Murder at Melrose Court

Heathcliff Lennox #1

by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie with a touch of Wodehouse and a dog of distinction. It's 1920 and Christmas is coming. Major Lennox finds a body on his doorstep - why on his doorstep? Was it to do with the Countess? Was it about the ruby necklace? Lennox must go to Melrose Court, home to his uncle, Lord Melrose, to uncover the mystery. But then the murders start and it snows and suddenly everything becomes very complicated...

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Christmas, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Historical

262 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 6, 2018

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the Heathcliff Lennox series. Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie. A cozy 1920s murder mystery at its best. Wonderful characters, beautiful scenery, and a clever plot. I was unable to guess whodunit, so that is a plus. I will definitely continue on with this series.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a bit of a breather from listening to deep books. So, this was the perfect amusement. It’s been described as a mix of Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie and it’s an apt description. But it’s also got a nice element of humor thrown in. The story starts when a dead fat man is found at the entrance of Major Heathcliff Lenox’s house. His death was due to natural causes. But Lenox is barely at his uncle’s house for Christmas when his uncle’s fiancé is shot dead and he’s set up to take the fall. Additional folks die at a steady pace.
I enjoyed watching Heath become a detective as a way to save himself. I also appreciated that the true detective was not a dolt but equally intelligent.
The story had lots of red herrings and I will admit to not knowing who was behind all the murders until the end. I’m usually not a fan of cozy mysteries, as they can tend to be insipid and shallow, but this one is intelligent and engaging.
Sam Dewhurst Phillips is the narrator and I was very impressed with his variations in the voices (although I could have done without the dog vocalizations).

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This country house murder mystery is a jolly good read peopled with charmingly distinctive characters, paced perfectly and peppered with large dollops of humour. There is a Christmas theme, but I don't mind getting into the holiday spirit of murder and mayhem in the month of June. I hope to read more by this author.


Kindle Unlimited

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I must inform you, sir, that a body has been discovered on the front doorstep,’ Greggs announced from the doorway.”

What a delightful surprise! As an avid fan of Golden Age mysteries, I didn’t expect to enjoy Murder at Melrose Court as much as I did, with it being a modern book set in the 1920s at a country house during Christmas. I do believe it held up well against the better Agatha Christies I’ve read. It has all you’d expect of a mystery from that age: isolated house with inclement weather, multiple suspects whom many have reason to murder the victim(s), an amateur sleuth that competes with the police to solve the murder, and a variety of characters to muse at.

Sometimes when you have a group of characters bickering and are meant to be difficult, eccentric, or irritating, reading about them can become tiresome. Not so here. One character who is always on the looking out to make a buck, I thought added humor to the story. Another oddball who kept stealing things - added quirkiness. The amateur sleuth brought wry humor, my favorite kind. Then, there were multiple entanglements between the group. This added spice to the plot by way of mini subplots. Rounding it out the cast was an adorable dog who caused mischief yet saved the day in the end. Nice foreshadowing, red herrings, plus a big reveal worthy of Poirot’s best. Top that off with easy flowing writing, and I can say that I enjoyed the book from start to finish!

You will find the character introductions easy to follow and keep straight also. Highly recommended, if you are looking for a fun to read, low stress kind of holiday murder story.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a freebie on my Kindle and didn't know what to expect as it seems to be the author's first (and only) book so far. I like reading Christmas mysteries at this time of year and I must say I was delighted with this one. I liked the first person narrator who is suspected of being the murderer and takes it upon himself to investigate the crime. Interesting group of characters and the plot kept me guessing right up until the end. In reading the notes about the author at the end of the book I was surprised to learn that she is married to the oldest son of the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin. Here's hoping this will not be her last book.

[Yara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was A Study In Frustration and was DNF'd after reading about 40%

In 1920 former WW1 fighter pilot Captain Heathcliff Lennox finds a body on the front doorsteps on his manner. Captain Lennox - who is part of the landed gentry - is an absent-minded sort of man who just wants to fish and hint. The body is his doorstep, doesn't upset him, just confuses him. Yada yada yada, after that he receives a telegram from his uncle, and he goes to his uncle's home to spend Christmas.

Thought the story starts a bit slow, even though it began with the protagonist finding a body, it does pick up the pace once Captain Lennox arrives at his uncle's. Unfortunately, that pace halters because "character needs to act stupid so the author can show how much he's grown by the end by showing how smart he is by figuring it all out before the police" trope.

Few things enrage me more than characters acting stupidity. This is not to say that characters can't be stupidly, we are human and thus will act stupidly from time to time. No, this is when they act stupidly unnecessarily and frustratingly.

When the first murder happens at his uncle's manner, Captain Lennox is caught with the murder weapon in his hand (he picks up the gun because it belonged to him). When confronted by the other characters, he's suddenly unable to talk, not even to defend himself. He is completely and utterly paralyzed.

Now, why the heck would a WWI veteran be paralyzed by the death of a character he's known for a day and a half and whose murder he didn't even see? It's so bloody frustrating when authors do this; it's an insult to the reader. Especially if you're going to the hidden talent, support smart sleuth who just needs the right motivation to break from his shell.

This is especially galling because, in the next chapter, Captain Lennox declared, "Death and corpses were no strangers to me."

I almost stopped reading at this point, but I decided to continue. I thought perhaps this is just a simple misstep by the author.

However, my optimism was quickly squelched with yet another stupid action by the character. A telegram arrives with news about the corps he'd found at the doorstep of his manner. Lennox asks the detective who's investigating him for the murder at his uncle's house to read the telegram in front of everyone, even though he had a good idea of what it was about, and everyone also suspects him of murder. Again, why these silly stupid actions.

That was the last straw. By then, I already suspected who the killer was, so I skipped to read the last two chapters, and I was right about the killer and Captain Lennox becoming a super sleuth.

There was another small thing that bothered me; I would have ignored it if the story had been good, but because it wasn't this just amplified my annoyance. Captain Lennox refers to his uncle's family "lawyer" as a lawyer, but I've always thought that lawyers in England were called either Solicitors or Barristers. Now, that's not even what really bothered me, what bothered me is that when Captain Lennox gets accused of murder the family solicitors, who's probably the equivalent of an estate attorney offer to represent him. That's like asking a dermatologist to conduct brain surgery. Just like doctors, lawyers also specialize.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first in a mystery series, set in 1920. Major Heathcliff Lennox lives in his country house with his dog, Mr Fogg. One morning, his butler, and old batman, Greggs, informs him that there is a large, overweight, corpse on the doorstep. Before he really has time to get to grips with this unforeseen event, Lennox, and Mr Fogg, set off for Christmas with Uncle Charles, at Melrose Court.

Although this is a Christmas, country house, mystery, there are traces of modernity in this novel. Lennox is in debt, as are many of the other characters, and the old ways are changing. Certainly, life at Melrose Court is changing. Elderly Uncle Charles has just become engaged to Countess Sophia, a Russian émigré, while her niece, Natasha, is engaged to cousin Edgar. Also at the house party are Sir Peregrine Kingsley, the lawyer for Uncle Charles, his son, Adam and his wife, Gertrude – a woman who has strange, religious, notions and a tendency to pilfer the silver…

With the imperious Countess Sofia turning Melrose Court upside down, it is not long before there is a murder and Lennox is implicated. With the police considering him the main suspect, Lennox begins to investigate the crime and uncover the real culprit. This is a pleasant enough crime novel, although Lennox is not particularly interesting as a character. Still, a fun read, with a country house setting.

Rated 3.5

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Menuhin has set her historical mystery series right in the middle of the Golden Age. This debut novel takes place at Christmas time in 1920. Major Heathcliff (please don't call him that) Lennox discovers a dead body on his doorstep. It is established that the man died of a heart attack, but the local police are still suspicious that Lennox knows more than he tells. Which he does. The man had a scrap of paper in his pocket with the name "Countess Sophia Androvich Zerevki Polyakov" on it. The major tells the police that he has never met the woman--which is, strictly speaking, true; but it's a good thing he didn't say he'd never heard tell of her.

Following on the heels of the deadly discovery, Lennox receives a telegram from his Uncle Charles Lennox insisting that he come home to Melrose Court for the Christmas holidays because he has "important news to impart." The important news? Uncle Charles...long confirmed bachelor, tottering around with his walking stick...is engaged to be married. To (you'll never guess...) the Countess Sophia Androvich Zerevki Polyakov. Other family members are on deck and Uncle is going to change his will. But Uncle Charles is a jolly fellow and we like him, so (unlike many of the Golden Age mysteries written in the 1920s and 30s) he isn't the one who gets murdered. The next dead body to make an appearance is...(you'll never guess) the Countess Sophia Androvich Zerevki Polyakov. And our hero finds himself standing over her, having stupidly picked up the gun lying beside her--because it was his gun and what's it doing there, darn it? Now the local police are really suspicious of him and pretty much the whole house thinks he's a murderer. But he's not and now he's got to prove it. A couple more dead bodies, several red herrings, and a handful of clues later he does. And in classic Golden Age style, he gathers everyone together for a final reveal-all scene.

This was a pleasant first mystery novel. I enjoyed seeing many of the familiar Golden Age tropes employed--sometimes with a bit of a twist. The overall historical feel of the book is good and I appreciated the humor and witticisms strewn throughout. My primary concern with the novel is Major Lennox. His character just doesn't interest me as much as the protagonist in a series should. There are glimmers of a character I could enjoy over the length of a series, but it's not fully realized--not as much as one would like upon a first meeting. I do have hopes (given the glimmers) that Menuhin will build on the major's character in future books and I enjoyed the novel enough to be ready to try the next one when the occasion arises.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waited quite a while to have a copy from the library become available, and it was worth the wait. I really enjoyed this short but fun sort of cozy mystery. Major Heathcliff Lennox is an agreeable WWI veteran pilot who puts his powers of deduction and sleuthing to good use at his Uncle Lord Melrose's home. I loved Mr. Fogg, his golden cocker spaniel of very little brain, who hated dead bodies of any kind. This has a great cast of characters and well plotted murders, I look forward to #2!

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A not bad, pretty good cozy mystery and light read. Considering my track record with cozies and light reads, this is a positive review.

I have quibbles with the language, which slips distractingly toward contemporary, casual, or American from time to time. The setting is Downton Abbey-ish, as well as Agatha Christie-ish, so the verbal discontinuities are disappointing.

The ending reveals a murder scenario that’s bizarre and far-fetched, but still essentially without surprise. But the lead-up is interesting enough and I generally wanted to know what happened with both plot and character.

I wouldn’t rule out reading the next in the series sometime when I get one of my surely-misguided (for me) desires for a light read.

If you favor a subtly Christmasy read, which I don’t particularly, this isn’t a bad seasonal choice.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this cosy murder mystery set in 1920's England. It's very funny and I can see why this is such a popular Christmas read...will defo read again next year :)

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book dragged on a little at times but I enjoyed it well enough.

[Susan in NC · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I enjoyed the start of this audiobook because of the outstanding narrator, but then lost interest once he arrived at Melrose Court, his uncle’s estate, for Christmas. The elderly uncle's surprise engagement to a manipulative Russian countess, who came across as an almost cartoonish villainess, caused me to lose interest.

But I needed a book to listen to while I knit, so I started listening again - and once the first murder occurred, and Major Lennox started investigating to clear his name, I was intrigued.

The freezing Christmas scene, with the party eventually snowed in, was well done, the characters were satisfyingly quirky and interesting, and Lennox was a believable amateur sleuth. I wasn’t sure at first if the author was spoofing golden age detectives, but once Lennox realized he was being set up as the killer, he became determined to find the real killer. I wasn’t totally surprised at the killer’s identity, it seemed realistic, but I could have seen other characters as the killer, as well, so I thought the red herrings were well done and believable. I would listen to further audiobooks in this series - it’s not as good as Christie or Sayers, of course, but what is? It’s fun and entertaining, and Lennox is a likable amateur sleuth.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

Another will written British 🏰 murder mystery family and friends relationships adventure thriller novel by Karen Baugh Menuhin book 1 of 10. Major Lennex Heathcliff is leaving his home when he finds a dead body on the porch. He is question about the dead man 🚹 but knows nothing. He travels to his uncles for Christmas and two more deaths. Lennox investigates all the facts leading to the murderer. This book started a little slow but finished strong 💪. I would recommend this series and author to 👍readers of adventure mysteries novels. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀😯👒

A new author and series. Happy reading and have fun 🌙

[Rhona Macgregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reading!

Very good book kept my interest till the last page. Highly recommended. Look forward to her next book coming out.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Goodreads description of this book begins ‘Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie with a touch of Wodehouse and a dog of distinction.’, and that’s certainly a good way to describe it.......

This is a very enjoyable murder mystery, set in an old country house at Christmas, with plenty of interesting characters to be suspicious of, lots of atmosphere, and plenty of clues to keep you thinking

Major Lennox is shocked to find a dead body has been dumped on his doorstep, with what could be an important clue in his pocket.....the police are called but it’s a mystery they can’t solve, so the Major continues with his plans to spend Christmas at Melrose Court with his Uncle and other guests.
There’s a shock awaiting him there, though, and then he finds himself accused of murder, but a snowstorm prevents the police from continuing their investigations, and gives him time to do a bit of sleuthing, and find out who the real murderer is.

This was definitely a fun read, from an author new to me, and I’m planning to read the next in the series.......

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen Menuhin has written a very good Agatha Christie atmosphered novel. (Humorous parts were reminiscent of Martha Grime's Richard Jury series.) Story takes place during the Christmas holiday at the country house of Lord Melrose a few years after World War I. The main character, Major Lennox, is Lord Melrose's nephew and first to inherit from Lord Melrose.

This book lays the groundwork for future Lennox novels. Menuhin has added some interesting side stories about the life of the staff of British aristocracy in 1900. I did figure out the murderer early on (my superpower) but the reason for the murder and what happens after they are exposed was not expected.

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars.

Why this story has such great reviews is baffling to me.

The author must be non-British and research averse since the characters don’t speak (“What?”), dress (dresses at the knee, yeah right!), and behave (hugging every five seconds in public) as they would in a 1920 aristocratic household.

The plot mechanics are filled with too many cliches (innocent caught holding a smoking gun, overhearing passionate affair conversations, etc) and the novel isn’t written well enough to counteract this.

I wanted to stop reading at the 25% mark, but kept going to see if it would redeem itself, but it just kept getting worse. Our war experienced “hero” behaves ridiculously with a body on his hands (he even disrespectfully stepped over it at several points!) and the “chief inspector” is the most useless lump I’ve ever come across on paper (Who leaves a suspected murderer with a cabinet full of guns at his disposal?). Said suspected murderer then becomes bored and begins to clean his guns....very innocent behaviour, all this gun handling.

The second half of the book was better (hence, I’m upping the rating by half a star), when the evidence began to get heavier and the behaviour of the characters less ridiculous, but it still didn’t make up for the first half. I also clocked the correct murderer early on, so I didn’t have that “edge of your seat” feeling when the big reveal finally happened.

Conclusion: Avoid. There are far better mysteries out there!

[Kimberly Thorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story, surprise ending.

I purchased this book as a holiday read, but am just getting to it. I finished it in 3 days. It is a cute cozy mystery with a surprise ending. It starts with a body on the doorstep and just takes off from there. There is dry humor and wit. The character are characters and at times I found myself laughing and shaking my head. I really enjoyed the mystery and hope the author writes another book with Major Heathcliff Lennox soon.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was fun! An English manor at Christmas? Check. Unscrupulous characters stuck in the snow? Check. A smart and endearing amateur detective? Check. Adorable dog? Check. I listened to the first half and read the second because I couldn’t wait for a long drive to find out whodunnit. It’s possible I’m purchasing the second book right now.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it

An enjoyable historical mystery. The setting, characters and details were interesting. Figuring out who was responsible was a challenge. I'm looking forward to the next one.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one

[Vanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 4 stars
Audio: 5 stars

[Rosava Doshchyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ранок починається не з кави, а з трупа на порозі.
Гіткліф Леннокс, ветеран Першої світової і тепер джентльмен бездіяльних буднів, гадки не має, хто цей товстенький чолов'яга і чому йому здалося померти саме перед його домом. Єдина зачіпка, що він тут робив, — записка від російської графині Софії-в-якої-довге-ім'я, з якою в Леннокса пов'язана певна неприємна пригода.
Згодом Леннокс разом із вірним псом Фоґґом вирушає на Різдво до дядька в маєток Мелроуз і з подивом дізнається, що той бере другий шлюб з тією самою графинею. На свята також запрошені її племінниця Наташа, кузен Гіткліфа Едґар, неприємний юрист дядька Переґрін Кінгслі, його син Адам і дружина останнього Ґертруда. Не вся компанія приємна, та й зміни в заповіті відверто засмучують, але ніхто не чекав холоднокровного вбивства. В якому звинувачують самого Леннокса. Ніде правди діти, всі докази вказують просто на нього!
Але Леннокс збирається довести свою невинність і викрити справжнього вбивцю. Хтозна, можливо, детективне слідство йому навіть сподобається ;)

Плюси:
+ Прекрасний гумор: ви будете хихотіти протягом усієї книжки
+ Харизматичний герой: ви полюбите його за маленькі дивацтва, за чарівливий характер, який межує між дитинним і компетентним
+ Милий пес: грайливий Фоґґ просто золото
+ Талановита начитка Сема Дьюгарста-Філліпса: справжня насолода від аудіоверсії
+ Зрештою дві росіянки помирають: я вважаю це не спойлером, а принадою, про яку ви маєте знати одразу
+ Несподівана розгадка першої смерті: ви будете здивовані, хто вбив товстуна

Мінусів нема.
// Жанр: затишний детектив (cozy mystery)

[Rebekah Giese Witherspoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect remedy for a dreary and rainy January in Kentucky, this mystery transported me to a snow-covered English country house complete with roaring fires, a hero named Heathcliff, an enigmatic butler, and a sweet cocker spaniel called Mr Fogg. I loved the 1920s setting which charmingly pays homage to Golden Age mysteries and found myself chuckling and grinning with delight.

She was gaily expounding on something amusing, arms waving around, rings and bangles flashing, the frills of her orange silk frock flouncing with her movements, while Uncle stared at her with the expression Mr Fogg adopts while waiting for a dog biscuit.

I really enjoyed the writing style and didn’t spot any anachronisms. Although there were a several run-on sentences which needed semicolons rather than commas, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this humorous and lighthearted novel.

Content: mild swearing in 1920s British style.

Recommended for folks who love cuddly canines, snowy landscapes, and cozy mysteries. This novel is complete on its own, but I definitely plan to continue reading the rest of the Heathcliff Lennox series. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

It was difficult to see much of his face, since he sported a huge black and grey beard topped with a moustache and his hair stuck out at angles – he looked like he was wearing an enraged skunk.

[ladyethyme · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry… ‘detergent blue eyes’…I just…had to stop. The characters are cardboard cutouts, the narration is a SLOG, as they narrate EVERY. SINGLE. STEP. AND. ACTION. 🙄Also a remarkable ability of TELLING the audience exposition, not SHOWING them. For such a short book it felt like ten thousand uninteresting pages. (And I enjoyed Anna Karenina). If I have to hear ‘changed tack’ one more time…🙄🙄

Oh, also-this ENTIRE PLOT hangs up ‘wax’ and where it came from. Small spoiler** it’s “wax from a lady’s bathroom. For waxing her legs”. Yeeeeeah. That’s not even invented until 1960. I get this is a self published book, but you’d think a small iota of research-a quick GOOGLE, even…for like, the main ‘clue’ upon which this whole absurd thing hangs would be in order.

[Rodica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Masterly read, with all the needed haughtiness and perfect pronunciation, in the beloved tradition of Agatha Christie, this book is well deserving of some hours of attention from a mystery lover. Loved the setting and the development of the main character. Will definitely try the next book in the series.

[Rhoda J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much swearing

Did not like constant swearing in this book. Would have been a good read unless other things came up I Did not like, but I will not know because I am not finishing the book!

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a "new to me" author and the story was quite good! The characters were mostly fun and quite believable, the plot was easy to follow through all it's twists and turns, and the ending was a surprise for me, at least. I highly recommend this book and looking forward to more by this author.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The historical inaccuracies killed my ability to lose myself in the story. An Edwardian man wouldn't be going around hugging his elderly uncle.