Murder at Midnight
This is the fourth in a series of Regency mysteries featuring highly intelligent young widow Lily Adler. In 1816, the “year without a summer,” Lily attends a Christmas party in the company of her late husband’s family when a snowstorm arises and strands the guests in the house. Among the company are Captain Jack Hartley, who has helped Lily solve previous cases, his sister Amelia, and Matthew Spencer, Lily’s love interest. Amelia, who has been caught in a compromising position with a young man, is shunned by many of the people at the party. When this young man is found shot to death outside the house, Amelia becomes the prime suspect. Lily believes she’s innocent, but Amelia doesn’t help her own case because she refuses to say what really happened between her and the victim. Lily must find the real killer before Amelia is convicted of a murder she didn’t commit.
Murder at Midnight is a suspenseful, engaging novel. A country house where the guests are snowed in makes for a perfect setting for a mystery. The story is reminiscent of Agatha Christie, with a large pool of suspects, all of whom have a motive for murder. The suspense continues to grow as blackmail, poisoning, and jewel theft are added to the plot. Lily is a likeable heroine, whose observational and analytical skills make her a perfect detective.
The book stands alone, but it helps to have read the previous ones so you can see how the relationships among the characters, especially Lily, Matthew, and Jack, have developed. This love triangle comes to what appears to be a resolution, but I hope more novels in the series are still to come. This book also shines a light on race relations, since Jack and his family are Anglo-Indian. Highly recommended.
