From New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly, The Secret Staircase is the third Victorian Village Mystery, which finds Kate Hamilton discovering a long-dead body in a hidden staircase. Kate Hamilton is feeling good about her plans to recreate Asheboro, Maryland as the Victorian village it once was. The town is finally on her side, and the finances are coming together. Kate’s first goal … coming together.
Kate’s first goal is to renovate the Barton Mansion on the outskirts of town. Luckily, it’s been well maintained in the century since the wealthy Henry Barton lived and died there. The only substantial change she’s planning is to update the original kitchen so that it can be used to cater events in the building. But when the contractor gets started, he discovers a hidden staircase that had been walled in years earlier. And as Kate’s luck would have it, in the stairwell is a body.
After her initial shock wears off, Kate is relieved when the autopsy reveals that the man had died around 1880. Unfortunately, it also reveals that his was not a natural death–he was murdered. And serious questions remain: who was he and what was he doing there?
Kate begins a hunt to identify the man and figure out what he was doing at the Barton Mansion. But when a second body is found–this time from the present day–Kate realizes that real dangers lie in digging up the past…
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Since the last book, things are moving right along in the tiny Maryland village of Asheboro. After the sizable donation from Mid-Atlantic Power, Kate and her board have been able to start work on restoring Henry Barton’s shovel factory and have even begun planning for the restoration of the Barton’s Victorian mansion. If all continue to move forward, they should be able to begin work on Main Street before too long. Kate and the town’s, dream of creating an authentic Victorian Village – complete with downtown area, mansion, and factory will save the town from totally disappearing. So much is riding on the success of this project, and then … they find a body hidden in a closed-up stairwell. Why is the 100-year-old body in the stairwell? What happened to the man? Was he murdered? Did he fall down the stairs and die? Why would anyone wall him in? Since the house has been closed up for over a hundred years, they’ll probably never know the answer. But when another body is found – a very recent death – also having fallen down a stairway – well – things get curioser and curioser.
Kate vacillates between feeling positive about the project and apprehensive about it. Has she bitten off more than she can chew? The publicity around finding not one, but two dead bodies at the Victorian mansion could very well keep donors from contributing to the project, so Kate, Josh, and Carroll know they have to pull out all of the stops to learn the personal history of the reclusive Henry and Mary Barton. Learning that may help them solve the mystery behind the 100-year-old corpse. Is the second body related to the first in some way? Is it some weird family feud? The victim wasn’t a very pleasant fellow, so who did he anger enough to kill him?
This was a thoroughly enjoyable story. The mystery (both of them) was intriguing and the solution unexpected. There were lots of clues to follow and lots of suspects to clear before we finally have solutions. I also love following along with the overarching story of Kate leading the charge to turn Asheboro, Maryland into a vintage Victorian Village similar to Williamsburg, VA. I hope you’ll give this book a try and love it as much as I did. I definitely miss this author and all of her lovely series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
cozy-mystery, historical-research, historic-buildings, murder, murder-investigation, renovation, family-dynamics, friendship, maryland, small-town
The first body was over a hundred years old, but the investigators still had hands full because it had been walled away. There seemed to be no clue as to his identity, but the friends were working on history of the house the town needed to be restored. There are historical research professionals, a construction manager, an FBI agent, and Kate who is more familiar with modern grandiose establishments. The characters are all interesting and well developed, the imagery clear. I devoured it in one sitting! This book stands alone, but I want to read previous in the series because I liked this one so much!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
The pressure is mounting for Kate as she needs to get things moving on the renovations if she is going to be able to help save the town from disappearing, but every step she takes forward seems to lead her to stumble upon a dead body that throws a wrench in the plans and this book is no exception. The intrigue spirals as Kate and crew now need to figure out if the person they are trying to plan their town’s comeback around is the great guy that they have come to believe he was. A layered plot of various characters stories wrapped around a murder investigation makes this a delightfully entertaining read. I love the historical aspect of the books without being set in historical times. It makes the book seem all that much more realistic. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book in the series!
Many thanks to Sheila’s family (daughter) and publisher for giving us one last taste of her fine work.
I must admit right off that her stories in Ireland are my favorites. That said, this is a nicely crafted tale with lots of interesting history and mystery.
The lengths they go to to uncover who the people really were who lived in the mansion are quite impressive.
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly is book three in the Victorian Village Mystery series. This was the first one I have read but was able to get current quickly.
This well written Cozy is prefect for history buffs. It has plot twists and plenty of suspects. The main characters are likeable. There is a hint of romance and friendship.
I was given an ARC by ST. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this. I want to point out that just because the series title is “Victorian Village Mysteries” this is not a story set in Victorian times. It is instead a series set around Victorian homes and other types of real estate from that era. This was much more appealing to me. To begin with the idea of having an historic old house to restore to its glory for a town was a little different from your basic cozy mystery. The other thing I enjoyed was that while there were police, the constant bickering between police and an amateur sleuth didn’t exist here. Kate wasn’t even an amateur sleuth except in research. Just an overall good story.
Sheila Connolly has several books published. All have good reviews. I hope there will be a Book 4 of this series.
Kate has returned to her hometown of Asheboro, Maryland to lead the Asheboro Revitalization Project. One big focus is the mansion left to the town by Henry Barton when he died in 1911. It’s a very large Victorian mansion that has not been lived in since Mr. Barton died. Now, the town wants to restore it and use it for civic events.
Kate has her friend, Carroll, and boyfriend, Josh, helping her. She wants to focus on the kitchen first and interviews some contractors. One realizes that a kitchen wall is oddly shaped and using a camera placed into the wall, discovers a dead body at the end of a hidden staircase. Looks like the body has been there for a long time.
I believe this is the first book I have read by this author and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. The story is compelling and the characters are well-crafted. I learned so much about the Victorian time period as it related to the home. I was impressed with the intricate work done to investigate the history of the Barton family. There was some sadness but I was proud of the “decision” made in the end. Yes, that is a cryptic remark but so meaningful, and thus my way of teasing readers into checking out this book. It’s nice and wholesome too!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
In The Secret Staircase we join Kate as she works with the town renovation board of directors as they begin work on the Barton mansion. Before they can even get started a body shows up then someone is murdered on the property. Kate has more suspects than trusted workers.
If I’m being honest, this was a series that I wasn’t going to continue after the second book. The concept of renovating a town to be similar to a place like Colonial Williamsburg was interesting but the books moved very slowly for me. I requested the third book from NetGalley after I learned of the passing of Sheila Connolly in 2020. I wanted to see if the book ended on a “finished “ note or left the reader hanging. I was satisfied with the ending. Even if another author picks up the series I don’t think I’ll continue.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
My Thoughts
This book was hard for me to get into at first. At the center of the mysteries in this book is an old Victorian home that has fallen into disrepair. The first mystery revolves around the long-dead owner of the home. Little is known about him, and the search is on to find out more about him. The second mystery centers around a dead body discovered in a sealed-off staircase. The body has been hidden away in this unusual tomb for so long it’s mummified. The last mystery involves the death of one of the contractors working on the house.
Even though there are several mysteries going on in this book, I wasn’t drawn into the story—at first. Too much of it came across as filler and kept me from caring much about the story. But then part way through the novel, I was pulled in and couldn’t stop reading. The filler was replaced with clues that picked up the pace. The resolutions to all three mysteries brought this novel to a satisfying conclusion.
Publishing Information
Minotaur Books
St. Martin’s Publishing Group
On Sale: 08/24/2021
ISBN: 9781250135902
Copy provided by #NetGalley.
The Secret Garden is the 3rd in the Victorian Village Mysteries by Sheila Connolly in which Kate Hamilton came back to her hometown to help with the Ashebore Revitalization Project. Their first project will be the mansion of Henry Barton, the owner of a local industry and husband to Mary. As Kate and Carroll explore the grounds they find where Henry, Mary and their three young children were buried. While Carroll starts researching family, Kate will be hiring a building contractor that will be willing to work on the Victoria Era mansion with out compromising the authentic. While interviewing the third contractor, Morgan Wheeler, he states that there’s space behind the one wall in the kitchen. Morgan uses his spy cam to see what is inside the wall. What a surprise to find a body inside of the wall and Kate has to call Detective Brady Reynolds again. After all this, Morgan still wants to work on the mansion and will be getting a crew to do the work. One of the crew members, Steve Abernathy end up dead at the bottom of the steps to the basement. Two mysteries for Kate and Carroll to figure out.
This the first book that I have read by Sheila Connolly and I really love it. The story line was well written and kept me guessing until the end. I will be going the read the other two books in this series. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly is the third in the Victorian Village Mystery series and the last she wrote before her death (with some help from her daughter). We find ourselves in Asheboro, Maryland toward the beginning of the refurbishment of the home of Henry Barton, which will become a sort of living history museum and meeting place for the community. At the head of this project is Kate, who grew up and then moved away and has now returned to her small town home. She is ready to begin and has gathered her board to layout the steps forward. Her major items are finding a construction company to manage the job and having her researcher find out more of the personal life of Henry, and especially, his wife, Mary. Maybe a book? Carroll has arrived from Philadelphia, having convinced her professor that the research she would do this summer would be worth of college credit, and Kat is about to interview three construction companies. The next couple of weeks were to be epic!
It’s a shame this series is over already, almost before it began. Kate is a big city manager learning to function in a small town. That is no easy feat. It is happening, though. Her boyfriend, Josh, is a college professor of history, which helps and she has community support. Many things happened in these few weeks: a hundred year-old body is found plastered into the wall, and a fresh one on the basement steps. Curious things are discovered through diaries, censuses, and old newspapers. As in any genealogical project, things that had been secrets tend to turn up. As in any murder investigation, even the smallest clue might be helpful. The best investigators keep their ears open and have a mind for puzzles. Kate certainly did. This was a lovely little mystery, especially the one about Henry and Mary Barton and their family. The past makes such a difference. We will miss you, Sheila Connolly.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Secret Staircase by Minotaur Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #minotaurbooks #thesecretstaircase
The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly has Kate Hamilton working on her plans for the Barton Mansion in Asheboro, Maryland. Her first order of business is to find a contractor. The third one on the list seems like the best fit for the project. He discovers a hidden staircase in the kitchen with a body laying at the bottom. It turns out that the man has been there since the late 1800s and someone murdered him. This is not the type of history Kate wanted to uncover on the Victorian home nor the family that occupied it. Not long after the kitchen work begins, a second man is found dead inside the mansion. Kate wonders if there is a connection between the two deaths and sets out to get answers. The Secret Staircase is the third book in A Victorian Village Mystery series. I like the premise for this series which is why I have kept coming back to it. I grew up in German Village in Columbus, Ohio and nearby there is a Victorian Village. I find myself, though, unable to get into the story. It is told in the first person, so we are subject to Kate’s thoughts (she has so many of them). Kate seems to have an endless list of questions and list of items to accomplish (but she does not write them down). If she is going to get this project completed, Kate needs to get organized (and be more professional). She also needs to get over her self-doubts (she goes on endlessly about them). Kate needed a contractor for the project who does reconstruction not renovation. Most people would have used a search engine, but Kate kept asking people if they knew a contractor. I wondered if Kate owned a computer (or any office supplies). There are quite a few characters in the story. We are given basic information on them, but they are not fully fleshed out. I like Carroll, Lisbeth, and Bethany. Josh seems like a nice man, but how many times do we have to hear about his looks. The author’s descriptions of the mansion allowed me to visualize the beautiful Victorian home. However, the details about the renovations were dry and repetitive. The story moved at a slow pace and many details were repeated at least three times (sometimes more). The research into the Barton family is interesting (some parts were more fascinating than others). It just became dreary at times (the research part). I found this series different from Sheila Connolly’s A Museum Mystery series. I wanted this series to be more like the one featuring Nell Pratt. The mystery was fascinating. I was curious to see how everything would tie together. I was beginning to wonder if any progress would be made on the Barton Mansion. As you can tell, I did not enjoy my experience with The Secret Staircase. There are good bones, but it did not come together into a pleasing whole. The Secret Staircase is small town cozy with staircase surprises, a kitchen conundrum, fine food, congeries of research, and a pair of murders.
I wish this series could have gone for more than three books, that Sheila Connolly was still with us to keep the story of the Victorian Village alive. But three is all we get and because of that I wanted this one to be a long, slow read. I enjoyed every page.
Kate has now gotten the town of Asheboro on her side and the focus is to renovate the Barton mansion so it can become a venue. To do that the kitchen needs to be updated to allow for catering. While the construction is underway a hidden staircase is revealed – complete with a skeleton dating back to the 1800’s. Accidental death or murder? Why was he walled up? As these questions are dealt with a new death occurs with an eerie similarity to the old skeleton. Both dead at the foot of a staircase. Very curious, indeed.
Sheila Connolly was very involved with history and genealogies and that comes through in this mystery. The pace is slower and the setting is perfect. The mystery itself kept me engaged to the last page. I do so wish there could be more but I’m glad we had three.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Third in the Victorian Village Mystery series, The Secret Staircase offers a few twists and turns to keep the reader interested. A mysterious death leads to a look back in history to solve the case while a new death in the house creates suspicion. A fun, easy read which I would definitely recommend.
The project to make Asheboro, Maryland into the Victorian showpiece it once was is going well. The townspeople have finally come around to her way of thinking and the money is no longer an issue. Her first big renovation will be the Barton Mansion thankfully its in pretty good condition so the only big change will be to the kitchen. When the contractors working on the project find a secret staircase along with a body the project comes to a screeching halt. Thankfully after an examination Kate learns the body is from the 1800’s. She soon learns the mans death wasn’t natural but murder. Kate wants to figure out who the man was and why he was killed. During her investigation another body is found and this one happens to be from this era. Do the two deaths have anything to do with one another or is it all just a coincidence? Kate is determined to find out hoping along the way she can solve both deaths!
The Project
Kate is involved in restoring an old mansion called “The Barton Mansion” once owned by a factory owner. Her dream is to restore the whole town to a Victorian village, but the Barton house is the first on her list.
She engages a contractor, a plumber, and an electrician to restore the house. Unfortunately the work is halted not once but twice. The first time is when a hollow wall is found in the kitchen with a body behind it that fell down a secret staircase. Work begins again but another body shows up as the plumber is found dead from falling down a staircase.
Kate does her best with her friends and the workers to renovate the house, but is it too big of a task for her? Can her friends help her find out the historical information she needs to sell the house as a Victorian tourist attraction?
Will the mystery of the body in the wall and the unfortunate plumber be solved? Who was to blame, will we ever find out?
This was a very engaging mystery, a lot of history of Victorian times and a lot of who done it questions to be answered. I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Thanks to Sheila Connolly, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy to review.
This is a nice mystery taking place in a town that is trying to become a Victorian village. I really love the characters. My favorite character is Kate. She is working hard to fix this Victorian home so it can be used for tours. Kate is trying to bring this town back to life but of course their is a death that she must help solve. I enjoyed this story and hope to read many more of the books in the series. I received a copy of this book from Minotaur for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Interesting and slow-paced mystery. There were actually several mysteries going: the history of Barton House, the mysterious staircase, and the current murder. I liked the book ok, the history and renovation were interesting, but the current mystery just seemed a little rushed. And when the murderer was caught, I wasn’t surprised at whodunit. I haven’t read the previous books, and maybe I needed to. 3 stars
Many thanks to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.
THE SECRET STAIRCASE by Sheila Connolly
The Third Victorian Village Mystery
Kate Hamilton has gathered together a board to revitalize the small town of Asheboro, Maryland. Her plan is to recreate the town into the Victorian village it was when Asheboro was in its heyday. Feeling an affinity towards Henry Barton, the man who made Asheboro into a booming Victorian village, she decides to start by renovating his mansion, located on the outskirts of town. While Kate knows that unforeseen circumstances happen, she’s in for a shock when she and her contractor find a body behind a wall. At least it appears to have been there since the 1880s and not someone newly deceased. But who is it? And how did it come to be there? As Kate and her team research Henry and his family, finding more questions than answers, it’s soon obvious that the dead man on the secret staircase is just the start of her renovation problems.
Kate has several mysteries to work through in the third Victorian Village Mystery: whose body was left behind the wall in the 1880s, who put it there, who is the modern day killer, and will she ever realize her dream of revitalizing her town. I love how Kate calmly and methodically researches everything she needs to reach her goals, from finding her committee and construction crew, to figuring out what kind of man Henry was and learning his true history. I found myself most intrigued by the story of Henry and his mysterious Mary and became even more fascinated as the details began to emerge.
This is not a warm and cuddly type of mystery. Most of the characters have an edge, something that just doesn’t sit right, or are downright repellent. Life, however, is not always a fuzzy feel good adventure, remember, as Cat Stevens said, there’s a lot of bad and beware. THE SECRET STAIRCASE is more real in its honesty. I truly enjoyed this book and the many puzzles it provided.
THE SECRET STAIRCASE weaves together the renovation dreams of Kate Hamilton with the story of Victorian magnate Henry Barton with an ingenious plot that focuses on the present day while stories of the past seep through.
Read 8.20.2021
I wanted to like this series [and this final book] – I have read other books by the late author and liked them very much. Unfortunately, this series just never did it for me and this book was a poor ending to an already poorly written series.
I was barely in the middle of chapter 1 when I remembered why I was never going to read any more of these – they all were just so meh, and this one was just as tepid and predictable and filled with filler as the other two. There was absolutely no character development from book one to book three, and once again I wondered just how Kate kept a job in the “big city” and why anyone thought she would be able to do the job she is hired to do in Asheboro. She waffles continually and it really grates on ones nerves by the end of the book. Also, when something new does happen, it is talked about to the point of ad nauseam and you could absolutely care less about anything by the time everything is resolved.
Then there is the whole mystery and reveal – from almost the moment the people involved enter the story, you know that they are the the killers, or involved or there is back story. It is like a screaming neon sign on the page – so when you finally get to the reveal, it is extremely anticlimactic and again, you just don’t care.
Kate is not a likeable MC – she is scatterbrained and flighty, complains all the time [both out loud and internally], and for someone so young, gets exhausted easily even when doing nothing. HOW is she ever going to get the house rehabbed if she needs to quit at 5 [or earlier] after starting at noon every day? It was extremely frustrating.
I was hoping so much more and was just very disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.