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Duel
Ready, Aim, Murder! American actress, Anna McKay, is thrilled to be part of the Cavendish Manor cast, filming a period drama at an English country estate. She looks forward to working with her handsome co-star, but is equally intrigued by the new assistant to the director. A series of practical jokes on set causes her to fear someone is sabotaging the show, and her equilibrium is further off-balance when she has inexplicable visions that hint of the house’s sinister past. When the practical jokes turn deadly, Anna isn’t sure who to trust, or if she will make it out of Cavendish Manor alive!
450 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2019
5 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Sargeant Hagan
4 books12 followersAshley Sargeant Hagan writes traditional mysteries with a large dose of romance. Originally from Lakeland, Florida, she is a long-time resident of Nashville, where she lives with her musician husband and three children. She is the immediate past president of Sisters in Crime Middle Tennessee and is also an editor and publishing consultant. She loves cats, mysteries, history, and tea, and when she’s not writing or editing, you’ll find her in her vintage and new shop or encouraging other authors through her new writing group, The Dangerous Pen Society.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 8, 2020
May I say OMG ,Ms Hagan has done it again?
Detail, spot on, mystery, love lost and found the hard way.
Anna the main character, is a actress who has gotten a great role in a TV show that is a soon be a big hit. Did I mention they were filming the show in a manor house in England.
The Lord of the Manor at first hides his identity so the cast and crew won't think of him as above them. So the producer goes along with the plan and acts as if the Lord, William, is his gofer. The only problem is Anna falls for him but later finds out he has been lying to her about who he really is. Hurt feelings begin so their love for each other struggles through the entire mystery.
And so the story builds from just that small detail to accidents with props on the set to murder!
Ms Hagan's book will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
Her attention to detail, down to the sound that frozen gravel makes under a shoe is just a case in point of her writing style. If you haven't seen the English countryside, Ms Hagan will take you there in the chapters of the book and give you a tour.
Great time to lose yourself in a book. There is a another part to the story that ties history of the past to the present.
Also check out her first book Pedestal and her short story about silver bells. Thanks Ashley.
Detail, spot on, mystery, love lost and found the hard way.
Anna the main character, is a actress who has gotten a great role in a TV show that is a soon be a big hit. Did I mention they were filming the show in a manor house in England.
The Lord of the Manor at first hides his identity so the cast and crew won't think of him as above them. So the producer goes along with the plan and acts as if the Lord, William, is his gofer. The only problem is Anna falls for him but later finds out he has been lying to her about who he really is. Hurt feelings begin so their love for each other struggles through the entire mystery.
And so the story builds from just that small detail to accidents with props on the set to murder!
Ms Hagan's book will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next.
Her attention to detail, down to the sound that frozen gravel makes under a shoe is just a case in point of her writing style. If you haven't seen the English countryside, Ms Hagan will take you there in the chapters of the book and give you a tour.
Great time to lose yourself in a book. There is a another part to the story that ties history of the past to the present.
Also check out her first book Pedestal and her short story about silver bells. Thanks Ashley.
November 2, 2020
If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, Agatha Christie, or Sherlock Holmes, you will enjoy this book! With a stunning English manor as the backdrop, this book is full of plot twists, intrigue, romance, and of course: murder! Here are my thoughts:
PROS
My favorite thing about this book was the setting. The story has a dual timeline (no pun intended) yet Hampstead Hall is described so beautifully in both time periods. I've never read a book that takes place at an English country estate where a new period drama series is being filmed. I only wish we got to read more filming scenes and actors practicing their lines but I suppose that's difficult when one of the scenes ends tragically!
I loved William as a character. He's quiet and intriguing and treats Anna well. I kinda guessed what would happen to him in the end but I enjoyed it all the same.
I loved the magical realism aspect of it. It took me a minute to understand what was happening, but once I got it, I loved the flashbacks to the 1800s.
CONS
I don't typically pick up mysteries for two reasons: the plot is predictable or there are so many characters and side plots that the story gets too confusing. This book had a mix of both. I somewhat guessed who the murder was at the end and considering the prologue starts off with the death, we don't get as much shock and suspense leading up to the murder.
Also, there are A LOT of characters. Like, so many! I get why the people who played a role or who were meant to be suspicious are mentioned in detail, but even characters who had little to no role were described so thoroughly. Add the fact that the actors each had different names for their own characters on the TV Show and different names back in the 1800s, it made the story really confusing at times.
Another critique: this book is LONG. Long books usually intimidate me and I rarely pick them up and for good reason. I understand the need for all the detail and character development, but the plot didn't start to move in my opinion, until about halfway through the book. Also, the ending kind of dragged on, even when the murderer was finally revealed.
Despite that, I liked this story and the concept of it. As I stated before, if a mix of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey is your speed, you would really like this book!
I want to thank the author, Ashley Sargeant Hagan, for sending me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review!
PROS
My favorite thing about this book was the setting. The story has a dual timeline (no pun intended) yet Hampstead Hall is described so beautifully in both time periods. I've never read a book that takes place at an English country estate where a new period drama series is being filmed. I only wish we got to read more filming scenes and actors practicing their lines but I suppose that's difficult when one of the scenes ends tragically!
I loved William as a character. He's quiet and intriguing and treats Anna well. I kinda guessed what would happen to him in the end but I enjoyed it all the same.
I loved the magical realism aspect of it. It took me a minute to understand what was happening, but once I got it, I loved the flashbacks to the 1800s.
CONS
I don't typically pick up mysteries for two reasons: the plot is predictable or there are so many characters and side plots that the story gets too confusing. This book had a mix of both. I somewhat guessed who the murder was at the end and considering the prologue starts off with the death, we don't get as much shock and suspense leading up to the murder.
Also, there are A LOT of characters. Like, so many! I get why the people who played a role or who were meant to be suspicious are mentioned in detail, but even characters who had little to no role were described so thoroughly. Add the fact that the actors each had different names for their own characters on the TV Show and different names back in the 1800s, it made the story really confusing at times.
Another critique: this book is LONG. Long books usually intimidate me and I rarely pick them up and for good reason. I understand the need for all the detail and character development, but the plot didn't start to move in my opinion, until about halfway through the book. Also, the ending kind of dragged on, even when the murderer was finally revealed.
Despite that, I liked this story and the concept of it. As I stated before, if a mix of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey is your speed, you would really like this book!
I want to thank the author, Ashley Sargeant Hagan, for sending me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review!
September 30, 2019
If you're a fan of Downton Abbey or Agatha Christie, this book is for you! The action takes place on the set of a new TV series, Cavendish Manor, in which an Oscar-winning director and a cast full of hungry young actors and seasoned veterans hope for breakout success with a retelling of actual events that unfolded around the historic estate in which they are filming. The story begins with the death of an actor in what should have been a perfectly safe dueling scene, and then we are whisked back in time to meet our cast of characters, all of whom could be seen as suspects. We find immediately that there is more than meets the eye with the main character, Anna, as she has visions of a past long before she was born.
I loved every moment of this novel. Hampstead Hall is so fully realized, I didn't want to leave. Equally as appealing is the behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a high-profile TV series. It was easy to imagine any of these fictional actors as real celebrities, and it was so fun to imagine what it would be like being there on set with them. Even with a large number of characters, I found them all well-rounded and unique. That's no easy task given how many moving pieces there were to juggle with the plot and mystery, especially with two timelines.
The pacing is steady and sure, like a train rattling right on its tracks, which puts me in mind of my favorite Agatha Christie books. The stakes are high, but there is also a level of trust--you can feel the momentum building to what is ultimately a satisfying solution.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy a high-stakes mystery without gratuitous violence, those with curiosity about the "backstage" experience of creating a TV show, or anyone who could use a getaway to a beautiful, historic English estate.
I loved every moment of this novel. Hampstead Hall is so fully realized, I didn't want to leave. Equally as appealing is the behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a high-profile TV series. It was easy to imagine any of these fictional actors as real celebrities, and it was so fun to imagine what it would be like being there on set with them. Even with a large number of characters, I found them all well-rounded and unique. That's no easy task given how many moving pieces there were to juggle with the plot and mystery, especially with two timelines.
The pacing is steady and sure, like a train rattling right on its tracks, which puts me in mind of my favorite Agatha Christie books. The stakes are high, but there is also a level of trust--you can feel the momentum building to what is ultimately a satisfying solution.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy a high-stakes mystery without gratuitous violence, those with curiosity about the "backstage" experience of creating a TV show, or anyone who could use a getaway to a beautiful, historic English estate.
October 13, 2025
This is a modern-day romance at an English castle where out hero has flashbacks to historical times. Plus, it is a murder mystery. It is an excellent read. Could not put it down.
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October 25, 2019This novel is reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel. The author leads you, with cleverly laden clues, to think you have figured out "whodunit" but then......there's reason to believe it's someone else....... actually, this other person had motive and opportunity and so on until the vary end when it all comes together. Oh my, the way the plot of the TV series and the historical past of the manor house are intertwined is so intriguing that the book becomes a page turner quite early on.
Enjoyed this for it's attention to detail that teaches you without you noticing! The vivid descriptions of the people and their surrounding makes it easy to visualize the entire novel from the first page to the last.
This is highly recommended for a mystery lover or a casual reader! It will not disappoint!
Enjoyed this for it's attention to detail that teaches you without you noticing! The vivid descriptions of the people and their surrounding makes it easy to visualize the entire novel from the first page to the last.
This is highly recommended for a mystery lover or a casual reader! It will not disappoint!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews