A Study in Murder

March 1, 2020
Romance author Hutton (His Rebellious Lass, 2019, etc.) turns to mystery in this tale of dark doings among the haute ton of Bath. Lady Amy Lovell is perfectly content to occupy 1890 with visits to the other gentle ladies of her class, lively debates at the local book club, her friendship with William, Viscount Wethington, and, of course, her secret life writing mystery novels under the pen name E.D. Burton. She's not quite sure why she allowed her father to press her into an engagement with shipping magnate Ronald St. Vincent. But once she receives an anonymous letter alleging that her fiance is involved in the opium trade, he swiftly becomes her ex-fiance, an appellation she insists on heatedly and repeatedly once he's found in her garden with a knife in his chest. Like all mystery writers, Lady Amy believes firmly that no one is better equipped to solve the case than she is, and like all police officers, detectives Edwin Marsh and Ralph Carson of the Bath constabulary invite her with increasing urgency to butt out. The friction between professional and amateur sleuths leads to a series of repetitive confrontations between Lady Amy and the law, interspersed with a series of equally pedestrian encounters with suspects. Hutton, who writes spicy Regency romances, keeps the temperature between Lady Amy and Wethington well below a simmer as the two dutifully rehash each conversation and ponder their next move. Although there's plenty of bad behavior, the two build so little momentum that the big reveal is a letdown since the culprit could be pretty much anyone. A quicker pace and more careful cluing would help.

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March 9, 2020
Romance author Hutton (Heirlooms of the Heart) makes her mystery debut with this disappointing series launch. Lady Amy Lovell, who writes mysteries under a pseudonym and is a member of a mystery book club in 1890s Bath, England, finds herself in a real-life mystery when her former fiancé, Ronald St. Vincent, is killed in her home. As the police seem ready to cast the murder as the outcome of a lovers’ quarrel, she and her friend William, Viscount Wethington, take up sleuthing. They follow up an anonymous note that indicates St. Vincent was involved in the drug trade. They also examine St. Vincent’s shipping business and pursue suspects such as his rejected girlfriend and his scheming nephew and heir. The engagement of a private investigator by Lady Amy’s father and an attempt on the lives of Lady Amy and Lord William add predictable complications. Anachronisms, implausibilities, and uneven plotting fail to convince. Fans of Hutton’s romances may appreciate this. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency.

Starred review from April 1, 2020

Amy Lowell is quite happy with her life in Bath, England, in 1890. At 25, she supports women's rights, attends a mystery book club and dances, and writes successful mysteries under a male pseudonym. She's not happy when her father pushes her into a betrothal to Ronald St. Vincent. The minute she receives an anonymous note about his scandalous behavior, she breaks the engagement. Of course, that makes her the primary suspect when she stumbles over his dead body in her library. Amy is not going down without a fight. She enlists the aid of Lord William Wethington, a fellow book club member. The two question friends and research shipping lines and poisons, but they're not prepared when their own lives are endangered. While Amy's fainting spells and love of her dog are a little over the top, they're perfect for this amusing take-off of Victorian society. VERDICT Hutton, known for her best-selling historical romances (His Rebellious Lass), brings that background to this atmospheric start of a humorous new series, blending historical elements and quirky characters into an enjoyable and lively Victorian mystery.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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