Can't Wait Wednesday: Murder at Arleigh by Alyssa Maxwell (A Gilded Newport Mystery Book Thirteen)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Murder at Arleigh, by Alyssa Maxwell. I have come to appreciate this series more, especially since it became a movie series on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. I am very far behind as usual with them and have only read the first three books. It is fun how each focuses on a different mansion in the Newport area. This is another I'm going to try and keep up with in the future. Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Historical Mysteries

 

August 26, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Reporter, sleuth, and new mother Emma Cross Andrews comes to the aid of a distraught wife who’s convinced her husband is trying to kill her . . .

April 1903: Emma and Derrick Andrews have been invited to the wedding of her cousin Reggie Vanderbilt and heiress Cathleen Neilson at the Bellevue Mansion, Arleigh. Their hosts are a popular young couple who are leasing the home for the summer—Harry and Elizabeth “Bessie” Lehr. Known for his practical jokes, Harry is the toast of parties, earning a reputation as the court jester of the Gilded Age. However, as Emma soon learns, behind closed doors he is dead serious.

Following the wedding, Bessie comes to Emma for help, insisting that her husband is cruel to her in private, telling her outright he married her only for her money and finds her repulsive. Divorce is unthinkable. Now she believes he is plotting to murder her and make it look like an a broken balcony railing she might have leaned on, a loose stair runner that could have sent her tumbling down a staircase, faulty brakes in the car she uses . . .

Some would say being trapped in a loveless marriage is a fate worse than death. Not Bessie—she wants to live! Unsure if these situations are mere coincidences or add up to premeditated sabotage, Emma agrees to investigate and determine if Newport’s merry prankster is engaged in a cold-blooded game of life or death . . .

Can't Wait Wednesday: Grave of the Lawgiver by Peter Treymane (A Sister Fidelma Mystery, Book 36)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Grave of the Lawgiver, by Peter Treymane. I will be honest, I have never heard of this author, his books, and got this from my Kindle list titled, "upcoming releases for you." I read a lot of cozy mysteries and historical mysteries so that's understandable. This book is number 36th of the series so I'm shocked I've never run across it! The author's bio says he is a Celtic scholar who has written over 30 books on the Ancient Celts and the Irish. 

It is so unique. That is a main reason I'm featuring it. Set in the year 673 it features an Irish sleuth named Sister Fidelma of Cashel who runs into crimes like any good mystery character. In this book she travels to the Kingdom of East Angles to find someone has murdered the "lawgiver" and burned his house down. She is subsequently accused of the crime, as is her friend, Eadulf. They must find out answers to clear their name.

I really want to see if I like this series. Of course I doubt I'll start with Book 36 but wanted to feature it as it is a series that has been around and much loved for a long time it seems. Very much reminds me of the Cadfael Chronicles which I love and am reading faithfully in order. It is set in a time period I know nothing about so hopefully I will learn some history along the way. 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read! Happy reading ya'll!

Medieval Historical Mysteries

 

July 17, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

The year is AD 673. Fidelma accompanies Eadulf to his hometown, Seaxmund's Ham in the Kingdom of the East Angles, to be greeted with the shocking news that Eadulf's uncle, Athelnoth, the lawgiver, has been murdered and his house burnt down. And Eadulf's younger sister is missing.

The locals accuse Fidelma and Eadulf of the crimes, and Fidelma's safety is threatened by the first council of the bishops and kings of the Angles and Saxons, who wish to expel all Hibernian missionaries and teachers from the kingdoms.

Against this opposition, Fidelma and Eadulf must unite to solve one of their most complex mysteries yet.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Call of the Cross: A Historical Novel of Scotland by J.R. Tomlin (William the Bold Book 2)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Call of the Cross, by J.R. Tomlin. I have only read the first book in her series about The Stewarts, A King Ensnared. It was written accurately from a historical perspective, although re-reading my review I remember it did drag a bit at times. I intended to continue with the series. Now I think I'd like to go back and start at the very beginning of her books chronologically to help me better understand Scottish history. Her books run from the late 1200's to the 1500's and cover Black Douglas, Robert the Bruce, and the Stewarts prior to Mary Queen of Scots. 

Set in 1267 Scotland this series tells the story of Sir William Douglas, who goes on Crusade. I love this time period and Crusader history. I'm sure starting with book one is best though and this is book two. If going in chronological order this series might be first in the timeline. I need to find out.

This is an overlooked time period, especially in Scotland, compared to say the Mary Queen of Scots era so I'm glad she loves Scottish history enough to research and write these. I hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

Medieval Historical Fiction

Scottish Historical Fiction

 July 23, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Scotland, 1267: Sir William Douglas, hero of the Battle of Largs, rides to war again. When the Pope calls a crusade, as an honorable knight, he must answer the call. He leaves behind the conflicts of his homeland to fight for the Holy Cross. But once in the Levant, he must question if that is what he is truly fighting for.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Death at a Paris Hotel by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 22)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Death at a Paris Hotel, by Verity Bright. I already love this series but it is now forever near and dear to my heart because the female member of this husband and wife writing team died tragically in a car accident. Her husband is still recovering as well and is trying his best to honor her by continuing with the series as best he can. She had written ahead and has more books in the ready but sadly those will be it unless he continues writing. 

This is also the first cozy series I started with and I just think they are adorable. My condolences to the family and prayers they are coping as best as they can. 

Cozy Mystery

Historical Mystery

 June 30, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

For Lady Eleanor Swift, Paris means champagne at breakfast, romantic walks by the Eiffel Tower… and her deadliest case yet!

Newlyweds Lady Swift and Detective Hugh Seldon are honeymooning in the most romantic city on earth. Clifford, her butler, has come along for the trip to make sure everything goes to plan for the happy couple. And Gladstone, the mischievous bulldog, to make sure it doesn’t!

But the pair are shocked when, just as they are toasting their new marriage at the best table in their hotel’s opulent restaurant, a man tumbles through the glass roof and lands amid the silverware and coq au vin. Before he dies, he presses a striking pearl brooch into Eleanor’s hands. She has the strangest feeling of déjà vu. Has she met this man before? All too quickly, the local police arrive and immediately accuse the new Mr and Mrs of working with the victim – a thief who’d just robbed the museum down the block.

With her new husband by her side, Eleanor races to clear their name and discover who would kill to get their hands on the unusual brooch. Following a clue about a doomed love affair takes the gang from the famous cabarets and cobbled streets of Paris to rubbing shoulders with the aristocracy at the very top of the Eiffel Tower.

But soon Eleanor notices a mysterious man in black following their every footstep. Is he friend or foe? And can Eleanor and Hugh unravel the case before the City of Light becomes the city of death?

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber (A Lady Darby Mystery Book 13)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, A Tarnished Canvas, by Anna Lee Huber. This is the latest book in the series and although I haven't read it yet, I have read one from her other series, Verity Kent, and thought it was unique and well written. I have the first book from this Lady Darby series so I probably should start it soon. It's called, The Anatomist's Wife. Set in Scotland it is a series that interests me even more. 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Mystery

Historical Mystery

 June 24, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Lady Kiera Darby had planned to spend the winter practicing her painting, but instead, she must find the flaw in a killer’s masterpiece when an art auction results in one participant’s final bid.…

March 1833. Kiera and her husband, Sebastian Gage, have decided to settle in Edinburgh for the winter with their infant daughter. This also allows Kiera to enjoy long hours painting in her studio, making progress on the portraits she soon hopes to unveil in her own exhibit. She’s thrilled when she receives an invitation to the auction of the late Lord Eldin’s coveted art collection, and she and Gage eagerly accept. When the floor collapses beneath the gathering, killing one of their fellow bidders, Kiera and Gage are lucky to escape with their lives.

Within days it becomes apparent that what at first seemed to be a terrible accident is actually something far more nefarious. Someone deliberately compromised the integrity of the structure, though the police are unsure of the culprit’s aim. Sergeant Maclean requests Kiera and Gage’s assistance in figuring out who would wish to harm the bidders. As they dig deeper, it becomes increasingly apparent that the victim was not the killer’s intended target . . . and that Kiera was lured to the auction deliberately. Kiera and Gage must utilize all their resources to unveil a monster willing to risk the lives of dozens of bystanders to achieve their ends. But they’re on the verge of making a dire miscalculation. For one of the cleverest tricks in a painter’s repertoire is the art of misdirection, and their eyes have been drawn far from the gravest danger.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Rose Apple Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu (Su Lin Series Book 9)

 

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For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, I'm featuring, The Rose Apple Tree Mystery, by Ovidia Yu. I was drawn in by the cover and the title. All nine books have a tree name for the title which I thought was fun. And it just looked interesting to me! I downloaded the sample of the first book in the series and read it so quickly I knew I wanted to continue with this series. This is the author's latest book and I want to start at the beginning first. But it is so unique that I am already hooked.

The books are set in 1940's Singapore, and this story is in a place there called the Cameron Highlands. The author really knows her sense of setting as she is from the area. I know almost nothing about the country so I'm looking forward to learning new things. The reviews are good for this series and although you might not have heard of this author, she is well known in her native country for being a great writer. 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week! Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Mystery

Historical Mystery

 June 5, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

'Til death do us part...

Singapore, 1947. Newlyweds Su Lin and LeFroy are in the Cameron Highlands, an idyllic pocket of countryside on the tropical Malay Peninsula. But this is no honeymoon ... LeFroy is on a protection assignment for powerful businessman Max Moreno and his wife Elfrieda, whose associates have been brutally murdered.

But the hideaway cannot protect the Morenos from vicious threats and ghostly sightings, and when Elfrieda vanishes with a stash of precious emeralds, Su Lin and LeFroy fear the worst. The only clue to Elfrieda's disappearance is rotting fruit from a rose apple tree, piled outside her lodge.

When monsoon floods make escape from the Highlands impossible, Su Lin is determined to find Elfrieda with time to spare to get to know her new husband. But when Max's body is discovered surrounded by rose apples, Su Lin and LeFroy must work together try to prevent further deaths, including their own.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Queen's Cousin: A Novel of Queen Anne of Scotland by Raymond Wemmlinger (Tudor Royal Series Book 3)

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, I'm featuring, The Queen's Cousin: A Novel of Queen Anne of Scotland, by Raymond Wemmlinger. This is one of four books so far in this series. The next one is due out later this year. He picks subjects that are not as well known in the Tudor era and that isn't easy to do. I know nothing much about Queen Anne of Denmark and Scotland and wife of King James VI (son of Mary Queen of Scots) so it should be interesting.

They aren't long epics but this is how I love to learn history....through character studies of real people of the time. I hope to start the series soon. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read. Happy reading ya'll!

British Historical Fiction

 May 16, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

With an aging childless queen on England’s throne, the search for an heir intensifies…

Scotland, 1594

Nineteen-year-old Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scotland, is thrilled and triumphant at the birth of a healthy baby boy, destined to reign as King of Scotland and, possibly, England. But Anne’s enjoyment of maternal glory quickly fades as her husband King James, fearing his son will be politically manipulated against him as he was against his mother, the deceased Mary Queen of Scots, removes the child permanently from her care. Outraged, Anne tries to regain control of her son, initiating a bitter marital struggle which sours what had been a loving and harmonious marriage.

Anne is haunted by the giant legacies of Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor on the thrones of Scotland and England, and is determined to make her own mark. And central to that ambition is securing the succession to the English throne from her husband’s cousin, the elderly and childless Queen Elizabeth.

Can Anne regain favour with the Scottish King? Will they join forces to secure the English throne?

Or will this daring Queen of Scotland fade into obscurity…?

THE QUEEN’S COUSIN is a biographical historical novel of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James and Queen of Scotland during the Tudor era of Elizabeth I’s reign.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Mydworth Mysteries- Lost in the City of Light (Book 18)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, I'm featuring, Lost in the City of Light, Mydworth Mysteries Book 18, by authors Matthew Costello and Neil Richards. They are a friend duo who have been writing together and working on projects for many years. I have not read this series yet and there are a lot of books to go through but I wanted to share anyway. It is rare to find male cozy mystery writers so I wanted to promote them. 

The main characters are a husband and wife team which is also less common in these 1920's historical cozies. In this story they travel to Paris and one of them goes missing and it's up to the other one to find them without being taken too. 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week! Happy reading ya'll!

 

Cozy Mystery/Historical Mystery

 June 1, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

When Sir Harry is asked to go to Paris for a Secret Intelligence Service meeting, he of course asks Kat to come along. After all, it's Paris in the summer and fun awaits! But the getaway a deux quickly turns dangerous when Harry goes missing. 

Suddenly, with both their lives in danger, it's up to Kat to find out what's really going on. As the trail takes her from grand hotels to the late-night bars of Place Pigalle, it soon becomes clear that treachery has a murderous price in the City of Light.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Tiger and the Thief by Griff Hosker (The East Indiaman Saga Book 2)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Tiger and the Thief, by Griff Hosker. This is book two in his series about a soldier working for the East India Company, which I have always found fascinating. This premise is unique and of course I'd read book one first but this is his newest one coming out in May. I had not heard of this author before but researching his other books he has been writing awhile and has several other series besides this one. 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week! Happy reading ya'll!

Historical Fiction

May 2, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Although now hidden in a company of East India soldiers, Bill ‘Smudger’ Smith still harbours an intention to escape. These plans are put on hold however when his former life as a wharf rat comes back to haunt him. Bill is a skilled thief with a sharp talent for deception. When the Company needs one of their men to infiltrate the fortress of Seringapatam, it falls to Smudger to gather the necessary intel to take down Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore. 

Will he succeed in his mission? And what will it mean for his ultimate plans for freedom? Finding himself increasingly tied to his fellow soldiers, the Devil’s Dozen, will Bill be able to part from his new-found family? Or are his adventures with the East India Company destined to continue?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Seaside Murders by Helena Dixon (The Secret Detective Agency Book Two)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Seaside Murders, by Helena Dixon. I've read the first book in her other series featuring heroine Kitty Underhay and it was cute. I'd like to start this one eventually as well. There are always so many new cozies to feature!

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Mysteries/Historical Mysteries

April 30, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

A pretty seaside town, a body on the beach, and a boatload of clues. Can super-sleuth Miss Jane Treen solve the mystery?

England, 1941. When Jane Treen is summoned to her boss’s office at the end of a long day, she smooths down her tweed skirt and makes them both another strong pot of coffee. Brigadier Remmington-Blythe slides a folded copy of the evening newspaper towards her, with one small article circled in red ink. A body has been found on an English beach in the little seaside town where she grew up, and he wants her to investigate.

Jane is used to managing secret agents and spies, but she is now part of The Secret Detective Agency, England’s answer to solving the most mysterious murders. Making her way to the coast and brimming with curiosity, she’s heartened that shy and handsome codebreaking genius Arthur Cilento will be joining her to help her wade through the fishy goings-on. Although Jane doubts he will appreciate her bringing her beloved one-eyed cat, Marmaduke.

Together, Jane and Arthur drop anchor in her crumbling childhood home overlooking the sandy beach where the body was found. Surrounded by potential suspects, their eyes are on a devious doctor, an eccentric artist, and a secret sweetheart. But as Jane and Arthur are searching for the truth, those giving evidence start to clam up. One thing seems certain...they need to reel in the killer before they’re out of their depth.

Can The Secret Detective Agency triumph again, or will they meet their watery end at high tide?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cardinal by Alison Weir

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Cardinal, by Alison Weir. I have yet to read one of Weir's fiction books. This one looks like a subject I'd learn a lot about as the ones on the Tudor queens are people I read a lot about in years past. So this one looks like a good one to read for me. I really enjoy her history books so I'm hoping I like the fiction as well. I want to compare it to the book I read by David Field, The King's Commoner,  on the same subject. That gave me some good background. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

History/Historical British Fiction

May 22, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

An extraordinary rise to power. A tragic fall from grace. 

It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to study at Oxford at just eleven years old.

It ends with a disgraced cardinal, cast from the King's side and estranged from the woman he loves.

The years in between tell the story of a scholar and a lover, a father and a priest. From the court of Henry VIII, Tom builds a powerful empire of church and state. At home in London, away from prying eyes, he finds joy in a secret second life.

But when King Henry, his cherished friend, demands the ultimate sacrifice, what will Wolsey choose?

Alison Weir's riveting new Tudor novel reveals the two lives of Cardinal Wolsey, a tale of power, passion and ambition.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport. After seeing this book I looked up information about Julie of Saxe-Coburg and found it to be the most fascinating story. I thought I knew a lot about Queen Victoria's relatives but this was entirely new to me! This should be a unique book for sure. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

History/Russian History

April 15, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

In 1795, Catherine the Great of Russia was in search of a bride for her grandson Constantine, who stood third in line to her throne. In an eerie echo of her own story, Catherine selected an innocent young German princess, Julie of Saxe-Coburg, aunt of the future Queen Victoria. Though Julie had everything a young bride could wish for, she was alone in a court dominated by an aging empress and riven with rivalries, plotting, and gossip―not to mention her brute of a husband, who was tender one moment and violent the next. She longed to leave Russia and her disastrous marriage, but her family in Germany refused to allow her to do so.

Desperate for love, Julie allegedly sought consolation in the arms of others. Finally, Tsar Alexander granted her permission to leave in 1801, even though her husband was now heir to the throne. Rootless in Europe, Julie gave birth to two―possibly three―illegitimate children, all of whom she was forced to give up for adoption. Despite entreaties from Constantine to return and provide an heir, she refused, eventually finding love with her own married physician.

At a time when many royal brides meekly submitted to disastrous marriages, Julie proved to be a woman ahead of her time, sacrificing her reputation and a life of luxury in exchange for the freedom to live as she wished. The Rebel Romanov is the inspiring tale of a bold woman who, until now, has been ignored by history.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Penford Manor Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith (Miss Clara Vale Mysteries Book 4)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Penford Manor Murders, by Fiona Veitch Smith. I've read the one set in Egypt but this is the latest in the series. I have books one and two on Kindle and it is yet another series I need to read. There are just too many cozy mysteries out there! In this story Miss Clara Vale investigates blackmail and murder while staying at a friend's country house.  

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Historical Mystery

April 15, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

It's open season at Penford Manor - and someone has murder in their sights...

At Penford Manor, the guests are arriving to celebrate the start of the grouse-hunting. Lords and ladies, barons and baronesses, a Member of Parliament - and chemistry graduate turned detective, Miss Clara Vale, an old friend of the family. But Clara is no ordinary lady. She's secretly investigating a blackmail plot against Lady Penford herself.

Someone in the house is already up to no good, but when the body of a local trade unionist is found on the grounds, Clara's case gets even more complicated. A clue left by the body links it to the blackmail note.

Who has discovered Lady Penford's secret? Can Clara and her trusted assistant Bella work together to find the murderer? And what do the cornflowers which keep popping up everywhere mean?

Amidst the glittering dresses and sparkling conversation of society, Clara must find the truth - before the killer acts again!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Death On the Rhine by Vivian Conroy (Miss Ashford Investigates Book 5)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Death On the Rhine, by Vivian Conroy. I have read the first two books in the series and while the second wasn't as strong on atmosphere as I'd have liked depicting the area of Santorini, the book was interesting enough to keep along with this series. Such gorgeous covers and exotic locations that make me want to keep reading them. In this book, Atalanta Ashford goes on a luxury river cruise down the Rhine and encounters a murder to solve. I will need to read books 3 and 4 first but this one looks good too. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Historical Mystery

April 4, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

A luxury cruise

Hidden family secrets

A body on board…

A birthday trip to Bonn sees amateur detective Atalanta Ashford drawn into the scandalous will of a wealthy grandmother during a scenic cruise down along the Rhine.

But growing tensions lead to a sudden and shocking death. Facing suspicion all around, Atalanta must unravel a deadly web of family secrets as treacherous as the river they voyage on, to find the killer.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon (Book One of The Secret Detective Agency)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Secret Detective Agency, by Helena Dixon. I have enjoyed her other long running cozy mystery series with Kitty Underhay as the heroine, set in the 1930's. This book is the start of a brand new series which is something I've been looking for to read and feature on my blog. I always seem to never get to start new with series books.

This one is set in the 1940's during WWII and feature a Miss Jane Treen and her cat (a definite draw!) and code breaker Arthur who use their secret sleuthing skills to find a killer. I am excited because book two is already set to release in April. I am looking forward to being in from the beginning this time! 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Historical Mystery

March 27, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Meet Miss Jane Treen – the coffee-drinking cat lover dressed head to toe in tweed, who just happens to be a secret super sleuth!

London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk, strong black coffee in hand and fluffy ginger cat by her side, when her top-secret government work is interrupted by an urgent call to Devon. A woman has been found dead in a lake in a place where she shouldn’t have been. Jane needs to gather the clues and find the killer before someone else from the agency gets hurt…

Shy and handsome code-breaker Arthur Cilento is bewildered by the arrival of the efficient Miss Treen and her cat Marmaduke. She bursts into his life unexpectedly, forcing him out of his comfort zone. The reluctant colleagues huddle near the warmth of a crackling fire in Arthur's country home, working to piece together the murderous puzzle at hand.

In the sleepy Devon village, someone is hiding something: but is it the busybody vicar and his sister, the dutiful housekeeper and her secretive son, the stern librarian, or someone else altogether? And who were the people with the woman in the lake on the day she died?

No sooner have Arthur and Jane have drawn up a list of suspects, than a parcel reveals a clue that sends them in hot pursuit of a coded diary stashed in a village church. But as the heavy wooden door slams behind them and a key turns in the lock, one thing is they need to unravel the truth and crack this code before the killer decides their number is up…

But if they can catch the culprit in time, might this unusual pair become the finest crime-solving partnership since Holmes and Watson hung up their hats…?

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Recipe For Murder by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 21)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring,A Recipe For Murder, by Verity Bright. I am finally reading book 11, Death Down the Aisle, which is where I left off a few months ago. This series was my first introduction to cozy mysteries and it remains in my top favorites. This book has Lady Eleanor and her dashing beau Detective Hugh Seldon planning their nuptials when their chef is poisoned. As more murders occur she must work to find the killer before they harm her or anyone else. Even Hugh is in danger and needs her help this time!

Cozy Historical Mystery

March 31, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches, apple tarts and… poison? Lady Swift is trying to plan the menu for her wedding, until murder strikes in kitchens across the village!

Lady Eleanor Swift’s marriage to dashing Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is just days away. There’s a lot to organise from the dress to the catering, including, of course, the all-important wedding cake.

But Eleanor is heartbroken when their chef, apple-cheeked Annie Tibetts, dies of poisoning. And as the doctor confirms her death wasn’t an accident, accusations fly around the whole community.

With more of the village struck down by the poison, Eleanor must unmask a killer who seems intent on spreading chaos amongst her nearest and dearest. Everyone is accusing their neighbour… and Eleanor is in a pickle as the seating plans for the wedding fall apart. But she soon has bigger fish to fry when the source of the poison is traced to a trusted establishment in town. Eleanor is certain they are being framed and that sabotage is afoot…

And when a sample of poisoned wedding cake is delivered anonymously to Hugh working at his station miles away in Oxford, Eleanor realises that while she has been planning for the future, her past has been catching up with her. Eleanor must race across the countryside to save her love from certain death. Can Eleanor find the proof in the pudding and save Hugh in time? And will the poisoner finally get their just desserts?