A Most Novel Revenge
By Ashley Weaver
Published: October 11, 2016
With two murder investigations behind them and their marriage at last on steady ground, Amory and Milo Ames intend to winter quietly in Italy. The couple finds their plans derailed, however, when Amory receives an urgent summons to the English countryside from her cousin Laurel. At Lyonsgate, the country house of Laurel’s friend Reginald Lyons, Amory and Milo are surprised to discover an eccentric and distinguished group of guests have also been invited, led by the notorious socialite Isobel Van Allen.
After years of social exile, Isobel has returned to England to write a sequel to her scandalous first book, the thinly fictionalized account of a high society murder at the very country house to which the Ameses have been called. Her second incriminating volume, she warns the house’s occupants―all of whom were present when one of their companions was killed years ago―will tell everything that really happened that fateful night. But some secrets are meant to stay buried, and when a desperate person turns to murder, it’s up to Amory and Milo to sort through a web of scandal and lies to uncover the truth, and the identity of a killer.
My review:
This third book in the Amory Ames mystery series has two intriguing questions to solve: Was Edwin Green murdered years ago or was his death an accident? Who killed one of the current guests and why? The setting also gave it an almost Agatha Christie like feel as the guests at the country house (minus Amory and Milo) are all suspects.
Amory is definitely an amateur sleuth and she sometimes makes mistakes but she puts her charm and her intelligence to good use to assist in the investigation. In this case, she meets Reginald Lyons and his sisters Beatrice and Lucinda as well as the scandalous Isobel Van Allen and other house guests. They were all present years ago when Edwin Green died. Isobel wrote a novel about the incident, changing the names but barely disguising the real people behind the characters. In her novel, she says that Edwin Green was murdered and she points her finger at another guest, Bradford Glenn. He committed suicide over the scandal that was caused. Now Isobel is back, claiming to be working on another novel that could reveal even more. When another murder happens, Amory decides to get involved.
I thought the author does a good job of making various people seem suspicious and I didn't guess who the killer was till nearly the end. It was also great to see how the relationship between Amory and Milo has grown stronger. Unlike other historical mysteries I've read (notably Rhys Bowen's Lady Georgiana series and Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series), we don't really get to know any secondary recurring characters. The focus instead is on Amory, Milo and the suspects that are introduced. I didn't mind too much though as it kept things moving at a good pace. All in all it was an enjoyable mystery and I look forward to the next one. I think readers who like the works of Rhys Bowen and other similar mystery authors would like this series too. They are great for fall reading.
Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss
Amory is definitely an amateur sleuth and she sometimes makes mistakes but she puts her charm and her intelligence to good use to assist in the investigation. In this case, she meets Reginald Lyons and his sisters Beatrice and Lucinda as well as the scandalous Isobel Van Allen and other house guests. They were all present years ago when Edwin Green died. Isobel wrote a novel about the incident, changing the names but barely disguising the real people behind the characters. In her novel, she says that Edwin Green was murdered and she points her finger at another guest, Bradford Glenn. He committed suicide over the scandal that was caused. Now Isobel is back, claiming to be working on another novel that could reveal even more. When another murder happens, Amory decides to get involved.
I thought the author does a good job of making various people seem suspicious and I didn't guess who the killer was till nearly the end. It was also great to see how the relationship between Amory and Milo has grown stronger. Unlike other historical mysteries I've read (notably Rhys Bowen's Lady Georgiana series and Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope series), we don't really get to know any secondary recurring characters. The focus instead is on Amory, Milo and the suspects that are introduced. I didn't mind too much though as it kept things moving at a good pace. All in all it was an enjoyable mystery and I look forward to the next one. I think readers who like the works of Rhys Bowen and other similar mystery authors would like this series too. They are great for fall reading.
Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss
This one does seem like a great fall read. I love a good mystery in the fall and the fact that this one is set at a country house sounds right up my alley. You are right about the Agatha Christie vibe! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.
ReplyDeleteNice that the identity of the killer was a mystery until the end. I love that, when I can't figure. And this seems to be a country house murder mystery, always like those. I didn't care for Milo much in the first book but Amory I did, and I'm curious to see how their relationship changes.
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