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Eliza Montagu #4
Thistlewood Manor: A Speakeasy Demise
THISTLEWOOD A SPEAKEASY DEMISE is Book #4 in a charming 1920s cozy mystery series by Fiona Grace, #1 bestselling author of Murder in the Manor, which has over 300 five star reviews!
For centuries, Thistlewood Manor has stood as home to the Montagu family, a beacon to British aristocracy in rural England. But it’s 1928, and in this new age of women’s rights, Eliza Montagu, 27, a free spirit, has turned her back on her family to live an artist’s life in London.
Yet after Eliza is summoned home, she decides to stay (for now) to help her father run the ailing family business. The presence of her childhood best friend, Oliver, also gives her a reason to stay, as she wonders if their unfulfilled romance might ever come to fruition.
With the family fortune dwindling and their business empire on the brink of collapse, Eliza’s father needs her. Eliza has no choice but to step up and take control. But her brothers are threatened, and their escalating sibling rivalry builds to a potentially explosive rift. Worse, Eliza’s independent, feminist ways create her many enemies among her father’s colleagues and employees.
And when one of them, her outspoken rival, turns up dead, all eyes fall on Eliza for the murder.
Can she salvage her family’s empire and clear her name at the same time?
A charming historical cozy mystery series that transports readers back in time, THISTLEWOOD MANOR is mystery at its spellbinding, atmospheric and impossible to put down. A page-turner packed with shocking twists, turns and a mystery that’s hard to solve, it will leave you reading late into the night, all while you fall in love with its unforgettable heroine.
For centuries, Thistlewood Manor has stood as home to the Montagu family, a beacon to British aristocracy in rural England. But it’s 1928, and in this new age of women’s rights, Eliza Montagu, 27, a free spirit, has turned her back on her family to live an artist’s life in London.
Yet after Eliza is summoned home, she decides to stay (for now) to help her father run the ailing family business. The presence of her childhood best friend, Oliver, also gives her a reason to stay, as she wonders if their unfulfilled romance might ever come to fruition.
With the family fortune dwindling and their business empire on the brink of collapse, Eliza’s father needs her. Eliza has no choice but to step up and take control. But her brothers are threatened, and their escalating sibling rivalry builds to a potentially explosive rift. Worse, Eliza’s independent, feminist ways create her many enemies among her father’s colleagues and employees.
And when one of them, her outspoken rival, turns up dead, all eyes fall on Eliza for the murder.
Can she salvage her family’s empire and clear her name at the same time?
A charming historical cozy mystery series that transports readers back in time, THISTLEWOOD MANOR is mystery at its spellbinding, atmospheric and impossible to put down. A page-turner packed with shocking twists, turns and a mystery that’s hard to solve, it will leave you reading late into the night, all while you fall in love with its unforgettable heroine.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2023
22 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Grace
477 books725 followersDebut author Fiona Grace is author of the LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY series which includes MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book #1), DEATH AND A DOG (Book #2) and CRIME IN THE CAFE (Book #3). Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
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December 7, 2023This book has nothing to in common with the description and the title. Wondering if it's titled I correctly.
April 22, 2023
When Eliza manages a disaster.
To save her family’s floundering finances, Eliza has taken control. Her idea to encourage local farmers to buy combines expands to purchasing the factory that makes the implements. Because the floor manager position is open, she steps in to better learn the business. The first day ends with her witnessing one of her worker’s die. Investigators declare it a workplace accident, but Eliza is sure it is a murder. Eliza lacks any respect from the workers, but they do seem to agree his death wasn’t an accident. She has to begin the investigation on her own, knowing that her failure to do so will most likely cause the failure of the company. I am totally clueless about the “speakeasy demise” in the title—it’s a “fatality in the factory” story. There were some errors in editing/printing with missing words and there’s not much characterization in this plot-driven story. That being said, I still found it a good mystery and Eliza a strong, interesting character, especially for the reader who has followed the challenges within her family and Eliza’s rebellion against expectations for women of her era.
To save her family’s floundering finances, Eliza has taken control. Her idea to encourage local farmers to buy combines expands to purchasing the factory that makes the implements. Because the floor manager position is open, she steps in to better learn the business. The first day ends with her witnessing one of her worker’s die. Investigators declare it a workplace accident, but Eliza is sure it is a murder. Eliza lacks any respect from the workers, but they do seem to agree his death wasn’t an accident. She has to begin the investigation on her own, knowing that her failure to do so will most likely cause the failure of the company. I am totally clueless about the “speakeasy demise” in the title—it’s a “fatality in the factory” story. There were some errors in editing/printing with missing words and there’s not much characterization in this plot-driven story. That being said, I still found it a good mystery and Eliza a strong, interesting character, especially for the reader who has followed the challenges within her family and Eliza’s rebellion against expectations for women of her era.
February 21, 2024
If you are expecting to find Lady Eliza Montagu in a speakeasy, you would be sorely wrong. Instead we find ourselves in a factory. While the title is misleading, the story is still enjoyable.
In my review of the last book of the series, Calamity at the Ball, I felt we had lost some of the charm of Eliza and her adventures. The themes were becoming old hat and the typically intellectual Eliza wasn’t making strange, uncharacteristically thoughtless decisions. In Thistlewood Manor: A Speakeasy Demise, the change of scenery is much welcomed and I am happy to say that Eliza’s character has returned to her usual sassy, classy, and a bit smart-assey sleuth of the 1930s.
While I do miss that her usual cohort of family and friends aren’t as prevalent in this book, having this one-on-one time with Eliza made up for the loss. And being introduced to an entirely new cast of characters in the newly bought Montagu factory was quite a joy.
The light-heartedness the series usually has, while still prevalent, is tinged with a bit more darkness in book number four. As a reader who often gravitates to the darker reads, I enjoyed this shift, but I could see some readers not enjoying this read as much as the previous in the series. I do hope that in book #5, Thistlewood Manor: A Flapper Fatality, we return to the usual warm and cozy murder mystery.
Something I find to be a bit of a pattern is that the ending is never what I expect, but not necessarily in a way that benefits the read. In a murder mystery, I love the feeling of piecing together a murder with the protagonist and the whiplash of suspicion that comes with every new clue. While the Thistlewood Manor series is certainly chock full of these twists and turns, I never find myself at the end of a breadcrumb trail, rather there was no trail. I instead find myself suddenly at a conclusion that was never hinted towards. It leaves me feeling a bit dissatisfied.
While my worry that the series is losing some of its spark in my last review hasn’t be quelled, I am not dissuaded from continuing with the series. The cast of characters is so easy to love and Fiona Grace’s voice is such a joy—coupled with Jo Ashe’s lovely narration in the audiobook, I am certainly a happy reader. Here’s to hoping that Eliza Montagu makes her comeback in A Flapper Fatality.
3/5 stars
Would I Recommend this Book: Maybe
Would I Read Other Works by the Author (Sequels or otherwise): Yes
Would I Ever Reread this Book: Maybe, but only if I’m rereading the series in full
In my review of the last book of the series, Calamity at the Ball, I felt we had lost some of the charm of Eliza and her adventures. The themes were becoming old hat and the typically intellectual Eliza wasn’t making strange, uncharacteristically thoughtless decisions. In Thistlewood Manor: A Speakeasy Demise, the change of scenery is much welcomed and I am happy to say that Eliza’s character has returned to her usual sassy, classy, and a bit smart-assey sleuth of the 1930s.
While I do miss that her usual cohort of family and friends aren’t as prevalent in this book, having this one-on-one time with Eliza made up for the loss. And being introduced to an entirely new cast of characters in the newly bought Montagu factory was quite a joy.
The light-heartedness the series usually has, while still prevalent, is tinged with a bit more darkness in book number four. As a reader who often gravitates to the darker reads, I enjoyed this shift, but I could see some readers not enjoying this read as much as the previous in the series. I do hope that in book #5, Thistlewood Manor: A Flapper Fatality, we return to the usual warm and cozy murder mystery.
Something I find to be a bit of a pattern is that the ending is never what I expect, but not necessarily in a way that benefits the read. In a murder mystery, I love the feeling of piecing together a murder with the protagonist and the whiplash of suspicion that comes with every new clue. While the Thistlewood Manor series is certainly chock full of these twists and turns, I never find myself at the end of a breadcrumb trail, rather there was no trail. I instead find myself suddenly at a conclusion that was never hinted towards. It leaves me feeling a bit dissatisfied.
While my worry that the series is losing some of its spark in my last review hasn’t be quelled, I am not dissuaded from continuing with the series. The cast of characters is so easy to love and Fiona Grace’s voice is such a joy—coupled with Jo Ashe’s lovely narration in the audiobook, I am certainly a happy reader. Here’s to hoping that Eliza Montagu makes her comeback in A Flapper Fatality.
3/5 stars
Would I Recommend this Book: Maybe
Would I Read Other Works by the Author (Sequels or otherwise): Yes
Would I Ever Reread this Book: Maybe, but only if I’m rereading the series in full
June 18, 2023
My review of the last book was full of irritation that Eliza just keeps accusing random people. I didn’t think I was going to continue with the series but I do have to say the mystery does intrigue me, I just didn’t enjoy the execution as much. However, the books are short so I figure, why not give it another chance. This book isn’t any different from the previous ones. However, I gave it an extra star because the “Eliza keeps accusing the wrong person” method works for this plot. Eliza actually goes around investigating and interviewing potential suspects and actually does question the validity in her accusations. So I do enjoy this a bit more.
There are a lot of very unbelievable situations such as Eliza making friends with the most unlikely character but it’s fiction, creative license etc.
Also this book actually saw something more between Eliza and Oliver. There wasn’t much of Oliver at all in previous books and I don’t have any warm fuzzy feelings with this guy. He wasn’t given too much personality in my opinion, so when he has spoken for more than a few sentences I was like “Hey, the man speaks!”
Interesting short cozy mystery if you like that kind of thing.
There are a lot of very unbelievable situations such as Eliza making friends with the most unlikely character but it’s fiction, creative license etc.
Also this book actually saw something more between Eliza and Oliver. There wasn’t much of Oliver at all in previous books and I don’t have any warm fuzzy feelings with this guy. He wasn’t given too much personality in my opinion, so when he has spoken for more than a few sentences I was like “Hey, the man speaks!”
Interesting short cozy mystery if you like that kind of thing.
November 14, 2025
Entertaining, but as a mystery it ludicrous. For example, this character is supposed to be smart, but she decided to go to an unsavoury part of the city to talk to a potential murderer to see if he’s guilty. Mind you, she does not do this once, but twice! The behaviour of the character goes out of character so frequently that I’m left asking myself: “Whaaaat? How? Why?” It would make more sense if Eliza was described as lacking intelligence and somehow by her blundering she stumbles upon the truth.
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October 27, 2025Received a free audiobook from Chirp, bought four more in a bundle for a few dollars. The book was simplistic with shallow characters and plot, suitable for background listening during chores. Found the narrative implausible: a wealthy protagonist improbably becomes a factory manager, confronts dangerous London criminals, solves a murder, and prevents a strike without credible evidence or consequences. Unlikely to continue the series.
September 5, 2024
The title and the description are definitely wrong.
Our heroine has convinced her family business to buy a factory. One of the workers dies. The police rule it accidental; Eliza suspects otherwise and begins investigating to figure out what really happened.
I encountered this audiobook via Hoopla.
Our heroine has convinced her family business to buy a factory. One of the workers dies. The police rule it accidental; Eliza suspects otherwise and begins investigating to figure out what really happened.
I encountered this audiobook via Hoopla.
July 22, 2023
couldn’t put it down
I couldn’t stop reading it! The mystery was so intriguing and well written that I was totally absorbed in the book and had to keep reading! I have loved all four of the Thistlewood Manor cozy mysteries and adore the main character, Eliza, and her family!
I couldn’t stop reading it! The mystery was so intriguing and well written that I was totally absorbed in the book and had to keep reading! I have loved all four of the Thistlewood Manor cozy mysteries and adore the main character, Eliza, and her family!
September 7, 2023
Better than expected
I like how the story is evolving with each book. But, wait a minute... I thought Rene said , in the first book, that he was serving his last meal at Thistlewood Manor. What changed? Or was I confused?
I like how the story is evolving with each book. But, wait a minute... I thought Rene said , in the first book, that he was serving his last meal at Thistlewood Manor. What changed? Or was I confused?
June 15, 2023
Delightful!
This is such a fun series. The characters are lovable and the story just keeps you wanting to know what’s happening on the next page.
This is such a fun series. The characters are lovable and the story just keeps you wanting to know what’s happening on the next page.
March 22, 2024
I’m moving along and really enjoying this series,hope it doesn’t run out of new reads anytime soon,,,
January 3, 2025
Quick easy read
November 23, 2023
not as well written e,g, "action hero" really in the 20's i don't think so
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews