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Cleopatra Fox #4
Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon
As fashion designer to London’s elite, she had an eye for detail and a flare for the dramatic. But there’s nothing stylish about her cold-blooded murder.
With the social season just around the corner, the women in Cleo’s family are having new outfits made by the most sought-after designer in the city. Madame Poitiers is bold, self-absorbed and not French, despite her claims.
When Cleo stumbles on her dead body in the salon, she is in a unique position to gather clues and speak to witnesses. But she doesn’t expect to find Harry Armitage’s business card in Madame’s possession. What is the alluring private detective’s connection to the victim? And why is he avoiding Cleo?
As she peeks behind the veil of lies, Cleo uncovers the secrets Madame Poitiers tried to hide. But which secret led to her murder? And which one of the suspects turned the fashion icon into a fashion victim?
With the social season just around the corner, the women in Cleo’s family are having new outfits made by the most sought-after designer in the city. Madame Poitiers is bold, self-absorbed and not French, despite her claims.
When Cleo stumbles on her dead body in the salon, she is in a unique position to gather clues and speak to witnesses. But she doesn’t expect to find Harry Armitage’s business card in Madame’s possession. What is the alluring private detective’s connection to the victim? And why is he avoiding Cleo?
As she peeks behind the veil of lies, Cleo uncovers the secrets Madame Poitiers tried to hide. But which secret led to her murder? And which one of the suspects turned the fashion icon into a fashion victim?
246 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2022
361 people are currently reading
1364 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Archer
100 books5,685 followersC.J. Archer is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of historical mystery and historical fantasy novels including the GLASS AND STEELE series, the CLEOPATRA FOX MYSTERIES, the MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES and THE GLASS LIBRARY series.
She has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, 2 children and Coco the black and white cat.
Subscribe to C.J.'s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book. Join via her website: www.cjarcher.com
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She has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, 2 children and Coco the black and white cat.
Subscribe to C.J.'s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book. Join via her website: www.cjarcher.com
You can follow her on social media to get the latest updates on her books:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CJArcherAuthorPage
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
April 19, 2023
A little surprised having finished this book and checking back on the series to find I missed book three! I am going to fix this immediately as I am sure that will solve some of the confusion I had about Cleo and Harry's current relationship.
Apart from that minor mishap I enjoyed Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon very much. Cleo is still living at the Mayfair Hotel with her rich relations and is preparing for the London season where she will accompany her cousins in the marriage market. After her visit to the dressmaker there is a murder and Cleo gets caught up, along with Harry, in the investigation.
The mystery is interesting with hidden pasts being exposed and people being not quite as they seem. Cleo and Harry make a good team despite their differences and it was fun to have the police on their side for once. All very entertaining. Now to go and find myself a copy of book three.
Apart from that minor mishap I enjoyed Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon very much. Cleo is still living at the Mayfair Hotel with her rich relations and is preparing for the London season where she will accompany her cousins in the marriage market. After her visit to the dressmaker there is a murder and Cleo gets caught up, along with Harry, in the investigation.
The mystery is interesting with hidden pasts being exposed and people being not quite as they seem. Cleo and Harry make a good team despite their differences and it was fun to have the police on their side for once. All very entertaining. Now to go and find myself a copy of book three.
June 19, 2022
This was my favorite of the series so far. I think part of that is because I listened to the audio instead of reading an ebook, so I "read" it more slowly and enjoyed all the details. I loved the narrator's voice too; it was very pleasant to listen to and her accents were good. The death was the least unsavory in the series so far, which I prefer, and I thought the murder victim and her personality and past were fascinating. I love how Cleo and Harry get to be consultants with Scotland Yard and how cleverly they follow the trail of clues to unravel the mystery. There were a LOT of potential suspects and motives.
The supporting cast continues to be such fun. We get more of Aunt Lillian in this, and I'm starting to like her more and more. I am waiting for the big confrontation between Cleo and her uncle, though. I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty. An interesting development in the Cleo/Harry relationship too. I like how Cleo is feeling more settled in her London life and at the hotel with her extended family. She's creating a niche for herself that is satisfying to read about, both above and below stairs.
The supporting cast continues to be such fun. We get more of Aunt Lillian in this, and I'm starting to like her more and more. I am waiting for the big confrontation between Cleo and her uncle, though. I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty. An interesting development in the Cleo/Harry relationship too. I like how Cleo is feeling more settled in her London life and at the hotel with her extended family. She's creating a niche for herself that is satisfying to read about, both above and below stairs.
July 27, 2024
I’d just finished a very heavy book, so this was a perfect balance for me. So lighthearted and cute. Loving the slow development of this relationship between Cleo and Harry, though I wish he’d get his butt out of his head a bit. Ready for the next book in the series.
June 25, 2022
Rating: 4.5 / 5
This newest addition to the Cleopatra Fox series was just an itty-bitty-BIT frustrating in terms of personal relationships and their development—or lack thereof, I should say. Though, grant you, the rest of the mystery was absolutely spectacular and superb and it kept me guessing, so I guess it doesn't merit more than .1 stars off for Armitage being...well, so resistant to Cleo's charms. That being said, there are other reasons that I've rated this book slightly lower than its predecessors, and I'll go into that shortly.
Ahem, but, moving on past the B plot, the A plot and mystery is fantastic! C.J. Archer once again sets up a murder that Cleo finds herself involved in, but this time she and Armitage are both hired on by D.I. Hobart to work as consultants for Scotland Yard, so that's okay then. The victim is a famous designer, but one whom Cleo and Armitage quickly find out had quite a few secrets and skeletons in the closet from her past. Everything is wrapped up as complicatedly as a tangled ball of yarn, with some plot threads that go nowhere (as good red herrings should), and the one that ends up being "it" being rather unexpected and with no way at all to guess the full backstory behind it.
Now, as mentioned, the whole Armitage-Cleo distance thing in terms of their relationship merits .1 star off, since on the one hand Armitage is trying to put distance between them, and yet for once he doesn't complain about working alongside Cleo. So...he's accepted her as a colleague (sort of), but fighting his own attraction towards her is just...annoying. And, to be honest, But, anyway, since this is all kind of shuffled to the background and we're only in Book 4 of the series, I don't expect anything major to happen between these two for a while. If there's one thing that Murder on Astor Place and the entire Gaslight Mystery series has taught me, it's to be patient with romances in cozy mysteries.
Ahem, but anyway, the other .4 stars off is because in this book, pretty much all of Cleo's friends from the hotel aren't that involved. I guess the author was working at developing a Cleo-Armitage collab more in-depth (which she does great with, by the way, especially with the good cop/bad cop routine they've got going on), but I don't really appreciate having Harmony, Victor, Goliath, Peter, Frank, and so on being left out of all the fun. Like...okay, Harmony stays up to date on what's happening, but she herself ultimately doesn't contribute much. Like...Cleo just tells her the details as an afterthought, but ultimately our hotel friends aren't as involved in this mystery as they were in previous ones. Seeing as the gang has got a charming dynamic that's been developing throughout the series, especially when it comes to what they can each contribute to solving the mystery, I was a bit disappointed at not seeing more of them. Again, maybe I could see what the author is going for, but I will never be okay with cutting out characters out of a story just so's you can focus on what you want to. If you've got a good thing going, don't stop its momentum!
Okay, so, to conclude, basically I loved the mystery in this one, but the relationships themselves were a little less quality than the previous books. Not enough to go lower than .5 stars off (cause that's how much I love this series!) but still noticeable.
Fingers crossed and here's hoping that these problems will be addressed and repaired in the next book coming out. We'll wait until December and see, I guess.
This newest addition to the Cleopatra Fox series was just an itty-bitty-BIT frustrating in terms of personal relationships and their development—or lack thereof, I should say. Though, grant you, the rest of the mystery was absolutely spectacular and superb and it kept me guessing, so I guess it doesn't merit more than .1 stars off for Armitage being...well, so resistant to Cleo's charms. That being said, there are other reasons that I've rated this book slightly lower than its predecessors, and I'll go into that shortly.
Ahem, but, moving on past the B plot, the A plot and mystery is fantastic! C.J. Archer once again sets up a murder that Cleo finds herself involved in, but this time she and Armitage are both hired on by D.I. Hobart to work as consultants for Scotland Yard, so that's okay then. The victim is a famous designer, but one whom Cleo and Armitage quickly find out had quite a few secrets and skeletons in the closet from her past. Everything is wrapped up as complicatedly as a tangled ball of yarn, with some plot threads that go nowhere (as good red herrings should), and the one that ends up being "it" being rather unexpected and with no way at all to guess the full backstory behind it.
Now, as mentioned, the whole Armitage-Cleo distance thing in terms of their relationship merits .1 star off, since on the one hand Armitage is trying to put distance between them, and yet for once he doesn't complain about working alongside Cleo. So...he's accepted her as a colleague (sort of), but fighting his own attraction towards her is just...annoying. And, to be honest, But, anyway, since this is all kind of shuffled to the background and we're only in Book 4 of the series, I don't expect anything major to happen between these two for a while. If there's one thing that Murder on Astor Place and the entire Gaslight Mystery series has taught me, it's to be patient with romances in cozy mysteries.
Ahem, but anyway, the other .4 stars off is because in this book, pretty much all of Cleo's friends from the hotel aren't that involved. I guess the author was working at developing a Cleo-Armitage collab more in-depth (which she does great with, by the way, especially with the good cop/bad cop routine they've got going on), but I don't really appreciate having Harmony, Victor, Goliath, Peter, Frank, and so on being left out of all the fun. Like...okay, Harmony stays up to date on what's happening, but she herself ultimately doesn't contribute much. Like...Cleo just tells her the details as an afterthought, but ultimately our hotel friends aren't as involved in this mystery as they were in previous ones. Seeing as the gang has got a charming dynamic that's been developing throughout the series, especially when it comes to what they can each contribute to solving the mystery, I was a bit disappointed at not seeing more of them. Again, maybe I could see what the author is going for, but I will never be okay with cutting out characters out of a story just so's you can focus on what you want to. If you've got a good thing going, don't stop its momentum!
Okay, so, to conclude, basically I loved the mystery in this one, but the relationships themselves were a little less quality than the previous books. Not enough to go lower than .5 stars off (cause that's how much I love this series!) but still noticeable.
Fingers crossed and here's hoping that these problems will be addressed and repaired in the next book coming out. We'll wait until December and see, I guess.
May 3, 2023
3⭐️
Unfortunately this one was more boring as I felt the storyline was SOOOO similar to book #3 just with a fashion industry twist.
Unfortunately this one was more boring as I felt the storyline was SOOOO similar to book #3 just with a fashion industry twist.
September 14, 2022
Cleo and her cousin are preparing for the upcoming ball season by getting new frocks. The dressmaker, Madame Poitier never tires of tiring her customers with stories about her illustrious past as a great singer and all her brushes with famous people. She's tiresome, but she's also the best dressmaker around. When Madame is found dead in her salon, Cleo is determined to discover who and why. Along the way, she has to deal with a crisis in the hotel kitchen, distress over whether her family will be invited to THE ball, and her feelings for the man her uncle has forbidden her to see.
It's another engaging adventure for Cleo and company.
It's another engaging adventure for Cleo and company.
November 30, 2023
Madame Poitiers, dressmaker to the London elite, is busy making one of a kind dresses for ladies like Cleo Fox's aunt and cousin, Cleo too, albeit it reluctantly on Cleo's part. The morning after a dress fitting, Cleo returns to the salon to locate her aunt's tonic and discovers the dressmaker dead, strangled with a piece of lace. The shop is thrown into chaos and the police are called in. D.I. Hobart needs some help with this one as the seamstresses and elite female clients will respond better to a woman than a hardened policeman. He hires Cleo and Harry Armitage, who is already looking into Madame Poitiers's background on her husband's behalf, to investigate. Cleo and her family already suspected Madame was not really French and even Madame's husband wondered what else she lied about. Cleo's list of suspects includes everyone from a leader of Society to lowly seamstresses. She's determined to solve this one and get Harry to see her as an equal.
This was the best book in the series so far. I finally felt like I was in London with specific references and historical details. The timeline doesn't always make sense and some of the details may not be correct but I enjoyed the mystery. It took awhile to get into on the audio book. There was too much exposition but then once the investigation commenced, I got into it and had a hard time putting the book down. The investigation had some last minute suspects and motives I didn't really care for but I never guessed who the murderer was or why. I was very surprised.
Cleo is your average modern, feminist woman stuck in a Victorian setting. She's bright and kind. Cleo doesn't fit into the world of her family at the hotel and is trying to manage their expectations and balance them with her own desires. Cleo treats her maid like a sister and the other servants are her friends. This one has less of the servants and hotel life. Cleo has feelings for Harry Armitage and is disappointed in her uncle's rude treatment of his now former employee. She wants to be his partner in his private detective business but he doesn't respect her yet. They act a lot like siblings at this point. He treats her like a pesky little sister he can scold and instruct and she pushes his buttons. Cleo is a little more astute when it comes to women and women's concerns but she's still very naïve about a lot of things.
Cleo's cousin Flossy is a featherhead but sweet and supportive. Aunt Lilian is surprising in this novel. While she seems to have depression and is addicted to the medicine but she rallies and shows that she's the one making the hotel run smoothly. She also seems supportive of Cleo's investigation and goes so far as to shield her husband from knowing the truth about what Cleo's up to. However, this comes with a hefty dose of emotional blackmail and Cleo will be expected to be a part of the social whirl once her mourning period is over. Cleo will feel obligated to oblige even though she doesn't want to. Cleo and Harry make a good team. He can be gruff and tough but so can she! Sometimes he uses his charm on the women and sometimes Cleo is kind and sympathetic with them. The investigation was more fun that way.
Madame claims to be French and a former opera singer who hobnobbed with European royals when she toured Europe. Almost no one believes she actually is French but that's OK by society rules. Most French dressmakers in 19th-century London claimed to be French. It increased their social cachet with their elite customers and they could charge higher prices. I don't have a problem with that because most people knew some French and had been to Paris so they were aware of the deception on some level. What I have a problem with is Madame Poitiers lying to her husband who seems to love her. She also repeatedly promised things to her employees and then conveniently forgot or reneged on those promises. The more things Cleo learns about this woman's past, the more it sounds like Madame, aka Gertrude Russell Lindsey, was really a horrid person. She was selfish and unkind to everyone. Mr. Lindsey seems nice enough as long as the investigation is giving him what he wants. As soon as Harry hints Mr. Lindsey and his son may be suspects, Mr. Lindsay suddenly turns around and fires the investigator. Gerald, the son is absolutely horrid. He's not an aristocrat but still idle. He knows he needs a profession but he'll choose one that requires the least amount of work and probably try to marry an heiress. He's awful to women in a slimy way and doesn't seem to have loved his mother at all. The way he speaks about her is shocking.
Lady Bunbury, leader of Society, is a top suspect. She may be the queen of London society but she seems to have money problems. Lady Bainbridge may be a drug addict but she's still with it enough to notice every detail about her peers. Lady Bunbury is snooty and rude. She uses her power as a weapon. She can make or break a woman's social career and ruin a girl. That's incredibly horrible. Lady Bunbury is the type who values her social position and opinions of others over honesty, fairness and being a good person.
Her employees at Maison Poitiers are very loyal even though I don't think Madame earned that loyalty. Her assistant, Anna Newland, is a sweet, simple girl. Finding the body of her employer is traumatizing and it's no wonder she doesn't come to work. However, it comes out that Anna has a past connected to Madame and a good reason to be furious with the woman. I'm not sure Anna has it in her to murder but it seems like it was impulsive rather than premeditated, so maybe?
Mrs. Zielinski is Madame's longtime assistant. She's the right-hand woman and probably the talent behind the business. An immigrant and a woman, she's socially and financially low on the ladder but she's hard working. I like her a lot. She's probably had a tough life and lives in the most dreaded neighborhood in London (in 1900, the Ripper murders still loom large). Mrs. Z cooperates with Cleo's investigation and is forthcoming. I don't think she has anything to hide. Another seamstress, Miss Keane, is a blunt and direct once she realizes she can trust Cleo with an honest answer. After her employer's death, this one seems to be starting a sort of union and running the business with an iron fist but in favor of the employees.
Mr. Green, a laborer, is another suspect. The motive is a little weak and Cleo pushes for a confession without any evidence. That was a big misstep. She does make the connections between Mr. Green and other suspects but that doesn't mean he's a murderer. He seems nice and friendly, simple and uncomplicated. Who is the mysterious stranger meeting with Madame? What is his connection to her past? I think I can guess and it may give him a very strong motive for murder. I think he might be the one. Either him or the husband or the son. That's my top list.
Mrs. Hessing is a rude, pushy American woman staying at the hotel. She's eager to find a titled husband for her daughter and doesn't give her daughter any opportunity to express her own thoughts or opinions. She's an Alva Vanderbilt type. Miss Hessing seems nice. She's meek and a quiet around her mother and her mother probably scares off all the men. Joan seems sweet enough on her own and could use a chance to hang out with Cleo and learn how to stand up to her mother. Cousin Floyd's friend, Jonathon, is one of those young gentleman who uses his charm on the ladies. It isn't working on Cleo and the more she ignores his attentions, the more he tries to flirt with her. Jonathan seems nice, nicer than Floyd but he claims he's a reformed rake and Cleo knows that's bad news. I agree. Cleo doesn't need to marry someone like that but maybe Miss Hessing would like to get away from her mother by marrying him.
The narrator was very good. She pitches her voice low for the men and although Harry and his father sound alike, mostly the voices were very good.
I will return soon to Mayfair to see what developments await!
This was the best book in the series so far. I finally felt like I was in London with specific references and historical details. The timeline doesn't always make sense and some of the details may not be correct but I enjoyed the mystery. It took awhile to get into on the audio book. There was too much exposition but then once the investigation commenced, I got into it and had a hard time putting the book down. The investigation had some last minute suspects and motives I didn't really care for but I never guessed who the murderer was or why. I was very surprised.
Cleo is your average modern, feminist woman stuck in a Victorian setting. She's bright and kind. Cleo doesn't fit into the world of her family at the hotel and is trying to manage their expectations and balance them with her own desires. Cleo treats her maid like a sister and the other servants are her friends. This one has less of the servants and hotel life. Cleo has feelings for Harry Armitage and is disappointed in her uncle's rude treatment of his now former employee. She wants to be his partner in his private detective business but he doesn't respect her yet. They act a lot like siblings at this point. He treats her like a pesky little sister he can scold and instruct and she pushes his buttons. Cleo is a little more astute when it comes to women and women's concerns but she's still very naïve about a lot of things.
Cleo's cousin Flossy is a featherhead but sweet and supportive. Aunt Lilian is surprising in this novel. While she seems to have depression and is addicted to the medicine but she rallies and shows that she's the one making the hotel run smoothly. She also seems supportive of Cleo's investigation and goes so far as to shield her husband from knowing the truth about what Cleo's up to. However, this comes with a hefty dose of emotional blackmail and Cleo will be expected to be a part of the social whirl once her mourning period is over. Cleo will feel obligated to oblige even though she doesn't want to. Cleo and Harry make a good team. He can be gruff and tough but so can she! Sometimes he uses his charm on the women and sometimes Cleo is kind and sympathetic with them. The investigation was more fun that way.
Madame claims to be French and a former opera singer who hobnobbed with European royals when she toured Europe. Almost no one believes she actually is French but that's OK by society rules. Most French dressmakers in 19th-century London claimed to be French. It increased their social cachet with their elite customers and they could charge higher prices. I don't have a problem with that because most people knew some French and had been to Paris so they were aware of the deception on some level. What I have a problem with is Madame Poitiers lying to her husband who seems to love her. She also repeatedly promised things to her employees and then conveniently forgot or reneged on those promises. The more things Cleo learns about this woman's past, the more it sounds like Madame, aka Gertrude Russell Lindsey, was really a horrid person. She was selfish and unkind to everyone. Mr. Lindsey seems nice enough as long as the investigation is giving him what he wants. As soon as Harry hints Mr. Lindsey and his son may be suspects, Mr. Lindsay suddenly turns around and fires the investigator. Gerald, the son is absolutely horrid. He's not an aristocrat but still idle. He knows he needs a profession but he'll choose one that requires the least amount of work and probably try to marry an heiress. He's awful to women in a slimy way and doesn't seem to have loved his mother at all. The way he speaks about her is shocking.
Lady Bunbury, leader of Society, is a top suspect. She may be the queen of London society but she seems to have money problems. Lady Bainbridge may be a drug addict but she's still with it enough to notice every detail about her peers. Lady Bunbury is snooty and rude. She uses her power as a weapon. She can make or break a woman's social career and ruin a girl. That's incredibly horrible. Lady Bunbury is the type who values her social position and opinions of others over honesty, fairness and being a good person.
Her employees at Maison Poitiers are very loyal even though I don't think Madame earned that loyalty. Her assistant, Anna Newland, is a sweet, simple girl. Finding the body of her employer is traumatizing and it's no wonder she doesn't come to work. However, it comes out that Anna has a past connected to Madame and a good reason to be furious with the woman. I'm not sure Anna has it in her to murder but it seems like it was impulsive rather than premeditated, so maybe?
Mrs. Zielinski is Madame's longtime assistant. She's the right-hand woman and probably the talent behind the business. An immigrant and a woman, she's socially and financially low on the ladder but she's hard working. I like her a lot. She's probably had a tough life and lives in the most dreaded neighborhood in London (in 1900, the Ripper murders still loom large). Mrs. Z cooperates with Cleo's investigation and is forthcoming. I don't think she has anything to hide. Another seamstress, Miss Keane, is a blunt and direct once she realizes she can trust Cleo with an honest answer. After her employer's death, this one seems to be starting a sort of union and running the business with an iron fist but in favor of the employees.
Mr. Green, a laborer, is another suspect. The motive is a little weak and Cleo pushes for a confession without any evidence. That was a big misstep. She does make the connections between Mr. Green and other suspects but that doesn't mean he's a murderer. He seems nice and friendly, simple and uncomplicated. Who is the mysterious stranger meeting with Madame? What is his connection to her past? I think I can guess and it may give him a very strong motive for murder. I think he might be the one. Either him or the husband or the son. That's my top list.
Mrs. Hessing is a rude, pushy American woman staying at the hotel. She's eager to find a titled husband for her daughter and doesn't give her daughter any opportunity to express her own thoughts or opinions. She's an Alva Vanderbilt type. Miss Hessing seems nice. She's meek and a quiet around her mother and her mother probably scares off all the men. Joan seems sweet enough on her own and could use a chance to hang out with Cleo and learn how to stand up to her mother. Cousin Floyd's friend, Jonathon, is one of those young gentleman who uses his charm on the ladies. It isn't working on Cleo and the more she ignores his attentions, the more he tries to flirt with her. Jonathan seems nice, nicer than Floyd but he claims he's a reformed rake and Cleo knows that's bad news. I agree. Cleo doesn't need to marry someone like that but maybe Miss Hessing would like to get away from her mother by marrying him.
The narrator was very good. She pitches her voice low for the men and although Harry and his father sound alike, mostly the voices were very good.
I will return soon to Mayfair to see what developments await!
June 12, 2022
Cleo Fox is not interested in attending balls during London’s 1900 social “Season,” but her Aunt Lilian and cousin Flossy insist on outfitting her properly just the same. Madame Poitier’s salon is one of the best, and most exclusive, in the city and although Cleo objects, a large number of dresses are ordered on her behalf. Aunt Lilian accidentally leaves her medicine behind when they leave the salon and asks Cleo to fetch it for her the next day, but when Cleo arrives in the company of Madame Poitier’s assistant, they discover the fashion designer dead, strangled by a piece of lace. Scotland Yard is called in and Detective Inspector Hobart asks Cleo and Harry Armitage, a private detective and his foster son, to assist in the investigation as they can open more doors socially than the police can, but Cleo and Harry soon find far more secrets than they expected…. This is the fourth book in the Cleo Fox series and, like the three before it, it is well-plotted and, despite the dark contents, quite light in tone. I very much like Cleo, an independent and intelligent young woman living in a time when those qualities are not sought after in females, and the details about life in London in the year 1900 feel very authentic to me, particularly the massive income inequality, the treatment of the working class and the requirement for appearances above all else in the upper classes. I do think that these books should be read in order, because although the author includes information here about the various relationships between Cleo, her extended family and the workers at her family’s posh hotel, the ways in which those relationships are evolving and deepening throughout the books would be a shame to miss; recommended!
June 8, 2022
I do not know any other author who can convey feeling or just sparks so well that by every smallest interaction I jump to attention and cheer them on. (Kiss kiss Kiss (me yelling at them and jumping up and down ))
And that is just a sidestory. The main murder story is gripping on its own and keeps me on my toes and never guessing the murderer prematurerly.
Pleaaase make Harry not behave a complete boar next book.
And make Victor and Harmony move forward.
And that is just a sidestory. The main murder story is gripping on its own and keeps me on my toes and never guessing the murderer prematurerly.
Pleaaase make Harry not behave a complete boar next book.
And make Victor and Harmony move forward.
August 22, 2022
2.5. Didn’t hold my interest as much as previous books in the series.
September 13, 2022
This is such a wonderful series. I love how forward thinking it is and how it pushes the envelope in terms of cozy themes. Cleo is developing into a better detective and even gets accolades from the local police department. The mystery wasn't my favorite in this one and I felt there weren't enough clues to solve it but Cleo triumphs in the end. I'm a little sad that I'm caught up in the series but was excited to see a new one coming out within a few months.
August 19, 2022
Enjoyed listening to this latest adventure in the series.
October 21, 2022
A 💋 yay
March 20, 2024
I like that Cleo is an independent woman who isn’t interested in marriage but wants to pursue a career as a detective in an era when women didn’t have much freedom. Go feminism!
But as a romantic, this reader would like that romance to develop with Harry.
Another good one.
This time the family dressmaker has been murdered and the police, have hired Cleo & Harry as consultants.
Lots of shoe leather as they try to follow the slim clues provided and solve the case.
But as a romantic, this reader would like that romance to develop with Harry.
Another good one.
This time the family dressmaker has been murdered and the police, have hired Cleo & Harry as consultants.
Lots of shoe leather as they try to follow the slim clues provided and solve the case.
January 19, 2025
Brooo the end!!!
Finallyyyyy
Finallyyyyy
August 27, 2022
Another enjoyable trek through 20th Century England. I had some dislikes in this one, but nothing that killed my enjoyment. We finally have some progression for the characters, but it'll be interesting to see how it plays out in the future books.
Quick hits:
+ I appreciated more of Harry's father and Uncle in this, both fun characters.
+ Side characters are more engaged in this one. Flossy and Johnathon were annoying in this one. But Cleo's aunt was more involved which was a nice change of pace.
+ Progression for some of the side characters, although not really sure what role they'll all have in the future stories.
- If I have to hear Cleo say her friendship with Harry is broken one more time after every single disagreement or argument I'm going to lose my mind. It's as if she's never interacted with people before.
- The mystery resolves in like the last chapter and the reader isn't given enough information to really solve it. Not a big deal, but a lot of brand new info and jumping in the last 40 pages.
+/- I really like the progression for Harry and Cleo, they're becoming more like partners and obviously there's something there. But there's a huge obstacle Cleo just isn't acknowledging or confronting and I'd like to see that resolved soon as we're about to be in book 5. But we'll see.
Overall, another enjoyable and fast read. I'll be continuing in the series and having read a bunch of the author's previous works, I know the quality will stay consistent.
Quick hits:
+ I appreciated more of Harry's father and Uncle in this, both fun characters.
+ Side characters are more engaged in this one. Flossy and Johnathon were annoying in this one. But Cleo's aunt was more involved which was a nice change of pace.
+ Progression for some of the side characters, although not really sure what role they'll all have in the future stories.
- If I have to hear Cleo say her friendship with Harry is broken one more time after every single disagreement or argument I'm going to lose my mind. It's as if she's never interacted with people before.
- The mystery resolves in like the last chapter and the reader isn't given enough information to really solve it. Not a big deal, but a lot of brand new info and jumping in the last 40 pages.
+/- I really like the progression for Harry and Cleo, they're becoming more like partners and obviously there's something there. But there's a huge obstacle Cleo just isn't acknowledging or confronting and I'd like to see that resolved soon as we're about to be in book 5. But we'll see.
Overall, another enjoyable and fast read. I'll be continuing in the series and having read a bunch of the author's previous works, I know the quality will stay consistent.
October 3, 2022
I have enjoyed this series. I love Cleo and Harry. I’m not crazy about her Uncle Ronald, Flossie, or Floyd. I’ve had mixed feelings about her Aunt. Up until the end of this book she flummoxed between being wishy washy, useless, addict. I gave her a thumbs up to showing CHARACTER in being a subtle negotiator in getting an invitation to the ball and negotiating in having the cook stay on at the hotel.
September 9, 2022
Best one yet of the series.
September 11, 2022
This series keeps getting better and better!
December 3, 2022
Cozy mystery. Cleo finally moved away from the naive yet smart trope, she’s become more observant. Harry grudgingly finally works with her as an equal.
October 27, 2025
My favorite so far!
October 21, 2023
I continue to enjoy this series enormously, and this might be my favorite installment so far. The interaction between the main characters Cleo and Harry feels very real and this murder was much more interesting than previous ones. The twists and turns didn’t feel too out of left field and the scandals underlying the supposed high society added a level of intrigue that was very much appreciated. Really looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 30, 2022
This is my favorite cozy/historical mystery series. I always get so excited when I see that another one is available to read.
As always, I enjoy Cleo's character. I like that she is has managed to acclimate to life at the hotel, but refuses to change her beliefs or how she behaves. The author does a great job of building tension between Cleo and Harry. I'm looking forward to seeing how their relationship (both professional and romantic) progresses in the future
As always, I enjoy Cleo's character. I like that she is has managed to acclimate to life at the hotel, but refuses to change her beliefs or how she behaves. The author does a great job of building tension between Cleo and Harry. I'm looking forward to seeing how their relationship (both professional and romantic) progresses in the future
January 16, 2024
This one was convoluted and very twisted. I couldn’t guess who killed the victim. The romances are progressing but since this is set in 1900, it’s going to be the slowest slow burn this side of slowville.
June 9, 2023
WE HAVE A KISS!!
Ngl I was confused by a lot of this book but I had a great time.
Ngl I was confused by a lot of this book but I had a great time.
August 28, 2023
Go Cleo!! Solve that murder and get yo man
September 8, 2023
This is a 3.5 star.
Well finally we see the the love story is moving up, finally some action, just that I would have like for the guy to take the lead not Cleo.
This book kept me entertained enough, the murder mystery was all right though nothing different from the past books. Although the story and interactions of the main characters is getting old and monotonous since there is not much of advancement in their relationship. But hey we got a kiss before book 5.😒
Well finally we see the the love story is moving up, finally some action, just that I would have like for the guy to take the lead not Cleo.
This book kept me entertained enough, the murder mystery was all right though nothing different from the past books. Although the story and interactions of the main characters is getting old and monotonous since there is not much of advancement in their relationship. But hey we got a kiss before book 5.😒
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2023
Love the cozy mystery, lighthearted feel of this series. Strong female protagonist is a HUGE plus.
February 21, 2025
Somehow just rather boring, but never quite *bad* enough for me to press stop on the audiobook which was chugging along quite merrily at 2x speed.
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