Berried Alive: A Manor House Mystery [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Kate Kingsbury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2004

In WWII England, the quiet village of Sitting Marsh is faced with food rations and fear for loved ones. Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton, lady of the Manor House and respected guardian of the village, knows she shouldn't be entertaining impure thoughts about Major Earl Monroe - especially with resentment against the Yanks building. But she can't help it - until she finds herself distracted by the mysterious deaths of four American servicemen.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A charming cast of characters."
-- The Literary Times (Doody Enterprises )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 234 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing; 1 edition (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587247917
• ISBN-13: 978-1587247910
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,438,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up in London, England, and at a very early age began telling stories to my school friends during the London Blitz of WW II while huddling in bomb shelters. I moved to the U.S. in the early sixties, and had passed my 50th birthday when I published my first book. Since then I've written over fifty romance and mystery novels. I have one son, and married for the second time shortly after my 60th birthday.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful mystery, April 6, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Berried Alive (Manor House Mystery) (Paperback)

World War II is causing hardship for those left behind especially in the small village of Sitting Marsh where women and men unable too serve have to keep their spirits up as they try to do the work of the men now at the front. Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton of Manor House tries to set a good example helping when she is needed. The offices of the United States Army Air Force are billeted in her home so they can be near the base, but that doesn?t sit too well with the villagers.

Even though the Americans are fighting for their country, the people of Sitting Marsh resent their brashness, their flirting with the local women, and the quality of goods they have on the base while the villagers must make do with rationing. Four red haired men on the base have died after eating at the local pub and the authorities believe they were poisoned. Lady Elizabeth finds this intolerable and decides to do her best to flush out the perpetrator.

Kate Kingsbury?s manor house mysteries are charming and whimsical historical tales that give the reader an understanding of the hardships and the sorrows of village life during World War II. The heroine is a strong-minded woman who leads by example with action and kindness especially to those less fortunate than herself. The secondary cast is a delightful bunch of eccentrics, who add humor when the plot turns too maudlin.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More drama/soap opera than mystery, July 11, 2004

By 

Louis M. Perdue (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Berried Alive (Manor House Mystery) (Paperback)

Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy this series but more for the descriptions of WWII British life than for the mysteries which are usually quite cookie-cutter and simple to figure out.
In this entry, Elizabeth is helping Major Earl Monroe with the mystery of four redheaded soldiers who have been poisoned. There are a few suspects from which to choose, making it fun to guess which is the guilty party.
More interesting, Elizabeth and Earl come closer to admitting their feelings for one another. Polly is still trying to get back into the good graces of soldier Sam, to whom she lied about her age.
The book ends with two cliffhangers, causing me to look forward to the next book in the series.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Kate writes it, buy it!, October 28, 2004

By 

digger.com (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Berried Alive (Manor House Mystery) (Paperback)

This series as well as her Pennyfoot Hotel series is (and I hate this word) awesome. I have never read a complete series before I found the two of these, now I have read both...you will not be disappointed. It (they) may take place in Edwardian and war time England, but the characters are so 'today'. And, get this. I sent an e-mail to Mrs. Kingsbury, which she actually answered. One of her secrets to success is a much younger husband! She is just a delightful person. She writes good, clean, interesting mysteries. Plus, a bonus: she is also writing under another name...but this time romances!