Death is in the Air: A Manor House Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Kate Kingsbury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 8, 2001

When a German pilot escapes into the woods near Manor House, Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton insists that the pilot is nothing more than a harmless, frightened young boy. But when a local girl is found murdered the very day the pilot disappears, Elizabeth is in the thick of a murderous muddle, combing for clues and searching for answers.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 199 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (August 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425180948
• ISBN-13: 978-0425180945
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,599 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

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating cosy, August 8, 2001

By 

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

This review is from: Death is in the Air: A Manor House Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

During World War II, a very young German bomber pilot parachutes to safety in the village of Sitting Marsh as his plane crashes. The villagers capture the pilot, but soon attack his parachute for the silk. The frightened aviator, believing the mob of wild women want to kill him, flees into nearby Hawthorne Woods.

The next day the murdered corpse of a land girl working at Macclesby Farm is found. Everyone including PC George Dalyrmple believes the German killed the girl. The only holdout is Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh who thinks the prime suspect is a shield for the real killer. Hoping to be useful to her villagers, Elizabeth begins to investigate the homicide.

DEATH IS IN THE AIR, the second Lady Compton WWII amateur sleuth tale (see A BICYCLE BUILT FOR MURDER), is a delightful novel. The story line is fun for its historical perspective as much as for its phenomenal amateur sleuth plot. Still, this novel belongs to its characters (Elizabeth, the villagers, and the deployed American troops) that bring the era to life. A bit of romance between Elizabeth and Major Earl Monroe adds an additional pearl to a fantastic story.

Harriet Klausner

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Romance and Murder, August 24, 2001

By 

algerina "algerina" (Saint Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Death is in the Air: A Manor House Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

The second book in Kate Kingsbury Manor House series, Death in the Air, is a delightful cozy English mystery. Lady Elizabeth is again up to her neck in murder. To make matters worst she tries to bring peace between the Yanks and the British troops. The Manor is now occupied by American officers one of whom has stolen her heart. But alas Lady Elizabeth's major has a wife at home, a fact she forces herself to remember every time she is faced with his disarming blue eyes. The plot is filled with pathos and humor. A mentally challenged young man grieves the loss of a friend. When a German parachutes into town square the housewives moblize, armed with carving knives, to save Sitting Marsh from invasion. The characters are charming and real. The puzzle makes for a good plot and she even throws in a ghost. I loved this book and can barely wait for number three. I highly recommend it.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read, November 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Death is in the Air: A Manor House Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Somewhat in the tradition of Agatha Christie, Kate Kingsbury captures a view of WWII Britain, not the bombed out London, the countryside.

Enjoyed the plot, read this book after I read the second in the series. That one was actually better, the characters were more developed.

It will be an interesting series--