The Black Cat Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin Narrator: Sam Dewhurst-Phillips
Series: Heathcliff Lennox #2
Published by the author on December 18, 2019
Source: Purchased
Genres: Mystery
Length: 8 hrs 10 mins
Pages: 342
Format: Audiobook
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Who killed Sir Crispin Gibbons? A wedding invitation and news of mischief that could be murder, take Lennox to The Earl of Bloxford's country pile. He soon finds himself in a world of purloined artworks, forgeries, and a priceless Bloxford Beauty. But who are the Bloxford Beauties? And why are they the focal point around which swirls death? Lennox must confront life-long friends, unscrupulous artists and dealers to finally unravel a plot so complex that even his Scotland yard friend Jonathan Swift, is befuddled.
I’m becoming rather fond of this series. This time around, Lenox visits another country house, this time the home of a childhood friend for her wedding celebration. There are several activities leading up to the wedding including a couple of operas performed in the theater on-site. (Yeah, several of the guests find this a bit odd, too.) During one of these performances, a man is killed when a trapdoor gives way under him. It’s considered an accident at the time, but the doctor thinks it’s fishy and asks Lenox to do a bit of investigating while he’s there.
Lenox is in the difficult position of helping Scotland Yard’s investigating, pursuing his own leads, and not disrupting the wedding party. I liked how everything wound together, the paintings, the various characters, the swords. I felt all the clues fell together well, although I’m not sure I actually liked who the culprit turned out to be. It made sense, but only up to a point.
Lenox is Lenox. A bit clueless about social situations, but smart and caring. This time around, he’s made friends with Swift from Scotland Yard and they worked well together as a team. There’s no romance for Lenox, but surprisingly Swift has a bit of luck in that department. The author also shows how although there are distinct classes of people, the lines and rules are starting to blur a bit.
The Black Cat Murders is a good mystery with a bit of a vintage feel. And it has an adorable dog and a new little kitten.
About Karen Baugh Menuhin
At 60, Karen Baugh Menuhin decided to write, and suddenly the stories came pouring out, along with the characters. Eccentric Uncles, stalwart butlers, idiosyncratic servants, machinating Countesses, and the hapless Major Heathcliff Lennox.
An itinerate traveller all her life, she grew up in the military, often on RAF bases but preferring to be in the countryside when they could.
She is living and writing in the Cotswolds with her dear husband Krov. Krov is a professional writer, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, professional diver, pilot, ex US special forces soldier, and the eldest son of violinist, Yehudi Menuhin.