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The Discreet Investigations of Lord and Lady Calaway #3
A Murderous Inheritance
There’s something foul in the air around Tavy Castle. The old Lady Buckshaw can’t say the word “trade” without feeling ill and the new Lady Buckshaw can’t say much at all - at least, not much that makes sense. She’s always been a sensitive soul, but have the oppressive swamps around her new home finally driven her into a very Gothic insanity? Madness and death seem to go hand in hand, and it’s not long before a corpse turns up in the ice house. Theodore, Lord Calaway is all set to use his considerable powers of investigation but he’s immediately thwarted by a stereotypically bumbling inspector from Plymouth who declares it all an accident. Theodore and his wife Adelia disagree. Adelia is busy enough with matchmaking for Captain Everard, helping to plan a Floating Ball aboard a ship, and trying to bring order to Tavy Castle. But her people-skills are essential in helping her rather-too-rational husband to make sense of the murder. They think they are making progress until the next murder happens unexpectedly. Chaos breaks out. The inspector returns. Arrests are made which devastate the Buckshaws and the Calaways. If Theodore and Adelia can’t find the evidence to bring the real culprit to justice, then their own daughter will hang for it. This is the third book in The Discreet Investigations of Lord and Lady Calaway. It is written in British English, which may use unfamiliar spellings, vocabulary and grammatical structures. Enjoy with a nice cup of Earl Grey tea and perhaps a biscuit.
332 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2020
237 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 15, 2021
I enjoy this series. It is a light, easy-reading series with likable characters and good mysteries.
I very much like Adelia and Theodore as a crime-solving couple. Adelia is smart and capable, and Theodore is an absent-minded professor who is "handled" by his wife. Together they make a great pair.
The mystery in this book wasn't my favourite. It felt a big over-wrought, but it was okay.
These books are good when I want to turn off my brain and just be entertained by characters I like in stories that take me away. This series fills the bill for that.
I very much like Adelia and Theodore as a crime-solving couple. Adelia is smart and capable, and Theodore is an absent-minded professor who is "handled" by his wife. Together they make a great pair.
The mystery in this book wasn't my favourite. It felt a big over-wrought, but it was okay.
These books are good when I want to turn off my brain and just be entertained by characters I like in stories that take me away. This series fills the bill for that.
May 16, 2021
I said in my review for the second Lord and Lady Calaway story that I hoped to see the return of the funny camaraderie between the married protagonists that was missing from that one, but present in the first book. I do think it was brought back in this, the third in the series, but in a different way. There was still humour in it, albeit more gentle than in "Murder at Mondial Castle", but that was fitting in the context of this tale. The first two in the series were lighter in tone, thus allowing more opportunity for more levity. Indeed they felt more like cosy mysteries than seriously dark tales. This one was definitely darker, more complex, and suitably progressive in terms of the growing maturity of our protagonists in their roles as an aristocratic sleuthing partnership.
The mystery for this installment had a much greater range of potential solutions, providing very busy scenes. Adelia often seemed to be juggling tasks and responsibilities in a dizzying fashion. But I didn't ever feel lost or overwhelmed by the presentation of a chaotic set of circumstances. I loved the narrative tone and enjoyed being in their heads, particularly for the moments which display affection and trust in their spouse. You'd have to be blind not to consider the eventually revealed murderer as a strong suspect, but I felt that this was deliberate, rather than poorly disguised. I took it as a lesson in looking properly at that which we see, instead of hunting for what we think is hidden. All of the keys to this puzzle were very much in plain sight but overlooked as too obvious or simplistic to be considered above all other possibilities. Yes, there was definitely a lesson in that, I think.
But I do have to comment upon the errors in the book, which were many and did annoy me. I cannot understate the desperate need for an intensive couple of edits! There were far too many incidences where it was pretty obvious that automatic spell-checking had been employed, leading to incorrect word usage, aspect, grammar, and even name, on occasion. But the was one section which was so glaringly wrong that I openly swore - much to the bafflement of my husband, who was driving the car at the time. I won't give away any spoilers, but it was when Adelia and the Countess met on the stairs of the Norman tower, with Oscar in the room above the study. We are told on multiple occasions that the room Theodore made into an ad-hoc lab was ABOVE the study used by Percy. So, if Adelia and the Countess have to inch back DOWN the stairs, they do not find themselves, as the succeeding passage tells us, in the LAB! They are in the STUDY! Please, please, please, Ms. Brooke, fix this if you address none of the other errors, because it was infuriating!
But, on the whole, I did enjoy the book and will go on to the next in the series very soon.
The mystery for this installment had a much greater range of potential solutions, providing very busy scenes. Adelia often seemed to be juggling tasks and responsibilities in a dizzying fashion. But I didn't ever feel lost or overwhelmed by the presentation of a chaotic set of circumstances. I loved the narrative tone and enjoyed being in their heads, particularly for the moments which display affection and trust in their spouse. You'd have to be blind not to consider the eventually revealed murderer as a strong suspect, but I felt that this was deliberate, rather than poorly disguised. I took it as a lesson in looking properly at that which we see, instead of hunting for what we think is hidden. All of the keys to this puzzle were very much in plain sight but overlooked as too obvious or simplistic to be considered above all other possibilities. Yes, there was definitely a lesson in that, I think.
But I do have to comment upon the errors in the book, which were many and did annoy me. I cannot understate the desperate need for an intensive couple of edits! There were far too many incidences where it was pretty obvious that automatic spell-checking had been employed, leading to incorrect word usage, aspect, grammar, and even name, on occasion. But the was one section which was so glaringly wrong that I openly swore - much to the bafflement of my husband, who was driving the car at the time. I won't give away any spoilers, but it was when Adelia and the Countess met on the stairs of the Norman tower, with Oscar in the room above the study. We are told on multiple occasions that the room Theodore made into an ad-hoc lab was ABOVE the study used by Percy. So, if Adelia and the Countess have to inch back DOWN the stairs, they do not find themselves, as the succeeding passage tells us, in the LAB! They are in the STUDY! Please, please, please, Ms. Brooke, fix this if you address none of the other errors, because it was infuriating!
But, on the whole, I did enjoy the book and will go on to the next in the series very soon.
September 9, 2020
Madness and Murder
Suitable for teen - adult
Cozy mystery
No objectionable language
No gore or graphic violence
Adelia and Theodore (Lord and Lady Calaway), having received a letter indicating all is not well with their daughter Felicia, travel to pay a visit. Felicia's home is a castle near swamplands. She claims the smell from the swamps is overwhelming her, which is making her feel not only sick but disoriented. No one else seems to be affected, though at times the odor is pervasive.
As can be expected in a cozy mystery, it's not long before there's a murder. Some suspect Felicia because of her erratic behavior. Of course her parents do not want to believe this is so and become involved in solving the crime.
What I find enjoyable in this series is the relationship between Lord and Lady Calaway. He's sort of a bull in the china shop kind of investigator, while she looks to the intrigue in relationships.
Recommended for light reading.
Suitable for teen - adult
Cozy mystery
No objectionable language
No gore or graphic violence
Adelia and Theodore (Lord and Lady Calaway), having received a letter indicating all is not well with their daughter Felicia, travel to pay a visit. Felicia's home is a castle near swamplands. She claims the smell from the swamps is overwhelming her, which is making her feel not only sick but disoriented. No one else seems to be affected, though at times the odor is pervasive.
As can be expected in a cozy mystery, it's not long before there's a murder. Some suspect Felicia because of her erratic behavior. Of course her parents do not want to believe this is so and become involved in solving the crime.
What I find enjoyable in this series is the relationship between Lord and Lady Calaway. He's sort of a bull in the china shop kind of investigator, while she looks to the intrigue in relationships.
Recommended for light reading.
April 5, 2020
A clever historical mystery. I enjoy these cozy mysteries, especially when you get an interesting pair of detectives like Lord and Lady Calaway. When death strikes yet again near one of the Calaway daughters you can be sure, that this pair won't let any mystery go unsolved. I look forward to the next book, when apparently Lady Calaway's secrets might just come out if the blurb holds true!
April 8, 2020
Great Series!
I love historical mysteries and this one is excellent! Our " mature" sleuthing couple are very engaging and real--- personal conversations are quite funny! Descriptions are excellent and plots are very well seven. Conclusion is always well done and usually unexpected!
I love historical mysteries and this one is excellent! Our " mature" sleuthing couple are very engaging and real--- personal conversations are quite funny! Descriptions are excellent and plots are very well seven. Conclusion is always well done and usually unexpected!
August 27, 2020
This wsuch exciting book..I hated to see it end!!...the. . The characters were wonderful and added great color to the s
Story!...the story plot was so unusual, which made the story fabulous..you will love this book💓..I can't wait to start the next book!!
Story!...the story plot was so unusual, which made the story fabulous..you will love this book💓..I can't wait to start the next book!!
January 10, 2021
A classy murder mystery! This is the third in the series and they keep getting better, maybe because I know and love the characters! I love the fact that the heroine is NOT young and beautiful and doesn't ALWAYS agree with her husband, but still loves him. She is pretty savvy, though.
April 7, 2020
Review
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a great cozy mystery. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading a well written cozy mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a great cozy mystery. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading a well written cozy mystery.
January 28, 2021
I struggled with this a bit, especially in the middle - some of the characters were truly odious, and I considered skimming. But then things picked up, and the ending was exciting and satisfying.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews