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Heathcliff Lennox #5

The Monks Hood Murders

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A 1920s Murder Mystery in the depths of rural Yorkshire with Heathcliff Lennox

A scoundrel lies dying, he makes his confession; his sins were legion, his deeds despicable, and he wants to atone for his wasted life. He bequeaths an invaluable gift to Monks Hood Abbey, an ancient Monastery set in a lonely corner of the Yorkshire moors.

But sin throws a long shadow and corruption crawls in its shade. Strangers come forward and lay claim to the monks' inheritance. Chaos simmers and then boils over, shattering the tranquility of the Abbey.

The Abbot calls on Major Heathcliff Lennox and ex-Chief Inspector Swift to ask for their help. They must go to Yorkshire to unravel the mayhem – but then there's mystery, and murder, and another adventure begins.

Major Heathcliff Lennox, ex-WW1 war pilot, six feet 3 inches, unruly dark blond hair, age around 30 - named after the hero of Wuthering Heights by his romantically minded mother - much to his great annoyance.

The Monks Hood Murders is the fifth book in the Lennox series.

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2020

1264 people are currently reading
614 people want to read

About the author

Karen Baugh Menuhin

43 books796 followers
1920's, Cozy crime, Traditional Detectives, Downton Abbey - I love them!
Along with my family, my dog and my cat.
At 60 I decided to write, I don't know why but suddenly the stories came pouring out, along with the characters. Eccentric Uncles, stalwart butlers, idiosyncratic servants, machinating Countesses, Fogg the dog and the hapless Major Heathcliff Lennox.
Suddenly a whole world built itself upon the page and I just followed along.

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5 stars
2,745 (56%)
4 stars
1,612 (33%)
3 stars
438 (9%)
2 stars
34 (<1%)
1 star
13 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
Profile Image for Kathy.
3,868 reviews289 followers
March 9, 2021
This 20's murder mystery was a nice escape after concentrated tax work and filing, providing me with light comedy and a challenge in determining who the murderer was with a long list of potential culprits. An ancient codex goes missing. adding to the problems. There is just about a full village of potential suspects plus a foreign countess who appears on the scene with many claims. A village is thrown into confusion and Heathcliff must cut through the fog if he can.


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Profile Image for Pat.
567 reviews
August 31, 2020
Continue to enjoy this series. The characters are interesting, just enough eccentricity without going over the top, with good character development as the series progresses. Glad to see signs in this most recent book of Lennox becoming less of a stereotypical upper class twit. Looking forward to the next installments in the series.
Profile Image for Les Wilson.
1,832 reviews14 followers
January 29, 2025
A favourite Author

Karen is a wonderful short story writer. No need for an extra 3-400 pages. Each page holds your attention and a desire to read on. Will read all of her books feeling assured that I will not be disappointed.
6,726 reviews5 followers
June 13, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

Heathcliff Lennox and Swift are called to investigate the case of a missing book. They are questioning people who may have information when they find a murdered attorney. They have a number of suspects when another attorney is found dead with the missing book. Another man 🚹 is attacked. Lennox and Swift find the truth leading to the arrest of the killer. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of British 🏰 mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀👒😡😮
Profile Image for Lady Wesley.
967 reviews369 followers
October 9, 2021
Kate Baugh Menuhin’s mysteries have all the features that I enjoy: a 1920s setting, an interesting hero who has to work hard for his solutions, (usually) a country house full of fascinating guests, and a dog and cat.
Profile Image for Les Wilson.
1,832 reviews14 followers
September 15, 2020
A really enjoyable book from page 1 to the end. One of my favourite modern authors.
Profile Image for Lori.
641 reviews
June 6, 2021
Audible version: This is one of my favorites of this series, and yes, you need to read them in order. Lennox just makes me laugh with his vulnerable, endearing grumpiness. It must have something to do with having grown up in the upper midwest where a good percentage of men are of that ilk (my father, brother, ex-husband, ex-father-in-law, etc.). It's what makes it hard for me to be a true feminist. 90% of the men in my life have just been sweet, giving, vulnerable souls trying to navigate this planet with all of its cultural and genderal (haha! Did I just invent a word?) expectations. So whatever. I love Lennox and the dog (complete with barks) and the cat, and the people who help Lennox get through the day! The boyish arguing between him and Swift make me laugh as well. So yeah, this is super lite reading. Total entertainment. But this one was also a good mystery.
66 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2020
Enjoyed this series

Interesting read. Well done mysreries with lots of twists and turns. Mystery, education and good characters. A great combination. Oy!
Profile Image for Susie.
758 reviews4 followers
July 28, 2021
This book felt much more organized than Death in Damascus, and I thoroughly enjoyed the romp through Yorkshire with Lenox and Swift. I listened to the audiobook and probably missed some details when I was distracted by traffic or the dog, but even so the whodunnit made sense. Also, big shout out to the dude who narrates these suckers. He’s the best! It’s why I keep listening to them before I read them. (Yes, I do both.)
3 reviews
September 4, 2020
Much better than Damascus

This installment brings us back to the original character of Lennox which really was lost sight of in the Damascus book. Maybe because he lost sight of himself? Glad I read it. Almost didn’t after the last one.
Profile Image for Ann Fisher.
10 reviews
September 20, 2020
The Cure for What Ails Us All This Year!

2020 has been such a trying year, but escaping into England's aristocracy of1920, is the perfect diversion! Major Lennox, Swift, Greggs, Tommy, Fogg, and Tubbs and their antics and adds are just what the doctored ordered!
240 reviews1 follower
September 6, 2020
Lennox, He suffered a great loss became of the war but he also found great love! He can move on now!

Lenox, He suffered a great loss became of the war but he also found great love! He can move on now Swift & Lennox are all off on another adventure! These are the most amazing books, I've loved each one of them. I'm not sure which is my favorite, but I have read a few of them twice. Not became I found in them my favorite, but because id forgotten where I'd ended before starting a new one. Because when I'd gotten further in the story I'd remembered it I didn't care I just reread it & the next one till I got to the new one. They are everything you'd want a book to be with a handsome hero in the lead. Except there are two hero's in the lead anymore. Detective inspector Swift joined Lennox after he had suspected our hero of murderer earlier in the story with Melrose court, but later Swift had to investigate another murder during a wedding. That's where he'd found love that was actually met for Lennox by a close friend. That wasn't met to be tho, it was met for DI Swift. Gosh I hope I have his label right! Or I guess the English might say his "monacure", or maybe rank??...not even sure I spelt that right, hummm... I do know that I love each book!! They are at the top of my absolutely favorite books I've read! I love the humor for Lennox & Swift! I do think the book set in the Scottish highlands maybe my one extra favorite, but that's because Swift has found himself in a mystery then the murders started after a call for help to Lennox, Heathcliff Lennox! What a romantic name, that is abhorred by its owner,hence his is Major Lennox, or just Lennox. He and Swift are solid friends by this book, & have become partners in solving several murders. In the Scottish mystery our Heathcliff finds himself in love again, and it takes The Monkshood Mystery to make him let go of his past to pick up on his truly deep feelings he has for our beautiful Persi. She also arrived in the Scottish highlands mystery being part of an archeologist group that had come to investigate the discovery of a skeleton in the walls at the Castle where Swift has made his home.. This book was just as mysterious as that one and the one in Cairo was! Its wonderful to read of how life was in the early 1900's, after "The Great War" as the English refer to WWI. Little did they know another World War was on the horizon. How very sad that the horrors for the world were not over! Actually there are many horrors left in wars, just not called or is a whole world war. I'm straying from the subject tho I'm very sorry!! The murders is this last book contain strange elements being at a Monistary set in York. (Gosh I believe I've once again spelt that word wrong, & the dictionary for this tablet really isn't good!) sorry!... I do hope that you try this series, it is absolutely wonderful! See if you can pick out the bad guy in this wonderful book!? I did, and wasn't one bit happy about it, but maybe the person got a prison sentence instead of being hung, I don't want to give anything away so I'm careful to not say "he" or "she". I hope I didn't mess up any where! Please enjoy, but start at the beginning book, its not necessary except you will miss so many facts & characters personalities. Have fun in your discoveries!!!
Profile Image for Gail Young.
20 reviews23 followers
February 18, 2021
Ms. Menuhin triumphs again. This is a delightful series that I hope continues forever. Let me also recommend that you listen to the series via Audible. The narrator is a young genius named Sam Dewhurst-Phillips. Mark this comment: He will become one of the top ten narrators in English. Pitch-perfect voices for the characters. If you've ever listened to one of the most famous narrators, Barbara Rosenblat (especially reading the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters), who's won every award there is, you'll see that Mr. Dewhurst-Phillips will rank alongside her in that pantheon. (I listen to an average of 100 books annually in a wide array of fields, so I feel qualified to rank narrators.)
Many thanks to both author and narrator! Long may they both thrive!

(Sorry for absence of tags. I simply cannot figure out how to use them.)
55 reviews2 followers
August 31, 2020
Just love this series. And this outing involves a monastery, herbs and cake 😊

Each character has their leitmotif such as Swift tightening the belt on his trench coat, which endears us further.

I look forward to the audiobook, as Sam Dewhurst-Phillips is a brilliant narrator and brings out the humour wonderfully.
Profile Image for Heatherinblack .
737 reviews9 followers
September 23, 2020
he is so melancholy about it all.

it seems like at every murderer reveal lennox gets all sad. yes, it is horrible to realize someone can murder someone like that. but you agreed to help shifts! i love his butler the most i think. pretty good but not amazingly clever mystery solution.
321 reviews
September 29, 2020
.

I have enjoyed all the books in this cozy between the wars series. The characters are pretty standard but quirky enough to keep your interest. I found this one to be a little disjointed but will still look forward to the next.
Profile Image for Donna.
1,628 reviews115 followers
January 9, 2023
A good go at historical mystery. I do not get why the dog always gets to go on the adventures. this story had both lawyers and monks...and a monk who gave up his marriage (she's still alive) to join the monastery! Also, get your will done the way you want it, especially if you have money, title, or land.
1,909 reviews18 followers
August 29, 2020
Entertaining

The is another excursion for Lennox, Swift, Gregg, and pets! It involves theft, murder, family history, village secrets, and forgery! Lots of confusion, lies, distractions, and town secrets hinder their investigation but they persevere, as usual, to reveal all!
46 reviews
August 30, 2020
Excellent

I have read all 5 of the books in this series. If you love historical mysteries with flawed believable characters try this series. The plots are excellent and believable. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Kimberly Thorpe.
81 reviews3 followers
September 14, 2020
Another fun story in the Lennox series. The main reason love this series is because there are laughs along with solving the mystery. Lennox & Swift are a great partnership. Swift is very serious about detecting and Lennox has the common sense and the people touch.

In this adventure Lennox & Swift go to the aid of an Abbott who is the husband of Lady Maitland (she was introduced in the previous book). The Monks have inherited a medical Codex that is now missing and the Abbott want Lennox & Swift to locate it. Lennox, Swift along with Lennox's butler, Greggs, his dog, Mr. Fogg and his cat, Mr. Tubbs head to York. There they solve a couple of murders and meet some interesting new characters. This is a standalone book, but I recommend you read the entire series if you enjoy a few good laughs with your mystery.
Profile Image for Les.
2,911 reviews1 follower
Read
November 9, 2021
Heathcliff and Co are back home when a desperate monk appears and begs for his help
soon he's reunited with Swift and they are combing an abbey for clues to a murder
Profile Image for Tash Junor.
46 reviews9 followers
May 21, 2022
Another wonderful book. If you like Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes, please give this series a try!
Profile Image for Amy Prosenjak.
282 reviews
December 26, 2022
Easy listen, a cute one in the series. I love that the dog, the cat, and of course the butler all travel to the murder scenes with Lennox. 🤣
73 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2020
The best yet of a good series

Loved this one! Lennox is coming out of his shell and is more assertive in this one! Can’t wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Marie Shirley Griffin.
808 reviews10 followers
September 1, 2020
It's a wonderful series

I stumbled upon this series right after the first two books were released.

I recommend you start at the beginning and work your way through!
Profile Image for Judy.
794 reviews13 followers
July 4, 2021
I’ve finished the series, until the next one is published. This one got a little silly in places, and our hero needs a lesson or two in courting a young woman. Still this is an enjoyable series and the murders have lots of twists to keep one guessing until the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews

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