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Book Reviews

Reviews from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

‘Bought this on impulse and read it in one sitting. Good old fashioned murder at the manor with one death following the other. Lennox has to try and solve the murders while the house party are snowed in otherwise once the police return he will be arrested for murder. No gratuitous foul language and a lovely gentle exploration of a complicated plot. Excellent.’

‘I love whodunnits and especially those set in an historical context. This was light, entertaining and kept me turning the page right through to the end. The characters were well drawn and I enjoyed the humourous touch – can’t wait for Karen Menuhin’s next murder mystery.’

‘A smashing tale, full of wry humour and beautifully told. As I write crime novels too (or is it a crime that I write ’em?) and have read not a few, that must count as a recommendation. Looking forward very much to the next one.’

‘A rundown country house in the 1920s, a group of querky characters snowed in for Christmas, each with secrets to be revealed. A supply of bodies adding to the plot. Great fun. Will look for more by this author.’

‘Karen Menuhin brilliantly captures the dry wit of the 1920s gentry as bodies pile up and Major Lennox (retired – or so he thought) is forced to find the real murderer to clear his name and escape the gallows.’

‘Loved this book! The characters are so well drawn with a wonderful plot. Never knew until the end who was the murderer. I do hope there is another book from this author.’

‘What a brilliant book! A very good Whodunnit, but funny in places too. I Couldn’t put it down! Thank you!’

‘Entertaining country house mystery with good sense of period. Well plotted and well written with several red herrings on the way to the climax. Look forward to reading more.’

‘A surprisingly good Christmas read, set at the right time with lashings of snow! Well written and I don’t say that lightly, the greatest compliment I can give is to say that the main protagonist was a period Adrian Mole and anyone who can emulate Sue Townsend’s writing is an author to cherish.’

‘Brilliant!!! Definitely hope that this becomes a series. Really enjoyable. A real Winter’s tale. Bring more on PLEASE. Can’t wait.’

‘Bought this book on impulse, time of year etc. Loved it, found myself transported there, in front of roaring fires, brandy trays and dinner gongs. Look forward to more from Karen – please 🤞’

‘This is not my kind of book but I read it anyway and enjoyed it very much, entering a bygone country house era with roaring fires, constant ‘snifters’ and trays of food. ‘Cosy’ is a very good genre to describe the atmosphere and narrative. I ate my way through plot, dreading that the butler might be bumped off in which case there would be no more shortbread and brandy at beck and call.
The snow and the plot got thicker in tandem, the fires roared and the snack and lunches kept coming.
The plot was necessarily complex and the ending reminding me of a murder mystery party with the cast of characters lined up.
The dry humour that surfaced from time to time gave the book a delightful punctuation. If this is your thing, then definitely give it a read. Spoiler: it wasn’t the butler in the library with the candlestick who done it.’

‘In the vein of Bertie Worster, this book is both amusing and has a ingenious murder at it’s core.Perfect for a grey miserable day in January, with the gentility and manners of the times of Downton Abbey.Loved the escapism it brought.’

‘What a cracking good read, really enjoyed it, was disappointed to find that this seems to be Karen Menuhins only book, so far. Hope we get to read more of the adventures of Lennox and Mr Fog !’

‘Excellent, proper writing; a really enjoyable read. This is definitely the best modern Golden Age mystery I have encountered so far. More books please!!’

‘One of the most interesting and amusing mysteries I have read in some time. Kind of a combination Agatha Christie and P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves & Wooster. Kept my interest till the very end. Lots of red herrings. Characters with dimension. Read it over 2 days time and had trouble falling asleep considering who could have dunnit. It’s amazing that this is the author’s first novel. I can’t wait for more !’

‘I purchased this book as a holiday read, but am just getting to it. I finished it in 3 days. It is a cute cozy mystery with a surprise ending. It starts with a body on the doorstep and just takes off from there. There is dry humor and wit. The character are characters and at times I found myself laughing and shaking my head. I really enjoyed the mystery and hope the author writes another book with Major Heathcliff Lennox soon.’

‘This was one of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. It was well written , funny, kept the murderer well hidden until the end. I loved her style of writing. I wish she had more books. A really enjoyable read from start to finish. I never got bored along the way at all. I hope she has another book in the works.’

‘I rarely leave reviews as I am just too lazy. But I really enjoyed this book. I particularly liked that the author never took herself too seriously. I found the narrative humorous and fun to read. The author did not try too hard to be funny, which is something I find happens all too often. I will be looking for more from her.’

‘Murder at Melrose Court was a jolly who dun it. It was a light and quick read and I do enjoy this genre….in fact, it is my favorite. I rate this book 5 stars because of the enjoyment I received while reading it.’

‘Excellent character development, lots of red herring clues, comfortable English country house Christmas gathering background in which to unravel the mystery. Very enjoyable read, well written and constructed book. Worthy of comparison to Dorothy Sayers. I am looking forward to more books from Karen Menuhin!’