A Legacy of Murder: A Kate Hamilton Mystery
Oct 2019 · A Kate Hamilton Mystery Book 2 · Crooked Lane Books
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About this ebook
A Christmastime jaunt to an English village devolves into an investigation of a missing ruby and a series of baffling murders—and only antiques dealer Kate Hamilton can crack the case.
It’s Christmastime and antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is off to visit her daughter, Christine, in the quaint English village of Long Barston. Christine and her boyfriend, Tristan, work at stately-but-crumbling Finchley Hall. Touring the Elizabethan house and grounds, Kate is intrigued by the docent’s tales of the Finchley Hoard, and the strange deaths surrounding the renowned treasure trove. But next to a small lake, Kate spies the body of a young woman, killed by a garden spade.
Nearly blind Lady Barbara, who lives at Finchley with her loyal butler, Mugg, persuades Kate to take over the murdered woman’s work. Kate finds that a Burmese ruby has vanished from the legendary Blood-Red Ring, replaced by a lesser garnet. Were the theft and the woman’s death connected?
Kate learns that Lady Barbara’s son fled to Venezuela years before, suspected of murdering another young woman. The murder weapon belonged to an old gardener, who becomes the leading suspect. But is Lady Barbara’s son back to kill again? When another body is found, the clues point toward Christine. It’s up to Kate to clear her daughter’s name in Connie Berry's second Kate Hamilton mystery, a treasure for fans of traditional British mysteries.
It’s Christmastime and antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is off to visit her daughter, Christine, in the quaint English village of Long Barston. Christine and her boyfriend, Tristan, work at stately-but-crumbling Finchley Hall. Touring the Elizabethan house and grounds, Kate is intrigued by the docent’s tales of the Finchley Hoard, and the strange deaths surrounding the renowned treasure trove. But next to a small lake, Kate spies the body of a young woman, killed by a garden spade.
Nearly blind Lady Barbara, who lives at Finchley with her loyal butler, Mugg, persuades Kate to take over the murdered woman’s work. Kate finds that a Burmese ruby has vanished from the legendary Blood-Red Ring, replaced by a lesser garnet. Were the theft and the woman’s death connected?
Kate learns that Lady Barbara’s son fled to Venezuela years before, suspected of murdering another young woman. The murder weapon belonged to an old gardener, who becomes the leading suspect. But is Lady Barbara’s son back to kill again? When another body is found, the clues point toward Christine. It’s up to Kate to clear her daughter’s name in Connie Berry's second Kate Hamilton mystery, a treasure for fans of traditional British mysteries.
Ratings and reviews
4.8
5 reviews
Kristina Anderson
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November 4, 2019
A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry is the second A Kate Hamilton Mystery. Kate Hamilton is visiting her daughter, Christine who obtained a position as an intern at Finchley Hall in Long Barston, Suffolk, England. Kate is enjoying a tour with the docent’s spiel on the four murders that have occurred on the Elizabethan estate as well the infamous Hoard. As they approach the lake, a young boy screams, and Kate sees the body of a woman. Kate calls her beau, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory with the Suffolk Constabulary who rushes to the scene. The victim is Tabitha King who is an intern on the estate working on the upcoming display of the Finchley Hoard. When Lady Barbara Finchley-fforde learns of Kate’s background, she asks if Kate would take over Tabitha’s work for the upcoming exhibit. Kate also agrees to help Tom by keeping her eyes and ears open for intel that would help the investigation. Kate’s pleasant Christmas vacation takes a turn when she gets caught up in mysterious happenings at Finchley Hall. Connie Berry is a descriptive writer whose details brings the scenes and characters alive. The setting was lovely, and I felt like I was in Suffolk. The antiques store in town sounded wondrous along with its quirky owner. If you have not read A Dream of Death, you will not be lost. Everything a new reader needs to know is included in A Legacy of murder. I thought the story contained good writing, but it does moves along at a slower pace. Things do pick up later in the story. Kate is a strong female protagonist. She is a widow with two grown children and runs an antique shop in Ohio. I can tell the author is familiar with antiques and this knowledge is beautifully incorporated into the story. The mystery is multifaceted which I enjoyed. Kate also gets to spend time with Tom, and I like that he finds her observations helpful. Kate’s daughter, Christine has some growing up to do. She needs to learn that work and hunky boyfriends do not mix. A Legacy of Murder is an intriguing cozy mystery with multiple murders, extraordinary exhibition, boyfriend brouhaha, and a stately estate.
About the author
Connie Berry is the author of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries, set in the UK and featuring an American antiques dealer with a gift for solving crimes. Like her protagonist, Connie was raised by antiques dealers who instilled in her a passion for history, fine art, and travel. During college she studied at the University of Freiburg in Germany and St. Clare's College, Oxford, where she fell under the spell of the British Isles. In 2019 Connie won the IPPY Gold Medal for Mystery and was a finalist for the Agatha Award’s Best Debut. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and is on the board of the Guppies and her local Sisters in Crime chapter. Besides reading and writing mysteries, Connie loves history, foreign travel, cute animals, and all things British. She lives in Ohio with her husband and adorable Shih Tzu, Emmie. You can learn more about Connie and her books at her website www.connieberry.com.
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