A Study In Murder
Bath, England, 1890. Mystery author Lady Amy Lovell receives an anonymous letter containing shocking news: her fiancé, Mr. Ronald St. Vincent, has been dabbling in something illegal, which causes her to promptly break their engagement.
Two evenings later, as Lady Amy awaits a visit from Lord William Wethington, a fellow member of the Bath Mystery Book Club, her former fiancé makes an unexpected and most unwelcome appearance at her house. She promptly sends him to the library to cool his heels but later discovers the room seemingly empty–until she stumbles upon a dead Mr. St. Vincent with a knife in his chest.
Lord Wethington arrives to find Lady Amy screaming and sends for the police, but the Bobbies immediately assume that she is the killer. Desperate to clear her name, Lady Amy and Lord Wethington launch their own investigation–and stir up a hornet’s nest of suspects, from the gardener who served time in prison for murder to a vengeful woman who was spurned by St. Vincent before he proposed to Lady Amy. Can they close the book on the case before the real killer gets away with murder?
Series: A Victorian Book Club Mystery – Book #1
Author: Callie Hutton
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Historical
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Page Count: 313
Rating: 
From Callie Hutton and Crooked Lane Books comes the first book in the new “A Victorian Book Club Mystery” series, A Study In Murder.
For those who enjoy all things Victorian, this series will be right up their alley. The attitude towards women and the conditions of the day comes through with perfect clarity. The main character, Amy, has to hide who she is and take orders from the men in her life. However, Amy is learning ways of getting around the male-oriented society and living her own life, mostly on her terms. Domination by men was typical for all women in the Victorian era, and in some ways, is still predominant in several countries.
Characters in this series are provocative and compelling. William is a delight and a man ahead of his time. I also liked the small glimpse of Amy’s father and brother and would love to know more about her aunt. I found the Victorian side of the book more fascinating than the mystery itself. There were plenty of suspects and evidence, but it takes some work to figure out who the killer is and reveal the perpetrator. The twists and turns were excellent as well as plausible. The ending was exciting and, as is usual, filled with last-minute answers. The setting was well done described in enough detail to help the reader see Amy’s home and other locations.
A Study in Murder is a wonderfully written Victorian book with hints of romance. I did not find the mystery itself detailed enough, or the police investigation to be viable. I would like to see more interaction between Amy and her aunt and learn the story of why her aunt never married. Overall, this first book was a good beginning for the series. Readers who enjoy historical’s or Victorian mysteries will enjoy this book.
Other historical or Victorian style series readers may enjoy Kate Kingsbury’s delightful “A Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery” or Edward Marston’s intriguing “The Railway Detective Series“.
About the Author:
Callie has been making up stories since elementary school, and writing gave her a way to turn off the voices in her head. After having a number of articles and interviews published in newspapers and magazines, she took on what she’d always dreamed of. She currently has several historical and contemporary romance books and now a cozy mystery.
She currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband and adult children who move in and out with alarming regularity, and twin grandsons affectionately known as “The Twinadoes.” Add three rescue dogs, and the household is complete.
Contact Callie: calliehutton11@gmail.com
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