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Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates #1
The Case at Barton Manor
Not all widows are elderly...and not all ladies are proper.If one more person gives Rosemary Lillywhite unwanted advice on when to stop mourning the loss of her beloved husband, she fears she will lose control of her sensibilities.All she wants is to be left alone to drown her misery in a glass of gin and tonic, but when Grace Barton knocks on the door of her dead husband’s investigative office, Rosemary faces a come out of hiding or turn away someone in need of help.As Grace recounts her tale of intrigue, Rosemary discovers a shared connection with the woman that has her accepting an invitation she'd just as soon turn down.With her best friend--bright young thing Vera Blackburn--by her side, Rosemary trades her widow weeds for a party dress and heads to a fancy do at Barton Manor.The drinks flow freely, but there’s an undercurrent of unease until finally, the night ends in murder--one in which Rosemary's brother becomes the prime suspect!What’s worse, the handsome chief inspector on the case is a man she knows he was her husband’s best mate, and he takes a dim view of lady detectives--or perhaps just of Rosemary becoming one.What will it take for Rosemary to solve the crime before her brother hangs for a murder he didn’t commit?Book one in The Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates series. Are you ready to escape to the roaring twenties? For fans of Beth Byers, Leighann Dobbs, Lee Strauss, and cozy historical murder mysteries. A light, cozy mystery with no swearing, graphic scenes, or cliffhangers.
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2019
1841 people are currently reading
1352 people want to read
About the author
Emily Queen
37 books100 followersEmily Queen is a writer of historical fiction, including the Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates cozy mystery series. She lives in Maine, USA with her cat, dog, and too many books to count.
Oh, and if you’re not careful, she might kill you off in one of her novels…
Oh, and if you’re not careful, she might kill you off in one of her novels…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
May 1, 2021
When I read the series title, Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates, I imagined a middle aged or even older lady. Something like Miss Marple. What I got was Rosemary Lillywhite, a young, financially independent and very attractive widow. It is interesting how some names give us preconceived ideas!
Rosemary is fairly recently widowed and her husband, before his unexpected demise, was a Private Investigator. Rosemary is tempted into continuing his work when an investigation drops into her lap. She has plenty of help from her network of friends and family.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. There were plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing and an exciting climax when the murderer is exposed. This was a pleasant, undemanding read.
Rosemary is fairly recently widowed and her husband, before his unexpected demise, was a Private Investigator. Rosemary is tempted into continuing his work when an investigation drops into her lap. She has plenty of help from her network of friends and family.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. There were plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing and an exciting climax when the murderer is exposed. This was a pleasant, undemanding read.
June 13, 2021
When Grace Barton came begging for help over a threat to her father, Rosemary Lillywhite was reluctant to agree. It was her deceased husband Andrew’s investigation business and since he had died, Rose was determined to close the business. But Grace was a person Rose had known in her childhood years and with her so upset, Rose accepted the invitation to Pardington that weekend and the party which would have all who could be involved in one place.
Rose and her best friend Vera, along with both Rose’s family and Vera’s, arrived at the manor, and the number of guests had them slightly daunted. But before the night was over, Rose and Grace discovered a body. Was it Grace’s father? And who was the killer? Inspector Max Whittington was soon on the scene and while instructing Rose to keep away now that he was there, that he would have it all under control, it was when Rose’s brother was arrested that Rose knew it was up to her and Vera…
The Case at Barton Manor is the 1st in the Mrs Lillywhite Investigates series by Emily Queen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Apart from a few minor errors (one of the characters had 3 different names before it was over) the characters were fun; perhaps a little over the top; and the entertainment was good for a few hours. I’ll be looking at the next in the series. Recommended.
Rose and her best friend Vera, along with both Rose’s family and Vera’s, arrived at the manor, and the number of guests had them slightly daunted. But before the night was over, Rose and Grace discovered a body. Was it Grace’s father? And who was the killer? Inspector Max Whittington was soon on the scene and while instructing Rose to keep away now that he was there, that he would have it all under control, it was when Rose’s brother was arrested that Rose knew it was up to her and Vera…
The Case at Barton Manor is the 1st in the Mrs Lillywhite Investigates series by Emily Queen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Apart from a few minor errors (one of the characters had 3 different names before it was over) the characters were fun; perhaps a little over the top; and the entertainment was good for a few hours. I’ll be looking at the next in the series. Recommended.
March 23, 2022
Rating: 2.8 / 5
Typical of this genre, but nothing special.
Typical of this genre, but nothing special.
April 16, 2019
Didn't like this at all therefore, I didn't finish it.
April 10, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Still in mourning after the death of her husband, Rosemary Lillywhite is ready to make some changes. She had decided to close down her husband Andrew’s investigation office. She enjoyed helping him with his cases but can’t imagine solving a case on her own. Then Grace Barton arrives at her door seeking help. After hearing her story and realizing their families have a connection Rosemary agrees to attend an upcoming party at Barton Manor to see if she can assist Grace in some way.
Rosemary and her friend Vera Blackburn head to the country never imaging a little investigating would turn into a full-blown murder mystery with her very own brother Fredick as a primary suspect. The CID detective assigned to the case is Max Whittington, a friend of both Rosemary and her now deceased husband. It feels good to have him on the scene but she is not going to let him cart her brother away even if he does make her heart race just a bit. She will ferret out every clue to catch the real killer.
I did enjoy meeting both Rosemary and Vera. The characters are as different as can be but are best friends who have each other’s back. Due to the short length of the book, these characters were not as developed as I had hoped the main characters would be by the end of the story. We also don’t get to know any of the vast number of other characters in the book at all below the surface. It is hard to get engaged in character’s lives without more development. One thing we do know about Rosemary is that she adored her husband so I was surprised to have a romantic element introduced so quickly. I just can’t see Rosemary being interested in a relationship with Max but the set-up is there.
The murder mystery started out great with several suspects. Rosemary has many theories. Then a big clue unexpectedly falls into place setting up the reveal of the killer which just felt off. The whole thing wrapped up too quickly for me.
This story doesn’t read as a real 1920’s English mystery. I guess I expected more pomp, more splendor, more high-brow characters. That aside I was entertained by the story and the theme of a woman detective set in that timeframe is intriguing. It was a nice light-hearted little story. I may give the second book in the series a chance to see if the author ironed out any of the issues I had.
Still in mourning after the death of her husband, Rosemary Lillywhite is ready to make some changes. She had decided to close down her husband Andrew’s investigation office. She enjoyed helping him with his cases but can’t imagine solving a case on her own. Then Grace Barton arrives at her door seeking help. After hearing her story and realizing their families have a connection Rosemary agrees to attend an upcoming party at Barton Manor to see if she can assist Grace in some way.
Rosemary and her friend Vera Blackburn head to the country never imaging a little investigating would turn into a full-blown murder mystery with her very own brother Fredick as a primary suspect. The CID detective assigned to the case is Max Whittington, a friend of both Rosemary and her now deceased husband. It feels good to have him on the scene but she is not going to let him cart her brother away even if he does make her heart race just a bit. She will ferret out every clue to catch the real killer.
I did enjoy meeting both Rosemary and Vera. The characters are as different as can be but are best friends who have each other’s back. Due to the short length of the book, these characters were not as developed as I had hoped the main characters would be by the end of the story. We also don’t get to know any of the vast number of other characters in the book at all below the surface. It is hard to get engaged in character’s lives without more development. One thing we do know about Rosemary is that she adored her husband so I was surprised to have a romantic element introduced so quickly. I just can’t see Rosemary being interested in a relationship with Max but the set-up is there.
The murder mystery started out great with several suspects. Rosemary has many theories. Then a big clue unexpectedly falls into place setting up the reveal of the killer which just felt off. The whole thing wrapped up too quickly for me.
This story doesn’t read as a real 1920’s English mystery. I guess I expected more pomp, more splendor, more high-brow characters. That aside I was entertained by the story and the theme of a woman detective set in that timeframe is intriguing. It was a nice light-hearted little story. I may give the second book in the series a chance to see if the author ironed out any of the issues I had.
January 13, 2020
'Rosemary Lillywhite had no intention of carrying on her dead husband's legacy, but then a desperate woman knocks on the door of Lillywhite Investigations, and Rosemary is left with a choice.
When she discovers her own family might be implicated in the crime, this bright young thing will have to hold her ground against the police and a charming Scotland Yard detective if she wants to clear their names.'
_____________________________
The Case at Barton Manor is the first book in Emily Queen's Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates series. This is a light and fluffy mystery; a 1920's cozy mystery. At only about 160 pages it's a really quick read.
I enjoyed this book, but it was also a little slow. Most of the book there is nothing happening besides characters talking and Rosemary pointing an accusatory finger at the wrong party. Everything comes together in the last couple chapters and only within the last 10-15 pages does any real action take place. A lot of things had to line up up just so for things to turn out the way they did and so it ended up feeling a bit contrived. But if you are looking for something light annd easy to read then that doesn't matter so much.
I thought this was a reasonably good start to the series and so I will be giving the next book, The Murder Next Door, a try.
The book could have done with a further edit. There were several inconsistinces throughout the story. Most often it was the changing of characters names. The rest of the time it was scene continuity errors. The scene would be described one way and then something would happen several sentences later that wouldn't quite make sense or be possible given the previous information. Overall though there weren't so many errors as to completely distract me from the mystery.
This is a clean mystery with a hint of romance, which I expect will be explored further in the following books in the series.
_____
I read this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership.
When she discovers her own family might be implicated in the crime, this bright young thing will have to hold her ground against the police and a charming Scotland Yard detective if she wants to clear their names.'
_____________________________
The Case at Barton Manor is the first book in Emily Queen's Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates series. This is a light and fluffy mystery; a 1920's cozy mystery. At only about 160 pages it's a really quick read.
I enjoyed this book, but it was also a little slow. Most of the book there is nothing happening besides characters talking and Rosemary pointing an accusatory finger at the wrong party. Everything comes together in the last couple chapters and only within the last 10-15 pages does any real action take place. A lot of things had to line up up just so for things to turn out the way they did and so it ended up feeling a bit contrived. But if you are looking for something light annd easy to read then that doesn't matter so much.
I thought this was a reasonably good start to the series and so I will be giving the next book, The Murder Next Door, a try.
The book could have done with a further edit. There were several inconsistinces throughout the story. Most often it was the changing of characters names. The rest of the time it was scene continuity errors. The scene would be described one way and then something would happen several sentences later that wouldn't quite make sense or be possible given the previous information. Overall though there weren't so many errors as to completely distract me from the mystery.
This is a clean mystery with a hint of romance, which I expect will be explored further in the following books in the series.
_____
I read this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership.
June 24, 2020
2.5 stars
Mrs. Rosemary Lillywhite has every intention of turning her late husband's private detective office into an art studio until a distressed woman walks in searching for Andrew's help. Grace Barton, a neighbor of Rosemary's family in Pardington, fears someone is out to kill her father after seeing a threatening letter. She wants to know who it is and prevent a senseless tragedy. Rosemary agrees to look into the matter at the Bartons' anniversary party and if she finds anything unusual, she'll let the police know and they can handle the investigating. Rosemary gets more than she bargained for at the party, discovering a dead body with Grace. Someone killed Grace's godfather. Was it a case of mistaken identity or not? When Rose's brother Freddy becomes the prime suspect, she feels she has to investigate to save her loved ones.
This story isn't bad but it is not great either. The mystery was pretty tight. I never guessed whodunit or why but at the same time, I didn't care either. I was able to put this book down halfway through and not worry about it all night and morning. The author needs to do a better job editing her book. There are a couple of mistakes that crop up. The point-of-view also shifts very abruptly between Rosemary and Max. He gets about two chapters and that's it. Either alternate or don't tell the reader what is in Max's head, just show.
The characterizations are very flat. There isn't much backstory to go on. I don't know what year this takes place or how Andrew Lillywhite died. I didn't even know if this takes place in America or Britain until chapter 2. The class thing with new money vs. old sounded more American as I suspect all the families in this neighborhood are new money. None of them have titles or seem to have estates in the country. The villain's motive is strange and super weak. I need a little more depth to these characters to make them worthwhile to read about.
I like Rosemary well enough. She comes alive when she's investigating. It's clear she loved Andrew and he seems like he was a good man but I don't get much of a sense of their relationship. It sounds like she assisted in his detective work and he didn't think women should be seen and not heard. His best friend Max, an Inspector with the police, is also a nice man but he seems to be a little more traditional. He waffles back and forth between friendship and professionalism. I would imagine that would be tricky and he probably shouldn't be investigating the case.
Rosemary's family is a mixed bag. Her mother is pretty old-fashioned and awful. She is super tough on her children and never lets them catch a break. Rosemary's father is more kind but rather unaware of anything other than business. Freddie is a typical young man about town. He's young and likes to party. He isn't ready for much responsibility yet but I think he'd be fine if he was given a chance. Some of his bad behavior seems like rebellion against his controlling parents. Rosemary's sister Stella is continually harassed by their mother and always agrees to whatever her mother has planned for her. I hate women like that but she seems nice and I want to like her. Her husband is kind and I think he'd like to help investigate if asked. Their son, Lionel aka Nelly, is a spoiled brat. My favorite member of the family is Wadsworth, Rosemary's butler/chauffeur. He's truly family and would do anything for Rosemary. He seems to enjoy the drama of the investigation and helping out.
Rosemary's best friend Vera acts like a Bright Young Thing, apparently to hide her heartache at losing Lionel, Rosemary's older brother. That seems a bit strange as Vera would have been a teenager at school when Lionel died. How can she know he was the love of her life? They wouldn't have known each other very well even if the girls grew up together. I can't really warm up to Vera but she's a good friend to Rosemary through thick and thin. Vera's mother is ... unique. An actress, she enjoys being flamboyant and the center of attention. I don't really like her sense of humor and the way she acts like nothing is wrong.
The Bartons are an awful family. Grace is weak and weepy. She is possibly hiding secrets from Rosemary and may even be a murderer. I don't think she has it in her to murder someone and I do think I know what her secret is. I'm not a huge fan of her type. Her father is an awful bully, consumed with getting his own way. He's rude to his wife and uses their anniversary as an excuse for a business gathering. Mrs. Barton is shrewish and awful right back to her husband. Only handsome Teddy is pleasant and tries to make the family business on the up and up. He seems to be the only one who cares about that.
My first suspect is Mr. Cuthbert. He bullies the butler into letting him into the house outside of the ballroom because he's accustomed to just having free reign of the house. The butler should have said not tonight pal and sent him packing. However, Mr. Cuthbert ends up murdered so there goes that theory! He seems like an unpleasant man yet everyone liked him. He was a loving godfather to the Barton children but may have had a more sordid past they don't know about. I think he was a complicated man. Marjorie Ainsworth seems like a chief suspect. She's a maneater and was seen arguing with Mr. Barton. She's also friends with Herbert Lock, a nasty, slimy, man. He's a womanizer, a bully and a fortune hunter. He thinks he's engaged to Grace but she wants nothing to do with him. I'm not sure what Mr. Barton sees in this man. Herbert is such a sleaze. Another suspect is Mr. Arthur Abbot, an associate of Mr. Barton’s. He's insanely boring and uninteresting, plus he has an airtight alibi. Who else could have done it? Mrs. Barton, aiming for her husband, perhaps? Mr. Barton, trying to keep old secrets from being spilled? Teddy could also have the same motive. Most everyone has an alibi. I think it could be the snobby butler in revenge for Mr. Cuthburt bullying his way into the main house.
This book being only OK doesn't rate a high priority for reading the next one but perhaps I will return to it later this week or when I have another free Kindle Unlimited trial. Plus, I'm tired of the 1920s.
Mrs. Rosemary Lillywhite has every intention of turning her late husband's private detective office into an art studio until a distressed woman walks in searching for Andrew's help. Grace Barton, a neighbor of Rosemary's family in Pardington, fears someone is out to kill her father after seeing a threatening letter. She wants to know who it is and prevent a senseless tragedy. Rosemary agrees to look into the matter at the Bartons' anniversary party and if she finds anything unusual, she'll let the police know and they can handle the investigating. Rosemary gets more than she bargained for at the party, discovering a dead body with Grace. Someone killed Grace's godfather. Was it a case of mistaken identity or not? When Rose's brother Freddy becomes the prime suspect, she feels she has to investigate to save her loved ones.
This story isn't bad but it is not great either. The mystery was pretty tight. I never guessed whodunit or why but at the same time, I didn't care either. I was able to put this book down halfway through and not worry about it all night and morning. The author needs to do a better job editing her book. There are a couple of mistakes that crop up. The point-of-view also shifts very abruptly between Rosemary and Max. He gets about two chapters and that's it. Either alternate or don't tell the reader what is in Max's head, just show.
The characterizations are very flat. There isn't much backstory to go on. I don't know what year this takes place or how Andrew Lillywhite died. I didn't even know if this takes place in America or Britain until chapter 2. The class thing with new money vs. old sounded more American as I suspect all the families in this neighborhood are new money. None of them have titles or seem to have estates in the country. The villain's motive is strange and super weak. I need a little more depth to these characters to make them worthwhile to read about.
I like Rosemary well enough. She comes alive when she's investigating. It's clear she loved Andrew and he seems like he was a good man but I don't get much of a sense of their relationship. It sounds like she assisted in his detective work and he didn't think women should be seen and not heard. His best friend Max, an Inspector with the police, is also a nice man but he seems to be a little more traditional. He waffles back and forth between friendship and professionalism. I would imagine that would be tricky and he probably shouldn't be investigating the case.
Rosemary's family is a mixed bag. Her mother is pretty old-fashioned and awful. She is super tough on her children and never lets them catch a break. Rosemary's father is more kind but rather unaware of anything other than business. Freddie is a typical young man about town. He's young and likes to party. He isn't ready for much responsibility yet but I think he'd be fine if he was given a chance. Some of his bad behavior seems like rebellion against his controlling parents. Rosemary's sister Stella is continually harassed by their mother and always agrees to whatever her mother has planned for her. I hate women like that but she seems nice and I want to like her. Her husband is kind and I think he'd like to help investigate if asked. Their son, Lionel aka Nelly, is a spoiled brat. My favorite member of the family is Wadsworth, Rosemary's butler/chauffeur. He's truly family and would do anything for Rosemary. He seems to enjoy the drama of the investigation and helping out.
Rosemary's best friend Vera acts like a Bright Young Thing, apparently to hide her heartache at losing Lionel, Rosemary's older brother. That seems a bit strange as Vera would have been a teenager at school when Lionel died. How can she know he was the love of her life? They wouldn't have known each other very well even if the girls grew up together. I can't really warm up to Vera but she's a good friend to Rosemary through thick and thin. Vera's mother is ... unique. An actress, she enjoys being flamboyant and the center of attention. I don't really like her sense of humor and the way she acts like nothing is wrong.
The Bartons are an awful family. Grace is weak and weepy. She is possibly hiding secrets from Rosemary and may even be a murderer. I don't think she has it in her to murder someone and I do think I know what her secret is. I'm not a huge fan of her type. Her father is an awful bully, consumed with getting his own way. He's rude to his wife and uses their anniversary as an excuse for a business gathering. Mrs. Barton is shrewish and awful right back to her husband. Only handsome Teddy is pleasant and tries to make the family business on the up and up. He seems to be the only one who cares about that.
My first suspect is Mr. Cuthbert. He bullies the butler into letting him into the house outside of the ballroom because he's accustomed to just having free reign of the house. The butler should have said not tonight pal and sent him packing. However, Mr. Cuthbert ends up murdered so there goes that theory! He seems like an unpleasant man yet everyone liked him. He was a loving godfather to the Barton children but may have had a more sordid past they don't know about. I think he was a complicated man. Marjorie Ainsworth seems like a chief suspect. She's a maneater and was seen arguing with Mr. Barton. She's also friends with Herbert Lock, a nasty, slimy, man. He's a womanizer, a bully and a fortune hunter. He thinks he's engaged to Grace but she wants nothing to do with him. I'm not sure what Mr. Barton sees in this man. Herbert is such a sleaze. Another suspect is Mr. Arthur Abbot, an associate of Mr. Barton’s. He's insanely boring and uninteresting, plus he has an airtight alibi. Who else could have done it? Mrs. Barton, aiming for her husband, perhaps? Mr. Barton, trying to keep old secrets from being spilled? Teddy could also have the same motive. Most everyone has an alibi. I think it could be the snobby butler in revenge for Mr. Cuthburt bullying his way into the main house.
This book being only OK doesn't rate a high priority for reading the next one but perhaps I will return to it later this week or when I have another free Kindle Unlimited trial. Plus, I'm tired of the 1920s.
February 19, 2025
Yet another series that has been on my to-read shelf for several years. I haven't quite decided if I like Rosemary, the MC, or not. She is determined to fend for herself following her husband's death, which I admire, but she still adheres to society's 'rules,' which I find annoying.
There were multiple murders in this book, and neither victim was very pleasant to be around, so the list of possible suspects was rather lengthy. I kept rearranging a small handful of names on my list, and figured out who the culprit was shortly before it was revealed in the story. The motive made sense for that character, but I found it to be rather cliche.
Despite my ambivalence about Rosemary and some of her family, I plan to read the next book in this series eventually, I'm just not sure how soon that will happen.
There were multiple murders in this book, and neither victim was very pleasant to be around, so the list of possible suspects was rather lengthy. I kept rearranging a small handful of names on my list, and figured out who the culprit was shortly before it was revealed in the story. The motive made sense for that character, but I found it to be rather cliche.
Despite my ambivalence about Rosemary and some of her family, I plan to read the next book in this series eventually, I'm just not sure how soon that will happen.
August 1, 2021
Far too many Americanisms
I really wanted to like this book but... Why is it that American authors seem incapable of doing even the smallest amount of research? After all, it isn't hard these days with the internet. But just for reference houses in England do not have stoops, we have a front door step (or steps). People didn't, and indeed still don't, turn the colour of beets. That last bit came in chapter five and I'm afraid I gave up at that point. Sad to say I will not be reading any more of these.
I really wanted to like this book but... Why is it that American authors seem incapable of doing even the smallest amount of research? After all, it isn't hard these days with the internet. But just for reference houses in England do not have stoops, we have a front door step (or steps). People didn't, and indeed still don't, turn the colour of beets. That last bit came in chapter five and I'm afraid I gave up at that point. Sad to say I will not be reading any more of these.
December 16, 2019
"A step back in time"
Agatha Christie can rest easy. This is a light, fluffy American version of life in England a century ago. The reader will come to no harm in reading this story. It is what it is; a pleasant read for a cold December afternoon.
Agatha Christie can rest easy. This is a light, fluffy American version of life in England a century ago. The reader will come to no harm in reading this story. It is what it is; a pleasant read for a cold December afternoon.
May 30, 2025
An enjoyable debut!
This was a light and easy read, set in 1920's England. With a cast of characters among the uppercrust and mystery taking place at a manor house soiree, there was a fun, Clue mystery game vibe to the story. I'm hopeful for more depth and character development in the next installment, but overall an enjoyable read.
This was a light and easy read, set in 1920's England. With a cast of characters among the uppercrust and mystery taking place at a manor house soiree, there was a fun, Clue mystery game vibe to the story. I'm hopeful for more depth and character development in the next installment, but overall an enjoyable read.
May 11, 2021
I am finding this series very good.
July 25, 2024
I listened to this book on audible. I love listening to audiobooks! They are convenient! I can just carry around my phone and put my ear buds in. I can take a walk or be cooking in the kitchen.
I love this time period for the setting In the roaring ‘20s. This is a new character for me to get to know. Also, the author is new for me as well. The writing is easy to understand with a plot that moves along smoothly. The mystery was very interesting. I was surprised at the end! I hope to continue on with the series. Also, the narrator was excellent!
I love this time period for the setting In the roaring ‘20s. This is a new character for me to get to know. Also, the author is new for me as well. The writing is easy to understand with a plot that moves along smoothly. The mystery was very interesting. I was surprised at the end! I hope to continue on with the series. Also, the narrator was excellent!
April 22, 2019
I liked this book. There was a writing problem in one scene when the author places Vera with Rosemary and then seems to forget that she was there. As always in this type of book, there was a scene when the main character was in peril. I thank the author for not making it because Rosemary was stupid. I will read more in this series.
May 13, 2020
So fun!
I loved the story, loved the characters, it was fun, a little love story, a little murder mystery and strong females who save the day.
I loved the story, loved the characters, it was fun, a little love story, a little murder mystery and strong females who save the day.
March 11, 2021
Such poor writing
June 29, 2021
Disappointing book, hard to follow who’s who and also scattered with Americanism and American spelling even though it is set in England. Good editor required as some parts don’t make sense.
February 11, 2022
I do enjoy a good cozy mysteries set in the 1920s or 1930s. This one was no exception. Rosemary Lillywhite is a recent widow who is just about to close the office of her deceased husband's private investigations firm. She gets a visit from Grace Barton, who doesn't know that the office has closed. She is worried about a death threat that her father has received. Realizing that Grace's family lives near her family, Rosemary is tempted to go to the country on a family visit and check it out. This, of course, leads to a surprising murder and a threat to Rosemary's family, the Woolridges. I liked Rosemary, a determined woman not looking for another husband, and her friend, Vera, also determined to help her. The red herrings were everywhere and the solution was believable. I liked it very much. And young Lionel (Nellie) does finally get to see the horses.
April 25, 2020
A lire sans hésitation. La période, l'ambiance, les personnages sont bien décrits et le mystère en lui-même est bien posé. Je ne m'attendais pas au final. Hâte de lire les autres aventures de cette jeune femme Détective.
August 31, 2025
Good murder mystery short story. I had a hard time following who each character was because of the constant switch between formal names (Mr./Mrs.) and the use of first names or nicknames.
This won't stop me from picking up the next book in the series.
This won't stop me from picking up the next book in the series.
June 30, 2023
goodreads ate my original review, rating and date
September 22, 2025
A pleasant enough story, very British Agatha Christie, Miss Marple, Nero Wolf, Arsenic and Old Lace… let’s gather all the suspects together in the drawing room sort of thing.
Want to read
December 5, 2019TheFussyLibrarian
December 15, 2019
Pleasant read
Well-plotted with some memorable characters in an interesting situation. Clean, stand-alone and not a cliffhanger. 👍 I’ll read next in this new series, so will a lot of people. Recommended. 👍🏼
Well-plotted with some memorable characters in an interesting situation. Clean, stand-alone and not a cliffhanger. 👍 I’ll read next in this new series, so will a lot of people. Recommended. 👍🏼
Read
August 9, 2023"The Case at Barton Manor" is also available in audiobook format, narrated by the wonderful and talented Caren Naess.
Listen to a sample: https://emilyqueenwriter.com/book/bar...
Runtime: 5 hours, 17 minutes
Available on Amazon and Audible
Listen to a sample: https://emilyqueenwriter.com/book/bar...
Runtime: 5 hours, 17 minutes
Available on Amazon and Audible
January 3, 2020
English country house murder
A woman trying to get over her private investigator husband‘s death, takes on an investigation leading to a classic style “Country home who done it.“ The 1920 themed “mystery story line” is pretty good. Classic in there are lots of suspect, some with secrets to hide. There’s also a strong “romance story line.“ While I felt the book got a bit mired in the heroines emotions/potential romance, I would have not thought it particularly odd, except the writer either has an addiction to florid prose when it comes to friendship, or the heroine has a really over the top attachment to her best friend.
I also think it needed proofreading for continuity. Minor nits, but hurt the flow of the book and occurred often enough to stand out. Examples.... the divider between driver and passengers is up so the driver can’t hear them, then the next paragraph the driver can overhear them, then the next paragraph the divider window is slid down. Leaves the impression that the author inserted a paragraph but didn’t read the text on either side of the insertion. Or a description of gunning the engine to stop.
While somethings did bother me about the book, overall I thought it was a promising start…I will read the next book to decide is the series is my cup of tea.
A woman trying to get over her private investigator husband‘s death, takes on an investigation leading to a classic style “Country home who done it.“ The 1920 themed “mystery story line” is pretty good. Classic in there are lots of suspect, some with secrets to hide. There’s also a strong “romance story line.“ While I felt the book got a bit mired in the heroines emotions/potential romance, I would have not thought it particularly odd, except the writer either has an addiction to florid prose when it comes to friendship, or the heroine has a really over the top attachment to her best friend.
I also think it needed proofreading for continuity. Minor nits, but hurt the flow of the book and occurred often enough to stand out. Examples.... the divider between driver and passengers is up so the driver can’t hear them, then the next paragraph the driver can overhear them, then the next paragraph the divider window is slid down. Leaves the impression that the author inserted a paragraph but didn’t read the text on either side of the insertion. Or a description of gunning the engine to stop.
While somethings did bother me about the book, overall I thought it was a promising start…I will read the next book to decide is the series is my cup of tea.
August 3, 2021
Took a chance on these books as the 1920 setting was a bit late for me (I prefer Victorian or Regency murder mysteries) but these are surprisingly good!
Great lead character in Rosemary Lillywhite and her faithful friend and sidekick, Vera Blackburn. You really get to like and understand the characters and a bit about their past without pages and pages of background waffle that I detest in some authors. No indeed, I skipped no pages nor paragraphs in this book which is always a good sign with me! This author manages to weave a little background history into the story without overdoing it and leaving the reader thoroughly lost or bored.
Fast-paced story, enough suspects without overdoing it and the main characters thoroughly likeable. All very cozy but the only negative is there are a lot of Americanisms and American spellings such as Theater, Color, Neighbor, Favor, front stoop instead of front steps, liquor instead of alcohol……. Not a death nell for the story but quite annoying for an English reader especially when the characters are all English and set in England….. unsure whether it’s the Authors problem or the publishers but there were also some typing errors in the book. Like I say, not earth-shattering just highly annoying.
Great lead character in Rosemary Lillywhite and her faithful friend and sidekick, Vera Blackburn. You really get to like and understand the characters and a bit about their past without pages and pages of background waffle that I detest in some authors. No indeed, I skipped no pages nor paragraphs in this book which is always a good sign with me! This author manages to weave a little background history into the story without overdoing it and leaving the reader thoroughly lost or bored.
Fast-paced story, enough suspects without overdoing it and the main characters thoroughly likeable. All very cozy but the only negative is there are a lot of Americanisms and American spellings such as Theater, Color, Neighbor, Favor, front stoop instead of front steps, liquor instead of alcohol……. Not a death nell for the story but quite annoying for an English reader especially when the characters are all English and set in England….. unsure whether it’s the Authors problem or the publishers but there were also some typing errors in the book. Like I say, not earth-shattering just highly annoying.
August 4, 2019
Cute little fluff of a story, but a lousy mystery. There was a decided lack of clues, motives, etc. The whole premise of Abbot coming out of the closet, being brought to mind by Rosemary's sketches and her realizing that the closet contained the entrance/exit to a secret staircase, which staircase never came into play before and without her investigating to see if that was, in reality, the truth - that laid the murder at the feet of Mr. Abbott. Really??? Give me a break. There was never even a hint of a clue about Abbott during the whole story, but all of a sudden he has confiscated Rosemary's car and is driving off with the girls - whereupon he eventually confesses. WHY? Why would he confess? Nothing at all pointed to him.
All in all, I won't be reading any more books in this series. Ms. Queen is no Ellery.
All in all, I won't be reading any more books in this series. Ms. Queen is no Ellery.
July 3, 2022
Not good at all
Apart from American English (which I don’t mind) and Americanisms (which I do mind when the setting is England) I wasn’t impressed by this book. Yes, I guessed the murderer, but I write cosy mysteries too, so it’s lovely when I’m wrong. It makes me read more from that writer.
What really put me off was the constant head hopping, being in one character’s head and then someone else’s in the same scene. A good editor would have spotted that and eradicated it. Perhaps they tried… who knows?
There was so much “telling” rather than “showing”. Poor verb and adverb choice when strong verbs would have been better. Poor descriptions too: “from bright white to scarlet red”??
I made myself finish it, but I won’t read any more. If the author improves, I won’t be there to see it. I’m so very sorry.
Apart from American English (which I don’t mind) and Americanisms (which I do mind when the setting is England) I wasn’t impressed by this book. Yes, I guessed the murderer, but I write cosy mysteries too, so it’s lovely when I’m wrong. It makes me read more from that writer.
What really put me off was the constant head hopping, being in one character’s head and then someone else’s in the same scene. A good editor would have spotted that and eradicated it. Perhaps they tried… who knows?
There was so much “telling” rather than “showing”. Poor verb and adverb choice when strong verbs would have been better. Poor descriptions too: “from bright white to scarlet red”??
I made myself finish it, but I won’t read any more. If the author improves, I won’t be there to see it. I’m so very sorry.
April 5, 2021
Allegedly set in 1920s England. However the characters, the language and the setting is totally out of sync with that setting. Servants who call Mrs Lillywhite 'my lady', a London house with a stoop (London houses stand up straight ...), party goers who are on immediate first name terms with other guests, police inspectors who address constables as 'Officer Stalwart'.
It might have been a pastiche, of American-written English cozies, but then one would have expected humour (or, as this book would have it, humor).
It might have been a pastiche, of American-written English cozies, but then one would have expected humour (or, as this book would have it, humor).
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