The Tomb of the Chatelaine by Karen Baugh Menuhin Series: Heathcliff Lennox #6
Published by Little Dog Publishing Ltd on April 1, 2021
Source: Purchased
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 234
Format: eBook
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A suspicious accident, a dead man's gun and a lost tomb. Strange events disturb the peace of Lanscombe Park, the magnificent country seat of Lord Godolphin Sinclair.
Adventurer, gold prospector and arms dealer, Sinclair has spent a lifetime amassing a fortune with ruthless determination. He's a man frightened of nothing, until he receives a package from the distant past. Someone knows his secrets, they kill, and then they kill again. A game of cat and mouse is afoot, Major Heathcliff Lennox and ex Inspector Swift are called to Lanscombe Park to investigate.
Lord Sinclair’s chauffeur is dead. It looks like an accident, but it occurred right after Sinclair received a mysterious package containing a dead man’s gun. Lennox and Swift arrive at Lanscombe Park at the behest of Lennox’s on again-off-again love interest, Persi, to investigate. Turns out it wasn’t Persi who called him, but there’s still a mystery to solve. Then there’s another death, also arranged to look like an accident, and the situation becomes more tense.
I like Lennox. He’s a bit bumbling, especially when it comes to women, and a bit introverted, more likely to leave Swift to deal with any crowds right up until the denouement, when Lennox takes over. He travels with his dog and cat whenever possible, which is adorable. His butler also goes with him; I would take my butler too if I had one.
Lanscombe Park is full of quirky characters, most of whom have to fall under suspicion. There are secrets and lies in the family affairs and in Sinclair’s business affairs. An old castle on the estate allows for a bit of a history lesson too, with the story tying in nicely to the current mystery. We also get a look into how technology is changing life even on country estates.
I love the characters, there are touches of humor that lighten the mood, and I always like a good country house murder. The plot was well done with several twists and turns that kept me guessing. The clues were there, though, and maybe I should have been able to guess the killer. I could do without the romance subplot, but I do like that Persi is smart and capable and stands up for herself.
I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
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.