This was a mystery on a ship during the time when people brought trunks of ships to cross the ocean. A man and his wife are travelling from the US to England when a prominent Spanish diplomat is horrifically murdered followed by a string of other unsettling crimes, and the man, a veteran and detective, is asked to solve the case before they dock in Liverpool.

This book had a bit of a real-time feel for me. There were a lot of characters and stream of consciousness narrative about who the murderer could be and different suspicions. It fell a bit flat with the pacing. The story itself in interesting but drawn out. If you're into the slow burn whodunnit with an old-timey feel, you might enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary electronic copy of this excellent historical novel from Netgalley, author Nev March, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Spanish Diplomat's Secret of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion on this work. I always thoroughly enjoy works by Nev Martin and happily recommend her work to friends and family. She writes a fine mystery, and this one is no exception.

We are asea on the HMS Etruriam in the summer of 1894, with former British Captain Jim Agnihotri and his wife Lady Diana Framji when Spanish Diplomat Don Juan Nepomuceno is brutally murdered in the ship's music room. In the next few days, still isolated at sea, Jim will attempt to solve the murder before they dock in London, to hopefully avert war between England and Spain and keep the ship's captain from rack and ruin. A good mystery, a wonderful look into life on a pre-20th-century luxury liner, and a fine peek into the mental synopses suffered by soldiers of war. I couldn't put it down.

894. Captain Jim Agnihotri and his wife Lady Diana Framj are on board HMS Etruria travelling to Liverpool. When the Governor of Bilbao Don Juan Nepomuceno is killed in the locked music room, Captain Hawley insists that Jim investigates. But why was he killed in that way. Then a suicide occurs. Are they linked.
A well-written and entertaining historical mystery with its cast of likeable and interesting characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
n ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Spanish Diplomat's Secret by Nev March is a downright delightful historical mystery, the third in the series, which takes place on a luxury liner on the Atlantic in 1894. Captain Jim O'Trey and his wife Lady Diana Framji are aboard and when murder happens early in the story they are on hand to investigate, Jim with his detective expertise and Diana with her ingenuity. Spaniard Don Juan and Jim met the evening before so when Don Juan is found dead, Jim is taken aback. Not only that but he is given only the eight days to solve the crime so is under intense pressure as he questions fellow passengers.

If you seek a fascinating series with cultural bits, do add this to your list. The historical detail is described in such a way that I felt I was on the ship, too. Mysteries which take place on the sea with nowhere to go intrigue me. I really like the husband/wife duo's relationship with its realistic ups and downs.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with with a digital copy of this rewarding novel.

This is the second book by Nev March I have read.

Jim and his wife Diana are crossing the Atlantic hoping to make a new start back in England. However, while on their cruise the passenger Don Juan is murdered, and Jim is pulled in to do an investigation. He must balance his relationship with Diana along with figuring out who the murderer is, despite all the passengers and crew being very secretive.

The author's strengths are the details put into the writing. However, sometimes it seems repetitive and the plot moves slowly. Not much is discovered for a long time in the book. I prefer books where at least a few clues are given along the way instead of just questions upon questions to the point where you feel like you haven't moved ahead at all.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book #sponsored

n this followup to "Murder in Old Bombay" and "Peril at the Exposition", Jim Agnihotri and his new wife Diana are returning to England by ship when a fellow passenger is killed. Jim had just met the man the previous night, and his curiousity is aroused. Diana plays a pivotal role in his investigation, as she has in the previous books.

The onboard setting doesn't give the active pair as wide a range as in the previous books, and it felt a bit claustrophobic. But Nev March is a great story-teller, and this is an interesting mystery with a wide-ranging variety of characters.

I miss the Indian setting of the previous novels, and hope that it will become a more important part of future books in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Inspector Jim and Lady Diana Ontrée or cruising from New York to Liverpool and on board is the Spanish diplomat when Jim meet him on the deck the last thing he thinks he will be investigating his murder but that is exactly what happens with international implications the task Falls to gym. He must solve the crime to avoid an international incident but what he finds is the Spanish diplomat had more than one enemy on board a ship with 1000 strangers he also learns the Spanish diplomat wasn’t the only thing a value the captain was toting across the Atlantic when Jim get seasickness it will be up to Lady Diana 10 Vesta gate the case then thanks to her Grace intact she may just get the job done with a little help from her nauseated husband. With a couple finds out sometimes even being thousands of miles from home You may just bring the trouble with you. This was a fun mystery and I am going to be honest and say I did not guess the ending until it was almost announced. Most good mysteries have believable suspects in this one is packed full of them. From old slites to new ones they are not short of could be murderers. Can Jim and lady Diana solve the case before they make it to Liverpool? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to any mystery fan. it doesn’t get better than great mystery on the high seas and that is exactly what you get with The Spanish Diplomat Secret by Nev March. I want to think Minotaur books Saint martins press and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This is a good series and I liked this mystery set on a ship with a restricted number of suspects.
Please don't call it a closed-room because it's not an impossible crime and the room are not closed.
That said I think that Jim and Diana are a great couple and like them, the historical setting and life on a passenger ship are well described and vivid.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
It's a bit slow at times and not my favourite even if I enjoyed it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

THE SPANISH DIPLOMAT’S SECRET by Nev March
Publication: 9/ 12/ 2023 by St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books
Page Count: 400
Also: Macmillan Audio
Narrated by: Vikas Adam


Meet the progenitor of James Bond in 1894 British India .. Captain James Agnihotri (aka Jim O’Trey)… now recently married to Lady Diana. Jim is a half-caste orphan and Diana is from a noble, wealthy Indian family. Jim become endeared to the family will his previous sleuthing to clear up a family mystery - dilemma. Once Diana set her sights on him , he was easily won over. With Diana’s social skills in high society, and Jim’s investigative skills and army background they make a formidable couple, and have a penchant to apply the deductive skills of their hero, Sherlock Holmes.
In the Summer of 1894 they have embarked on a transatlantic ocean voyage from Boston to Liverpool, along with an international list of a thousand passengers. Jim is sensing some underlying current of dissatisfaction in Diana’s mood … the trip will be an excellent time to root it out. Jim is aware that almost more pressing will be his penchant for sea-sickness. True to form he finds himself on deck and vomiting over the side. He is approached and offered comfort by a Spanish gentleman, who identifies himself as Don Juan Nepomuceno… a fellow soldier and comrade in-arms. The next day Jim received a note from Don Juan urgently requesting his presence in his stateroom. Before he can comply, the gentlemen is found garroted in his locked stateroom. The ships Captain Hawley, once he’s aware of Jim’s background, enlists his aid in solving the crime … hopefully before they reach Liverpool, and avert an international crisis. Jim undertakes the investigation with the aid of Lady Diana. There are literally a thousand suspects and no witnesses. Using their Sherlock Homes-like skills they relentlessly pursue an extensive and all encompassing investigation … all the while realizing their time clock mercilessly is winding down. They soon learn that the Don was certainly not a beloved person with his checkered past history. There is an abundance of those onboard who hold malice. The fact that Don Juan is a highly placed in the Spanish nobility threatens to create an international calamity.
Nev March proves to be a master storyteller, weaving a narrative with ever increasing tension and suspense as the facts and clues are teased out, while incorporating relevant Indian history and customs into this marvelous soufflé. I look forward to the further investigative adventures of Captain Jim and Lady Diana. This can be devoured as a standalone as the author expertly weaves an necessary backstory into the narrative. I personally switched back and forth between my kindle and the audiobook, narrated by the marvelous Vikas Adam. Hi wonderful narration brought this complex tale alive in the theatre of my mind. Thanks to NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance AudioBook in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “The Spanish Diplomat’s Secret.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Finding a murder aboard a cruise ship is fraught with surprises, as ex-British Army captain James Agnihotri (now using the name James O’Trey, due to a bureaucratic error; but, as we know, society would receive that name ever so much better) and his wife Diana discover in “The Spanish Diplomat’s Secret,” the third in their historical mystery series, this one set aboard the liner HMS Etruria, bound for England. A note; although these can be read as standalones, for the most enjoyment, best to start with book one, “Murder in Old Bombay.” But hurry and catch up, won’t you?

What’s the Spanish Diplomat’s secret? Well, it might just remain one, because the courtly gentleman who helped Jim with a bout of seasickness and who soon afterwards summons Jim to an urgent meeting is found dead. In between comforting his wife, who’s having a few issues, and dreading the sea voyage because of his illness, Jim is asked to put his detective background to work to find Don Nepomuceno’s assailant, before it causes a diplomatic incident.

And boy, are there lots of secrets to be discovered here. Past events, with heavy mentions that there are people happy that the man is dead. A large cast of characters thrown together on a boat. Even the hint of the supernatural -- something that ships are known for. It becomes evident the murderer is very clever. The author is equally clever in setting it all up for us to solve, that’s for sure.

Readers are reminded that this is 1894; people dress for dinner, manners are followed (language what’s fit for the ears of ladies, for example). And Jim’s mixed-race heritage is always below the surface, in his thoughts and his dealings with people, and what that meant at the time.

Remember that mention of “a diplomatic incident.” It soon becomes apparent that there’s a lot more to it than that, a lot more. Author Nev March works a history lesson into her narrative, always a plus. Then again -- “money - the root of all evil,” as the book says. You get to decide.

There’s a big finish, with Jim fighting his seasickness (readers may find the description of that a little over the top, you’ve been warned), and Diana definitely doing her part for her man. Justice needs serving, with peace between two great nations perchance dependent upon it. And justice comes, but perhaps not the one foreseen or desired. Readers may decide to pull out their “justice meter” on that one, too.

“The Spanish Diplomat’s Secret” offers up strong characters, an engrossing story, surprising twists, and a mystery, satisfactorily explained. Our ending also finds Diana wanting more in her life. These two have been through so much; you’ll want to stay tuned.

Goodness, I love the relationship between Jim and Diana and their romance is especially adorable on this crime-riddled cross-ocean voyage in The Spanish Diplomat. This one’s basically a locked-room mystery, meaning all the culprits Jim investigates must exist aboard the ship, making the mystery that much more entertaining and intriguing. There are a lot of cultural and historical references, too, and the cast of characters was interesting.
I’ve physically read (and enjoyed) the first two in this series, but this 3rd I mostly listened to on audio and throughly enjoyed. I had both the ebook and the audio and felt more drawn to listening to the mystery via audio. Admitting, it took some time to sort all the people out, but once I had that figured, I was totally hooked on all the twists and turns Diana and Jim encountered during their investigation - Diana is such a charming and clever sidekick.
I definitely recommend this series, but this book could certainly be read as a standalone. It gives Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes vibes and I really enjoyed it.

This historical mystery takes place in the late 19th century aboard a transatlantic crossing as the title characters head from the US to England. The journey is filled with intrigue, murder and chaos when a Spanish diplomat is found dead. encounters a Spanish diplomat who is well connected in Spain. Because the Diplomat is well connected in Spain, the ship’s captain enlists the lead protagonist to solve the death of the Diplomat by the time the ship docks in the US. Captain Jim, who has somewhat of a reputation of solving crimes, sets up an early version of a Murder Board, and uses the Sherlock Holmes novels as the starting point of his investigation. The story drags and goes on and on in the middle, as Jim analyzes and analyzes each clue multiple times. There are lots of red herrings and plenty of suspects. The mystery is filled with red herrings and murder suspects as the characters race across the Atlantic. This book is the first for me from this author. It is well worth the read.

The Spanish Diplomat’s Secret by Nev March

This is my kind of book: Great characters with a clever, well-written and engaging story. James O’Trey and his wife, Diana, are on a sea voyage from New York to Liverpool. A murder and other odd events have occurred on board. James is tasked with finding the killer and solving the mysteries. Time is short. He must hurry.

Many passengers are questioned, yet discerning what’s true and what isn’t is trying. It’s 1894, so superstitions and tales of the sea also complicate the inquiries. Diana helps her newish husband clarify certain muddy areas.

Many thanks for this ARC from the publisher and #NetGalley. I rate this enjoyable “who-dun-it” five stars, as it checks all the boxes for me and keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

A fun cozy historical mystery though a little meandering and lengthy for this type of story. It is a classic locked-room mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, and I couldn't help wishing snarky Poirot was on the case. Instead, Captain Jim Agnihotri and his wife Lady Diana Framji are on board a cruise ship heading to Liverpool in the late 1800s. When Spanish diplomat Don Juan Nepomuceno is murdered, suspects are plentiful and everyone has secrets to hide.

This is the third book in the Captain Jim and Lady Diana mysteries. I had not read the prior two books, and while this can be read as a standalone, I felt like I was missing something of each character's past life. They have immigrated to America where Jim is working for a detective agency, and while their individual backstories are mentioned and Jim, particularly, ruminates about life in India, there were parts that still remained a bit unclear.

The plot is interesting and there are many side characters, but I had little problem keeping them straight. However, the writing and pacing seemed a bit uneven, and the story definitely seemed in need of tightening up. The historical aspects of the story are well done, especially its discussion of class and colonialism in India and abord the ship. The details of all the trunks the higher class passengers stored for the trip, as well as the amount of food and alcohol required for the lengthy trip was fascinating.

I'm not sure I'd continue with the series although I'm now contemplating going back to read books one and two to learn more about these characters.

Early into a trip from the US to England, we find Jim O’Trey (Agnihotri) spewing his meal overboard. An elder Spanish gentleman sits with Jim as Jim recovers, and reveals that he, too, was a soldier, and has a regret for some past action.

Jim and Diana are on a six-day trip, hoping to relax and have some fun before they meet up with Diana’s brother Adi, who awaits them. Jim knows something is bothering Diana, and there is tension between them, which they set aside when the Spanish gentleman is murdered. The Captain appoints Jim to determine who the killer is before they land in Liverpool, and the transport company penalizes the Captain.

Jim is between a rock and a hard place; there are several hundred passengers to question, though because this happened in First Class, the pool of suspects is thankfully somewhat reduced. Also, the man was killed in a locked music room, and there are conflicting stories of what people saw around the time of the murder, and conflicting alibis.

Diana uses her charm to suss out some information and motives, while Jim struggles at times to get anything out of those he questions (his own past is a factor in these situations, as the years of abuse he received because of his biracial parentage means he never feels the equal of these potential suspects, despite his successesp.)

Jim interrogates many, and the more he learns, the more confusing things seem. He eventually finds out that the diplomat’s death is linked to a terrible 20-year-old incident, and unless he finds the connections, and the murderer, the current political tensions between Britain and Spain could result in a serious international incident. So, no pressure, right?

I love Jim and Diana. Jim is still plagued by memories around the time of his serious injury, which, though terrible for him, I liked, because of how the effects of his trauma linger believably, and continue to affect him.

And Diana remains the vital, intelligent and compassionate woman we met in book one, easily managing hunting for clues while always finding the right outfit, for dinner but with more experiences to temper her understanding of the world.

And frustrating as I found it, I think Jim began the voyage overly protective and still in some awe of the intelligent and highly capable Diana. I could see him sending her out of the room repeatedly for what could have been important or relevant conversations to the investigation, without thinking how Diana might react. Or remembering how well Diana had fared when tracking him down in Chicago. I was also concerned that despite realizing he would have to reveal to Diana that Adi had a specific reason for coming to England, he still said nothing to her by the end of the book.

But, I have hope for Jim, as he had grown somewhat by the end of the book, and was more cognizant of what he had been doing to his partner. And of course he figured out the frustrating murder case using his favourite fictional detective’s methods.

I like this series. Its gentle, kind main characters (yes, I know Jim boxed and can be violent when needed) who want to right wrongs are enjoyable to spend time with. Plus, I love all the history author Nev March weaves into this series. I’ve learned things with each book, while also having fun trying to solve each case, which I did again in this entertaining instalment.

I look forward to more Diana and Jim adventures.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The latest in the series brought me right back to why I really like these characters and their prevailing lives. Jim and Diane are traveling to Europe. Their Atlantic-crossing voyage features, memorable characters, dignitaries and murders. The plot is engrossing.

The death of the Spanish Diplomat starts it all. Jim must figure out who killed the diplomat before the ship ports to avoid a conflict between Spain and Great Britain. Diane proves once again why she’s just as important to solving the mystery.

This entry had Agatha Christie vibes. Even though my early guess of the killer proved right, I enjoyed reading the book. I loved the callback to the earlier books, especially the first book. I’m invested in Jim and Diane and hope there are many more stories ahead.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for an ARC.

I so enjoyed this locked door mystery. Jim and Diana are on another adventure, this time on a cruise ship bound for England. Jim is just getting Diana to talk to him about what is bothering her when he receives a message from a man he met the day before. When he goes to look for the man, he finds out the man had been murdered. He is in a locked room with no sign of the killer anywhere. How could this be? The more Jim investigates, the murkier things get. Then people come to him because small things have gone missing. He is only supposed to investigate a murder, not missing objects. Diana is so good with people and Jim relies on her to see things that he doesn't. They only have a few days before they reach Liverpool to find the murderer. You would think that having a ship full of people with nowhere for them to go, you would be able to find the culprit. It's not that easy.

I'm rounding this up from about a 3.75 to 4. I enjoyed this one a lot more than I did book 2. Diana and Jim are traveling to England on a cruise ship when a Spanish diplomat is murdered and Jim is given the task of finding the culprit before they land in Liverpool in eight days. Again there were a lot of characters but since this was basically a locked room mystery the cast was limited and characters didn't float in and out of the story. I felt like we saw more growth in Jim and Diana that was missing for me from book #2. Jim's hero is Sherlock Holmes and it was fun to see Diana and Jim referencing different Conan Doyle stories to the mystery at hand. The end wrapped up pretty neatly and it was fun to learn more about the Agnihotri's.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

I enjoyed this one but not as much as others. I do love the historical facts and culture that pervade these books. I love how they're not very US-centric, but more focused on a bunch of other countries. But my goodness, the protagonists basically wastes 4-5 days onboard just asking questions to which he is given unsatisfactory answers, or no answers at all, and not doing anything about it. I may read the next one in the series, but I also may not.

The Spanish Diplomat's Secret is book 3 in the Captain Jim and Lady Diana Mysteries by Nev March.
I read book two Peril at the Exposition and loved everything about it.
The third book was no different.
An engaging nineteenth-century mystery story of the transatlantic voyage.
The author’s writing is detailed and remarkable.
I enjoyed the historical backdrop, and the well-developed, diverse cast of characters.
A riveting, totally engaging novel. I sure hope to read more of these.
This is an exciting story with many twists and I had trouble putting the book down.
I need book one Murder in Old Bombay. Because this is becoming a very interesting series.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!