Cover Image: Murder at the Masked Ball

Murder at the Masked Ball

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Member Reviews

It's a light and entertaining historical cozy mystery set in the 20s. I had fun and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I think that some editing would help to make the book more gripping.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Hearts Afire Publishing and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The third installment in the cozy mystery series was delightful as the previous two. A light, engaging read that’s easy to enjoy.

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A Helping Hand..
The third in the Kitty Worthington series of historical mysteries and amateur sleuth, Kitty, is kept busy once again by the grim reaper - who it seems has been given a little helping hand. A masked ball in London provides a perfect backdrop for events outside of Kitty’s control but the least she can do is try to find a killer. With a well drawn and likeable cast this is an entertaining escapist read.

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This was such a fun read! It was honestly hard to put down.

I’m loving the path that Kitty’s character is on. Her character development is a real stand out in this book.

While I may have solved the mystery before the end, it didn’t take away any enjoyment I had reading.

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A light, breezy murder mystery set in the upper echelons of London society. The writing is unfortunately clunky — and the language surprisingly stiff for the 1920s setting, making one wish for a master of mystery and words like Dorothy L. Sayers. Still, the characters are likable, so I could see myself going back to read more from the series if I need mindless entertainment and have nothing better to read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Hearts Afire Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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The ensemble cast (the ace team) was a little different to many of the series I have read to date. It made for an interesting approach as they all had to agree and work together and even the authorities pay attention.

The story was a goodie and the author touches on some of the harder issues of the time (eg blatant wife/women abuse) whilst, for the most part keeping it light and cosy.

A most enjoyable, easy cozy murder mystery read.

This is my first read of a Magda Alexander novel and so too this series. It is written to stand alone and it was easy to pick up and follow the relationships as the mystery unfolded.

With thanks to Netgalley, Hearts Afire Publishing and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Another fine entry in the Kitty Worthington series. If you like Anne Perry or Phryne Fisher, you'll really enjoy this series-it hits all the highlights-spunky female heroine, a large cast of fun side characters with their own lives, and historical glitz and glamor with a smidge of romance. In this entry, Kitty and her committee are once again trying to save someone who has been wrongfully accused even though the evidence seems incontrovertible. The villains seriously deserve their fate, the heroes are fun and this is a light, fun romp all the way through.

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This book was an ARC. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read it.

First, after reading this book, I went back and read the first in the series to understand the relationships that carried over into Murder at the Masked Ball. I found that I enjoyed them both very much.

I loved that Kitty Worthington is an independent woman despite her romantic connection to Inspector Robert Crawford and that he allows her to be herself. She and her band of merry snoops excel at solving crimes, mostly murders. The good Inspector steps in to offer suggestions and guidance in the guise of doing his job and to keep an eye on Kitty, with whom he is besotted.

This cracking good tale centers around the Duke and Duchess of Brightwell's Midsummer Masquerade Ball, attended by 200 or so members of high society. In attendance are Lord Wakefield, a smarmy character if ever there was one, his much abused wife sporting facial bruising that makeup can't cover and her old flame, Lord Newcastle, whose torch is still very much lit.

When Wakefield is found at the bottom of the stairs, dead from a blow to the head, suspicion falls on Lord Newcastle, who is also a friend of Kitty and her family. The widow Wakefield engages Kitty to find the real killer before the man she loves is hanged. Through many twists and turns in the plot and a clever red herring in the form of Lord Hollingsworth, Kitty and her team solve the murder and Kitty gets her man.

4 stars

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witty, verbal-humor, cosy-mystery, costume-party, London, murder, murder-investigation, class-consciousness, family-dynamics, friendship, 1920s, abusive-spouse, women-s-rights, women's suffrage, women-sleuths, historical-fiction, pet, dog, law-enforcement, romantic*****

OK, so I loved book one but missed book two. This one is much fun with both romance and a solid investigation of the time while reminding us of the groundwork laid by the alert and involved women of that era. All of the characters are interesting and well drawn while the settings and attire are clearly and imaginatively portrayed. But it's the whodunit that really demanded my attention. The abusive spouse of a friend is dead at the foot of the stairs during a masked ball. Did he fall or was he pushed?
Let Kitty's sleuthing begin! Great light read!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from Hearts Afire Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

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An entertaining mystery set in the 1920s. Kitty, the main character, is smart but at times a bit reckless to the point it can annoy me a bit. She is surrounded by a group of sympathetic and supportive family and friends who help out finding information that allows Kitty to figure out who the culprit is (often outwitting the police in the process). Her dog, with a flatulent problem is funny and often steals the scene.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

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tl;dr
An intriguing central mystery featuring sympathetic characters and a dash of romance.

About
The murder of Lord Wakefield seems like an open and shut case. Lord Newcastle was found holding the murder weapon, and the body was located in a place no one else could get to. But Kitty Worthington doesn't believe him to be a killer, and she'll do whatever it takes to prove it - even if it means going up against the intelligent and upsettingly attractive Detective Inspector Crawford.

Thoughts
This is the third book in the series, so Kitty and her mystery-solving crew already have a few wins under their belt, and it shows. Character interactions feel well-developed, and the efficiency of the group makes for an easy read. The two new characters who join the group are both interesting, with one offering just a hint of love triangle for readers looking for romance. Kitty is a fun lead, smart enough to solve mysteries, and smart enough to know when to seek help. Her attitudes about women and classes reflect the attitudes of the time, and may be off-putting when her naiveté shows through, though. The main mystery is a good one - a murder with seemingly only one solution, and no other threads to pull on. The answers unfold at a good pace, with a few well-placed hints along the way to really stick the landing. Sub mysteries don't get as much time and are wrapped up with a handful of coincidences that might be frustrating to some readers. Romance is present throughout the book, although it largely takes a back seat until the mystery is solved, which I appreciated. No time to feel jealous when there's a dead body around. The ending was very well-timed, and makes a lot of space for future installments in the series.

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A fun and entertaining read with lots of great character's joining in to help solve the mystery. I haven't read the other books before this but still found it and enjoyable read although ideally you would read in order to follow some of the personal relationships. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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So excited when the newest title in this series popped up in Netgalley. I had to start it right away and of course, once started I had to finish to see what happened. The characters are so much fun and the situations and settings just add more to the reading experience.

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Kitty Worthington, her group of family and friends and her romantic interest Inspector Robert Crawford are back to solve their third murder mystery.

When Kitty’s friend is accused of murdering an earl, he becomes the prime suspect because he’s in love with the earl’s wife, who is being abused by her husband. Even though it initially seems like a bit of an open and shut case for Crawford, Kitty agrees to investigate herself. What she discovers is some previously hidden secrets and some twists and turns that leads to drug trafficking. Kitty’s whole crew comes back to help her, and we get some forward movement on her relationship with Inspector Crawford too.

The mystery in this third book was good, nothing groundbreaking, but it kept my attention and made this a quick, enjoyable read. I love Kitty’s family and friends and I think these characters are the best part of this series. I’m glad we’re getting more books and I’m looking forward to reading them!

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