A DECEPTION AT THORNECREST by Ashley Weaver

A DECEPTION AT THORNECREST by Ashley Weaver is the seventh book in the “Amory Ames” series set in 1930s England. For me, this book is very Miss Marple-ish. It takes place in a quiet English village where appearances can be deceptive, and a murderer can be your neighbor or local vicar. Yay! However, rather than Agatha Christie’s geriatric sleuth, Miss Marple, it’s expectant mother Amory Ames who makes polite, and not-so-polite inquiries and hunts down suspects and alibis.

Amory and Milo Ames are rusticating at their country estate while Amory is waiting for their baby to be born. All is positively ideal for the couple until Imogen Prescott makes an appearance claiming to be Mrs. Milo Ames. Yikes! Thankfully, Amory is not given to hysterics and she reasons it out, chats with Imogen, and bides her time until she can clear things up with her hubby. The crux of the matter involves a doppelganger of Milo who is of a mischievous bent. But is Milo’s doppelganger murderous as well as mischievous? That’s something for Amory to decide when there’s a murder of one of the locals. I love these types of stories because there are plenty of unsuspecting suspects with plenty of opportunity, and surprising and twisted motivations for the amateur sleuth to discover. It’s convenient for Amory that she has a driver to wheel her around the village, since her pregnancy limits her mobility a tad. Ashley Weaver does a good job at creating doubt, suspicion, and the faint air of something sinister when it comes to characters who would otherwise seem likeable and above suspicion. Only one suspect seems obviously guilty so, for mystery fans like me, that character must be the only one who couldn’t possibly be the murderer. The remaining suspects vary by sex, occupation, age, and believability.

A DECEPTION AT THORNECREST is murder mystery chock full of next-door naughtiness and hidden horrors set in a charming English village. I thought I had the mystery figured out and the villain pegged, but I was totally wrong. Although Amory and Milo butt heads occasionally in A DECEPTION AT THORNCREST, I was happy that there were mostly on an even keel. I look forward to seeing if any of these secondary characters show up in another book. I eagerly await the next “Amory Ames” mystery.

The stylish, charming next novel in Ashley Weaver's Edgar-nominated Amory Ames mystery series, set in 1930s England, A Deception at Thornecrest

Amory Ames is alone at her country house Thornecrest, enjoying her last few weeks of peace and quiet as she prepares for the imminent arrival of her baby. Her husband, Milo, is in London on business, and Amory is content to catch up on her correspondence, organize the nursery, and avoid the well-meaning if rather overbearing company of the ladies in the village as they prepare for the Springtide Festival. But then a woman appears on her doorstep, also claiming to be Mrs. Ames, Milo’s wife.

Amory's marriage has had its ups and downs in the past, but her faith in her husband has been restored, and Milo has been nothing but thrilled about becoming a father. Though the supposed second Mrs. Ames seems earnest, Amory is convinced she must be mistaken, a belief that Milo confirms upon his homecoming. However, when a second unexpected visitor arrives at Thornecrest, secret identities and whirlwind romances appear to be becoming par for the course.

It's not until the day of the festival, when Milo's stable hand Bertie is found dead, that the strange characters appearing in town begin to seem more sinister, and Amory is determined to uncover the killer in the crowd.