Amanda Flower in To Slip the Bonds of Earth looks back to the first days of flight with the Wrights. Wilbur and Orville have had their first flight but their diagrams that will allow patent claims go missing. Their sister Katherine is a Latin teacher and determined to recover the drawings. Meanwhile a murder implicates one of her students and her friends. How can she find the murderer and the papers?

I enjoyed being introduced to a fictionalized version of the Wright family, and choosing Katherine, sister of Orville and Wilbur, as the main character and sleuth was a fun choice. I am hopeful that in future books, Katherine experiences more character growth than in this first book, as at times I found her grating. The book’s pace was rather slow for my liking, but I do intend to continue the series to see how Katherine grows.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

To Slip the Bonds of Earth is book #1 in the A Katharine Wright Mystery series by Amanda Flower.

I’ve always been interested in the Wright Brothers and an a fan of Amanda Flower so I was excited to read this book. It did not disappoint! Katherine was a likable character and a bit ahead of her time. I enjoyed following along as she investigated. The book was an entertaining read and I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Amanda Flower gives us another great historical mystery. This book is based on Wilbur and Orville Wright, focusing on their sister Katharine.

When the brothers come home for Christmas, their airplane plans disappear and they have to find them as they are not yet patented and anyone could use them and claim the idea was theirs.

Katherine helps solve the mystery when her prime suspect in their circle of friends ends up stabbed to death. There are many people who could have been the thief. You will be surprised at the end when you learn who the thief is.

This is a very good book that you will not want to put down until you know the solution to the mystery. I thank Kensington Publishers and NetGalley for the copy I received. The opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this very much! Having lived my entire life in the Dayton,OH area, I was excited to read this, and it didn't disappoint. Amanda Flower gives us a well researched story filled with vivid historical detail and a gripping mystery. She does a wonderful job bringing the time period, the city of Dayton, and the Wright family to life in this intriguing historical mystery.

Katharine Wright is the book's protagonist. She is a strong-willed, smart, and capable woman. In To Slip the Bonds of Earth, she is trying to solve a murder and at the same time help her brothers when one of them loses something of importance.

This was an entertaining read with a well plotted mystery. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with accurate historical details.

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

Did Not Finish @20%

I didn't like the MC from page 1 [which is really difficult to enjoy what you are reading when you want to smack the MC; her disrespect and mouthiness and inability to see ANYONE'S view but her own makes for a very frustrating read] and that just increased as her treatment of her "best" friend is shown [Full props to Ag to staying friends with Katharine; I would have bailed years ago]. Add in the now inevitable [it would seem] rehashing of what has already happened or has already been said [we find out the MC's view on men, love, and marriage no less than THREE times in the first FIVE chapters] and a very over-dramatic narrator [which just adds to the irritating MC] and I find I just cannot finish. I am deeply disappointed as I really enjoy this author and was really looking forward to this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To Slip the Bonds of Earth by Amanda Flower is a good story about the youngest sister of the Wright brothers. While the brothers are off learning how to make things fly, Katherine is taking care of their home and father. When Christmas comes and a tragedy occurs at a party they attend, it looks like the boys may be suspected of murder. Not only is a man dead, but the very important papers that Orville was carrying have disappeared: giving a motive for murder. Now it is up to Katherine to solve the mystery, find the killer, find the papers, and set everything straight! Very cute! I enjoyed it a lot.

While a really interesting book, it wasn't what I was expecting. When I heard this was a mystery that the Wright brothers sister was involved in, I thought there would be more emphasis on the flying and testing, more technical than it was. However, this mainly touched on the missing paperwork of the brothers.

It was entertaining, a real mystery that kept me reading to the end. The characters are well developed and interesting. The descriptions are so vivid, you can feel the coldness in the air, and vision the social club. Katharine was a really interesting character - if this is becoming a mystery series, I'd be interested in reading the next adventure she has.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I really liked how Amanda Flower introduced me to an important female in history. I really enjoyed reading about Katharine Wright and then doing some research on my own time. I found the Wright brothers home and their bicycle shop which are still in Ohio today. We all know who the Wright brothers are, but I really liked learning about how Kathrarine who was behind the scenes helping her brothers from back home, wrote them letters of encouragement to continue their pursuit of flight.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. I really could envision this time period with the great descriptions of the area of Dayton, Ohio from Amanda Flower. I enjoyed the character of Katharine, as a teacher myself I appreciated her dedication to her job and her students. Katharine seemed like a very level headed and smart woman of the 1800s. We had two mysteries going in this story and I had my suspicions on who the killer was!

I would recommend this series if you enjoy reading about famous women in history who take on a murder mystery, I would also recommend Amanda Flower’s Emily Dickinson series as well.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Katharine is a mixed bag for me: she is smart and determined, but she also tends to be bossy, impulsive, and managing everybody which rubbed me the wrong way a few times. The historical Katharine was said to be very charming and the character could have used a dose of charm to help me warm up a bit to her. This story was a slow burn and it wasn't until around half way that I felt the story actually took off. There were a few instances where Katharine would ignore what she just learned that was a motive for murder and focus on a completely different motive.

The plot was initially about finding the missing airplane plans filled with notes, but somehow Katharine decides that the murder and the missing plans must be connected so if she solves the murder, she will then find the plans. That was illogical to me since there was no evidence to suggest they were related. I would have been satisfied with her just investigating the murder to clear her student without the plans being thrown in the mix. Perhaps that is just me, though.

The climax wasn't my favorite, but the culprit reveals themself. The wrapup was satisfactory and unusual. The writing style served the story well.

I did appreciate the confronting of a few social problems of the era found in the town. I also appreciated shining a spotlight on the Katharine Wright who was a tremendous celebrity in her time alongside her brothers, and perhaps eclipsed them. The story seemed to force its way in a few instances and it made those parts awkward.

Rating: Good - A fun read. It was good -- it wasn't great. It wasn't for me, but I would recommend based on certain tastes. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

This cozy mystery is the first in a series of mysteries with the main character of Katherine Wright, the sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright.
Katherine teaches Latin at Steele High School in Dayton, Ohio, as well as doing the bookkeeping for her brothers' bicycle shop. Their mother dies when she was 15, which necessitated that Katherine also take over the home responsibilities - cooking, cleaning etc. while their father, a Bishop carries on his parish responsibilities.
The book opens at the high school right before Christmas break in 1911. Katherine is informed that she has been passed over for a promotion for a man (who is not as proficient as she is). She goes to her classroom and tells Benny, the son of one of the most prominent and wealthy men in Dayton, that he is suspended from the class because he is a troublemaker. Her brothers have just flown their new flying machine for a few seconds and are on their way home from N Carolina. Katherine and her father are anxious to read about their flight, which is given very little space in the local papers. Her best friend invites her to a Christmas party at the mansion of Benny's parents, and the mystery begins with the stabbing of a man at the party and Benny taken to jail as the criminal.
This mystery was engaging, with an outspoken, sensitive, intelligent woman at the center of the story. I loved the way the author brought 1911 Dayton to life and included the typical behaviors of the time - men smoking while working, the advent of the motor car, the duties of maids, and the daily activities of regular folk. I also liked the way Kate uncovered clues to whodunit and her protectiveness of Benny. There were a few red herrings, which I think are essential to a good murder mystery. The characters were well developed as was the plot.
I look forward to visiting Dayton Ohio and seeing what else Katherine can do.
I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing and a paperback ARC from the publisher. The opinions expressed are my own.

Fans of historical fiction where famous people try their hand at sleuthing will love this. A murder mystery and a glimpse of early days of flight provide an interesting read. Liked the spunky heroine.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ToSlipTheBondsOfEarth for advanced digital copy.

I loved this story! Based on Katharine, the Wright brothers' feisty and independent younger sister, this early 20th century historical fiction delves into the first flying machines, societal norms of the time, feminism, classism, and more, all wrapped up in a cozy mystery. It reads very quickly and has an interesting setting and characters. I can't wait for the next one! Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the advance digital copy!

I liked finding out more about an historical figure, even if it was fictionized.. I also liked the setting

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a blend of biographical fiction and cozy mystery, spotlighting the sister of the Wrighr brothers. Inspired by the real life Katherine Wright, the story weaves historical facts into a clever murder mystery. The story has clues, twists, and a satisfying resolution. Katherine is a unique and engaging sleuth.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

To Slip the Bonds of Earth by Amanda Flower is a mystery featuring Katharine Wright, the spinster sister of Orville and Wilbur Wright, of flying fame. Katharine is the main character in a novel which heavily relies on family: her, three of four of her brothers, and her father. They are all extremely supportive of Orville and Wilbur, albeit they don’t really understand. The mystery arrives when, after agreeing to go to a party with his sister, Orville stuffs their notes in to a pocket so if he has a chance he can work on them. A very unpleasant young man embarrasses Orville to playing charades, taking off his coat and leaving it when he was able to flee. As they are looking for the coat/notes, they stumble upon his dead body. Standing over it, bloody, is a student of Katharine’s and son of the house. He flees but is caught immediately and arrested. Katharine does not believe him to be a murderer but is more concerned with finding the notes before Wilbur discovers them missing.

I loved the character of Katharine. She was firm and determined but loved her family and her students. She was caring and sympathetic. She made a fabulous protagonist and sleuth. Well done, Ms. Flower. The plot was fairly simple. The old adage, “Follow the money,” applies. The question was, from where was the money to come? Blackmail? Theft? So much to be learned but through dogged persistence, Katharine follows the trail and discovers the murderer. This book is the beginning of a series, I hope. Although the Emily Dickinson books were good, this is better. Please give it a go. Thanks, Amanda!

I was invited to read To Slip The Bonds of Earth by Kensington Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #KensingtonBooks #AmandaFlower #ToSlipTheBondsOfEarth

This is the first in a new series by Amanda Flower. It is set ln the early 1900s. Our sleuth, Katharine (Kate) Wright is the younger sister of Orville and Wilbur Wright. She is a highly educated woman, teacher, bookkeeper, and runs her father’s home. She is often passed over for promotion due to her sex. To hold her job, as most women during this time period, she has to remain unmarried. She is a firm believer in equal rights.
I liked the concept of the book but the pace was too slow for me. It may have been the initial setting up of the characters and creating the small town feel that bogged the story down. It could not have been easy during this era for anyone. Life was tough but Kate comes from a well to do family and she is the bishop’s daughter.

I did not finish this book but will be picking it up again to do so. The book is intertwined with plenty of historical facts. It must have been a heady time with the development of the automobile, motorcycle and planes.

I am hoping the next installment moves a little more quickly since the characters have been developed significantly in the first book.
I was given an advanced copy and these are my opinions.

To Slip the Bonds of Earth is the first in a new series by Amanda Flower. The book/series will spotlight Katherine Wright, the sister of the Wright brothers and keeper of the clan. When Katherine, AKA Katie, is 15 her mother dies--leaving the household management to her as well as her father and brothers. When her father' s health declines and brothers Orville and Wilbur devote time to building their flying machine, Katherine picks up the slack by also managing the family bicycle shop, keeping the books and teaching high school Latin.

Though Katherine is a go-getter, she is frustrated with the bias of other male teachers who believe women aren't suited to work outside the home. Quite by accident she is present at a holiday party when another guest is found murdered. In the course of finding the culprit in order to protect her student, she discovers that sleuthing is challenging and that she is good at that.

Though I uncovered the killer early on, the story was interesting and entertaining. I have enjoyed biographies on the Wright Brothers but their sister received only a mention, or two.

This historical fact and fiction blend was an enjoyable read. I recommend this read to those who enjoy cozy, historical, light mysteries, clean reads.

I appreciate the e-ARC that I requested and received. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #KensingtonBooks # #ToSliptheBondsofEarth #NetGalley #AmandaFlower

TO SLIP THE BONDS OF EARTH (Katharine Wright Mystery Series Book #1) by Amanda Flower is the perfect mash-up of biographical fiction and cozy mystery featuring an overshadowed and forgotten sister finally being recognized for her strengths and accomplishments and weaving into the facts of her life a smartly plotted cozy murder mystery. This is the first book in the series, and I am thoroughly hooked.

Katharine Wright is a brilliant scholar, teacher, and suffragette who also runs the family household of her reverend father since the death of her mother at the age of fifteen. Besides all these personal accomplishments, she also assists her brothers, Wilbur and Orville, with their books in their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. While disappointed when she is passed over for a head teaching promotion, she is very excited by a telegram received from her brothers in North Carolina stating that they have flown their motorized flying machine.

When the brothers return for the Christmas holidays, Katharine talks Orville into attending a Christmas party given by the head of the PTA. Orville’s coat goes missing and when the siblings find it, it is in the billiards room with a dead man stabbed with a screwdriver. One of Katharine’s students is in the room with blood all over his shirt and the design papers for their flying machine Orville had in his coat pocket are missing. Katharine’s student is arrested, but Katharine is not satisfied with the detective’s conclusions.

Katharine begins asking questions that lead to the prominent men of Dayton having secrets that are worthy of blackmail, but do they lead to murder? And the flying machine design papers are still missing, could they be worth killing over?

I loved this story for so many different reasons. I knew nothing about Katharine and was happy to be introduced to a strong, independent, educated woman who was so accomplished in a time when it was not common. She lends herself to being a perfect protagonist in a mystery plot with her curiosity and tenacity. The depth of research into Katharine’s life, the Wright family, and all the history of the period is evident and intertwined seamlessly throughout the book. The cozy mystery plot has all the red herrings and twists that keep the reader guessing, and it gives believable resolutions to all questions by the end.

I highly recommend this engaging historical cozy mystery and I cannot wait for more mysteries to follow in this series.

What a marvelous historical cozy mystery! I have read several books by Amanda Flower and am partial to the Farm to Table Series but To Slip the Bonds of Earth is by far now my favorite written by her. I did not even know that the Wright Brothers had a sister, let alone one so inspiring.

In this story the Wright family come to life. Before this book they were figures of history, in rather cut and dry books. Now they are real in my mind eyes and with unique, strong personalities. Katherine stands out as on strongminded, loyal dedicated teacher who can become tenacious when searching for the truth. That is exactly what happens in this story as she tries to clear one student being accused of murder, searching till she finds the whole truth not settling until she does. My new favorite sleuth, Katherine Wright, teacher extraordinary and amateur sleuth. Please let there be more stories to come!