Edgar Award-shortlisted author Ashley Weaver returns with the fifth installment in the Amory Ames mystery series. An Act of Villainy is an a gem, set in 1930s London and filled with style, banter, and twists that traditional mystery fans will positively relish. “So you’ve gotten yourself involved with another murder, have you?” Walking through London’s West End after a night at the theater, … through London’s West End after a night at the theater, Amory Ames and her husband Milo run into wealthy investor and former actor Gerard Holloway. Holloway and his wife Georgina are old friends of theirs, and when Holloway invites them to the dress rehearsal of a new play he is directing, Amory readily accepts.
However, Amory is shocked to learn that Holloway has cast his mistress, actress Flora Bell, in the lead role. Furthermore, the casual invitation is not what it seems–he admits to Amory and Milo that Flora has been receiving threatening letters, and he needs their help in finding the mysterious sender. Despite Amory’s conflicting feelings–not only does she feel loyalty to Georgina, but the disintegration of the Holloways’ perfect marriage seems to bode ill for her own sometimes delicate relationship–her curiosity gets the better of her, and she begins to make inquiries.
It quickly becomes clear that each member of the cast has reason to resent Flora–and with a group so skilled in the art of deception, it isn’t easy to separate truth from illusion. When vague threats escalate, the scene is set for murder, and Amory and Milo must find the killer before the final curtain falls.
Also out now in the Amory Ames mysteries: Murder at the Brightwell, Death Wears a Mask, A Most Novel Revenge, and The Essence of Malice.
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Weaver does it again! Every installment in her pitch-perfect Amory Ames series both thrills and charms. Combining a stylish protagonist, a delightfully roguish husband, witty banter, gorgeous prose, and intriguing mysteries, there is much to fall in love with. Her books are a glittering, whirling throwback to the golden age of mysteries, yet crafted with a panache all their own.
All of the Amory Ames books have a great deal of glamour and intrigue to them, and it’s fun to read stories where everyone is bloody rich. This one in particular had an ending and villian that I didn’t see coming. Well done
‘Walking through London’s West End after a night at the theater, Amory Ames and her husband Milo run into wealthy investor and former actor Gerard Holloway. Holloway and his wife Georgina are old friends of theirs, and when Holloway invites them to the dress rehearsal of a new play he is directing, Amory readily accepts.
However, Amory is shocked to learn that Holloway has cast his mistress, actress Flora Bell, in the lead role. Furthermore, the casual invitation is not what it seems—he admits to Amory and Milo that Flora has been receiving threatening letters, and he needs their help in finding the mysterious sender. Despite Amory’s conflicting feelings—not only does she feel loyalty to Georgina, but the disintegration of the Holloways’ perfect marriage seems to bode ill for her own sometimes delicate relationship—her curiosity gets the better of her, and she begins to make inquiries.
It quickly becomes clear that each member of the cast has reason to resent Flora—and with a group so skilled in the art of deception, it isn’t easy to separate truth from illusion. When vague threats escalate, the scene is set for murder, and Amory and Milo must find the killer before the final curtain falls.’
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An Act of Villainy is the fifth book in Ashley Weaver’s An Amory Ames Mystery series and is a historical mystery set in 1930s London.
I do believe that this has been my favorite book in the series thus far. The crime had layers to it and I found it to be the most intriguing case that Amory has come across yet. I had a hunch that things might move in the direction that they did, but the reveal still surprised me and I just thought it was so perfect. I guess I really enjoy a flair for the dramatic at such a critical moment in the plot, I really loved it.
Milo and Amory are finally on the same page! They’re working together like they ever never have before. They still go off alone to play to their strengths, but then they readily come back together to compare notes unlike in previous books. I mean sure, those same fears are still there to make an appearance on occassion, but he’s always so flippant about it all that you can’t really blame her. Still really hoping he’s a spy. Being able to see the moments of genuine concern for Amory on Milo’s part really helped me warm to his character during this book. Before I found him amusing, but mostly thought she was better off without him. Now I’m feeling a bit more kindly toward him. I was also happy to see that Emile was still there and not forgotten.
I purposefully tried to take my time reading this book in the hopes that the next in the series, A Dagerous Engagement, that I ordered a while ago would have been delivered, but alas I didn’t time it right. Hopefully it should be here within the next couple of days and I’ll be able to continue on with the series. because I’m very much looking forward to reading more.
Amory and Milo have a complicated murder to untangle while also working on rebuilding their marriage. You will love listening to their witty banter as the explore the mysteries of the theater in this delightful story.
I’m a fan of this series and loved how this book combined the sophistocation of the two main characters, Amory and Milo, with the capricious atmosphere of the London theater scene. The theater setting itself was used to good advantage as a place where illusion and deception merge and where egos are apt to collide dangerously. Amory and Milo make a great sleuthing team, while the author still maintains Amory’s slight uneasiness about their marriage. The ending surprised me!
Loved this #5 book in the Amory Ames mystery series. . . Captures so well the languid privileged existence of the well-to-dos in the 1920s. Lots of fancy frocks and tea drinking, but also excellent plotting and characterization. You can hear Ashley talking about creating “classic whodunits” on The Joys of Binge Reading podcast: https://thejoysofbingereading.com/ashley-weaver-classic-british-whodunits/
This is an entertaining series with interesting characters and good mysteries.
It has been fun to watch the two main characters grow and work on their marriage relationship. It’s quite believable.
This time they are caught up in theatre intrigue.
The resolution, both as to who is guilty and how they uncover the culprit, is a nice surprise.
4.5/5
This mystery series, set in 1930s London, centers around Amory Ames, a socialite, who inevitably finds herself (usually along with her husband Milo) helping the police solve murder cases. I the ease and smoothness of Weaver’s writing (it’s a true pleasure to read her stories!), and they just keep getting better and better. I could make a literary meal out of Amory and Milo’s complex relationship and scenes together alone…no mystery needed! Dark twists here and wonderfully suspenseful denouement. Great plot!
If you haven’t tried this series, I highly recommend it and start at the beginning.
Thanks to both #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.