Karen Baugh Menuhin – Carol's Notebook

The Murder of Viscount Montcrief by Karen Baugh Menuhin

April 7, 2026April 7, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

The reclusive Viscount Montcrief, whose country home is not far from Lennox', has been murdered shortly welcoming an acting troupe into his home. Lennox and Swift are sent to investigate, but since it's close to home, we get to see plenty of Florence and Persi, too, and the pets. As always, Swift tries to do everything correctly and by the book, while Lennox kind of jumps around and goes more by instinct. The plot works well. The actors are appropriately eccentric and are trying hard to keep their secrets. We've got a couple of surprising twists, and another dead body or two. Maybe I'm getting a little bored with the series, though....

The Gathering of Clan McFee by Karen Baugh Menuhin

January 24, 2026January 23, 2026 by Carol2 Comments

The Gathering of Clan McFee was not my favorite of the Heathcliff Lennox #14 but it was enjoyable enough. A Castle McFee, the laird has passed away without a clear heir. Descendants from across the globe had gathered at the castle, each hoping to prove they have the best claim to the inheritance - essentially a money pit of a castle and the land that goes with it. When one of the potential heirs ends up dead, Lennox and Swift are dispatched by Scotland Yard to investigate. The group that has crowded the castle is an odd bunch, as are Lady Peggy and her staff. The potential motive is obvious and shared by all the guests, but when another body is found, the whole situation becomes more dangerous. I found most, if not all, of the potential heirs annoying. Lady Peggy's butler was overly eccentric. The plot moved along at a good pace, though, and I didn't guess who the...

The Twelve Saints of Christmas by Karen Baugh Menuhin

December 11, 2024December 11, 2024 by Carol12 Comments

Major Heathcliff Lennox was formerly an RAF pilot and hero. But, now WWI is over and Lennox is acting as an investigator along with his good friend Former Detective Jonathan Swift, for Scotland Yard on an as needed basis - usually when the upper classes are involved. This time, they've been been called to Temple House, where one of the saints has been murdered. The saints are a group of extremely wealthy, elderly, heir-less philanthropists living in retired semi seclusion. And yes, they are as eccentric as you might imagine. The mystery was put together well. We had several clues and suspects and I have to admit that I was fooled. Lennox and Swift's investigations can seem a little haphazard, since they each have their own approaches, but they get there in the end. This is definitely a Christmas mystery. We've got a decorated tree and some cute cats and a dog to play with the ornaments. We have some present...

The Birdcage Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

March 17, 2023March 30, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

A man was killed at a dinner at Brundals, a private men's club in London. Lennox happens to be a member although he hasn't been there for years, so Scotland Yard asks him and retired Inspector Swift to go to the club and be the Yard's eyes and ears. Swift is delighted to be working with the Yard again, and while Lennox is a little leery of spying at first, the case soon captures his attention. I have read a lot of mysteries, but I think this may be the first I've come across with this particular method of murder. It's dreadful and very upper-crust. It turns out that all of the people in the dining room when the murder occurred are connected to an unsolved case from 12 years ago when several people were killed when a birdcage automaton exploded. This is the 8th in the series and by now we know Lennox, Swift, and the crew well. I always...

The Mystery of Montague Morgan by Karen Baugh Menuhin

October 10, 2022October 10, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

I have been reading/listening to this series since the beginning and always enjoy them. Lennox, our sleuth, is a war hero who is now one of those gentlemen who have money but not a job, so of course, he solves mysteries. This time around he's helping his friend, retired Scotland Yard Detective Swift. Swift's family makes whiskey, but their broker has disappeared, with their money. The mystery leads the pair to an island where they get snowed in with a group of people - one of whom is a murderer. Oh, and they have to solve the case quickly so Lennox can make it to his Christmas Eve wedding. I enjoyed the story, but I'm already invested in Lennox and Swift. There are a lot of characters, from the friends staying at the house to the staff, and the plot was rather convoluted. We got love affairs and murder and smuggling and plenty of secrets. I guess there was maybe too...

The Tomb of the Chatelaine by Karen Baugh Menuhin

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

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...