What an exciting and intriguing story! The world building was fantastic and had me living in a bygone era. The characters were realistic and relatable despite the class differences. I enjoyed the rather modern thinking James as he treats his wife as a person with a mind and one who is eminently capable. The mystery was well done. I absolutely had no idea who was guilty I so love being stumped. This is the first book I’ve read in this series and it stands up well as an independent book. The relationships and interactions are at times a bit confusing as a first time reader but not so much so that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy this book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.1 Barbara Rogers1,640 181

Barbara’s rating: 3.8 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Chance Inquiry #4
Publication Date: 5/28/24
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 264

While this is the fourth book of the series, it is my first and it is my first by this author. It was well-written and well-paced with the mystery and its clues dribbled out at just the right frequency. It turns out to have been quite a conspiracy – and you’ll wonder throughout the book if it is one perpetrator or many. You won’t have any trouble making the list of possible villains – it is just a matter of who you choose from that list. I enjoyed this book well enough that I have already purchased the first book in the series so I can begin reading from the beginning. Hopefully, I will have read them all before the next book's release.

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the portrayal of the victim. Normally, I don’t want to know much about the victim other than hearing it in passing because I don’t want to become emotionally involved with them. However, that wasn’t the case with this story and I appreciated that – just this once. Our victim was a good man, a loving man, but he suffered from a mental health issue that once was called Multiple Personality Disorder. Yes, it truly is a real thing, but I’ve not normally seen the sufferer portrayed in a positive light. Usually, it is that some dastardly personality takes over and does dastardly things leaving the ‘normal’ personality to take the blame – for instance, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. While we never learn what caused Malcolm’s personality to split into multiples, there is enough story for you to make a good guess. Anyway, I came to admire the victim and was very sorry that he died.

As children Lilias, Malcolm, and Alastair spent their summers playing together in Scotland. Then, as they grew up, Lilias and Alastair fell in love and wanted to marry, but her father refused because Alastair wasn’t ‘Scottish’ enough and he made arrangements for Lilias to marry Malcolm. Lilias loved Malcolm – as a friend – and they had a long and reasonably happy marriage despite Malcolm’s mental issues. However, an event happened, and it made Malcolm feel it was unsafe for him to be around his family. Malcolm checked himself into a sanitorium where, after a few years, Lilias received word that Malcolm had killed himself. Then, imagine her surprise and dismay, when after two years of mourning she announces to the family that she is going to marry Alastair – only to be told she couldn’t do that because Malcolm wasn’t dead. OOPS! Then, he really was dead and Alastair was arrested for murder. OOPS!

I really enjoyed Sir James Branstoke and his wife Cecilia Branstoke. Their camaraderie, love, consideration, and working relationship were well-defined since it was the fourth book in the series and it was fun to see them work together. When they were asked to investigate Malcolm’s death to find the real killer and set Alastair free, they decided to use a two-pronged attack. Because Cecilia was still recovering from a serious case of influenza that had swept through their village – and she was expecting their first child – they determined to check Cecilia into the sanitorium. That would allow her to investigate from the inside while James investigated things from the outside. As the clues add up, we meet some interesting ladies within the sanitorium. They are bright, mischievous, full of energy, and the only reason they are in the sanitorium is because that is where they want to be. With those ladies involved, the villains never stand a chance.

I’m always looking for new and new-to-me authors and I may have found one to add to my go-to list. The plot is well-developed and the presentation is good. It was a fun read and I’ll definitely read the first book in the series to see how that goes. I hope it will have a tad more action and excitement than this one. Overall this was a nice read. I will say that I probably would have rated it higher had the book not pretty much ignored the Privilege of Peerage laws.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
2024-read booksprout iblog ...more Deborah Spier50 2

Cecilia is recovering from a bad bout of influenza while pregnant and has been listless and un herself, when another murder mystery presents itself. A friend, the Earl of Soothcoor, has been accused of murder, so James and Cecilia travel to see him to get the facts. The victim, an old friend of Soothcoor's, died while an inmate at a genteel sanatorium. He had actually been reported dead two years previous and Soothcoor was set to marry the supposed widow. To make things more complicated, the victim's daughter is engaged and her future father-in-law is trying to break the couple up. It's decided that the sanatorium may be a good place for Cecilia to both recover and investigate the death. This is not a story about the horrors of mental health care at the time. The sanatorium is actually a reasonably healthy place that treats the patients well. There are several enjoyable characters at the sanatorium that are involved in the investigation and add dimension to the story. It's all very much a cozy mystery that just takes place in the past. There are references to darker matters but they are lightly touched upon without changing the cozy mood of the book. I might have preferred a bit more "edge" to it all but enjoyed the story anyway.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. NelleRenn396

I really have enjoyed this series. The Sir James and Lady Branstoke are a great investigating couple. When one of their friends is accused of murder they jump right in to help. This leads them to a sanatorium with many colorful characters, some of which really don’t need to be there. There are several evil people in the story so that adds drama. I really enjoyed the little girl and how she was pivotal to the plot. It is the first time I have read an historical novel with a character with multiple personalities. The author handled that very well. It is part of a series, but it could be read as a standalone. Just be aware that after you read it, you may want to go back and read the entire series. I’m looking forward to the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Stephanie Herron587 6

Sir James and Lady Cecilia set out for Camden House when they learn their good friend Soothcoor has been arrested for the murder of a man who supposedly died two years ago. Lady Cecilia goes undercover to Camden house to rest after a bought of the flu. There she makes friends, discovers clues, and finds not all is as it seems. Meanwhile, Sir James and friends are looking into who had motive and why kill a supposed dead man now. The suspects are many and the final answer is a surprise. A nice cozy mystery while dealing with mental illness and potential abuse in a delicate way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Monica318 8

Though you can read this as a stand alone, I think it would lose a bit. It is nice to make connections between the characters.

I love this series. This book did not disappoint. Cecilia and James must solve another case in which the authorities are just not that interested. Only their perseverance and intelligence along with their compassion allow the true murderer to be found.

They have a delightful relationship and I really enjoyed many of the characters introduced in the book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Annette2,912 7

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