“Reading a new Leslie Meier mystery is like catching up with a dear old friend.” —Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author It’s a nippy spring in Tinker’s Cove, Maine, and Lucy Stone can’t wait to join her friend Sue in England for a “Heads Up!” hat exhibition. But at Moreton Manor, privileged life isn’t always tea and crumpets . . . Although the earl of the house and his sister are … .
Although the earl of the house and his sister are surprisingly accommodating to their jetlagged guests, Lucy feels uneasy after a fallen portrait sparks talk of a deadly family omen. The bad vibes come in quickly—snobby Aunt Millicent and her handmaiden Harrison unexpectedly drop by for the exhibition, and meals with the family are consistently tense. But real trouble begins when a body, bludgeoned by the chapel’s gold-plated reliquary, is found in a hidden, sealed off room. Stranger still, the corpse is identified as Harrison’s son, Cyril.
While Cyril wasn’t exactly a gentleman, and it’s unclear what business he had on the property, one thing’s for sure—the criminal is privy to Moreton Manor secrets. And Lucy has a hunch that the killer has been in her company all along, just waiting for a chance to make blueblood run red . . .
“Counts, countesses, and corpses highlight Lucy Stone’s trip across the pond . . . A peek into British country life provides a nice break.”
—Kirkus Reviews
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This author makes her characters very relatable. They aren’t perfect people! There is a lot of English history in this book. Obviously, well researched. I am interested in reading more books by this author!
I can’t remember the last time I was this conflicted about rating a book. In this case, the content wasn’t the primary issue but rather the main character of the series. I ended up opting for three stars when, under other circumstances, I might have been more inclined to tip in favor of four. Let me explain…
What I liked about “British Manor Murder”:
Well-paced – Considering I read the book in about two-and-a-half days, the story itself was clearly engaging and kept me pushing forward. I never had a chance to get bored or feel bogged down.
Engaging mystery – A bit predictable and not that much of a challenge to unravel, but I did enjoy the way it all unfolded.
What I didn’t care for:
Lucy – Here is one of my key issues with this entire series, especially the deeper we get into it. Lucy is a Debbie Downer. She’s negative and whiny and a general drag. Everything with Lucy is “not quite what she expected” and never in a good way. It really makes me wonder if the author doesn’t share some of these personality traits as well. Maybe that isn’t fair of me, but constantly being pessimistic is unappealing to me, and I wonder if the author sees Lucy’s life through her own similar lens. It isn’t a personality trait I have, and I think it would be difficult for me to write in a way that I don’t naturally think. Yes, I understand that reality offers challenges, but constantly complaining and moaning about how unfair life is…eh, turnoff.
Oh, look, politicized again! – My ongoing beef with this series, really. It takes on hot-button topics in multiples, and expresses them with strong myopic opinions. This time around: mental health, drug use, and social class. Yes, these are important issues to consider, but cramming all three into less than 300 pages was overbearing, and the judgmental tone taken didn’t help matters. Again, it makes me wonder if the author isn’t using her novels as a platform for her own personal opinions. It’s almost like reading a Facebook page…and makes me glad Ms. Meier isn’t in my feed.
Tried too hard to be relevant – In addition to loading up on the political agenda, the ridiculous number of pop culture references felt forced and uncomfortable.
So why do I continue with these books when so much often grates on my nerves? Same as my reviews of earlier works: I feel committed to seeing this series through to the end. (Please, oh please, let it end soon…I don’t know how much more I can take.) Thankfully, at least I occasionally get one, such as this, where the content amuses, such as it is.
This is an enjoyable series of books, a friendly cast, an easy read.
These books are about Lucy Stone , her family and friends in Tinkers Cove, and the many mysterious deaths she helps solve. Very light reading, cozy mysteries.
Leslie Meier books are a great read. Keep you guessing until the end. If you like cozy mysteries, I highly recommend her books.
A fun read.
Disappointed in the mystery itself but description of a family trying to keep up its manor was interesting.
This is an excellent series I have read from the one novel to the present. I love Lucy and her family. The author always has a twist to the mystery. Fantastic series!
This is a fun serives of books.
great book.great series!
A wonderful “Cozy Mystery”
Always a good fun read
Another great book by Leslie!
Love the characters.
I read all of this series
This was boring
Enjoy all of her books