Murder Scars the Countryside
Not all is what it seems as murder scares the countryside in book 7 of the series. One can read this book without having read the others in the series and still enjoy it. The story takes place in 1932 Britain which is a happy and peaceful time. The story is much like a more modern British Country House Murder. There is no lack of suspects in the murder and the final denouement is quite a surprise. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I really enjoyed this installment in the Amory Ames series. Previously I have read the first book in the series, and then jumped directly to this one. I felt it was easy to read as a standalone book. Any pertinent information was filled in, but not so much the previous books' plots were given away. I like Amory and Milo. The remind me of Tommy and Tuppence!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Deception at Thornecrest is the seventh title in Ashley Weaver’s series about Amory Ames, her husband Milo, and those around them. This time, Amory is pregnant and enjoying a sense of peace as she waits for her new arrival. But, of course, peace is not what she gets.

Just when it seems that Amory and Milo’s relationship is on track, after some ups and downs in previous entries, a woman appears claiming to also be married to Milo. If that weren’t challenging enough, of course there is a murder. This time it takes place on the day of the Springtide Festival.

How will it all be resolved? Read the novel to find out. Both new and long term readers of this British historical mystery series will welcome spending time with Amory and Milo. By the way, I love the cover.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for this delightful book in exchange for an honest review.

If the first sentence doesn't grab you, nothing will. From start to finish this was a clever, witty and engrossing read. Though this is the seventh book in the series, it can easily be read on its own (this is my introduction to the series).

Amory and Milo's marriage has historically been shaky but over the past two years has grown deeper and deeper and, in fact, the arrival of their first child is only weeks away. So, when a stranger suddenly announces she is married to Milo Amory can't believe this woman is married to the same man she is.

This novel takes place in the 1930s, the great golden era when the wealthy lived lives of luxury. When a murder occurs at a festival, everyone...except one...is shocked. Amory, as an amateur sleuth, begins snooping around by visiting villagers, determined to discover the truth. Her pregnancy is hardly a deterrent!

Along with many excellent and successful twists and turns are interwoven side stories which is a mark of a good mystery author. The stories flowed smoothly.

A few unlikable characters also added to the story; in fact, it is unlikable characters which engaged me even more.

The only drawback is the lack of enough descriptions of the era...reading about the specific historical bits sets the atmosphere but this is merely personal preference.

This series is a happy discovery. I will be sure to read it in its entirety. It was a fun, fascinating, energetic and beguiling read punctuated with just enough wit and humour. The ending was beautifully done and was satisfying.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Going into these books, I have low expectations because I've found that having low expectations makes reading them more enjoyable. I don't read these for the mysteries or the plots, but for Amory and Milo's relationship, so I wasn't surprised that I wasn't too fond of the mystery, but it was very disappointing that the relationship storytelling suffered as well. It felt like Milo was barely in the book and what makes these books work is when they are around each other, especially when they team up to solve mysteries together. There was none of that here. I also really disliked the introduction of a new character here. The mystery was fine, though it was nothing to write home about and also a let down in the end. I'll still read the next book, but I hope there are some changes.

Eight-months pregnant Amory Ames is understandably dismayed when a young woman shows up at her country estate, claiming Amory’s husband, Milo, married and deserted her several months previously.

Amory and Milo learn of the longheld secret that caused the misunderstanding, but as they’re dealing with that surprising revelation, young Bertie, a trusted young villager and erstwhile beau of Marena, is found dead at the village fete. Milo travels between London and Thornecrest, but admonishes Amory not to get involved in the mystery. Amory ignores his prohibition, soon finding herself investigating another mysterious death.

Although this book is seventh in a series, it works well as a standalone novel. The setting and time period are intriguing, though I had to keep reminding myself it took place in the 1930s; other than the existence of telephones and cars, it seems like it could be a 19th century setting. A cozy mystery set in an English village with idiosyncratic characters ticks a lot of boxes for me, so I found this mystery a wonderful distraction and plan to read the previous six books, #ADeceptionAtThornecrest #NetGalley

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 (release date 9-8-2020)

You can read all of my reviews at NerdGirlLovesBooks.

This is a good cozy historical fiction mystery. This is book 7 in the series, but this is the first one that I've read. Despite that, I didn't feel that I missed out too much by not having read the other books. The author did a good job of weaving in important facts about events that happened in previous books to give this one context. So, you can pick this one up and enjoy it without having read the other books in the series.

Amory and Milo are living in Thornecrest, their country home in a small village in England. Amory is enjoying the last few weeks before the baby arrives, and Milo is going back and forth to London for business. Amory's quiet time is shattered when a young woman arrives on her door step alleging that she is married to Milo.

Amory doesn't believe that Milo married another woman, and this is confirmed when he returns to Thornecrest. That mystery is soon solved with the arrival of another guest at Thornecrest, but a new mystery occurs when Milo's stable hand Bertie is found dead during the Springtide Festival.
With no shortage of suspects, Amory defies Milo's orders not to investigate the murder, and starts her sleuthing. With one red herring after another dispelled, Amory finally solves the mystery and has her baby.

I enjoyed Amory and liked the way her brain worked. Milo didn't play a huge role in this book, but I didn't care much for him. Perhaps if I'd read the previous books I would understand their relationship a bit more, but I thought he treated Amory pretty shabby. The village characters are your typical quirky, stereotypical characters. This was a quick and easy read, but it moved a bit slowly for me, and I'm not a huge fan of books told in the first person. Overall, however, I enjoyed the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Greed, secret vices and masquerading imposters lead to two murders in this latest entry of the Amory Ames mysteries. No problem reading this as a stand-alone novel. I liked the reveal, but was disappointed in how few 1930s elements appeared in the storyline. It needed more of the flavor of the era.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ADeceptionAtThornecrest for advanced digital copy.

I hadn't read earlier Amory Ames novels and expect that I would have enjoyed A Deception at Thornecrest even more if I was familiar with the sparring between Amory and her husband Milo. Nevertheless, this 7th in the series can stand on its own.

We have Amory, 8 months pregnant and rusticating on the Ames family estate Thornecrest when a beautiful young woman appears claiming to be Mrs Milo Ames. Amory has had to deal with all sorts of scandals and deception from her glamorous and attractive husband but their marriage had been improving. Given their history, this unexpected visitor is particularly unwelcome.

While they later clear up the misunderstanding, we discover that Milo has an illegitimate half brother who has decided to look in on the family estate. Milo is wary while Amory is quick to welcome the new relative into their family. Milo, his half brother Darien, Amory, the brother's former lover Imogen, the brother's new love interest Marena, Marena's ex boyfriend, the Springtime Festival and a murder.

I am very fond of amateur sleuths and Ashley Weaver's Amory Ames series is now a particular favorite. The stories are told in the first person and Amory Ames has a delightful, distinctive voice that reflects wealthy British upper crust in the 1940s. Some phrases and language remind me of Bertie Wooster and Jeeves - but our heroine is smart, courageous, emotionally vulnerable and constantly sleuthing. A Deception at Thornecrest delivers an engaging amateur detective story!

Milo swears he's not married to the woman who turned up on his doorstep and told Amory that they had an impulsive wedding in Brighton. Amory's unhappy- she's pregnant, Milo's seemed to become more responsible, and now this! But wait- then a young man who claims to be Milo's illegitimate half brother appears. And then, a horse trainer is murdered. Whew. That's a lot for Amory to deal with but she's always up for a mystery and this latest installment in the series, which sees personal growth for Milo in particular, is no exception. Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier books because Weaver does a nice job of placing you in the scene and describing the characters, as well as the estate. Milo has always had his issues but now he's effectively grown up. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. It's a good read (I admit to being a fan) with a clever mystery.

This is the seventh in the Amory Ames series, set in the glamour world of the wealthy in 1930s Britian. This was my first book to read in the series, and although that did not handicap me in any way, I would now like to go back and read earlier books, as references indicate that there has been some development with the main characters, especially Amory's former playboy husband, Milo.

Thornecrest, Allingcross, Kent, April 1934. We greet the couple at the opening of this book awaiting the birth of their first child. Amory is soon due to deliver and Milo is in London, when a visitor from London comes to the door with a disturbing accusation about Milo. Things become more complicated by the appearance of a surprise character, then a murder occurs. Amory is well versed in handling the odd murder and despite her pregnancy, dives in to investigate.

I really enjoyed this book. The writer is a librarian and this is certainly an homage to Agatha Christie. At first I thought the character might be loosely based on Mrs. Christie herself, but I haven't seen that stated yet. This is a cozy mystery, with lovely British village settings and intrigue without much gore. It's a glamorous era on full display here. Amory is a likable main character, acting with good sense and I enjoyed meeting her in this story and shall pursue others to catch up.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, especially those set in Britian's golden era, you will enjoy this book. I enjoy books like this, between my modern, gritty police procedural mysteries, for some fun and happy repast. I highly recommned this reading.

Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for allowing me to read this ARC!

Amory Ames is at home patiently awaiting the birth of her first child when a young woman appears on her doorstep saying that she Mrs. Milo Ames ... strange since Amory's husband is also named Milo. Later in the week, another guest appears, this one saying he is Milo's long-lost brother.

While Milo & Avery are sifting through this information, a local boy is murdered at the village fair. Milo's brother is deemed the number once suspect and is arrested and thrown in jail.

So starts an absolutely adoring and delightful mystery. I love the time period this is set in and the banter between Milo & Avery is what really made the book come alive for me. Not to mention that despite being pregnant, Amory took charge, got involved and solved the mystery.

Now when I requested this from NetGalley I had no idea it was Book 7 🤣🤣🤣. Thank goodness these can be read standalone with the character development from the first 6 books being the only thing missing. Whelp I guess I better get cracking because this is definitely one series I am going to go back and read from the beginning.

I received this E-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here in our mind and mine alone.

This is my first book by Ashley. After reading the first chapter I knew I should have read the first six books . There are a lot of reference to things that happened in the past. This makes some of the scenes hard to understand or leave a lot up to ones imagination of what might have happen.
That being said the book is about Amory and Milo who are about to have their first child. Amory is supposed to be taking it easy at their county home in the quiet village of Allingross. Milo is working in London and traveling back and forth as his business demands.
Amory is feeling the weight of being eight months pregnancy and not being able to do all she uses too.
She is surprised when a young woman shows up claiming to also be Mrs Ames ! From some of the back flashes we know that her and Milo must of hard time when they first got married. Things seem better now and they are working on strengthen the marriage. Amory really wants to believe Milo didn't have anything to do with this woman, but he was a Hugh playboy before and women kind of fell at his feet. She is upset and hurt till she can ask Milo.
If this wasn't enough soon after the Lady shows up so does a gentleman claiming to be Milo's half-brother. One look at the family resemblance and Amory knows Darien is the one the lady married not Milo. But why was Milo's half-brother using his name and not his own??
The plot thickens when shortly after Darien shows up one of Milo's stable hands is murdered.
Everyone in the village is very upset with all these going on. Lots of the villages are trying to figure out who could have done such a thing. Other hint of Amory being involved with other investigation so, she can't leave this one alone much to Milo's upset. Just when one doesn't think things could get any worst there is other murder.
WOW this book has a lot of twist and turns. It was somewhat easy to follow would have been better if one had the history of the first books. The characters were great, lots of drama, and suspense the who done it was great at the end. Still I wish I had read the rest of the books first. I think the interaction between Amory and Milo would have made more sense.
I received and ARC from the author and would like to thank her, and am giving my honest opinion voluntarily. This is a good story but try and read the others first if you can. If not, you will just have to use your imagination to fill in what might have happened before.

What an absolutely charming story, if one can call a cozy (murder) mystery “charming”. I loved the overarching development of Miles and Amory’s story in Deception at Thornecrest, the 7th book in the Amory Ames mystery series, with the addition of surprising new family members. I appreciated that this story was set in the quaint hometown village of Thornecrest manor with all the neighboring villagers and friends. The murder mystery itself was different than in previous stories and the solving was spot-on, piecing together a puzzle, bit by bit. I truly enjoy these characters, the atmospheric setting and the diverse and clever mysteries.

The conclusion was also tender and utterly enchanting. It almost sounded like a conclusion to the series and I sincerely hope that is not the case. This endearing story is yet another fantastic addition to this much beloved series of mine.

This was a very entertaining and engrossing read. I had not realized this was the 7th book in a series when I requested it from NetGalley but even so, I found it worked as a stand-alone. I wasn't confused at all by the story line as it wasn't a continuation from the previous book. Amory Ames is a very likable character and one who has a great mind for solving crimes. When Amory's and her husband Milo's stable hand Bertie is found dead, Amory is determined to find out who the killer is. I thought this was very well written, it kept me guessing as to who the murderer was, and, of course, I kept changing my mind many times when Amory would come up with another good possibility as to who the killer was. I was completely surprised at the end when the mystery was finally solved. Now that I've been introduced to Amory and Milo, I'm very interested in reading the first six books in this series. I think mystery lovers will thoroughly enjoy this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Although this is book 7 in the series, it is the first one I’ve read and it was fine as a stand-alone. I will go back and read the others because I like the characters of Amory Ames and her husband Milo. This little cozy mystery takes place in the 1930s in Kent, England. Amory is largely pregnant, about to deliver her first baby. But she squeezes in solving one last mystery of 2 deaths in the village before the baby makes it’s sudden arrival.

A Deception at Thornecrest is the seventh book in the Amory Ames historical mystery series by Ashley Weaver. Though I have some of the previous installments, this is the first one I have read. Yep, I started a series on the seventh book! Amazingly enough, I wasn't lost in the least. There was enough background on the two leads to understand their essence, and the story stood alone. It was a fun ride, too! Glad I have others in the series to look forward to.

While her husband Milo is in London for business, Amory Ames is preparing for the upcoming birth of her child at Thornecrest, their home in the country. She is also helping the ladies of the village get ready for the Springtide Festival. Suddenly Amory has an unexpected visitor: a young woman claiming to be Mrs. Milo Ames. Huh?! Surely the woman is mistaken! Amory and Milo have had relationship issues in the past, but they have worked through their problems. When Milo returns, it's confirmed that the woman is mistaken. However, an unexpected visitor comes to see Milo and Amory, and the young woman's confusion now makes sense. On the day of the festival, a young man is found murdered. Did either of the two visitors have anything to do with the murder? Or was it one of the other village residents, all of whom seem to have secrets? Pregnant or not, Amory is determined to solve the mystery!

This was a fun, witty whodunit! As a romance it fell a little flat, no doubt because I missed six books that outlined Milo and Amory's relationship. However, the mystery really shined here. I kept thinking I knew who killed the young man; however, when another murder occurred, I found I was way off the mark and got even more flummoxed. Besides Amory and Milo, there were some great supporting characters. Among my favorites were Milo's half-brother Darien, neighboring horse-mad Lady Alma and the vicar and his wife. I enjoyed the snappy dialogue and the repartee between Milo and Amory. Don't worry if you've missed installments; jump right on in and enjoy! I look forward to more adventures with Mr. and Mrs. Ames.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Spoiler Free version of this review will be posted on Instagram (2.5 stars) and Goodreads (2 stars) on Tuesday, September 8.

This is my first Amory Ames book, and I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed. Overall, I felt like Amory was just a little flat, she didn’t have much to her personality to make her stand out for me. Just your average beautiful, wealthy, smart, gets along with everyone kind of sleuth. Perhaps her earlier allusions to marital woes from previous books would grant a larger view into her psyche, but I didn’t much care for Milo either. The dashing appearance of Darien, although also a pretty one dimensional character, was at least interesting.

Another criticism I have is the setting leaves a bit to be desired. All of the things that I enjoy reading about in historical novels, the setting, clothing, mannerisms, general way of life, there just wasn’t much description in this novel that made me feel, “Yes! This is a 1930s mystery.” As a rule, I think fans of historical mystery can do a lot of scene building themselves, in large part to the abundance of Agatha Christie adaptations, so where the author leaves a lot of gaps, the reader can easily fill in with a generic sort of historical setting. There is nothing here that really feels very 1930s, besides the absence of technology, it could easily be 1950 or 1980 for all I know.

What the book does have going for it is a sound mystery with a good twist. Amory built up motives admirably and left me guessing until the final Poirot-style reveal, when Amory suggests they gather everyone together to sort it out. Plenty of suspects and clues. If I had to nitpick, I would say she could have left Milo’s brother Darien in as a suitable suspect a lot longer, as Amory was so quick to assert his innocence that we never really worry whether Milo’s newly discovered half-brother is actually a murderer.

I will say that although this particular book was not a great introduction to the series, I still have every intention of reading more. The writing was good, the mystery interesting, and I was never bored. I had high hopes after first learning of the series, and it was just underwhelming for me to find that the first foray into the series was so average.

I received a free electronic copy of this historical British who-done-it from Netgalley, Ashley Weaver, and Minotaur Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Ashley Weaver brings us a well-crafted tale that takes place in the small town of Allingcross, in Kent, England in the spring of 1934. We view all from the first-person perspective of a very pregnant Amory Ames as she weathers catastrophe and murders galore. This is the 7th novel of Weaver's Amory Ames mysteries, though perfectly stand alone.

I was kind of on the fence about continuing with this series. However, I have enjoyed it more and more with each book that I've read. A Deception at Thornecrest has moved it to my must-read series list.

After discovering the series with A Dangerous Engagement (read my review), I did go back and read the first book in the series as I thought I was missing something with the characters by starting with book 6. I liked Amory enough but I wanted more of who she and Milo were as a couple. Reading book 1, Murder at the Brightwell (read my review) did feel me in on the beginnings of their relationship. Again, it was an enjoyable read but I didn't feel compelled to seek out the intervening books.

When I saw A Deception at Thornecrest at NetGalley I debated requesting it. I love the 1930s and I really like Amory. I figured it would a light read so I went ahead and requested it. I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it and find myself excited about future books in this series. I'm even thinking about going back picking up books 2 - 5.

Milo and Amory are more of a team than they were in the previous books I read. They've had a rocky marriage and they seem like they are more of a happy couple in this book. Which definitely played a part in my overall enjoyment of the story. Another reason I think I liked this novel more is that we get a lot of backstory on Milo that helps the reader understand him better.

Amory and Milo are at his family's country home while they await the arrival of their first child. Milo's mother died in childbirth so naturally, there is a bit about her but we also learn more about Milo's father when an unexpected visitor arrives.

I'm still curious about their background. They don't appear to be titled gentry, yet they have a country home and a flat in London (and possibly a house there as well). It is the 1930s and in most other books I read set during this period in England there is at least mention of the financial hardships the people are experiencing. However, there is no mention, not even a hint, that the country is experiencing an economic depression. It's a curiosity that I hope in a future book will be explained.

The mystery in A Deception at Thornecrest is a good one. Amory will soon learn that though everyone seems to know everyone's business in this small village there are a number of secrets that have remained buried. Is one of these secrets worth killing for?

I didn't guess the solution to the mystery. We have all the clues, but like Amory, I didn't feel like the pieces quite fit together.

I recommend spending the weekend in the country with Milo and Amory as this book is perfect for a lazy afternoon of reading.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday, September 2 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/09/a-deception-at-thornecrest-by-ashley.html