Author: Marty Wingate
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)
ISBN #: 9781984804167
Berkley Publishing
336 Pages
$24.49; $14.99 Amazon
January 4, 2022
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It has been nearly a year since I took up my position as curator of Lady Georgiana Fowling's collection of Golden Age Mystery writers' first editions at her library in Middlebank House. I have larned that I need to take the good with the bad. The good: I have finally convinced Mrs. Woolgar to open up the collection to the public one day a week so that they too can share in Lady Fowling's passion. The bad: although he would not be my first, or even tenth, choice, at the insistence of the board Charles Henry Dill, Lady Fowling's unscrupulous nephew, is now my personal assistant.
On one of our first days open to the public, Mr. John Aubrey shows up at Middlebank House and insists that Lady Georgiana Fowling is his grandmother. Mrs. Woolgar is scandalized by his claims, and Charles Henry, who feels he has been cheated out of his rightful inheritance as Lady Fowling's heir, is furious. I do not know that I believe Mr. Aubrey, yet he has knowledge of Lady Fowling's life and writings that few possess. To further complicate matters, an associate of Mr. Aubrey's intends to help us uncover the truth of John's story. But before he can do that, he is murdered and the police have reason to suspect Charles Henry.
As much as I would like to lock up Charles Henry and throw away the key, I cannot believe he is a killer. And I also know there is something dead wrong about Mr. Aubrey's tales regarding his "grandmother" Lady Fowling. I will need to make sense of her past in order to suss out the true villain of this story.
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Hayley Burke is the curator of the collection of Golden Age Mystery writers' books at Middlebank House, where she also lives, along with Mrs. Woolgar, who was once Lady Fowling's secretary. Lady Fowling was a great lover of these mysteries and collected them throughout her life, but also had written stories herself, which were put to print by a local publisher.
Hayley has convinced Mrs. Woolgar that it would be fortuitous to open the collection to the public one day a week, and in doing so, garner an interest in the collection that would add to the coffers of Middlebank. Unfortunately, the board (consisting of five women who knew Lady Fowling) have offered up the woman's nephew -- Charles Henry Dill -- to work as Hayley's assistant one morning each week.
Hayley -- nor Mrs. Woolgar -- want him there, as he is avaricious about the home, and believes it should all go to him. He has gone so far as to outright steal from the home. But Hayley cannot refuse, so she sets about creating tasks for him that are tedious.
On the first day of the weekly opening, a man appears and stays behind when the collection closes, telling Hayley and Mrs. Woolgar that he is the grandson of Lady Fowling, and can prove it. While neither woman really believes his claim, they know they must give John Aubery's claim thought. Yet it doesn't end there: his tales are indeed those of Lady Fowling, and Hayley vows to look into the matter. Yet another man shows up, who looks very much like John, and states he works with him; and is going to help Hayley sort out the matter.
But before it can happen, the man is murdered, and Hayley and her boyfriend are once again in the middle of it. Now Hayley has to wonder what is going on with John, and keep an eye on Charles Henry, who isn't pleased, to say the least. All she really wants is a vacation...
This is the third book in the series and I have read all of them. Actually, I have read all of Ms. Wingate's books, so you see that I am a fan. And there is a reason for this: Ms. Wingate is a talented writer that can take you into the pages of her book and stand alongside her characters as they sort things out between them. I feel as if I have visited Bath, and seen the collection, and what a wonderous thing that would be, to me, a great lover of mysteries!
When Hayley starts investigating she doesn't realize how tangled the story really is. Is this man truly a relation of Georgiana? Or a charlatan trying to claim where he shouldn't? Taking the high road, Hayley purposely intends to find out, with the blessing of Mrs. Woolgar.
But what she does discover changes things immensely for more than one person. It brings life where life wasn't; and happiness again. Yet there is a darkness, a murderer afoot, and unfortunately, she comes too close and must use her wits and her strength. Hayley is not a weak woman, nor is she wishy-washy. She is intelligent, loving, generous, and kind. She strives to be better. I love that Mrs. Woolgar is softening toward her, and that Hayley's relationship is moving along as it should.
When the killer is revealed, it is not so much a surprise as the reason for the murder, which could have been avoided all along. The ending was done nicely, and the threads all woven together and showing us a mystery that is worth reading again. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Marty Wingate's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/marty-wingate/
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