Murder at the Spring Ball by Benedict Brown (Lord Edgington Investigates Book One)

 

Publication Date:

March 1, 2021

Genre:

Cozy Mystery

Length:  231 pages

Series: Lord Edgington Investigates

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

A little music, a little dancing, a little murder at the spring ball.
England, 1925. After years shut away from the world, former detective Lord Edgington of Cranley Hall plans a grand ball to celebrate his seventy-fifth birthday.

But when someone starts bumping off members of his scheming family, the old man enlists his teenage grandson to help find the killer, before one of them is next.

The mismatched duo must pick the culprit from a gaggle of preening playboys, scatter-brained spinsters and irate inspectors in this Agatha-Christie-style whodunnit that will have you racing to spot the killer.

My Thoughts

I had already read the first Christmas book in the series and wanted to go back and start the first book. It sets the stage for Lord Edgington and his grandson Christopher's relationship and how it begins. Lord Edgington has been a recluse and missing his deceased wife and when he finally decides to live again he wants to celebrate with a ball, putting his grandson in charge of things. Flattered but unsure of himself, Christopher tackles it to the best of his ability and learns to become more independent. He also discovers his talent for sleuthing when two family members are murdered and he and his grandfather work to find out who wants them dead before it happens to all of the family.

I enjoyed the story between the two men as I did in the Christmas book. I also like the author and his back story. So I will continue with the series and plan to read his spinoff, Lord Edgington Investigates Abroad....where they go to exotic locations and murders occur! I also want to start his other series, Marius Quinn Mysteries. Having said that though....this story was a little far fetched for me. I enjoyed it and I like the characters but the plot was kind of over the top to be believable and the murderer's story a little out there too. I can't say a lot because of spoilers but let's just say I wasn't completely sold. So I'm glad I'd read the other one first or I might not have been attached enough to continue. 

I'll just chalk this up to a debut novel and that maybe it just won't be my favorite of the series. I always like to continue and see if I'm still hooked. The covers are gorgeous, the historical cozy vibe is done well, and Lord Edgington clearly has a back story all his own that is slowly being revealed. His children and their offspring are a hot mess and will be great for more stories going forward. Descriptions of the mansion and Christopher's awkwardness are charming and you can't help but love the way Brown depicts him....sweet, innocent, but smart, and hard working. 

This is a great series if you love strong male leads, family loyalty, and the 1920's cozy mystery feel along with the formality of nobility and manners. 

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?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Summer 2025 To Be Read List

 

This week's theme for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is "Books On My Summer 2025 to be read list." I love this topic! Since I've already joined a summer reading challenge it's easy to list them. I've made a few slight changes to the last list I posted elsewhere as I've really cleaned up my Kindle of samples I'll never read and books I know I have absolutely no interest in. Also, I tend to love epics and long books and sequels but reading them in one summer isn't realistic. So I've tweaked things a bit. I hope you have a great list for me to check out too. Happy reading ya'll!

Link goes to Goodreads

1. The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

2. Murder at Everham Hall by Benedict Brown

3. Stormbird by Conn Iggulden

4. The Enemy and Miss Innes by Martha Keyes

5. The Iron King by Maurice Druon

6. Blood Roses by Kathryn Warner

7. Bethlehem Road by Anne Perry 

8. The Falcon of Palermo by Maria R. Bordihim

9. Murder Under the Mistletoe by Erica Ruth Neubauer

10. Winter of the World by Ken Follett 

Have you read any of these? What did you think? 

Stacking the Shelves #58

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Enjoy your reading this week!

Blood On the Tracks: Railway Mysteries by Martin Edwards (Editor)

(Kindle purchase)

This book is part of the British Library Crime Classics series that are being reissued. It contains a collection of mysteries, all set on trains, by some of the leading authors of the twentieth century. I know there are so many of these books, more than I could ever read, (over a hundred), but this one appealed to me because of the train setting. That's always a favorite of mine. Some of the authors I know like,  Arthur Conan Doyle, but most are new to me. I like being able to read one as I feel like it as most are short. 

Crown and Sceptre by Tracy Borman (A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II. 

(Kindle purchase)

This was on sale for 99 cents and I was interested based on the title. I'm not sure what it means by "new" history but wondered enough to get it. And I love timeline books with short summaries or bios that I can refer to for quick information. This runs to Elizabeth II so it covers every monarch. I'll probably flip through and read about the ones I am most interested in first.

Murder Under the Mistletoe by Erica Ruth Neubauer (A Jane Wunderly Mystery Book 4.5)

(Libby audiobook borrow)

Having just finished through book 4 in this series, I thought I'd read the middle stand alone Christmas one before starting book 5. I'm sure there are things I'll learn about the characters that will be helpful to know. And Christmas in summer is always fun! It's called book 4.5 because it's shorter and a "gap" book. Should be fun. 

Danger On the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer (A Jane Wunderly Mystery Book 3)

 

Publication Date:

March 29, 2022

Genre:

Cozy Mystery

Length: 304 pages

Series: Jane Wunderly Mysteries

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

For young American widow Jane Wunderly, there are worse fates than adventuring aboard a transatlantic liner with the only man who could change her mind about romance. Unfortunately, her first-class itinerary has an unexpected, and deadly, addition waiting just below deck.

Atlantic Ocean, 1926: Voyaging from Southampton to New York, self-reliant Jane is determined to prove herself a worthy investigator on the stately ship--even awkwardly going undercover as the fashionable wife of her magnetic partner, Mr. Redvers. Few details are known about the rumored German spy the duo have been tasked with identifying among fellow passengers, but new troubles unfold once wealthy newlywed Vanessa Fitz Simmons announces the sudden disappearance of her husband at sea.

Miles Van de Meter, the man Vanessa rushed to marry in Monte Carlo, has allegedly vanished into thin air along with his luggage. Redvers guesses the shifty heiress may be weaving tall tales for fun between flutes of champagne, yet Jane isn't convinced, not after the stunning murder of a trusted acquaintance sends them into uncharted waters. Facing two dangerous mysteries and a boat load of suspects, Jane must navigate a claustrophobic quest for answers before the culprits can slip from her grasp on land, or, worse, ensure she and Redvers never reach their destination.

My Thoughts:

I had been reading this series out of order (not something I like to do anymore) so going back to books 2 and 3 was very helpful and I'm glad I did. Although this definitely wasn't my favorite of the series so far, it does tie up loose ends that book 4 (the one I read first because of the cover and location!) had in it. Jane and Redvers relationship is clearer for me now and I can just go straight to book 5 and pick up from there. This book was a nice addition, just not terribly exciting.

When it opens they are taking the ship to America, where Jane lives, and are posing as husband and wife to find a spy Redvers is looking for. Jane is happy to be sharing time and a room with Redvers although still conflicted about her feelings for him. This being the 1920's and all, it is highly unusual and she is careful about opening up to him, modesty especially important, even though she is a widow.