Death Comes To Kurland Hall

Loved this book unconditionally. We see a slightly different side of the Regency era, more Jane Austen than steamy Regency Romance. The suspense is maintained until the end, although I guessed half way through. The characterization is perfect. The proud, duty bound ex army officer in Major Kurland, the efficient and slightly overbearing Miss Harrington, the desperate single girl trying to ensnare a man, the profligate family relative, all come to life in Death Comes to Kurland Hall.

I have read Victorian mysteries, mysteries from the Golden era and also mysteries set in the Civil War era or 1920s America. This book totally lived up to my hesitant expectations.

Review coming up soon on the blog.

I enjoyed the 3rd installment of this series. I thought this was the best one yet. I liked the characters , the only downfall is I guessed who the killer was fairly early on.

This series gets better with each installment. In this third in the series, Lucy Harrington and Robert Kurland again become tangled in a web of murder, lies and deceit. Working their way through understanding who pushed the gossipy, nasty Mrs, Chingford to her death, while unraveling the truth about the Fairfax inheritance, the Major and Lucy end up working together closely. Enjoyable mystery, with interesting characters and relationships.

This is 2nd book of this historical series that I have read. Both are excellent tales of early life in a small English village shortly after the Battle of Waterloo. Lucy Harrington has returned to Kurland St Marys to assist at the wedding of a friend. Major Robert Kurland is hosting the wedding guests at Kurland Manor with the overflow at the rectory. The body of Mrs Chingford is found at the bottom of a stairs at Kurland Hall. The Major and Lucy worked together to find an answer. Their romance continues with bumps along way.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Kensington Books through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.

I requested that book because I had read the blurb of book #1 at the end of another novel and thought it might be interesting. Even if it’s the third book in the series, I had no trouble at all following the story, but I think it best to start the whole story… at the start !
This is a historical novel set in during the English Regency period, but also a whodunit. And a very enjoyable one at that !

The investigations are usually led by two people, Major Kurland (a war cripple) and Lucy (the daughter of the rector) but at the beginning of the novel, Lucy has refused Major Kurland’s wedding proposal, so they’re at odds. Major Kurland is rather the grumpy, straightforward ex-soldier and his proposal lacked romanticism…
Since they’re both invited to a wedding, they manage to stop avoiding each other, but surprise, a very unpleasant female guest is murdered. Believe me, she was the perfect murder victim, attacking everyone under the pretense of honesty – she was bound to die. So the Major and Lucy start investigating, together or apart, because they can’t stop arguing, and I hadn’t guessed who the murderer was.

All in all, I would say that this story delivered : I was expecting a very pleasant read and I got it : history, murder and romance all wrapped up with a healthy dose of humor. You too will probably love to see Lucy and the Major bickering while trying to solve the murder.

And I will need to fall back on the beginning of the series to see all this all began, can’t wait :)

Quote :

“Miss Harrington, I am not going to allow you to question the whole village.”
“I don’t believe I was asking your permission, sir.”
“If you were my wife, I wouldn’t even have to ask. I’d assume you would do as you were told.”
“Well, thank goodness we aren’t married.”

I told you !

While I don't read mysteries on a regular basis , every now and then I get the urge to pick one up. That is how I encountered Catherine Lloyd and her first mystery in this series. I loved that book and I'm so glad that I remembered her name! These regencies are very well written and while they are "cozy" in the sense that I don't have to read any violence being committed, Lloyd is not afraid to show both the beauty and ugliness of human nature. As a Jane Austen fan, it is high praise when I say that her explorations of class and social status during that era reminded me of Austen's observations and wittiness. Plus the mystery is a well thought out bonus!

Lucy has returned to Kurland St. Mary to help with her friend Sophia's wedding. When the widow who has been courting her father is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, Lucy and Robert investigate. Fun mystery, great characters.

This the first book in the series and by the author. I enjoyed it the characters and the mysterious plot.. I'm definitely going to read the other books in the series

Lucy Harrington returns to Kurland for her friend Sophia's wedding. She finds Major Robert Kurland the who she has turned down from marriage. Everyone thinks they would make a perfect couple but she thinks he is an overbearing typical man looking to control her.

We have Mrs. Chingsford, who is an annoyance to just about everyone with her snide remarks and gossip. The only one who seems to like her is Lucy father and that puts her in guard.
Soon after the wedding Mrs. Chingsford is found dead, from a so call fall from the stairs. It soon becomes more like murder since she has more enemies than friends. Lucy and the major put aside their differences and work together to solve this mystery.

I enjoyed both characters as they had this love hate relationship. They worked well together trying to solve this murder as well as the the other twists and turns the occur throughout the story.

A good murder/mystery adding in a twist of romance. I recommend this enjoyable read. The only negative was I wish the ending gave us more on Lucy and the Major.

*This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Death Comes to Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd is the third book in the Kurland St. Mary series. Although the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I hadn't read the previous two books; but I had no problems following the story.
Both Lucy Harrington and Robert Kurland are both strong, complex and likable characters. While reading their interactions, I kept thinking that these two people could easily have been featured in Pride and Prejudice. Yet when they are working together to solve the mystery, they are a remarkable team that can follow the clues to find a killer. It was fun to see them both beginning to realize their feelings for each other.
The secondary characters were also well developed and their involvement in the case definitely provided the necessary clues to keep the story moving. This was a smoothly plotted and quickly paced story that also highlighted the many societal restrictions of the time.