Murder in the Chateau

Eleanor Roosevelt #15

by Elliott Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt finds herself staying in a chateau in France, where a resistance group of anti-Nazi leaders is planning to kill Hitler, but the real mystery begins when SS Colonel Artur Brandt is found shot in the head. Reprint.

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

200 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Elliott Roosevelt (September 23, 1910 – October 27, 1990) was an United States Army Air Forces officer and an author. Roosevelt was a son of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had not read any of this series by Franklin and Eleanor's son (or his ghost writer), in which the First Lady investigates murders. Won't bother with any of the others.

[Kimberley Hanson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have two main issues with this book which have impacted the rating. It was enjoyable enough but I couldn’t go passed these issues.

Firstly, it seemed too far fetched. The wife of the US President going into Vichy France? (Or occupied France, I wasn’t clear.) Even if this was factual and she did actually go, there wasn’t a strong enough rationale for why it had to be her.

This isn’t my first book in this series and I find there is no progress to the mystery until she just has the answers. She doesn’t really discover clues and her explanations all seem to be lucky guesses. She never seems to have concrete proof.

Other than that, the books and this book in particular was a simple and enjoyable read. I really enjoyed them when at uni so maybe it’s just that I know more about WW2 and the setting of the book.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII rages on. FDR asks Eleanor to go to occupied France to a top secret meeting about ending the war. A top French general, a top SS Colonel and Field Marshall Rommel want to end the war before Germany is destroyed. They wanted a U.S. representative and a British representative (Sarah Churchill) to give assurance their agreement would be honored.
The problems are many. Hitler is on the brink of invading Russia. And SS Colonel Brandt is murdered putting all the participants in imminent danger. Eleanor has never had so much riding on her powers of investigation.
Did this meeting really happen? I don't know. I do know Rommel later tried to assassinate Hitler and was allowed to commit suicide while the others involved were executed.
This book is another excursion into history. It is an enjoyable, fast reading experience.

[GhostofMyrtle]

The fifteenth book in a series featuring Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of F.D.R. Roosevelt, President of the U.S.A., investigating murders. Written by Eleanor and Franklins son, Elliott, there are 20 books in the series altogether.

In this one Mrs. Roosevelt travels to a chateau in France where a secret meeting is being conducted by certain parties aiming to try to get rid of Hitler and end the war. Amongst other people to be present are Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston, General Erwin Rommel, The Desert Fox, Gertrude Stein, Alce B. Toklas and Josephine Baker.

The murder does not take center stage and although is important to the story, is only one part of a story with several threads.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Elliot Roosevelt's mystery books that feature his mother as a sleuth. I thought had a read most of them but came across this one while I was stocking shelves in our library secondhand bookstore. I really enjoyed it. It was a little heavier content that usual due to the fact there were many references to the maltreatment of Jews during the Hitler years. Two of the main characters were Jewish women who had suffered much trauma and indignity. The Irish bounder/mercenary Kevin O'Neal was funny and a wise. Eleanor as always is a wonderful person and her son brings out the highlights of her caring and wisdom.
Definitely a keeper on my shelf. I would recommend it to all mystery lovers and those who, like myself, are an admirer of Mrs. Roosevelt. I'd really give it 4.5 of 5 stars.

[Mary Ellen Barringer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has been on my shelf a some time. I bought it for $1 at a used book sale and I think I made a fair trade.

Roosevelt's books were discovered after his death and published by his heirs. They are not well written.This novel is a fair tale of something that could have been.

Most interesting is the travel of those to a clandestine meeting. I'll not read additional books by this author. I can't believe this one is the 15th in a series.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't a clue whether any of the events in this book actually happened, but the excitement level was high almost throughout the book. Some things rang true; others clearly not. But, what if? In war time, when is murder murder? When is it fighting the enemy? Lots of stuff to ponder in this book about Eleanor Roosevelt in June of 1941. It does hint at why the western world was so unaware of what was happening in Germany and France.

[Lois Hecksel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder in the Chateau is the 15th in the Eleanor Roosevelt historical mystery series written by her son Elliott Roosevelt. The details (clothing styles, the Nazis/Hitler, etc) hold interest because they are created from events written about in Eleanor Roosevelt's journals. A quick, easy read - a classic whodunit.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

An odd book, supposedly written by Eleanor Roosevelt's son. The events may or may not have happened, and the murder (s) a sidebar to the main action. The main issue I had with this book is the awkward writing style, which irritated me so much it was a distraction. And the continual references ti 'the First lady'.

[Katherynne Boham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mystery and a book I couldn't put down. It's fiction but written a bit like a dossier so there were mentions of future events that didn't fit with the immediate story. Even so, I would read more of these stories.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast read with historical elements I truly enjoy. My brain would get stuck on titles like Obersturmbannfuher and Haupsturmfuhrer! Very timely book with good mystery. I look forward to reading another by Elliott Roosevelt.

[Frenchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Nothing really to say about it

[Helenk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read for this series set in a different locale.

[Larry Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

lots of WWII background to this made it less a mystery than a story on the Jewish atrocities of the Hitler occupation of France. I was not expecting a lot from this book and i got just that.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is this believable, possibly parts of the story. The crime solving seems to be somewhat simple considering the short time period.

[Bria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic whodunit. The heroine is non other than Eleanor Roosevelt and is set in early years of World War II. The First Lady is joined in her ventures by international political figures and vagabonds as they all attempt to forge a secret solution to the European war. But murder tends to get in the way of international agreements, so Ms. Roosevelt turns her eye toward solving the mystery to save the western world. The book is a short read (only 200 pages) and kept my interest enough that I blazed through it one day. However, I think if a slower reader picked up, they would probably not pick it up again. The story line moved rather slowly for a murder mystery. Although I realize this is a murder mystery novel, basically little to no time was spent on the actual politics that brought all the characters together in the first place. I felt like those characters needed to be fleshed out more. I would put this book in with things that would be good to read on a lengthy travel day-- on a plane or train. But I wouldn't recommend everyone to go out and purchase or borrow a copy from their library today. But for a decent quick read, perfect.

[Livia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series! Each installment just keeps getting better! It is the summer of 1941 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt attends a highly secretive meeting inside Nazi occupied France. She's meeting with top German Generals and local Vichy lawmakers to set a time table and a procedure for removing Hilter from power. In the midst of the meetings one of the generals is murdered and the First Lady will not be satisfied until she finds out whodunit. After all, the SS is looking for the general and if she doesn't find out something soon her own life could be in danger.

Interesting characters have key roles in this story, Winston Chruchill's daughter, The Desert Fox Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, Josephine Baker, Gertrurde Stein and her companion Alice B. Toklas. This is the most chilling novel I have encountered in the series. From page one the excitement continuously mounts! MURDER IN THE CHATEAU is definitely an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

#15: In 1941 again Eleanor takes us along in her travels, this time on a very dangerous, very secret mission as the personal representative of FDR to a ultra discrete conference at a remote chateau in Vichy France where German officers disenchanted with Hitler’s plans to attack Russia, secretly met with German Field Marshal Rommel serving in North Africa, French General Rousseau, savvy Sarah Churchill in lieu of her sick, less bright brother, Mrs Churchill, Kevin O’Neal, Irish bodyguard to Mrs. Roosevelt and to Rommel, several Jewish girls/women on missions of their own to hammer out a peace accord. Things don’t go exactly as planned as general Brant, the German closest to Hitler is murdered the first nigh at the chateau, and his body hidden and death kept secret from all the generals in hope that a peace accord really can be agreed upon

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Suspending disbelief is one thing. This book is another. Utterly preposterous. And pointless, since the whole plot ends up accomplishing nothing. And the murders mean nothing and are solved with no clues, evidence, etc. Cameos by Rommel, Josephine Baker, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. No, seriously, Gertrude and Alice. I've enjoyed some of the other Eleanor Roosevelt mysteries, but not this one.

[Jennifer Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elliott Roosevelt's mysteries starring his mother are not the best written mysteries, nor the most challenging, but I find them quite interesting because they are created from events in Eleanor Roosevelt's journals. The details regarding what clothes she wore each day are enjoyable. This particular story I found to be a little disturbing due to the subject matter.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was probably the least favorite of this series I have read so far. I found the characters very hard to follow and I didn't like them. The information was very well researched and I felt like I was having a first had view of these sinister Nazi's.

[Ellen Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was different because the First Lady was representing her husband at a secret meeting in France with other countries to reach an agreement about Hitler. However, murders occur in the chateau where they are staying, and Eleanor again finds herself embroiled in mysteries.

[Theresa Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY GOOD!!!

[Janene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Elliott Roosevelt mysteries are wonderful for letting you see into the life of Eleanor Roosevelt and the political times.

[Lesli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that I read over and over, Elliott Roosevelt puts his mother The First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt right in the thick of things. I love his books.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was happy to find one of these I hadn't read. Enjoy the combination of mystery and historical fiction.

[Lisa]

Giving up on this one. I usually have enjoyed this series, but too much description without action and too unbelievable at the beginning. So I'm done, plenty else to read

[NancyS · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot of this book was totally implausible. The story was entertaining if you could get around that fact that it was absurd.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little piece of historical fiction. No way I believe the First Lady on a secret mission, but made for an interesting twist.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

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