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Manor Cat Mystery #2
Lady Rights a Wrong
As the suffragette movement sweeps England in 1912, Lady Cecilia Bates wants to march but ends up trailing a killer instead in the latest entry to the Manor Cat Mysteries.
Lady Cecilia of Danby Hall feels adrift. She couldn’t be less interested in helping to plan her brother’s upcoming wedding, nor finding a husband herself. Instead, what excites her most is the Woman’s Suffrage Union meeting she has just attended.
Inspired by the famous and charismatic leader of the group, Mrs. Amelia Price, Cecilia is eager to join the Union—if she can hide it from her parents, that is. But when Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs of her home, her Votes for Women sash torn away, Cecilia knows she must attend to a more urgent matter: finding the killer. With the help of her lady’s maid Jane and intelligent cat Jack, she hopes to play her part in earning women’s equality by stopping the Union’s dangerous foe.
Lady Cecilia of Danby Hall feels adrift. She couldn’t be less interested in helping to plan her brother’s upcoming wedding, nor finding a husband herself. Instead, what excites her most is the Woman’s Suffrage Union meeting she has just attended.
Inspired by the famous and charismatic leader of the group, Mrs. Amelia Price, Cecilia is eager to join the Union—if she can hide it from her parents, that is. But when Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs of her home, her Votes for Women sash torn away, Cecilia knows she must attend to a more urgent matter: finding the killer. With the help of her lady’s maid Jane and intelligent cat Jack, she hopes to play her part in earning women’s equality by stopping the Union’s dangerous foe.
325 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2020
34 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 19, 2020
3.5 stars
I had the pleasure of reading the first book in the series last year and it wasn’t bad, but some of the things in the story were a little reaching.
That said the first book had a lot to recommend itself and I was open to reading the second book in the series to see how thing shaped up with a little bit of polish and experience under the author’s belt.
This series boasts likable characters with sass and sweetness and I was excited to see how Lady Cecilia Bates and her maid Jane, solve crime in this latest installment.
The first thing I noticed with this one, was the author seemed to take to heart some of the feedback from her first book. This one was better written and a little more developed than the first book and I appreciated that the author applied some of the constructive criticism that other reviews put forward.
I have really enjoyed Cecilia’s character overall. She is smart, if not a little bored in her conventional role as lady, and she is charming. I love that she wants more from her life beyond just the typical things of a woman from her station (marriage and a family). But at the same time I thought she dwelled on this a bit much. It wasn’t awful or terribly distracting but at the same time, I felt that it was a little much at times and would have liked for it to be something maybe explored throughout the series more rather than focusing on it so much in this particular book as much as it did. I also felt like the relationship between Jane and Cecilia was a little bit of a reach and I recalled feeling that way in the first book too. While there might be some plausibility issues between their ranks etc, overall I think their relationship was ok.
These are mostly minor things though, and overall I enjoyed Cecilia as well as Jane. This book was really about the mystery for me though and for that I was thankful the mystery was the focus. There were plenty of characters for me to be suspicious of and who had motive. I enjoyed that quite a bit and recalled that this book had more red herrings than the last. I found the mystery itself rather enjoyable and chose to focus my attention on that rather than the lives of the characters as much.
The setting and overall feel of the book and time period feel authentic and charming. This series would be a good fit for fans of Downton Abbey and other lady detective mystery series. I know the series is called the Manor Cat Mysteries but for me the cat plays a minor roll in the story with Cecilia and Jane taking center stage.
See my full review here
I had the pleasure of reading the first book in the series last year and it wasn’t bad, but some of the things in the story were a little reaching.
That said the first book had a lot to recommend itself and I was open to reading the second book in the series to see how thing shaped up with a little bit of polish and experience under the author’s belt.
This series boasts likable characters with sass and sweetness and I was excited to see how Lady Cecilia Bates and her maid Jane, solve crime in this latest installment.
The first thing I noticed with this one, was the author seemed to take to heart some of the feedback from her first book. This one was better written and a little more developed than the first book and I appreciated that the author applied some of the constructive criticism that other reviews put forward.
I have really enjoyed Cecilia’s character overall. She is smart, if not a little bored in her conventional role as lady, and she is charming. I love that she wants more from her life beyond just the typical things of a woman from her station (marriage and a family). But at the same time I thought she dwelled on this a bit much. It wasn’t awful or terribly distracting but at the same time, I felt that it was a little much at times and would have liked for it to be something maybe explored throughout the series more rather than focusing on it so much in this particular book as much as it did. I also felt like the relationship between Jane and Cecilia was a little bit of a reach and I recalled feeling that way in the first book too. While there might be some plausibility issues between their ranks etc, overall I think their relationship was ok.
These are mostly minor things though, and overall I enjoyed Cecilia as well as Jane. This book was really about the mystery for me though and for that I was thankful the mystery was the focus. There were plenty of characters for me to be suspicious of and who had motive. I enjoyed that quite a bit and recalled that this book had more red herrings than the last. I found the mystery itself rather enjoyable and chose to focus my attention on that rather than the lives of the characters as much.
The setting and overall feel of the book and time period feel authentic and charming. This series would be a good fit for fans of Downton Abbey and other lady detective mystery series. I know the series is called the Manor Cat Mysteries but for me the cat plays a minor roll in the story with Cecilia and Jane taking center stage.
See my full review here
May 18, 2020
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 rounded to 5 (There are too many characters at Danby House to keep track at times and it can get overwhelming. Maybe a Who is Who section on author's page ?)
I am enjoying this series and I can not wait for the next book already. I have read the author's previous series under a different name, (Amanda Carmack Elizabethan Series) and it is nice to read a historical mystery series by her again.
I liked this time period, around WWI, and the suffragette movement. There is a lot going on in the aftermath of WWI and this series, especially this book about Suffragette , gives readers an idea about the different changes in society is forming and how characters - from all class status - views, opinions, etc are.
I am still undecided what to make of the new character Annabel. I had thought with her being from America she would be more open minded to suffragettes (especially since a lot of events in history, base don what I know, made me believe USA were more open minded to this) I can not tell at times if she is an ally/friend to Lady Cecilia or not .
I wish Lady Cecilia was more free to spread her wings a little. At times I am surprised she is as old as she is with how her family are so strict with her. If she was under 18 years of age, I could understand it . Out of all her family members, I feel she is the the one who is more aware and open to the changes that is going on in the world. That the old way of life is not going to be that way anymore
4.5 rounded to 5 (There are too many characters at Danby House to keep track at times and it can get overwhelming. Maybe a Who is Who section on author's page ?)
I am enjoying this series and I can not wait for the next book already. I have read the author's previous series under a different name, (Amanda Carmack Elizabethan Series) and it is nice to read a historical mystery series by her again.
I liked this time period, around WWI, and the suffragette movement. There is a lot going on in the aftermath of WWI and this series, especially this book about Suffragette , gives readers an idea about the different changes in society is forming and how characters - from all class status - views, opinions, etc are.
I am still undecided what to make of the new character Annabel. I had thought with her being from America she would be more open minded to suffragettes (especially since a lot of events in history, base don what I know, made me believe USA were more open minded to this) I can not tell at times if she is an ally/friend to Lady Cecilia or not .
I wish Lady Cecilia was more free to spread her wings a little. At times I am surprised she is as old as she is with how her family are so strict with her. If she was under 18 years of age, I could understand it . Out of all her family members, I feel she is the the one who is more aware and open to the changes that is going on in the world. That the old way of life is not going to be that way anymore
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2020
This is the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
It's well written, the historical background is vivid and the characters are well thought and interesting.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's well written, the historical background is vivid and the characters are well thought and interesting.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 7, 2022
As I have read this novel in the months leading up to the next presidential election in the United States, it's particularly interesting to read a novel about the suffragette movement that was sweeping across England in 1912. Although a work of fiction it brings to light the attitudes of the time by both men and women in the cause of "Votes for Women." Mrs. Amelia Price, President of the Women's Suffrage Union has separated from her husband, Mr. Henry Price, Esquire. As Mr. Price built his career on service to the royal family it is assumed the separation was caused by his wife's suffragette activities.
Lady Cecilia Bates is as charming and delightful as in the introduction to this new series by Eliza Casey (a pseudonym for a multi-published author). Lady Cecilia is quite excited to attend a meeting to listen to Mrs. Amelia Price and delighted to have the opportunity to meet her directly. She can hardly contain her excitement to be invited to Primrose Cottage for further conversation.
It's fun to read the excitement of Lady Cecilia for the prospect of being taught to ride a bicycle like Mrs. Amelia Price prefers as her transportation. Amelia explains, "It is the finest exercise to be had, Lady Cecilia." As Lady Cecilia thinks about the ease of using a bicycle for her neighborhood errands, Amelia confirms "A bicycle would make it so much easier." Remembering my own exhilaration during childhood in graduating from a tricycle to a bicycle with training wheels to the ultimate freedom of bicycling with no training wheels I can only imagine the eagerness and joy for women as this mode of transportation became available to them and without the confines of a carriage or supervision of the driver or needing to wait until a male of the household didn't need the services of his chauffeur.
It's wonderful to learn that Jane Hughes, maid to American heiress Annabel Clarke are still at Danby Hall. Jane is able to assist as maid to Lady Cecilia whenever she is free from her duties for Annabel and a bond of friendship is continuing to grow between Jane and Lady Cecilia. As handsome marmalade cat, Jack arrived at Danby Hall with Jane they both visit Lady Cecilia's room whenever possible and Jack is a wonderful friend and great distraction for both of them. It's also nice to see the growth of friendship between Lady Cecilia and Annabel (the prospective bride to Lady Cecilia's brother) as Annabel is intrigued by the suffragette women.
Although I'm intrigued by the mystery of the author's name I'm even more attracted to think of reading more of this series so please keep writing Eliza Casey and thank you for creating this enchanting series!
08/07/22 Review Update: The Manor Cat Mystery Series is written by Amanda McCabe using pseudonym Eliza Casey.
Lady Cecilia Bates is as charming and delightful as in the introduction to this new series by Eliza Casey (a pseudonym for a multi-published author). Lady Cecilia is quite excited to attend a meeting to listen to Mrs. Amelia Price and delighted to have the opportunity to meet her directly. She can hardly contain her excitement to be invited to Primrose Cottage for further conversation.
It's fun to read the excitement of Lady Cecilia for the prospect of being taught to ride a bicycle like Mrs. Amelia Price prefers as her transportation. Amelia explains, "It is the finest exercise to be had, Lady Cecilia." As Lady Cecilia thinks about the ease of using a bicycle for her neighborhood errands, Amelia confirms "A bicycle would make it so much easier." Remembering my own exhilaration during childhood in graduating from a tricycle to a bicycle with training wheels to the ultimate freedom of bicycling with no training wheels I can only imagine the eagerness and joy for women as this mode of transportation became available to them and without the confines of a carriage or supervision of the driver or needing to wait until a male of the household didn't need the services of his chauffeur.
It's wonderful to learn that Jane Hughes, maid to American heiress Annabel Clarke are still at Danby Hall. Jane is able to assist as maid to Lady Cecilia whenever she is free from her duties for Annabel and a bond of friendship is continuing to grow between Jane and Lady Cecilia. As handsome marmalade cat, Jack arrived at Danby Hall with Jane they both visit Lady Cecilia's room whenever possible and Jack is a wonderful friend and great distraction for both of them. It's also nice to see the growth of friendship between Lady Cecilia and Annabel (the prospective bride to Lady Cecilia's brother) as Annabel is intrigued by the suffragette women.
Although I'm intrigued by the mystery of the author's name I'm even more attracted to think of reading more of this series so please keep writing Eliza Casey and thank you for creating this enchanting series!
08/07/22 Review Update: The Manor Cat Mystery Series is written by Amanda McCabe using pseudonym Eliza Casey.
April 24, 2020
3.5 stars
Lady Cecilia Bates and her maid Jane are back to help investigate the mysterious death of a suffragette in England in 1912. Did Amelia Price trip and fall accidentally to her death, or was she pushed?
There's no shortage of motives: Amelia had an unhappy ex-husband, two warring daughters, and her feminist organization is wrestling with opposing schools of thoughts.
Cecilia is a likable character, torn by the constraints on women in the era she lived in. Does she want the freedom of a single life, with travel and salons and no obligations? Or does she want marriage and family? Cecilia's brush with the suffragettes causes her to indulge in some self-reflection.
This series provides some background in the general mood of the time. Some of the historical details are a little sketchy - in particular the relationships between the gentry and their servants is presented pretty casually. And surely (minor quibble) it is totally implausible to think that anyone would have brought a cat in a carrier to a funeral.
Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Lady Cecilia Bates and her maid Jane are back to help investigate the mysterious death of a suffragette in England in 1912. Did Amelia Price trip and fall accidentally to her death, or was she pushed?
There's no shortage of motives: Amelia had an unhappy ex-husband, two warring daughters, and her feminist organization is wrestling with opposing schools of thoughts.
Cecilia is a likable character, torn by the constraints on women in the era she lived in. Does she want the freedom of a single life, with travel and salons and no obligations? Or does she want marriage and family? Cecilia's brush with the suffragettes causes her to indulge in some self-reflection.
This series provides some background in the general mood of the time. Some of the historical details are a little sketchy - in particular the relationships between the gentry and their servants is presented pretty casually. And surely (minor quibble) it is totally implausible to think that anyone would have brought a cat in a carrier to a funeral.
Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 30, 2020
Series: Manor Cat Mystery #2
Publication Date: 6/2/20
Number of Pages: 320
This is an excellent addition to the well-written, well-plotted, perfectly-paced Manor Cat Mystery series. We get better acquainted with the main and supporting characters and there are a couple of new characters – with possibilities – added. Still no romance though – and that is something I want in my mysteries. Luckily, there are a couple of possibilities for Cecilia and Jane as well – we’ll just have to try the third book to see what happens there.
It is the fall of 1912 and Lady Cecilia Bates is getting restless. She’s not unhappy, she loves Danby Hall and their little village, she just isn’t sure where her life is going and if she wants it to go in the direction in which her parents expect. She wants to be useful and to accomplish something – especially after she solved the murder that took place at Danby Hall earlier in the year, Lady Takes The Case. So, she is totally open and ripe for the message of suffragette leader, Mrs. Amelia Price, when she comes to Danby for a rally.
Not everybody in Danby is happy to see the suffragettes arrive in their village, and they heap verbal abuse on the ladies – someone even shoving them. That certainly doesn’t daunt the ladies and when Cecilia meets Amelia, she likes her right away. Amelia is a charismatic, energetic lady who holds the crowds spellbound. However, Cecilia senses some undercurrents and tensions within Amelia’s entourage and wonders if all is as happy as they make it appear.
When Cecilia arrives at Primrose Cottage one morning, she finds one of the inhabitants sitting outside crying and the remainder in the house – also in tears. They awoke to find Amelia’s body at the foot of the stairs. How could that have happened? Did she fall? Was she pushed? Accident or murder? Did Amelia tipple a bit too much?
When Inspector Hennesy seems content to leave it as either an accident or the work of a burglar found in the area, Cecilia isn’t content and decides to ask a few questions herself. Along with Annabel, a rich American heiress, and Jane Hughes, Annabel’s lady’s maid, they travel to London to ask questions and then continue investigating back home in Danby. Could it truly be an accident? Cecilia just doesn’t feel that to be the case and there are so many suspects from family to lovers to subordinates in the organization.
Will Cecilia unravel the mystery? You’ll just have to read the book to find an exciting and eventful conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am already looking forward to the next one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 6/2/20
Number of Pages: 320
This is an excellent addition to the well-written, well-plotted, perfectly-paced Manor Cat Mystery series. We get better acquainted with the main and supporting characters and there are a couple of new characters – with possibilities – added. Still no romance though – and that is something I want in my mysteries. Luckily, there are a couple of possibilities for Cecilia and Jane as well – we’ll just have to try the third book to see what happens there.
It is the fall of 1912 and Lady Cecilia Bates is getting restless. She’s not unhappy, she loves Danby Hall and their little village, she just isn’t sure where her life is going and if she wants it to go in the direction in which her parents expect. She wants to be useful and to accomplish something – especially after she solved the murder that took place at Danby Hall earlier in the year, Lady Takes The Case. So, she is totally open and ripe for the message of suffragette leader, Mrs. Amelia Price, when she comes to Danby for a rally.
Not everybody in Danby is happy to see the suffragettes arrive in their village, and they heap verbal abuse on the ladies – someone even shoving them. That certainly doesn’t daunt the ladies and when Cecilia meets Amelia, she likes her right away. Amelia is a charismatic, energetic lady who holds the crowds spellbound. However, Cecilia senses some undercurrents and tensions within Amelia’s entourage and wonders if all is as happy as they make it appear.
When Cecilia arrives at Primrose Cottage one morning, she finds one of the inhabitants sitting outside crying and the remainder in the house – also in tears. They awoke to find Amelia’s body at the foot of the stairs. How could that have happened? Did she fall? Was she pushed? Accident or murder? Did Amelia tipple a bit too much?
When Inspector Hennesy seems content to leave it as either an accident or the work of a burglar found in the area, Cecilia isn’t content and decides to ask a few questions herself. Along with Annabel, a rich American heiress, and Jane Hughes, Annabel’s lady’s maid, they travel to London to ask questions and then continue investigating back home in Danby. Could it truly be an accident? Cecilia just doesn’t feel that to be the case and there are so many suspects from family to lovers to subordinates in the organization.
Will Cecilia unravel the mystery? You’ll just have to read the book to find an exciting and eventful conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am already looking forward to the next one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 17, 2020
Lady Cecelia Bates is feeling restless in her country home and wondering what her purpose is. She was engaged and active in an earlier murder investigation at her home but now things have settled down too much for her liking. While her mother tries her hand a matchmaking with the local vicar and her brother courts an American heiress, Cecelia just is.
Some excitement does come to the neighborhood in the person of Mrs. Amelia Price who is a noted spokeswoman for the suffrage movement. Cecelia is curious about the movement and soon attends some speeches and gets to know Mrs. Price and her entourage which includes her daughter who studied as a lawyer but can't practice, Mrs. Price's second in command, and her new young protegee.
Lady Cecelia notices all the tensions among the women and also notices that many men including her neighbor Lord Elphin are not at all happy about this new focus that takes women away from their rightful role as wives and mothers. Cecelia wonders why Mrs. Price is not living with Mr. Price anymore. She also wonders why Mrs. Price's daughter Mary who married lawyer Mr. Winter and is estranged has come with her husband to visit.
When Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs in the cottage she was renting, Lady Cecelia feels that she has a new case to investigate and a purpose in life. She and a maid who was her helper on her first case busy themselves looking into all the suspicious characters until a wrong move puts Cecelia herself in danger.
This was an entertaining mystery with interesting characters. I liked the descriptions of life in the village and the hint of change in the air. I felt that there were some pacing issues in the story. It took until 32% before the murder happened and the reveal of the murderer seemed to come too fast and with too little buildup at 94% leaving the last 6% returning to quiet and the idyllic country setting with Cecelia back to being bored and restless.
Some excitement does come to the neighborhood in the person of Mrs. Amelia Price who is a noted spokeswoman for the suffrage movement. Cecelia is curious about the movement and soon attends some speeches and gets to know Mrs. Price and her entourage which includes her daughter who studied as a lawyer but can't practice, Mrs. Price's second in command, and her new young protegee.
Lady Cecelia notices all the tensions among the women and also notices that many men including her neighbor Lord Elphin are not at all happy about this new focus that takes women away from their rightful role as wives and mothers. Cecelia wonders why Mrs. Price is not living with Mr. Price anymore. She also wonders why Mrs. Price's daughter Mary who married lawyer Mr. Winter and is estranged has come with her husband to visit.
When Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs in the cottage she was renting, Lady Cecelia feels that she has a new case to investigate and a purpose in life. She and a maid who was her helper on her first case busy themselves looking into all the suspicious characters until a wrong move puts Cecelia herself in danger.
This was an entertaining mystery with interesting characters. I liked the descriptions of life in the village and the hint of change in the air. I felt that there were some pacing issues in the story. It took until 32% before the murder happened and the reveal of the murderer seemed to come too fast and with too little buildup at 94% leaving the last 6% returning to quiet and the idyllic country setting with Cecelia back to being bored and restless.
July 21, 2022
Lady Cecilia Bates finds it boring, boring, boring to live in her father's palatial estate and wait for her scholarly brother to propose to Annabelle, the visiting American heiress who will save their fortunes. Then she learns that a famous suffragette will hold a rally in the village hall. Of course, she'll have to sneak out--her parents don't approve of votes for women--but she does, and meets Mrs. Price and her entourage, which includes her older daughter. Visits to the cottage where they are staying follow. But when Mrs. Price dies in a suspicious accident, Cecilia investigates, helped by Annabelle herself, her ladies' maid Jane, and Jack, the cat Jane rescued from a shipwreck.
August 10, 2021
The story is set in Yorkshire in 1912. The main character is Lady Cecilia who is a young woman who doesn't know what to do with her life - not that she has a lot of choices. In the story she learns how to ride a bicycle and that is considered unbecoming for a woman. The book to me started off slowly but eventually picked up. It was an easy read.
June 21, 2020
Enjoyable book! Mystery was easy to guess but the getting there was fun and I like the characters. There are many potential love interests though, which makes me roll my eyes. Hopefully this series stays on with mystery and doesn’t descend into love triangles or other stuff like that.
February 12, 2021
2nd in series. Cecelia and Jane continue their friendship - and take the cat, Jack, everywhere. They attend suffragette meeting held in Danby and actually befriend the leader. When that same leader turns up dead, Cecelia does not believe it's an accident and starts asking questions. She and Jane (and Jack) once again get into a dangerous situation. A cute series.
February 2, 2023
This book was a surprise read by a new author to me. A more personal struggle for Womans rights as well as self discovery this book was amusing as well as intense in the solution of murder!!
November 24, 2020
Back again with the Manor Cat series in which the cat helps a little with the investigation but very little. The charm is in the Downton Abbeyesque setting. Lady Cecilia is at a point where she knows she needs to marry but has very little interest in doing so. Instead her imagination is captured by the suffragette movement and what she can do to help. When the leader of the movement is murdered she and lady's made, Jane and Jack the cat do some investigating to find out what really happened. Only two books in the series so far and I do hope there will be more.
June 22, 2020
https://openbooksociety.com/article/l...
Lady Rights a Wrong
Manor Cat Mystery #2
ISBN 9781984803900
Eliza Casey
ammandamccabe.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
As the suffragette movement sweeps England in 1912, Lady Cecilia Bates wants to march but ends up trailing a killer instead in the latest entry to the Manor Cat Mysteries.
Lady Cecilia of Danby Hall feels adrift. She couldn’t be less interested in helping to plan her brother’s upcoming wedding, nor finding a husband herself. Instead, what excites her most is the Woman’s Suffrage Union meeting she has just attended.
Inspired by the famous and charismatic leader of the group, Mrs. Amelia Price, Cecilia is eager to join the Union—if she can hide it from her parents, that is. But when Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs of her home, her Votes for Women sash torn away, Cecilia knows she must attend to a more urgent matter: finding the killer. With the help of her lady’s maid Jane and intelligent cat Jack, she hopes to play her part in earning women’s equality by stopping the Union’s dangerous foe. (from Goodreads)
Review:
This novel is a must-read for those who enjoy historical cozy mysteries! We enjoy a period as energized in the setting of the novel, 1912 Yorkshire, England, as it was in the US regarding suffrage. Passions run high for both those and against suffrage, and we see both sides of the argument personified here. The characters are well-defined, the mystery is stimulating, and the setting sounds absolutely gorgeous.
Lady Cecilia, instrumental in finding the murderer of a man who died in their dining room earlier in the year, has felt unsettled since. She feels something is missing in her life, something that couldn’t be resolved by being in London for The Season or meeting all the men her mother wanted her to consider courting. At not quite 20, Mama wants her to marry well, and in the meantime, help with social obligations, such as the upcoming church bazaar. That is what ladies do, support their husbands in all they do, oversee the home and children, and organize social functions.
Cecilia hears that Mrs. Amelia Price, president of the Women’s Suffrage Union, will have a rally in Danby. Lady Avebury makes it clear she does not want her daughter involved with those women. Annabel, an heiress who hopes to be engaged to Cecilia’s botanist brother soon, feels that women do not need the vote, they simply need to know the right way of getting what they want from men. Jane is Annabel’s lady’s maid who also helps Cecilia. Jane and Cecilia have become good friends when not under scrutiny of the family, and great sleuthing partners. She wants to attend the rally with Cecilia, but Annabel needs her that evening.
Jesse, one of the footmen, hooks up a cart for Cecilia so she doesn’t have to walk in the dark. Her adventurous cat, Jack, insists on going with Cecilia. He is a special part of her life and makes sure she knows it!
Despite the crowd of hecklers outside before and after the rally, Cecilia is thrilled to hear Amelia Price, and meet her, her secretary, Cora, and Anne, one of her daughters. They invite her to visit them. She can’t possibly turn that down and takes Jane with her. They enjoy Amelia, Anne, and Cora; Amelia said they will extend their stay for another rally and invites Cecilia to return and she will teach her how to ride her bicycle. Before she and Jane leave, Amelia’s estranged daughter, Mary, and her husband Monty arrive at the cottage for a surprise visit.
Both Cecilia and Jane attend the second rally, accompanied by Jack. Cecilia noticed Amelia wasn’t wearing her ever-present huge ruby ring. The next morning when Jane came to Cecilia’s room with her morning tea, she brought the most terrible news. Amelia Price was found dead in their rented cottage that morning. It is thought she fell down the stairs from the sleeping rooms during the night. Anne and Cora, devastated, had slept through it.
Cecilia and Jane immediately went to help Anne and Cora. Amelia’s body hadn’t yet been moved while awaiting investigators. Cecilia noticed that the suffrage banner that Amelia still wore had been torn, with one part missing. The ruby ring was still missing from her hand, and it looked as if one of her arms had been pulled back or had broken in the fall. Cecilia and Jane wanted to support the women however they could and wanted to help find the killer. The bad guy could still be hanging around Danby, or even in London, one of many enemies of the suffrage union.
I love how well we get to know the primary characters, Cecilia and Jane, and even get to know Annabel as more than an American heiress! The characters are developed well throughout, including a potential new suitor for Cecilia. Cecilia is not the typical “Lady”; she is adventurous and not ready to settle for the traditional role of a woman.
There are plot twists that add elements of surprise throughout, as well as discomfort at the threats to the women. I am surprised that Lady Avebury didn’t restrict Cecilia to Danby Hall after hearing at the inquest exactly how she met Amelia and the other ladies. Cecilia is determined to learn the connections Amelia had to at least a couple surprising men in Danby. The drama plays through well and the story moves along quickly. The mystery is a challenge, and Cecilia and I had a couple differences of opinion of who the real bad guy (or gal) is, so there were surprises, as well as some changed relationships in the village. I highly recommend this delightful, challenging mystery!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Lady Rights a Wrong
Manor Cat Mystery #2
ISBN 9781984803900
Eliza Casey
ammandamccabe.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
As the suffragette movement sweeps England in 1912, Lady Cecilia Bates wants to march but ends up trailing a killer instead in the latest entry to the Manor Cat Mysteries.
Lady Cecilia of Danby Hall feels adrift. She couldn’t be less interested in helping to plan her brother’s upcoming wedding, nor finding a husband herself. Instead, what excites her most is the Woman’s Suffrage Union meeting she has just attended.
Inspired by the famous and charismatic leader of the group, Mrs. Amelia Price, Cecilia is eager to join the Union—if she can hide it from her parents, that is. But when Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs of her home, her Votes for Women sash torn away, Cecilia knows she must attend to a more urgent matter: finding the killer. With the help of her lady’s maid Jane and intelligent cat Jack, she hopes to play her part in earning women’s equality by stopping the Union’s dangerous foe. (from Goodreads)
Review:
This novel is a must-read for those who enjoy historical cozy mysteries! We enjoy a period as energized in the setting of the novel, 1912 Yorkshire, England, as it was in the US regarding suffrage. Passions run high for both those and against suffrage, and we see both sides of the argument personified here. The characters are well-defined, the mystery is stimulating, and the setting sounds absolutely gorgeous.
Lady Cecilia, instrumental in finding the murderer of a man who died in their dining room earlier in the year, has felt unsettled since. She feels something is missing in her life, something that couldn’t be resolved by being in London for The Season or meeting all the men her mother wanted her to consider courting. At not quite 20, Mama wants her to marry well, and in the meantime, help with social obligations, such as the upcoming church bazaar. That is what ladies do, support their husbands in all they do, oversee the home and children, and organize social functions.
Cecilia hears that Mrs. Amelia Price, president of the Women’s Suffrage Union, will have a rally in Danby. Lady Avebury makes it clear she does not want her daughter involved with those women. Annabel, an heiress who hopes to be engaged to Cecilia’s botanist brother soon, feels that women do not need the vote, they simply need to know the right way of getting what they want from men. Jane is Annabel’s lady’s maid who also helps Cecilia. Jane and Cecilia have become good friends when not under scrutiny of the family, and great sleuthing partners. She wants to attend the rally with Cecilia, but Annabel needs her that evening.
Jesse, one of the footmen, hooks up a cart for Cecilia so she doesn’t have to walk in the dark. Her adventurous cat, Jack, insists on going with Cecilia. He is a special part of her life and makes sure she knows it!
Despite the crowd of hecklers outside before and after the rally, Cecilia is thrilled to hear Amelia Price, and meet her, her secretary, Cora, and Anne, one of her daughters. They invite her to visit them. She can’t possibly turn that down and takes Jane with her. They enjoy Amelia, Anne, and Cora; Amelia said they will extend their stay for another rally and invites Cecilia to return and she will teach her how to ride her bicycle. Before she and Jane leave, Amelia’s estranged daughter, Mary, and her husband Monty arrive at the cottage for a surprise visit.
Both Cecilia and Jane attend the second rally, accompanied by Jack. Cecilia noticed Amelia wasn’t wearing her ever-present huge ruby ring. The next morning when Jane came to Cecilia’s room with her morning tea, she brought the most terrible news. Amelia Price was found dead in their rented cottage that morning. It is thought she fell down the stairs from the sleeping rooms during the night. Anne and Cora, devastated, had slept through it.
Cecilia and Jane immediately went to help Anne and Cora. Amelia’s body hadn’t yet been moved while awaiting investigators. Cecilia noticed that the suffrage banner that Amelia still wore had been torn, with one part missing. The ruby ring was still missing from her hand, and it looked as if one of her arms had been pulled back or had broken in the fall. Cecilia and Jane wanted to support the women however they could and wanted to help find the killer. The bad guy could still be hanging around Danby, or even in London, one of many enemies of the suffrage union.
I love how well we get to know the primary characters, Cecilia and Jane, and even get to know Annabel as more than an American heiress! The characters are developed well throughout, including a potential new suitor for Cecilia. Cecilia is not the typical “Lady”; she is adventurous and not ready to settle for the traditional role of a woman.
There are plot twists that add elements of surprise throughout, as well as discomfort at the threats to the women. I am surprised that Lady Avebury didn’t restrict Cecilia to Danby Hall after hearing at the inquest exactly how she met Amelia and the other ladies. Cecilia is determined to learn the connections Amelia had to at least a couple surprising men in Danby. The drama plays through well and the story moves along quickly. The mystery is a challenge, and Cecilia and I had a couple differences of opinion of who the real bad guy (or gal) is, so there were surprises, as well as some changed relationships in the village. I highly recommend this delightful, challenging mystery!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
June 6, 2020
You know when you start reading a book and you can tell what the overall mood of the story will be? I felt it almost from the first page of
LADY RIGHTS A WRONG,
by Eliza Casey – an overall sense of sadness. Oh, it was a fairly decent mystery, but I found very little levity or joy in it.
The main protagonist, Lady Cecilia, is a privileged young woman living in 1912 England who wants something more with her life than being a wife to the local cleric (whom her mother keeps promoting), no matter how good looking and kind he is. Thus her interest in solving murders with Jane, her sometimes personal maid and always friend. Being interested in the suffragette movement, they are excited when a proponent of women's voting rights holds a meeting in the nearby village. Unfortunately, the meeting's speaker, Mrs. Price, ends up dead, and Lady Cecilia and Jane begin to solve the murder.
The main characters lack any special characteristics to make them more interesting, and the story is short on tension. However, I like the use of the suffragette movement and one of its leaders as the victim, including the information on how suffragettes were treated poorly and frequently ignored or heckled.
Loads of books are set in the Regency and Victorian periods, but few are set in the early 20th century, in this case 1912. So that's a plus. But the story would be more enriching if the author had included a little more context: descriptions of the cars, what people wore, the picturesque (?) landscape, and more details of the village and its residents. I'm not a huge fan of over description, but a little extra info to help the reader imagine the 1912 setting would be nice.
All in all, the basic writing is good, Lady Cecilia and Jane's sleuthing activities are done fairly well, and it's not too easy to decide who the murderer is. I've not read the first book in the series, but Casey does a good job of referring to that murder and the amateur sleuths role in solving it. But the sad feel of the book, the almost non-existing tension, and the inability of the author to draw me into the era results in a 3.5 rating.
If You Like This, You Might Like:
LADY TAKES THE CASE by Eliza Casey, HIGH SOCIETY LADY DETECTIVE SERIES by Sara Rosett, THE 1920s HISTORICAL COZY MYSTERY SERIES by Sonia Parin, ROYAL SPYNESS MYSTERIES by Rhys Bowen, MILLINER MYSTERIES by Kate Parker, MISS ALICE MURDER MYSTERIES by Blythe Baker
* An ARC was provided by Berkley/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for an honest review.
** Visit Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog for more book reviews.
The main protagonist, Lady Cecilia, is a privileged young woman living in 1912 England who wants something more with her life than being a wife to the local cleric (whom her mother keeps promoting), no matter how good looking and kind he is. Thus her interest in solving murders with Jane, her sometimes personal maid and always friend. Being interested in the suffragette movement, they are excited when a proponent of women's voting rights holds a meeting in the nearby village. Unfortunately, the meeting's speaker, Mrs. Price, ends up dead, and Lady Cecilia and Jane begin to solve the murder.
The main characters lack any special characteristics to make them more interesting, and the story is short on tension. However, I like the use of the suffragette movement and one of its leaders as the victim, including the information on how suffragettes were treated poorly and frequently ignored or heckled.
Loads of books are set in the Regency and Victorian periods, but few are set in the early 20th century, in this case 1912. So that's a plus. But the story would be more enriching if the author had included a little more context: descriptions of the cars, what people wore, the picturesque (?) landscape, and more details of the village and its residents. I'm not a huge fan of over description, but a little extra info to help the reader imagine the 1912 setting would be nice.
All in all, the basic writing is good, Lady Cecilia and Jane's sleuthing activities are done fairly well, and it's not too easy to decide who the murderer is. I've not read the first book in the series, but Casey does a good job of referring to that murder and the amateur sleuths role in solving it. But the sad feel of the book, the almost non-existing tension, and the inability of the author to draw me into the era results in a 3.5 rating.
If You Like This, You Might Like:
LADY TAKES THE CASE by Eliza Casey, HIGH SOCIETY LADY DETECTIVE SERIES by Sara Rosett, THE 1920s HISTORICAL COZY MYSTERY SERIES by Sonia Parin, ROYAL SPYNESS MYSTERIES by Rhys Bowen, MILLINER MYSTERIES by Kate Parker, MISS ALICE MURDER MYSTERIES by Blythe Baker
* An ARC was provided by Berkley/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for an honest review.
** Visit Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog for more book reviews.
June 5, 2020
I was immediately swept into this delightful historical mystery by the fabulous characters, including Jack, the marmalade cat who insists on accompanying Cecilia on her adventures. The characters are three-dimensional, demonstrated by their actions and conversations. The mystery was challenging, and the revealing of whodunit was dramatic. The setting of Edwardian England, in the country village of Danby, is beautifully depicted.
Lady Cecilia and her sometimes-lady’s-maid Jane have become friends, especially since the two had worked together earlier in the year to solve a murder at Danby Hall. While Jane is technically Annabel’s lady’s maid, the American heiress who captured the heart of Cecilia’s brother Patrick, Cecilia enjoys her help when available. Jack’s cat-sonality shines through! He was rescued by Jane on the ship she came from America on, including when the ship was going down, and is Cecilia’s faithful companion.
Suffrage is as huge of an issue in England as it is in the United States, as testified to by those who are excited to see the president of the Women’s Suffrage Union hold a rally in Danby. It is also protested by those who think they are unnatural women, with men waiting outside the Guildhall to cause trouble. Against her mother’s wishes, Cecile attended the first rally accompanied only by her marmalade cat, and was excited to meet Amelia Price, her daughter Anne, and secretary Cora. Even more exciting, she was invited to visit them.
Cecilia and Jane enjoyed visits with the suffragettes, and Jane was able to attend the second rally with Cecilia. The morning after that uneventful rally, Amelia was found dead at the base of the steps from the second floor of the cottage they rented. Cecilia and Jane wanted desperately to find out who killed the charismatic woman and began to ask questions around the village.
Readers, put on your sleuthing caps! There were several possible whodunits, and I did suspect the real one more than once, but nobody felt completely right. A trip to London, asking questions of neighbors while collecting donations for the church fundraiser, and watching people at the memorial service revealed a little more. The real culprit wasn’t completely unexpected, what surprised me was learning who Cecilia suspected. The ending was exciting, with loose ends tied up. I am definitely looking forward to the next one! I highly recommend this to those who love well-written historical cozy mysteries set in the English countryside, with delightful characters, a companion cat, and an unconventional Lady.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, a review was not required.
Lady Cecilia and her sometimes-lady’s-maid Jane have become friends, especially since the two had worked together earlier in the year to solve a murder at Danby Hall. While Jane is technically Annabel’s lady’s maid, the American heiress who captured the heart of Cecilia’s brother Patrick, Cecilia enjoys her help when available. Jack’s cat-sonality shines through! He was rescued by Jane on the ship she came from America on, including when the ship was going down, and is Cecilia’s faithful companion.
Suffrage is as huge of an issue in England as it is in the United States, as testified to by those who are excited to see the president of the Women’s Suffrage Union hold a rally in Danby. It is also protested by those who think they are unnatural women, with men waiting outside the Guildhall to cause trouble. Against her mother’s wishes, Cecile attended the first rally accompanied only by her marmalade cat, and was excited to meet Amelia Price, her daughter Anne, and secretary Cora. Even more exciting, she was invited to visit them.
Cecilia and Jane enjoyed visits with the suffragettes, and Jane was able to attend the second rally with Cecilia. The morning after that uneventful rally, Amelia was found dead at the base of the steps from the second floor of the cottage they rented. Cecilia and Jane wanted desperately to find out who killed the charismatic woman and began to ask questions around the village.
Readers, put on your sleuthing caps! There were several possible whodunits, and I did suspect the real one more than once, but nobody felt completely right. A trip to London, asking questions of neighbors while collecting donations for the church fundraiser, and watching people at the memorial service revealed a little more. The real culprit wasn’t completely unexpected, what surprised me was learning who Cecilia suspected. The ending was exciting, with loose ends tied up. I am definitely looking forward to the next one! I highly recommend this to those who love well-written historical cozy mysteries set in the English countryside, with delightful characters, a companion cat, and an unconventional Lady.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, a review was not required.
June 21, 2020
"Lady Rights a Wrong"by Eliza Casey is the delightful followup to "Lady Takes the Case" and presents another mysterious murder at Yorkshire's Danby Hall.
In "Lady Rights a Wrong", we find the heroine, Lady Cecilia, feeling listless and a bit out of sorts after the excitement earlier in the year of uncovering the poisoner of a Danby Hall dinner guest has faded. While she is grateful to have solved a nasty murder, Lady Cecilia also secretly longs for further adventure.
Fortunately for her, the Women's Suffrage Union led by the vibrant and charismatic Mrs. Amelia Price arrives to inspire the women of Danby Village to seek the vote. Lady Cecilia is sympathetic to the movement as it supports the notion of independence and choice of career for women from every social class. She, taking along friend and intrepid ladies maid, Jane, seeks out the acquaintance of Mrs. Price and in the process, notes that a number of interesting, not altogether positive forces swirl around the celebrated speaker.
Because Danby -- like other notable mystery hot spots in fiction such as Cabot Cove or Midsomer -- has become a magnet for colourful murder, Mrs. Amelia Price is found dead after taking a terrible fall down the steps of the cottage she has let for the duration of her Yorkshire stay. Naturally Lady Cecilia assisted by Jane and Jack, the manor cat, rallies to seek out what really happened to Mrs. Price that night.
This is an absolutely charming series written by an author who has a solid knack for plotting a tight, satisfying murder mystery. The author, Eliza Casey, has that rare, unteachable ability to write characters that are immediately likeable. The reader cares what happens to them and wants to follow them around in an unusual setting such as a early 20th century Yorkshire manor house to see what happens next. She is also wise to weave Cecilia's frustrations at both her lack of adventure and lack of purpose around the rise of the suffrage movement. This gives Lady Cecilia depth and makes her relatable to readers in the 21st Century. That said, the historical aspects of the novel are very nicely handled with some minor and understandable anachronisms in the characters' speech for ease and clarity, given the wide range of Ms. Casey's readership. I was particularly touched by an ending that while featuring satisfying resolutions for the residents of Danby Hall, also hinted of the coming change to Europe with World War 1.
I can't imagine a more pleasant way to pass away a summer afternoon than relaxing with a cold drink and a Danby Hall mystery. Looking forward to the next one enormously!
In "Lady Rights a Wrong", we find the heroine, Lady Cecilia, feeling listless and a bit out of sorts after the excitement earlier in the year of uncovering the poisoner of a Danby Hall dinner guest has faded. While she is grateful to have solved a nasty murder, Lady Cecilia also secretly longs for further adventure.
Fortunately for her, the Women's Suffrage Union led by the vibrant and charismatic Mrs. Amelia Price arrives to inspire the women of Danby Village to seek the vote. Lady Cecilia is sympathetic to the movement as it supports the notion of independence and choice of career for women from every social class. She, taking along friend and intrepid ladies maid, Jane, seeks out the acquaintance of Mrs. Price and in the process, notes that a number of interesting, not altogether positive forces swirl around the celebrated speaker.
Because Danby -- like other notable mystery hot spots in fiction such as Cabot Cove or Midsomer -- has become a magnet for colourful murder, Mrs. Amelia Price is found dead after taking a terrible fall down the steps of the cottage she has let for the duration of her Yorkshire stay. Naturally Lady Cecilia assisted by Jane and Jack, the manor cat, rallies to seek out what really happened to Mrs. Price that night.
This is an absolutely charming series written by an author who has a solid knack for plotting a tight, satisfying murder mystery. The author, Eliza Casey, has that rare, unteachable ability to write characters that are immediately likeable. The reader cares what happens to them and wants to follow them around in an unusual setting such as a early 20th century Yorkshire manor house to see what happens next. She is also wise to weave Cecilia's frustrations at both her lack of adventure and lack of purpose around the rise of the suffrage movement. This gives Lady Cecilia depth and makes her relatable to readers in the 21st Century. That said, the historical aspects of the novel are very nicely handled with some minor and understandable anachronisms in the characters' speech for ease and clarity, given the wide range of Ms. Casey's readership. I was particularly touched by an ending that while featuring satisfying resolutions for the residents of Danby Hall, also hinted of the coming change to Europe with World War 1.
I can't imagine a more pleasant way to pass away a summer afternoon than relaxing with a cold drink and a Danby Hall mystery. Looking forward to the next one enormously!
June 2, 2020
LADY RIGHTS A WRONG, the second Manor Cat Mystery by Eliza Casey, is a perfectly paced, well plotted Edwardian mystery full of interesting characters, suspense, and an enjoyable puzzle to solve. The bucolic English village setting is a balm for readers, a welcome escape from everyday life.
Lady Cecelia loves her family, her ancestral home, and village, but she is restless and bored. Her family is focused on making an advantageous marital match for her brother and an American heiress, but Cecelia’s mother still has time to poke at Cecelia about her own future. However, Cecelia is not very happy about her future prospects, married or not. So when Mrs. Amelia Price brings her Woman’s Suffrage Union assembly to town, Cecelia is drawn to the meeting and the idea of women having more freedoms. When Mrs. Price is found dead at the bottom of her cottage’s stairs, Cecelia is not as convinced as everyone else that it was an accident and sets out to unmask a killer.
I really enjoy this series. LADY RIGHTS A WRONG is even better than the delightful first book in the series LADY TAKES THE CASE. Lady Cecelia is bright, intelligent, and curious about the world around her. I think she is a good representation of the young ladies of her ere longing for a bit more out of their lives. Cecelia’s sometimes lady’s maid Jane is appealing and makes a good investigative partner. I would be remiss if I did not make note of darling Jack the cat that plays a big part in solving the mystery. The supporting characters are well drawn and add plenty of variety, and there are lots of viable suspects from which to choose. The mystery is engaging with clues dispersed throughout the story. I did identify the killer rather early, but it was still fun to go along with Cecelia as she put the pieces to the puzzle together.
LADY RIGHTS A WRONG is a wonder historical mystery, and I look forward to many more adventures with Lady Cecelia, Jane, and Jack. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this title from the author and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
Lady Cecelia loves her family, her ancestral home, and village, but she is restless and bored. Her family is focused on making an advantageous marital match for her brother and an American heiress, but Cecelia’s mother still has time to poke at Cecelia about her own future. However, Cecelia is not very happy about her future prospects, married or not. So when Mrs. Amelia Price brings her Woman’s Suffrage Union assembly to town, Cecelia is drawn to the meeting and the idea of women having more freedoms. When Mrs. Price is found dead at the bottom of her cottage’s stairs, Cecelia is not as convinced as everyone else that it was an accident and sets out to unmask a killer.
I really enjoy this series. LADY RIGHTS A WRONG is even better than the delightful first book in the series LADY TAKES THE CASE. Lady Cecelia is bright, intelligent, and curious about the world around her. I think she is a good representation of the young ladies of her ere longing for a bit more out of their lives. Cecelia’s sometimes lady’s maid Jane is appealing and makes a good investigative partner. I would be remiss if I did not make note of darling Jack the cat that plays a big part in solving the mystery. The supporting characters are well drawn and add plenty of variety, and there are lots of viable suspects from which to choose. The mystery is engaging with clues dispersed throughout the story. I did identify the killer rather early, but it was still fun to go along with Cecelia as she put the pieces to the puzzle together.
LADY RIGHTS A WRONG is a wonder historical mystery, and I look forward to many more adventures with Lady Cecelia, Jane, and Jack. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this title from the author and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
June 2, 2020
Murder of a Suffragette
It’s 1912 and Lady Cecilia Bates of Danby Hall is feeling restless. Her brother is courting Annabelle Clarke, an American heiress, who has the qualities Cecilia’s mother wants in a daughter. Annabelle is eager to plan church fetes and is very amenable to marriage. Celia is bored by village fetes and isn’t interested in marriage. She wants to do something useful.
Cecelia’s view of the world brightens when Mrs. Amanda Price, a suffragette leader, comes to town to give a lecture. Determined to meet her hero, Cecelia and Jane, Amanda’s lady’s maid, contrive to attend the lecture and meet Mrs. Price. She invites Cecelia to visit her at Primrose Cottage that she is renting in the area.
When Cecelia arrives, Mrs. Price is dead having fallen down the stairs. The authorities believe it was an accident, but Cecelia thinks it was something else. She’s seen the underlying tension in the group and wonders why Mrs. Price doesn’t live with her husband. Soon she, Jane, and Cecelia’s cat are deep into trying to solve the mystery.
Cecelia is a good character. She wants to do something useful with her life, not just become the wife and mother her family expects her to be. My only problem with Cecelia is that she ruminates about her life choices constantly. It got a little wearing.
The mystery is entertaining with lots of suspects. The pacing is fair. It took almost a third of the book for the murder to happen. However, it’s an enjoyable read if you like historical mysteries.
I received this book from Net Galley for this review.
It’s 1912 and Lady Cecilia Bates of Danby Hall is feeling restless. Her brother is courting Annabelle Clarke, an American heiress, who has the qualities Cecilia’s mother wants in a daughter. Annabelle is eager to plan church fetes and is very amenable to marriage. Celia is bored by village fetes and isn’t interested in marriage. She wants to do something useful.
Cecelia’s view of the world brightens when Mrs. Amanda Price, a suffragette leader, comes to town to give a lecture. Determined to meet her hero, Cecelia and Jane, Amanda’s lady’s maid, contrive to attend the lecture and meet Mrs. Price. She invites Cecelia to visit her at Primrose Cottage that she is renting in the area.
When Cecelia arrives, Mrs. Price is dead having fallen down the stairs. The authorities believe it was an accident, but Cecelia thinks it was something else. She’s seen the underlying tension in the group and wonders why Mrs. Price doesn’t live with her husband. Soon she, Jane, and Cecelia’s cat are deep into trying to solve the mystery.
Cecelia is a good character. She wants to do something useful with her life, not just become the wife and mother her family expects her to be. My only problem with Cecelia is that she ruminates about her life choices constantly. It got a little wearing.
The mystery is entertaining with lots of suspects. The pacing is fair. It took almost a third of the book for the murder to happen. However, it’s an enjoyable read if you like historical mysteries.
I received this book from Net Galley for this review.
June 27, 2020
Manor Cat Mystery, #2. For those who have read the first book in the series, the characters will be familiar. Lady Cecilia Bates is spending some time resting after being involved with the murder in the first book. She and her maid Jane investigate the mysterious death of a suffragette leader, Amelia Price, in England in 1912. Mrs. Price has come to their village to speak and Lady Cecilia is able to sneak out and attend the rally. Her family is very much in opposition to the suffragists. Mrs. Price, her daughter and one of the organizers have rented a house for their stay. The steps to the upstairs are very steep and Mrs. Price suffers a fall. Was it an accident or did someone help her fall down those stairs? Mrs. Price has an unhappy ex-husband, two warring daughters, and her feminist organization is wrestling with opposing schools of thoughts, over who should be the next person to run it, so plenty of people have motives for murder.
Cecilia is a lady who was recently made aware of the suffragette movement. She finds she does have choices. Does she want to be free to live a single life, with travel and salons and no obligations like her mother's friend? Or does she want traditional marriage and family?
This series provides some background in the general mood of the time. And surely Cecilia would not have brought a cat in a carrier to a funeral.
I received an ARC from Net Galley and Penguin Random House, in exchange for a review.
Cecilia is a lady who was recently made aware of the suffragette movement. She finds she does have choices. Does she want to be free to live a single life, with travel and salons and no obligations like her mother's friend? Or does she want traditional marriage and family?
This series provides some background in the general mood of the time. And surely Cecilia would not have brought a cat in a carrier to a funeral.
I received an ARC from Net Galley and Penguin Random House, in exchange for a review.
May 23, 2020
Things feel so stagnant for Lady Cecilia. It's 1912 and she's sort of stuck, even as her brother courts an American and everyone's focused on making matches. She just doesn't care. Then, though, Amelia Price and the suffragette movement captures her attention. The Woman's Suffrage Union has lots of exciting ideas and women. But then- Amelia is found dead at the bottom of her stairs! Did she fall or was she pushed? Lady Cecilia, along with her really smart maid Jane, investigate in this historical cozy of sorts. Turns out that Amelia's marriage was troubled, the Union was filled with strife, and there's more than one person who wasn't happy with her. Purists of the period might quibble about Cecilia's relationship with Jane but this wouldn't work without it. AND, Jack the cat adds a nice touch. Genre readers will enjoy this one for the nice details and historical information (I did a bit of googling) as well as the characters. Thanks to edeleweiss for the ARC. I hadn't read the first book and read this with great enjoyment; now I'm looking forward to the next one!
July 9, 2021
Okay, I admit it, I went and fell in love with the Manor Cat Mystery series. There's just something about the English countryside, the manor and, of course, Lady Cecilia.
I liked the second book more than the first one because I felt the characters and their connections to each other were more defined, richer. I loved how the relationship between Cecilia and Annabelle grew and we got to see more of Annabelle's side. Jack, too, seemed to become more comfortable and even got to go on a road trip. Which is an absolutely adorable thing.
The plot, too, got more refined, the stage, as it were, expanded far more into the village and even London. My favorite twists were that the real Annabelle (she appears at the end of book 1) became part of the household and that Cecilia's love life and the pressing need to get married plays a good role in it.
Overall, it's E.C.'s holding to the traditions of that time and place that have me reading her stories. She's true to behavior, the cultural mores and the language.
The only issue I have is: When's book 3 coming out?
I liked the second book more than the first one because I felt the characters and their connections to each other were more defined, richer. I loved how the relationship between Cecilia and Annabelle grew and we got to see more of Annabelle's side. Jack, too, seemed to become more comfortable and even got to go on a road trip. Which is an absolutely adorable thing.
The plot, too, got more refined, the stage, as it were, expanded far more into the village and even London. My favorite twists were that the real Annabelle (she appears at the end of book 1) became part of the household and that Cecilia's love life and the pressing need to get married plays a good role in it.
Overall, it's E.C.'s holding to the traditions of that time and place that have me reading her stories. She's true to behavior, the cultural mores and the language.
The only issue I have is: When's book 3 coming out?
March 16, 2021
This is a good historical mystery that tells the story of Lady Cecilia, who is a young woman trying to find out what she wants to do with her life. The new Woman's Suffrage Movement intrigues her, and when the leader of that group is murdered soon after Cecilia has met her, Cecilia decides to investigate herself and try to find out what really happened. She is aided in her investigation by her lady's maid, who is actually more of a companion than a servant, and by some of the other persons in her life. As far as her own life is concerned, Cecilia cannot decide what she wants to do with her future. She doesn't think she wants to be 'lady of the manor' and longs for more adventure and excitement like her Aunt Maggie has in her life, but at the same time, she is somewhat impressed with an eligible young man who wants to get to know her. With the murder solved, Cecilia has decisions to make, and those decisions will hopefully become clear in the next entry in this excellent series.
April 21, 2020
It is super exciting to find a new writer who provides an excellent story, full of suspense, as well as great characters and charming settings. Lady Cecilia is young and bored, unable to settle for the life that stretches out for her. However, an encounter with a charismatic leader of the Woman’s Suffrage Union brings sudden and dramatic changes to her life. Readers will thoroughly enjoy the development of Cecelia, her sharp young maid Jane, and the interesting cast of characters. The time period is 1912, with societal changes, particularly voting rights for women, at the forefront. Casey does a wonderful job in examining these tensions. Readers of period mysteries are in for a treat with this new series! Bravo! Absolutely charming and immensely readable. Highly recommended for mystery collections. Readers, I urge you to start on this series now!
December 30, 2022
This book reminded me of Downton Abbey -- a Downton Abbey wannabe. The characters modeled after the daughters, and also taking up the women's right to vote movement. The events in the book:
suffragette meetings, teas, balls, church bazaars, the friendship between the main character and a maid, also echo those portrayed in Downton Abbey, leaving me feeling that it was trying to ride the success of Downton Abbey. The writing did not develop the characters enough (maybe that was in the first book) and I kept thinking why is she doing this? I guess women were really bored at the time, but then did they really have that much freedom to just randomly decide to attend meetings and meet up with people their parents disapproved of? I also found the potential romantic men love interests with their various positions in society to be a bit unbelievable.
suffragette meetings, teas, balls, church bazaars, the friendship between the main character and a maid, also echo those portrayed in Downton Abbey, leaving me feeling that it was trying to ride the success of Downton Abbey. The writing did not develop the characters enough (maybe that was in the first book) and I kept thinking why is she doing this? I guess women were really bored at the time, but then did they really have that much freedom to just randomly decide to attend meetings and meet up with people their parents disapproved of? I also found the potential romantic men love interests with their various positions in society to be a bit unbelievable.
March 6, 2024
This is the second book in the Manor Cat Mysteries. I haven’t seen that there is a third, perhaps there won’t be.
In this edition, Cecelia Bates becomes interested in the women’s suffragette movement. When the leader of the union comes to Danby, it riles up some local men. Mrs. Price, who Cecelia befriends, is found dead, but was it an accident or murder?
I enjoyed the story. It was okay. It was annoying that Cecelia never quite committed to joining the union or even saying that women should have the vote. She was much too wishy washy for me. The opposite opinion was clearly spoken by many around her, but there were never clear reasons given to not favor, which was ridiculous.
The murder mystery was okay. It did give quite a few suspects, and the ending was decent. I would give this a 3.25 ish.
In this edition, Cecelia Bates becomes interested in the women’s suffragette movement. When the leader of the union comes to Danby, it riles up some local men. Mrs. Price, who Cecelia befriends, is found dead, but was it an accident or murder?
I enjoyed the story. It was okay. It was annoying that Cecelia never quite committed to joining the union or even saying that women should have the vote. She was much too wishy washy for me. The opposite opinion was clearly spoken by many around her, but there were never clear reasons given to not favor, which was ridiculous.
The murder mystery was okay. It did give quite a few suspects, and the ending was decent. I would give this a 3.25 ish.
June 1, 2020
Do you love Downton Abbey? Do you like a little light murder? Our intrepid Lady Cecilia and the ever-handy Jane and their adorable cat Jack are back.
I loved this one more than the first book! First of all - Cecilia is a lot bolder now. She is interested in the world - Suffragettes especially and is ready to take on her parents a little bit more. Not to mention possibly, maybe... flirt with the handsome footman. Jane is - as always - logical and kind and ready to get into all the scrapes that her ladyship leads towards. Second - I love history. And this book felt like it had more of the history to add depth to the story.
I loved this one more than the first book! First of all - Cecilia is a lot bolder now. She is interested in the world - Suffragettes especially and is ready to take on her parents a little bit more. Not to mention possibly, maybe... flirt with the handsome footman. Jane is - as always - logical and kind and ready to get into all the scrapes that her ladyship leads towards. Second - I love history. And this book felt like it had more of the history to add depth to the story.
June 17, 2025
I purchased Lady Rights a Wrong from my public library's bookstore. I was hoping that the suffragette protagonist, Lady Cecilia Bates, would be a character who would capture my interest. Cecilia is investigating the death of suffragette leader, Amelia Price, which seems to be an accident.
I was engaged by this book through a good proportion of my reading process, but I have to say that I eventually found it tiresome. I imagine I will give it a B- grade which would be two stars on Goodreads.
For my complete review see the blog version at https://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2025...
I was engaged by this book through a good proportion of my reading process, but I have to say that I eventually found it tiresome. I imagine I will give it a B- grade which would be two stars on Goodreads.
For my complete review see the blog version at https://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2025...
July 7, 2020
Eliza Casey allows the reader to get to know the victim by letting us peak into her life as she is still alive through a big part of the book. It was a delightful surprise for me. What a great way to keep us on the hook by allowing us to have this personal relationship with Amelia Price before she dies. So many times, the victims are already dead when we start reading, and we have to learn about them as clues are dropped into the story. The ending is deliciously surprising as well. And of course, if a cat is also a main character in the story, the book is a must read for me anyway. Enjoy!
August 23, 2024
The reading for this book was just as well-done as the first, although the story felt like it didn't have the same pace as the first. There is now another suitor for Lady Cecelia in the mix, an Earl no less! The same warm familiar features of the English village life are present; although you feel the shadows of WWI on the horizon. I wish there had been more about Jane in this novel since she was a wonderful feature in the last one and I almost wish the next book could fast forward to see where the characters are during the Great War. A lovely cozy that's a comfort read.
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