I was wracking my brain to think what I could post for Mistletoe for my Scavenger Hunt and then I suddenly realised what the title of my last book was!!
Anyone who has read this blog for a while should know that I am an ardent 'Whodunnit' fan. The majority of my reading material is this genre- historical fiction. I picked up this Daisy Dalrymple murder mystery in the Summer but knew I wanted to save it for Christmas to read, along with the various seasonally-named British Crime Classics such as 'Mystery in White', 'The Christmas Murder' etc.
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Daisy Dalrymple is an amateur-sleuth. She is the daughter of a peer but now married to Alec Fletcher, Chief-Inspector at Scotland Yard. She is invited along with all her family to Brockdene, the ancestral home of Lord Westmoor under the orders of her mother, the dowager Lady Dalrymple.
But when they arrive, they discover that the Norvilles, Lord Westmoor's poor relatives live there and Lord Westmoor has no intention of attending. There are plenty of interesting stories about the place and tension over relationships. But then, another guest to the house is found murdered in the chapel on Christmas day. It seems curious because most people had no motive to murder him but Daisy and Alec dig up the truth!
This was a jolly good adventure with lots of 'Jolly Hockeysticks' language and spirit. The characters are very likeable and fairly well written. I enjoyed the unravelling of the murder and thought the murderer being revealed was fine but I did feel that Daisy plucked the murder a little out of the blue to a certain extent. I do like a good festive murder and I enjoy this series which is bit like a cross between Agatha Christie and the Famous Five, but I wasn't so convinced by the denouement!
Have you read any of this series or any festive fiction?
Julie's list:
Anyone who has read this blog for a while should know that I am an ardent 'Whodunnit' fan. The majority of my reading material is this genre- historical fiction. I picked up this Daisy Dalrymple murder mystery in the Summer but knew I wanted to save it for Christmas to read, along with the various seasonally-named British Crime Classics such as 'Mystery in White', 'The Christmas Murder' etc.
But when they arrive, they discover that the Norvilles, Lord Westmoor's poor relatives live there and Lord Westmoor has no intention of attending. There are plenty of interesting stories about the place and tension over relationships. But then, another guest to the house is found murdered in the chapel on Christmas day. It seems curious because most people had no motive to murder him but Daisy and Alec dig up the truth!
This was a jolly good adventure with lots of 'Jolly Hockeysticks' language and spirit. The characters are very likeable and fairly well written. I enjoyed the unravelling of the murder and thought the murderer being revealed was fine but I did feel that Daisy plucked the murder a little out of the blue to a certain extent. I do like a good festive murder and I enjoy this series which is bit like a cross between Agatha Christie and the Famous Five, but I wasn't so convinced by the denouement!
Have you read any of this series or any festive fiction?
Julie's list:
- Letterbox
- Something handcrafted for Christmas
Favourite Christmas recipeChristmas book(s)Stained glass windowRobinBell(s)SleighChristmas BaubleHolly and IvySnowmanAngelFirst Christmas card received in the post- Christmas crackers
- Tree before dressed
- Tree after dressed
- Christmas wrapping paper
MistletoeStocking or Christmas Sack/Bag- Wrapped present(s)
WinterFather Christmas- Nativity
- The Night Before Christmas