Book Review: Murder at the Charity Ball (Miss Underhay #11) by Helena Dixon

About the Book:

65154014

Kitty Underhay is dancing… with death.

Winter 1934. Kitty Underhay is enjoying a night off from wedding planning as she attends a charity ball at the home of Lady Eliza Foxley. She’s excited to see her father, roguish Edgar Underhay, who is also a guest in the house. But the evening of cocktails and waltzing turns into a dance macabre when Edgar finds their lively, fun-loving hostess dead, strangled by her own silk stocking.

Who has made this uncharitable donation to the evening’s entertainments? When suspicion falls on Edgar and he is arrested for murder, Kitty has to act fast if she doesn’t want her father walking her down the aisle in shackles. Together with her fiancé Matthew, they vow to clear Edgar’s name and discover who used hosiery to commit homicide.

Lady Eliza’s widowed sister is the main beneficiary of her will, but before Kitty and Matt can question her, she is struck down by a severe case of poisoning. Time is running out for Kitty to solve this case and make it to the church on time. But with a devious killer on the loose, will she end up leaving as a newlywed, or newly dead…?

My Thoughts:

I have previously read a few of the books in the series and have quite enjoyed them. I love the setting of the book and Kitty Underhay is an inspired character. I am grateful to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In this new book, Kitty Underhay is on the verge of getting married, in the midst of wedding planning and is thrown into a mystery once again. What was supposed to be a pleasant evening, filled with fun and time spent with her father ends in the most unexpected way. This story is fun to read as Kitty and her fiancé Matt work together to find the murderer and save her father upon whom suspicion has fallen.

I like the author’s style of writing and how she has shaped the characters involved in this book and series. Most of the books in the series can be read as standalone mysteries and enjoyed all the same. Kitty is a strong-willed woman who has a mind of her own and opinions on just about everything. However, the wonderful thing about her is that she knows just when to show it and when to stay silent and demure. Her relationship with Matt has developed over the series and I quite enjoyed reading about them and seeing how they have grown in this book.

The mystery is intriguing and with so many different characters in the mix, it proves to be an adventure for the reader as we follow the characters and the investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading about more of Kitty’s adventures and investigations. This book and series is for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, historical fiction with a splash of romance.

Book Review: Murder at the Wedding (Miss Underhay #7) by Helena Dixon

About the Book:

58301852._SY475_

’Till death do us part may come sooner than they thought…

1934. Kitty Underhay steps out of the battered Rolls Royce and onto the gravelled driveway of Thurscomb Castle in deepest Yorkshire. She’s honoured to be a bridesmaid at her cousin Lucy’s wedding to the reluctant Lord Rupert Woodcomb, but as family and friends gather for welcome drinks, Kitty dodges intrusive questions about her own marital status by taking a stroll about the castle grounds. As she passes through the manicured gardens, a fatal shot rings out…

The valet, Evans, is dead. And Kitty can’t help but notice how rattled the man standing next to him seems. Could Rupert’s best man, The Right Honourable Alexander ‘Sandy’ Galsworthy, believe the speeding bullet was meant for him?

When she discovers that Sandy has been receiving blackmail notes, Kitty suspects that one of the assembled guests has plans to make good on their threats. The local constabulary won’t act on Kitty’s hunch, so, busy with her bridesmaid’s duties, she asks her beau, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, to help.

The ceremony passes without a hitch. But when an anxious Sandy slips away during the dancing, Matt follows, only to make a hideous discovery: Sandy is dead, flattened on the terrace by some falling masonry.

Now the duo are sure that there is a murderer within the castle walls. But can they untangle Sandy’s final hours and catch this killer before they strike again, or will the wedding bells be replaced by a death knell for Kitty herself…?

A completely charming and unputdownable cozy historical Golden Age murder mystery! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

My Thoughts:

Murder at the Wedding is a murder mystery that is well written and wonderful to read. This is the first book by the author and in the series that I read, but it was easy to catch on to the characters and their roles. I enjoyed reading about Kitty, her ideas and her relationship with her cousin Lucy. Having arrived at Thurscomb Castle to attend her cousin’s wedding, Kitty doesn’t expect to once again be involved in solving a murder or two. It seems as though something always happens around her.

I enjoyed reading about the various characters involved in the story. It is a simple enough plot that is well executed by the author and which gives us enough of an insight into the setting and the characters. I enjoyed the subtle investigations and the strength of Kitty’s character. I also enjoyed reading about Matt and how he fits into the story. It is indeed a race against time to find out who the murderer is before something else happens.

Overall this is a murder mystery that will delight fans of mysteries and those who want a quick but unputdownable read! I am definitely looking forward to picking up more books that involve Kitty Underhay!