Tommy and Evelyn Christie are looking forward to a quiet Christmas holiday at the home of Hugh Norton-Cavendish, the 9th Earl of Clifford, who recently married Tommy's cousin, Elise.
However the suspicious death of Albert Lewis, a businessman hoping to buy land from Hugh, means the Christmas festivities are quickly over. Tommy is distracted by his sister's new relationship with a man he distrusts. Evelyn is busy with her pack of dogs, brought for the traditional Boxing Day shoot.
Can Tommy & Evelyn prioritise solving Albert's death before another guest is killed?
The daughter of a military father, Catherine was born in Germany and lived most of the first 14 years of her life abroad. She spent her school years devouring everything her school library had to offer!
Her favourites were romance and mysteries. Her love for the Nancy Drew books led Catherine to check out every mystery story she could find. She soon found Agatha Christie who quickly became Catherine's favourite author.
Catherine writes cosy mysteries that take place in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie mysteries are set in 1920s North Yorkshire. Her new series, the Martha Miller cosy mysteries, are set in the years following the Second World War in Berkshire.
Catherine lives in northeast England with her two spoiled dogs who have no idea they are not human!
This the 6th book in the Tommy and Evelyn Christie series. In this outing, Tommy and Evelyn are spending the Christmas holiday with Hugh Norton-Cavendish, the 9th Earl of Clifford, who recently married Tommy's cousin, Elise. The house is heavily in debt and so a shooting party has been scheduled to convince a wealthy businessman to complete a deal with Hugh for some of his land to help save the estate. Well, nothing goes to plan, and the wealthy businessman ends up dead. The police are called and as usual tell Tommy & Evelyn to stay out of the investigation. Like that will ever happen. :-)
There are a number of interesting characters/suspects with secrets they want to keep hidden. When the truth comes out that the businessman never intended to complete the deal with Hugh, and he becomes the main suspect. There are a complete of secondary stories including Tommy’s sister’s romance with and Alexander, another Earl invited to the shooting party.
While part of a series, this a stand-alone story and a quick cozy read. I recieved this book as an ARC.
i say it every time i finish these books but they really are just so cosy and fun!! catherine coles knows how to keep the intrigue going, and the range of characters always makes the mystery so appealing :))
This cozy mystery will pull you right into the story, so get comfortable with a good cup of tea or coffee and some shortbread and settle into your favorite reading spot. You'll be stepping back in time to1922 England during the Christmas holidays at Rochester Park, an old estate in dire need of a large infusion of money. Tommy and Evelyn Christie along with their extended family and staff have arrived to assist Hugh Norton-Cavendish, the 9th Earl of Clifford, and his new bride Elise in hosting a Boxing Day Shoot that will hopefully raise funds to help save the family estate. There are also several other guests - business people and their wives. Within hours of everyone arriving there is a death (not from natural causes). Everyone in the house is a suspect and real evidence is scant, but Tommy and Evelyn refuse to sit idly by while the local constabulary's investigation seems to be less than thorough. Their keen sense of insight and ability to connect the dots is truly tested in this case, as things are not always what they seem! There's an interesting slate of characters with well developed personalities, and the details of the story are set in the English customs and social strata of the time. Aunt Em is one of my favorites, as she addresses an embarrassing and awkward situation: "In my day, one had the good manners to give a dressing down, if it was required, in private. I regret to see those days are over." This book is part of a series but is a totally stand-alone story. There are a few editing mistakes but I still enjoyed the story so much I gave it 5 stars. I received a copy of this book as a member of an ARC team. All the opinions and comments in this review are wholly my own.
Celebrating Christmas at Rochester Park, an old, dilapidated home. What could go wrong? The estate is in financial trouble and the man who is supposed to provide the necessary funds dies. Family again is involved. Evelyn brings her staff to assist Tommy’s cousin, Elise, in learning the role of the wife of the 9th Earl of Clifford. First, though, Evelyn and Tommy must figure out the death of Albert Lewis. I’ve enjoyed all the books of this cozy series and look forward to exciting news in the next. I received an ARC copy of this book.
Personagens: Tommy: lord northmoor, ex policial, lutou na guerra Evelyn: esposa de tommy, ex policial Aunt em: tia avó de tommy Constance: irmã de tommy, tem uma quedinha por alex e se torna sua noiva Grace: irmã de tommy Elise: prima de tommy, casada com Hugh Hugh: earl clifford, herdou a casa e os problemas financeiros David: advogado de tommy e marido da prima de tommy Alex: earl of chesden, irmão de David, noivo de constance Albert: rico, assassinado com veneno Louisa: esposa de Albert Stanley: assistente de Albert e marido secreto de Emma Emma: secretaria de Albert e sua filha secreta e herdeira Peter: advogado de Albert, não era advogado de verdade Clara: esposa de Peter, gravida, assassinou o primeiro marido, assassina Edwin: contador de Albert e desviando dinheiro dele
Resumo: Albert quer comprar um pedaço da terra de Hugh, para que ele possa pagar dívidas que seu pai fez. Hugh e elise convidam ele e seus funcionários, assim como a família de Evelyn para o Natal. Na real Albert só queria jantar na presença de lordes, e fez questão de falar para Hugh apos a janta. Albert é encontrado morto em seu quarto após o jantar, a suspeita é veneno em seu remédio para o coração. O testamento é lido e Louisa descobre que Emma é a herdeira e não ela. Tommy e Evelyn investigam, descobrem que Emma e Stanley tem um romance e são casados e que Emma já sabia que era herdeira de Albert. Mais tarde ela admite ser sua filha. Uma caixa de chocolates chega para Constance, mas Alex a impede de comer. Eles estavam envenenados, pois Constance disse se lembrar de ver um vulto no jardim, que seria no momento que o assassino foi pegar cianeto na casa do jardineiro. Edwin estava roubando dinheiro do negócio, Stanley e Emma sabiam e iam contar para Albert. Peter cometeu um erro na falam e descobriram que ele não era um advogado de verdade. Todos tinham motivo. Albert falou que reconheceu Clara mas não lembrava de onde. A verdade é que a morte do primeiro marido de Clara foi um escândalo, acreditavam que ela o envenenou. Albert a reconheceu e a chantageou, então ela o matou.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Right, well, Tommy and Evelyn thought all they had to do, as amateur detectives, and what they did, in fact, do, was simply pretend and make the perp think they knew much more than they actually did about what had gone down and how and that they could prove at least part of the incriminating evidence. With that, the perp collapsed and ‘fessed up. It was all a very hairy dénouement all around. I can see why this is called a ‘cozy’ mystery. It has something to do with the atmosphere where childlike behaviours and interactions are tolerated within the characters’s families and are carried onto the outside world, or something like that. It seems diametrically opposed to hard-boiled crime fiction. I ought to look up the definition of a cozy mystery somewhere - so as per Wikipedia it’s “a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence occur off stage, the detective is an amateur sleuth, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. “ So that’s how it was all written up in this novel and that makes it cozy. Hey, you would not believe it! Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple’s cases are considered cozies! Have a wonderful day !
Four reasons I'm giving Four Stars to Murder at Rochester Park by Catherine Coles:
1. The Setting - We are in Derbyshire in 1922, that short-lived calm between the wars, when the old class system still held but women were already getting ideas that they deserved more.
2. The Plot - A murder in a remote, freezing, crumbling down country house on Christmas Day, does it get any more Golden Age? Well, I suppose if the body were found in the library instead of one of the bedrooms.
3. The Detectives - Tommy Christie, the 7th Earl of Northmoor, and his wife Evelyn are old hands at solving murders (it is the sixth book in the series, after all). Nice to see them working together as a real team.
4. The Balance - We do touch on the lives of Tommy, Evelyn, their family, friends and servants, but this book gives center stage to the mystery. It is a mildly complicated puzzle and nicely captures our attention. A light, fun read.
These books, by Catherine Coles, are summer fluff. About as good for you as eating s’mores. Easy to read, nice, escapist, etc. As with many cozy mysteries, they are formulaic with few twists or surprises. The main characters are enjoyable but the dragging on of their quest to have children (across many books) NEEDS to be done. Aunt Em is the most important character as she keeps the two main characters from being insipid. She definitely needed a larger part in this installment.
My biggest gripe about these books is that the author has done little to no research about the decade her characters live in. There is nothing in the stories that couldn’t be transported 50 years either direction and still be the same. I read stories that take place in different times so that I can learn a bit. Definitely nothing to learn here.
Wow, I think this is my favorite Tommy & Evelyn mystery yet (and that takes some doing!). Only one murder here, but it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy. I love the cooperation between Lord and Lady Northmoor as they put their heads together to save cousin Hugh’s estate and reputation. As usual, they sift through lots of distracting evidence and plenty of guilty-looking suspects. But they’re at the top of their game as they get a confession - in front of the police detective who disdained their help, no less! I love how the personal lives of the Lord and Lady continue to develop…and can’t wait for the next book in this wonderful cosy mystery series.
The overall series is fantastic. The stories, or novellas, I suppose, are beautifully plotted and characterization is strong. This was my least favorite of a favorite series, because what was obvious to me as a reader, was not revealed, about a main character, and it really was just far too short. Everyone of these entries in the series could be padded by at least a third more, with no loss of quality. Neither Tommy or Evelyn were quite as charming as usual. Maybe because the manor house was so cold.
My negatives: Too short, and a few too many typos. Okay, when so well written, I don't expect any typos at all.
Ms. Coles has another winner in her Tommy and Evelyn Christie mysteries. The plot, as always, twists and turns leaving you to suspect one person after another. Lots of red herrings and non-essential information to further confuse the reader. This series is reminiscent of a cross between Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. They are, however, much easier to read and the protagonists are endearing rather than irritating busybodies. The characters all have a depth that was missing in Christie's books other than her main characters. All in all this was an enjoyable read from start to finish. Try it, you'll like it!! And if you work out whodunnit before the end you're a better detective than I am.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Tommy and Evelyn Christi are at Rochester Park for the Christmas holiday. They are also there to help Tommy’s cousin, Elise. She and her husband Hugh, the new Earl of Clifford are trying to impress a wealthy businessman that Hugh hopes to do business with. Instead of winding up with a deal, they wind up with a corpse and Hugh is the prime suspect of the local constabulary.
This is a well-written mystery. The storyline has some good twists and turns, and the plot was well developed. I enjoyed the character interactions.
Considering I thought I was purchasing a book with the main characters being Dora & Rex instead of Tommy & Evelyn it was not a disaster. The logos on the titles are very similar. Why would I pay attention to the author? Lesson learned. The book is a quick and easy read. It is a pleasant book and you will like the characters but it is a little lacking in storyline and the mystery is thin. Aunt Em is a treat and I have no idea why but it seems the little old ladies in these books get all the good lines and are very spunky and endearing.
A Christmas holiday at your cousin's house with visiting businessman Mr. Lewis who may have a business deal that will help save the cousin's estate looks like a nice holiday and a good opportunity for Hugh but then Mr. Lewis is murdered, and chaos ensues. With a wife and businessmen all with questionable motives it quickly becomes a very uncomfortable situation. Once again Tommy and Evelyn step in to investigate and after lots of twists and turns as well as several surprising revelations the truth comes out and all ends well. Great read.
I am so enjoying this series. It reminds me of Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence mysteries, with a little Nick and Nora Charles thrown in for good measure. This time the mystery takes place in a ramshackle manor in need of a cash infusion to keep it going. Lord Cavandish has a tentative deal to sell land that would help to save his family home, Rochester Manor. When the "savior" dies under mysterious circumstances, everyone becomes suspect. Once again, it's Tommy and Evelyn to the rescue, sorting fact from fiction to unveil the perpetrator.
I have to give Catherine Coles high credit for keeping the books in this series so well written. I will admit I thought many of the characters were totally despicable and that included the Chief Inspector. I was also convinced almost from the beginning who the murderer was. Alas, as usual I was totally wrong. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Tommy and Evelyn have been invited to spend Christmas at the home of Hugh Norton-Cavendish, who recently married Tommy's cousin. However, Albert Lewis is found dead. Once again Tommy and Evelyn track down the clues to solve the mystery. There are plenty of suspects to investigate. Enjoy this charming mystery set in 1920s.
Christmas Holidays at Rochester Park are exciting for all the wrong reasons. With the young couple of Hugh and Elise trying to secure an investor to help save his ancestral home. But the death of one of the guests, certainly changes the mood. Evelyn and Tommy to the rescue again. Very very enjoyable book.
This is an enjoyable cozy mystery series. Wife & husband solve a mystery together. They are progressive for their time - they respect and support each other - both have a voice. There's a unique to the times situation in each book. The mystery is solved as the couple sums up the people and motives, leading the guilty to step up and confess. Clever.
It’s just a day after Christmas and the guests have arrived. While sitting down at dinner suddenly everything seems to wrong. There’s split pudding/ drinks & that night it turns to murder!! Whom can it be? And why? Everyone has a secret that’s hidden very well. But not for long…
This story was well crafted, with complex relationships. Almost everyone connected to the victim had a motive and had the opportunity to commit the crime, but the final reveal leaves one thinking that the truth could have been worked out earlier. I would recommend this book as an excellent mystery - hence the 5 stars.
Fun cozy mystery. I've enjoyed reading each of these. When you read these, please read them in order. They flow each one into the next. All of your questions will not be revealed before you reach the end of each story. To answer your questions, you must read the next, and so on. Enjoy your reading.
Everyone had motive and secrets to hide so the mystery has to unfold to determine who had the most to gain from the murder. Tommy and Evelyn are on top of the clues while the local inspector wants them to leave the case to his team. Tommy and Evelyn prevail.
The motive for this seems very weak since the information was public knowledge. Also the ability to find poison as a guest in someone's house and have the poison be in a random location seems a stretch. Will continue the series though
An Exciting read with Tommy and Evelyn going to their cousins home for Christmas. There a businessman is murdered and disrupts the festivities . It is up to Tommy and Evelyn to solve the case. I honestly enjoyed this book .
Some of you will be able to relate to my comment because like myself have gone to a murder mystery dinner. This book reminds of the time a group of my friends and I went and had a fabulous time trying to figure out who did it.
The murders and the characters are very good. They are clever. The characters have been fun to follow. The typos drive me a little crazy but aren't as bad as some series. I am looking forward to continued stories.