WOMS: Death at the Manor

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If you’re a fan of Death Comes to Pemberley and other Regency Era murder mysteries, then I have the perfect series for you: Katharine Schellman’s Lily Adler mysteries.

In her latest installation, Death at the Manor, Mrs. Adler travels South to visit her aunt with her new friends, the Carroways, and finds herself caught up in another murder investigation, which proves to be her most unusual since everyone’s primary suspect is a ghost! Mrs. Adler won’t be fooled, though, nor roped into the hysteria surrounding the gloomy manor of Belleford. Not when she has her wits about her. Instead, she sets out to prove the lack of supernatural involvement and unmask the culprit behind these deadly hauntings herself, especially when she cannot risk her dear aunt’s life at the hands of a murderous specter should it remain unsolved when she departs.

This book would have been the perfect read during the spooky season of autumn with all of its hauntings, but alas, I borrowed it too late and read it through the winter holidays instead. My mistake, especially when there were a few times I found myself as startled as the characters.

What I appreciate most about Mrs. Adler is her self-reliance and determination of will to seek the truth. Often times, when she stumbles upon these murders by pure accident, she finds herself the only capable person to solve the mystery behind who killed the latest victim. Her calculating demeanour sets her apart from other heroines I’ve read in that she prides herself on her ability to discern between fact and fiction, to easily pierce behind the guise so many people often wear, and find the truth lying at the center of whatever web she finds herself trapped in—again.

I liked how Schellman had her own heroine questioning her own skills and resolve in this installment, revealing she is not impervious to the same doubts and fears we all have, no matter how astute she is in the area of observation. Of course, her seeming lack of prowess at times makes matters more difficult for her companions, maybe even leads to a servant’s untimely death, but she overcomes the self-accusations plaguing her to find the truth she seeks.

By her side, though, is not the man I would have wanted, personally. Instead of close and trusted friend Captain Jack Hartley, Mrs. Adler finds Mr. Matthew Spencer—a handsome widower of a respectable station, who takes too keen a liking to her (in my opinion)—by her side, assisting her through navigating the social conventions to gather information on the local family who resides at Belleford manor. While my opinion might not be the popular one, I would have rather seen a romance bloom between Captain Jack and Mrs. Adler in this installment, especially since their friendship has grown and flourished the previous two books. Not that Mr. Spencer isn’t a great character of a man; he’s just not who I want to see Mrs. Adler end up with should this series ever conclude.

I much prefer the dynamic chemistry she shares with Captain Jack, but then again, we all have a thing for any character named Captain Jack, don’t we?

I have a sneaking suspicion, though, Schellman is setting up a possible love triangle to ensue in book four? We’ll have to wait and see, though, as that isn’t due to hit shelves until later this year in September.

I can’t recommend the Lily Adler mysteries enough, especially when it seems most historical cozy mysteries these days are all set in Victorian London. It’s refreshing to have a Regency Era setting when you’ve been breathing in the smog and grime of London novel after novel. I’m looking forward to the next installment, Murder at Midnight, if only to see if my hope for a romance between Mrs. Adler and Captain Jack comes true. May it even have a daring confession of love in the most excruciating way!

Stay tuned for that review, but until then, keep up to date with me on Goodreads to know what I’m currently reading and might review next, and follow me on Instagram, too, for more!