Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman

November 3, 2014
Set in 1912, Arlen’s lively if flawed debut centers on the murder of Teddy Mallory, found hanging from a gameskeeper’s gibbet on the grounds of Iyntwood, Lord Montfort’s country estate, the day after the annual summer ball. Teddy was Lord Montfort’s wastrel nephew. Lady Montfort, the mistress of Iyntwood, teams with Edith Jackson, her housekeeper, to do some amateur sleuthing. The subsequent disappearances of a housemaid and a guest complicate the case, though how they are related to the murder—if at all—is unclear. Frequent reminders of the unusualness of the two women’s cross-class alliance may annoy some readers. And the introduction of a boorish Scotland Yard detective who enjoys being rude to the gentry seems like overkill. He stands in marked contrast to the local chief constable and his respectful investigation. Mystery fans eager for yet another look at the quasi-feudal system that prevailed in England before WWI will be most rewarded. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

December 1, 2014

Readers of this debut set in Edwardian England will feel as though they've stepped into an episode of Downton Abbey, complete with murder and intrigue upstairs and downstairs. Lady Montfort's annual summer costume ball is the social event of the season. Planned in minute detail by Lady Montfort and dependable housekeeper Mrs. Jackson, the party is proclaimed a huge success until the next morning when Lord Montfort's troublesome nephew, Teddy, is murdered. A new servant girl and a headstrong young female guest have gone missing, too. Fearing her son may become a suspect after observing him fighting with Teddy the day before, Lady Montfort does some sleuthing with the help of Mrs. Jackson, and their investigation reveals dark secrets. VERDICT Incorporating exquisite period detail into her well-mannered mystery, Arlen offers readers an engaging peek into the lives of upper and lower classes of early 1900s England combined with a little history interspersed. Historical mystery fans who want to know more about the period may wish to check out the author's Redoubtable Edwardians blog (tessaarlen.com/redoubtable-edwardian), which features articles about some of the colorful eccentrics of the era.

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