The Duke That I Marry, Cathy Maxwell

ISBN 0062868756
Publish Date November 27, 2018

There’s something magical that happens when I read a Cathy Maxwell book– it’s called suspension of disbelief, or being phased out of time. Don’t you just love it when the world we know passes by and we forget all about the current affairs of the day? I do!

This third installment of the series, The Duke That I Marry: A Spinster Heiresses Novel (The Spinster Heiresses Book 3), can be read as a stand alone, but if you’ve read the prior two books you’ll get slightly more emotional investment into Miss Willa Reverly’s character.

I’m going to get straight to the point and say some of the things I love about this book:

Willa is a headstrong female who when she smells something rank, she digs until she finds out where that smell is coming from no matter what the cost. In this case, the outcome was life threatening and caused amnesia. But, even amnesia can’t keep this sleuthing female from finding out the mystery behind the man.

The Duke of Camberly, Matthew Addison, has a secret to hide and he’s not going to let a bit of match making muslin get in his way. He’s owner of a crumbling seaside estate with a dubious past and a secret so bad, even his grandmother doesn’t know; if Matthew has his way, no one will ever know.

There’s a mystery in this book that unfolds like an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. If books could have a film genre I’d call this novel noir, and I love it! 336 pages of ‘kept me up at night way past my bedtime’ intrigue.

Death Comes to Bath, Catherine Lloyd

ISBN 1496702123
Publish Date December 18,2018

 

I have a long time love affair with the A Kurland St. Mary Mystery series and was thrilled to find the books continue to come. This recent installment takes the reader out of Kurland St. Mary and to the thrilling location of Bath!

Poor Sir Major Kurland’s injuries from the war have him in a fit of pique, similar to the first installment of the series, Death Comes to the Village.  Sir Major Kurland and his wife, Lucy, are now three years married, as was the case in the prior installment, Death Comes to the School, as this sixth book takes place not long after the ending of book five. Ms. Lloyd takes the readers to the invigorating city of Bath with vivid descriptions of the centuries old town’s cobbled streets, half-moon center square, dark and humid baths, and of course, the world famous Pump House.

For those interested in architecture there are snippets of the varying layouts of the town homes, the interminable steep interior steps and a glimpse of ‘town’ life would encompass. Historical readers will devour the settings and happenings of daily life via Sir and Lady Kurland.

The mystery held within the chapters are true to the cozy mystery genre as to the what happened, who’s lying, who’s holding back information, and of course the characters you love and those you love to dislike. Each book written gets a little better each time; in book six, you’ll find a cast of characters who all have a motive, several red herrings, and of course the personal story lines which riveted me to the page.

Ms. Lloyd sets a good pace in her writing with a good start, middle and end to each chapter, hooking the reader to ‘turn just one more page’ to seek out resolution to the cliff hangers throughout the book. I find this series to be charming, heart warming and I just love cozening up to the characters. The biggest drawback to this series is waiting for the next year to come so I can find out what’s happening with Sir Robert and Lady Kurland.

11 months to go until [I hope] book seven….