Murder at Rough Point

Fun. THis was a fun read with interesting characters and a setting, having visited Newport, I was particularly entertained by. Emma is the usual intrepid amateur detective but the mystery is a neat one and she rose above expectations. I had not read the earlier installments in this series and don't think that was a problem as the story seemed fairly well contained. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC- I'm going to look for Maxwell again. You will like this if you enjoy historical mysteries set in the US.

This is a delightfully written series.
The characters are engaging and well rounded.
It is a interesting look into the time and place with all the cultural nuances involved.

I like the main character and appreciate her dilemma about the two men in her life.

All in all, a very good book to read.

Emma was asked to do a story on some artists who are staying at Rough Point. She is surprised to find that one of the artists is a woman she met when she was younger. After agreeing to stay at Rough Point, she is surprised again that her parents are there. She hasn't seen them in 4 years. On their first night, one man ends up dead and then another the next night. A third man is attacked, but is still alive. Emma is trying to sort through all the people and their motives. Even her parents. Emma gets help from her dog and from Jesse. He is in love with her, but knows she doesn't feel the same for him. The weather is so bad that no one can leave the house and is almost impossible for anyone can get to the house. All they have to do is stay together and hope no one else is killed.

An Agatha Christie style read. Another great tale from a great author. A good read for any book club, young or older.

Fans of Alyssa Maxwell's Gilded Newport series won't be disappointed by the latest installment. I have been reading this series since her first book, Murder at the Breakers. Although I have enjoyed all the books in the series (Murder at Marble House and Murder at Beechwood), each of the books is a stand alone that would be a fun read by itself.

The lead character, Emma Cross, is a fun character to follow. She's an independent woman living in the gilded age who writes for the local paper and is distantly related to the Vanderbilt family. In this book, she is invited to a house party with a number of prominent artists which turns out to be a mystery for Emma to solve as guests begin turning up dead in quick succession.

One of my favorite parts of this series is that I can rarely guess who the culprit is until the very end of the book. I find that it's easy to guess who the villain is in many books, and this series has continued to keep me guessing until the end. The book reminded me of the mystery game "Clue" in all the best ways with the way the story effectively traps guests in a mansion while the killer is on the lose.

I also really enjoyed the character of Emma Cross. I confess I have a fondness for a strong, independent female lead character and this book doesn't disappoint. Readers who enjoyed the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd or the Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bowen will enjoy this book and series as well.

Final note: I could see this being the perfect book to curl up with this fall with a hot apple cider and roaring fire. It's an engaging historical mystery that will keep your interest to the very end.

Once again we are pulled into life at the mansions. Having a love of Newport & the mansions, the story falls right into place. Emma is the perfect slueth--not obnoxious & credible in her manner of speaking with others & solving the mystery.

I have only read book #1, & now this (book #2 is on request at my library currently!). I feel the book can hold it's own as a stand-alone, but love the characters enough to want to go back & fill in the blanks.

Good historical fiction/mystery. I especially like that the murderer is not revealed until the very end--& that once again, I had no idea who it was!

A new entry in the excellent series A Gilded Newport Mystery in which the aspiring journalist and Vanderbilt relative, Emma Cross, joins a house party of eccentric artists and encounters her secretive, expatriate parents while trying to solve a sudden murder right in their midst. This fourth story opens up Emma's background with her parents in the picture and gives readers insight into her motivation and situation. Also, readers will enjoy Edith Wharton's appearance, which adds some literary spice to the story. Maxwell agan offers up a nicely researched plot and interesting characters, as well as the always fascinating background placed among the top society families in Newport. A highly recommended series for all public libraries! This series never disappoints with top notch writing, fascinating background, intriguing and relatable characters, and well developed stories.

A historical mystery set in Newport in the late 1900's. I did not realize it was the fourth book in this series. I definitely will read the earlier books. I was able to read and enjoyed it as there was enough back story. It reminded very much of a house party isolated by weather conditions and guests dying. Sarah Cross, a distant relative of the wealthy and social leader of the Vanderbilts earns her living as a reporter of fashion. Sarah is sent to cover an artist's retreat at a home of Fredrick Vanderbilt. She is surprised to friend her parents there. A major storm arrives in the area just after the artists arrive. Guests began to die as the storm increases in intensity. The telephone and power go out and the police cannot reach the house to investigate. There enough turns and changes to keep you alert.

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

Fun, cozyish period mystery set in a posh Newport "cottage" of the social set. 4th in the Gilded Newport mystery series.

A group of artistic friends with different talents rent out a Vanderbilt home as a working retreat. Up and coming reporter Emma Cross has been assigned to write a story about the house party. There are a few surprises in the eclectic group of those attending, particularly to her. She is Vanderbilt cousin of the less illustrious side of the family. This has a sort of "Clue" meets Agatha Christie feel. A murder occurs in the home, and suddenly everyone is a suspect. Then there is another accident and no one is any clearer on whodunit. Storms rage on outside, leaving them mostly stranded and isolated. Will the real killer stand up? Will Emmaline survive to write her story? Why are they being targeted? There are more personal details about Emma in this entry and a touch of romance. Great setting and period details with a fun writing style. I look forward to reading more in this series and seeing what will happen next...

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC to read and review**

** This book was graciously provided by Netgalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review **

This book was better than I expected, not that I really knew what to expect seeing how I hadn't read any other books in this series. I found the characters well defined and endearing. Although it would probably had helped if I had read the earlier books in the series, I found that once I was introduced to the key players, I didn't need too much backstory to understand how they were all connected.

This story was a breeze to read, and I'm really considering reading the earlier books, as I absolutely loved the heroine and felt as if I were gaining a secret insight into her thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.

I loved the history surrounding this story, and felt compelled to read the afterward, as the author took the time to explain the actual, real life ties surrounding not only Rough Point, but the real identities of the characters included in the story.

If you're looking for an easy, enjoyable, whodoneit, I cannot recommend this book enough! The plot is well defined and leaves little, if any, plot holes. The characters are beautifully written and transported me to their time, troubles, and varied worlds they lived it, both financially and emotionally. I cannot recommend this book enough, and I look forward to reading other stories from this author.