Customer Reviews

Death at Daisy's Folly (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 3)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The era of the 'Great House' and the lavish parties held in them are unfortunately, in the past. Thanks to Robin Paige, however, we can relive them vicariously, while being afforded the opportunity to solve a crime or two along the way.

This is the third of a delightful series, set in an exciting time -- the last few years of the previous century. Cameras have already proven their merits, soon it will be motor cars and after that, who knows?

Kate Ardleigh, an Irish-American orphan, has struggled to support herself writing 'penny-dreadful's' under the pseudonym of Beryl Bardwell. When she discovered to her great surprise that she had an aunt -- in England -- she set off for a visit. While she is there, her aunt dies, and suddenly, Kate is an heiress. As an independent woman, however, she refuses to give up her writing. It is while searching for background for her novels, that she first meets Sir Charles Sheridan in her first adventure, Death at Gallow's Green.

Charles is a scientist and photographer who won his knighthood for a celebratory photograph of Queen Victoria, and at first, he indulges Kate's curiosity as a novelty. It doesn't take long for either of them to realize the feelings go much deeper than expected. Now, when he is invited to Easton Grange, home of the Earl and Countess of Warwick along with the Prince of Wales and his entourage, Charles discovers that his older brother -- the heir -- is dying, childless. His plan to propose to Kate is thrown into disarray by a murder. Bertie instructs Charles to investigate, eliminating the necessity to call in the local police, which will certainly dismay Bertie's Mama - the Queen.

Historically accurate, this is an enjoyable deductive mystery, which will keep you guessing until the last moment. You won't want to miss the final author's notes about the 'Darling Daisy' of the title (in reality, the Countess) and you'll probably want to investigate the books in the bibliography. I did.

I enjoyed all of the books in this series but this was the best one. The romance between Charles Sheridan and Kate Ardleigh moved along nicely and the mystery was interesting and well thought out. I especially enjoy the historical tidbits of life in Victorian England.

As usual in the Victorian Mystery series by Robin Paige, the authors mix in historical people into their fictions. In Death at Daisy's Folly, we spend a country weekend with the Prince of Wales (Bertie) and his mistress the Countess of Warwick (Daisy) along with 20 other guests. The death of the prince's new groom under mysterious circumstances and the definite homicide of a nobleman prompts Bertie to enlist the detecting powers of Sir Charles Sheridan and Kate Ardleigh, both guests for the weekend. The life of Daisy plays a significant role in the story, and the authors have done thorough research into this real person, and they bring her to life so that we can see the charm she must have had to attract the prince. The morals and mores of the Marlborough Set, as the friends of the prince are called, drive the action of the story and provide unexpected motives. The relationship of Charles and Kate deepens, and Charles' responses are particularily delightful. All in all, another winner from Robin Paige.

In the third book of this series we find Kate Ardleigh and Sir Charles Sheridan visiting Easton Grange the home of Lord and Lady Brooke, the Earl and Countess of Warwick. Among the other guests of this quite real historical couple is the also very real son of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert Edward the future Edward VII. The mixing of fiction with non-fiction adds a great deal of interest to these books and this story in fact revolves around these historical characters. In the previous two books the real people who found their way into the story were for the most part bit players. The story is also aided by the unflinching manner with which the characters are described. The people that have gathered at the Warwick home for a weekend of festivities are all obviously of the highest aristocratic order and this book describes their miserable existence in faithful detail. With this type of immoral, pompous, self-serving elite running things it is a wonder that the Empire lasted as long as it did.

Straight away there is a death that at first appears to be an accident but Sir Charles is not so sure about that. The Prince orders the amateur sleuth to investigate but soon there is another death and this one is definitely no accident. Once again the Prince asks Charles to investigate and this time Charles asks the Kate be allowed to assist him. "Holmes and Watson" the future King announces and goes off to lunch. Charles and Kate turn all of their energies to the investigation but only come up with a few real clues along with a lot of conjecture and what ifs. Finally though, in a rather explosive ending the whole story comes out and justice is done.

As in the previous books, the romantic feelings that Sir Charles and Kate have for each other provide an intriguing side plot. New complications and roadblocks keep getting in the way of their romance and the affectionate pair have to face and overcome each and every one. In this story they continue down the road to romance and even matrimony and this book gets just a little too mushy in places. So mushy in fact that it distracts from the mystery to some extent, but not too badly. For some people I am sure this mush will actually add to the story, it just didn't have that effect on me. Another slight drawback is that the old canard about the Prince's son being the reason for the Ripper murders makes an appearance. The authors of this series have obviously done a great deal of research and should know better.

For some reason this book is a little slow for the first hundred pages or so. I can't figure out just why but it took about a hundred pages for me to really begin to get into the story. Once I did however, I read voraciously until the killer was revealed. This book may not have been quite as good as the previous two but I still found it to be very entertaining and enjoyable and I find that I am looking very forward to my next adventure with Sir Charles and Kate.

This is the third book in an excellent series of Victorian mysteries. The romance in these books reminds me somewhat of the delightful Harriet Vane/Lord Peter mysteries by Dorothy Sayers. The historical research is impressive and the writing is great. In Death at Daisy's Folly the authors describe life the highest ranks of society in Victorian England. The Prince of Wales and his mistress, Daisy, are spending a weekend at Daisy's estate. Sir Charles Sheridan is asked by the Prince to investigate a suspicious death, and Sir Charles and the lovely Kate are thrown together again during the investigation. If you enjoy romance, history and mystery, you will enjoy this book.

Heroine Kate Ardleigh is an independent woman helping to solve crimes during Victorian times (late 1800s) in England. She doesn't quite fit in: she's American, she's of Irish descent, she's independent, she's interested in corpses, and she writes lurid crime stories under the pseudonym Beryl Bardwell. None of these characteristics is suitable for a proper British lady of society!
Part of what makes this series interesting is the historical research the authors have done into the people, time, places and events that Kate experiences. The time period is the birth of many techniques and technologies, such as photography, crime scene investigation, air travel, and the automobile.
Another element making this series enjoyable is the developing romance between Kate and Sir Charles. They are a perfect match for each other, but their secret backgrounds and responsibilities threaten to keep them apart.
The story is filled with actual historical figures, all of whom Kate and Charles manage to meet. Beatrix Potter and her furry characters become Kate's friends in the first book of the series. In Death at Daisy's Folly, Kate and Charles mingle with the Prince of Wales and his mistress, Daisy, at a weekend house party at Daisy's husband's estate. Daisy's Folly is the"hideaway" on the estate outfitted with boudoirs for amorous assignations. In all the books, death comes unexpectedly, and Kate and Charles are eager to solve the crimes.
For those of you who have devoured all of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, there are similarities in Robin Paige's
books, though in a decidedly more sedate tone and with fewer harrowing adventures. Just as Amelia knows better than Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter where to dig in the Valley of the Kings, Kate and Charles are on the cutting edge, setting forensic practices in motion, always at least one step ahead of the constables. The characters are charming and the details make the Victorian Era come to life. And if a little murder and some sleuthing can be done among Britain's elite, so be it.

I got started in the series with one of the later books, Death at Blenheim Palace, and was totally taken by the historical detail and the quality of the characters, so I purchased several more in the series.

As with the other works, the husband-wife authors have worked magic with their thorough research of the period in which they have set their action. Susan Wittig Albert is a former professor of literature--I assume it is she who is primarily responsible for the writing--and this is abundantly apparent from the skillful use of the English language and the principles of composition; this is very readable literature, not just a "who-dunnit."

Also evident is the extent to which there is attention to the details of the period. The research has to have been pretty immersive, since little that creates an authentic ambiance has been neglected. I presume, although I could find out very little about him, that Bill Albert is responsible for the research, and I suspect a degree of at least some level in history. Whatever the case, it seems to be quite thorough, which makes the books the two write together very authentic.

In this case the murder is set in an actual country estate and involves the historic individuals that owned it. The heavily structured lifestyle of the upper class English nobility, here that of the Earl and Countess of Warwick--Francis and Frances Brooke--and Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales at the Time (later Edward VII) is realistically portrayed; more so, as the authors have allowed the central historic figure to give voice to her own feelings about her circumstances, feelings that might not have been obvious to her contemporaries or even to those studying and writing about her and her contributions to society postmortem.

Interesting too is the sense of political and cultural change going on at this time. Europe and Great Britain have yet to go through the turmoil that brought about the modern era. Especially in this particular book, socialism as it was viewed by the establishment is just beginning to threaten the status quo; being privileged to the knowledge of WWI and WWII and the changes that these wars introduced, the reader can almost sense how close to the edge the characters are. These are the last of the fabulously wealthy 19th century aristocrats, and the authors make it evident that they are an endangered species. Even the characters seem to be aware of it. By this period, roughly 1880-1900, they are barely hanging on to what their ancestors fully enjoyed and left to them. Marriages between American heiresses and the upper nobility were being arranged to salvage what could be of the historic prerogatives and wasteful lifestyles of these families as conditions and society were changing forever.

The elements of the murder are not unlike another of the series, although the motives for murder are very real, but it is the opportunity to "see" the country house of an aristocratic family as vaunted as the Warwick's that is the true delight; one is almost "there." All of the senses are treated in the venue, sight, sound, smell, touch, even taste (menus are provided), making the experience total.

One of the touches I enjoy most with these books is the quotation from authors regarding the life of the time that head each chapter. Particularly poignant in this volume was the quotation from John Dryden:

Be fair or foul, or rain or shine,
The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine.
Not heaven itself upon the past has power;
But what has been, has been, and I have had my hour.

Beautiful. A wonderful experience

These authors can write a good Victorian mystery. It helps that they delve into the history books, and use actual incidences that lend credence to their story. This book talks about Queeen Victoria's son, Albert's propensity for married lovers - some of the worst kept secrets from that era. Daisy was a real person and was actually involved with the Prince. The story is realistic, and the characters are niceley portrayed. I really like Charles and Kathryn and think they make a good detective team. The mystery behind the story is a good one, and the motive is "Oh so Victorian". I recommend this series to those that enjoy this period.

This novel is just what a historical murder mystery should be: diverting, challenging, and filled with interesting tidbits. I never guessed the culprit, though there were plenty of clues and lots of characters to think about. I have enjoyed the series of more modern mysteries that Susan Wittig Albert writes on her own, but these Victorian mysteries written with her husband, Bill, are well worth seeking out. Definitely something nice to have around on a cozy weekend day.

When his young groom is found dead, the Prince of Wales asks Sir Charles Sheridan to look into the matter. Ably aided by Kate Ardleigh, an American who secretly pens penny-dreadfuls, Sheridan soon finds that behind it proper facades, the upper class is hiding some very sordid secrets.

Death at Daisy's Folly is a treat for readers of historical British mysteries. It is obvious that a lot of research went into the creation of this book. Set at an 1890's weekend house party and featuring real historical figures, the story explores the private lives of the privileged and contrasts it with the daily lot of the servant class.

Charles and Kate make a likable team. I was particularly glad to see the authors finally develop Charles into something more than just a science geek.

Having enjoyed this book, I will definitely read the next entry in the series.