Death in Kew Gardens plus Love and Death among the Cheetahs

DEATH IN KEW GARDENS by Jennifer Ashley is the third installment in the “Below Stairs” mystery series which was new to me although the first book, Death Below Stairs, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.  The main character is named Kat Holloway who is a roughly thirty-year-old cook in Victorian London. By coincidence, she meets Mr. Li, a Chinese scholar who is later accused of murdering Kat’s neighbor, Sir Jacob Harkness. Harkness is a frequent traveler to China and interested in the botany work at Kew Gardens. Curious and steadfast by nature, Kat is determined to clear Mr. Li’s name with the help of her employer (Lady Cynthia), her fellow servants (especially assistant Tess), and her romantic interest, Daniel McAdam.  Although they will enjoy Kat’s adventures, readers may have to ignore some overly convenient events. For example, how does Daniel manage to immediately obtain a position working at Kew Gardens for yet another botanist and the very one who has brought Mr. Li to the authorities’ attention? The characters do have unique and appealing personalities and Ashley does an engaging job of weaving suspense with historical Victorian facts and meal preparation details. “‘Oh my,’ [as] Tess said excitedly. ‘Better than a panto.’”

Rhys Bowen is one of my favorite authors and I am enjoying her latest, LOVE AND DEATH AMONG THE CHEETAHS. This light, entertaining mystery is 13th in the Royal Spyness series which features Lady Georgiana Rannoch, now married to Darcy O’Mara and on honeymoon in 1935 Kenya. Dinner parties, a polo match and a safari seem like fun, although there is work for the newlyweds: as a distant relative of the Queen, Lady Georgie has been asked to keep an eye on the Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson, while Darcy is in the midst of a case tracking a jewel thief.

The exotic African setting gives Bowen the opportunity to address the infidelities, alcohol/drug use, and attitudes towards servants as shown in the “Happy Valley” expatriate lifestyle of the time. In addition, there are several references to real-life residents including Beryl Markham, Idina Sackville, and Tom Delamere. It is inevitable that Lady Georgie and Darcy discover a dead body and like an Agatha Christie mystery, suspects and motives are plentiful amongst the expatriates and their servants. I am already looking forward to their next adventure.

Ghost of Christmas Past by Rhys Bowen

Regular review readers know that I enjoy mysteries and that Rhys Bowen is a favorite author so I was grateful to receive a copy of her newest - GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST - through NetGalley. Once again, Molly Murphy Sullivan is faced with solving a mystery – this time at a fancy house party in the New York City area. Molly and her husband, Daniel, soon discover that the only child of their hosts, a young girl, went missing ten years earlier – with no body or ransom note ever discovered. Molly is persistent, though, and begins to solve the puzzle.  Or does she? There are plenty of surprises and suspects. The early 1900s, a mansion along the Hudson, servants and the Christmas season combine nicely to form the backdrop for one of the stronger entries in this 17 book (so far) series.

Award winning author Bowen has crafted many memorable characters, including Evan Evans, and Lady Georgiana Rannoch (Royal Spyness series), plus I also recommend her stand-alone novel from last Spring, In Farleigh Field, for fans of mystery and historical fiction.

Looking for another Christmas cozy? I loved the beautiful cover (shown above) of CHRISTMAS IN LONDON by Anita Hughes. This novel has a contemporary setting and plenty of romance, although perhaps too much for some? Two young women, one a chef and the other a TV producer, head to London for a holiday show and while there encounter some rather immature men. Despite drama and conflict, the story itself could be more engaging, but the food, shopping, and evoking of London at the holidays is great  – escapism and pure fun!