Karen Baugh Menuhin – Carol's Notebook

The Chester Grand Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

October 20, 2026October 20, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

This time around, Lennox and Swift are called to the Grand Hotel in Chester. Three members of the Grand Proprietors’ Syndicate have recently died, each ruled an accident, but three accidents among ten members is more than suspicious. Lennox and Swift are there usual selves, Swift more practical and by the book, Lennox willing to act bit more on instinct - and to stop for a bite to eat. The whole gang shows up - wives and children and pets to add to the fun and chaos. I appreciate that the secondary characters get full personalities, with secrets and entanglements and plenty of drama. I did figure out the whodunnit and kind of wish the book had gone a different direction, but it all made sense and the clue worked together well....

The Mystery of the Missing Man by Karen Baugh Menuhin

July 21, 2026July 21, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

Persi has invited a group of archaeologists to Ashton Steeple for the Roman temple excavation, but Dr. Quayle disappears somewhere between boarding the train and arriving at the station. What starts as a missing person case, soon transforms into a murder investigation. The plot works well. With a bunch of archaeologists, it makes sense that the mystery has historical ties and I enjoyed the connection to Lennox' family. We have a lot of characters- Lennox, Persi, their staff and friends, Swift and Florence, and all the visitors, but they each have fully developed personalities, with their own motives and relationships. I always enjoy Lennox - he's likeable and competent and, here the author does a good job at balancing his sleuthing with his other responsibilities. I think I enjoyed this one more than the last couple in the series. They're always fun, with plenty of tea, adorable pets, and interesting mysteries, but this one just grabbed my attention more....

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 Carol14 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...