A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox Mysteries) [Paperback]

Charles Finch (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 22, 2008 | Series: Charles Lenox Mysteries (Book 1)

Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery.

Prudence Smith, one of Jane’s former servants, is dead of an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. The grand house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prue had dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by the motive for the girl’s death.

When another body turns up during the London season’s most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence Smith? Or was it something else entirely? And can Lenox find the answer before the killer strikes again—this time, disturbingly close to home?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in England in 1865, Finch's impressive debut introduces an appealing gentleman sleuth, Charles Lenox. When Lady Jane Grey's former servant, Prue Smith, dies in an apparent suicide-by-poisoning, Lady Jane asks Lenox, her closest friend, to investigate. The attractive young maid had been working in the London house of George Barnard, the current director of the Royal Mint. Lenox quickly determines that Smith's death was a homicide, but both Barnard and Scotland Yard resist that conclusion, forcing him to work discreetly. Aided by his Bunter-like butler and friend, Graham, the detective soon identifies a main suspect, only to have that theory shattered by that man's murder. Finch laces his writing with some Wodehousian touches and devises a solution intricate enough to fool most readers. Lovers of quality historical whodunits will hope this is the first in a series. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“Vividly capturing the essence of Victorian England, Finch presents us with a unique sleuth who combines the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes with the people skills of Thomas Pitt. A sparkling achievement.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“A fine specimen of the genre…. Particularly good is [Finch’s] delineation of Lenox’s cozy-but-proper relationship with Lady Jane.” —The Washington Post

“The best sort of historical mystery—clever, charming, full of period detail, and a delight to read.” —David Liss, author of The Whiskey Rebels

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur; First Edition edition (July 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312386079
• ISBN-13: 978-0312386078
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (104 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charles Finch is the author of seven Charles Lenox mystery novels, including the forthcoming "An Old Betrayal." His first standalone novel, "The Last Enchantments," about a group of students at Oxford University, will be published in January of 2014. Come find out more at facebook.com/charlesfinchauthor or twitter.com/charlesfinch!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful characters, story well told July 31, 2007

By Armchair Interviews

Format:Hardcover

Victorian gentleman Charles Lenox recently assisted Scotland Yard in solving the Isabel Lewes case; a simple case the Yard should have easily solved despite their appalling lack of imagination. Now, on a bitterly cold late afternoon, all Lenox wants to do is sit in his library and enjoy the bliss of a warm fire. So when he receives an urgent message from Lady Jan Grey, his closest friend and next door neighbor, he ventures forth to brave the cold, despite his inadequate boots.

Lady Grey's former servant, Prue Smith, has apparently committed suicide-by-poisoning at the home of her new employer, George Barnard, the current director of the Royal Mint. At Lady Grey's request, Lenox visits the crime scene and is quickly convinced that Prue's death is murder, despite assurances from the Yard and Barnard that it is suicide. Thomas McConnell, a surgeon and close associate of Lenox, determines the cause of death to be a rare poison called bella indigo (beautiful blue). The Yard does not welcome Lenox's assistance, and that leaves him little access to the Barnard household, forcing him to investigate discreetly and utilize the services of Graham, his butler and friend. It is not until a second death occurs that Lenox begins to piece together the puzzling crime.

A Beautiful Blue Death is Charles Finch's delightful debut novel. The pairing of Lenox and Graham brings to mind Lord Peter Wimsey and his valet Bunter. Similar to Dorothy Sayer's creations, Lenox and Graham share more than a purely professional relationship. Despite the friendship and amity they feel for each other, the barriers of class keep them separated.

What elevates A Beautiful Blue Death is the relationships Lenox has with the people around him.... While the central mystery is fascinating, what captivates readers is the exploration of Lenox's relationship with Lady Jane and the glimpse it provides of a gentleman of leisure's life. Their habit of taking tea together illustrates the depth of their relationship, unusual for a time when men and women's lives had little intersection.

Armchair Interviews says: It is the man these relationships illuminate which will draw readers to future volumes about Charles Lenox. Read more ›

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Victorian mystery October 18, 2007

By Bookworm

Format:Hardcover

I am a huge fan of Victorian murder mysteries and finding a new author is like winning the lottery. I absolutely loved A Beautiful Blue Death. Charles Finch's writing is rich, descriptive, and engaging. The mystery itself is fascinating and draws you right in. You'll find yourself rooting not only for Charles Lenox - the brilliant yet reluctant detective - but for his friend, Lady Jane, and his loyal butler, Graham.

Finch does not get bogged down in everyday details of Victorian life, so if you're not a big fan of Victorian era books, don't worry.

I highly recommend this book not only to Victorian mystery fans, but to all history fans.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New mystery series one of the best. !! August 3, 2007

By Sharon B. Slaney

Format:Hardcover

The author, Charles Finch, has a winner with this new cozy mystery set in Victorian England. The characterization is suburb. Lenox is a very likable well rounded amateur sleuth who lives comfortably in London next door to his childhood friend,a widow, with whom there is just a hint of romantic interest. He has a brother who is a parliamentary figure and a loyal, intelligent butler who helps with the "leg-work" of solving the mystery. Finch has included domestic scenes that make the story comfortable and keep the characters grounded. He adds historical detail about the current political events of the era without detracting from the plot. The plot is intriguing and believable. He doesn't rely on ghoulish forensics or psychotic killers - the reader has to actually think about motive! One of the best mysteries to come along in quite awhile. I highly recommend this book!!

62 of 75 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Is This Supposed to Be Satire? June 23, 2009

By Barb Mechalke VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Let me first make a few disclaimers, I did not finish this book. I almost always believe that reviewers who do not finish the book should not be leaving reviews with stars.

I am going to make an exception with this book as I have with only one other. This time I am making the exception because I hope to spare someone, who has similar tastes to mine, the pain of reading this book.

I looked at the reviews of this book here and on GoodReads before I chose to read it, they are overwhelmingly favorable. Which seems nearly impossible to me after reading as much as I did.

I don't do well with satire and I wonder if that is the problem for me with this book. Is it satire? I honestly don't know/couldn't tell. Maybe someone else can help answer this question.

Let me tell you how I generally read a book. I pay close attention to what the author tells me, in fact I almost always take notes. Is this because I am a geek or a nerd of the philomathic style? Yes. And because I do not want to flip back looking for the family relationship of a character or the title of a particular Lord or some fact that might be key in puzzling out the mystery of the story. I also want to remember what I read and be able to offer a thoughtful review, favorable or critical, and I want to be able to support my opinion with reasons and details. I do not read a book like I chew gum, mindlessly. Okay, so you get a little of how I do things.

This story is set in London, 1865. Charles Lennox is a dear friend to Lady Jane Grey. Lady Jane's former servant has been found dead under unusual circumstances. Lennox has some experience in discreet investigative work and offers to look into the matter for her....

There seemed to me an overwhelming number of odd things and things that seem out of order for this period in time. One of the things that I found very unlikely was the overall lack of formality between the characters of wealth and an unusual relationship of familiarity between the wealthy characters and their servants.

For example;
Lady Jane's maid interrupts her mistress while she is entertaining company.
A nephew introduces himself with only a first name.
Lennox refers to his doctor friend by his first name when speaking to an apothecary.
Lennox tells his butler to go to his room, change his clothes, sit by the fire and take a nap and when he is rested he can come and tell him what he discovered about the murdered girl.
Lennox keeps a suit of clothes in a drawer in the library.
The midnight streets were deserted in London.
Lennox is shocked at the dire financial straight of one of the suspects.
Lennox is amazed that the maid is illiterate.
Lennox drops his keys in a bowl by the front door (his car keys maybe?).
Then goes and unlocks a desk drawer that holds paper and a pencil. Yet later tells the butler "No, no, just take the money on my dresser before you go out."

Lennox follows a suspect to his club. How does he know what he looks like? The butler hasn't seen him nor has he relayed any description of the nephew that he may have learned from the house staff at Barnard's.

There is a contemporary sensibility to the entire story.
At one point Lennox says "Surely it's the work of a moment to research any poison in the world?" Perhaps on their Victorian laptops?

Lennox gives a second apothecary two pounds and a note from a first apothecary. He then readily gives him two more pounds, from his own money and one more before the leaves his shop. He gives the carriage driver a shilling. That seems like a very generous payment to the apothecary for being cooperative and assisting Lennox with his investigation.

Then there is the whole initial crime scene where Lennox and the doctor are concerned about getting their fingerprints on things in the room. And they have established a narrow window for the time of death based on the stiffness of her body. And the doctor is ready with a handy-dandy poison testing kit from his bag. Is this 2009 or 1865?

The last straw for me was when Lennox began contemplating his carriage driver's feeling of dislike for all of the traveling to lower-class sections of London.

If it were just a few things that didn't ring true I might have continued reading but the characters were dull as toast. Toast itself was mentioned far too often. The dialogue was dreadful and the story was not at all engaging. So, I had to give it up.

Please feel free to tell me the errors in my thinking in regard to this book. My conscience is clear, those of you who like what I like have been warned. Those of you who chew up words in a book like they are gum, disregard this rant and chew away. Read more ›