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Miss Alice #1
Murder by Midnight
Murder and mystery in a Scottish castle...
When Alice Beckingham boards a train for Edinburgh in 1929, she begins a journey that will test everything she thinks she knows about her past and her family. From the moment of her arrival at the rugged and remote Druiminn Castle, something sinister haunts her steps.
With the murder of her host and the revelation that one of her fellow guests at the castle is an unscrupulous jewel thief, Alice resolves to uncover secrets that someone will stop at nothing to keep hidden.
Coercing the coolly unpredictable Sherborne Sharp into assisting her, Alice follows in the footsteps of her detective cousin Rose and pursues a heartless killer through glittering dining rooms, shadowed passages, and moonlit groves. A mysterious local legend may hold the key to unraveling everything, but will Alice survive long enough to decipher it?
When Alice Beckingham boards a train for Edinburgh in 1929, she begins a journey that will test everything she thinks she knows about her past and her family. From the moment of her arrival at the rugged and remote Druiminn Castle, something sinister haunts her steps.
With the murder of her host and the revelation that one of her fellow guests at the castle is an unscrupulous jewel thief, Alice resolves to uncover secrets that someone will stop at nothing to keep hidden.
Coercing the coolly unpredictable Sherborne Sharp into assisting her, Alice follows in the footsteps of her detective cousin Rose and pursues a heartless killer through glittering dining rooms, shadowed passages, and moonlit groves. A mysterious local legend may hold the key to unraveling everything, but will Alice survive long enough to decipher it?
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
1287 people are currently reading
1164 people want to read
About the author
Blythe Baker
117 books387 followersBlythe Baker is a thirty-something bottle redhead from the South Central part of the country. When she’s not slinging words and creating new worlds and characters, she’s acting as chauffeur to her children and head groomer to her household of beloved pets.
Blythe enjoys long walks with her dog on sweaty days, grubbing in her flower garden, cooking, and ruthlessly de-cluttering her overcrowded home. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV and burying herself in books about murder.
Blythe enjoys long walks with her dog on sweaty days, grubbing in her flower garden, cooking, and ruthlessly de-cluttering her overcrowded home. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV and burying herself in books about murder.
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February 7, 2025
She said, I'm slipping through your grip like glass, oh, but you're holding on / She said, a thunder bolt ain't built to last, oh, but you're holding on (Anybody Else – Dom Fera).
Seattleites aren’t built for this hot ass weather, I'm telling you. Like damn, make me lose my breath make me water, for real. It makes me yearn for cooler times. Dare I say something a little spookier? Yeah well, Murder by Midnight (I'm going to be saying the title at every chance I get like I'm advertising in The Truman Show) swooped in at the perfect time with the chilliest of chilly ghost stories to distract from the hot days. It makes me reminisce about the good old days, like ahhh, lovely memories. One time when I’m was really young, my older brother decided to test out his storytelling chops by telling my cousin and me sordid ghost stories while desperately trying to scare the shit out of us in the meantime. You know, it's that age old, older brother thing! And the whole thing being under candle light and everything, it was quite the production. Yeah well, spoiler alert, but the twist at the end of his story was one of those… pause for dramatic effect… “he was dead all along” type of deals. Can’t beat the classics, huh? The thing is, I was way too young to even be scared and I’m pretty sure I didn’t understand what ghosts actually were at that point. Both my brother and cousin had to over explain the ending to which my only response constantly being “Whaa? If he was right there the whole time, then how could he have been dead? I don’t get it?” Looking back, this must have been where my party pooper tendencies started (and maybe my brother's start of darkness, who knows?), because nothing gave me more joy than shrugging at the supernatural. I can’t say that I’ve changed all that much in the meantime, because to this day, my overall reaction to ghost stories has generally remained on the muted side. I think that’s why I love it so much when horror tropes bleed into the mystery genre. Mysteries are always so strictly grounded in reality that they can sometimes come across as rather bland, so when we get a crossover event with horror, we still get the logical explanation for the wild stuff that happens throughout the story, but with the added benefit of there being spooks aplenty. Oh yeah, I loved this book, by the way. Sometimes I get lost in my head and forget what I’m here for. Oops, on to paragraph two!
I remember when I was young that... just kidding, I'll talk about the book now. Murder by Midnight is pretty much everything I’ll ever need in a mystery novel. If I'm looking for it, I know for a fact that one of these books will have it! Atmosphere, intrigue, and multifaceted characters? Wow, it's rare to find all three! But most importantly, it has a love interest that's not too annoying and only shows up when the plot demands for it! Oh how I loathe when the boyfriend characters exist outside the main plot and are only there for the sake of relationship drama, like David from Truly Devious (seriously, that guy sucked ass). As for the story, I can safely say that for what it lacks in the “challenging-brain-twisting-mystery” department, it more than makes up for in its stellar writing style and Alice’s strong and unique narrative voice. And look, I’m really easy to please and I’m always gushing about these cozy mysteries like they’ve completely changed the game, but this time it’s a little different. I’m gushing about this book specifically for its sense of familiarity. There’s a lot that’s already been done here in other books, but if forced to choose, this book will always be on the list. Besides, there a murder mystery taking place in a castle or mansion or what-have-you will always be a big hit in my book. Murder by Midnight is wonderful. It never gets too clinical in its representation of murder and takes on a realistic portrayal of grief while also managing to have a lot of fun with its mystery in a way that’s reminiscent of Clue (1985). It’s new, It’s classic, it’s everything! And if nothing else, this book simply proves to me how irrelevant having a sexy, six-packed-up guy on the cover really is at the end of the day. For one, the dude on this book’s cover, Sherborne, looks like the love child between a human Hamburglar and Mr. Monopoly if Mr. Monopoly was stretched out by those medieval stretchy devices. Um, where was I going with this? Oh yeah… I still thought he was fine as hell. Anyway, this is my second viewing and it’s just as good as the first! It’s nice to fall into a story so deeply that the hours gone by feel like moments. Sure, this book isn’t reinventing the wheel, and some of the tropes here are older than the golden rule, but it’s whatever, you know? We can always just say that it’s new.
“It may have been less bravery and more stupidity. Though, it worked out well for me.”
Seattleites aren’t built for this hot ass weather, I'm telling you. Like damn, make me lose my breath make me water, for real. It makes me yearn for cooler times. Dare I say something a little spookier? Yeah well, Murder by Midnight (I'm going to be saying the title at every chance I get like I'm advertising in The Truman Show) swooped in at the perfect time with the chilliest of chilly ghost stories to distract from the hot days. It makes me reminisce about the good old days, like ahhh, lovely memories. One time when I’m was really young, my older brother decided to test out his storytelling chops by telling my cousin and me sordid ghost stories while desperately trying to scare the shit out of us in the meantime. You know, it's that age old, older brother thing! And the whole thing being under candle light and everything, it was quite the production. Yeah well, spoiler alert, but the twist at the end of his story was one of those… pause for dramatic effect… “he was dead all along” type of deals. Can’t beat the classics, huh? The thing is, I was way too young to even be scared and I’m pretty sure I didn’t understand what ghosts actually were at that point. Both my brother and cousin had to over explain the ending to which my only response constantly being “Whaa? If he was right there the whole time, then how could he have been dead? I don’t get it?” Looking back, this must have been where my party pooper tendencies started (and maybe my brother's start of darkness, who knows?), because nothing gave me more joy than shrugging at the supernatural. I can’t say that I’ve changed all that much in the meantime, because to this day, my overall reaction to ghost stories has generally remained on the muted side. I think that’s why I love it so much when horror tropes bleed into the mystery genre. Mysteries are always so strictly grounded in reality that they can sometimes come across as rather bland, so when we get a crossover event with horror, we still get the logical explanation for the wild stuff that happens throughout the story, but with the added benefit of there being spooks aplenty. Oh yeah, I loved this book, by the way. Sometimes I get lost in my head and forget what I’m here for. Oops, on to paragraph two!
I remember when I was young that... just kidding, I'll talk about the book now. Murder by Midnight is pretty much everything I’ll ever need in a mystery novel. If I'm looking for it, I know for a fact that one of these books will have it! Atmosphere, intrigue, and multifaceted characters? Wow, it's rare to find all three! But most importantly, it has a love interest that's not too annoying and only shows up when the plot demands for it! Oh how I loathe when the boyfriend characters exist outside the main plot and are only there for the sake of relationship drama, like David from Truly Devious (seriously, that guy sucked ass). As for the story, I can safely say that for what it lacks in the “challenging-brain-twisting-mystery” department, it more than makes up for in its stellar writing style and Alice’s strong and unique narrative voice. And look, I’m really easy to please and I’m always gushing about these cozy mysteries like they’ve completely changed the game, but this time it’s a little different. I’m gushing about this book specifically for its sense of familiarity. There’s a lot that’s already been done here in other books, but if forced to choose, this book will always be on the list. Besides, there a murder mystery taking place in a castle or mansion or what-have-you will always be a big hit in my book. Murder by Midnight is wonderful. It never gets too clinical in its representation of murder and takes on a realistic portrayal of grief while also managing to have a lot of fun with its mystery in a way that’s reminiscent of Clue (1985). It’s new, It’s classic, it’s everything! And if nothing else, this book simply proves to me how irrelevant having a sexy, six-packed-up guy on the cover really is at the end of the day. For one, the dude on this book’s cover, Sherborne, looks like the love child between a human Hamburglar and Mr. Monopoly if Mr. Monopoly was stretched out by those medieval stretchy devices. Um, where was I going with this? Oh yeah… I still thought he was fine as hell. Anyway, this is my second viewing and it’s just as good as the first! It’s nice to fall into a story so deeply that the hours gone by feel like moments. Sure, this book isn’t reinventing the wheel, and some of the tropes here are older than the golden rule, but it’s whatever, you know? We can always just say that it’s new.
“It may have been less bravery and more stupidity. Though, it worked out well for me.”
February 17, 2020
The beginning of this book was rather disconcerting. While billed as the first in the Miss Alice mystery series, it turns out some of the characters were featured in the author’s previous Rose Beckingham mystery series. In the first chapter it felt as if I was thrown into the middle of a mystery (the murder of Alice’s brother, which apparently happened in the first series). Fortunately, the focus turned to the current story, in which Alice and her mother head to a house party in Scotland.
In the early stages of the house party, Alice does everything she can to avoid being matched up with the youngest son of the host family. But the plot quickly turns to mystery when someone is murdered, and all of the guests are instructed by the police to stay in the castle. There were lots of potential suspects, and Alice -- with no training whatsoever -- decides to try and solve the murder. Apparently, this interest in mysteries comes from Rose (of the previous mystery series).
The beginning was definitely slow going for me, and I came close to putting the book down. In the end, I found the mystery interesting, and would like to see more of Alice and the mysterious Sherborne Sharp.
I would give this a C+/B-, so three stars here.
In the early stages of the house party, Alice does everything she can to avoid being matched up with the youngest son of the host family. But the plot quickly turns to mystery when someone is murdered, and all of the guests are instructed by the police to stay in the castle. There were lots of potential suspects, and Alice -- with no training whatsoever -- decides to try and solve the murder. Apparently, this interest in mysteries comes from Rose (of the previous mystery series).
The beginning was definitely slow going for me, and I came close to putting the book down. In the end, I found the mystery interesting, and would like to see more of Alice and the mysterious Sherborne Sharp.
I would give this a C+/B-, so three stars here.
February 25, 2021
Just. Wow. Unintentionally funny at times. Written like bad fan fiction. There were sentences here and there that indicated more talent, but overall this was a predictable dud. Though her bios are intentionally vague, it would appear that the author is just one more American who thought setting a story in London/Scotland would attract more interest. Outside of the setting, there is nothing remotely British about it. The speech patterns, manners, etc. are all decidedly American. Also, there are several anachronisms that cannot be explained away as just Americanisms.
April 9, 2020
I was leery with this author as I had tried her before and sadly this was equally blah. And obvious.
January 20, 2021
When I first started reading this book, I went back to check to see if I was reading book 1. The author kept mentioning Edward and his criminal past like I was supposed to know who he was and what he did. I didn't realize there was a previous series about him. Once they got to the castle and the mystery started, I enjoyed the characters and story line. I liked it well enough that I will read the second book in this series.
April 9, 2020
too quick at the end
i feel like this was a complaint with the rose books too. lots of people stuff, then sudden solution. they were quite interesting characters. i hope most of them come back. but it was abrupt. (and now i need to go back and read the rest of the rose books)
i feel like this was a complaint with the rose books too. lots of people stuff, then sudden solution. they were quite interesting characters. i hope most of them come back. but it was abrupt. (and now i need to go back and read the rest of the rose books)
January 26, 2021
A new Nancy Drew? ;)
I'll be honest. It was the cover. I saw it, and thought, this looks interesting. I'm attracted to anything that screams "classic," "noir," and "pre- or post-WWII." This certainly shouted "flapper 20s" to me, and when I saw it was a mystery book, I was hooked.
First, this is a spin-off series to the author's mystery series Rose Beckingham Murder Mysteries which I haven't read yet but have already added them to my to-read list. Now, I mention this not only to give you another series to become enchanted with, but also, because the content of this first novel reiterates characters and events that happened in Rose's series. Now, this might be a bit disconcerting at first, and it may lead you to think you should start with Rose Beckingham's mysteries first. If you choose to do this, it might be beneficial, but for me, it in no way affected Alice's mystery for me. It was a personal choice to go ahead with this book, and although it led me to decide to read Rose's series as well, it didn't really impact my appreciation or understanding of this plot.
Now that's out of the way, from page one I'm intrigued by the sad past hovering over Alice Beckingham and her family. Starting with a nightmare about her brother brings its own intrigue, and it lends the hand of sympathy. It also makes me want to learn more. Since this is a previous storyline, as mentioned above, they allude to the issues concerning her brother and how it influenced her family but isn't elaborated upon. Of course, this is a new mystery and a new series and won't go through everything that's already been gone through previously. I can respect that. Again, I'm now hooked in wanting to learn more.
Alice's character gives us a peek into her sorrow over losing her brother, the stress it has caused for her and her family, her perspective on her parents, and the slight reclusive behavior she's adopted since his death. We learn she likes horses and is an adequate rider, but it isn't something she loves spending her time doing. However, it proves a helpful skill when needed in the wilds of Scotland. She enjoys reading, and she's determined to walk in the same steps as her "cousin" Rose as a detective. This book gives her the first step toward making that reality a possibility.
Throughout the book, we're introduced to a cast of characters who are a bit bland -- no offense. Mrs. and Mr. Drummond are kind people and seem friendly enough, but you don't quite get to know them as the book progresses except to learn how Mr. Drummond seems to be a person who smiles often and is very amiable -- until his tragic loss, and Mrs. Drummond appears as compassionate and free of the prejudices of those in society.
Teaming up with Sharp, for more than one reason, she tries to get him to ferret out the information she hasn't been able to gather. They strike up a deal but not necessarily a friendship. However, even though there are romantic possibilities all over the place, I appreciate Alice's focus on the case. Her purpose and desire to find the killer are admirable. She doesn't get sidetracked but gives us snippets of her inner thoughts regarding these men and the overall situation.
While I had my suspicions of who might be the culprit, I found myself distracted by the red-herrings the author threw at us, and I'm embarrassed to say I only figured out half of it. I suspected far more was going on than what really was, and it played out on a gothic scale. I'm always thankful for resolution, and this was a quick and diverting read. It was uncomplicated, fun, and a great way to pass the time.
This is a clean, mildly suspenseful, slightly creepy, fun read. It gives you build-up for a new mystery at the end and creates a bright new mc to enjoy. Despite some cosmetic foibles in the overall plot, I enjoyed this book and found it entertaining enough to keep me reading in one sitting. It reminds me a little of the protagonists in a Georgette Heyer book, and I look forward to trying more of Author Blythe Baker's mysteries.
Overall, this was an amusing and lighthearted read. It gave an entertaining story, and it kept my attention while creating a desire to read more. Alice's character grew on me, and I appreciated her tenacity and wit. She's one who knows her own mind, something about her kept me engaged, and I'm eager to learn and read more. I hope to see more growth and evolution of her character in the following books in this series. Because of the level of engagement it did inspire, I'm giving this read a 4/5 "really liked it" rating.
To find out more details about this review, check out my blog here: https://rebeccaswriteinspirations.blo...
I'll be honest. It was the cover. I saw it, and thought, this looks interesting. I'm attracted to anything that screams "classic," "noir," and "pre- or post-WWII." This certainly shouted "flapper 20s" to me, and when I saw it was a mystery book, I was hooked.
First, this is a spin-off series to the author's mystery series Rose Beckingham Murder Mysteries which I haven't read yet but have already added them to my to-read list. Now, I mention this not only to give you another series to become enchanted with, but also, because the content of this first novel reiterates characters and events that happened in Rose's series. Now, this might be a bit disconcerting at first, and it may lead you to think you should start with Rose Beckingham's mysteries first. If you choose to do this, it might be beneficial, but for me, it in no way affected Alice's mystery for me. It was a personal choice to go ahead with this book, and although it led me to decide to read Rose's series as well, it didn't really impact my appreciation or understanding of this plot.
Now that's out of the way, from page one I'm intrigued by the sad past hovering over Alice Beckingham and her family. Starting with a nightmare about her brother brings its own intrigue, and it lends the hand of sympathy. It also makes me want to learn more. Since this is a previous storyline, as mentioned above, they allude to the issues concerning her brother and how it influenced her family but isn't elaborated upon. Of course, this is a new mystery and a new series and won't go through everything that's already been gone through previously. I can respect that. Again, I'm now hooked in wanting to learn more.
Alice's character gives us a peek into her sorrow over losing her brother, the stress it has caused for her and her family, her perspective on her parents, and the slight reclusive behavior she's adopted since his death. We learn she likes horses and is an adequate rider, but it isn't something she loves spending her time doing. However, it proves a helpful skill when needed in the wilds of Scotland. She enjoys reading, and she's determined to walk in the same steps as her "cousin" Rose as a detective. This book gives her the first step toward making that reality a possibility.
Throughout the book, we're introduced to a cast of characters who are a bit bland -- no offense. Mrs. and Mr. Drummond are kind people and seem friendly enough, but you don't quite get to know them as the book progresses except to learn how Mr. Drummond seems to be a person who smiles often and is very amiable -- until his tragic loss, and Mrs. Drummond appears as compassionate and free of the prejudices of those in society.
Teaming up with Sharp, for more than one reason, she tries to get him to ferret out the information she hasn't been able to gather. They strike up a deal but not necessarily a friendship. However, even though there are romantic possibilities all over the place, I appreciate Alice's focus on the case. Her purpose and desire to find the killer are admirable. She doesn't get sidetracked but gives us snippets of her inner thoughts regarding these men and the overall situation.
While I had my suspicions of who might be the culprit, I found myself distracted by the red-herrings the author threw at us, and I'm embarrassed to say I only figured out half of it. I suspected far more was going on than what really was, and it played out on a gothic scale. I'm always thankful for resolution, and this was a quick and diverting read. It was uncomplicated, fun, and a great way to pass the time.
This is a clean, mildly suspenseful, slightly creepy, fun read. It gives you build-up for a new mystery at the end and creates a bright new mc to enjoy. Despite some cosmetic foibles in the overall plot, I enjoyed this book and found it entertaining enough to keep me reading in one sitting. It reminds me a little of the protagonists in a Georgette Heyer book, and I look forward to trying more of Author Blythe Baker's mysteries.
Overall, this was an amusing and lighthearted read. It gave an entertaining story, and it kept my attention while creating a desire to read more. Alice's character grew on me, and I appreciated her tenacity and wit. She's one who knows her own mind, something about her kept me engaged, and I'm eager to learn and read more. I hope to see more growth and evolution of her character in the following books in this series. Because of the level of engagement it did inspire, I'm giving this read a 4/5 "really liked it" rating.
To find out more details about this review, check out my blog here: https://rebeccaswriteinspirations.blo...
March 11, 2022
This book contains all the elements of a good mystery: an old, cold Scottish castle; a gathering of mostly strangers; a frightening legend; a hint of romance; and a well-written plot with surprising twists. I look forward to the rest of the series.
January 26, 2021
At first, I wasn't sure about this book. I almost gave up on it, but decided to give it a bit longer and I'm happy I did. I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series.
April 23, 2020
Good mystery and fast read. 3.5 out of 5 stars ⭐️
May 20, 2021
starts off with characters that have no explanation - doesn't seem like first book in a series, then realized it's a spinoff of one of her other series "Rose Beckingham" series -so I guess you need to read that series to understand beginning of the book.
I did read some of the RB series, but after book # 3 they seemed to be the same book, different setting and characters
Also, have read the Anna Fairweather series - I did enjoy this series more than the others, but totally unrealistic as to the "freedom" the maid has to be running all over town solving murders. They were fast reads, probably her best character/series
BUT, I WAS REALLY ANNOYED with the last book in Anna Fairweather series #6 "Untidy End" that it certainly was - total "cliff hanger" which is not the norm generally in this type of "cozy" I detest when an author does that so you will read next book in series (if there is one) I tend to wonder if their will be
BB's books seem to go downhill as far as keeping ones attention after a few books in series, I never finished the Rose Beckingham series as author took the series in a direction that didn't have much hope for survival as a series and after "sending" Rose in the direction she did, the series got extremely boring and I stopped reading the series, just could not get into the books - thankfully they were Kindle Unlimited and I didn't pay for them - they are not worth $$ IMHO - she just changes main characters, but the series are mostly the same Author doesn't seem to have a lot of creativity to come up with "new" books, so just changes characters and setting, but books seem the same
I would read another Anna Fairweather if there is one and it's on Kindle unlimited just to see what happens, but as far as the rest of her series, I'm done
Author has published 37 books in 3 years, that is a book a month, even best selling authors don't put out that many books - I guess when you just change character names and setting but the mysteries are the same, you can pop them out.
That said, she could really use a good editor, things that are said and events that happen in books at times were not "sayings" or events that were happening in the era she is writing them in.
They read like they are written by an American who does not know anything about the UK, or if author is from UK she did zero research, either way, even for fiction, they fall flat
I did read some of the RB series, but after book # 3 they seemed to be the same book, different setting and characters
Also, have read the Anna Fairweather series - I did enjoy this series more than the others, but totally unrealistic as to the "freedom" the maid has to be running all over town solving murders. They were fast reads, probably her best character/series
BUT, I WAS REALLY ANNOYED with the last book in Anna Fairweather series #6 "Untidy End" that it certainly was - total "cliff hanger" which is not the norm generally in this type of "cozy" I detest when an author does that so you will read next book in series (if there is one) I tend to wonder if their will be
BB's books seem to go downhill as far as keeping ones attention after a few books in series, I never finished the Rose Beckingham series as author took the series in a direction that didn't have much hope for survival as a series and after "sending" Rose in the direction she did, the series got extremely boring and I stopped reading the series, just could not get into the books - thankfully they were Kindle Unlimited and I didn't pay for them - they are not worth $$ IMHO - she just changes main characters, but the series are mostly the same Author doesn't seem to have a lot of creativity to come up with "new" books, so just changes characters and setting, but books seem the same
I would read another Anna Fairweather if there is one and it's on Kindle unlimited just to see what happens, but as far as the rest of her series, I'm done
Author has published 37 books in 3 years, that is a book a month, even best selling authors don't put out that many books - I guess when you just change character names and setting but the mysteries are the same, you can pop them out.
That said, she could really use a good editor, things that are said and events that happen in books at times were not "sayings" or events that were happening in the era she is writing them in.
They read like they are written by an American who does not know anything about the UK, or if author is from UK she did zero research, either way, even for fiction, they fall flat
February 24, 2020
2 1/2 stars. A fun, light mystery set in a Scottish castle in the 1920s. I enjoyed Alice's character and her attempts to avoid her mother's attempt to set her up with a son of the house they are visiting. There were plenty of potential suspects to keep things interesting. The setting was perfect for a murder mystery. However, I found the many mentions of a connected series--Alice's cousin's mystery series which I have not read--a bit annoying but you do not need to read it to understand what is going on.
A fine read but it doesn't really stand out from many of the other 1920s mysteries that are popping up all over the place.
A fine read but it doesn't really stand out from many of the other 1920s mysteries that are popping up all over the place.
January 5, 2021
I prefer challenging mysteries
I expected more details about this particular period of time. This could have taken place today instead of 100 years ago. This book was short , easily solved and a tad boring in some places. I prefer to read details about the time period rather than long descriptions about previous books. The story from the characters past sounded more interesting than this particular story. Alice is not someone I particularly like or care for and I can’t see myself paying $5 for 200 pages in the future. I prefer books to novellas.
I expected more details about this particular period of time. This could have taken place today instead of 100 years ago. This book was short , easily solved and a tad boring in some places. I prefer to read details about the time period rather than long descriptions about previous books. The story from the characters past sounded more interesting than this particular story. Alice is not someone I particularly like or care for and I can’t see myself paying $5 for 200 pages in the future. I prefer books to novellas.
April 20, 2020
A lively murder mystery
This was a light, fun read. The characters were interesting (and I assume they’ll be better developed in the later books in the series) but a little predictable and stereotyped. The heroine frankly wasn’t very emotionally compelling. Also, there was just too much backstory about Edward’s death and hinted-at long term relationships of some of the characters for a first book in a series. Although they may have intended to tease the reader, it bored me.
This was a light, fun read. The characters were interesting (and I assume they’ll be better developed in the later books in the series) but a little predictable and stereotyped. The heroine frankly wasn’t very emotionally compelling. Also, there was just too much backstory about Edward’s death and hinted-at long term relationships of some of the characters for a first book in a series. Although they may have intended to tease the reader, it bored me.
April 4, 2021
This book starts out like the reader should know certain things. After reading a few reviews it appears this may be a spin-off of another series.
Once I understood a bit of the backstory since the author insisted the characters reflect back on that A LOT, I was able to settle in and enjoy this mystery.
Not a bad story, not a great story but a decent mystery with characters that were somewhat interesting.
Once I understood a bit of the backstory since the author insisted the characters reflect back on that A LOT, I was able to settle in and enjoy this mystery.
Not a bad story, not a great story but a decent mystery with characters that were somewhat interesting.
January 8, 2020
I read this for the Popsugar Challenge 2020 category of "a book set in the 1920's". This is not a bad mystery, but the 1920's setting wasn't too strongly conveyed. It's another example of the current fad of releasing a piece of a story with a cliffhanger to the next piece. I just bought this one through pre-order and the next installment is due the end of this month!
April 21, 2020
I felt like I was missing a lot of information while reading this book. There were so many mentions of previous events and people. I was not really surprised to find out later that the Miss Alice series is a spin-off from another series. I found this story pretty predictable and not my cup of tea even though it is a period I usually enjoy.
April 19, 2021
Alice Beckingham and her mother go to Druiminn Castle for a visit with thei Drummond family, primarily as a meet and great with the Drummond son Alistair. Unfortunately, things take a turn when Alice finds Alistair dying of a stab wound in the hallway. Numerous folks had been invited to the castle, and all are considered suspects. Alice investigates and eventually solves the case. OK.
September 25, 2021
Obviously this is a spin-off of another series as it jumps right in talking about characters and happening that aren't in this book. Hopefully the other series is better, because this was just so-so. I knew who done it early on and didn't think the jewel thief added much. It didn't make me want to read anymore her books.
February 8, 2020
It was alright, but it quickly became apparent that there were other books that came before this one, despite it being the first in the series. I wasn't interested enough to look up the previous series, nor to continue this series.
April 15, 2020
Yawn. This is a country house mystery with intimations of apparitions, but not enough charm and period detail to make this a cozy worth reading. I believe the premise is good, but my curiosity has not been aroused. I won't be following Miss Alice's adventures.
April 3, 2020
A bit disappointing
Simple & flat. The heroine isn't very interesting and the story is not very exciting. There are other much better series set in the era & locale.
Simple & flat. The heroine isn't very interesting and the story is not very exciting. There are other much better series set in the era & locale.
July 31, 2020
Barebones mystery with very little actual detective work and flat characters. Definitely has all the bones of a good story but doesn't quite manage to be good.
August 1, 2020
Found this in our neighborhood library. There wasn't much to it.
September 19, 2020
I did not enjoy this book at all. Too pretentious but with too thin a lot. The heroine and her backstory were not interesting. In a bid to be dramatic, the author becomes too brutal.
February 24, 2021
It was fine
August 25, 2022
the ending was very predictable for me but the writing made it still a fun read.
April 8, 2022
Not my cup of tea.
Read
April 11, 2022Need to read the Rose series by the same author before reading this one. I was so confused at the beginning.
January 9, 2020
The Beckingham's have lost some social status since their son Edward was found guilty of murder and sent to prison. When Lady Beckingham makes a new friend of Lady Drummond and gets an invite for her and her daughter to come to Scotland and spend a week at their castle she immediately accepts. Alice doesn't want to go but is given no choice. It's pretty plain that the two mothers want to make a match between Alice and Alastair. There are other guests invited for the week also. Among them is an author who entertains them after dinner with stories and some of the castle history. He tells them of The Weeping Woman in White who is supposed to haunt Druiminn Castle. During the night there is a commotion in the hall. A man is stumbling around and falls. His dying words are "The Weeping Woman." Is he trying to say that is who killed him? Alice decides she will have to investigate. Will she solve the case?
Characters are fleshed out. Well constructed plot, story is well written. We have mystery, intrigue, murder, thievery, a little flirting. The murder is solved.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.
Characters are fleshed out. Well constructed plot, story is well written. We have mystery, intrigue, murder, thievery, a little flirting. The murder is solved.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.
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