‘See, Charlie, it might be near twenty year since Culloden, but there’s plenty hard feelings still amongst the Jacobites, and no so far under the skin, ken?’Charlie Rob has never thought of politics, nor strayed far from his Aberdeenshire birthplace. But when John Leith of Leith Hall takes him under his wing, his life changes completely. Soon he is far from home, dealing with conspiracy and … and murder, and lost in a desperate hunt for justice.
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The Slaughter of Leith Hall
By Lexie Conyngham
4 stars
I really like historical romance so I thought I would go out of my comfort zone and try a historical mystery book and I have to say I really enjoyed it. Whilst it did take a little time to get into the story was richly detailed and well written. I have read work by the author previously so it was good to read something by her again. I really enjoyed the setting of the story and enjoyed the history that the author brought to the book. The characters were great to read about; in fact it was an enjoyable read overall and definitely one that I would recommend.
I loved this book. I felt immediately transported to a place and time that simply fascinates me. I adore good historical fiction. Couple that with a crime/suspense theme and needless to say I found a novel to dive nose first into and one I simply didn’t put down until I read the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed the story that unfolded and found the author to put together a complete story that visually transported me into each page. Highly recommended.
The Slaughter of Leith Hall was not my typical first choice as far as books. Historical based novels tend to drag and be drab. This one did admittedly stall in the excitement area for the first few bits of the story but once it took off it really took off and I was engrossed to find out how things would come to culmination for the characters and the underlying murder mystery that is prevalent throughout. Once I got over the beginning parts this book drew me into the world of Charlie and Leith. Charlie is far from home and finds a protector and more in Leith. Things take a dark turn when a murder becomes his obsession. He is determined to find justice and closure. I can’t say much else for fear of spoiling the good stuff but this is one you will want to read if you are a fan of dark and suspenseful mystery reads. I know I am looking forward to seeing what else is available from Conyngham and if we will get more in this book as a series.
This was a interesting and gripping historical mystery. It was full of suspense and page turning twists and turns that keeps you guessing all the time.
With it being set in the past some of the language and terms used are a bit hard to understand and the story starts off slow but it is definately a book that is worth sticking with. The characters are well written and you cant help getting attached to them.
The main character is Charlie Rob. Charlie is a bit of a home bird and until John Leigh of Leigh Hall takes him under his wing Charlie had never left his home in Aberdeen. Charlie soon finds himself thrown into a murder mystery and he has the task of finding the truth and getting justice, however with conspiracy theories making the task harder will he be able to find out the truth.
I really enjoyed this book and following Charlie’s story and adventure was great. The list of the characters at the beginning of the book was also really helpful and a nice touch that I havent seen before.
What an adventure this story was! It took a moment for me to become accustomed to the language used but then I had fun looking up Scottish terms and it was like learning another language! The characters were superbly developed and quickly fell into categories of love them or hate them. Although, it must be said that some characters kept you guessing about their true motives through multiple twists and turns. Highly recommended!
The Slaughter of Leith Hall by Lexie Conyngham
5 of 5 Stars
This is a wonderfully written historical fiction novel which took me back to Scotland twenty years after the Battle of Culloden, when there remained strong feelings amongst the Jacobites. The narrative is written in the Scottish dialect of the era which I found hard going to start with but I soon got used to the language and the list of less common words at the end of the book also helped. The list of characters at the start of the book was extremely useful as there are many characters to keep track off. The main character and our hero of the story is Charlie Rob, and until John Leith of Leith Hall takes him under his wing Charlie had not been away from his home in Aberdeenshire and had certainly never been political in his thinking. However the quiet and steady Charlie soon finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery and having to cope with conspiracies in his journey to get justice. Charlie Rob is a very likeable and realistic character and he really made the story for me. The storyline moved along at a good pace and had plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing and happily turning the pages. The author really made the Scottish era come alive with her detailed descriptions of both time and place. Her obvious knowledge of the historical background of the era also comes through in her writing and I found the historical note by the author at the end fascinating. I was gripped by the story and although this is the first novel by this author I have read, I was pleased to see she has others that I can also now read and I’m pleased to have discovered a new historical fiction writer.
This story follows Charlie and Leith and is a historical mystery based out of Scotland. The pair are on a journey and soon find themselves in the middle of a murder. This happens around the time of Culloden and the Jacobites loss. Charlie is not one to go looking for adventure but will if he has to. For him, he must find out what happened. The writing is very detailed and kept you guessing with every turn of the page.
I give The Slaughter of Leith Hall by Lexie Conyngham, 4 stars.
This is a really good historical murder mystery. What I enjoyed most was the main character, Charlie. It is really interesting to me to see things from a manservant’s point of view. I really like this idea and can’t say that I have seen it much in this genre. Then there is Charlie himself. Likeable, but quiet and unassuming, he really comes into himself as the book goes on. The twists and turns abound too. You are kept guessing as to who did it and why. The author throws many people at you, and you have to guess just where they fit in this puzzle. Then there is the buildup to the murder. The author sets the scene wonderfully, introducing us to the cast of characters and then shocking us with what happens. I like to be kept guessing and this was so enjoyable to me.
If you are a fan of historical mysteries, I highly recommend this book.
4 Stars
The Slaughter of Leith Hall is a well woven historical murder mystery by Lexie Conyngham. It took me a little bit to get into the story and get my head around the period language/speak that is in keeping with the times, but was somewhat heavy, time consuming, and confusing to read. The story was slow to get going and lagged a little at times throughout the book- but the mystery was quite intriguing and I did feel compelled to finish the story so I could find out how everything played out in the end.
Thank you, Lexie Conyngham!
The Slaughter of Leith Hall by Lexie Conyngham is a historical mystery story that any history lover can appreciate! If you love Scotland and if you know even a bit of the great historical events of that beautiful country then for sure this book is for you! It was my first read by this writer and I have to say that I had not really read the genre either before so it was a great surprise! I chose to pick up the book because I love Scotland and I love history and … nothing else to add!
The story takes place not long after Culloden and Jacobites are still going strong though they lost so many of theirs. We meet a young man called Charlie Rob who finds himself on a journey under the guidance of John Leith of Leith Hall. It is a journey filled with twist that is always part of searching for justice and truth! He ends in a middle of a mystery murder case and he will all to find out the truth.
I have to say that I am used to having a romance always peppered through most of the stories I read, historical or not (I am a great fan of Outlander series and I think that says it all when it comes to historicals) and in some ways it was a fresh breath of wind to read something that was so interwoven with the history I know of and just have a young man looking for an answer and truth!
The Slaughter of Leith Hall Paperback by Lexie Conyngham is a historical, crime fiction novel. I always enjoy a good crime novel or a good historical fiction, and this book didn’t disappoint. There are twists and turns and trying to figure out who to trust. Also, this set in time when Culloden is not a distant memory and the Jacobites are feeling the pain of their losses. The characters are very interesting and I enjoyed Charlie and the changes taking place in his life. Are the changes for the best or do they benefit others more?
The author sets up a delightful mystery and in such a beautiful location, Scotland. The story swept me away and left me wanting more. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
I found myself inside the story with the characters. The mystery and historical story is one of twists and turns. I loved the detailed writing of Lexie Conyngham She kept my interest and I was turning the pages fast because I wanted to see if I was on the right side of the story. The characters are complex and well written. I followed along with Charlie. He has set out on a journey as he is in the middle of a murder-mystery. All he wants is justice. He is determined to solve this mystery and get home. I highly recommend this story. You will want to see if Charlie solves the mystery or get lost in the process.
The Slaughter of Leith Hall by Lexie Conyngham is an on the edge of your seat type novel that keeps you guessing until the very last chapter.
The pace of the novel does start off slow but then it builds up in speed as the chapters go on, as if you are on a cart rolling down a hill, and the faster the pace goes the faster you read through the pages to see just what is going to happen next. A brilliant tactic by Conyngham who then hooks you into keep turning the page.
The general story line and plot is very interesting and well thought out, as are the characters and their development throughout the book. The suspense and mystery just keep you, as a reader, entertained on every page and it was very interesting to see how your idea changes on what you believe the book will finish like and what it actually does.
There is almost a sense of realism as well thanks to Conyngham’s writing style that you feel as if you are right there with the characters experiencing everything that they are.
I highly recommend this novel as it is an entertaining and interesting piece to read that will keep you turning the pages until you’ve finished it!
The Slaughter of Leith Hall by Lexie Conyngham is a historical crime fiction story that is intriguing and well written. I thought the author did a great job of sticking to the time period it was written, even when it did slow down the story a little. But the story had a mysterious feel to it and the author really threw in some twists and turns to keep it interesting.
This is a new author to me and I was really taken with the overall writing style. The story was built up in such a way that it kept my interest easily. I wanted to find out what was going on and see if the mystery would be solved. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
Historical fiction is not my usual read, but sometimes I like to try out new things. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book after I read a few chapters. I found the period speak cumbersome and it was a bit slow moving. Once the true mystery of it all started, though, I found myself turning the pages to find out how the whole thing played out. The characters and world building were excellent and really brought the story to life. Despite the slow start, and a couple of slow-moving pieces elsewhere in the book, overall, it was a good read.
This is a new genre and author for me. While it is a historical murder-mystery I still found that it was intriguing. The language and characters are unique to the time period that the author writes for. Lexie Conyngham is truly an awe inspiring author. The novel is about Charlie Rob who, unlike other characters in the novel, look for truth and justice in everything. Charlie Rob is a typical scottish character who doesn’t crave adventure but welcomes it when he must. Following his journey is exceptional because of the historical facts that accompany the novel.
This story leaves you hooked on what is mysterious about it. In a story of justice, mystery and suspense this story will have you hooked from page to page. I thoroughly enjoyed it! This original page-turner is very entertaining and unpredictable. I love how my imagination gets to roam free through history with this book. Pick up this book and you won’t be disappointed!
This is a new author for me, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more from this series and author in the future. This is a historical mystery-murder story that kept me engaged. I enjoyed the characters as I had no problem connecting to them as they made the story come alive. I also enjoyed how the characters were supportive of each other which made it easy to read. This is a story that took me back to this time in history and made me feel as if I was there. This is a story about Charlie. He finds himself far away from home and Leith has taken him under his wing and changed his life. He also finds himself in the middle of a murder-mystery case in which he is determined to find justice. This is a little different story for me than what I normally read but I enjoyed it. I had no problems turning page after page wondering what would happen next. I am happy I picked up this book and I highly recommend reading it.