Was This Murder Political?
I’ve been spending lots of reading time so far this year with series I’ve started but need to catch up on. The most recent of those is the Gilded Newport Mysteries. I happily went back in time with Murder at Chateau sur Mer, the fifth in the series.
This series features Emma Cross, a poor relation of the Vanderbilts. She’s also a full-time resident of Newport in the last nineteenth century. She works as a fashion columnist for one of the local papers but can’t help but get involved when she stumbles upon murder.
This book opens in July of 1897. Emma is covering a polo match when she witnesses a strange scene – a young woman with a less than stellar reputation is insisting that she must talk to Senator Wetmore’s wife. The next morning, Emma is summoned to the Wetmore’s residence - Chateau sur Mer. The young woman from the day before is lying dead in their entry way. Emma has developed a reputation based on her past exploits, and Mrs. Wetmore wants Emma to investigate so that the whiff of scandal won’t haunt her family forever. But what is the victim’s connection to the wealthy family?
The book does a great job of reintroducing us to Emma and her world while setting the plot in motion. And it didn’t slow down from there, with plenty of suspects and twists to keep us guessing. The ending did wrap things up successfully, but a couple of elements felt rushed to me.
We still get plenty of time to find out what is going on with the regulars, both real and fictional. Emma gets some interesting developments in her personal life. I do know that the romantic triangle is resolved down the line, so I am willing to stay patient with it here. Although I know which way I’d be leaning if I weren’t spoiled.
One thing I appreciate about this series is how real people and fictional rub elbows so seamlessly. I was surprised to find a couple I thought were invented were real when I reached the author’s notes at the end. And, while we might know that the real people couldn’t really be suspects, there are still plenty to keep us entertained as we read. And everyone comes across as fully developed on these pages.
I felt like I was back in time as I was reading. While Emma and many of the characters here aren’t as rich as the millionaires who have their summer homes there, I still get that relaxed summer vibe as I read, which I always enjoy.
And do check out the author’s notes at the end to learn a bit more about the real history she used to craft this story.
The book leaves us up in the air for a couple of things in Emma’s life, and you can bet I’ll be making time to visit again soon to find out what happens next.
If you are looking for a fun historical mystery, be sure to check out this series. Murder at Chateau sur Mer is another entertaining trip back in time.
Check out the rest of the Gilded Newport Mysteries.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for stopping by. In order to combat spam, I moderate most comments. I'll get to your comment as soon as I can.