertain Pennyfoot’s Christmas guests. Charlie, the stable manager, is struggling with understanding the appeal of his new mechanic, Henry. Charlotte, one of the housemaids, asks Gertie to go to a suffragette protest with her at the annual Christmas festival in a nearby village. Afraid she will get arrested, Gertie will attend only if Charlotte will do exactly what Gertie tells her.
The characters directly related to the mystery were defined as needed, but as I had not read earlier novels in the series, I found it hard in places to follow along with the primary characters. I like Cecily and her staff, appreciating Cecily’s concern for and dedication to her best friends and her employees. Two of the housemaids had benefited from Cecily’s help in shouldering their burdens in the past to give them a safe place to live and work, and I found myself rooting for young Mazie and Henry.
The mystery is always front and center in this holiday tale, with Hugh being Cecily’s confidante as she seeks the bad guy. Lord Farthingale wasn’t anyone’s favorite person, but it is hard to narrow down a motive other than his wife’s weariness his gambling. Mazie’s freedom and the safety of her guests are priorities, especially after her own life is threatened. I enjoyed the stories within the story, including the lives of the staff and preparations for Aladdin. I found the mystery to be challenging, and only guessed the person a few pages before Cecily did. There were still surprises, and all except one possible loose end was wrapped up. I was able to figure out the necessary history of characters, the hotel, and events over time; I would suggest reading at least a couple of the earlier novels for maximum enjoyment of this one. I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy Christmas cozy mysteries!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
A Merry Murder
Pennyfoot Hotel #22
By Kate Kingsbury
ISBN 9781984805928
https://www.katekingsbury.net
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
It is an Edwardian Christmas, and the Pennyfoot Hotel is all dressed up. But when one of the guests turns up dead, owner Cecily Sinclair Baxter realizes it is not only the Pennyfoot that is back in business—the hotel’s Christmas curse is, too…
The Pennyfoot halls are decked with boughs of holly, a magnificently decorated tree graces the lobby, and the hotel’s bookings are finally looking up. Owner of the Pennyfoot, Cecily Sinclair Baxter is in high holiday spirits until disaster strikes, threatening to ruin yet another Yuletide. Her chief housemaid Gertie McBride has found a man’s body in the hotel laundry room—with a woman’s scarf wrapped around his neck and a note in his pocket from the hotel’s new maid.
Cecily is determined to track down the culprit, but with multiple suspects icing her out of crucial clues, she realizes this killer may be more slippery than most. With Christmas right around the corner, it is up to Cecily to prevent this holiday season at the Pennyfoot from turning out more fatal than festive. (From Goodreads)
Review:
What a great Christmas mystery! It is the first I’ve read of the many Pennyfoot mysteries and won’t be the last. The characters are as well developed as necessary for their roles, the setting of rural Badgers End in England at the shore sounds gorgeous, and the mystery is hard to solve. There is never a good time for a murder, occurring against the backdrop of Christmas preparations at the Pennyfoot, the Baxters’ struggle to keep the guests from worrying about a murderer on the loose.
Gertie, the chief housemaid, went to the laundry and found a heap of clothing that turned out to be a man. A dead man. Every year Christmastime there is an incident at the Pennyfoot, what Cecily, the owner, calls the Christmas Curse. When Gertie told Cecily, she and her husband Hugh Baxter knew the “curse” continues. They call in the bumbling Police Constable Northcott, who Cecily has learned over the years needs her help much more than she needs his. Well, except she needs to learn what he discovers so she can do her own search for the bad guy herself.
They don’t recognize the man as an employee, so they fear he is a guest. The Constable thinks the man died from a blow to the head. A very feminine, perfumed silk scarf is found around his neck, but did not contribute to his death. A note is in his pocket signed by the newest housemaid, Mazie, asking him to meet her in the laundry room at midnight. Another housemaid recognizes him as having been in the secret, guests-only cardroom. H was not a guest at the Pennyfoot; his name is Percy. When Northcott wants to take Mazie away, Cecily doesn’t want the girl, only 14, to be arrested as she is sure Mazie isn’t guilty. She is running scared, however, as her clothes are packed and gone, and so is she.
When talking with hotel guests who appreciated the card room, Cecily learns Percy had argued with Edwin Coombs, accusing him of cheating, but nobody seems to know who he is. Coombs suggested Sir Clarence Oakes might know Percy’s last name, as they were all members of the Bond Street Club in London. Sir Clarence says he can’t help, denying the man was a club member.
Finally, Northcott learns the man was Lord Percival Farthingale from London and was indeed a member of the club. Cecily has shopping to do in London, so she offers to tell his widow about his demise. He agrees, and she meets Lady Farthingale, who almost seems glad her husband is gone. She said they stayed at the Regency in Badgers End since Pennyfoot was full. He went out to play cards and didn’t return. After a couple days, she returned to London since his gambling excursions could last a week or more. Cecily assured her the killer would be caught.
The police arrest Mazie, and they await the Scotland Yard investigator, William Cranshaw, to charge her. Cecily visited her and learned what she could so she could proceed to find the real killer. In the meantime, one of Cecily’s best friends, Phoebe, is rehearsing her dancers for this year’s Christmas pantomime of Aladdin to entertain Pennyfoot’s Christmas guests. Charlie, the stable manager, is struggling with understanding the appeal of his new mechanic, Henry. Charlotte, one of the housemaids, asks Gertie to go to a suffragette protest with her at the annual Christmas festival in a nearby village. Afraid she will get arrested, Gertie will attend only if Charlotte will do exactly what Gertie tells her.
The characters directly related to the mystery were defined as needed, but as I had not read earlier novels in the series, I found it hard in places to follow along with the primary characters. I like Cecily and her staff, appreciating Cecily’s concern for and dedication to her best friends and her employees. Two of the housemaids had benefited from Cecily’s help in shouldering their burdens in the past to give them a safe place to live and work, and I found myself rooting for young Mazie and Henry.
The mystery is always front and center in this holiday tale, with Hugh being Cecily’s confidante as she seeks the bad guy. Lord Farthingale wasn’t anyone’s favorite person, but it is hard to narrow down a motive other than his wife’s weariness his gambling. Mazie’s freedom and the safety of her guests are priorities, especially after her own life is threatened. I enjoyed the stories within the story, including the lives of the staff and preparations for Aladdin. I found the mystery to be challenging, and only guessed the person a few pages before Cecily did. There were still surprises, and all except one possible loose end was wrapped up. I was able to figure out the necessary history of characters, the hotel, and events over time; I would suggest reading at least a couple of the earlier novels for maximum enjoyment of this one. I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy Christmas cozy mysteries!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
October 1, 2019
Series: A Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery – Book 10
Author: Kate Kingsbury
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Holiday/B&B/Inn/Hotel
Publisher: Berkley
Page Count: 304
A special holiday book for the upcoming season from Berkley is the new “Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery” series by Kate Kingsbury A Merry Murder.
Readers will enjoy reading about the decorations and the cast of characters that help run the hotel. Suspects abound and the killer in unexpected. The main character, Cecily is smart, funny and loyal. She will go out of her way and place herself in danger to help one of her staff who has been accused of murder. For readers who enjoy Edwardian type mysteries, this holiday book is going to surprise and delight.
There are plenty of suspects, twists and turns that will keep readers turning the page. Even if you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, you will be able to jump right in and catch up on each character and what their personalities are like. The setting is beautiful and filled with everything readers would expect during the season in a holiday book.
In the end, readers may feel compassion for the suspects and the killer. It is a fast-paced easy to read book that will have readers craving an old-world Christmas in a wonderfully picturesque setting. I enjoyed this holiday book and highly recommend it.
Author: Kate Kingsbury
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Holiday/B&B/Inn/Hotel
Publisher: Berkley
Page Count: 304
A special holiday book for the upcoming season from Berkley is the new “Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery” series by Kate Kingsbury A Merry Murder.
Readers will enjoy reading about the decorations and the cast of characters that help run the hotel. Suspects abound and the killer in unexpected. The main character, Cecily is smart, funny and loyal. She will go out of her way and place herself in danger to help one of her staff who has been accused of murder. For readers who enjoy Edwardian type mysteries, this holiday book is going to surprise and delight.
There are plenty of suspects, twists and turns that will keep readers turning the page. Even if you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, you will be able to jump right in and catch up on each character and what their personalities are like. The setting is beautiful and filled with everything readers would expect during the season in a holiday book.
In the end, readers may feel compassion for the suspects and the killer. It is a fast-paced easy to read book that will have readers craving an old-world Christmas in a wonderfully picturesque setting. I enjoyed this holiday book and highly recommend it.
December 5, 2019
I need to start off saying that the Pennyfoot Hotel series is one of my favorite series of all time, and the Christmas editions are my absolute favorite holiday books. I was thrilled to see another one published and ecstatic by how much I loved this. Though many years had passed since the "final" book in the series, it's almost as if nothing has changed.
_
The characters who had so endeared me were as vibrant as I had remembered. Even for those who haven't read any book in this series before, the characters jump off the page and you feel like you truly know them by the end. The Pennyfoot Hotel at Christmas time sounds like a beautiful and classically elegant place that I've always wished to visit. Cecily was her intuitive, inquisitive self and the mystery had me absolutely stumped.
_
This author's writing has the perfect pace and the descriptions of the hotel had me ready to book a getaway for the holidays. I love all the historical details and how the language is written in such a way that I could hear everyone's accents; the differences between the stuffy posh group and the lovable and boisterous Pennyfoot employees. This is one of those books that I couldn't put down, but wanted to read as slow as possible to savor every page. This book absolutely felt like coming home for the holidays.
_
Thank you so much to the publishers for a copy of this book. I was thrilled and honored to give my honest thoughts.
_
The characters who had so endeared me were as vibrant as I had remembered. Even for those who haven't read any book in this series before, the characters jump off the page and you feel like you truly know them by the end. The Pennyfoot Hotel at Christmas time sounds like a beautiful and classically elegant place that I've always wished to visit. Cecily was her intuitive, inquisitive self and the mystery had me absolutely stumped.
_
This author's writing has the perfect pace and the descriptions of the hotel had me ready to book a getaway for the holidays. I love all the historical details and how the language is written in such a way that I could hear everyone's accents; the differences between the stuffy posh group and the lovable and boisterous Pennyfoot employees. This is one of those books that I couldn't put down, but wanted to read as slow as possible to savor every page. This book absolutely felt like coming home for the holidays.
_
Thank you so much to the publishers for a copy of this book. I was thrilled and honored to give my honest thoughts.
January 30, 2020
I am so glad that the Pennyfoot is open again as the characters have become old friends. I love going along with Cecily as she does her sleuthing and figures out who did the deed. I am glad that Henry is still there as I was worried someone would tell that he is actually a she.
November 1, 2019
Easy read
As cozy mysteries go this was an easy read. For me it was one of those palate cleansers between heavier reads. This was my first book and honestly did very little for me. I read over the course of a few days. Premise of the story - body discovered in the hotel
Laundry room and wrong person arrested. Cecily goes on to solve that murder and the subsequent murder by herself with your motley crew of a bumbling constable that is inept and a husband who has no substance. Would love to see character development
Author is very well known, successful and publishes different genres and series under pseudonyms- maybe I just read the wrong book. so please feel free to recommend a book for me to try.
As cozy mysteries go this was an easy read. For me it was one of those palate cleansers between heavier reads. This was my first book and honestly did very little for me. I read over the course of a few days. Premise of the story - body discovered in the hotel
Laundry room and wrong person arrested. Cecily goes on to solve that murder and the subsequent murder by herself with your motley crew of a bumbling constable that is inept and a husband who has no substance. Would love to see character development
Author is very well known, successful and publishes different genres and series under pseudonyms- maybe I just read the wrong book. so please feel free to recommend a book for me to try.
November 9, 2019
This is a cute series, but I wish it had a little more depth. I actually like the storylines that concern the servants better then the ones that concern Cecily and Baxter, both of whom I find a little annoying. In this book, a housemaid finds the body of a man in the laundry room of the Pennyfoot Hotel with a woman’s scarf wrapped around his neck. A young maid is arrested but Cecily doubts her guilt and vows to find the murderer. It’s a quick Christmas mystery set in Edwardian England.
December 19, 2019
Still alot of loose ends
December 21, 2019
A mildly interesting read. Descriptions of the hotel decorated for the holidays may please some readers but a subplot will strike some readers as odd and possibly offensive.
December 16, 2019
A Merry Murder by Kate Kingsbury continues a series of Christmas novels that was suspended about six years ago and Kingsbury decided to revive it. The series is set at the Pennyfoot Hotel (private club in the previous books) in Badgers' End, England during the Edwardian period. Although Cecily Sinclair Baxter and her husband had decided to close and sell the club while Baxter traveled in a new job, he decided against keeping up the foreign travel, and so they repurchased the property and turned it into a hotel--basically the same setting except that now the casino is illegal and in the basement. They managed to keep several of the same staff, even the delightful Gertie, who had found her true soul mate in Clive, who had been the handyman until he decided to open his own toy shop; however, apparently even though he still loved Gertie's twins, he became the typical domineering male and Gertie returned to Pennyfoot. This is sad because it was one of the bright spots (real romance) of what was to be the last novel of the series, and now Gertie is alone again. A few new other characters have been added and we have yet to see how they will work out--obviously more novels in this series are planned.
Gertie, of course, finds a dead body in the basement of the hotel, and thus Cecily can again try to detect the murder and motive. As usual, Christmas is not when you want this responsibility, but it seems to happen every year (this is the 10th book in the series). The victim is not a resident of the hotel, but apparently he knew several people who were; these now become the primary suspects, although a couple of the staff are possible too. There is something odd about Henry, who is hired to work on cars and help Charlie in the barn. Lily, the new maid, seems secretive, and Charlotte, another one, seems sneaky. Archie, who replaced Clive, is too bold and responsible to be a mere handyman. I expect to learn more about them in future Christmases.
Meanwhile Cecily searches for the identity of the killer with the help of her friend Madeline's enigmatic prediction and during her other friend, Phoebe's attempts at putting on a Christmas pantomime. The story is interesting, maybe not as suspenseful as some of the previous ones, but engaging. The background Christmas descriptions and activities are exactly devised to put one in the mood for Christmas. It is gorgeous and lush. I loved the earlier books and used to look forward to them every year (I have read 7 of the 9). And yes, but maybe not with so much enthusiasm, I will watch for next year's offering.
Gertie, of course, finds a dead body in the basement of the hotel, and thus Cecily can again try to detect the murder and motive. As usual, Christmas is not when you want this responsibility, but it seems to happen every year (this is the 10th book in the series). The victim is not a resident of the hotel, but apparently he knew several people who were; these now become the primary suspects, although a couple of the staff are possible too. There is something odd about Henry, who is hired to work on cars and help Charlie in the barn. Lily, the new maid, seems secretive, and Charlotte, another one, seems sneaky. Archie, who replaced Clive, is too bold and responsible to be a mere handyman. I expect to learn more about them in future Christmases.
Meanwhile Cecily searches for the identity of the killer with the help of her friend Madeline's enigmatic prediction and during her other friend, Phoebe's attempts at putting on a Christmas pantomime. The story is interesting, maybe not as suspenseful as some of the previous ones, but engaging. The background Christmas descriptions and activities are exactly devised to put one in the mood for Christmas. It is gorgeous and lush. I loved the earlier books and used to look forward to them every year (I have read 7 of the 9). And yes, but maybe not with so much enthusiasm, I will watch for next year's offering.
December 19, 2024
A Merry Murder
Written by Kate Kingsbury
A New Pennyfoot Holliday Mystery
ISB 978 1 9848 05 935
First edition 2019 by Berekly Prime Crime
Cover Art by Dan Craig
Cover Design by Judith Lagerman
A cozy mystery and what I really like is that the main character is looking clues and finding them. The time setting is also appealing, no mobile phones, no laptops and PC and the world is limited to the distance you can reach by train, horse and cart or by the first cars.
A list of the main characters in this book:
Mrs. “Madam” Cecily Sinclair Baxter, owner of Pennyfoot Hotel.
Mr. Hugh Baxter, her husband.
Gertie Brown McBride, chief housemaid.
Clive, former hotel-handyman and Gertie’s former husband.
Michel, Chef and ruler of the kitchen.
Mrs. Altheda Chubb, the housekeeper.
Archibald “Archie” Docker, the hotel’s handyman.
Lilly Green, one of the hotel-maids.
Dr. Kevin Prestwick, GP.
Mrs. Madeline Prestwick, his wife and Cecily’s best friend. Angelina, their daughter.
Police Constable Sam Northcott.
Mazie Clarke, meek little maid not even fifteen years of age.
Mr. Walter Clark and Mrs. Clarke, Marie’s parents.
Percy, the man who was murdered in the laundry room. (Lord Percival Farthingale).
Charlotte, one of the maids.
Charlie Muggins, stable manager.
Henry Simmons, mechanic.
Philip Lamont, receptionist at the Pennyfoot Hotel.
Edwin Coombs, an engineer and a hotel guest.
Sir Clarence Oakes,
Lady Penelope Oakes, his wife.
Harriet, lady’s maid of Lady Oaks.
Phoebe Fortescue, Cecily’s longtime friend and arranger of the yearly Christmas play.
Colonel Fredrick Fortescue, her husband.
Dolly, owner of Dolly’s Tea Shop.
Rachel, suffragette rescuing Gertie and Charlotte during the protest. Also playing the Widow Twanky in the pantomime play.
Adelaide Lewis, one of the actresses of the pantomime playing Aladdin.
Written by Kate Kingsbury
A New Pennyfoot Holliday Mystery
ISB 978 1 9848 05 935
First edition 2019 by Berekly Prime Crime
Cover Art by Dan Craig
Cover Design by Judith Lagerman
A cozy mystery and what I really like is that the main character is looking clues and finding them. The time setting is also appealing, no mobile phones, no laptops and PC and the world is limited to the distance you can reach by train, horse and cart or by the first cars.
A list of the main characters in this book:
Mrs. “Madam” Cecily Sinclair Baxter, owner of Pennyfoot Hotel.
Mr. Hugh Baxter, her husband.
Gertie Brown McBride, chief housemaid.
Clive, former hotel-handyman and Gertie’s former husband.
Michel, Chef and ruler of the kitchen.
Mrs. Altheda Chubb, the housekeeper.
Archibald “Archie” Docker, the hotel’s handyman.
Lilly Green, one of the hotel-maids.
Dr. Kevin Prestwick, GP.
Mrs. Madeline Prestwick, his wife and Cecily’s best friend. Angelina, their daughter.
Police Constable Sam Northcott.
Mazie Clarke, meek little maid not even fifteen years of age.
Mr. Walter Clark and Mrs. Clarke, Marie’s parents.
Percy, the man who was murdered in the laundry room. (Lord Percival Farthingale).
Charlotte, one of the maids.
Charlie Muggins, stable manager.
Henry Simmons, mechanic.
Philip Lamont, receptionist at the Pennyfoot Hotel.
Edwin Coombs, an engineer and a hotel guest.
Sir Clarence Oakes,
Lady Penelope Oakes, his wife.
Harriet, lady’s maid of Lady Oaks.
Phoebe Fortescue, Cecily’s longtime friend and arranger of the yearly Christmas play.
Colonel Fredrick Fortescue, her husband.
Dolly, owner of Dolly’s Tea Shop.
Rachel, suffragette rescuing Gertie and Charlotte during the protest. Also playing the Widow Twanky in the pantomime play.
Adelaide Lewis, one of the actresses of the pantomime playing Aladdin.
November 4, 2019
Cecily Sinclair Baxter, owner of the Pennyfoot Hotel, would love to have a quiet Christmas just once with her beloved husband Baxter and no crime. Alas, those dreams are shattered when Gertie, her chief housemaid, finds a man’s body and it is clear that his death was not an accident but murder. The local constable is quick to arrest one of the Pennyfoot’s maids but, despite some evidence pointing to the maid, Cecily isn’t convinced she is guilty and sets out to clear her name but will she find the killer in time?
After a six year absence, Kate Kingsbury wrote another book in the Pennyfoot Hotel Christmas Cozy Mystery series and I couldn’t be more thrilled. “A Merry Murder” is another great entry in the series, and it feels like the series never stopped. All of the old favorites are here in the book – Cecily, Baxter, Phoebe, Madeline, and Kevin and the workers at the Pennyfoot – Gertie, Michel, Mrs. Chubb and more – truthfully at times I enjoyed the stores of the staff more than I did the mystery, particularly the Charlie/Henry storyline. Speaking of the mystery, it is well done with plenty of tension, especially at the end, although it could have used a few more suspects. Still, at the end, when he killer was revealed, I found the motive to be a sad one – well done by Kingsbury.
“A Merry Murder” is another nicely done cozy mystery by Kate Kingsbury.
After a six year absence, Kate Kingsbury wrote another book in the Pennyfoot Hotel Christmas Cozy Mystery series and I couldn’t be more thrilled. “A Merry Murder” is another great entry in the series, and it feels like the series never stopped. All of the old favorites are here in the book – Cecily, Baxter, Phoebe, Madeline, and Kevin and the workers at the Pennyfoot – Gertie, Michel, Mrs. Chubb and more – truthfully at times I enjoyed the stores of the staff more than I did the mystery, particularly the Charlie/Henry storyline. Speaking of the mystery, it is well done with plenty of tension, especially at the end, although it could have used a few more suspects. Still, at the end, when he killer was revealed, I found the motive to be a sad one – well done by Kingsbury.
“A Merry Murder” is another nicely done cozy mystery by Kate Kingsbury.
August 31, 2019
I am a newbie to the Pennyfoot Hotel series, but it was a good thriller that kept you guessing who the murderer was until the very end. I loved that it was such a detailed historical mystery that incorporated the Christmas theme.
I love that the heroine of the story is so fierce and tenacious. Cecily Sinclair Baxter is the owner of the Pennyfoot Hotel and is hoping to have a Christmas to remember. She gets more than she bargained for when one of her housemaids finds a man's body in the laundry room. She is determined to find out who did it and stop anyone else from getting hurt.
This felt like I was reading about a game of clue and I enjoyed it. I was never sure who the murderer was until the very end so I liked that it kept me on my toes.
I thought Kate Kingsbury detailed everything from the scenery to the specifics of Cecily's breakdown of suspects to a tee. It was fun to see that her husband was so supportive which is sometimes a rare thing in novels.
This was a great start to my Christmas reading this year.
I give A Merry Murder 3 stars. It was mysterious and thrilling with a fierce heroine that won't stop until she finds the culprit. It will most definitely keep readers guessing from beginning to end.
I love that the heroine of the story is so fierce and tenacious. Cecily Sinclair Baxter is the owner of the Pennyfoot Hotel and is hoping to have a Christmas to remember. She gets more than she bargained for when one of her housemaids finds a man's body in the laundry room. She is determined to find out who did it and stop anyone else from getting hurt.
This felt like I was reading about a game of clue and I enjoyed it. I was never sure who the murderer was until the very end so I liked that it kept me on my toes.
I thought Kate Kingsbury detailed everything from the scenery to the specifics of Cecily's breakdown of suspects to a tee. It was fun to see that her husband was so supportive which is sometimes a rare thing in novels.
This was a great start to my Christmas reading this year.
I give A Merry Murder 3 stars. It was mysterious and thrilling with a fierce heroine that won't stop until she finds the culprit. It will most definitely keep readers guessing from beginning to end.
October 1, 2019
An Edwardian Christmas Celebrated with Murder
The Pennyfoot Hotel is again open for business and beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. Cecily Baxter hopes it will be a Christmas to remember and even more hopes the curse is off the hotel. Unfortunately, the last hope is dashed when one of the maids finds the body of a man in the laundry room with a woman’s scarf wrapped around his neck.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, a note in his pocket suggests that he was meeting with one of the maids, a very young girl that Cecily had high hopes for. Now she has a double reason to solve the mystery: protect the girl and clear the name of the hotel.
If you enjoy Edwardian mysteries this is delightful. I loved the detailed description of the decorations and of the hotel itself. There are a plethora of suspects and Cecily does a masterful job of pulling apart their alibis. She makes a great sleuth, very tenacious and smart.
Although this is the fourth book in the series, I found it easy to get to know the characters and follow the mystery. I thought the author did a good job of filling in background without pulling away from the story for long descriptions of the characters role in the Pennyfoot saga.
I received this book from Net Galley for this review.
The Pennyfoot Hotel is again open for business and beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. Cecily Baxter hopes it will be a Christmas to remember and even more hopes the curse is off the hotel. Unfortunately, the last hope is dashed when one of the maids finds the body of a man in the laundry room with a woman’s scarf wrapped around his neck.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, a note in his pocket suggests that he was meeting with one of the maids, a very young girl that Cecily had high hopes for. Now she has a double reason to solve the mystery: protect the girl and clear the name of the hotel.
If you enjoy Edwardian mysteries this is delightful. I loved the detailed description of the decorations and of the hotel itself. There are a plethora of suspects and Cecily does a masterful job of pulling apart their alibis. She makes a great sleuth, very tenacious and smart.
Although this is the fourth book in the series, I found it easy to get to know the characters and follow the mystery. I thought the author did a good job of filling in background without pulling away from the story for long descriptions of the characters role in the Pennyfoot saga.
I received this book from Net Galley for this review.
June 24, 2020
Oh how I love spending Christmas at the Pennyfoot Hotel! Every book is the same, but yet it's still such a delight to spend the holidays at the stately, snow-covered mansion with a murderer afoot! That's right, this grand hotel is a popular destination for holiday revelers, Christmas carolers and fiendish killers! As per usual, the upstairs/downstairs cast of characters are preparing for the all the annual things, including the dreaded Christmas concert that inevitably results in disaster and tears. As expected the "Christmas Curse" rears its ugly head when the head housemaid finds a random dead guy in the basement with a scarf wrapped around his neck. It's up to Cecily the woman-of-the house to do all the detective work to put the right person behind bars....again. Seriously, the investigators in theses books are just as worthless as Cecily's husband. If you're new to this series, you're in for a treat, especially if you're a fan of Downton Abbey. For me, this was more of the same, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Overall, a quality Chrsitmassy read for cozy mystery fans!
June 24, 2020
Oh how I love spending Christmas at the Pennyfoot Hotel! Every book is the same, but yet it's still such a delight to spend the holidays at the stately, snow-covered mansion with a murderer afoot! That's right, this grand hotel is a popular destination for holiday revelers, Christmas carolers and fiendish killers! As per usual, the upstairs/downstairs cast of characters are preparing for the all the annual things, including the dreaded Christmas concert that inevitably results in disaster and tears. As expected the "Christmas Curse" rears its ugly head when the head housemaid finds a random dead guy in the basement with a scarf wrapped around his neck. It's up to Cecily the woman-of-the house to do all the detective work to put the right person behind bars....again. Seriously, the investigators in theses books are just as worthless as Cecily's husband. If you're new to this series, you're in for a treat, especially if you're a fan of Downton Abbey. For me, this was more of the same, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Overall, a quality Chrsitmassy read for cozy mystery fans!
January 15, 2023
This is a very enjoyable mystery that takes place at Christmas in the Pennyfoot Hotel, a glorious country estate. This is the 22nd book in the series but the first I have read and had no problem reading this as a standalone book.
The owner of the hotel, Cecily, and her staff were very pleasant and entertaining as they prepared the hotel for Christmas. The mystery begins when a man is found dead in the hotel laundry room by one of the maids. Another maid is arrested and accused of murder. Cecily embarks on her own investigation to solve the murder mystery and free her innocent maid from jail.
Behind the scenes the reader explores a variety of relationships among the staff and guests. Christmas festivities including balls and a wacky pantomime directed by an eccentric friend take center stage while the Christmas decorations adorn the hotel and murder strikes a second time. Who is behind the murders and why? Cecily is determined to find out.
Enjoy this Christmas madcap adventure.
The owner of the hotel, Cecily, and her staff were very pleasant and entertaining as they prepared the hotel for Christmas. The mystery begins when a man is found dead in the hotel laundry room by one of the maids. Another maid is arrested and accused of murder. Cecily embarks on her own investigation to solve the murder mystery and free her innocent maid from jail.
Behind the scenes the reader explores a variety of relationships among the staff and guests. Christmas festivities including balls and a wacky pantomime directed by an eccentric friend take center stage while the Christmas decorations adorn the hotel and murder strikes a second time. Who is behind the murders and why? Cecily is determined to find out.
Enjoy this Christmas madcap adventure.
October 20, 2019
Christmas is close and the Pennyfoot Hotel is in its glory with all the decorations. Unfortunately a body is found in the basement laundry room. The deceased has made some enemies somewhere and Cecily Baxter is determined to clear her maid of wrong doing. Then the man's wife ends up dead too. Cecily has her suspicions but must be very careful before she becomes the third body.
In the meantime, Charlie the stablehand is finding himself attracted to the Pennyfoot's auto mechanic but he knows he is not one of "those" so what is the problem? When he learns that Henry, the mechanic, has a secret he is determined to find out what it is.
And, Phoebe creates another Christmas Pantomime disaster. All is well at the Pennyfoot!
I am glad a Pennyfoot Christmas has returned!
In the meantime, Charlie the stablehand is finding himself attracted to the Pennyfoot's auto mechanic but he knows he is not one of "those" so what is the problem? When he learns that Henry, the mechanic, has a secret he is determined to find out what it is.
And, Phoebe creates another Christmas Pantomime disaster. All is well at the Pennyfoot!
I am glad a Pennyfoot Christmas has returned!
February 19, 2021
I just discovered this author!!
I so enjoy a cozy mystery that has a beginning, a middle and an end. I was unaware this book belonged in a series!! 🤪 Needless to say I am definitely hooked and now want to find the rest of the Pennyfoot mysteries.
The story takes place in rural England pre-World War I during the Christmas holiday season. The Pennyfoot hotel was all decorated in Christmas decor, smells of Christmas filled the air from the kitchen and all Christmas festivities were being planned. Then the Cheif housemaid, Gertie, discovered a man's body in the hotel laundry room with a woman's scarf wrapped around his neck. A note was found in his pocket from the hotel's new maid. Will the wrong person go to jail or will Cecily Baxter put herself in danger to solve this crime?
I so enjoy a cozy mystery that has a beginning, a middle and an end. I was unaware this book belonged in a series!! 🤪 Needless to say I am definitely hooked and now want to find the rest of the Pennyfoot mysteries.
The story takes place in rural England pre-World War I during the Christmas holiday season. The Pennyfoot hotel was all decorated in Christmas decor, smells of Christmas filled the air from the kitchen and all Christmas festivities were being planned. Then the Cheif housemaid, Gertie, discovered a man's body in the hotel laundry room with a woman's scarf wrapped around his neck. A note was found in his pocket from the hotel's new maid. Will the wrong person go to jail or will Cecily Baxter put herself in danger to solve this crime?
December 10, 2022
It’s always hard to start in the middle of a series. The writing was easy to read if a bit boring. Edwardian England didn’t appeal much though the convenience of phones with the gaslight and carriages of an earlier era should have been a nice mix. I wasn’t particularly interested in any of the characters at first either, but some of the staff grew on me by the end. Unfortunately their stories were left unfinished and I wouldn’t even know where to go to find the continuation since the front of the book shows there seem to be holiday specific mysteries and other hotel mysteries. I’d like to know Archie’s secrets (what was his issue with the victim?!) and see what happens with Charlie and Henry, but alas those mysteries will remain unsolved.
December 9, 2021
The murder plot itself I enjoyed. It was not too obvious and had a few twists.
The writing and characterization I did not enjoy. I understand there will be some character recapping in a book series. (And I needed that because this is the only one in the series I've read). But there's a LOT of telling and very little showing when it comes to the characters. And as the narrative switches back and forth between 3 character/plot arcs through the story, it even gets repetitive.
I won't be coming back to this series.
The writing and characterization I did not enjoy. I understand there will be some character recapping in a book series. (And I needed that because this is the only one in the series I've read). But there's a LOT of telling and very little showing when it comes to the characters. And as the narrative switches back and forth between 3 character/plot arcs through the story, it even gets repetitive.
I won't be coming back to this series.
January 10, 2026
An enjoyable little read, that I didn’t get to at Christmastime. Very light and cozy, and predictable character types and murder investigation by the owner of a hotel in England, in the pre-WW1 years.
The murderer was found out after one of the staff was arrested for the crime. It all came to a successful conclusion, but what about all the relationships, and beginnings of romances that were so much a part of the story?
Left me a little unsatisfied that these characters didn’t get some type of conclusion.
The murderer was found out after one of the staff was arrested for the crime. It all came to a successful conclusion, but what about all the relationships, and beginnings of romances that were so much a part of the story?
Left me a little unsatisfied that these characters didn’t get some type of conclusion.
June 13, 2020
Joyful reading is in store for Historical Mystery fans reading A Merry Murder by Kate Kingsbury. This installment of the Pennyfoot Holiday Mystery Series delights readers who enjoy Christmas Holiday settings and satisfies readers who look for all the period detail. Cozy Mystery buffs have fun with the engaging characters and relish the fabulous whodunit plot that keeps them guessing. A Merry Murder is jolly good reading any time of the year!
January 2, 2024
I picked this up (ok, downloaded it) as a stand-alone read, and realized after I started that it's part of a series. The main story was fine, the mystery solved without much fuss. However, there were a lot of subplots that weren't resolved in this book and aren't enough for me to want to seek out the next book in the series. Does Henry's secret get exposed? Does Philip ever stay awake? Do Gertie and Archie have something? I'll never know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2019
I enjoy the historical setting and that Cecily and her husband work together instead of him trying to stop her investigations. The mystery kept me guessing and I just love being at Pennyfoot Halls for the holidays. I wouldn't mind celebrating Christmas there (as long as I don't end up murdered!)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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