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The Catherine Tregowyn Mysteries #5
Death of an Earl
Oxford, 1935
When the Earl of Severn is murdered, the police focus on Anne Bascombe, his most vocal critic on the editorial pages of the Times. Anne’s brother-in-law and childhood sweetheart, Harry Bascombe, enlists the help of his fiancé, Catherine Tregowyn to find the real killer.
After Oxford police arrest Harry’s sister-in-law, Catherine is dismayed to find his schoolboy passion for Anne unsettling their relationship. To make matters worse, Anne’s father, and the president of the Sherlock Holmes Society, steps into the spotlight, certain that he is the perfect one to solve the crime.
Despite her emotional turmoil, Catherine and Harry move forward with their inquiries, following faint trails in the present and the past. When they uncover a years-old secret the killer will murder anyone to hide, Harry and Catherine find their lives at risk. Can they come together again and combine their strengths to outwit the murderer?
When the Earl of Severn is murdered, the police focus on Anne Bascombe, his most vocal critic on the editorial pages of the Times. Anne’s brother-in-law and childhood sweetheart, Harry Bascombe, enlists the help of his fiancé, Catherine Tregowyn to find the real killer.
After Oxford police arrest Harry’s sister-in-law, Catherine is dismayed to find his schoolboy passion for Anne unsettling their relationship. To make matters worse, Anne’s father, and the president of the Sherlock Holmes Society, steps into the spotlight, certain that he is the perfect one to solve the crime.
Despite her emotional turmoil, Catherine and Harry move forward with their inquiries, following faint trails in the present and the past. When they uncover a years-old secret the killer will murder anyone to hide, Harry and Catherine find their lives at risk. Can they come together again and combine their strengths to outwit the murderer?
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2021
287 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
G.G. Vandagriff
55 books325 followersG.G. Vandagriff is the author of over thirty novels Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. The Last Waltz, the first novel in her 20th Century Historical Romance Series won the Whitney Award for Best Historical Novel in 2009. There are now two more books in that series—Exile and Defiance.
Thirteen of her novels are Regency romances, compared by critics to the witty novels of Georgette Heyer. She has also written a lively genealogical mystery series featuring Briggie and Alex, two whacky widows, as sleuths. Her most recent publications are Romantic Suspense. Her trilogy featuring Breaking News, Sleeping Secrets, and Balkan Echo tell the tale of high profile TV journalists--the Super Sleuths of WOOT TV station in Chicago.
GG graduated from Stanford and received her master’s degree from George Washington University. She worked as an associate editor at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, an assistant treasurer in the Harvard Treasurer’s office, a bond analyst at Fidelity Investments, and an international banker for Continental Illinois National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America).
She and her husband David are the parents of three children and seven grandchildren, her greatest joys in life. Her favorite novel? Jane Eyre. She also loves Florence, Sundance Resort, The Voice, hot chocolate, lilacs, and dachshunds.
Find out more about her books, download a free novella, and sign up for her newsletter at http://ggvandagriff.com. Also, be the first to know when Vandagriff’s next book is available by following her at http://bookbub.com/authors/G.G.Vandag... to receive new releases and discount alerts.
Thirteen of her novels are Regency romances, compared by critics to the witty novels of Georgette Heyer. She has also written a lively genealogical mystery series featuring Briggie and Alex, two whacky widows, as sleuths. Her most recent publications are Romantic Suspense. Her trilogy featuring Breaking News, Sleeping Secrets, and Balkan Echo tell the tale of high profile TV journalists--the Super Sleuths of WOOT TV station in Chicago.
GG graduated from Stanford and received her master’s degree from George Washington University. She worked as an associate editor at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, an assistant treasurer in the Harvard Treasurer’s office, a bond analyst at Fidelity Investments, and an international banker for Continental Illinois National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America).
She and her husband David are the parents of three children and seven grandchildren, her greatest joys in life. Her favorite novel? Jane Eyre. She also loves Florence, Sundance Resort, The Voice, hot chocolate, lilacs, and dachshunds.
Find out more about her books, download a free novella, and sign up for her newsletter at http://ggvandagriff.com. Also, be the first to know when Vandagriff’s next book is available by following her at http://bookbub.com/authors/G.G.Vandag... to receive new releases and discount alerts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 9, 2021
A perfect comfort read. A good mystery, with likeable characters, and the writer’s knowledge of the period made the plot believable. I’m sure I’d enjoy the whole series. I usually start a series at Book One; Death of an Earl is Book Five, but this one popped up in a blogger’s feed, and I grabbed it. I’m glad I did. The writing made the reading enjoyable.
August 12, 2022
Old fashion drama. Two lecturers, fiancés, are amateur sleuth. They solve this murder in a as they would say ‘a spiffing way’ need i say more. It was fun, not very gory, and entertaining .
August 15, 2022
This is the fourth book in a series. I haven't read any of the others but it is easy to pick up the story so far.
It's 1935, the Earl of Severn holds some pretty unappealing views about Hitler and Jewish people which he freely spreads far and wide. Perhaps unsurprising then that someone murders him. Catherine Tregowyn, an amateur detective, poet, and English lecturer at Oxford University is asked to take the case by her fiancé, Harry Bascombe, when his hitherto unheard of sister-in-law Anne is accused of the murder. Anne, and Harry's brother, have been living in Germany where Harry's brother works for Bayer. Recently returned to the UK, Anne has been a vocal critic of the Earl's views and has created a small group of like-minded individuals.
When he is around Anne, Catherine sees a different, more passionate man, and begins to reconsider their engagement, she's already been misled by a man once and doesn't want it to happen again.
Throw in a second murder, blackmail, secrets going back to WW1 and there is a lot to keep the plot moving forward. Unfortunately, for me the plot was spoiled by the obsessive listing of everything everyone wore (for no reason relevant to the plot), the ghastly attempts at 1930s language ('jolly spiffing' type of thing) and then Harry's use of 'gotten' which I think would probably have got him drummed out of Oxford back in the 1930s. Also, and this could just be me, but I'm sure one of the witnesses said he knew one of the other witnesses on one occasion and then said he didn't on another.
Overall, I would read another book in the series if it was also free on Kindle but I don't think I would pay list price.
It's 1935, the Earl of Severn holds some pretty unappealing views about Hitler and Jewish people which he freely spreads far and wide. Perhaps unsurprising then that someone murders him. Catherine Tregowyn, an amateur detective, poet, and English lecturer at Oxford University is asked to take the case by her fiancé, Harry Bascombe, when his hitherto unheard of sister-in-law Anne is accused of the murder. Anne, and Harry's brother, have been living in Germany where Harry's brother works for Bayer. Recently returned to the UK, Anne has been a vocal critic of the Earl's views and has created a small group of like-minded individuals.
When he is around Anne, Catherine sees a different, more passionate man, and begins to reconsider their engagement, she's already been misled by a man once and doesn't want it to happen again.
Throw in a second murder, blackmail, secrets going back to WW1 and there is a lot to keep the plot moving forward. Unfortunately, for me the plot was spoiled by the obsessive listing of everything everyone wore (for no reason relevant to the plot), the ghastly attempts at 1930s language ('jolly spiffing' type of thing) and then Harry's use of 'gotten' which I think would probably have got him drummed out of Oxford back in the 1930s. Also, and this could just be me, but I'm sure one of the witnesses said he knew one of the other witnesses on one occasion and then said he didn't on another.
Overall, I would read another book in the series if it was also free on Kindle but I don't think I would pay list price.
July 7, 2022
A nice little British Mystery
This is the fifth in a series. It’s the first one I’ve read. The story is engaging and I was able to figure out “who dunnit” before the end. Four stars rather than five because of several typographical errors. (I should be a proof reader. I always find errors without effort.) light reading with a little bit of history thrown in.
This is the fifth in a series. It’s the first one I’ve read. The story is engaging and I was able to figure out “who dunnit” before the end. Four stars rather than five because of several typographical errors. (I should be a proof reader. I always find errors without effort.) light reading with a little bit of history thrown in.
November 21, 2021
Up there with Sayers, Christie and Allingham!
This book was so enjoyable, I did not want it to end.
The language, the depth of characterisation is a cut above the rest. Intrigue, mystery and romance. Wonderful!
This book was so enjoyable, I did not want it to end.
The language, the depth of characterisation is a cut above the rest. Intrigue, mystery and romance. Wonderful!
October 10, 2022
I would give this book 3 and a half stars. As a mystery, it was a puzzling and interesting one. However, it had a terrible need to be properly proofread, and it was obvious it had an American author. There were a lot of inconsistencies - eg, we met Harry's sister Mary and brother-in-law Ned early on, and she was very close to having a baby. Nothing was said ever again about them which was extremely unlikely. Even a "how's Mary?" query would have sufficed each time they saw Harry's parents! A character was said to have travelled alone by ship from NZ to England in 1915 - again, highly unlikely as that was the time when the Germans were hitting shipping. And the man (spoiler alert!) who went mad in 1915 was 36 years old - I doubt he would have been lecturing at Cambridge at that time. He would have been called up for the war. I'd better stop or I'll take off more stars!
October 29, 2022
Trouble for our Sleuths?
What starts out as a weekend filled with lovely possibilities -- (1) to meet Harry's parents who are so excited to meet Catherine in turn; and (2) to get more of the feel of his childhood home and environment -- quickly degenerates when Harry's older brother and especially his sister-in-law, Anne, make their appearance. Anne is movie star glamorous and knows it! She and Harry had a past, and she wants to take up where she left him! However, at that point, the Oxford police barge in to arrest her for the murder of an earl who was also an active supporter of Hitler! (This IS 1935, remember?) Needless to say, Catherine has mixed emotions about wanting to help her!
What starts out as a weekend filled with lovely possibilities -- (1) to meet Harry's parents who are so excited to meet Catherine in turn; and (2) to get more of the feel of his childhood home and environment -- quickly degenerates when Harry's older brother and especially his sister-in-law, Anne, make their appearance. Anne is movie star glamorous and knows it! She and Harry had a past, and she wants to take up where she left him! However, at that point, the Oxford police barge in to arrest her for the murder of an earl who was also an active supporter of Hitler! (This IS 1935, remember?) Needless to say, Catherine has mixed emotions about wanting to help her!
August 6, 2022
Very good book
The last couple of years I have discovered mysteries. It started with Ashley Weaver's Amory Ames series. As an avid reader I immediately began to hunt for new authors of my newly discovered genre. I have discovered several wonderful authors of which G.G. Vandagriff is now at the top of the list. I seem to have started near the bottom of the Catherine Tregowyn books. I loved this book, I love Harry and Catherine and most the rest of the characters contained in between the covers. The rest I hope gets what's coming to them. I highly recommend this book.
The last couple of years I have discovered mysteries. It started with Ashley Weaver's Amory Ames series. As an avid reader I immediately began to hunt for new authors of my newly discovered genre. I have discovered several wonderful authors of which G.G. Vandagriff is now at the top of the list. I seem to have started near the bottom of the Catherine Tregowyn books. I loved this book, I love Harry and Catherine and most the rest of the characters contained in between the covers. The rest I hope gets what's coming to them. I highly recommend this book.
September 8, 2022
This was a very enjoyable read! Loved the banter and authentic phrases used! A nice clean mystery with a bit of fun! Similar to Agatha Christie. A jolly good read!
I didn't realize how many of the books I missed before this, but the story didn't suffer at all because of it.
The only annoying part is that she needs a good editor! Subject names were changed mid paragraph and method of murder as well. Unless this was a device used by the author to keep the reader totally confused, I can only chalk it up to bad editing.
I didn't realize how many of the books I missed before this, but the story didn't suffer at all because of it.
The only annoying part is that she needs a good editor! Subject names were changed mid paragraph and method of murder as well. Unless this was a device used by the author to keep the reader totally confused, I can only chalk it up to bad editing.
September 23, 2022
Life in Oxford
I would have rated this book as a 4 if it were not for the many editorial mistakes that were present throughout the book. In a few instances, I had to backtrack just to verify what I had read.
However, the characters were well developed, Catherine, Harry, the Bascombe family, Dot were firm favorites by the end of the story. I also liked the storyline, it was a good one and held my interest to the end. I enjoyed reading the book, free from editorial errors? I would enjoy it more.
I would have rated this book as a 4 if it were not for the many editorial mistakes that were present throughout the book. In a few instances, I had to backtrack just to verify what I had read.
However, the characters were well developed, Catherine, Harry, the Bascombe family, Dot were firm favorites by the end of the story. I also liked the storyline, it was a good one and held my interest to the end. I enjoyed reading the book, free from editorial errors? I would enjoy it more.
August 18, 2025
Tot i que la història m’ha agradat, i l’edició d’aquesta entrega deixa molt a desitjar.
Començant per errors en els noms:
Sense tenir en compte que hi ha molts diàlegs sense senyalitzar.
Començant per errors en els noms:
Sense tenir en compte que hi ha molts diàlegs sense senyalitzar.
December 19, 2021
Excellent !
Terrific! This is a great series, getting better with each book. The plot is extremely involved and does an excellent job of describing relations between England and Germany in 1935, when rumbles of a coming war are escalating. Harry and Catherine are engaged and visit his family to introduce her to them. His past and first love cause a massive rupture in their relationship! Enjoy!
Terrific! This is a great series, getting better with each book. The plot is extremely involved and does an excellent job of describing relations between England and Germany in 1935, when rumbles of a coming war are escalating. Harry and Catherine are engaged and visit his family to introduce her to them. His past and first love cause a massive rupture in their relationship! Enjoy!
March 17, 2022
I love this series! Catherine Tregowyn and Harry Bascombe are both College literature lecturers. Catherine works at Summerville in Oxford and Harry teaches at Christ Church in Oxford. Each book in the series is a stand alone but also builds on the same characters as the last book. Again, the mystery took twists and turns and I was surprised at the end to find out who the murderer was. WONDERFULLY written and great snippets of 1934-35 history!
April 14, 2022
Mystery and drama
Too much drama in the romance to permit 5 stars in this otherwise readable suspense story. If the author proceeds further with the series, one hopes that Catherine and Harry will start acting like adults, instead of angst ridden teens. These characters have the potential to be as fun as Nick and Nora Charles, or at least Tommy an Tuppence, but haven't got there yet.
Too much drama in the romance to permit 5 stars in this otherwise readable suspense story. If the author proceeds further with the series, one hopes that Catherine and Harry will start acting like adults, instead of angst ridden teens. These characters have the potential to be as fun as Nick and Nora Charles, or at least Tommy an Tuppence, but haven't got there yet.
May 3, 2024
Enjoyed how they brought the Nazi threat into the story. Both in this story and in the prior Hollywood book a prior romance of Harry's is part of the story. Both women have a strong impact on Harry and Catherine's relationship. I hope there are no more women in Harry's past that come up in future books and as Catherine dealt with Rafe why did Harry not bring up Anne. Otherwise, the book was good
November 18, 2021
Very good period mystery
It's 1930s England and war is coming a d Germany is busy rearming. I find this period fascinating, the rise of Hitler and the fascists is ominously similar to the present.That is the background to this clever mystery. I fear this is the end of the series but hope I am wrong.
It's 1930s England and war is coming a d Germany is busy rearming. I find this period fascinating, the rise of Hitler and the fascists is ominously similar to the present.That is the background to this clever mystery. I fear this is the end of the series but hope I am wrong.
September 4, 2022
A good story with likable characters although the ending felt a bit abrupt. However the book is marred by editorial issues. For example the wrong names is used for a character. There are also many occasions where information is given, then repeated a page as if it is new. These should have easily been picked up before publication.
January 14, 2022
As good as the rest of the Series!
Very good, a happy ending for Catherine. However this is a Cozy Noir mystery. The timing is between World Wars for British people. The sorrows of WWI and imminent approach of WWII color this book Dark
Very good, a happy ending for Catherine. However this is a Cozy Noir mystery. The timing is between World Wars for British people. The sorrows of WWI and imminent approach of WWII color this book Dark
January 25, 2022
Excellent reaf
I read the first book in this series, and found myself completely hooked. The characters are very real, and the plots are wonderful, definitely kept me guessing! Anyone who loves this time in history will find these books a great read.
I read the first book in this series, and found myself completely hooked. The characters are very real, and the plots are wonderful, definitely kept me guessing! Anyone who loves this time in history will find these books a great read.
November 21, 2021
A great read.
This book is the best of the series. The characters are all very interesting and the book kept me riveted
from beginning to end.
This book is the best of the series. The characters are all very interesting and the book kept me riveted
from beginning to end.
December 12, 2021
A really good series!
Death of an Earl is more than a mystery. It is a story about family, love, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. It was enjoyable to the last word!
Death of an Earl is more than a mystery. It is a story about family, love, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. It was enjoyable to the last word!
December 13, 2021
Page turner
I enjoyed the book very much and will recommend it to my book club, who I am sure will enjoy it too
I enjoyed the book very much and will recommend it to my book club, who I am sure will enjoy it too
March 20, 2022
great read
Once again another great book to this series. Loved it all the way through and will reread again for sure.
Once again another great book to this series. Loved it all the way through and will reread again for sure.
May 9, 2022
The best yet. Complex and very revealing about a time period with which I am pretty unfamiliar. I recommend highly.
July 4, 2022
Captivating story.
The characters are lively and engaging. The period before World War II is carefully drawn. The plot kept me eager to move to the next clue. A satisfying read.
The characters are lively and engaging. The period before World War II is carefully drawn. The plot kept me eager to move to the next clue. A satisfying read.
August 11, 2022
Great story
I had many ideas about who "committed the crime" but none were correct. The characters were great and the story believable.
I had many ideas about who "committed the crime" but none were correct. The characters were great and the story believable.
August 14, 2022
A Fun Read
A well written who done it set in England between World Wars I and II. Enjoyed this mystery very much!!
A well written who done it set in England between World Wars I and II. Enjoyed this mystery very much!!
August 22, 2022
A fun, gentle golden age, detective mystery.
August 26, 2022
This was my first book in this series, but that didn't matter. Very good story & writing.
September 8, 2022
Very good read, marred only by multiple typos and grammatical errors. It kept me guessing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews