What a prologue!  Jessica Fellowes has a gift with words...they seem to flow seamlessly.  Her books aren't in the realm of ordinary and this, her fourth in the Mitford Murders series, is my favourite so far.   All you require is hot cocoa or tea and a toasty corner and immerse yourself.  We can all use more of that these days.

Louisa and Guy Sullivan are newlyweds when Louisa decides to join the Mitfords on a three-week cruise as a lady's maid.  She is independent and could use the generous salary as well as relaxation.  Well, she doesn't exactly relax...who could with criminals aboard the ship with no escape?  As an amateur sleuth she inveigles, interviews and observes not only the Mitfords but the staff and other fellow travelers.  The twisty secrets are brilliant and unexpected which I love.  There is a lot to gush about but spoiling is awful.

Historical Fiction fans ought to enjoy this.  Reading the series in order would benefit but is not crucial.  The characters are well settled, if you know what I mean, in their own groove.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest review.  Much appreciated.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book is the fourth book in the Mitford murder series. Louisa is very excited about marrying Guy. Louisa is drawn into a murder mystery that has more questions than answers. This book had many twists and turns. I cant wait to read the next book.

Date reviewed/posted: November 20, 2020

When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is once again closed and you are continuing to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #secondwave is upon us,  superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today.

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

Once again, we have a stellar mystery book revolving around the amazing Mitford sisters - one could not ask for a disparate group of siblings, trust me. Louisa and Guy have a pickle of a crime to deal with in a dangerous time in Europe as Fascism rears its ugly head.  The characters are wonderfully crafted and the plot gripping - readable as a stand-alone book and as part of the series 


As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I simply adore emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube  Millionaires/snowflakes / literally-like-overusers etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it ☕☕☕☕ have a cuppa, sit and enjoy it!

This book is incredible. It is fast-paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Whenever I picked up "The Mitford Trial", I was whisked back in time, and went on an emotional journey with this story. 

This is the fourth book in Jessica Fellowes "The Mitford Murders" Series, and what a book it is! Ms. Fellowes truly knows how to bring the world of her novel to life, and she seamlessly blends history and historical fiction. You really feel like you are a part of the story through the way Ms. Fellowes brilliantly weaves her character's thoughts, dialogue, and the various locations together, and I could envision each and every part of the book. I could truly feel the ship rocking on the sea, hear and see the whispers of everyone onboard, and envision the different classes and what their lives would be like on the ship.

Louisa is such a strong, intelligent, and kind-hearted protagonist. She strongly cares for those she loves, and will go to great lengths to protect them. When she is put in a difficult position, she must decide what to do, and I can only imagine how difficult certain decisions were to make. 

Guy is such a kind, determined, and loving man who wants the best for those around him. He wants to see justice done fairly and in the right way, as well as to ensure the protection of those he loves most. 

I do not want to write any spoilers in this review, so I will simply say that the mystery within the book kept me guessing up until the very end. I enjoyed how Ms. Fellowes structures the telling of the story, and the time jumps are smooth and really help to frame everything going on quite well. People and events are not always as clear cut as they appear to be.

If you enjoy historical mystery and / or historical fiction novels, I highly recommend this book. It had me turning the pages late into the night to see what would happen next, and (no spoilers!), there are quite a number of twists and turns that made my mouth drop. 

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, I absolutely could not put it down. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.