Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin Series: Heathcliff Lennox #1
Published by the author on December 3, 2018
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 282
Format: eBook
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Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie with a touch of Wodehouse and a dog of distinction. It's 1920 and Christmas is coming. Major Lennox finds a body on his doorstep - why on his doorstep? Was it to do with the Countess? Was it about the ruby necklace? Lennox must go to Melrose Court, home to his uncle, Lord Melrose, to uncover the mystery. But then the murders start and it snows and suddenly everything becomes very complicated...
If you know me as a reader, you know a country manor house at Christmas is my favorite setting for a murder. After finding a dead man on his doorstep – apparently from natural causes – Lennox heads to his uncle’s manor house for Christmas. Unfortunately, one of the other guests, his uncle’s fiancee, is murdered and Lennox becomes the chief suspect. When the house gets snowed in and the police can’t come, Lennox does his own investigating. He’s a charming character. He fought in the war and is now mostly gathering debt, but he’s intelligent and funny and willing to act in his own self-interests. He’s a bachelor and has the most adorable dog.
Of course one of the house party must be guilty. Lennox knows it’s not him or his uncle, but is suspicious of almost everyone else. They all have secrets and potential motives. Even the servants come under Lennox’ scrutiny, if only temporarily. It’s a good set of eccentric characters.
The story is told in the first person by Lennox, so we see all the clues as he does, hear all the answers to his questions, but we’re only privileged to some of his thoughts. I hadn’t guessed the killer but wasn’t surprised either.
Murder at Melrose Court was thoroughly enjoyable. It moved along at a good pace and had me repeating lines that I found funny to my husband. It’s a good read for the season. There are touches of Christmas, decorations, traditions, gift-giving, but it doesn’t take over the plot.
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.
Awww! Gotta love when you HAVE to read stuff outloud
Exactly! Even if my husband looks at me like I’m a little nuts.