The Case of the Wandering Scholar is set in 1851 and is the second title in the Laetitia Rodd mystery series. A missing persons case evolves into a murder investigation and Mrs Rodd sets out to find the killer. As always, the banter between Laetitia and the Inspector was delightful. The mystery had plenty of twists and turns that kept me wondering whydunnit until the final chapters.

Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar
by Kate Saunders
Bloomsbury USA
Bloomsbury Publishing
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 03 Dec 2019



The year is 1851 and private detective Laetitia Rodd is enjoying a well-earned holiday when she gets an urgent request for her services. Mrs Rodd has a reclusive rich gentleman as her neighbor Jacob Welland is dying of consumption and he wants Mrs. Rodd to find his brother, who has been missing for fifteen years.



Joshua Welland was a brilliant eccentric, and desperately poor scholar at Oxford when he went missing. Friends had claimed that they have seen Joshua in gypsy camps and wandering in the country side, but the last sighting had been ten years before when Joshua claimed to be learning great secrets from the gypsies that would one day astound the whole world.



Laetitia takes on the challenge, and starts to search for the wandering scholar But as she investigates, Mrs. Rodd discovers something dark-and extremely dangerous hiding in the beautiful English countryside.



I give Laetitia Rodd and The Case of the Wandering Scholar five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This is the second book in the series. I have not read the first book, yet I found this book interesting.

The characters are easy to follow as is the story-line. Would have liked to be kept in the dark until the end.

This is not as strong as the first book in the series, although I still love the character of Mrs. Rodd. The premise of the mystery is intriguing, but the execution flounders. Mrs. Rodd doesn't so much investigate as just listen to people tell stories from the past that solve the mystery. The pace drags and the characters need to be more active.

I absolutely loved the first Laetitia Rodd book and waited anxiously for the 2nd book. And it was good but did not exactly live up to the first book for me. The story was a bit convoluted and meandering and at times slow paced. That said I did enjoy this. Mrs. Rodd is a wonderful lead, I adored her irreverent brother Fred and the redemption of Inspector Blackbeard. I was not surprised to hear who the bad guy was but the motives and unraveling of it all were a surprise. If you enjoy classic style mysteries (and don't mind some religious overtones) this is a good read but just be prepared for a slower read.

I liked this book. Mrs. Rodd makes an excellent protagonist and her first-person narration shows a charming and interesting voice. I didn't find it terribly hard to figure out who was responsible for the murders(I was sure about halfway through), but how and why kept me guessing for quite awhile.

Saunders did an excellent job of portraying the sectors of society and the tensions around them really well. It was thoroughly enjoyable1

“Letitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar” by Kate Saunders is set in 1851, when religion was an important part of peoples’ lives. And given that our protagonist, Mrs. Rodd, is a vicar’s widow, readers must know that much of the plot concerns the church and God – and what one person considers God’s Will. In this particular instance, this is not necessarily a good thing.

Mrs. Rodd – “Letty” – finds herself employment as a private investigator, and she’s good at it. This saves herself from life as an unpaid babysitter to her brother’s eleven children, her life swallowed up forever to that. Her brother is a well-known barrister specializing in criminal cases. Mr. Welland is a new client who needs Mrs. Rodd to find his brother. Mr. Welland is dying, and needs to find his brother beforehand, to beg his forgiveness for some past transgressions involving a woman they both loved. It’ll be easy, the dying man says. The brother isn’t really hiding, just living rough. So, Letty takes the case. Soon, what seems straightforward becomes not so straightforward all.

The brother is somewhere near Oxford, and she stays nearby with a young friend and her husband, a vicar who had worked with her late husband. Quickly she realizes there is trouble in this marriage – the vicar’s curate is enamored of the wife. Well, this is never good, obviously. And when vicar Arthur Somers is murdered – poisoned, and his wife and the curate are arrested for it, well things go downhill from there. But there’s one less thing, luckily; Joshua Welland, the missing man, has died, so she can devote time to finding Arthur’s murderer.

Scotland Yard is called in. Inspector Blackbeard, who Letty has come across before.

Ms. Saunders knows how to paint character portraits. There are several unsettling characters in this book, especially a Mr. Fogle; one wonders if the author especially wanted a big neon sign drawn around this one particularly, or whether it was meant as a dig at the Catholic Church. One wonders.

In the midst of all this Letty receives another commission from her client, who has finally passed away; he wants her to find Arthur’s killer. Even the dead Mr. Welland is concerned with the truth.

One begins to wonder how all is connected. Mrs. Rodd will find the connection, of course. But did someone think Arthur know something? All the ingredients of a good murder mystery are here.

There are religious undertones to this writing, perfectly understandable given the nature of the plot, the heroine and the time frame. I do hope those that read this will understand how absolutely “normal” the convictions expressed in this book are.

Then, all is not lost; someone else is murdered and attention shifts. Someone is doing an awful lot of killing and it isn’t Letty’s friends, obviously. And then we have a twist. Can’t tell you more. There is much heartbreak and sorrow. Can’t tell you any more about that, either. Read the book! But perhaps one should never assume they are doing God’s Work, should they?

She works with the Inspector and a multitude of others (Mrs. Watts-Weston is a treat!) to find the truth of a complex tale that stretches back many years. As the truth comes nearer, names are being checked off a list, until only one is left – have you worked it out yet, dear reader?

It is a study in personalities and emotions, in Victorian “prudishness” and strict morality that brooks no deviation – and also a study in how hiding the truth means resorting to murder to keep it concealed. All intricately portrayed by the author. This is Mrs. Rodd’s second book; she is learning many things about people, as will Ms. Saunders’ readers.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

1851. Mrs Laetitia Rodd has been asked by a wealthy businessman, Jacob Welland, who is dying of consumption to find his brother. A brother, Joshua, who he has not seen for fifteen years. To this end Mrs Rodd goes and stays with friends who live near the last sighting of Joshua. But peace will soon be broken when there is a murder.
Although the second in the series, and my first, it can easily be read as a standalone story.
This is an enjoyable and well-written historical mystery, with its cast of well-drawn characters.

In this second installment of the series, we again meet up with the indomitable and intelligent Laetitia Rodd. An impoverished widow of an Archdeacon, Laetitia is able to supplement her meager income through the investigative help she provides her brother Frederick Tyson, an irreverent but successful London barrister. Frederick sends her to meet Mr. Jacob Welland who is dying of consumption. Jacob asks her help in locating his younger brother Joshua, a once promising Oxford scholar who he has lost contact with after Jacob and Joshua fell out over their love for the same woman. Joshua left his studies and began to wander the countryside, becoming a hermit, only rarely sighted by the surrounding peasants and some of his old classmates. Laetitia sets out for the area he was last seen and decides to stay with the local vicar and his wife, Arthur and Rachel Somers. Years ago, Laetitia was instrumental in bringing the couple together. At first, she is happy to see the domestic bliss they have fallen into however, during her stay in the household she soon realizes that all is not as it seems. The introduction of a young curate, Mr. Henry Barton into the neighborhood, maybe upturning the relationship of this couple. Secrets and a violent murder soon propel Laetitia into investigating more than her original assignment.

This is an engaging and delightful Victorian mystery with red-herrings galore. Laetitia is a determined and resourceful woman, who is not afraid of the situations and issues she needs to confront. Determined to get at the truth and to help all those she cares about, she doggedly peruses every lead and refuses to be intimidated by the men she encounters. This well-researched novel contains many aspects of life in the Victorian era, where women and the poor often had to deal with harsh and unequitable conditions. A well-plotted and intriguing mystery, with a delightful heroine as well as interesting and complex secondary characters, this sequel is sure to please, and readers will be looking forward to Laetitia’s next adventure.

Wow, this book was not what I expected. I found arrogance, extreme privilege, and judgment. Decent writing, but not a good look for a religious angle.

The long anticipated followup to Laetitia Rodd's first adventure has her in the midst of a new perplexing mystery. Laetitia is the impoverished widow of an archdeacon. To make her meager ends meet, she relies on work sent her way by her younger brother, a successful criminal defense barrister. He employs Laetitia to conduct discreet investigations to find out information that would otherwise be unattainable for a gentleman to procure, as Letitia is able to move in circles her brother is not privy to. Forty year old Jacob Welland is dying of consumption and his dying wish is for Laetitia to find his brother, Joshua, an elusive scholar who was known to wander about the countryside outside Oxford. Jacob has not seen Joshua in 15 years, after he failed to return to Oxford. The two brothers had a falling out over a woman they both loved and although their have been sightings of Joshua, Jacob is desperate for Laetitia to deliver a letter to his brother. Laetitia sets out a once to investigate and is caught in a web of intrigue and deception. No sooner is Laetitia is finally certain the letter will reach Jacob when news of a suspicious death catches up to her, forcing her to set out once more to investigate further. As the body count rises, Laetita must work with Inspector Blackbeard of the Scotland Yard to unravel the mysteries and find out who is behind these dark deeds.
This followup was well worth the wait. It was a delight to step back into Laetita's world. She is a determined and resourceful detective with a deep sense of right and wrong that helps guide her on her way. This book, more than the first, was vaguely Dicensian in the complex conversations that happened throughout the plot pertaining to good and bad and rich and poor. Overall the mystery was very well paced and the ending, though a bit sad was highly satisfying.

3.75 stars

The second Laetitia Rodd mystery is entertaining. She has a whiff of Miss Marple about her - if Miss M. had lived in the mid-1800's and been a clergyman's widow.

Mrs. Rodd is in reduced circumstances after her husband's premature death, and her brother Fred, an attorney, steers discreet inquiry cases her way to bolster her finances. Fred is a nicely drawn figure and provides some liveliness and humor.

This time around she has a seemingly simple task: she is to try and locate the estranged brother of a dying man. But the case proves anything but simple. Mrs. Rodd is not naive but she is a loyal friend, and she has trouble in this book with being too willing to believe what her friends tell her.

It's not long before the missing persons search turns into a murder case involving old scandals and present day passions. Mrs. Rodd is an appealing character and this was a fun read, if perhaps not totally plausible.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The second installment in the mystery series featuring the widow, Laetitia Rodd is as good as the first. Due to her brother’s law firm, Laetitia becomes involved in solving mysteries related to his legal cases, something a woman in the 1850’s would normally not be privy to. Vicars and curates abound as the mysterious deaths seem to multiply amongst this group. I recommend this series, and thank Netgalley for the ARC.

It really never occurred to me that there might be a genre of Christian mysteries, as there are Christian romances, but this apparently is one of a series in just that niche. A woman, the widow of a vicar, takes on PI work for friends and family. In this installment she seeks to reconcile estranged brothers, but instead finds herself amidst murders in a community in strife over Catholicism vs Protestantism. While the narrator is supposed to come across as pious but with a sense of humor, she just seems immensely privileged and intolerant of others and highly tolerant of her own foibles and those of the people she finds acceptable. By the end, I was rooting for certain characters to become atheists, shake off their religious brainwashing and baggage, and run away to live happier lives elsewhere.

Set in Victorian era England, the Laetitia Rodd series follows Mrs. Rodd, widow of a vicar and sister of a barrister. Her brother occasionally asks her opinion and help finding information on his cases. Mrs. Rodd has extensive contacts all over England, usually local vicars and their wives. Mrs. Rodd's brother receives a request from a dying man for help from Mrs. Rodd. The man, Jacob Welland, is tying of consumption and wishes to make amends with his brother, Joshua, over a falling out over a woman decades ago. Jacob also wishes to leave Joshua part of his fortune. Joshua walked out of Oxford years ago and has been living off the land hiding out for decades. Mrs. Rodd is charged with finding Joshua and asking for his forgiveness and to meet with Jacob.

Mrs. Rodd knows the vicar and his wife at the holding nearest Joshua's last sighting. Arthur and Rachel we introduced to each other by none other than Mrs. Rodd. While visiting with the couple Mrs. Rodd discovers all is not well in the marriage and that Arthur's assistant has a crush on Rachel. Joshua proves allusive but a neighborhood gentleman assists Mrs. Rodd in spreading the word of Mr. Welland looking for his brother. When Arthur is murdered suspicion falls on Rachel and Mr. Barton, Arthur's assistant. What is Mrs. Rodd to do? When the two are arrested for murder and shocking news comes to light will Mrs. Rodd be able to clear their names and find the real killer?

Fans of Agatha Christie and British pastoral mysteries will love this series.

I was so glad to see another Laetitia Rodd mystery! The depth of these mysteries is a little deeper than many cozy mysteries and that just makes them even more interesting. I look forward to many more...hopefully we won't have to wait so long for the next one!

Loved the first book in the series Laetitia Rodd a pensioner widowcho reminds me of Miss Markle.Second in the series as wonderful as the first another investigation another group of characters that involve you in the story kept you engaged.#netgalley#bloomsburybooks

A fun mystery featuring a pensioner widow detective! I quite enjoyed this book despite having no previous familiarity with the series or author. I'll definitely be going back to read the first book though, this might be my new mystery series!

The second book in the Laetitia Rodd series takes us through the forests and fields around Oxford and the parks and streets of London. Mrs. Rodd, the daughter and widow of clergyman, is hired by a wealthy, dying man to find his long-estranged brother so he can atone for past mistakes. Little does Mrs. Rodd know that locating this wayward former scholar will set off a chain of events that will lead to murder, endanger her friends, and cause her to question her judgment.

The standout aspect of the book for me is the the wonderful characters that the author has created. Her characters are warmly drawn, but presented warts-and-all. Mrs. Rodd contends with her own blindspots and biases as she puzzles her way through the mysteries surrounding her, but never loses our interest or sympathy as she wrestles with the moral dilemmas the case brings up for her. I found myself particularly enjoying many of the side characters - such as Mrs. Rodd's mischievous brother and "the Gorgon", also know as Mrs. Watts-Weston, an enterprising Oxford matron that Mrs. Rodd becomes acquainted with over the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries steeped in period detail and reads first and foremost for getting to know the sleuths and their sidekicks over the course of a series.

While the mystery itself was ambitious, I thought the pacing and the plotting could have been tightened. I guessed the murderer quite early on, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but thought there was a bit too many red herrings and dead ends before the murderer is discovered.

I have not read the first book in the series, but found the characterization strong enough in this entry that it can be read as a standalone. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an advance electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a mystery set in 1851 in England. This is the second book in the series, but it works as a stand alone. Laetitia seemed rather dense in this book. She believed people who were lying to her and otherwise assumed people were as good as she wanted them to be. She muddled around trying to find a person who was hiding from danger, totally missing why he didn't trust her (though I easily guessed). I was suspicious of whodunit early on, but she didn't seem to realize the significance of some of the things she learned. In the end, it was the Detective that figured out whodunit, though Laetitia realized he was right when he pointed it out. I don't know that I minded her denseness except that it didn't seem true when people kept saying she was a good detective.

Laetitia was well-meaning and had some progressive views, but she generally reflected the current (1850s England) culture. Historical details were woven into the story, creating a distinct sense of time and place without slowing the pacing. I appreciate that the author did enough research to get those historical details accurate. There were no sex scenes. There was a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical mystery, but I liked the first book better.