I enjoyed the scrumptious fifth book in the Stella and Lyndy Mysteries set in Edwardian England. While I had not read the earlier ones, the premise was quick to grasp. MURDER ON MISTLETOE LANE occurs in December of 1905 when the American heiress Stella Kendrick from Kentucky brings some new traditions to her marriage. Her title is Lady Lyndhurst, having brought a sizeable dowry to Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst at Morrington Hall.
The winter has set in deeply to the New Forest, so the household will be glad of the newly installed radiators if the workmen can finish up in time. Guests are arriving at the large country house. Mrs. Nelson, the housekeeper, takes ill at a most difficult time, around Christmas Eve, and is later found dead on nearby Mistletoe Lane. Mrs. Cole, the cook, promptly vanishes and Stella suspects she has also died. Odd items have gone missing, but that might be related to a maid who was dismissed. The annual Boxing Day Point-to-Point race on New Forest ponies absolutely caught my attention, as did the working horse rest farm charity endowed by Stella, a devoted horsewoman. But another suspicious death occurs on Boxing Day. Stella and Lyndy investigate.
Other characters include Lyndy's sister Alice, parents Lord and Lady Atherly, the Lady making disapproving remarks, especially about anything American; guests the opinionated Lady Isabella, her husband Lord Edwin, and their handsome son Freddie. And the staff. There are many staff members and I did get mixed up as we know them by their roles, and then they vanish and are hastily replaced. Heaven forbid the meal be served late. Just watching the big house being served like clockwork shows the strength of the system that had been established, with staff members whisked away from other homes and brought to fill sudden needs. If you’ve read or seen The Remains of the Day you’ll understand that the upper classes were not supposed to know of any disturbance among staff – but sometimes it’s unavoidable, as in a case of murder.
The author Clara McKenna lives in Iowa and visits Britain often. Making her heroine American was a stroke of genius, as it accounts for American words cropping up, along with the request for popcorn and pecan pie, both almost unknown in England. The automobiles must have taken a lot of research, and either cars or horses would have provided enough content for a mystery. We get both, sub-plots aplenty and characters enough to keep you guessing. MURDER ON MISTLETOE LANE is a winner.
American heiress Stella Kendrick and her husband, British aristocrat Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst, prepare to celebrate their first Christmas together as newlyweds in Clara McKenna’s latest historical mystery set in England’s New Forest region at the turn of the 20th century…
Taking on the responsibilities that come with being Lady Lyndhurst, Stella is eager to embrace yuletide traditions in the Edwardian English countryside and use her strong social influence for good. Her world becomes so consumed with starting a horse farm charity for the holidays that she barely notices the usual oddities attached to her upper-crust lifestyle. At least, not until items vanish from her bedroom and maligned housekeeper, Mrs. Nelson, becomes seriously ill—only to be found dead in the cold on Mistletoe Lane . . .
Cheery spirits are dashed following the sudden death, especially once Stella questions whether her own staff knows what—or who—killed the woman. Her suspicions mount when another person dies under strange circumstances during New Forest’s annual Point-to-Point Boxing Day race. Then there’s the case of Morrington Hall becoming plagued by false identities, secret affairs, and disgruntled employees . . .
Now, with two murders unfolding before their eyes in late December, Stella and Lyndy realize they can’t fully trust anyone except for themselves while investigating. Because as disturbing answers come into focus, identifying the criminal responsible and surviving into the new year would be the greatest gift of the season . . .
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