Murder, Sweet Murder (A Will Rees Mystery, 11)
Kuhns continues her delightful mystery series with this 11th book as husband-and-wife team Will and Lydia Rees once again work together to solve a murder mystery. When Lydia receives a letter from her sister sharing the news that their father has been accused of murder, the duo jump into action, despite Lydia’s estrangement from her family. Rees and Lydia travel to Boston from their home in Maine where they learn that her father, Marcus Farrell, is the only suspect in the murder of a lowly worker from Jamaica, where Marcus owns a plantation. Despite Marcus’s claim of innocence and rejection of their help, Rees and Lydia set out to discover the truth. Lydia’s background is largely unknown to Rees, so the trip proves quite educational. As Rees delves into the mystery of who murdered a seemingly innocent boy, he travels about the city chasing down clues. Readers are treated to a lovely (and sometimes grim) glimpse of Boston in the early 1800s, as well as historical facts about the rum trade. Another murder complicates matters and the prime suspect list becomes quite long.
The mystery itself is interesting, with plenty of interrogations, sleuthing, and complicated family secrets coming to life. Lovers of classic mysteries will appreciate the traditional gathering of all the suspects to face the murderer, although I was slightly disappointed with the unoriginal motive in the great reveal. Reading the first ten books in this series is not necessary to enjoy this one, but it does help to understand some of the family dynamics and relationship between Lydia and Rees.
