An Early Death

A Right Royal Cozy Investigation #4

by Helen Golden

BREAKING NEWS Mystery Woman Was in the Earl of Rossex’s Car When It Crashed  

Reports are coming in that an unidentified woman was in the car with James Wilshire (24), the Earl of Rossex, when it crashed in Fenshire late on Tuesday evening and killed him. She died from her injuries later in hospital. The police have not named the woman, but sources at Francis Court, where the earl lived with his wife Lady Beatrice (21), claim the dead woman was the wife of a member of staff. 

The impertinence of the man! Who does this Detective Sergeant Richard Fitzwilliam think he is, asking personal questions about the state of her marriage and insinuating that James was having an affair with the estate manager’s wife? Of course he wasn’t! She knew her husband, and he wouldn’t do that to her. But why have the police put out an appeal to find two cars seen near the accident site? And what is the secret her husband was keeping from her? Maybe she didn’t know him as well as she thought after all…

PLEASE NOTE: This is a prequel in the A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series and is not intended to be read as a standalone. 

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Historical Mystery

234 pages, ebook

Published January 11, 2023

About the author

Helen Golden spins crimes that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served with a twist of humour.

With quirky characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.

Helen lives in a quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter, and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too many fish.

If you love clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are waiting for you.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love Helen Gordon! I am so glad I was able to read this prequel. Explains so much and opens up a lot of possibilities! I read the 4th book first and really discovered a great author. I am going to next read books 2& 3. Now the holidays are over there is more time to read.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 bk 35. Golden was right in offering this not as a first book in a series, but rather as an interlude to provide more background after reading at least the first of the series. This is the story of the last days of Bea's husband before the automobile accident, the mystery surrounding it, and the meeting of several key characters in the later books. Do not miss reading this if you have read the others in the series. I'd also encourage, if you are enchanted by the characters, that you join her reader's club and acquire the short story that tells of the meeting of Simon and Perry and the mystery they solve together.

[Misfits farm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to the right royal cosy Investigation series and takes us to the time when Lady Beatrice lost her husband in a car accident. He was with the wife of one of the staff in his car. What on earth was she doing travelling with him? Detective Sergeant Richard Fitzwilliam is normally in intelligence with PaIRS which suits him as he doesn’t have to deal with people but for this investigation they are short of staff so he is in at the deep end.

I enjoyed this- it fills in many of the gaps posed by the other books. The background to Lady Bea and to Fitzwilliam himself. There is a nice open end (I won’t spoil anything ) to one part giving the potential for more later on. I like Fitz and Bea and look forward to more of their escapades. A wonderful easy read.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
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[Alexa Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness, I have inhaled all the books in this series in a matter of days. I thoroughly enjoy each character and the mystery, but for me? For me this book takes the cake. MY GIDDY AUNT the plot twist in this one got me REAL good. I have so many questions and we get the answer as to whether or not Bea is correct in still wondering if her husbands death was as cut and dry as authorities confirmed it to be. I cannot WAIT to find out what happens next.

[L.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only read one book in the series so far – Not Mushroom for Death – but I was so pulled into the world the author has created that I’ve since added books one and two to my Kindle. But before I got around to reading them, the opportunity came up to read the prequel, and having done so I can’t wait to catch up with the other books.

Poor Lady Beatrice to be widowed so early in their marriage, and at a time when she has exciting news to share with her husband. Then, to top it all, the rumours of “the other woman” in the car run amok, only to add to Bea’s pain even more.

As for DS Richard Fitzwilliam, well that was such fun to read. He is so not a people person, and working in intelligence suits him, but when the team investigation the crash is short of staff, a transfer is meant to be a good opportunity for him to show off his talents. And so begins his “difficult” relationship with Lady Beatrice which was evident when I read book three. And then there’s the story of his own personal life – again, most interesting. There's obviously more to see here ... dun, dun, dun...

Again, I loved everything about this story, the setting, the characters and the scope for endless more mysteries to come. As I noted in book three, there are several POVs in this story and the author does use a lot of internal thoughts to get into the characters’ heads and “show” why they make the decisions they do. Generally, these italicised thoughts are well-used, short and to the point, but I began to tire of the intrusion these made into the story when they took up too much of the page. That said, they are, for the most part, effective in moving the story forward.

Another engaging read in what is fast becoming one of my go-to series, and I hope to catch up with the other books – and particularly with the wonderful Perry, Simon, and Daisy - before A Dead Herring is released in May.

[kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that drew me in right from the start and hooked me all the way through.

A fantastic cosy mystery that kept me guessing all the way through. I loved the setting as well it was perfect for a cosy mystery.

I was left wanting more and I think the beaut of these books is that they are always left in a satisfying way but, also, a way that allows for more to come if the author so wishes. I can't wait to see what the author does next

[HAL]

5stars for great mystery novel

Though there are loose ends at the end, the author tells you up front this is like a TV seasonal crime story. There are enough details and ends sown up to give this fast paced, realistic read a wonderful entertainment value that leaves the reader satisfied that there was some resolution. The Language is tame, I'd rate it a PG13 to cover all bases, making it appropriate for older teens and adults.

[M.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series is fast becoming one of my favourites, and An Early Death is a fabulous prequel novel, answering so many questions and leaving much more unanswered for those readers enjoying the series, which begins about a decade after the events of An Early Death.

I really, really can't wait for the next book, A Dead Herring, which I hope might finally contain all the answers fans of the series are after.

The author makes it very clear the prequel shouldn't be read until after reading the first three books in the series, and I echo this. Don't spoil it for yourself:)

[MR S JONES · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Early Death takes you back to before book one in the series and answers some of the questions, that the first three books bring to mind.
This is probably my favorite of the four books and whilst it explains many of the reasons for the death of Earl of Rossex, does it! Like any good book, it leaves you with many questions.
The characters are well-considered and real.

[Toni Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing

I enjoyed this book and the actions of the various characters. So stiff upper lip. Easy ready and interesting mystery.

[Rahel Charikar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of "A Right Royal Cozy Investigation" series and have read all the books. I love Helen's writing style and find her humor sassy and fun to read.

I am so intrigued to learn more about James' accident, why Gill was with him in the car, and did he actually write that letter to Bea. Helen has me completely hooked on the series, and I can't wait for the new book to drop.

I love reading about Fitzwilliam and Lady Beatrice, and it was satisfying to go to where it all began. I love this cozy mystery series and highly recommend it to all readers.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been fortunate to have been able to read all the other books in the series and this one fits right in, giving a perfect background to the already successful and enjoyable series. It helps to fill in all the blanks and enriches any further books to follow.

I have enjoyed the series immensely and am looking forward to more of the same.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An interesting prequel to the royal mystery series featuring Princess Bea and investigator Fitzwilliam. It details the first meeting between the two and the accident and death of Bea's husband. It doesn't completely explain what happened but does offer a lot of information that is referenced in the other books of the series.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Helen’s work for a while now. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed each book in the ‘Right Royal Cozy’ mystery series. When I heard that Helen was due to release another book in the series, I knew that I had to grab a copy and read it at the earliest opportunity. ‘An Early Death’ is a prequel to the main series and it was released on 4th January 2023. It’s another superb addition to what is proving to be a superb series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘An Early Death’ but more about that in a bit.

As soon as I started reading, I knew that there was going to be no way on this earth that I would be moving from my comfy reading chair until after I had read the last word on the last page. In some ways I felt as though I was reuniting with old friends in the form of Lady Beatrice and DS Richard Fitzwilliam. It was also lovely meeting the other characters too. I started reading and didn’t stop. I had my own theories as to how the story was going to play out and I had to keep reading to see if I had guessed correctly or if I had got the completely wrong end of the stick. The more of the book I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. All too quickly I reached the end of the book and I had to say goodbye to Lady Beatrice, DS Richard Fitzwilliam and the rest of the characters. I found ‘An Early Death’ to be an unputdownable page turner of a read, which certainly kept me guessing.

‘An Early Death’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Helen Golden. I love Helen’s easy going writing style that draws the reader in and makes them feel as though they are part of the story themselves. That’s how I felt anyway. For me, the story his the ground running and maintains a gentle pace throughout. i loved the very vivid and realistic descriptions of the characters as they made the characters seem just as real as you and I. I loved the vivid descriptions of the area where the story is set as it sounds pretty idyllic to me.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘An Early Death’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Helen’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[loopyloulaura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Beatrice is shocked and distraught at the death of her husband in a car crash. But she is more upset by the unyielding questions from the police officer Richard Fitzwilliam.
An Early Death is a prequel set before the events of the Right Royal Cozy Investigation series. I have previously reviewed the three books in the series: Spruced Up For Murder, For Richer For Deader, and Not Mushroom For Death.
Readers of the series will be aware of the antagonistic relationship between Bea and Richard but this takes us right back to their first meeting.The author clearly states that this should be read as a prequel and not alone. I think this would be enjoyable enough on its own but benefits from us knowing what happens in the future.
The focus of this book is more on Richard and his personal life which was refreshing to see his perspective. He has had a series of promotions but this has put his marriage at risk. He isn't really a people person so interviewing witnesses in not his forte. There was humour and also a wonderful self awareness of his own flaws which made him much more easy to like.
Lady Bea has a lesser role in this book and Simon and Perry are mentioned but not greatly developed as characters. It is fascinating to see how they were in the past and contrast this with the characters we know from the present day series. I love the fictional royals and the warmth with which the whole series has been written.
An Early Death is a great prequel which really sets up the series by adding extra detail.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a darned good thing the author warned in the "Introduction" to An Early Death that this book is very much a prequel and for the reader not to be surprised if things weren't all wrapped up neatly at the end of the book, as the ending was very much DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL................

AED was written to introduce what I assume will be the important list of characters in the Right Royal series. And, I very much like just about all of them because they tend to be more out-of-the-stereotypical-box. We have a granddaughter of the King who really just cannot remember that she is supposed to be calm and collected in all circumstances, a kind of oafish detective who really wants to do the right thing, but who can't read social cues to save his skin or his marriage , several other strong women, and multiple potential "bad guys."

One writing technique about which I am still kind of on the fence is being able to read the most important characters' thoughts, as well as their spoken-aloud words. On the plus side, it lets you know clearly who the main characters are and also adds another layer of understanding to their personalities. On the minus side, it can be distracting at times. We'll see.

I'm also kind of bummed about the person who died to start the whole series, because he could have been a very interesting player down the road.

4.25 stars and looking forward to Book 1.

[Chawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to the series and as such, i was expecting a female sleuth as that phrase is in the description…but it isn’t. Having not read any of the other books in the series, I was confused most of the way through, and I kept waiting for the aforementioned female sleuth.

I really liked the faux royal family, as it allows the author to do endlessly scandalous things to their characters without fear of backlash!

I did find that the book kinda just ended in an unexpected place. I was really enjoying the whole “nine years later,” and thinking that this is when the female protagonist will finally appear…but no, the book just ended!?! Very off putting.

However, I did enjoy the parody of the royal family and it was well written. I would have given it 5 stars but the weirdness of the above issues had to bring the rating down to a 4. I plan on continuing the series and hope there is actually a female sleuth!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that all those that read and enjoyed the novels in this series were curious about the death of James, Beatrice’s husband.
There’s a lot of questions raised in the novel and this book answers to most of them and raise some new.
It’s as entertaining and compelling as the other and I liked how the author was able to write a younger and less experienced version of Beatrice and showing how the character arc was consistent and well done.
I had fun and read it as fast as I could because I wanted to know the answers.
As written in the note it’s not a book to read as a stand-alone ore as the first in this series.
If you read at least one of the novels go and had fun reading it.
Many thanks to Helen Golden and Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.

[ReadinIt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

This volume is a prequel to the series, and should be read after Not Mushroom For Death. Definitely worth mentioning (and it's stated before the story itself) that many questions raised in this prequel are not answered in this book but will instead wait (many years in the book timeline). I'm not sure how necessary it is to read this book before reading I Spy With My Little Die.

Personally, I found the writing in this book to be a bit more terse and less fully developed compared to the full mystery volumes, but it definitely added some interesting context and insight regarding the investigation into the Earl's death. It'll be interesting to see how things develop in the next volume.

[Shelly Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Early Death is a prequel in the series a right royal cozy investigations. I just Love Author, Helen Gordon! I was so excited to be able to read this prequel. This is the story of the last days of Bea's husband before the automobile accident, the mystery surrounding it, and the meeting of several key characters in the later books. This book explains so much and opens up a world of a lot of possibilities! I have read all of the books in this series and would love to devour more of the story as the author writes them. I cannot WAIT to find out what happens next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Golden’s instincts were on target in positioning this book after several others even though it is a prelude.

It was much more rewarding to read this episode from the past while knowing that although Lady Beatrice had years of painful growth ahead, she will create a life filled with not only loving family but also with loyal friends and rewarding work.

Although it was my pleasure to receive this book free, it was completely my choice to share my honest review.

[Doreen Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing the series

This story, which is both a prequel and a continuation of this excellent series, is set 13 years before the series begins. A lot of it is repeated in the main series books, but it serves as a vehicle to introduce many of the major characters and how they got to know each other. It also hints that most of the factors in James's car accident might still be hidden. Definitely worth reading. I'm looking forward to how this story develops over future volumes.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written story. I enjoyed the characters. I loved Bea and Richard. I liked getting into their minds. I also liked how Helen wrote her scenes. She gives a lot of information, a lot of detail without feeling heavy. It was really entertaining.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a great prequel in the Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, it had a great concept for a cozy investigation. It had what I enjyoed about the genre and creating great characters. I enjoyed what I read and am glad I was able to read this. Helen Golden has a great knack for this type of book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Duke1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this great prequel after the third book
I enjoyed reading more about the characters back story and was very surprised at the information revealed regarding the investigation. The book was published after the third book in the series, and I would highly recommend reading the first three books before reading the prequel. Looking forward to the next book.

[rosalee j bateman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incomplete book

Ends where it should begin Noway is this the way a 24 year old man would behave
Please do not write a book that is excellent then destroy it where it should begin. This is where the INSPECTOR STREET FALSIFIES This young Earl's life action .

[Terri Borkgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Early Death

Lady Bea newly pregnant is caught in her husband dying in a car accident with another woman. In this book the Detective Fitzwilliam is placed on a team covering the Earls death Although he instinctively believes there is more he is forced to step back.

[Alayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really sure why this book had to be written, because most of the story in it has been told already in other books in this series. The only extra bit is the strange part that MI6 played. It was okay, but rather frustrating.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why were they together in that car??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insight into British police investigations and the Royal Family. Light intrigue but enough to want to keep reading to find out was is truly happening.