A twisty murder mystery with a very clever plot. Love this author!
Many thanks to AuthorBuzz and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read a lot of Lucinda’s books. This is very different and I loved it and couldn’t put it down. I found it to be very clever with lots of twists and turns. I wish this would have been a series. Rest in peace Lucinda Riley, and thank you for bringing enjoyment into my reading. Also thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.

I had never read Lucinda Riley’s books before. But I ran across “The Murders at Fleat House” on Netgalley and it sounded interesting. Since it was available and I was in the mood for a good mystery so I thought I’d give it a try.

It was a mystery written many years ago, before Lucinda Riley became a published writer and her only crime novel.

According to the brief introduction by her son (the author had died), the novel was unchanged since his mother had written it in 2006 and it had not been published until now.


I liked this book from the start but found it complicated.

For reasons unconnected with the book, I took a 4 day break when I was half-way through. I wasn’t sure if I could pick up on this complicated story. But that was no problem at all.

But back to the book itself. It starts with a murder of a student at an English boarding school which of course gets your attention pretty quickly. If you recall the title has the word “murders’ so you can be pretty sure that there will be more.

But those crimes don’t come right away since it is necessary to introduce the many characters in the story besides the murderer and the murdered. It is done well and quite a few of those introduced seem to have a motive for murder.

The main character is Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter who had recently left the police force in London because of a bad marriage to another officer and was settling down in in small village in Norfolk, East Anglia. Before she is completely settled, she is asked to lead the investigation into the student’s murder.

As mentioned before, many of the characters had motive. DI Hunter has to sort through all that as well as a number of personal issues.

The story is fast paced and well-done. I enjoyed it and hope you will too.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Thanks for the ARC. What can I say? I didn't want to put this book down once I started reading it. I did but could not wait to get back to reading it. What a great mystery!. Will recommend!

I am a Lucinda Riley fan. However, this find of an unpublished early novel is clearly not up to her standards.
The publisher mentions that it did not undergo her usual intense revisions. It shows. Sadly, I cannot recommend this book.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a kindle version of "The Murders at Fleat House" in exchange for an honest review.

I love British mysteries and this is a good one! There is a death at a boarding school in Norfolk, England. Then we meet the parents, the other kids, the police, and various other interested parties. Usually when an author jumps between different characters within a story it is difficult to follow and jarring to the reader who has to jump back and forth. In this case, however, it is done with such exquisite perfection that it flows beautifully. I don't think I've ever read a book that changed viewpoints as smoothly as this. The mystery itself was deep and complex and would even stump Dame Agatha herself! Very satisfying! The characters were well fleshed out and realistic and enjoyable to get to know.

My only (very minor) criticism is that the portrayal of DNA testing was not accurate in some of the scientific details.

I am extremely sad that the author has died and will not be able to make a series out of this cast of characters. I'd love to see her son take it from here!

I have been a fan of the late author Lucinda Riley (1965-2021) for some time so I was eager to get my hands on this novel. Though released for the first time this year, Riley actually wrote this book in 2006. And, as her son explains in an opening letter to readers, this is Riley's manuscript from that time. Her family did not alter or revise it.

Having read many of her other novels, I did get the sense this was a less polished manuscript. It's a straightforward mystery, the only mystery I think she ever wrote. But only some characters feel fully developed. And I felt there was a bit of superficiality that I haven't found in her other books. So, perhaps, four stars is a little bit of a gift. But what can I say? I'm loyal.

The book's setting is St. Stephen's boys school in England, where the apparent accidental death of a student brings talented Detective Jasmine "Jazz" Hunter to the campus. Jazz has been on leave for seven months -- questioning her career choices -- following a bitter divorce. And the request to return to verify the accidental nature of this death is a thinly veiled effort by her supervisor to get her back to work.

Naturally, the more Jazz investigates, the more questions arise. And shortly after her arrival, a well-respected older teacher commits suicide. Could the deaths be related?

The theme of bullying and its potentially tragic consequences runs throughout. There are lots of characters to track. The headmaster and his secretary, the dorm master and matron, parents of several students and the students themselves. As well as other police investigators. Hidden love affairs are discovered, marriages end, and of course the ex-husband must make an appearance.

The momentum of the "who done it" builds throughout the book and the pace of the last third is quite dazzling. But much like Agatha Christie, the solution to this mystery is not one a reader is likely to figure out. There are simply two many hidden connections between characters that we aren't privy to until the very end of the book.

It's a fast-paced read. Quite enjoyable. Just not my favorite by this author.

3.8 Stars
One Liner: Elaborate but engaging
There has been a death at the Fleat House in St Stephen, a private boarding school in Norfolk. The Chief gets Detective Inspector Jazmine (Jazz) to work on the case. Jazz takes up reluctantly. After all, she has just moved to Norfolk and pretty much left her job with the Yard.
The case should have been easy but isn’t as things start to happen around them. More suspects join the list as Jazz and her Sergeant Miles try to fill the gaps. Life gets complicated when personal issues force Jazz to divide her attention between her life and the case. It doesn’t help that she has to deal with some pricks from her near past.
With so much happening, can Jazz uncover the truth and find the killer before it’s too late?
The story comes in third person POV.
The author wrote the book in 2006. It was published posthumously in May 2022.

My Observations:
I’ve read only one book by the author but understood that she liked elaborate plots. This one is no different. Multiple tracks run in parallel, though some are not connected to the main plot.
The pacing is slow to medium, with no progress in some places. Things happen on and off, which is probably because the book wasn’t thoroughly edited (as mentioned in the foreword).
Jazz is a great character, and it saddens me to think she may not have more books. I love the multiple shades in her arc.
The story is set in 2005/ 2006 and uses modern technology but has a historical feel to it. It suits the laidback Norfolk setting and keeps things authentic.
This isn’t exactly a cozy mystery or fully police procedural. It’s a blend of two, which I find very interesting.
I guessed most of the twists (including the murder), but I like books where my guesses are correct, so that’s a bonus. It means the plot is logical (or as much as it can be). ;)
To sum up, The Murders at Fleat House is an engaging mystery with an elaborate plot and a capable main lead. I enjoyed this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and AuthorBuzz, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley is a true salute to Agatha Christie. Everyone is a suspect; everyone has a motive. As soon as you think you know the true culprit, another body turns up. You are also privy to the private lives of the suspects as well as that of DI Jazz Hunter. This novel is all the more poignant because of Lucinda Riley’s passing. This is a very enjoyable, realistic and complex murder mystery. Perfect for the amateur sleuth.

I was so sorry to hear about the passing of Lucinda late last year. The world lost such an amazing author but I feel very lucky that her son has released this novel that she wrote back in 2006 so that we get to continue enjoying her work.
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Just like all of the previous Lucinda Riley books that I have read I was soon swept away into the story. I did listen to this also on audio which I highly recommend because it was published raw and unedited which I personally don’t think distracted me from the story but I loved the English accents.
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The story is centred around the sudden death of a student from St Stephens school in Norfolk. Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter has recently stepped away from her job in the force but reluctantly comes back to investigate what is first thought to be an accidental death. Together with her team, she enters into a complicated investigation where secrets have been deeply hidden.
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I cannot believe this was Lucinda’s first mystery novel! It had all the elements that make a great story. I could really see that she would have turned this into a series featuring Jazz and her team.
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Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC.

I love books with elite private school settings and Fleat House definitely hit the mark. This was a quieter, compelling mystery that kept me guessing who was not only going to be the next victim, but who was behind all of the craziness. I totally recommend this to all of you who love a good mystery.
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This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review…thanks to the author for the electronic copy. This is a cannot put down novel by a talented and gifted author…reads almost like an Agatha Christie…if I could give it a plus five I would…characters not so likable which is necessary in a murder mystery…some characters we like…I discerned the murderer early on but others may not…red herrings abound…the story moves quickly…I liked this book. I really liked this story…reads like true crime…

Oh my gosh what a book!!!!

I was part of a read-a-long for The Murders of Fleat House and it was quite interesting to see everyone’s thoughts throughout the book.

This was my first Lucinda Riley book and I am so sorry I never picked up one of her books before. I will be doing so in the future.

This book was beautifully written. The characters were fantastic. I kept seeing this as a movie or series while reading. It would make a great tv series.

Lots of characters. And lots of suspects. The constant who did it vibe going throughout the book.

The ending was cleverly kept a secret throughout the book and only really gave us hints very close to the end.

I wish there was more. It’s just a well written, unputdownable, page turning book.

It’s a well deserved 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟read

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from AuthorBuzz and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A gifted storyteller with a spellbinding new tale. Lucinda Riley weaves an interesting tale that will have you enamored from the beginning. Thrills, chills, twists and turns. Pick this one up and be ready for a wild ride in the best way.

I love her writings. I love her story telling. This, her latest and last, was full of twists and turns, with characters that you could care about and intrigue galore. What a great read. I couldn’t put it down.

The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley is a gripping mystery novel that follows Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter as she investigates the death of a pupil at a small English boarding school.

The case takes a turn when it becomes clear that foul play may be involved, and Jazz must contend with a cast of suspects, including staff and students at the school.

As she gets closer to the truth, Jazz must also confront her demons, making this the most challenging murder investigation of her career.

***

The brand-new standalone by Lucinda Riley is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery novel that will keep you guessing until the end.

Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter is a compelling protagonist- she’s smart and tenacious, and I loved watching her grow and develop throughout the novel as she came to terms with her past. The supporting cast of characters is also excellent, and the suspects she must contend with are diverse and intriguing.

The suspense is palpable, making it a truly gripping read. Lucinda Riley was a master of the mystery genre, and even if The Murders at Fleat House is her only murder mystery, it represents a brilliant example of her skill as a storyteller. This book is an excellent gift for all Lucinda Riley’s fans to enjoy another fantastic story penned by a great novelist we will miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Fleat House – One of the eight boarding houses of St Stephen’s School. Old, dank, dark, eerie, and foreboding, its cellar is rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of a student who died tragically in 1979.

At a prestigious private school in the Norfolk countryside, a six-former, Charlie Cavendish has been found dead in Fleat House. At first glance his death is ruled accidental – the result of an epileptic fit. Until it is discovered that the Epilim pills Charlie took to control his epilepsy had been replaced by aspirin, a medication Charlie was deadly allergic to – a fact that was well known among the staff and pupils of St Stephen’s. Due to Charlie’s unlikeable, spoiled, smarmy nature, and the fact that he had a reputation as the school bully, means the suspect list is endless.

Then, another body is discovered. And the person also has a connection to Fleat House. What is going on at St Stephens?

In the past couple of months I’ve tried reading this twice, and have been unable to make it past the first chapter, and I couldn’t understand why, as everything about it sounded right up my alley. Out of desperation, and knowing I had to give it a good go since it was a Netgalley e-ARC, I purchased the audiobook with one of my audible credits. And it paid off, I had no issue with the audio, and raced through the 480 pages over a day and a half. The narrator – Gemma Whelan – used an even tone which was the perfect choice, as to be honest the writing was rather wordy, old-fashioned, and somewhat droll, likely because the novel was largely unedited (more on that later). I really enjoyed the accents she used too.

The crime plot was excellent – well-crafted, twisty, and surprising. It was an Agatha Christie style murder mystery with a cosy feel as well as a police procedural. Definitely reminded me of an episode of Midsomer Murders. It also had a creepy gothic feel which I loved, and I’m a sucker for a boarding school setting. For those who are worried this might be too YA, rest assured there was little teenage angst and few teen characters, and all the POV’s (police/suspects/victim/s) were adults. Furthermore, I like how the author used a storm storm to stall the investigation and separate characters. Made for some tense reading, knowing the murderer was likely to strike again with everyone distracted. The protagonist, DI Jazmine (Jazz) Hunter was an interesting, compelling character – not my favourite female detective by any means – but I enjoyed her POV, and cared about what happened to her. Although, I would’ve preferred there to be less focus on her personal life, as it really took away from the central mystery and meant this book was a tad too long. But, I understand why, as the way the book ended it was obvious that this was supposed to be the start of a series featuring DI Jazz Hunter, and her team.

Sadly though this was not meant to be as the author Lucinda Riley passed away last year following a four year long battle with cancer. Known for her successful historical contemporary drama novels, this was the only mystery Riley ever penned, and I think she did a wonderful job creating a unique, memorable, multi-layered mystery. Lucinda Riley wrote the manuscript back in 2006, and even though The Murders at Fleat House did utilise cell phones and modern technology, it was few and far in between, giving this murder mystery a timeless quality. To preserve Lucinda Riley’s original manuscript, when her son Harry Whittaker chose to publish The Murders at Fleat House this year, he applied the briefest of editing.

It’s a shame there will be no continuation to this series as I’d have loved to read more. If Harry Whittaker ever does decide to extend this into a series on his mother’s behalf, like he intends to do with The Seven Sisters series, I’d be keen as.

I’d like to thank Netgally US, AuthorBuzz, and Lucinda Riley/Harry Whittaker for the e-ARC.

Available Now!

The Murders at Fleat House
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Genre: Mystery
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 5/26/22
Author: Lucinda Riley
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 576
Goodreads Rating: 4.30

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: The sudden death of a pupil in Fleat House at St Stephen’s. But the local police cannot rule out foul play and the case prompts the return of high-flying Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter to the force. Reunited with her loyal sergeant Alastair Miles, she enters the closed world of the school, and as Jazz begins to probe the circumstances surrounding Charlie Cavendish’s tragic death, events are soon to take another troubling turn. Charlie is exposed as an arrogant bully. As staff at the school close ranks, the disappearance of young pupil Rory Millar and the death of an elderly Classics master provide Jazz with important leads, but are destined to complicate the investigation further.

My Thoughts: It starts out at a slower pace but begins to heat up. This book was a bit on the long side, but worth the time investment to read. This is a find in Riley’s things from early 2000’s, through her son, it is sad that we will not get to experience this author’s beautiful work with Hunter and Miles any longer, being the first conversion from historical to crime fiction was amazing. The characters were well developed and had depth, mystery, were creative, and intriguing. The author’s writing had complex layers, was suspenseful, and kept me engaged. The plot was detailed and came together nicely. This was a fast paced mystery that slowly put the puzzle pieces together solving the mystery. I would recommend this book to anyone and would also hope that there might be more hidden treasures from her family.

I really loved this complicated Who Dunnit and the boarding school trope is one that I never seem to tire of.

The story revolves around the death of a seventeen year old bully with a female Detective Inspector easing back into the workplace after resigning earlier in the year.

A cross between a police procedural and a murder mystery but not quite a Cozy, the likable characters out number the unappealing ones. No overt details or descriptions either. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a maze type book without much bloodshed and the parameters fit perfectly here.

I also loved the detailed plotline and wondering how everything would piece together.

Thank you to the Estate of Lucinda Riley, Pan Macmillian, and NetGalley for my advance review copy. Available now.

Reviews submitted to Amazon and Barnes and Noble on 6/23/22

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic police procedural with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I really enjoyed Jazz and how her personal and professional life merge as part of the storyline.

I have never read a Lucinda Riley book before and was sad to hear that this book is being published posthmously. She was an amazing writer and this book is a great tribute to that.