Death Comes to the Rectory
Jan 2021 · A Kurland St. Mary Mystery Book 8 · Kensington Books
4.2star
5 reviewsreport
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About this ebook
Murder casts a dark shadow over the christening of Lady Lucy and Major Sir Robert Kurland's daughter Elizabeth—even more so when Lucy's own father, the rector, falls under suspicion for the crime . . .
Lucy and Robert’s joy in christening their new daughter, surrounded by extended family and loved ones who have gathered in the village of Kurland St. Mary, is only enhanced when Robert’s aunt Rose—now the second wife of Lucy’s father Ambrose—announces that she is with child. However, not everyone is happy about the news, in particular Rose's adult daughter Henrietta and her husband, who fear for their inheritance.
Following the christening, Rose’s disagreeable son-in-law Basil Northam threatens to turn afternoon tea in the rectory into an unsightly brawl. The next morning, he is found in the rector’s study, stabbed through the heart with an antique letter opener, clutching a note that appears to implicate the rector himself.
As the local justice of the peace, Robert has an obligation to remain unbiased in his investigation of the ghastly crime, even though his prime suspect is a man of the cloth and his wife’s father. But Lucy is under no such obligation. As snow traps the members of the christening party in Kurland St. Mary, she vows to clear her father’s name and bring the cold-blooded culprit to justice. Someone had better start saying their prayers . . .
Lucy and Robert’s joy in christening their new daughter, surrounded by extended family and loved ones who have gathered in the village of Kurland St. Mary, is only enhanced when Robert’s aunt Rose—now the second wife of Lucy’s father Ambrose—announces that she is with child. However, not everyone is happy about the news, in particular Rose's adult daughter Henrietta and her husband, who fear for their inheritance.
Following the christening, Rose’s disagreeable son-in-law Basil Northam threatens to turn afternoon tea in the rectory into an unsightly brawl. The next morning, he is found in the rector’s study, stabbed through the heart with an antique letter opener, clutching a note that appears to implicate the rector himself.
As the local justice of the peace, Robert has an obligation to remain unbiased in his investigation of the ghastly crime, even though his prime suspect is a man of the cloth and his wife’s father. But Lucy is under no such obligation. As snow traps the members of the christening party in Kurland St. Mary, she vows to clear her father’s name and bring the cold-blooded culprit to justice. Someone had better start saying their prayers . . .
Ratings and reviews
4.2
5 reviews
Sarah Landon
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January 27, 2021
Death Comes to the Rectory is my first Catherine Lloyd book. Even though I jumped in the series at Book 8, it stood perfectly fine on its own and I followed along well with no confusion. It was certainly a different type of story than what I typically read but I enjoyed the experience. An engaging storyline and well-developed characters drew me in from the start. ARC received via NetGalley.
Janice Tangen
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January 31, 2021
historical-novel, historical-research, historical-setting, England, family-dynamics, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, 19th-century, cosy-mystery**** A rather nasty bunch of interlopers, but sadly only one of them is murdered. The family situation is somewhat bizarre and too messy to get into here and all is complicated by a notable snowstorm. The sleuthing is well written and well plotted and actually less befuddled than all the family (dis)connections. Enjoyable. I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you.
Cathy Geha
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January 24, 2021
Death Comes to the Rectory by Catherine Lloyd Kurland St. Mary Mystery #8 Coming in on the last book of a series is probably not the wisest way to read a series but this book did manage to stand alone, introduce the characters easily and give enough background to follow the story without difficulty. What I liked: * The story felt of the time period * There were plenty of potential murderers * I didn’t mind that the person who died was killed because he was reprehensible * The relationship between Robert and Lucy seemed well established and healthy * That the rector and his new bride seemed to care about one another – and were expecting a baby though older * The twists and turns * The way the clues were eked out * That the murderer and motivation were eventually determined What I didn’t like: * Many of the characters: Northam, Henrietta, the Earl…and others * Not sure it is a dislike but I am curious enough to find out what the sentence would be for the person who admitted to murder to see if google might tell me. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I have enjoyed it more if I had read the entire series? Probably Would I read more books by this author? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 3-4 Stars
About the author
Catherine Lloyd was born just outside London, England, into a large family of dreamers, artists, and history lovers. She completed her education with a master’s degree in history at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and uses the skills she gained there to research and write her historical mysteries. Catherine currently lives in England with her husband and four children. Her website is located at catherine-lloyd.com.
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