In the fourth book from the Agatha Award nominated writing team of D.E. Ireland, famous literary characters Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins find they may have brought trouble with them when they attend a country house party in With A Little Bit of Blood.
I never knew when I picked up the first book in this series what a grand time I was in for. Now four books in, and I can’t get enough! Now my favorite unlikely sleuthing team is back! D.E. Ireland, the writing team of Meg Mims and Sharon Pisacreta, once again channel Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins to take readers on their most exciting adventure to date.
From the first page until the last of, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD, I was enraptured with the characters. I could hear them so clearly in my head. I could envision every scene as it took place. I was so drawn into this book, I felt less a reader and more a character hidden within the story itself, living every scene first hand.
The mystery within the story was top notch. There were so many ways it could have played out. Through every twist and turn and false lead, I was hard-pressed to guess whodunit and why. In the end, I was totally wrong, and wonderfully surprised.
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD is a must for fans of this series.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Iconic characters Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins along with Colonel Pickering, Freddy Eynsford-Hill, and Mrs. Pearce, return in the 4th installment based on the George Bernard Shaw classic, My Fair Lady. Sadly Colonel Pickering and Mrs. Pearce has minor roles this time.
An accident in a fancy roadster and a fire send Eliza and Henry off to the country. They were invited to the home of Lord Ashmore and his new bride, Clara. Higgins had no desire to go but current circumstances have given him no choice. Eliza was excited to go but when she sees Freddy, the man who has begged her to marry him several times, with a beautiful woman by his side, she is unsure how she feels. When Higgins gets a gander of another guest, Lady Annabel, he is ready to return to London immediately, seems the woman stalked after him in the past.
The guest list rounds out with Sir Anthony Dennison, Annabel’s husband, pilot Phillippe Corbet, Count, and Countess von Weisinger, Madam Evangeline, “a table tipper”, and her manservant Zohan Batur. Dwight Pentwater, an American businessman arrives just after dinner has been served. An eclectic bunch all there for a week-long house party that will culminate with a fox hunt.
Madam Evangeline is barely in the door when she proclaims “Death and Darkness surround this house. The future of the world stands in the balance.” So when someone is killed in the forest Henry and Eliza suspect the death was no accident. The house is full of suspects and Madam Evangeline even holds a séance to try to reveal the killer but all it raises are more questions like is Henry somehow involved? With a “little bit of luck,” or blood, he and Eliza work to solve the case before anyone else ends up dead.
I opened the book and start to read and as before the voices I hear are the ones from the movie. The authors have truly captured their essence in manner and dialogue. Their descriptions bring everything alive from people to places and even the food and tea served. There is a large cast of characters but each is clearly defined and easy to keep straight.
The story is very well written and time is taken to add background and introductions before death occurs and the mystery portion of the story starts to play out. For this reason, the story takes place at a very comfortable pace. It takes time to determine the exact and correct motive. Then a plan is made but like true Eliza, she has her way of doing things. I was very entertained from beginning to end.
I love these characters and enjoy the imaginative way the authors take them on this little journey to the countryside. There is never a dull moment when Eliza Dolittle is around.
Blimey, you just have to read this book, I tell ya!
The fourth book in the Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins mystery series. This book does not disappoint. The first morning staying at the house of Lord and Lady Ashford, a fellow guest is killed during the rabbit hunt. Henry is sure it was a hunting accident, but Eliza isn’t so sure.
Which one is right and who could have been the murder? With Colin’s help they start to investigate.
I have read all the books, the series is getting better and better. It was nice to seer Colin more in this book. The characters are so wonderful to read about.
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD by D. E. Ireland
The Fourth Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Mystery
Eliza Doolittle knew it was a mistake when her father bought an automobile and now that Henry Higgins owns it she’s sure the motor car is nothing but trouble. Henry’s reckless driving leads to a broken arm while a kitchen fire leads to an opportunity. Eliza and Henry will attend a country house party! A medium warns of darkness and death and during the first hunt the brash American is killed. A hunting accident? It turns out that most of the guests had dealings with the man, and most of them unpleasant. Could it be murder, as the medium predicted? Eliza and Henry will deal with romances, spirits, and a fabled artifact in order to find the truth!
Automobiles, aeroplanes, spiritualism, and hints of war collide in this fourth Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Mystery. I love how the authors bring the realities of 1913 England to two favorite fictional characters. In addition to his mysteries, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle opened the world of spiritualism to members of the upper class and mediums became the rage in upper crust party circles. And so Clara and Richard bring Madame Evangeline to their first house party. While Henry assumes she’s a fraud, Eliza believes her to be real. And readers…we can make up our own minds.
As with George Bernard Shaw, D. E. Ireland injects plenty of humor to the story as well. Henry’s bad temper increased due to his injury, Freddie’s mooning over the American film star, a pushy admirer, and Eliza giving some Cockney attitude add to the fun. The vision of a certain love struck Frenchman singing along to phonograph records is still embedded in my brain.
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD is a fun country house mystery. Interesting characters with lots of motives and a hint of the supernatural make this a page turning addition to a delightful series.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins have been invited to the first house party thrown by the new Lord and Lady Ashford (she the former Clara Eynsford-Hill). The timing is perfect since a couple of strange things have forced the duo to look for a place to stay. However, the first morning a fellow guest is killed during the rabbit hunt. Henry is sure it was a hunting accident, but Eliza isn’t so sure. Who is right?
This is another fun mystery with the characters made famous by Pygmalion and My Fair Lady. The plot did seem to start slowly, however by the end I realized how things played into the overall story. A few of the regulars are reduced to cameos, but it was still nice to catch up with them. We have a rather large cast of characters, but it was always easy to keep them straight as the story unfolded. We get some fun with new (for 1913) things like airplanes and cars as well as mentions of the more serious things unfolding in the world at the time.