What do you think?
Rate this book
Murder on Mustique
A storm. A disappearance. A race against time . . .
Mustique is in a state of breathless calm as tropical storm C ristobal edges towards it across the Atlantic. Most villa owners have escaped the island but a few young socialites remain, unwilling to let summer's partying end. American heiress Amanda Fortini is one such thrill-seeker - until she heads out for a morning swim and doesn't return.
Detective Sergeant Solomon Nile is just 28 years old and the island's only fully trained police officer. He quickly realizes he needs to contact Lord and Lady Blake, who bought the island decades ago and have invested time, money and love creating a paradise. Jasper is in St Lucia designing a new village of luxury villas but Lady Veronica (Vee to her friends) catches a plane immediately. Her beloved god-daughter, Lily, is on the island and this disappearance has alarming echoes of what happened to Lily's mother many years ago. Lady Vee would never desert a friend in need, and she can keep a cool head in a crisis.
When Amanda's body is found, a murder investigation begins. Nile knows the killer must be an islander because flights and ferry crossings have stopped due to the storm warning, but the local community.
Mustique is in a state of breathless calm as tropical storm C ristobal edges towards it across the Atlantic. Most villa owners have escaped the island but a few young socialites remain, unwilling to let summer's partying end. American heiress Amanda Fortini is one such thrill-seeker - until she heads out for a morning swim and doesn't return.
Detective Sergeant Solomon Nile is just 28 years old and the island's only fully trained police officer. He quickly realizes he needs to contact Lord and Lady Blake, who bought the island decades ago and have invested time, money and love creating a paradise. Jasper is in St Lucia designing a new village of luxury villas but Lady Veronica (Vee to her friends) catches a plane immediately. Her beloved god-daughter, Lily, is on the island and this disappearance has alarming echoes of what happened to Lily's mother many years ago. Lady Vee would never desert a friend in need, and she can keep a cool head in a crisis.
When Amanda's body is found, a murder investigation begins. Nile knows the killer must be an islander because flights and ferry crossings have stopped due to the storm warning, but the local community.
352 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2020
250 people are currently reading
1077 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
November 2, 2020
Anne Glenconner published the amazing ‘Lady In Waiting’ about her lifetime with Princess Margaret in June,one of my favourite books this year so was keen to read this fiction book based on the island where she spent so much of her life, in fact it was her hubby who created this secret getaway for the rich and famous....
It’s not all a disaster of a book by any means but it’s almost a P.S. to her autobiography with the lead lady 100% based on herself and people from her past like Princess Margaret, Bowie and Jagger mentioned throughout, it’s a strange mix of reality and fiction tbh
The story itself is a whodunit and is quickly solvable and parts of the plot are so unbelievable they almost become believable ( does that make any sense? )
The writing is obviously enjoyable and indulgent for the author as she gets to relive her wonderful ( and it was mostly ) life and to me as a reader it was bemusing but also kinda enjoyable in a ‘hey its 2020 this is light relief’ kind of way
If you want a book that you can relax and let your mind wander to and see and hear the sights and sounds of the Caribbean with a decadent storyline then this is for you, if not it’s not
6/10
3 Stars
It’s not all a disaster of a book by any means but it’s almost a P.S. to her autobiography with the lead lady 100% based on herself and people from her past like Princess Margaret, Bowie and Jagger mentioned throughout, it’s a strange mix of reality and fiction tbh
The story itself is a whodunit and is quickly solvable and parts of the plot are so unbelievable they almost become believable ( does that make any sense? )
The writing is obviously enjoyable and indulgent for the author as she gets to relive her wonderful ( and it was mostly ) life and to me as a reader it was bemusing but also kinda enjoyable in a ‘hey its 2020 this is light relief’ kind of way
If you want a book that you can relax and let your mind wander to and see and hear the sights and sounds of the Caribbean with a decadent storyline then this is for you, if not it’s not
6/10
3 Stars
September 10, 2020
Oh dear. I’m afraid this just isn’t a very good book. I’m disappointed because I really enjoyed the author’s autobiography, but this is just not up to the same standard.
The main character is a thinly veiled fictionalised version of Lady Glenconner herself - which will be obvious to anyone who has read her autobiography - which just makes for slightly strange reading. It’s immediately obvious who the murderer is from the first couple of chapters and the constant name dropping is just really grating.
Such a shame.
The main character is a thinly veiled fictionalised version of Lady Glenconner herself - which will be obvious to anyone who has read her autobiography - which just makes for slightly strange reading. It’s immediately obvious who the murderer is from the first couple of chapters and the constant name dropping is just really grating.
Such a shame.
June 29, 2021
It's light (except for the Murders) exotic and has an older lady as one of the main characters (sound familiar?)
A mixture of fact and fiction merged together to give you a fun read but there was a little too much "white saviour" and name dropping to make it a truely good read.
Enjoyable but forgettable.
A mixture of fact and fiction merged together to give you a fun read but there was a little too much "white saviour" and name dropping to make it a truely good read.
Enjoyable but forgettable.
November 12, 2020
Murder on Mustique is a unique mix of fact and fiction but quite how much you can attribute to each is up for debate. Lord and Lady Veronica ”Vee” Blake own the island and just as they are making plans for their goddaughter Lily Calder’s 21st birthday celebrations a tragedy happens. Lily is a conservationist who has been tending to a project involving the island’s vast coral reefs when one of her best friends, New York socialite Amanda Fortini, vanishes from the island without a trace. In a place where everyone is familiar with everyone else, this sends Lady Vee into overdrive and a race against the weather and incoming storm ensues. The islanders aren't used to having an issue such as this but people can't help but liken it to the disappearance of Lily’s mother, Emily, many years prior. Resident Solomon Nile is the only detective present on the island and is, in fact, Lady Vee’s protege. He strongly recognises the time-sensitive nature of locating Amanda before the storm hits and makes it an impossible job. Can he find her and address the reason for her disappearance in ample time?
Written by Lady Glenconner who once owned the island of Mustique in the Caribbean with her husband, it feels as though quite a lot of the book, through the use of thinly-veiled names, may be based in fact but the author didn't want to risk the chance of a lawsuit. The stunning, sun-drenched Mustique is one of the islands which make up St Vincent and the Grenadines archipelago and is the luxurious location for this wonderfully indulgent mystery-thriller. It felt heavenly to escape into its pages for a few hours, to forget stark reality for a while and to read all of the gossip on the inhabitants. The descriptions were so rich and luscious that I was transported to Mustique easily. The mystery is compelling and the island setting coupled with the impending storm gave me Agatha Christie locked-room vibe, which added to the tense atmosphere as no one could leave its shores, and were effectively trapped, until the weather improved. A real opulent and hedonistic treat. Highly recommend. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.
Written by Lady Glenconner who once owned the island of Mustique in the Caribbean with her husband, it feels as though quite a lot of the book, through the use of thinly-veiled names, may be based in fact but the author didn't want to risk the chance of a lawsuit. The stunning, sun-drenched Mustique is one of the islands which make up St Vincent and the Grenadines archipelago and is the luxurious location for this wonderfully indulgent mystery-thriller. It felt heavenly to escape into its pages for a few hours, to forget stark reality for a while and to read all of the gossip on the inhabitants. The descriptions were so rich and luscious that I was transported to Mustique easily. The mystery is compelling and the island setting coupled with the impending storm gave me Agatha Christie locked-room vibe, which added to the tense atmosphere as no one could leave its shores, and were effectively trapped, until the weather improved. A real opulent and hedonistic treat. Highly recommend. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.
May 18, 2024
Abgebrochen.
Nach fast hundert inhaltsleeren Seiten hatte ich einfach keine Lust mehr. Es gibt so viele gute Bücher, die nur darauf warten gelesen zu werden. Mich hat nicht nur gestört, dass es kaum Handlung gab, auch die Personen sind so blass, dass ich mir gar kein Bild von ihrem Charakter und ihrer Person machen konnte. Auch das Leben auf der Privatinsel, der sinnlose Luxus und die Umweltzerstörung haben mich abgestoßen.
Nach fast hundert inhaltsleeren Seiten hatte ich einfach keine Lust mehr. Es gibt so viele gute Bücher, die nur darauf warten gelesen zu werden. Mich hat nicht nur gestört, dass es kaum Handlung gab, auch die Personen sind so blass, dass ich mir gar kein Bild von ihrem Charakter und ihrer Person machen konnte. Auch das Leben auf der Privatinsel, der sinnlose Luxus und die Umweltzerstörung haben mich abgestoßen.
November 14, 2020
"Visit" MUSTIQUE
This is our one and only (so far) novel set on Mustique, a private island, well known for its association with the rich and famous. So this novel was a must-read for TripFiction.
Mustique is a bastardisation of the French word mosquito, so the island does have its down sides. Princess Margaret often spent time there and Mick Jagger owns a house or two. Bryan Ferry is a keen visitor, Daphne Guinness was a regular. It is small, merely 2.2 square miles and has a regular population of around 500 people. Apart from fabulous villas, there is the Cotton House which gets a good mention in the novel and legendary Basil’s Bar, a landmark destination for cocktails. The setting is ripe for a grisly murder or two.
In the opening pages, Amanda Fortini, heiress to a coffee dynasty, is swimming in the clear waters when it seems she is mown down by a speedboat. She disappears and her friend Lily is beside herself. Lily’s godmother Lady Veronica (Lady Vee to friends, staff and neighbours) is due to arrive on the island from London anyway because a surprise party for Lily is on the horizon and needs her final touches. (When Lily’s mother died, Lady Vee took over the parenting and thus the two have a strong bond).
It is mooted that Lily’s jilted boyfriend, Tommy Rothmore (only a few letters removed from Rothermere or Rothschild, I note) might be in the frame – he is similarly a young man of considerable wealth. As more bodies turn up, Lady Vee, the self styled “tropical Miss Marple“, is in her element alongside DS Solomon Nile. ‘Calling cards’ of coral are left at the various scenes, etched with Obeah symbols (Obeah is a system of spiritual healing and justice-making practices developed among enslaved West Africans in the West Indies). Lily is working to preserve the coral, so there MUST be a link.
The book is set in September 2002. Princess Margaret was buried earlier in the year and Lady Vee, just like the author, was her actual Lady-in-Waiting. Here’s the thing: the author has imbued parts of her character with herself, and consequently the author doesn’t give herself the luxury of licence and distance to create a character who is unique and separate from herself. This makes her character’s persona feel at times stilted, unsure of who she is meant to be. There are several mentions of Princess Margaret in the text which just didn’t really add anything apart from acting as a reminder that this is an island of glamour and famous names (in fact the author’s husband owns/owned the island).
I first came across the author on The Graham Norton Show (honestly, it’s worth a watch!). She explains how her husband – on her honeymoon in Paris – didn’t have the words to initiate her into marital relations, so he did the ‘obvious’ thing (really?) and, rather than take her out to dinner at The Ritz, took her to a brothel where a couple demonstrated the intricacies for her, inviting her to join in. The author is clearly a woman of pluck, fortitude, resilience (you would need that, I imagine, if you were married to old Etonian Colin Tennant) and humour, and these attributes just didn’t really translate into the book. The responses to scary and traumatic events are rather measured (emotionally stunted might be another way of putting it) – for example, a house is on fire and Vee and the policeman rush up: “My sister could be in there” mutters Wesley. Mutters? MUTTERS? Where’s screaming? Shouting? Exclaiming, even! Multiple ghastly events just don’t seem to have normal human reactions in the book, it all feels quite reigned in. There is a mixture of first person and third person narrative and the transitions between the two can be a little unclear.
As the book comes to its conclusion and the perpetrator is – or perpetrators are – revealed, the pathos is revved up by the arrival of Storm Cristobel and there is a crashing crescendo of waves and wind to serenade the denouement.
I think overall this is a novel that somehow needs tightening, as it can ramble and repeat. It does, of course, have a wonderful setting and it is probably the nearest most of will get to experience the playground of the elite.
This is our one and only (so far) novel set on Mustique, a private island, well known for its association with the rich and famous. So this novel was a must-read for TripFiction.
Mustique is a bastardisation of the French word mosquito, so the island does have its down sides. Princess Margaret often spent time there and Mick Jagger owns a house or two. Bryan Ferry is a keen visitor, Daphne Guinness was a regular. It is small, merely 2.2 square miles and has a regular population of around 500 people. Apart from fabulous villas, there is the Cotton House which gets a good mention in the novel and legendary Basil’s Bar, a landmark destination for cocktails. The setting is ripe for a grisly murder or two.
In the opening pages, Amanda Fortini, heiress to a coffee dynasty, is swimming in the clear waters when it seems she is mown down by a speedboat. She disappears and her friend Lily is beside herself. Lily’s godmother Lady Veronica (Lady Vee to friends, staff and neighbours) is due to arrive on the island from London anyway because a surprise party for Lily is on the horizon and needs her final touches. (When Lily’s mother died, Lady Vee took over the parenting and thus the two have a strong bond).
It is mooted that Lily’s jilted boyfriend, Tommy Rothmore (only a few letters removed from Rothermere or Rothschild, I note) might be in the frame – he is similarly a young man of considerable wealth. As more bodies turn up, Lady Vee, the self styled “tropical Miss Marple“, is in her element alongside DS Solomon Nile. ‘Calling cards’ of coral are left at the various scenes, etched with Obeah symbols (Obeah is a system of spiritual healing and justice-making practices developed among enslaved West Africans in the West Indies). Lily is working to preserve the coral, so there MUST be a link.
The book is set in September 2002. Princess Margaret was buried earlier in the year and Lady Vee, just like the author, was her actual Lady-in-Waiting. Here’s the thing: the author has imbued parts of her character with herself, and consequently the author doesn’t give herself the luxury of licence and distance to create a character who is unique and separate from herself. This makes her character’s persona feel at times stilted, unsure of who she is meant to be. There are several mentions of Princess Margaret in the text which just didn’t really add anything apart from acting as a reminder that this is an island of glamour and famous names (in fact the author’s husband owns/owned the island).
I first came across the author on The Graham Norton Show (honestly, it’s worth a watch!). She explains how her husband – on her honeymoon in Paris – didn’t have the words to initiate her into marital relations, so he did the ‘obvious’ thing (really?) and, rather than take her out to dinner at The Ritz, took her to a brothel where a couple demonstrated the intricacies for her, inviting her to join in. The author is clearly a woman of pluck, fortitude, resilience (you would need that, I imagine, if you were married to old Etonian Colin Tennant) and humour, and these attributes just didn’t really translate into the book. The responses to scary and traumatic events are rather measured (emotionally stunted might be another way of putting it) – for example, a house is on fire and Vee and the policeman rush up: “My sister could be in there” mutters Wesley. Mutters? MUTTERS? Where’s screaming? Shouting? Exclaiming, even! Multiple ghastly events just don’t seem to have normal human reactions in the book, it all feels quite reigned in. There is a mixture of first person and third person narrative and the transitions between the two can be a little unclear.
As the book comes to its conclusion and the perpetrator is – or perpetrators are – revealed, the pathos is revved up by the arrival of Storm Cristobel and there is a crashing crescendo of waves and wind to serenade the denouement.
I think overall this is a novel that somehow needs tightening, as it can ramble and repeat. It does, of course, have a wonderful setting and it is probably the nearest most of will get to experience the playground of the elite.
December 3, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘It strikes Nile that, no matter what, Mustique always looks beautiful. The setting sun is casting lilac and gold streaks across the sky, but his anger is still red hot.’
A novel packed with prestige, sophistication, innuendo and suspicion, Murder on Mustique is author Anne Glenconner’s first contemporary fiction release. With a strong line of intrigue, mystery and suspense, Murder on Mustique exposes the complicated lives of the wealthy on an exotic getaway retreat. Easily consumed in a couple of sittings, Murder on Mustique offers an appealing book-based getaway!
Take a trip to a small private island in the Grenadines, thanks to Anne Glenconner’s debut fiction release, Murder on Mustique. This tropical idyll in the West Indies is awaiting the full impact of an incoming storm as it hurtles towards the tiny island retreat. With danger imminent, some locals have managed leave the island, but a number of residents have decided to stay put. The socialites left on the island continue to party hard, despite the clear warning of the incoming storm. There are bigger problems to come on the island of Mustique when an America heiress goes missing. Despite calling in for help, the heiress cannot be located, which worries this young woman’s friends and the other residents left on Mustique. With local identity Lady Veronica Blake lending a hand during this local crisis, along with Mustique’s only trained police officer, can these two crack this case before the big storm hits?
With a good dose of old world sophistication, glamour, mystery and riches Murder on Mustique represents a classic whodunit. What I appreciated the most about this book was the opportunity to learn about the tropical island retreat of Mustique, the small private island which is central stage for the action of Murder on Mustique to play out. Overall, I found Murder on Mustique to be an entertaining read.
The beauty of this novel does rest in the location base. Mustique is simply magical, it is a dream setting and it is also a place I would dearly love to visit. An armchair travel experience to this stunning destination seemed to suffice thanks to the penmanship of Anne Glenconner. The author’s prose makes this island sound so very inviting, mysterious, alluring and slightly dangerous. With plenty of page time devoted to vivid and captivating descriptions of this West Indies island escape, it is easy to get lost in the charm of this haven for the very rich. Anne Glenconner has created a fascinating setting base for her first murder mystery novel to play out.
With non-fiction biography Lady in Waiting under her belt, Anne Glenconner has drawn on the experiences outlined in her memoir to inform the main storyline of her first fiction release. We are presented with a number of references to Princess Margaret and the Royal family through Murder on Mustique, which I enjoyed very much. I sensed that Anne Glenconner relied on her many years serving as a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret to inform the direction of storyline and the formation of the characters in Murder on Mustique. I also valued the careful insertions of other famous figures in the tale, which added further glitz to this exotic mystery. With much of the main storyline based around the entwined lives of the gilded set, Murder on Mustique offered an original spin on a standard mystery.
In terms of the central crime aspect of the novel, there is a fairly tight suspect list which seemed to limit the possibilities in terms of solving the case. The weight of the incoming storm seemed to tilt the pace to a faster level, which I liked. With just a few shocks, surprises, revelations and turns, Murder on Mustique travels to a satisfying conclusion.
With the pressure on the solve a perplexing disappearance during the height of a dangerous storm, Murder on Mustique is an escapist style murder mystery title from an author who is passionate, as well as knowledgeable about the unique location of her first fiction release.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
‘It strikes Nile that, no matter what, Mustique always looks beautiful. The setting sun is casting lilac and gold streaks across the sky, but his anger is still red hot.’
A novel packed with prestige, sophistication, innuendo and suspicion, Murder on Mustique is author Anne Glenconner’s first contemporary fiction release. With a strong line of intrigue, mystery and suspense, Murder on Mustique exposes the complicated lives of the wealthy on an exotic getaway retreat. Easily consumed in a couple of sittings, Murder on Mustique offers an appealing book-based getaway!
Take a trip to a small private island in the Grenadines, thanks to Anne Glenconner’s debut fiction release, Murder on Mustique. This tropical idyll in the West Indies is awaiting the full impact of an incoming storm as it hurtles towards the tiny island retreat. With danger imminent, some locals have managed leave the island, but a number of residents have decided to stay put. The socialites left on the island continue to party hard, despite the clear warning of the incoming storm. There are bigger problems to come on the island of Mustique when an America heiress goes missing. Despite calling in for help, the heiress cannot be located, which worries this young woman’s friends and the other residents left on Mustique. With local identity Lady Veronica Blake lending a hand during this local crisis, along with Mustique’s only trained police officer, can these two crack this case before the big storm hits?
With a good dose of old world sophistication, glamour, mystery and riches Murder on Mustique represents a classic whodunit. What I appreciated the most about this book was the opportunity to learn about the tropical island retreat of Mustique, the small private island which is central stage for the action of Murder on Mustique to play out. Overall, I found Murder on Mustique to be an entertaining read.
The beauty of this novel does rest in the location base. Mustique is simply magical, it is a dream setting and it is also a place I would dearly love to visit. An armchair travel experience to this stunning destination seemed to suffice thanks to the penmanship of Anne Glenconner. The author’s prose makes this island sound so very inviting, mysterious, alluring and slightly dangerous. With plenty of page time devoted to vivid and captivating descriptions of this West Indies island escape, it is easy to get lost in the charm of this haven for the very rich. Anne Glenconner has created a fascinating setting base for her first murder mystery novel to play out.
With non-fiction biography Lady in Waiting under her belt, Anne Glenconner has drawn on the experiences outlined in her memoir to inform the main storyline of her first fiction release. We are presented with a number of references to Princess Margaret and the Royal family through Murder on Mustique, which I enjoyed very much. I sensed that Anne Glenconner relied on her many years serving as a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret to inform the direction of storyline and the formation of the characters in Murder on Mustique. I also valued the careful insertions of other famous figures in the tale, which added further glitz to this exotic mystery. With much of the main storyline based around the entwined lives of the gilded set, Murder on Mustique offered an original spin on a standard mystery.
In terms of the central crime aspect of the novel, there is a fairly tight suspect list which seemed to limit the possibilities in terms of solving the case. The weight of the incoming storm seemed to tilt the pace to a faster level, which I liked. With just a few shocks, surprises, revelations and turns, Murder on Mustique travels to a satisfying conclusion.
With the pressure on the solve a perplexing disappearance during the height of a dangerous storm, Murder on Mustique is an escapist style murder mystery title from an author who is passionate, as well as knowledgeable about the unique location of her first fiction release.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
September 23, 2022
Such an interesting book!
My daughter bought me this for my birthday, it’s a signed copy and that was one of the main reasons she chose it (I’ve never read anything by this author, or heard of her before now).
Mustique is a real island and she really was Lady In Waiting, to Princess Margaret!
So, down to the story. There is a big storm coming in and airports, ships etc have been closed (there is no way off of the island). During the anticipated arrival of the storm, which is set to wreck everything in its path, there is a murder on the island. Initially it is a disappearance but things become quite dark and sinister fast.
The only officer on the island (one of three I think) has to suspect everybody and with officers higher up informing him of who he can and cannot investigate, Solomon has to make his own decisions on who he can trust while fighting his own demons from his past.
I really enjoyed this book. There is so much more to the story than I can squeeze into this review!
My daughter bought me this for my birthday, it’s a signed copy and that was one of the main reasons she chose it (I’ve never read anything by this author, or heard of her before now).
Mustique is a real island and she really was Lady In Waiting, to Princess Margaret!
So, down to the story. There is a big storm coming in and airports, ships etc have been closed (there is no way off of the island). During the anticipated arrival of the storm, which is set to wreck everything in its path, there is a murder on the island. Initially it is a disappearance but things become quite dark and sinister fast.
The only officer on the island (one of three I think) has to suspect everybody and with officers higher up informing him of who he can and cannot investigate, Solomon has to make his own decisions on who he can trust while fighting his own demons from his past.
I really enjoyed this book. There is so much more to the story than I can squeeze into this review!
March 25, 2021
Murder on Mustique by Anne Glenconnor, also known as Lady Anne Glenconnor, is a seamless blend of autobiography and fiction by the former Lady-In-Waiting to Princess Margaret. Assuming the character of Lady Veronica, who also serves as narrator to the murder mystery, the author’s writing has a clear commanding no-nonsense tone. The reader feels the various crimes chronicled as the plot unfolds, could easily be solved by the formidable heroine alone, riding around the mythical island in her ever present dune buggy.
Mustique and its association with royalty hold an enigmatic place in the popular imagination. A link that tells the main characters story through her memory. A funeral for a murder victim reminds her of attending Princess Margaret’s funeral. Looking out at a view of and swimming in the sea reminds her of sharing those experiences with the Princess.
The plot has a leisurely “Midsomer Murders” style that gradually reveals the geography and culture of the tiny island. From fortress villas of mysterious rock stars and exotic late night parties on the beach, to friendly watering holes like “Basil’s Bar” where locals gather and gossip, and treacherous reefs ridden with hiding places for unwanted cargo.
The colorful collection of characters exudes glamour, sophistication and menace, but also a homely warmth that comes from being part of a small community. Many seem to look out for, or at least are well-acquainted with each other. The very formal and “fierce” butler of Lady Veronica is a highlight.
Murder on Mustique is a great mystery read to take on a beach holiday or flight to a beautiful location. Enjoy!
Mustique and its association with royalty hold an enigmatic place in the popular imagination. A link that tells the main characters story through her memory. A funeral for a murder victim reminds her of attending Princess Margaret’s funeral. Looking out at a view of and swimming in the sea reminds her of sharing those experiences with the Princess.
The plot has a leisurely “Midsomer Murders” style that gradually reveals the geography and culture of the tiny island. From fortress villas of mysterious rock stars and exotic late night parties on the beach, to friendly watering holes like “Basil’s Bar” where locals gather and gossip, and treacherous reefs ridden with hiding places for unwanted cargo.
The colorful collection of characters exudes glamour, sophistication and menace, but also a homely warmth that comes from being part of a small community. Many seem to look out for, or at least are well-acquainted with each other. The very formal and “fierce” butler of Lady Veronica is a highlight.
Murder on Mustique is a great mystery read to take on a beach holiday or flight to a beautiful location. Enjoy!
September 3, 2021
If you’re thinking of reading this book, think again.
Epitomises how writing a very good autobiography, doesn’t mean you can write fiction.
Epitomises how writing a very good autobiography, doesn’t mean you can write fiction.
June 23, 2021
Murder on Mustique by Lady Anne Glenconner was a mystery that had me guessing until the very end! This book takes place leading up to a hurricane and you can feel the energy get more frantic as the storm approaches and bodies pile up on the beautiful, sandy shores of this private enclave. Lady Glenconner is a skilled writer and every chapter left me craving more! Without giving away the ending I will say I love where she left the story! Perfect for reading while at the beach or while dreaming about a beach, sure to brighten up you TBR pile!
August 11, 2022
Un giallo molto british, ambientato in un'isola caraibica meravigliosa che viene voglia di visitare, che però risulta a lungo andare poco realistico. La protagonista sembra sapere sempre tutto e sembra avere la forza di una ventenne pur avendo settant'anni.
February 19, 2024
Mystique Island. 2002. Anne Glenconner’s Murder on Mustique is a tantalizing mystery giving the reader an inside view of the very private island. In 1958 Lady Glenconner and her husband started to make the island of Mustique into “a paradise for the rich and famous”. They gave a plot of land to Princess Margaret “who built her favorite home there”. Lady Glenconner was a Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret until the Princess’ death in 2002. The author begins her mystery on Mustique shortly after the Princess’ death. The mystery involves young aristocratic people who meet their ends too early which is always sad, but learning about Mustique I found fascinating. I would love to visit there. I admire the author whose Murder on Mustique is her second book. Her first is Lady in Waiting which I heartily recommend. 4 stars.
May 20, 2021
Wow! This book is incredible! It is mysterious, engrossing, intriguing, full of twists and turns, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Murder on Mustique", I was whisked away to the island of Mustique, put on my sleuthing hat, and went on quite the journey with this story.
I first heard about the island of Mustique, as well as this book after reading Lady Glenconner's book "Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown." I love reading about royalty, and learned more about the island of Mustique as well from watching the TV series "The Crown"! When I heard that Lady Glenconner was writing a mystery set on the island, a place that, she, herself, has spent a lot of time on, I just knew I needed to read it! Oh my gosh, I am so glad I did! Lady Glenconner's storytelling is simply spectacular, and she makes each and every element spring off of the page before the reader's eyes. I truly felt like I was right there on Mustique, as I could really see and envision the sights of the island. Each location is described so it is vividly clear and each character is so distinct. Every interaction and conversation felt so authentic and real, and pushed the plot forward in one way or another. Lady Glenconner's passion for writing is so clear, and, as the reader, this made me not want to put the book down. I was hooked from the first page to the last.
After Lady Veronica (Vee) gets a call from her goddaughter Lily, that her (Lily's) friend Amanda did not show up to plans they have made and is missing, Vee immediately flies to the island. Upon Vee's arrival, she sees not only that Amanda has disappeared, but Lily believes she has been followed home, and more crimes begin to occur at an alarming rate. On an island where everyone knows each other, and there is one policeman, suspicion begins to fall on more than one possible suspect as more and more clues show up. Will Detective Sergeant Solomone Nile and Vee be able to catch the criminal, or criminals, before more people get hurt or die? Are the crimes completely separate, or are they connected somehow? Are the crimes connected to years before? If so, how? Are the signs pointing in one direction specifically, or are the clues trying to throw everyone off? You will need to read this book to find out.
If you enjoy mysteries, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and I thought I had the murderer, or murderers figured out quite a few times...and I most certainly did not. Each piece of the puzzle falls into place in the exact moment it needs to, and the mystery slowly starts to unravel to the reader. I truly was kept guessing up until the very end. I will not spoil anything in this review, but, I will simply say, my mouth dropped in shock quite a number of times, and I am eagerly awaiting Lady Glenconner's next book!
Thank you so much to Mobius Books for the review copy of this book, it is amazing! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I first heard about the island of Mustique, as well as this book after reading Lady Glenconner's book "Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown." I love reading about royalty, and learned more about the island of Mustique as well from watching the TV series "The Crown"! When I heard that Lady Glenconner was writing a mystery set on the island, a place that, she, herself, has spent a lot of time on, I just knew I needed to read it! Oh my gosh, I am so glad I did! Lady Glenconner's storytelling is simply spectacular, and she makes each and every element spring off of the page before the reader's eyes. I truly felt like I was right there on Mustique, as I could really see and envision the sights of the island. Each location is described so it is vividly clear and each character is so distinct. Every interaction and conversation felt so authentic and real, and pushed the plot forward in one way or another. Lady Glenconner's passion for writing is so clear, and, as the reader, this made me not want to put the book down. I was hooked from the first page to the last.
After Lady Veronica (Vee) gets a call from her goddaughter Lily, that her (Lily's) friend Amanda did not show up to plans they have made and is missing, Vee immediately flies to the island. Upon Vee's arrival, she sees not only that Amanda has disappeared, but Lily believes she has been followed home, and more crimes begin to occur at an alarming rate. On an island where everyone knows each other, and there is one policeman, suspicion begins to fall on more than one possible suspect as more and more clues show up. Will Detective Sergeant Solomone Nile and Vee be able to catch the criminal, or criminals, before more people get hurt or die? Are the crimes completely separate, or are they connected somehow? Are the crimes connected to years before? If so, how? Are the signs pointing in one direction specifically, or are the clues trying to throw everyone off? You will need to read this book to find out.
If you enjoy mysteries, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and I thought I had the murderer, or murderers figured out quite a few times...and I most certainly did not. Each piece of the puzzle falls into place in the exact moment it needs to, and the mystery slowly starts to unravel to the reader. I truly was kept guessing up until the very end. I will not spoil anything in this review, but, I will simply say, my mouth dropped in shock quite a number of times, and I am eagerly awaiting Lady Glenconner's next book!
Thank you so much to Mobius Books for the review copy of this book, it is amazing! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 11, 2020
Synopsis:
Mustique is a beautiful and peaceful private Island. Where the rich and famous go to spend their summers. There is no crime and everyone knows each other. But on the morning of Friday 13th September 2002, when 23 year old heiress Amanda Fortini goes missing, everything changes. Amanda’s friend Lily calls her godmother, Lady Veronica Blake. Her husband bought the island years ago and she knows it better than anyone else. With a storm approaching, DS Solomon Nile has to step in and do whatever it takes to catch the criminal before the Island is hit. Even if it means putting himself in harms way. He teams up with Lady Vee to try and find bring the culprit to justice. Along the way realizing that people they have known all their lives, may not be as innocent as they seem. Secrets are uncovered and true colours are revealed in this gripping thriller.
This was such an intriguing read. Chapters are short, fast-paced and the story has such an easy flow. The chapters alternate between Lady Vee and DS Nile’s POVs. I wouldn’t say that they end on cliffhangers, but they definitely make it difficult to put the book down. Mustique is not portrayed like a typical gloomy town as with a lot of thrillers. It is described as beautiful Island with blue ocean water and stunning sunsets which makes you want to be on the island except for the fact that there is a potential killer on the loose. I found myself growing very attached to Lady Vee and Detective Nile and how you get to know them as the book progresses.
Even though Vee is very wealthy with staff who waits on her hand and foot, she is known and loved on the island. She is a genuine character, who is kind-hearted and cares for her friends and loved ones. She was the Lady in Waiting for Princess Margaret for many years before she died. Something I did not know before I started reading this book is that the character of Lady Vee is loosely based on the author herself, who was in actual fact the Lady in Waiting for the real Princess Margaret and has spent many years on the actual Island of Mustique.
I loved the fact that Lily, Vee’s goddaughter, is so passionate about the ocean and is trying to restore the bleached coral. Even though this is not only what the book is about, it does create some awareness about what is actually happening in our oceans at present. Overall I really enjoyed this book and it is high on my list of recommendations.
Disclaimer: I was sent this free copy for review by Jonathan Ball Publishers. This does not influence my review or rating in any way. All views and opinions expressed are my own.
Mustique is a beautiful and peaceful private Island. Where the rich and famous go to spend their summers. There is no crime and everyone knows each other. But on the morning of Friday 13th September 2002, when 23 year old heiress Amanda Fortini goes missing, everything changes. Amanda’s friend Lily calls her godmother, Lady Veronica Blake. Her husband bought the island years ago and she knows it better than anyone else. With a storm approaching, DS Solomon Nile has to step in and do whatever it takes to catch the criminal before the Island is hit. Even if it means putting himself in harms way. He teams up with Lady Vee to try and find bring the culprit to justice. Along the way realizing that people they have known all their lives, may not be as innocent as they seem. Secrets are uncovered and true colours are revealed in this gripping thriller.
This was such an intriguing read. Chapters are short, fast-paced and the story has such an easy flow. The chapters alternate between Lady Vee and DS Nile’s POVs. I wouldn’t say that they end on cliffhangers, but they definitely make it difficult to put the book down. Mustique is not portrayed like a typical gloomy town as with a lot of thrillers. It is described as beautiful Island with blue ocean water and stunning sunsets which makes you want to be on the island except for the fact that there is a potential killer on the loose. I found myself growing very attached to Lady Vee and Detective Nile and how you get to know them as the book progresses.
Even though Vee is very wealthy with staff who waits on her hand and foot, she is known and loved on the island. She is a genuine character, who is kind-hearted and cares for her friends and loved ones. She was the Lady in Waiting for Princess Margaret for many years before she died. Something I did not know before I started reading this book is that the character of Lady Vee is loosely based on the author herself, who was in actual fact the Lady in Waiting for the real Princess Margaret and has spent many years on the actual Island of Mustique.
I loved the fact that Lily, Vee’s goddaughter, is so passionate about the ocean and is trying to restore the bleached coral. Even though this is not only what the book is about, it does create some awareness about what is actually happening in our oceans at present. Overall I really enjoyed this book and it is high on my list of recommendations.
Disclaimer: I was sent this free copy for review by Jonathan Ball Publishers. This does not influence my review or rating in any way. All views and opinions expressed are my own.
July 25, 2021
L'unico rimpianto dopo aver divorato l'ultima fatica di Anne Glenconner, famosissima in patria per essere stata la dama di compagnia della principessa Margaret, sorella della regina Elisabetta, ma anche autrice talentuosa di casa in location da sogno?
Non essermi portata il suo romanzo, che definire giallo è riduttivo, in vacanza:
perché la cornice da sogno dell’isola di Mustique, di cui la principessa Margaret era una costante frequentatrice, è la seconda protagonsita di questa avventura esotica che mi ha rapita forse più - lo ammetto - per il fascino languido dell'ambientazione caraibica che per la storia di per sé.
Storia che è comunque avvincente e ben congegnata & va giù liscia e scorrevole come....come un cocktail all'ombra delle palme sulla spiaggia dell'isola dei milionari, ove i tender dei mega yacht levano onde baldanzose e i dune baggy zigzagano tra le dune mentre mistoriosi pezzi di corallo iniziano a marcare le scene del crimine.
Consigliato? Assolutamente sì, cappello a tesa larga e occhiale avvolgente per sentirsi un po' Lady Vee (o Lady Margaret?) a ennemila miglia marine di distanza.
Non essermi portata il suo romanzo, che definire giallo è riduttivo, in vacanza:
perché la cornice da sogno dell’isola di Mustique, di cui la principessa Margaret era una costante frequentatrice, è la seconda protagonsita di questa avventura esotica che mi ha rapita forse più - lo ammetto - per il fascino languido dell'ambientazione caraibica che per la storia di per sé.
Storia che è comunque avvincente e ben congegnata & va giù liscia e scorrevole come....come un cocktail all'ombra delle palme sulla spiaggia dell'isola dei milionari, ove i tender dei mega yacht levano onde baldanzose e i dune baggy zigzagano tra le dune mentre mistoriosi pezzi di corallo iniziano a marcare le scene del crimine.
Consigliato? Assolutamente sì, cappello a tesa larga e occhiale avvolgente per sentirsi un po' Lady Vee (o Lady Margaret?) a ennemila miglia marine di distanza.
January 27, 2021
A very good mystery novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The setting is lovely, make me wish I was there, and the characters are well thought.
The mystery, full of twists and turns, is solid and kept me guessing.
I hope there will be other books featuring these characters.
This is an engrossing and highly entertaining story that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The setting is lovely, make me wish I was there, and the characters are well thought.
The mystery, full of twists and turns, is solid and kept me guessing.
I hope there will be other books featuring these characters.
This is an engrossing and highly entertaining story that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
January 4, 2022
Having thoroughly enjoyed Lady in Waiting I really wanted to love this book. I anticipated that it was going to be a bit trashy so decided to read it poolside while on holiday, but unfortunately it was just too amateurish to be enjoyable. The only thing I was left with after reading was the confusion at how her editors let her get away with publishing it in its current form.
December 24, 2020
I enjoyed this. It was quite a page turner. Interesting how the author combined her real life history within a fictional narrative. There were a few quibbles, but overall it was a good read.
December 11, 2021
Death in Paradise ft. Miss Marple ❤️
May 17, 2022
I know the author was Princess Margaret's lady-in-waiting but I didn't need to read that on every second page. I have no idea why I finished this book.
November 24, 2022
‘Murder on Mustique’ by Anne Glenconner gets a 4.5 stars ⭐️ think Death in Paradise meets Downton Abbey and that pretty much sums this brilliant book up.
❤️📚#GoodReads
❤️📚#GoodReads
December 23, 2020
My Interest
After Lord Glenconner stiffed his family by leaving much of his fortune to Basil of Basil’s Bar on his lordship’s private island, Mustique, I can’t blame the widow for needing to earn a buck or two. The court case helped, and her family came through with a great house for her, but still. It isn’t the retirement she expected–is it?
Having published her memoir, Lady in Waiting, about her life with both husband Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, and job as Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, Lady Anne has turned to writing a murder mystery with a fictionalized version of herself doing much of the sleuthing.
map-of-the-grenadines
The Story
Venerable, but still lovely, Lady Blair (“Lady Vee”–for Victoria, to her friends), wife of Jasper, Lord Blair–owner of the hedonistic private island, Mustique, arrives home to be met by her Oscar-winning friend [not-quite-lover] Philip. Lady Vee wears pastel cotton dresses, sun hats, drives her own buggy, speaks of the natives as friends, but accepts and expects that her world be overseen by her locally born butler. She is returning from the hard duty of attending Princess Magaret’s personally-planned funeral at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor (where Princess Eugenie was married). That she lives among the super-rich on this island of luxury is another thing Lady Vee takes for granted. And, like all the residents, rich or poor, black or white, she takes safety here for granted, too. [Cue the scary music.]
A beautiful young aristocrat goes missing–presumed dead. Soon, though, another young aristo goes missing. The posh Lady Vee simply must get involved to see that it is all investigated properly. After all, she and husband Jasper sent the man now running to island’s police to school in the UK and on to Oxford. Of course she must oversee it all. Adding to her angst is that her adopted daughter, [child of a late friend] the planet-saving Lily, is a friend of the missing young woman.
In among this story we hear of Lord Blair’s sad nerves and the way he must be loved through his crying jags and what not. We are informed of how amazing it is that the true citizens of Mustique, those whose families were here before Lord Blair arrived, have failed to give up all their old beliefs. Thankfully, though, Anglican communion is provided by a starched-chasuble-wearing priest at the aptly-named Bamboo Church.
Throughout the story are sprinkled mentions and memories of Her Royal Highness to constantly remind us of the author’s real-life role as Lady in Waiting (the Duchess of Cambridge rubs along fine without one) and of her nearly lifelong devotion to the Queen’s younger sister.
“I think about her every day, but that’s to be expected. We were together longer than most marriages.”
[Note: The Princess Margaret mentions function as the mandatory icky-sex moments or or woke views mandated to render a book publishable today.]
Where was I? Sigh….You get the idea. Well, I’m no wiz with mysteries, but I nailed the killed on about page 5 and I don’t think “they” had been introduced yet. (I use “they” in quotation marks not to be derogatory about anyone’s chosen pronouns, but to preserve the identity of the villain an don’t spoil the outcome of the book.)
My Thoughts
Someone as well connected as Lady Vee, sorry, I meant Lady Glenconner (Lady Anne–she was born Lady Anne and became Lady Glenconner at marriage. Her father was an Earl, her husband a Baron–I’m rusty on my Debrett’s so I’m not sure which is right and don’t care to take time, for once, to look it up!) should have produced a better story than this. Surely someone would have ghost-written it for a reasonable percentage of the take?
Now, maybe for book two of the series (it will be a series I presume—although she’s given a different name and title to herself and her husband, she’s just another fictionalized real person turned sleuth) perhaps Princess Margaret will pop up for a sing-along at the piano in her vintage swimming costume with the whale-boning to hoist her royal boobs up to the right level and will flip ash from her holdered-cigarette and order butler Wesley around like the diva she was. That might be more interesting. Maybe Roddy Llewellyn will come with her? That would be even more fun!
Never mind! Lady Anne is a treasure and I adore her!
My Verdict
2.5 Stars
Mind you, those stars are the real-deal. Coke (pronounced Cook) family stars. Not paste.
After Lord Glenconner stiffed his family by leaving much of his fortune to Basil of Basil’s Bar on his lordship’s private island, Mustique, I can’t blame the widow for needing to earn a buck or two. The court case helped, and her family came through with a great house for her, but still. It isn’t the retirement she expected–is it?
Having published her memoir, Lady in Waiting, about her life with both husband Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, and job as Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, Lady Anne has turned to writing a murder mystery with a fictionalized version of herself doing much of the sleuthing.
map-of-the-grenadines
The Story
Venerable, but still lovely, Lady Blair (“Lady Vee”–for Victoria, to her friends), wife of Jasper, Lord Blair–owner of the hedonistic private island, Mustique, arrives home to be met by her Oscar-winning friend [not-quite-lover] Philip. Lady Vee wears pastel cotton dresses, sun hats, drives her own buggy, speaks of the natives as friends, but accepts and expects that her world be overseen by her locally born butler. She is returning from the hard duty of attending Princess Magaret’s personally-planned funeral at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor (where Princess Eugenie was married). That she lives among the super-rich on this island of luxury is another thing Lady Vee takes for granted. And, like all the residents, rich or poor, black or white, she takes safety here for granted, too. [Cue the scary music.]
A beautiful young aristocrat goes missing–presumed dead. Soon, though, another young aristo goes missing. The posh Lady Vee simply must get involved to see that it is all investigated properly. After all, she and husband Jasper sent the man now running to island’s police to school in the UK and on to Oxford. Of course she must oversee it all. Adding to her angst is that her adopted daughter, [child of a late friend] the planet-saving Lily, is a friend of the missing young woman.
In among this story we hear of Lord Blair’s sad nerves and the way he must be loved through his crying jags and what not. We are informed of how amazing it is that the true citizens of Mustique, those whose families were here before Lord Blair arrived, have failed to give up all their old beliefs. Thankfully, though, Anglican communion is provided by a starched-chasuble-wearing priest at the aptly-named Bamboo Church.
Throughout the story are sprinkled mentions and memories of Her Royal Highness to constantly remind us of the author’s real-life role as Lady in Waiting (the Duchess of Cambridge rubs along fine without one) and of her nearly lifelong devotion to the Queen’s younger sister.
“I think about her every day, but that’s to be expected. We were together longer than most marriages.”
[Note: The Princess Margaret mentions function as the mandatory icky-sex moments or or woke views mandated to render a book publishable today.]
Where was I? Sigh….You get the idea. Well, I’m no wiz with mysteries, but I nailed the killed on about page 5 and I don’t think “they” had been introduced yet. (I use “they” in quotation marks not to be derogatory about anyone’s chosen pronouns, but to preserve the identity of the villain an don’t spoil the outcome of the book.)
My Thoughts
Someone as well connected as Lady Vee, sorry, I meant Lady Glenconner (Lady Anne–she was born Lady Anne and became Lady Glenconner at marriage. Her father was an Earl, her husband a Baron–I’m rusty on my Debrett’s so I’m not sure which is right and don’t care to take time, for once, to look it up!) should have produced a better story than this. Surely someone would have ghost-written it for a reasonable percentage of the take?
Now, maybe for book two of the series (it will be a series I presume—although she’s given a different name and title to herself and her husband, she’s just another fictionalized real person turned sleuth) perhaps Princess Margaret will pop up for a sing-along at the piano in her vintage swimming costume with the whale-boning to hoist her royal boobs up to the right level and will flip ash from her holdered-cigarette and order butler Wesley around like the diva she was. That might be more interesting. Maybe Roddy Llewellyn will come with her? That would be even more fun!
Never mind! Lady Anne is a treasure and I adore her!
My Verdict
2.5 Stars
Mind you, those stars are the real-deal. Coke (pronounced Cook) family stars. Not paste.
June 10, 2022
Trigger warnings: murder, graphic descriptions of dead bodies, death of a friend, fire, alcohol abuse, mentions of drug use, kidnapping, gun violence
2.5 stars.
So I literally only picked this up because it's set on Mustique, a private island in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and therefore let me cross a country off my Read Around the World list. I didn't know going in that the author was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret and that her husband purchased Mustique in the 1950s. So clearly she knows the island very well. But also, it became very quickly apparent that the protagonist of this book is a thinly veiled version of its author.
I was initially excited but this proved to be...strangely emotionless? Dead bodies are found and the general reaction is very "Oh dear, how terribly inconvenient" or "Oh, s/he was so young, isn't that a shame". The main character, Lady Vee, is in her 70s and totters around in high heels and floaty dresses, but can run without any problems or scrub down a rusty boat when the plot calls for it. Celebrities - and Princess Margaret - are name dropped regularly and the whole thing was just sort of...exhausting in a "this is trying to make me care about rich people but I really really don't" way.
Anyway. At least it let me cross off SV&G??
2.5 stars.
So I literally only picked this up because it's set on Mustique, a private island in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and therefore let me cross a country off my Read Around the World list. I didn't know going in that the author was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret and that her husband purchased Mustique in the 1950s. So clearly she knows the island very well. But also, it became very quickly apparent that the protagonist of this book is a thinly veiled version of its author.
I was initially excited but this proved to be...strangely emotionless? Dead bodies are found and the general reaction is very "Oh dear, how terribly inconvenient" or "Oh, s/he was so young, isn't that a shame". The main character, Lady Vee, is in her 70s and totters around in high heels and floaty dresses, but can run without any problems or scrub down a rusty boat when the plot calls for it. Celebrities - and Princess Margaret - are name dropped regularly and the whole thing was just sort of...exhausting in a "this is trying to make me care about rich people but I really really don't" way.
Anyway. At least it let me cross off SV&G??
September 25, 2022
Thrilling
dnf
October 24, 2021Meh, could not get into it
August 27, 2021
It's by no means a terrible book, but it wasn't all that great either. On the plus side, the author did do a fantastic job of describing the island of Mustique in the book and the protaganist character of Lady "Vee" Blake is obviously based partially on Glenconner herself except with a good dash of Miss Marple thrown in.
Sadly, the other characters in this book, unfortunately, (especially the working-class, permanent year-round island residents) were less well-defined and lacked any real depth to the point that the author's life in a rich, upper-class, white, privilege "bubble" was painfully apparent and spots where the narrative even felt covertly racist.
The old saying "Write what you know," has also been taken a little too literally by Glenconner. She knew Princess Margaret in real life and mentions it so many times in this book that it becomes dull enough to distract from the narrative. (There are a few other unecessary, repeated, celebrity name-drops too.)
The plot itself had some twists, but ultimately fell short of my expectations and also had some bits that seemed too unbelievable for me to really accept.
There is a hurricane in the forecast.
An affluent young person has been murdered in a small, close-knit community. There have also been break-ins and even an incident of arson and each time the perpetrator left a calling card: a piece of coral with strange markings carved into it.
The prime suspect is missing.
Meanwhile Lily, the founder of a local non-profit foundation dedicated to saving a coral reef vital to the local ecosystem has been the victim of vandalism and death threats.
But NOTHING must stand in the way of Lady Vee having a fabulous, costume party! (Especially reality, I suppose?)
I also found some things in the narrative inconsistent: for example Lady Vee's husband is supposedly subject to mood swings and breaks down in tears because he misses her so much, he's enraged over various issues with architects and builders at his upcoming development, in the past he has suffered from what sound like episodes of depression but can also be the life of any party when he is doing well, extremely outgoing, funny, happy and energetic. Then later in the book he is described as someone who rarely expresses his emotions?
This mystery does -try- to give the reader a big "twist" except that it fell a tad flat since the killer lacked a believable motive. (Of course that may have been the entire point in order to throw the reader off of the 'obvious' suspects.) unfortunately even a casual mystery reader will probably guess who the real killer is pretty quickily into the novel.
Sadly, the other characters in this book, unfortunately, (especially the working-class, permanent year-round island residents) were less well-defined and lacked any real depth to the point that the author's life in a rich, upper-class, white, privilege "bubble" was painfully apparent and spots where the narrative even felt covertly racist.
The old saying "Write what you know," has also been taken a little too literally by Glenconner. She knew Princess Margaret in real life and mentions it so many times in this book that it becomes dull enough to distract from the narrative. (There are a few other unecessary, repeated, celebrity name-drops too.)
The plot itself had some twists, but ultimately fell short of my expectations and also had some bits that seemed too unbelievable for me to really accept.
There is a hurricane in the forecast.
An affluent young person has been murdered in a small, close-knit community. There have also been break-ins and even an incident of arson and each time the perpetrator left a calling card: a piece of coral with strange markings carved into it.
The prime suspect is missing.
Meanwhile Lily, the founder of a local non-profit foundation dedicated to saving a coral reef vital to the local ecosystem has been the victim of vandalism and death threats.
But NOTHING must stand in the way of Lady Vee having a fabulous, costume party! (Especially reality, I suppose?)
I also found some things in the narrative inconsistent: for example Lady Vee's husband is supposedly subject to mood swings and breaks down in tears because he misses her so much, he's enraged over various issues with architects and builders at his upcoming development, in the past he has suffered from what sound like episodes of depression but can also be the life of any party when he is doing well, extremely outgoing, funny, happy and energetic. Then later in the book he is described as someone who rarely expresses his emotions?
This mystery does -try- to give the reader a big "twist" except that it fell a tad flat since the killer lacked a believable motive. (Of course that may have been the entire point in order to throw the reader off of the 'obvious' suspects.) unfortunately even a casual mystery reader will probably guess who the real killer is pretty quickily into the novel.
February 13, 2023
I love the fact that the author use to own the entire island with her late hubby AND was a longtime friend and Lady-In-Waiting to Princess Margaret. That drew me to the book but the plotline was amazing and kept my interest. It was so entertaining I read it in one sitting. Someone appears to be stalking and possibly murdering the young and rich people inhabitants of Mustique. And it may involve the plans to revitalize the corral around the island.
There are so many twists and turns in this book that every time I thought I figured out what was happening, I was proven wrong. All the characters, especially Lady Vee and her God daughter Lily, are quite relatable. And Lady Vee's butler, Wesley, is another character that is so much more than he seems. Besides the possible murders, there is also the added tension of class as well as race between the rich that visit the island and the inhabitants that live there all year around.
DI Solomon Niles is the detective investigating the various crimes, to the displeasure of his boss. His backstory is very well thought out. He finds himself in the middle time and again but luckily he has Lady Vee to help him. And reading little bits of Lady Vee's "relationship" with the Royal family, especially Princess Margaret was especially nostalgic considering the current events in the UK.
I highly recommend this book. I intend to read another of Lady Glenconner's books next can't wait. Then on to her autobiography.
There are so many twists and turns in this book that every time I thought I figured out what was happening, I was proven wrong. All the characters, especially Lady Vee and her God daughter Lily, are quite relatable. And Lady Vee's butler, Wesley, is another character that is so much more than he seems. Besides the possible murders, there is also the added tension of class as well as race between the rich that visit the island and the inhabitants that live there all year around.
DI Solomon Niles is the detective investigating the various crimes, to the displeasure of his boss. His backstory is very well thought out. He finds himself in the middle time and again but luckily he has Lady Vee to help him. And reading little bits of Lady Vee's "relationship" with the Royal family, especially Princess Margaret was especially nostalgic considering the current events in the UK.
I highly recommend this book. I intend to read another of Lady Glenconner's books next can't wait. Then on to her autobiography.
December 7, 2021
Ein wunderbares erstes Buch, das hoffentlich zur Serie wird!
Als Fan von The Crown, womit dieses Buch beworben wird, hatte ich die Szenen mit Princess Margaret auf der tropischen Insel noch gut im Kopf als ich anfing das Buch zu hören. Dass es sich bei diesen Szenen um eine Privatinsel gehandelt hat, wusste ich nicht. Ich fand es spannend und faszinierend im Buch mehr über den geschichtlichen Hintergrund zu erfahren.
Insgesamt fand ich die Geschichte sehr kurzweilig und atmosphärisch. Ich hatte überhaupt kein Problem damit, dass die Autorin sich in ihrer Protagonistin ein alter Ego schafft (Kritik anderer Goodreads Rezensionen); das machen doch viele Autoren, manchmal nur mehr versteckt als sonst.
Ich wusste ab einem bestimmten Punkt, wer der Mörder ist. Ich finde Krimis toll, in denen dem Leser genügend Clues and die Hand gegeben werden, um es selbst herauszufinden. Am Ende gab es noch einen zusätzlichen unerwarteten Twist, der dem ganzen dann noch etwas mehr Abrundung gegeben hat.
Im Ergebnis würde ich das Buch jedem Cozy Krimi Fan empfehlen.
Vielen Dank an NetGalley für eine kostenlose Rezensionskopie. Die oben stehende Meinung ist meine eigene und wurde freiwillig gegeben.
Als Fan von The Crown, womit dieses Buch beworben wird, hatte ich die Szenen mit Princess Margaret auf der tropischen Insel noch gut im Kopf als ich anfing das Buch zu hören. Dass es sich bei diesen Szenen um eine Privatinsel gehandelt hat, wusste ich nicht. Ich fand es spannend und faszinierend im Buch mehr über den geschichtlichen Hintergrund zu erfahren.
Insgesamt fand ich die Geschichte sehr kurzweilig und atmosphärisch. Ich hatte überhaupt kein Problem damit, dass die Autorin sich in ihrer Protagonistin ein alter Ego schafft (Kritik anderer Goodreads Rezensionen); das machen doch viele Autoren, manchmal nur mehr versteckt als sonst.
Ich wusste ab einem bestimmten Punkt, wer der Mörder ist. Ich finde Krimis toll, in denen dem Leser genügend Clues and die Hand gegeben werden, um es selbst herauszufinden. Am Ende gab es noch einen zusätzlichen unerwarteten Twist, der dem ganzen dann noch etwas mehr Abrundung gegeben hat.
Im Ergebnis würde ich das Buch jedem Cozy Krimi Fan empfehlen.
Vielen Dank an NetGalley für eine kostenlose Rezensionskopie. Die oben stehende Meinung ist meine eigene und wurde freiwillig gegeben.
May 9, 2022
Sinister, atmospheric, and engaging!
Murder on Mustique is a menacing tale that sweeps you away to the Caribbean and into the life of Lady Vee who, after heading to the idyllic island of Mustique to prepare an extravagant twenty-first birthday party for her goddaughter, Lily, becomes embroiled and a little sidetracked in an investigation with the islands only trained police office Detective Sergeant Solomon Nile, when Lily’s childhood friend, socialite Amanda Fortini goes missing and other rich, young residents suddenly start turning up dead.
The prose is tense and fluid. The characters are resourceful, impulsive, and vulnerable. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into a mysterious tale of mischief, mayhem, coercion, corruption, criminal behaviours, dangerous endeavours, deduction, lies, and murder.
Overall, Murder on Mustique is a solid, entertaining, quick read by Glenconner that was better than I ever expected with its front-row seat into some of the decadence, lifestyle, luxuries, and scandalous behaviour the rich and famous can often get up to.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Murder on Mustique is a menacing tale that sweeps you away to the Caribbean and into the life of Lady Vee who, after heading to the idyllic island of Mustique to prepare an extravagant twenty-first birthday party for her goddaughter, Lily, becomes embroiled and a little sidetracked in an investigation with the islands only trained police office Detective Sergeant Solomon Nile, when Lily’s childhood friend, socialite Amanda Fortini goes missing and other rich, young residents suddenly start turning up dead.
The prose is tense and fluid. The characters are resourceful, impulsive, and vulnerable. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into a mysterious tale of mischief, mayhem, coercion, corruption, criminal behaviours, dangerous endeavours, deduction, lies, and murder.
Overall, Murder on Mustique is a solid, entertaining, quick read by Glenconner that was better than I ever expected with its front-row seat into some of the decadence, lifestyle, luxuries, and scandalous behaviour the rich and famous can often get up to.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews