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Gilded Newport Mysteries #8
Murder at Kingscote
For fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th century elite in this gripping series of riveting mysteries…
In late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . .
On a clear July day in 1899, the salty ocean breeze along Bellevue Avenue carries new smells of gasoline and exhaust as Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, covers Newport's first-ever automobile parade. But the festive atmosphere soon turns to shock as young Philip King drunkenly swerves his motorcar into a wooden figure of a nanny pushing a pram on the obstacle course.
That evening, at a dinner party hosted by Ella King at her magnificent Gothic-inspired "cottage," Kingscote, Emma and her beau Derrick Andrews are enjoying the food and the company when Ella's son staggers in, obviously still inebriated. But the disruption is nothing compared to the urgent shouts of the coachman. Rushing out, they find the family's butler pinned against a tree beneath the front wheels of Philip's motorcar, close to death.
At first, the tragic tableau appears to be a reckless accident--one which could ruin Philip's reputation. But when Emma later receives a message informing her that the butler bullied his staff and took advantage of young maids, she begins to suspect the scene may have been staged and steers the police toward a murder investigation. But while Emma investigates the connections between a competing heir for the King fortune, a mysterious child, an inmate of an insane asylum, and the brutal boxing rings of Providence, a killer remains at large--with unfinished business to attend to . . .
In late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . .
On a clear July day in 1899, the salty ocean breeze along Bellevue Avenue carries new smells of gasoline and exhaust as Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, covers Newport's first-ever automobile parade. But the festive atmosphere soon turns to shock as young Philip King drunkenly swerves his motorcar into a wooden figure of a nanny pushing a pram on the obstacle course.
That evening, at a dinner party hosted by Ella King at her magnificent Gothic-inspired "cottage," Kingscote, Emma and her beau Derrick Andrews are enjoying the food and the company when Ella's son staggers in, obviously still inebriated. But the disruption is nothing compared to the urgent shouts of the coachman. Rushing out, they find the family's butler pinned against a tree beneath the front wheels of Philip's motorcar, close to death.
At first, the tragic tableau appears to be a reckless accident--one which could ruin Philip's reputation. But when Emma later receives a message informing her that the butler bullied his staff and took advantage of young maids, she begins to suspect the scene may have been staged and steers the police toward a murder investigation. But while Emma investigates the connections between a competing heir for the King fortune, a mysterious child, an inmate of an insane asylum, and the brutal boxing rings of Providence, a killer remains at large--with unfinished business to attend to . . .
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2020
191 people are currently reading
778 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Maxwell
29 books1,082 followersAlyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries, inspired by her husband’s family whose Newport origins date back numerous generations. The series features the glamour of the Gilded Age and a sleuth who is a Newporter born and raised, and also a less "well-heeled" cousin of the Vanderbilt family. Alyssa also writes A Lady & Lady’s Maid Mysteries, an English-set series that begins as WWI is ending. She and her husband live in South Florida, where she is a member of the Florida chapter of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers. You can visit her at http://alyssamaxwell.com, and find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
December 1, 2023
It's 1899, and newspaper editor Emma Cross is attending Newport's first-ever automobile parade. She is admiring the colorfully decorated vehicles when there is a ruckus. It seems young Phillip King drunkenly ran his car into a figure on the obstacle course. Later that evening, he is accused of using his car to pin the family butler, Isaiah Baldwin, to a tree. When Baldwin dies, people are calling for Phillip's arrest. But Emma believes that the butler was murdered. With the help of newspaper owner Derrick Andrews and Detective Jessie Whyte, Emma learns that there is a long list of people who wanted the butler dead.
This is a solid mystery with lots of suspects. Phillip's mother, Ella King asks Emma to help clear her son's name. Emma and her friends talk to the servants at Kingscote, the King's summer cottage, and find out that Isaiah Baldwin was not liked at all. Many people had reason to kill him. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is a solid mystery with lots of suspects. Phillip's mother, Ella King asks Emma to help clear her son's name. Emma and her friends talk to the servants at Kingscote, the King's summer cottage, and find out that Isaiah Baldwin was not liked at all. Many people had reason to kill him. My rating: 4 Stars.
February 1, 2024
A dinner party is interrupted when an accident occurs. A butler at the Newport mansion Kingscote has been hit by a car and there are a number of suspects, including the constantly inebriated wealthy son of the household. When investigative reporter Emma looks into the case, she finds that the butler has a number of enemies. I have not read many in this series, but I do enjoy them. This was quite enjoyable and I especially loved the setting, having been to the famous and beautiful Cliff Walk.
June 30, 2020
When a dinner party is held at Kingscote cottage, the butler is found run into by the family motorcar, and dies from the injury. Plenty of secrets come to light as investigative journalist and amateur sleuth Emma Cross assists local police with detecting who murdered the butler. She digs up surprising information about betting, gambling, blackmail and more.
Murder at Kingscote is book 8 of 8 in A Gilded Newport Mystery series by Alyssa Maxwell, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in July 1899 Newport, Rhode Island, where the richest Four Hundred come to spend their summer. We follow Emmeline, Emma, Cross in her sleuthing adventure. The seriously unpopular butler of Kingscote is found close to death between the family motorcar and a tree in the cottage garden. Philip King, eldest son, has just used the car and is suspected of the murder. Everything is not as it seems and with Emma’s contacts, friends and intimate knowledge of the community, she uncovers links to betting, gambling, and more.
Main character and narrator, Emmaline, Emma, Cross is editor-in-chief of Newport Messenger. I am impressed with her. There’s something relentless about her questioning of suspects. She’s like a dog with a bone, reminding me of Miss Marple; always close by when a murder happens. She is my favorite character of this story.
Supporting character Derrick Andrews is owner of several newspapers. He seems under his mother’s thumb about his presence in Society and choosing the right woman to marry. He seems to have little mind of his own around Emma, which annoys me.
I felt the characters of this story interesting and multilayered. It’s like I could have known them I real life. The descriptions of New England luxury cottages of the gilded age were detailed and well researched, particularly the grand gothic Newport cottage Kingscote.
I found descriptions of a New England charity event to be my favorite part of this story. The lifestyle and interactions between people reminded me of Downton Abbey with all the grandeur and luxury.
My least favorite part of this story was descriptions of how mental Health treatment was conducted at the time. To put close relatives into institutions seem to have been pretty easy to do.
Murder at Kingscote is the first book I have read by Alyssa Maxwell. As there were plenty of hints to previous stories, reading it as a standalone worked perfectly. Plenty of exiting and surprising twists and turns along the way made me end up with quite a few suspects, none of which was the right one. The ending was a complete surprise unlike any other I have read.
Murder at Kingscote is the captivating series conclusion about a murder in rich people’s summer haven Newport, where an investigative journalist digs up information to help police solve the case.
Fans of Alyssa Maxwell will enjoy this book. As will readers of murder mystery. Similar authors to explore might be Clara McKenna or Dianne Freeman.
Thank you to publisher Kensington Books and NetGally for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
Murder at Kingscote is book 8 of 8 in A Gilded Newport Mystery series by Alyssa Maxwell, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in July 1899 Newport, Rhode Island, where the richest Four Hundred come to spend their summer. We follow Emmeline, Emma, Cross in her sleuthing adventure. The seriously unpopular butler of Kingscote is found close to death between the family motorcar and a tree in the cottage garden. Philip King, eldest son, has just used the car and is suspected of the murder. Everything is not as it seems and with Emma’s contacts, friends and intimate knowledge of the community, she uncovers links to betting, gambling, and more.
Main character and narrator, Emmaline, Emma, Cross is editor-in-chief of Newport Messenger. I am impressed with her. There’s something relentless about her questioning of suspects. She’s like a dog with a bone, reminding me of Miss Marple; always close by when a murder happens. She is my favorite character of this story.
Supporting character Derrick Andrews is owner of several newspapers. He seems under his mother’s thumb about his presence in Society and choosing the right woman to marry. He seems to have little mind of his own around Emma, which annoys me.
I felt the characters of this story interesting and multilayered. It’s like I could have known them I real life. The descriptions of New England luxury cottages of the gilded age were detailed and well researched, particularly the grand gothic Newport cottage Kingscote.
I found descriptions of a New England charity event to be my favorite part of this story. The lifestyle and interactions between people reminded me of Downton Abbey with all the grandeur and luxury.
My least favorite part of this story was descriptions of how mental Health treatment was conducted at the time. To put close relatives into institutions seem to have been pretty easy to do.
Murder at Kingscote is the first book I have read by Alyssa Maxwell. As there were plenty of hints to previous stories, reading it as a standalone worked perfectly. Plenty of exiting and surprising twists and turns along the way made me end up with quite a few suspects, none of which was the right one. The ending was a complete surprise unlike any other I have read.
Murder at Kingscote is the captivating series conclusion about a murder in rich people’s summer haven Newport, where an investigative journalist digs up information to help police solve the case.
Fans of Alyssa Maxwell will enjoy this book. As will readers of murder mystery. Similar authors to explore might be Clara McKenna or Dianne Freeman.
Thank you to publisher Kensington Books and NetGally for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
December 18, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
A beautiful day in 1899 Newport brings everyone out to watch the first-ever automobile parade. A little accident mars the day for the King family but that doesn’t stop Ella King’s plan for her dinner party at the “magnificent Gothic-inspired “cottage,” Kingscote”. Journalist Emma Cross and her beau Derrick Andrews are delighted to attend. Mrs. King is upset that her son has not arrived when dinner is served but she is furious when he staggers in drunk as dessert is being served. Soon after shouts are heard from outside. The fog has set in making it almost impossible to see what is causing the ruckus but as they get closer they see the family’s butler smashed between a tree and the drunken Phillip’s car. He dies soon after being freed and the death was no accident.
Emma is drawn into the case when she receives a message about the butler’s past. There is also plenty of other drama involving the King family so Emma is running herself ragged to fit all the pieces together and find a killer.
I really enjoy this series. Allyssa Maxwell takes us back in times so effortlessly. This time we were treated to Kingscote, a Gothic-inspired “cottage” and other Newport places. The book cover starts us off with a vision and then the author’s writing paints the perfect picture of each and every scene.
The character descriptions are also detailed and developed. Emma is an independent free-thinking woman and an excellent sleuth. Her quest to get the truth has no bounds. Phillip King claims he did not drive the car into the butler and the tree and her investigation seems to point in that direction as well. It is so much fun to tag along with her as pursues each clue and theory.
Her relationship with newspaper owner Derrick Andrews is progressing nicely. His mother is still not happy about their courting but he seems to be gaining more independence in each story. They also make a great investigative team.
The entire supporting cast comes truly alive. I envisioned each and every one so clearly. From the clothes they were wearing, the tone of their voices, how they moved, where they went, and everything around them. Ms. Maxwell’s descriptive writing style really is a gift.
The author has written a complex mystery that takes Emma and Derrick beyond the confines of Newport. They make visits to a boxing ring and an insane asylum trying to find the answers they need. The story twists and turns in very interesting ways. Secrets and family connections were revealed. It brought out emotions I don’t usually feel when reading a mystery. I was on the right track solving the mystery but I was surprised at part of the reveal. The twist at the end was very unexpected.
Murder at Kingscote was a very engaging read. The characters were extraordinary, the mystery was so richly plotted and written, and the setting was ideal. I love stories set in the Gilded Era. Each book in this series has been a pleasure to read. Emma has had some amazing adventures. I am a stickler for reading books in order but each of the books reads very well on its own.
A beautiful day in 1899 Newport brings everyone out to watch the first-ever automobile parade. A little accident mars the day for the King family but that doesn’t stop Ella King’s plan for her dinner party at the “magnificent Gothic-inspired “cottage,” Kingscote”. Journalist Emma Cross and her beau Derrick Andrews are delighted to attend. Mrs. King is upset that her son has not arrived when dinner is served but she is furious when he staggers in drunk as dessert is being served. Soon after shouts are heard from outside. The fog has set in making it almost impossible to see what is causing the ruckus but as they get closer they see the family’s butler smashed between a tree and the drunken Phillip’s car. He dies soon after being freed and the death was no accident.
Emma is drawn into the case when she receives a message about the butler’s past. There is also plenty of other drama involving the King family so Emma is running herself ragged to fit all the pieces together and find a killer.
I really enjoy this series. Allyssa Maxwell takes us back in times so effortlessly. This time we were treated to Kingscote, a Gothic-inspired “cottage” and other Newport places. The book cover starts us off with a vision and then the author’s writing paints the perfect picture of each and every scene.
The character descriptions are also detailed and developed. Emma is an independent free-thinking woman and an excellent sleuth. Her quest to get the truth has no bounds. Phillip King claims he did not drive the car into the butler and the tree and her investigation seems to point in that direction as well. It is so much fun to tag along with her as pursues each clue and theory.
Her relationship with newspaper owner Derrick Andrews is progressing nicely. His mother is still not happy about their courting but he seems to be gaining more independence in each story. They also make a great investigative team.
The entire supporting cast comes truly alive. I envisioned each and every one so clearly. From the clothes they were wearing, the tone of their voices, how they moved, where they went, and everything around them. Ms. Maxwell’s descriptive writing style really is a gift.
The author has written a complex mystery that takes Emma and Derrick beyond the confines of Newport. They make visits to a boxing ring and an insane asylum trying to find the answers they need. The story twists and turns in very interesting ways. Secrets and family connections were revealed. It brought out emotions I don’t usually feel when reading a mystery. I was on the right track solving the mystery but I was surprised at part of the reveal. The twist at the end was very unexpected.
Murder at Kingscote was a very engaging read. The characters were extraordinary, the mystery was so richly plotted and written, and the setting was ideal. I love stories set in the Gilded Era. Each book in this series has been a pleasure to read. Emma has had some amazing adventures. I am a stickler for reading books in order but each of the books reads very well on its own.
September 9, 2020
Main character Emma Cross – distant relative of the Vanderbilt clan – has had to forge her own way in the world. Being independent and clever she is very much up to the task.
#8 in this enjoyable series Emma again finds herself in the midst of a murder mystery – only this time is it an accident or is it really murder?
I especially like that Ms. Maxwell sets each of these Gilded Newport Mysteries around one of the very real stately homes of the rich and famous in Newport as well as intertwining real and fictional characters.
This is pure delightful light entertainment.
#8 in this enjoyable series Emma again finds herself in the midst of a murder mystery – only this time is it an accident or is it really murder?
I especially like that Ms. Maxwell sets each of these Gilded Newport Mysteries around one of the very real stately homes of the rich and famous in Newport as well as intertwining real and fictional characters.
This is pure delightful light entertainment.
September 21, 2020
I enjoyed this historical mystery with strong, ahead-of-their times female character like Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher. In Murder at Kingscote, our protagonist journalist Emma Cross, editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, is covering Newport's first-ever automobile parade set in 1899. Emma investigates a reckless accident or a plot deep into murder against the heir of the King fortune. Set in the backdrop of a gothic inspired mansion the Kingscote is everything I love in this amazing cozy mystery series! A tight and twisty plot, fun characters, the elegant Newport setting and a strong woman ahead of her time that is relatable as she is admirable. Totally enjoyed this one and will be reading the rest of the series! Alyssa Maxwell is a fantastic writer and definitely transported me to Newport in 1899.
August 10, 2020
Murder At Kingscote is the eight book in the A Gilded Newport Mystery series.
This series features a different house of the Gilded Era of Newport, RI. The house in this book will be Kingscote, the home of the King family.
It’s July 1899 and the residents of Newport are lining up along Bellevue Avenue to witness the first parade of locally owned automobiles. Emma meets Mrs. King and she has invited Emma and her boyfriend, Derrick to attend a dinner that she is having for friends. After the parade, they move on to the area where an obstacle course where drivers will show their talent driving their cars. The next to enter the course is Mrs. King’s son, Philip. Philip loses control of his car and hits a wooden statue that represents a nanny and with her charge.
That evening at Mrs. King’s, everyone is enjoying dinner when Philip enters, clearly intoxicated, and makes a scene. Shortly thereafter, a scream is heard from outdoors. Emma and several guests go to see what the problem might be. They soon find the King’s butler pinned between the car and a tree. He is rushed to the hospital but later dies. Philip claims that he didn’t hit the butler and Emma doesn’t think he was that intoxicated that he would have done it. Emma arranges with Mrs. King to have her reporter, Ethan, take over the butler duties while she and the police will endeavor to find who murdered the butler. They’re that the staff will be more willing to talk with “one of their own”.
In addition to investigating the murder of the butler, Emma is also looking to the claims of Eugenia Ross that she should have inherited Kingscote instead of Mrs. King. Ross has been trying for years to have the house awarded to her.
I love this series. It is so interesting to read about the period and the author does a wonderful job of describing the houses and their properties, as well as what it was like to live in the 1890s. The story is well-written and plotted. It has a wonderful cast of characters that are well-developed and believable. I was kept guessing until the end as to who the murderer was.
I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this delightful series.
This series features a different house of the Gilded Era of Newport, RI. The house in this book will be Kingscote, the home of the King family.
It’s July 1899 and the residents of Newport are lining up along Bellevue Avenue to witness the first parade of locally owned automobiles. Emma meets Mrs. King and she has invited Emma and her boyfriend, Derrick to attend a dinner that she is having for friends. After the parade, they move on to the area where an obstacle course where drivers will show their talent driving their cars. The next to enter the course is Mrs. King’s son, Philip. Philip loses control of his car and hits a wooden statue that represents a nanny and with her charge.
That evening at Mrs. King’s, everyone is enjoying dinner when Philip enters, clearly intoxicated, and makes a scene. Shortly thereafter, a scream is heard from outdoors. Emma and several guests go to see what the problem might be. They soon find the King’s butler pinned between the car and a tree. He is rushed to the hospital but later dies. Philip claims that he didn’t hit the butler and Emma doesn’t think he was that intoxicated that he would have done it. Emma arranges with Mrs. King to have her reporter, Ethan, take over the butler duties while she and the police will endeavor to find who murdered the butler. They’re that the staff will be more willing to talk with “one of their own”.
In addition to investigating the murder of the butler, Emma is also looking to the claims of Eugenia Ross that she should have inherited Kingscote instead of Mrs. King. Ross has been trying for years to have the house awarded to her.
I love this series. It is so interesting to read about the period and the author does a wonderful job of describing the houses and their properties, as well as what it was like to live in the 1890s. The story is well-written and plotted. It has a wonderful cast of characters that are well-developed and believable. I was kept guessing until the end as to who the murderer was.
I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this delightful series.
August 1, 2020
Maxwell’s latest Gilded Newport mystery takes a more modern turn when the murder weapon is the latest form of transportation – the automobile. Focusing less on the mansion and more on the family, Murder at Kingscote tells the story of the King family and the competing heir that challenged the family for the estate while adding an intriguing mystery. As always, Emma is a standout sleuth, and the story is original and entertaining.
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For more reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro... and my newsletter: https://www.cfapage.net/subscribe.
September 6, 2022
Really enjoyed this installment of the Gilded Newport Mysteries! It was an intricate story that kept you guessing. The recurring characters have become so well developed that it's easy to get swept up in the pages and feel like you're experiencing everything right along with them. This definitely felt like a real tried and true mystery, which hasn't always been the case for me reading this series. It was well-executed and surprising without being too far-fetched. I also enjoyed the history of boxing thrown in as something different. And loving where Emma and Derrick's relationship is going at this point. Excellent cozy!
December 29, 2020
Interesting at the beginning but it lost me as it progressed... It seemed like Emma spent a lot of time on really implausible hypotheses, and I found the ending rather sloppy. And she carries herself with much more authority these days, so it's hard to give her a pass as an amateur. I enjoyed the earlier books considerably more, where she's exploring her place within society and her family, and investigating things within that context, rather than standing outside of it as self-appointed judge and jury.
I do plan to read future novels in the series though, in hopes of better things.
I do plan to read future novels in the series though, in hopes of better things.
September 26, 2020
Another summer season in Newport (1899) sees the spectacle of the members of the Four Hundred in their first ever automobile parade. Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger is on hand to collect money for the St. Nicholas Orphanage in Providence while reporter Ethan Merriman covers the event for the society page. The happy excitement quickly turns to dread when Eugenia Ross shows up to threaten the King family's inheritance. Then young Philip King drunkenly runs his borrowed auto into an obstacle course figure causing consternation among the onlookers. Derrick is back in Newport for the summer with his mother who still disapproves of Emma but that doesn't stop Derrick's personal or business interest in Emma. Together they attend a small dinner party at Mrs. King's that quickly turns to tragedy with Philip arrives late, drunk and careless and the butler goes missing. The butler turns up crumpled and pinned against a tree by Philip's borrowed auto. It was a foggy night and no one saw anything. If Mr. Baldwin dies, Philip could be charged with murder! Emma and Derrick set out to find out what really happened. When Mr. Baldwin dies from his injuries, the already growing civil unrest in town increases with the locals calling for Philip to be locked up. As Emma and Derrick's investigation gets underway, it doesn't look good for Philip but then they uncover some secrets that reveal all was not as happy as it seemed belowstairs at Kingscote. Could one of the servants have killed the butler? While Emma hopes it was an accident, she likes Mrs. King and truly doesn't want to see the woman hurt by her son's actions. Can Emma solve the mystery before Philip is charged with a crime he may not have committed?
This is another amazing entry into one of my favorite series. I love immersing myself in Gilded Age Newport and since I am unable to travel to Newport this summer (mostly just because I'm unwilling to spend two hours on a city bus), this book is the next best thing. I've never been to Kingscote but I've seen it from the street and seen pictures of it. I appreciate the attention to detail Alyssa Maxwell gives to the historical setting. She doesn't just show us the mansion as it exists today in museum form, she gives us a living, breathing home populated by real people. I am always surprised when the local Newporters appear because no one EVER talks about THEM! It's always all about the mansions. This novel looks more deeply at the social stratification. You not only have the wealthy New Yorkers but also their servants (Where do they come from? How were they hired?) and then the local Newporters, the people who make society run. They are laborers and business owners tired of the wealthy always getting away with bad behavior. As usual, Emma travels to lesser known landmarks in Newport like Stone Villa and the opera house. I had to look those up! Even more fun, Emma and Derrick take a quick trip to Providence! I always forget that in the 1890s, the only way to get to/from Newport was by boat. It seems funny to think of even though I have to cross a bridge to get there. Anyway, I loved the trip to Providence and to Butler Hospital. I am QUITE familiar with that neighborhood. I was surprised when Emma and Derrick hired a carriage (cab) to take them there. Surely they could have taken the trolley? The trolley stop is right there. I looked it up and sure enough, the trolley is still a few years in the future for Emma. I am so impressed Alyssa Maxwell took the time to get that small detail right instead of relying on the public transit system and geography of today.
The plot is tight. I was hooked right away. I don't like cars so the beginning was a little boring but once the investigation got underway I had a hard time putting the book down. I stayed up a little late to finish it. I figured out the clues pretty easily. If this book was set anywhere else I would probably say the plot relied on too many coincidences to be believable, but in Rhode Island, the whole state is connected so the coincidences were a little more believable. Mostly. I had a short list of suspects, excluding Philip because it's never the person suspected. I ended up really surprised by whodunit. There were some twists I did not expect. I was saddened by some of the revelations. I'm tired of the #MeToo plotlines in historical novels but at least Alyssa Maxwell established a precedent before #MeToo and it isn't something new. She also captured the feeling of frustration with the elite that's happening now.
As always, I adore Emma. She makes so much sense for the 1890s. She's not a modern woman transplanted back in time. In the 1890s women were taking on new roles, including careers working with new technology. Nellie Bly was an investigative reporter covering the seedier side of American life and Emma admires her greatly. Some of the Four Hundred women were also philanthropists helping women and children in need and not all were greedy aristocrats. Emma is very smart and passionate. She investigates because she has a need to know and a desire to bring about justice no matter what. She can use her unique position as someone from an elite family but not one of them to investigate both the wealthy and the common people. This time she's partnered with Derrick. He lets her take the lead in the investigation most of the time and respects her enough to follow through with things she asks that seem a little unorthodox. I really like them together in this book. The romance is advancing nicely and for the first time, Emma and Derrick are equal partners. I finally see a future for them but I still don't think it will be happily ever after for these two. Not unless Derrick gives up everything for her. I can't see Emma being happy in Providence as a wife and mother and I can't see Derrick cutting ties with his family and their business. Their romance is heating up - by Victorian standards, with some passionate kissing! I'm happy the love triangle has been resolved.
As usual Nanny and Katie are delightful supporting characters. They've been through a lot and are still devoted to Emma. They get to assist in the investigation using their position as servants to gossip and discover information Emma needs to know. The only other recurring character is Jesse and he's hardly in the book. A new recurring character is Ethan Merriman, the Society columnist for the Messenger. He is eager to cover Society events but when Emma gives him a meatier task, he isn't sure he's up for it. Ethan is a bit timid, especially for a Victorian man. He undertakes the assignment willingly and even after a rocky start, he pulls through. I have a soft spot for him now. He's kind of charming. Not so charming is Emma's reporter, Jacob. He has every reason to resent Emma. She isn't very sympathetic towards him when she should be.
The King family includes Mrs. King, her son Philip and daughter Gwendolen. Their adversary, Mrs. Eugenia Ross, claims they stole her rightful fortune. Eugenia claims she's the rightful heir to the King fortune. She claims to be a relative, of sorts, of William King, owner of Kingscote. She claims the current Kings claimed a relation to William King that didn't exist and shut him in an insane asylum to get their hands on his fortune. Is Eugenia telling the truth? Her brash manner and frequent confrontations with the Kings don't endear her to anyone including the reader but she brings up some interesting questions. Was William King insane? Does he deserve sympathy? Did he have the right to spend his own money as he wished? I strongly suspect Eugenia is capable of murder to get what she wants. Mrs. King is classy and doesn't engage in arguments with her rival. She loves her children but isn't unaware of her son's faults. She seems like a fair employer but lets her housekeeper manage everything for the short time the family is in residence.
Philip is a youth and not likely to grow up any time soon. Like Reggie Vanderbilt, he has too much free time/not enough to do and doesn't seem to have much in the way of intelligence either. Philip loves all things dangerous including automobiles and boxing, much to his mother's dismay. I don't think Philip is a deliberate murderer so it can't be him. He doesn't have the guts to do it and I would think that if he did kill Baldwin, he wouldn't have come in the house as if nothing had happened. He'd come in and pour more liquor down his throat. In real life, I would think that yes he did cause an accident unintentionally but as this is a novel, I know it can't be the person everyone thinks it is. Gwendolen is more intelligent than her brother. She knows something is going on in the house that isn't quite right and has enough sense to ask Emma about it instead of investigating on her own. She's strong-minded but like her mother, can be carelessly snobby at times. Her friendship with Maude Wetmore is really nice to see. It's unusual for young women in Gilded Age high society to be that close. Usually they're competing for the same eligible young men. Maude is more cynical and more perceptive than her friend. She keeps her mouth shut about what she notices unless it's necessary.
The butler, Mr. Baldwin, appeared from nowhere to apply for the job. Who is he and what's his story? I think he was a nasty man in league with someone nefarious, probably Eugenia! The secrets Emma uncovers are appalling and make me surprised no one murdered this man before now! Louise Peake, Mrs. King's housekeeper and travelling companion is in charge of the house. She is benevolent and kind but won't allow anything to upset her lady. Mrs. Peake overlooked some of the things that were happening in her domain. She wants to see justice done but doesn't want Philip to be guilty. I think she is guilty of being busy and a bit blind as to what the servants were up to.
Other servants in the King household include Martin and Clarence, the footmen. They do their job well and show concern for their fellow servants. They're both accounted for at the time of the murder. Clarence is maybe a little less honorable than Martin. Olivia Riley, an Irish maid, is rather mysterious. No one knows where she was at the time of the murder. I guessed her secret pretty quickly. She is a sympathetic character and I think Emma should have guessed more about Olivia's background earlier. Emma wasn't entirely kind in her dealings with Olivia but she makes up for it later. I like Olivia and hope she's not the murderer! Donovan, the coachman, is also unaccounted for at the time of the murder. Like Olivia, he has secrets he keeps to himself. It could be that he's drinking in his spare time which is a truly awful thing for a coachman to do. I don't find him likable or sympathetic and think he could be at the top of Emma's suspect list.
Another suspect is Francis Crane, Philip's buddy. He too gets my vote for likely murderer. He's new money and some of the clues point towards him. Francis is trying to ingratiate himself with the Four Hundred and become one of them but they won't accept him. He is interested in Gwendolen beyond friendship and it's awful how he's on hand to "provide comfort" to her. He makes me think of a weasel. I think he could have orchestrated the murder and framed Philip to get back at Philip for being really rude about the class difference. Emma doesn't want it to be Francis because she's sympathetic being in a similar situation.
Tyson Dooley, boxing ring manager, is an awful person. He's a misogynist and a bully. He knows more about Philip, Francis and even Baldwin than he lets on. While Philip is worth more to him alive than dead, perhaps he wanted Baldwin dead for some reason and slipped onto the grounds of Kingscote in the fog and rolled that auto into the butler. I'd like it to be him. I have the same opinion of boxing and the toxic culture of masculinity in sports/sports fans as Emma. Yuck. I do like Harry Aisnley though. I feel immensely sorry for him. His aid seems kind but I wonder how realistic he is for the time? Harry is an intensely sympathetic character. My heart broke when his full story was revealed. I wonder what he'd be like if he was less brain damaged? If he wouldn't be as sweet?
The author's note reveals she included her husband's family in a cameo! That's a little too meta for me but she's obviously quite proud of them.
This is another amazing entry in one of my favorite series. Take a virtual tour of Kingscote while reading this.
I can't wait to see where the dead body turns up next! There's The Elms, still being built in 1899; Rosecliff, also still being built; Isaac Bell House; Hunter House; Chepstow and any that are now private or demolished.
This is another amazing entry into one of my favorite series. I love immersing myself in Gilded Age Newport and since I am unable to travel to Newport this summer (mostly just because I'm unwilling to spend two hours on a city bus), this book is the next best thing. I've never been to Kingscote but I've seen it from the street and seen pictures of it. I appreciate the attention to detail Alyssa Maxwell gives to the historical setting. She doesn't just show us the mansion as it exists today in museum form, she gives us a living, breathing home populated by real people. I am always surprised when the local Newporters appear because no one EVER talks about THEM! It's always all about the mansions. This novel looks more deeply at the social stratification. You not only have the wealthy New Yorkers but also their servants (Where do they come from? How were they hired?) and then the local Newporters, the people who make society run. They are laborers and business owners tired of the wealthy always getting away with bad behavior. As usual, Emma travels to lesser known landmarks in Newport like Stone Villa and the opera house. I had to look those up! Even more fun, Emma and Derrick take a quick trip to Providence! I always forget that in the 1890s, the only way to get to/from Newport was by boat. It seems funny to think of even though I have to cross a bridge to get there. Anyway, I loved the trip to Providence and to Butler Hospital. I am QUITE familiar with that neighborhood. I was surprised when Emma and Derrick hired a carriage (cab) to take them there. Surely they could have taken the trolley? The trolley stop is right there. I looked it up and sure enough, the trolley is still a few years in the future for Emma. I am so impressed Alyssa Maxwell took the time to get that small detail right instead of relying on the public transit system and geography of today.
The plot is tight. I was hooked right away. I don't like cars so the beginning was a little boring but once the investigation got underway I had a hard time putting the book down. I stayed up a little late to finish it. I figured out the clues pretty easily. If this book was set anywhere else I would probably say the plot relied on too many coincidences to be believable, but in Rhode Island, the whole state is connected so the coincidences were a little more believable. Mostly. I had a short list of suspects, excluding Philip because it's never the person suspected. I ended up really surprised by whodunit. There were some twists I did not expect. I was saddened by some of the revelations. I'm tired of the #MeToo plotlines in historical novels but at least Alyssa Maxwell established a precedent before #MeToo and it isn't something new. She also captured the feeling of frustration with the elite that's happening now.
As always, I adore Emma. She makes so much sense for the 1890s. She's not a modern woman transplanted back in time. In the 1890s women were taking on new roles, including careers working with new technology. Nellie Bly was an investigative reporter covering the seedier side of American life and Emma admires her greatly. Some of the Four Hundred women were also philanthropists helping women and children in need and not all were greedy aristocrats. Emma is very smart and passionate. She investigates because she has a need to know and a desire to bring about justice no matter what. She can use her unique position as someone from an elite family but not one of them to investigate both the wealthy and the common people. This time she's partnered with Derrick. He lets her take the lead in the investigation most of the time and respects her enough to follow through with things she asks that seem a little unorthodox. I really like them together in this book. The romance is advancing nicely and for the first time, Emma and Derrick are equal partners. I finally see a future for them but I still don't think it will be happily ever after for these two. Not unless Derrick gives up everything for her. I can't see Emma being happy in Providence as a wife and mother and I can't see Derrick cutting ties with his family and their business. Their romance is heating up - by Victorian standards, with some passionate kissing! I'm happy the love triangle has been resolved.
As usual Nanny and Katie are delightful supporting characters. They've been through a lot and are still devoted to Emma. They get to assist in the investigation using their position as servants to gossip and discover information Emma needs to know. The only other recurring character is Jesse and he's hardly in the book. A new recurring character is Ethan Merriman, the Society columnist for the Messenger. He is eager to cover Society events but when Emma gives him a meatier task, he isn't sure he's up for it. Ethan is a bit timid, especially for a Victorian man. He undertakes the assignment willingly and even after a rocky start, he pulls through. I have a soft spot for him now. He's kind of charming. Not so charming is Emma's reporter, Jacob. He has every reason to resent Emma. She isn't very sympathetic towards him when she should be.
The King family includes Mrs. King, her son Philip and daughter Gwendolen. Their adversary, Mrs. Eugenia Ross, claims they stole her rightful fortune. Eugenia claims she's the rightful heir to the King fortune. She claims to be a relative, of sorts, of William King, owner of Kingscote. She claims the current Kings claimed a relation to William King that didn't exist and shut him in an insane asylum to get their hands on his fortune. Is Eugenia telling the truth? Her brash manner and frequent confrontations with the Kings don't endear her to anyone including the reader but she brings up some interesting questions. Was William King insane? Does he deserve sympathy? Did he have the right to spend his own money as he wished? I strongly suspect Eugenia is capable of murder to get what she wants. Mrs. King is classy and doesn't engage in arguments with her rival. She loves her children but isn't unaware of her son's faults. She seems like a fair employer but lets her housekeeper manage everything for the short time the family is in residence.
Philip is a youth and not likely to grow up any time soon. Like Reggie Vanderbilt, he has too much free time/not enough to do and doesn't seem to have much in the way of intelligence either. Philip loves all things dangerous including automobiles and boxing, much to his mother's dismay. I don't think Philip is a deliberate murderer so it can't be him. He doesn't have the guts to do it and I would think that if he did kill Baldwin, he wouldn't have come in the house as if nothing had happened. He'd come in and pour more liquor down his throat. In real life, I would think that yes he did cause an accident unintentionally but as this is a novel, I know it can't be the person everyone thinks it is. Gwendolen is more intelligent than her brother. She knows something is going on in the house that isn't quite right and has enough sense to ask Emma about it instead of investigating on her own. She's strong-minded but like her mother, can be carelessly snobby at times. Her friendship with Maude Wetmore is really nice to see. It's unusual for young women in Gilded Age high society to be that close. Usually they're competing for the same eligible young men. Maude is more cynical and more perceptive than her friend. She keeps her mouth shut about what she notices unless it's necessary.
The butler, Mr. Baldwin, appeared from nowhere to apply for the job. Who is he and what's his story? I think he was a nasty man in league with someone nefarious, probably Eugenia! The secrets Emma uncovers are appalling and make me surprised no one murdered this man before now! Louise Peake, Mrs. King's housekeeper and travelling companion is in charge of the house. She is benevolent and kind but won't allow anything to upset her lady. Mrs. Peake overlooked some of the things that were happening in her domain. She wants to see justice done but doesn't want Philip to be guilty. I think she is guilty of being busy and a bit blind as to what the servants were up to.
Other servants in the King household include Martin and Clarence, the footmen. They do their job well and show concern for their fellow servants. They're both accounted for at the time of the murder. Clarence is maybe a little less honorable than Martin. Olivia Riley, an Irish maid, is rather mysterious. No one knows where she was at the time of the murder. I guessed her secret pretty quickly. She is a sympathetic character and I think Emma should have guessed more about Olivia's background earlier. Emma wasn't entirely kind in her dealings with Olivia but she makes up for it later. I like Olivia and hope she's not the murderer! Donovan, the coachman, is also unaccounted for at the time of the murder. Like Olivia, he has secrets he keeps to himself. It could be that he's drinking in his spare time which is a truly awful thing for a coachman to do. I don't find him likable or sympathetic and think he could be at the top of Emma's suspect list.
Another suspect is Francis Crane, Philip's buddy. He too gets my vote for likely murderer. He's new money and some of the clues point towards him. Francis is trying to ingratiate himself with the Four Hundred and become one of them but they won't accept him. He is interested in Gwendolen beyond friendship and it's awful how he's on hand to "provide comfort" to her. He makes me think of a weasel. I think he could have orchestrated the murder and framed Philip to get back at Philip for being really rude about the class difference. Emma doesn't want it to be Francis because she's sympathetic being in a similar situation.
Tyson Dooley, boxing ring manager, is an awful person. He's a misogynist and a bully. He knows more about Philip, Francis and even Baldwin than he lets on. While Philip is worth more to him alive than dead, perhaps he wanted Baldwin dead for some reason and slipped onto the grounds of Kingscote in the fog and rolled that auto into the butler. I'd like it to be him. I have the same opinion of boxing and the toxic culture of masculinity in sports/sports fans as Emma. Yuck. I do like Harry Aisnley though. I feel immensely sorry for him. His aid seems kind but I wonder how realistic he is for the time? Harry is an intensely sympathetic character. My heart broke when his full story was revealed. I wonder what he'd be like if he was less brain damaged? If he wouldn't be as sweet?
The author's note reveals she included her husband's family in a cameo! That's a little too meta for me but she's obviously quite proud of them.
This is another amazing entry in one of my favorite series. Take a virtual tour of Kingscote while reading this.
I can't wait to see where the dead body turns up next! There's The Elms, still being built in 1899; Rosecliff, also still being built; Isaac Bell House; Hunter House; Chepstow and any that are now private or demolished.
August 24, 2020
This was a highly enjoyable historical mystery.
I enjoyed the historical detail of late nineteenth-century Newport and the families that lived there at the time. I feel like I took my own personal tour of Kingscote just by the detailed descriptions in the book.
This is the eighth book in the series and I haven’t read any of the other books yet. I think the author did an excellent job of clueing in the new reader about things that happened in previous books. She did it in a concise way, just a paragraph or two, that didn’t give away the murderer. I appreciate that since I want to go back and read the other books in the series.
There were a lot of twists and turns on the way to figuring out the murderer. I like the use of a car as a murder weapon, especially in 1899 when automobiles were still new. There are plenty of suspects to pick from and I didn't figure it out until the end.
Many thanks to the Kensington Books and to NetGalley for this advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the historical detail of late nineteenth-century Newport and the families that lived there at the time. I feel like I took my own personal tour of Kingscote just by the detailed descriptions in the book.
This is the eighth book in the series and I haven’t read any of the other books yet. I think the author did an excellent job of clueing in the new reader about things that happened in previous books. She did it in a concise way, just a paragraph or two, that didn’t give away the murderer. I appreciate that since I want to go back and read the other books in the series.
There were a lot of twists and turns on the way to figuring out the murderer. I like the use of a car as a murder weapon, especially in 1899 when automobiles were still new. There are plenty of suspects to pick from and I didn't figure it out until the end.
Many thanks to the Kensington Books and to NetGalley for this advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2020
I loved the depictions of Newport. The mystery wasn’t my favorite in the series, but it still had plenty of twists and turns. I still don’t like Derrick at all though.
April 10, 2024
Voto massimo perché non avevo proprio capito chi fosse il colpevole e mi è piaciuto il finale, con la decisione non proprio "ortodossa" presa dalla protagonista per quanto riguarda una cameriera.
Detto questo, in questo volume si presenta la "novità" dell'automobile, in quello precedente era stata la volta dell'elettricità in casa: tutte le volte c'è qualcuno (più di uno, a dire il vero) che afferma che queste "novità" avranno vita breve. Come si sono sbagliati! Come per il telefono, che nel primo libro è un'altra di queste nuove invenzioni e in questo viene usato spesso dalla protagonista. Però, effettivamente, all'epoca questi marchingegni dovevano sembrare una mezza assurdità...
Detto questo, in questo volume si presenta la "novità" dell'automobile, in quello precedente era stata la volta dell'elettricità in casa: tutte le volte c'è qualcuno (più di uno, a dire il vero) che afferma che queste "novità" avranno vita breve. Come si sono sbagliati! Come per il telefono, che nel primo libro è un'altra di queste nuove invenzioni e in questo viene usato spesso dalla protagonista. Però, effettivamente, all'epoca questi marchingegni dovevano sembrare una mezza assurdità...
October 30, 2022
I have been reading this series this year and really enjoying it. I had taken a break from it but picked up book 8 this weekend. I enjoyed it and being back with Emma and the gang. I did feel that I wanted more of Newport in this one, while it was the setting they were not exploring as much as they have in the past.
August 25, 2020
Murder at Kingscote is the eighth book in the Gilded Newport Mystery series by Alyssa Maxwell and I have to say I believe this is my favorite one of this series.....so far. I have had the pleasure of reading all of the books in this series and have fallen in love with everything about it. Readers cannot help but love and admire the main character, Emma Cross, everything she does for herself and others and everything she stands for.
The Gilded Newport Mystery series is set in the late nineteenth century and they are set in Newport, Rhode Island. The series follows Emma Cross around as she is a reporter turned editor-in-chief of a local newspaper. The newspaper is owned by Derrick Andrews who is interested in Emma for more than her reporting skills....and she likes him but fears she does not fit into his lifestyle. Derrick and his family are rich and they belong to the "Four Hundred" group. This is a group that is defined as the number of wealthy people that will fit nicely into Caroline Astor's New York ballroom. (Caroline Astor was a socialite and an heiress who ruled in society during the nineteenth century.) Emma has aunts and uncles that belong to the Four Hundred but she, herself, does not. This, however, does not stop her from being invited to events and seen in the company of members of the group.
Not only is Emma known for her wealthy relatives and her reporting skills but she is known to help solve a murder from time to time....and in Murder at Kingscote she is again in the middle of a murder. After Emma and Derrick attend the very first automobile parade, they are invited back to the home of Ella King for a small dinner party. While attending dinner Ella's son, Phillip, shows up late and is drunk, and a short time later the butler is found wedged between an automobile and a tree. Baldwin, the butler, dies a short time later from his injuries and Phillip is placed on house arrest while the police investigate.
Emma will do whatever it takes to solve a case and when she is called upon by Mrs. King to look into Baldwin's murder she enlists the help of her society journalist, Ethan Merriman to go undercover as the new butler to get to know the other servants to see what he can learn about Baldwin's murder. Ethan and Emma also had to get Mrs. King's and Jesse, the head detective's, approval. But having someone on the inside doesn't make it any easier for Emma to solve the case......
Maxwell always amazes me with her story telling abilities. And to write about a time in the past when things were so different. She writes like she actually lived during the time making readers feel like they are there also. While you are reading this series, you cannot help but get lost in the story and the series.
October 14, 2020
Newport is hosting it's first car parade and Emma Cross is there to watch it in her new position as editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger. Everyone is half afraid of a tragic accident since the cars are traveling at breakneck speeds, some approaching 15 mph! But the only incident occurs when a drunk Philip King crashes into a wooden pram and nanny, killing both of them. Emma and her erstwhile beau, Derrick Andrews are invited to Philip's home for dinner that evening by his mother, the owner of Kindgscote. That evening the butler is murdered when the family car rams him into a tree. What follows is a frolicking good romp through turn of the century Newport with the mores of its time and the limitations those place on people. It's another entertaining look at the gilded age of Newport.
September 3, 2020
1899 Newport genteel and with very rigid demarcations of society. Emma is not part of famous Four Hundred families and hence though on the fringes related to everyone is not quite accepted as being within the famed group. It does not bother Emma who has now landed the position of Editor in chief of the Messenger but it does affect her marital chances with someone whom she has fallen in love with.
An automobile parade is a highlight of the summer events, but a death seems to uncover a string of suspects, hidden histories and past events which everyone is trying very hard to conceal. The blame seems to fall on young Philip King a notable young man prone to gambling debts and a very likely suspect in the first murder. For the sake of his mother Emma along with the help of Douglas the owner of the paper who is also the man she is in love with, pursue various avenues trying to find out who could want the butler dead.
Past incidents with long histories of animosity and revenge surface and now there are multiple suspects all have to be researched and eliminated to come to the truth.
The mystery murder was one story, but the social setting of 1989 Newport was the one which I liked very much. Reveals a world stepping into the modern era but with strong holds to tradition sometimes hidebound tradition and customs which surely must be eliminated.
Interesting social history reading.
An automobile parade is a highlight of the summer events, but a death seems to uncover a string of suspects, hidden histories and past events which everyone is trying very hard to conceal. The blame seems to fall on young Philip King a notable young man prone to gambling debts and a very likely suspect in the first murder. For the sake of his mother Emma along with the help of Douglas the owner of the paper who is also the man she is in love with, pursue various avenues trying to find out who could want the butler dead.
Past incidents with long histories of animosity and revenge surface and now there are multiple suspects all have to be researched and eliminated to come to the truth.
The mystery murder was one story, but the social setting of 1989 Newport was the one which I liked very much. Reveals a world stepping into the modern era but with strong holds to tradition sometimes hidebound tradition and customs which surely must be eliminated.
Interesting social history reading.
August 25, 2020
Newport, Rhode Island - 1899
Emma Cross is the editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger. She is watching a parade of automobiles decked out with flowers and other decorations. This is a city inhabited by extremely rich members of society. The parade is meant to raise money for charity. Emma is a cousin of the Vanderbilt family, but does not share their wealth. She lives in a cottage with her housekeeper and one time Nanny, and Katie, her maid. Emma’s beau, Derrick, joins her to watch the parade. He is from a wealthy family himself, but his mother does not approve of Emma.
When the King family’s car goes by, the son, Philip, is driving the car and is clearly intoxicated. When he hits and demolishes a barrier, Emma wishes he would not drive, but he continues on.
Later that evening, Emma and Derrick are guests of Mrs. King for dinner at Kingscote. It is a beautiful mansion and expensively decorated. Philip joins them late for dinner, still clearly inebriated. Soon, a scream is heard outside. The butler has been crushed into tree by Philip’s car and is barely alive. Philip claims he did not hit the man. Could the car have rolled into him? When the butler dies, a murder investigation begins. Emma, Derrick, and Emma’s old friend and police chief, Jesse, work together to try and figure out what really happened.
Once again, the author has out together a jigsaw of a mystery that keeps the reader wondering if they have figured it out only to realize they have been outfoxed. I have to hand it to Alyssa Maxwell for creating her stories that include the gorgeous mansions of this area and the clean, wholesome mannerisms of the time period. I look forward to yet another terrific mystery by this great author.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Emma Cross is the editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger. She is watching a parade of automobiles decked out with flowers and other decorations. This is a city inhabited by extremely rich members of society. The parade is meant to raise money for charity. Emma is a cousin of the Vanderbilt family, but does not share their wealth. She lives in a cottage with her housekeeper and one time Nanny, and Katie, her maid. Emma’s beau, Derrick, joins her to watch the parade. He is from a wealthy family himself, but his mother does not approve of Emma.
When the King family’s car goes by, the son, Philip, is driving the car and is clearly intoxicated. When he hits and demolishes a barrier, Emma wishes he would not drive, but he continues on.
Later that evening, Emma and Derrick are guests of Mrs. King for dinner at Kingscote. It is a beautiful mansion and expensively decorated. Philip joins them late for dinner, still clearly inebriated. Soon, a scream is heard outside. The butler has been crushed into tree by Philip’s car and is barely alive. Philip claims he did not hit the man. Could the car have rolled into him? When the butler dies, a murder investigation begins. Emma, Derrick, and Emma’s old friend and police chief, Jesse, work together to try and figure out what really happened.
Once again, the author has out together a jigsaw of a mystery that keeps the reader wondering if they have figured it out only to realize they have been outfoxed. I have to hand it to Alyssa Maxwell for creating her stories that include the gorgeous mansions of this area and the clean, wholesome mannerisms of the time period. I look forward to yet another terrific mystery by this great author.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 20, 2020
1899 Newport, Rhode Island. Emma Cross, editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, and her friend Derrick Andrews, are attending a dinner party hosted by Ella King, when her drunken son disrupts the proceeding. A few minutes later the the butler is discovered, dying, pinned to a tree by Philip King's car. Detective Jesse Whyte investigates with the help of Emma and Derrick.
But was it an accident, or murder. But what could be the motive if murder.
An entertaining historical murder mystery, well-written and with a varied cast of likeable characters. Another good addition to this series.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
But was it an accident, or murder. But what could be the motive if murder.
An entertaining historical murder mystery, well-written and with a varied cast of likeable characters. Another good addition to this series.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2020
I really enjoy this series. Love Emma and the trouble she gets into as she works at the local newspaper. As a poor relative of the Vanderbilt's she needs to work for a living, but it allows her to interact with the wealthy of Newport. So you get to see both sides of her world. I like the added history that is given in the books.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2023
I wish I could go back in time to visit Gilded Age Newport and New York City. Alyssa Maxwell does a fantastic job of immersing the reader into the time period, particularly through the lens of someone struggling between the world of businesswoman and her elite Vanderbilt family.
November 17, 2020
3.75
Another good mystery in this series. I’m curious to see what will happen to finally have Derrick and Emma make it official.
Another good mystery in this series. I’m curious to see what will happen to finally have Derrick and Emma make it official.
December 12, 2021
Good story with interesting twists.
October 2, 2022
I'm getting super tired of our girl, for some reason she got so preachy and redundant in her lectures.
March 17, 2025
Like the throwback different then I’m used to reading
May 16, 2020
Editor-in-chief, Emma Cross is set to enjoy a dinner party in the company of her beau, Derrick Andrews. Phillip King arrives late and drink, and not long after, it is discovered that the butler is pinned between a tree and King's automobile. A drunken accident or something more? Trying to juggle her responsibilities, Emma pursues the truth once again.
Emma has come a long way since the first book. She has the responsibility of a newspaper on her shoulders, but she longs to be back in the field. Though she officially assigns the Philip King case to one of the newspaper's journalist, she cannot resist following the clues herself.
The case itself is one full of twists. There is a lot happening in this story. There is the woman competing for the King fortune, an inmate in an insane asylum, and boxing rings, to name just a few. There are suspects a plenty.
While I found the ending convenient, it was an enjoyable read. Fans of the series will enjoy this one. I recieved a free copy from NetGalley and all openions expressed are my own.
Emma has come a long way since the first book. She has the responsibility of a newspaper on her shoulders, but she longs to be back in the field. Though she officially assigns the Philip King case to one of the newspaper's journalist, she cannot resist following the clues herself.
The case itself is one full of twists. There is a lot happening in this story. There is the woman competing for the King fortune, an inmate in an insane asylum, and boxing rings, to name just a few. There are suspects a plenty.
While I found the ending convenient, it was an enjoyable read. Fans of the series will enjoy this one. I recieved a free copy from NetGalley and all openions expressed are my own.
January 6, 2021
3.5 stars
This is an interesting historical series. I believe there is enough detail and back story to make it work as a standalone, although it's probably best to start at the beginning.
Emma Cross is independent, especially for a late 19th century woman. While she has moneyed relations, she belongs to the less wealthy line of the family, so she has a foot in both worlds. Likewise, she is a newspaper reporter at a time when both the public and the industry mostly shunned women.
Emma gets involved as usual with a crime featuring the idle rich of Newport. She has a better understanding than any police officer of that time of the class differences and the inequities of the justice system. When a servant of a wealthy friend is found murdered, suspicion falls on the young gentleman of the house, but it is another servant who they actually jail.
These books are interesting because they are each rooted in fact -- historically accurate events and situations that occurred in these elite families. Emma is smart and independent and often chafes at society's restrictions.
This is an interesting historical series. I believe there is enough detail and back story to make it work as a standalone, although it's probably best to start at the beginning.
Emma Cross is independent, especially for a late 19th century woman. While she has moneyed relations, she belongs to the less wealthy line of the family, so she has a foot in both worlds. Likewise, she is a newspaper reporter at a time when both the public and the industry mostly shunned women.
Emma gets involved as usual with a crime featuring the idle rich of Newport. She has a better understanding than any police officer of that time of the class differences and the inequities of the justice system. When a servant of a wealthy friend is found murdered, suspicion falls on the young gentleman of the house, but it is another servant who they actually jail.
These books are interesting because they are each rooted in fact -- historically accurate events and situations that occurred in these elite families. Emma is smart and independent and often chafes at society's restrictions.
March 22, 2024
8 down 4 to go
I've tried to be fair in reviewing each book. But for all my complaints I do keep coming back.
I'm not sure after this book that I'll finish the series. As always the author's note did NOT disappoint.
I should say that each book though part of s series with an overall plot can still be read as stand alone books. Trust me you won't miss a thing. The author is excellent and determined to repeat everything several times in each book
For parents looking for good books for their young adult children these would be a great. The author points out clues often stressing them repeatedly. This is great for young readers showing an interest in solving mysteries. The books stay away from sex scenes, cursing, and so far show no strong undertones of trying to assert a political agenda. Although the topics are adult they are G rated compared to anything shown on television. For these reasons I do applaud the author for bringing a bit of history to life and staying true to her style by keeping it clean.
I've tried to be fair in reviewing each book. But for all my complaints I do keep coming back.
I'm not sure after this book that I'll finish the series. As always the author's note did NOT disappoint.
I should say that each book though part of s series with an overall plot can still be read as stand alone books. Trust me you won't miss a thing. The author is excellent and determined to repeat everything several times in each book
For parents looking for good books for their young adult children these would be a great. The author points out clues often stressing them repeatedly. This is great for young readers showing an interest in solving mysteries. The books stay away from sex scenes, cursing, and so far show no strong undertones of trying to assert a political agenda. Although the topics are adult they are G rated compared to anything shown on television. For these reasons I do applaud the author for bringing a bit of history to life and staying true to her style by keeping it clean.
May 27, 2021
Newport is all agog in the Jully, 1899, as it is about to have its first ever automobile parade. Allof the local "cottage" owners have an entry. Unfortunately, things become awkward when Philip King unintnetioally swerves and hits a wooden obstacle int he form of a nany with a baby pram. It turns out that he is drunk, and it will prove to be the first of a series of difficult times for the the family that owns Kingscote.
That evening Emma Cross, the editer of the local Messenger newspaper, and Derrick Andrews, the owner of the paper and her on-again-off-again beau, are invited to dinner at Kingscote that evening. As if the day wasn't already filled with auto-related trauma, it turns out the family's butler is pinned to a tree on the property by Philip's motorcar. Baldwin does not survive the experience, and everyone's attention quickly turns to Philip himself, who had just recently returned home quite drunk.
It is not long before Emma finds herself working the case, which quickly becomes more involved than the unfortunate accident everyone first thougth it was. Baldwin was not well-liked by the rest of the staff. That is true not only of his current posting at Kingscote, but alsso from previous postings at other estates, where he seemed ot be a center of no shortage of drama.
As Emma, Andrews, and their friends and staff dig deeper into the mysteries surrounding the staff and family at Kingscote, they get closer to the truth, but it is one filled with dark secrets, despair, and even more danger.
This was another really interesting book in the series. I delving into a series set in a city with which I am familiar. While more than a century has passed, there are so many familiar locations that pop up. Emma also continues to find herself growing professionally and finding her way in a city populated by the richest of the rich and no shortage of people just struggling to get by. It is also great to see Emma have movement as she gets to further her career but also sort out her romantic life.
They mystery itself is definitely intriguing as the families of both the Kings and some of their servants are so intertwined with complexity to bring out no sortage of possible motives for murder. I was actually caught of guard and surprised by the ending.
I also love how Maxwell takes the time to present information about the real people and places that populate the pages of the novel.
That evening Emma Cross, the editer of the local Messenger newspaper, and Derrick Andrews, the owner of the paper and her on-again-off-again beau, are invited to dinner at Kingscote that evening. As if the day wasn't already filled with auto-related trauma, it turns out the family's butler is pinned to a tree on the property by Philip's motorcar. Baldwin does not survive the experience, and everyone's attention quickly turns to Philip himself, who had just recently returned home quite drunk.
It is not long before Emma finds herself working the case, which quickly becomes more involved than the unfortunate accident everyone first thougth it was. Baldwin was not well-liked by the rest of the staff. That is true not only of his current posting at Kingscote, but alsso from previous postings at other estates, where he seemed ot be a center of no shortage of drama.
As Emma, Andrews, and their friends and staff dig deeper into the mysteries surrounding the staff and family at Kingscote, they get closer to the truth, but it is one filled with dark secrets, despair, and even more danger.
This was another really interesting book in the series. I delving into a series set in a city with which I am familiar. While more than a century has passed, there are so many familiar locations that pop up. Emma also continues to find herself growing professionally and finding her way in a city populated by the richest of the rich and no shortage of people just struggling to get by. It is also great to see Emma have movement as she gets to further her career but also sort out her romantic life.
They mystery itself is definitely intriguing as the families of both the Kings and some of their servants are so intertwined with complexity to bring out no sortage of possible motives for murder. I was actually caught of guard and surprised by the ending.
I also love how Maxwell takes the time to present information about the real people and places that populate the pages of the novel.
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