In the English village of Kurland St. Mary, few things are worse than having one’s reputation besmirched. A struggling marriage is one. Murder is another . . . Three years have passed since Major Sir Robert Kurland and Lucy Harrington, the rector’s daughter, became husband and wife. Having established a measure of contentment among the local gentry, the couple lately have found an unsettling … lately have found an unsettling distance grown between them. But when the small-village peace is disrupted by an anonymous letter accusing Lucy of witchcraft, her as yet unfulfilled desire to be a mother becomes the least of her worries, especially after she learns she is not the only one to have received such a malicious letter.
Speculation only escalates when the village schoolteacher, Miss Broomfield, is discovered murdered at her classroom desk. Was the unlikeable teacher the letter writer, and if so, who killed her and why? Despite her husband’s objections, Lucy offers to help out at the school until a replacement can be found, hoping the children might inadvertently reveal a clue, but by doing so she may be putting her own life at risk . . .
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Another outstanding new book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. As always, the mystery is outstanding, full of twists and suspects and keeps you guessing right up until the end. It is a well-written, well-paced and very well executed book – both romance and mystery.
Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. It is not that they don’t love each other, it is that Lucy is horribly depressed and Robert doesn’t know how to help her. He tends to order her around, demands that she take care of herself, etc. Frankly, I’m not sure what else he could actually do because she is inconsolable after going through two miscarriages within six months. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just isn’t good at actually making her understand that. She feels inadequate as a wife because she doesn’t think she can give him the heir he needs and wants. Most of the problems, as usual, fester because two people just don’t actually talk with each other.
What does it take to perk Lucy up? Well, a murder will do it nicely. Lucy has just met the new school teacher and did not like her at all. Normally, she would have been heavily involved in the selection of the new teacher, but she was ill and since Robert was concerned with Lucy’s health, both of them basically left it to Lucy’s father. After doing some checking, they have discovered that the teacher was dismissed without reference from her last position. When Robert goes to confront the teacher and to dismiss her, he finds her dead with a quill lodged in her eye.
Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but she’ll have none of that. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of her old spark come back. That delights Robert, but he still worries about her overdoing. Even with the spark of health coming back, something is still bothering Lucy – a lot. You’ll have to read the book to see what it is and if the relationship survives it.
Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the incendiary notes to people in the community? Are they also being blackmailed? Do we have one perpetrator? Two? More? I’ll not tell – and you won’t guess. You’ll just have to wait until you get to the end of the story!
We get a couple of lovely new romances in this story as well – so they get their HEA’s. They are lovely romances and one of them will probably surprise you because we’ve known those two characters through all of the books.
Check out my reviews of the other books in the series:
Death Comes To The Village
Death Comes To London
Death Comes To Kurland Hall
Death Comes To The Fair
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Good story. Victorian mystery. Well written – strong female character in Lady Lucy Kurtland. A refreshing glimpse of a different time, when women had less say in their futures, being the weaker sex. Not Lucy! She stands up to her husband and makes him listen. The nice thing is, he admires her strength.
A little slow read, other than that good
One of my favorite series. Believable characters. I never am able to guess “who done it.” No profanity or steamy sex.
A very good series!
An enjoyable historical mystery.
Thoroughly enjoyable read ! Anxiously awaiting the next book! Lucy is just terrific!
The first I have read in this series. Good characters and good period style literature
I like how the story line on Lucy and Robert is well kept throughout this new book . The mystery is believable and I’m looking forward to read how the will fare in Bath.
This is book 5 in the series “Kurland St. Mary Mystery” I love this series. I have read each getting to know the characters more and more. I can’t wait to read what happens next with Sir Robert and Lady Lucy and the township of Kurland. I am sure it will be a real adventure.
Death Comes to the School by Catherine Lloyd is the fifth book in A Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. Christmas is quickly approaching in 1820. Lady Lucy Harrison and her husband, Major Sir Robert Kurland are having issues in their relationship since her last miscarriage. Robert hopes to improve Lucy’s spirits by bringing Aunt Rose Armitage to town who dives in to help Lucy plan the Christmas ball. Then Lucy receives an anonymous threatening note and she is not the only lady to receive one. Who is sending them out and why? Robert goes to the schoolhouse to speak with the schoolteacher, Miss Broomfield about her teaching methods and discovers her dead in her chair with a quill through one eye (someone making a point). Did Miss Broomfield write the threatening notes? Over her husband’s objections, Lucy starts asking questions and nosing around. Will the killer be apprehended before the Christmas festivities commence?
Death Comes to the School can be a standalone. However, you will miss out on the early years of Lucy and Robert’s relationship. I found the story to be nicely written and have a good flow. I did, though, tire of the miscommunication and bickering between the couple. I missed the easy rapport we normally experience between the couple (who are usually open with each other and very frank). It was present throughout the whole book and took away from an otherwise enjoyable story. It was odd and did not fit with the characters. I found the mystery to have several layers, and it was appealing. The killer’s identity can be discerned long before the reveal (which was disappointing to me) despite the author’s attempt at misdirection. I always enjoy visiting A Kurland St. Mary Mystery characters. They are well thought out and developed. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. The author certainly captured the era in this series with the events, how they communicated, method of travel, clothing, and language. My rating for Death Comes to the School is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).