Murder at the Opera House

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe #1

by Dawn Brookes

Four unlikely seniors team up for a laugh-out-loud mystery series you won't want to miss... An opera. A murder. A diva. Marjorie Snellthorpe and her exasperating cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton set off for a relaxing holiday in Romania. Looking for respite after their last adventure ended up a murder investigation, they have no idea what awaits them. When they encounter Horace Tyler from the previous trip, and find a new friend in Frederick Mackworth, it seems Marjorie has finally found peace - until they meet a sextet of argumentative and irritating people, including a petulant diva.With their night at the opera ending in murder, Marjorie and Edna must put aside their differences to uncover who was responsible.As secrets come to light amongst the suspects and those close to the dead woman seem more interested in continuing with their holiday than finding out the truth, Marjorie and her pensioner pals face an uphill battle to solve the mystery before someone else is killed or they end up in jail.Murder at The Opera House promises determined sleuths, jaw-dropping surprises and detailed investigative work as Lady Marjorie and friends race against time to expose the sinister plot that lies behind this daring murder.Buy Murder at the Opera House to weed out the culprit today!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Cozy, Crime, Contemporary

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2021

About the author

Dawn Brookes is an award winning cosy mystery and crime writer who also writes memoirs and children's books.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction.

Dawn writes most days and publishes regularly, to keep up to date visit her website.

Rachel Prince Mysteries:

#1 A Cruise to Murder set during a Mediterranean cruise
#2 Deadly Cruise set during a transatlantic crossing to New York.
#3 Killer Cruise set during a Baltic cruise.
#4 Dying to Cruise set during a cruise around Australia and New Zealand.
#5 A Christmas Cruise Murder set on a Canary Island cruise.
#6 Murderous Cruise Habit set on a Caribbean cruise.
#7 Honeymoon Cruise Murder set on a Mediterranean cruise.
#8 A Murder Mystery Cruise set on a cruise to the Norwegian Ffords.
#9 Hazardous Cruise set on a Mediterranean and Adriatic cruise.
#10 Captain's Dinner Cruise Murder
#11 Corporate Cruise Murder set in India.
#12 Treacherous Cruise Flirtation set in Hawaii.
#13 Toxic Cruise Cocktail set on a SE Asia cruise.
#14 Cruise into Darkness

The Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mysteries

#Prequel Novella Death of a Blogger
#1 Murder at the Opera House
#2 Murder in the Highlands
#3 Murder at the Christmas Market
#4 Murder at a Wimbledon Mansion
#5 Murder in a Care Home
#6 Murder at the Regatta
#7 Murder on a Bus Tour

Carlos Jacobi PI

#1 Body in the Woods Award winning novel.
#2 The Bradgate Park Murders
#3 The Museum Murders

Nursing Memoirs

#1 Hurry up Nurse: memoirs of nurse training in the 1970s

#2 Hurry up Nurse 2: London calling
#3 Hurry up Nurse 3: More adventures in the life of a student nurse

Books are available in paperback, hardback, large print, kindle ebook, and audiobook.

Dawn grew up in Leicester, England and trained as a nurse. She later moved to London to undertake further training in the East End. Dawn worked in the NHS in England for the best part of thirty-nine years and during that time gained a wide range of experience as well as academic and professional qualifications. She also holds an MA in Creative Writing.

Dawn's website can be found at: https://www.dawnbrookespublishing.com

Children's Books

Dawn has written a number of children's books including:

Suki Seal and the Plastic Ring

Gerry the One-Eared Cat

Danny the Caterpillar

Ava & Oliver's Bonfire Night Adventure

Ava & Oliver's Christmas Nativity Adventure

Jesus Feeds a Big Crowd

Jesus Heals a Man on a Stretcher

Dawn founded a literature festival in her locality which aims to engage readers and authors with all things literature.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one in the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery series and I was at first confused by all the mentions of a previous case and a river cruise to Amsterdam. Looking it up I see there is a prequel called Death of a Blogger: A Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery Novella which I have now grabbed from Amazon.

This is a story about a group of seniors who meet up on holiday trips each of which are livened up by a murder or two. When a fellow traveler on their trip to Romania is murdered, Lady Marjorie, cousin Edna, and friends Horace and Frederick try to discover which of their travelling companions is the murderer.

I very much enjoyed this one. The characters were well described, the mystery was good and there were plenty of suspects. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in the profanity, so I won't revisit this author.

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fact going into this review:

I fall asleep to episodes of "Murder She Wrote" every night.

I've often thought- what would happen if Jessica Fletcher created a geriatric investigative gang who went on scheduled exotic outings?

Well, here you have it.
Lady Majorie Snellthorpe organizes a trip to Romania with a few pals (eh, some are not exactly pals, but amateur sleuths who tolerate each other) and before you can say "Aunt Jessica" they are in a kerfuffle.

This is full of mishaps and laughs and if you love cozy mystery, I highly recommend you add this into your rotation soon!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read and review.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely definitely Binge-worthy❣️You are hooked as soon as you start reading...
Very anxious to read more . . .
Next please🐿️ More and more difficult to put down . . .

[Marygrace Depp · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5⭐️ but rounded up

This book didn’t start to get into the meat of the mystery until about 40% in. There were so many characters that we barely meet unless they are all together which led to a lot of confusion throughout reading the whole book. This led to a lot of confusion while reading the book and I felt like it pulled me out of the story constantly.

Since it took so long to get to the mystery everything felt incredibly rushed, and the ending was just luck. It felt like everything was luck and it wasn’t the characters working to find out what happened but it just fell into their lap. The person murdered literally saying who would have killed her really didn’t make any sense and just felt kind of lazy as a solution to how to wrap up the book.

I felt like we could have done with less of the information in the first half since it didn’t really clear up the characters anyways.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the copy of the novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

After a long time, I thought I’d give it another go at murder mystery novels, though I can’t say I’ve ever been particularly interested in the genre. ‘Murder at the Opera House’ by Dawn Brookes was a perfect novel to start with; a fast-paced, quick read that doesn’t require much focus to finish, I read the novel during my lunch breaks and my morning coffee.

In the first installment of ‘Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe’ series, Dawn Brookes, the author of many different murder mystery novels, introduces us to various entertaining characters in this intriguing novel, as we follow the main character Marjorie ‘Marge’ Snellthorpe on her vacation to Romania, soon to be interrupted by a sudden death during the Opera. Unlike the family of the victim, who care more about their paid vacation than the recently deceased family member, Lady Snellthorpe, along with her cousin-in-law Edna Parkinton, teams up with two other vacationers to find the perpetrator.

Each character has a distinguishable personality, and after a while it becomes somewhat predictable of how each of them would react. While personally I enjoy some surprises when it comes to character development throughout the story, for a short mystery such as ‘Murder at the Opera House’, not much space was left for many changes of the characters’ personalities or their personal growth. However, the story had some interesting and unexpected twists nearing the end.

I must say, while reading I kept a note open with clues of who the murderer could be, I was still surprised, as each suspect had a ‘good reason’ and suspicious background. Until the end I would not have predicted the outcome.

Overall, I enjoyed this light read, and might eventually pick up other books of the series to read. This was the first novel by Dawn Brookes that I had read, so I dived into it not knowing what to expect, and while it didn’t disappoint me, it hasn’t left much of an impression either. That being said, I recommend this book if you’re looking for a short and easy read.

[Vicki F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Opera House by Dawn Brookes reminds me of the 'who dunnit' in Clue? Was it the decades old jilted fiance'? Or the daughter? Or the sister? Or brother-in-law? Or the Major? Or his daughter? Or the waiter? Or...even the tour director? So much drama, so many plot twists, so many suspects. Great character development.

Releases Jan 30th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Anita Bilyeu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cozy mystery reminiscent of Miss Marple and Mrs. Pollifax, with a touch of Jessica Fletcher. The audiobook is entertaining and I was so engrossed in it, I finished it in its entirety.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel featuring a character who I love from Dawn Brookes other great series, ‘A Rachel Prince Mystery’, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe. I was excited to see that she now gets her own series and this is book one, and I was definitely not disappointed. Along with a group of intriguing pensioners, Marjorie must now solve her own mysteries. Each of the unique characters bring something different to the story, Marjorie’s irritating cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton, Horace Tyler who they met on a previous holiday, and friend, Frederick Mackworth. They are a humorous group but are also determined sleuths who carry out detailed investigative work. Looking for a restful and relaxing trip, Marjorie and Edna begin their organised tour in Romania, where they meet Horace and Frederick.

Unfortunately their peace comes to an end when an argumentative and annoying sextet, who include a petulant diva join the tour. Then whilst in Cluj-Napoca the whole party is detained when a body is discovered at the end of their night at the opera. The murdered victim is the diva, Dolores Hagman, who seemed to be so unpopular that there are many possible suspects. As Marjorie and Edna disagree on how to go about discovering who was responsible, Dolores friends and family seem to want to continue their holiday, rather than find her killer. It soon becomes obvious that they all have a secret which they would rather was not discovered. Meanwhile, Marjorie and her ‘pensioner pals’ are trying to work out the troubling murder, and Marjorie is also trying not to kill Edna and end up in a Romanian jail.

I was hooked from start to finish, the storyline flows well and the plot twists kept me guessing as to who the killer was. The descriptive narrative brings both the settings and the characters vividly to life, making me feel immersed in the story. This was a real page turner, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in this new series.

[Meg Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawn Brookes’ Murder at the Opera House is a delightful start to the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery Series, full of charm, intrigue, and quirky characters. Lady Marjorie, along with her cousin-in-law Edna, embarks on a relaxing vacation to Romania, but things take a dramatic turn when a fellow traveler is found dead after a night at the opera. What follows is a fascinating, cozy mystery that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

Marjorie, though often annoyed by Edna's company, is an endearing and resourceful sleuth. Their dynamic, which fluctuates between moments of annoyance and unexpected camaraderie, is reminiscent of classic comedic duos, adding a lighthearted touch to the mystery. Together with an eclectic group of travel companions, including a self-absorbed opera singer and a contentious family, the two senior sleuths must piece together clues to uncover the murderer.

The setting of Romania adds a layer of exotic charm, and the river cruise provides a perfect backdrop for the suspense. Brookes does a fantastic job of weaving in vivid descriptions of the locations while keeping the pacing brisk, making it an easy, yet engaging read. The book strikes a balance between humor and mystery, with plenty of twists and turns that will keep even the most seasoned mystery reader entertained.

While the book is enjoyable, there is a noticeable lack of character development beyond the core group of sleuths. However, this does not detract from the overall experience. The surprise ending is well-crafted, leaving readers both satisfied and eager for more adventures with Lady Marjorie and Edna.

Verdict: A delightful, quick-paced mystery with engaging characters and a satisfying resolution. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries looking for a charming read with a touch of suspense. Looking forward to the next in the series!

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dawn Brookes for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder at the Opera House coming out January 30, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe reluctantly agrees to accompany her cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton, on an organized tour beginning in Romania.

Marjorie is seeking rest and relaxation after their last trip ended in a murder investigation, but things don't quite go to plan. Edna is delighted when they meet Horace Tyler from their previous holiday, while Marjorie believes she has found a new friend in Frederick Mackworth.
Their would-be peace is shattered when they encounter an argumentative and annoying sextet that includes a petulant diva. This is made worse when they and the rest of the tour party are detained in Cluj-Napoca after a one of their own is discovered dead at the end of a night at the opera.

The death of one of the company raises questions about who might have wanted to kill the seemingly unpopular diva. With a plethora of suspects, Marjorie and Edna lock horns while trying to discover who was responsible.

It appears the dead woman's friends and family are more interested in continuing their holiday than finding a killer. With each harboring secrets they would rather remain untold, Marjorie and her pensioner pals have their work cut out.

Can Marjorie get to the bottom of a troubling murder without killing her cousin-in-law and ending up in a Romanian jail?

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love murder mysteries. I think Marjorie was really fun character. The mystery was good. I don’t think it was as cozy as I usually read however, I enjoyed the story. I do love mysteries set on a vacation. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy mysteries that star vital seniors and this book delivers. A group of four seniors become involved with murder while on vacation. One of their co-travelers on the trip, a former diva, is murdered while they are at the opera. There are plenty of suspects because this diva was not exactly well-loved by her family members and even one of the four has ties to her in the past. It will take some smart insight and dogged determination to follow the clues to discover who the murderer is.

The murder was solid with a number of suspects and twists to keep you guessing. I wish that the writer had given the reader a few more clues to figure out the culprit instead of relying on a last bit of information that the readers didn't get. There were a number of mentions of a previous incident with murder but this book is listed as number one. It was a bit confusing before I checked the series list and saw there was a previous novella that served as an introduction to the series.

There were funny moments which I enjoyed. The characters were well developed. I have to say that I didn't always like the sort of main character Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe, which the series is named after. She could come off as a bit stuck up and intolerant of her cousin-in-law, Edna. The chapters switch back and forth between the pov of Marjorie and Edna, who provides a lot of the levity. I really liked Edna who speaks her mind and lives audaciously. Go woman. Though, too much of either character could become too much. So they balance each other out well.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Fruzsina Bagin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the novel via NetGalley thanks to Storm Publishing, and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The first volume in the "Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe" series is an entertaining and dynamic crime thriller in which Dawn Brookes presents her characters and the unfolding mystery with great flair. The story centres on Marjorie "Marge" Snellthorpe, who takes a trip starting in Romania with her sister-in-law, the sometimes annoying but inseparable Edna Parkinton. The relationship between the two elderly ladies is full of comic tension, yet they throw themselves into the investigation with unexpected harmony, which adds a light-hearted humour to the story that the reader will enjoy.

The mystery begins when the pair become embroiled in a murder case after an opera performance in Cluj-Napoca – the elderly diva Dolores Hagman is found dead outside the opera house. As the deceased was not the most popular person, the number of suspects soon increases, and Marjorie's and her friends' investigation uncovers more and more secrets. As the police and the self-appointed detectives try to unravel the case, Dolores' friends and family would rather continue their holiday than find the killer.

The uniqueness of the characters is notably outstanding. Marjorie, Edna, and their former and new friends – such as Horace Tyler and Frederick Mackworth – all have their own personalities, and after a while the reader can guess how they will react in certain situations. This predictability does not detract from the experience, however, but rather gives the impression that we are part of the journey and the investigation.

The book's strengths include a dynamic plot and a twisty storyline. Although the suspect pool is growing, the suspense is maintained throughout and the surprise ending ensures that the reader's attention is not lost until the very last moment. The only minor shortcoming is that the characters do not show any major character development, but this does not detract from the overall quality of the story, which is still entertaining and engaging.

The novel's unique atmosphere is also enhanced by the setting, with the Romanian locations adding an exotic charm to the plot. "Murder at the Opera House" is the perfect choice for those who love the world of classic murder mysteries and humorous detective stories.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Opera House by Dawn Brookes is book 1 in her Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe series about a group of seniors who travel the world, solving the murders that occur around them.

I really enjoyed Murder at the Opera House. The book had a great cast of characters, from our elderly sleuths, to the unlikable family members of the deceased, making determining the murderer a challenge.

My only real problem with the book was with the main character, Marjorie, and her relationship with her cousin-in-law, Edna.

In the very first chapter, I thought Edna was going to be super annoying, and I sympathized with Marjorie for having to put up with her. However, as the story rolled along and I got to know the characters better, I came to really like Edna.

Edna had been through some tough times, and seemed to just be trying to enjoy her life. I also felt a bit sorry for her because while she viewed Marjorie as a good friend, it was very obvious that Marjorie barely tolerated her, and in some cases was judgemental, and downright mean to Edna. Could Edna be annoying? Sure, but I don’t think she deserved some of the treatment she got from Marjorie.

Murder at the Opera House was an interesting murder mystery, and I will be looking forward to reading more of the escapades of this foursome of senior sleuths.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[April Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the Opera House is the first in the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe series. I am a huge fan of Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher, so I was excited to read a cozy with a band of seniors as our sleuths. Lady Marjorie is setting out on a vacation in Romania, accompanied by her cousin Edna. They meet up with a friend Horace, wh0m they met on a previous trip. They make the acquaintance of a Frederick Mackworth.

Our group meets a group of individuals travelling together, some of which family members to Delores, a diva from the past. They all seem unhappy and argumentative. After an evening at the local opera house, Delores is found dead. It appears she died of natural causes, or did she? She didnt seem to be on good terms with any of her traveling companions. Their new friend Frederick seems to have a past with Delores. Could he have been involved? Marjorie, Edna and Horace set out to unmask the culprit so they can get on with their holiday.

Marjorie and Edna are a female version of "the odd couple." I really enjoyed their banter and the fact that they really care for each other underneath all the grousing. I loved all the characters; they were so well written. There were several red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. It was everything you want a cozy to be... full of fun characters, a great mystery and leave you wanting the next book NOW!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read this ARC.

[Bookbug_40 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and fun cozy mystery
The idea of four feisty octogenarians solving murder mysteries in exotic locations sounds wonderful. This is first in the series.
Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and her irrepressible cousin-in-law, Edna, arrive in Romania for a relaxing escape on an organized tour, starting with a night at the opera. But their evening of culture strikes a fatal note when a demanding opera diva, Dolores Hagman, found dead. 
Marjorie and Edna, along with friends, Horace and Frederick, team up to find the true culprit. This is quite the fun group with their own differences, but they all investigate in detail, which means they may be amateur sleuths, but determined to find the truth. The dead woman's family was more concerned about their own selfish goals. Everyone got secrets of their own.
Wonderful enjoyable characters, exciting enough mystery, suspense, and suspicious circumstances with several suspects. Marjorie and Edna's quirky relationship was fun to read. Some little plot twists here and there with entertaining points of view. The vacation mystery setting is superb with perfect climax. It reminds me of the book, The Thursday Murder Club, with pensioners solving crimes in their own entertaining way.
It's a light, fun read. It was originally released a few years back, and now three books in the series are re-released by Storm Publishing.
Thanks to @Netgalley and @stormpublishing for the eARC.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to preface this review with a personal aside - if the word “Opera” is in the title, or if there is even a sniff at the world of Opera, I am reading the book. I probably need to be a bit more discerning.

With larger than life characters, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe is on holiday, or maybe not. Teamed up with characters that have been introduced in previous installments, a night at the Opera turns into a murder to be solved. There is a slew of people to sift through, rather confusing how they are all related, and all equally unlikeable. The setting of Romania would have been interesting if there was anything to do with the country or culture in the book. There was a whole lot of eating and drinking, coffee, bad tea, brandy and whatever else was at hand.

While certainly fitting into the cozy murder mystery genre I have to admit that I found it slightly boring and stuffy. This might have to do with my comparison to the Verity Bright “Lady Eleanore Swift” mysteries which never seem to be stale. While I enjoyed “Murder At The Opera House” I wish opera had a more front and center part in this novel. I really can’t fault the book for that expectation.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a Copy

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Murder at the Opera House
Series: A Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery Book #1
Author: Dawn Brookes
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Genre: Mystery Thriller
re-release Pub Date: January 30, 2025
My Rating: 3.3 Stars
Pages: 260

This is the first of six in the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery Series

Lady Marjorie and her cousin-in-law (a very important distinction) Edna, travel to Romania when they will continue onto Hungary. In Romania, they meet the rest of their 10-person group. However, before they even get to the river cruise, one of the family group members dies. When suspicion falls on Frederick a member of their travel group – as the victim is an ex-fiancé abandoned at the altar years ago.

Lady Marjorie believes police aren’t on the right track! So it is up to her and Edna, with Horace and even Frederick himself, to solve this crime.
A light enjoyable read and as tease for next in this series states- don’t miss the chance to see our favorite senior sleuths prove that age is just a number when it comes to catching a killer!.

Want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for granting me this re-release eGalley
Publishing re-Release Date scheduled for January 30, 2025.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe endures her sharp-tongued cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton, to enjoy the delights of the Romanian Opera house. When a petulant opera diva is killed during their visit, Marjorie, Edna, and their fellow senior sleuths must sift through a web of secrets and suspects who seem more interested in their vacation than solving the crime. With tensions high and time running out, the pensioner detectives race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again—or they end up behind bars.

I thought this was the first of a series, but it reads like there have been multiple adventures that came before it. Thankfully, enough information is given so that the reader is not left in the dark. Lady Marjorie was a fun character to follow. Edna, on the other hand, took some time to warm up to. Sometimes their bickering was a bit much, but I liked what each person brought to the mystery.

The case was interesting. I enjoyed how Lady Marjorie went about putting together clues to discover the culprit.

Overall, it was a cozy mystery, perfect for a weekend. Readers looking for a mystery with feisty, elderly protagonists will definitely enjoy this one.

I received an advance reader copy via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a part of "Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery" series. I hadn't heard of this series and hadn't read any book in this series, but that didn't dilute my pleasure of reading this book.

Lady Marjorie is a recently-widowed, senior woman who decides to take a trip to Romania with her cousin, Edna. No points for guessing the plot of the book - a woman is murdered at the opera house and Lady Marjorie solves the mystery with some help from her cousin and friends. Marjorie and Edna have a hate-love relationship. Marjorie is often annoyed by Edna's behavior, but also has spurts of empathy for her.

This book reminded me of "The Thursday Murder Club" series. A group of senior citizens, each one of them having their own quirky personality, a not-so-competent police force and the onus of solving the crime falls on the senior citizens.

The plot is very interesting and the book is fast paced. It kicks off with the murder at the opera, but the story soon takes a lot of twists and turns, keeping the reader hooked. Even though I was trying to keep all the clues and alibis in my head, I couldn't have guessed the murderer. Characterization could have been better - at times, characters are quite predictable and cliched. This doesn't take away the thrill of the plot.

[Short, Sweet and Cozy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Opera House is a debut British cozy mystery by Dawn Brookes and the series is off to a solid start. There is a prequel novella that introduces the characters and has a murder that is referred to a few times but I started with this book. Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and her cousin-in-law Edna Parkinton are going on vacation together to Budapest and a Danube River cruise. When they arrive to begin their vacation they meet up with Horace Tyler from the novella. They meet Frederick Mackworth and the four of them work together to solve the death of the Opera Diva and her.daughter who both are murdered. The relationship between Marjorie and.Edna.adds.humor because they are unlikely traveling companions. There are 6 other people in their group and.at times I had trouble remembering who everyone was and.their relationships to each other. Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery with mostly likable characters and a cozy mystery that kept me guessing. I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley and Oakwood Publishing and I voluntarily leave this review. #MurderAtTheOperaHouse#NetGalley #OakwoodPublishing

[Sandra M. Dethlefsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Marjorie Snelthorpe and her cousin-in-law, Edna, are off on another trip. They hope for a peaceful, relaxing vacation when they arrive in Romania. On their first evening in town, they arrive at the opera, expecting a relaxing evening of music. Instead, they are faced with the tragic death of one of the opera's most demanding divas, who is found dead outside the opera house during intermission.
One of their fellow travelers, her former fiancé Frederick, whom she abandoned at the altar, is immediately suspected of her murder. Marjorie and Edna once again rise to the task of solving another murder. They begin their investigations with their traveling companions, Horace and Frederick. Things become complicated when they are confronted with feuding family members and the sudden arrival of a so-called best friend who is out for vengeance.
After a second body is discovered, they realize they are facing a persistent murderer. Marjorie begins to worry about whether they will be able to find what appears to be a persistent killer before there is another victim.

[The Mystery Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a cozy mystery with a determined group of amateur sleuths, I recommend picking up Murder at the Opera House. The story follows Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and her over the top cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton, on what they hoped would be a relaxing holiday in Romania. Of course, things quickly go sideways, and when a night at the opera ends in murder, Marjorie and Edna team up with a couple of other delightful characters to solve the case.

The book is such a fun read. The best part is absolutely the dynamic between the unlikely group of seniors—they are witty, determined, and often hilarious. The opera house setting and the cast of argumentative suspects create a great atmosphere for a whodunnit. As secrets start coming to light, Marjorie and her friends race against time to expose the killer.

This is a charming and funny start to a new series. It delivers a solid puzzle with plenty of twists and a whole lot of heart.

★★★★☆

#MurderAtTheOperaHouse #DawnBrookes #LadyMarjorieSnellthorpe #CozyMystery #BookReview #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #SeniorSleuth #AmateurSleuth #Whodunnit #MysterySeries

[H.R. Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy-to-read cozy mystery.

It's short, a quick read, that entertains, and amuses.

Lady Marjorie and her cousin-in-law (a very important distinction) Edna, travel to Roumania to begin the land component of their river cruise. Their fractious relationship highlights their social and personality differences. I felt a little sorry for Edna.

In Roumania, they meet their fellow travellers, especially an equally argumentative and fractious family group. Before they even get to the river cruise, one of the family group members dies and it's up to Lady Marjorie to unravel the puzzle and solve the crime.

I haven't read the previous books but it didn't create a problem. It's clear there is a history between some of the characters, but it doesn't matter for this story. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These characters positively define the noun as hilariously quirky as they are. The elderly friends and such are on a river cruise down the Danube from Bucharest (and making each other nutz) when a newer acquaintance gets murdered during the operatic intermission. There are more than enough suspects and a whole storyful of laughs! Happy to have read first in series!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-file from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
#DeathAtTheOperaHouse #LadyMarjorieSnellthorpeMysteriesBk1 by #dawnbrookes
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[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was invited by the publisher to read this book. This is the first in a planned series of mysteries involving Lady Marjorie and her collected team of sleuths, who wind up in situations where there is a murder and they decide to solve it. In this book, a challenging person is found dead, and those in that person's group just want to carry on without figuring who the murderer was - so Marjorie and her team decide to find the killer, before anyone else dies.

What was fun about this book were the numerous people that could have done the killing, so it was nice to get a variety of characters and multiple plotlines going so the reader could also do some sleuthing. This was a cozy mystery-type read, quick and easy, perfect for those cold nights in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha Woodall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a cozy who done it murder mystery which kept me guessing at who the real killer was. This book gave me major murder she wrote vibes.

This is the story of Majorie and her cousin in law Edna decided to go on vacation to Romania to start off their vacation by going to the opera that night with a travel group including their friend from the last trip Horace. They then met Frederick which they find out knows the family in their group that travelled together for a double birthday. There is a lot of drama in the family as they don’t get along well and during the Opera one of them ends up dead. Their trip gets delayed as the cops and Majorie and friends end up trying to figure out who did it.

I wasn’t aware when I started reading this book that it was a part of a series. Later I saw it was the first which confused me as the book shared a vacation they took perviously which made me feel I missed a lot of back story between Majorie, Edna, and Horace. It was hard to remember how everyone in the family that was traveling with the group was related. Overall it was an easy book to read and I’d read the next books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very complicated murder!

I am really enjoying the Lady Marjorie mysteries! Although I do t think I read them in order, it doesn’t really matter as they read fine as stand alones. This one takes place on what is to be a river cruise down the Danube from Bucharest to Budapest, with stops along the way, But when one of their 10-person group is murdered, Lady Marjorie is suspicious and doesn’t think the police are on the right track! I really like the character of Marjorie, as she is thoughtful and quick to put clues that others neglect to use. Her cousin in-law, Edna, is a pretty annoying woman and Marjorie is more than tolerant of her outbursts! This was a free book which definitely kept my interest!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize there was a novella before this book so the characters kept referencing a previous murder they solved that I didn’t know about. I wish had read that first. Overall a solid mystery with lots of misdirection and unlikeable characters who you want to be the murderer. It took me a while to wrap my head around all the relationships between the suspects. I can tell that Edna & Marjorie have a love/hate relationship but sometimes I felt like Marjorie was overly mean to Edna, which made me dislike her a little. I feel like there’s more of a backstory to Howard that we don’t know yet. More character development might be nice for the main players.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book

[Julie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Opera House brings a classic Agatha Christie vibe with its intricate plotting, colorful characters, and the setting of an opera house murder. What made it even more special was seeing the action unfold in my own hometown.
The sleuths, Marjorie and Edna, have a charmingly old-school approach to solving mysteries, reminiscent of Christie’s sharp-witted detectives.

However, while the book captures Christie’s spirit, it falls slightly short of delivering the same spark and tension that keep readers glued to the page, certain twists feeling predictable. The suspects lacked the complexity that makes Christie’s characters so memorable, leaving the story feeling a bit flat in places.