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I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
MY REVIEW:
Genre | Tropes: Cozy Mystery, Investigation, Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐
April is Cozy Mystery month and I started with reading The Maid in the Mansion. This was a new author and series for me but it sure was a fun read! It takes place at the end of World War II where the main character Mary, has just been relieved of her duties working in the manufacturing facilities now that the soldiers are returning home and need work. She’s in dire need of a job as she’s completely on her own.
Mary finds a job advertisement in the paper for an in-house maid position in a nearby small town. She packs up all her belongings and heads out to acquire the job. She gets it, but settling into the new household turns out to be more difficult than she imagined. The Lord of the house has a bit of a problem with being handsy with the help and Mary can only take so much of his bad behavior. When she finds him stabbed to death after a large dinner with lots of guests, she’s the main suspect.
The first half of the book really sets up the circumstances with Mary and her position, as well as the dynamics between her and everyone else in the house. The second half of the book is her investigating the death of her employer and trying to clear her own name.
This story was a low-intensity murder mystery, perfectly cozy! It definitely fit what I was looking for in terms of reading for the month, but it was lacking a little in any type of common sense for the characters. The household staff was a little dismissive of everything, not in a job protecting kind of way either, but more in a “I have no thoughts in my head” kind of way. With some cozy mysteries, this is an added plus because they are meant to be low-intensity, but in this case it took away from the dynamics a little bit and made it slightly boring.
I enjoyed Mary’s character though and she was the center point, so that balanced the supporting characters feeling a little lacking. The investigation elements of the story were perfect and had me jumping from one to the next in terms of who I thought had committed the crime.
If you enjoy a casually paced cozy mystery that’s set in a mansion, then I think you’ll enjoy this one!
GET IT HERE:
THE MAID AND THE MANSION: A MYSTERIOUS MURDER (A MAID AND THE MANSION MYSTERY—BOOK 1) is the debut novel in a charming historical cozy mystery series by Fiona Grace, #1 bestselling author of Murder in the Manor, which has over 10,000 five star reviews!
As Mary navigates the delicate intricacies of high society, she also finds herself privy to their darkest secrets. As a maid, Mary moves through mansions unnoticed and unheeded, allowing her to overhear tales of jilted lovers, gossip from fellow maids, and secrets straight from the mouths of the rich and elite.
As Mary delves deeper into the intricate web of secrets within the stately manor, she encounters a cast of eccentric and intriguing characters, each with their own secrets—and their own motives for murder.
Will Mary uncover their secrets in time? Or become just another story whispered about in the grand halls?
A charming historical cozy mystery series that transports readers back in time, THE MAID AND THE MANSION is mystery at its finest: spellbinding, atmospheric and impossible to put down. A page-turner packed with shocking twists, turns and a mystery that’s hard to solve, it will leave you reading late into the night, all while you fall in love with its unforgettable heroine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fiona Grace
Fiona Grace is author of the LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books; of the TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books; of the DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY series, comprising three books; of the BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books; of the CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books; of the ELIZA MONTAGU COZY MYSTERY series, comprising five books; and of the ENDLESS HARBOR romance series, comprising five books.
MURDER IN THE MANOR (A Lacey Doyle Cozy Mystery–Book 1), AGED FOR MURDER (A Tuscan Vineyard Cozy Mystery–Book 1), SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF MURDER (A Dubious Witch Cozy Mystery–Book 1), BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A KILLER CUPCAKE (A Beachfront Bakery Cozy Mystery–Book 1), and A VILLA IN SICILY: OLIVE OIL AND MURDER (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery–Book 1) are each available as a free download on Amazon!
Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit http://www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.
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