Fire When Ready (WWII Manor House Mystery Series) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kate Kingsbury (Author)

Book Description

Series: WWII Manor House Mystery Series | Publication Date: December 7, 2004

There's no evidence that Sitting Marsh's munitions factory was bombed by the Luftwaffe, so it's up to Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton to discern who in the sleepy little community sabotaged the plant and killed the owner.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Her books are light-hearted and serious, amusing and well-plotted."
-- The Statesman Journal (OR) (UNKNOWN ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (December 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425199487
• ISBN-13: 978-0425199480
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,001,407 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

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Historical Mystery, December 14, 2004

By 

drebbles (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Fire When Ready (WWII Manor House Mystery Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

In this mystery, set in the small town of Sitting Marsh in England during World War II, residents are not happy when a munitions factory is built near the town. So unhappy, in fact, that Douglas McNally, manager of the plant, shows Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton some threatening letters he has received. When McNally and a cleaning woman are found dead after a fire at the factory, the Fire Marshall rules the fire an accident, which satisfies the police, but Elizabeth isn't convinced, especially when she hears the victims bodies were found inside a locked office. She decides to investigate the deaths herself, but unless she's careful, things might get too hot for her!

This is another delightful cozy mystery in Kate Kingsbury's Manor House series. The mystery itself is slight, there aren't that many suspects and it's pretty obvious who the murderer is. But I read the mysteries more for the characters and what is going on in their lives. Elizabeth is a good strong heroine, although a little too full of her "position" in the village at times. Fans of the series will be glad to hear that Earl is back, but you'll have to read the book to find out how and why! Violet and Martin, are a bit of a cliché as the faithful household retainers, but Kingsbury writes them in such a way that you care for them and actually hold your breath when Martin walks down the stairs, hoping he'll make it. And Martin is involved in some of the most humorous moments in the book, making a reader wonder if he is as dotty as he sometimes seems to be. Housemaids Sadie and Polly show what life was like for young girls in war torn England.

This is a good book for fans of cozy, humorous mysteries.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun to read amateur sleuth historical mystery, October 31, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Fire When Ready (WWII Manor House Mystery Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

During World War II in England, the villagers have seen too much change in too short a time to want any further disruptions in their way of life. Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton of the Manor House subtly soothes ruffled feathers of the locals, tired by food rationing, the invasion of the Americans quartered in British homes, and the curfews. Even Elizabeth the great cannot get the residents to accept the new munitions factory run by Douglas McNally.

At the opening ceremony, Elizabeth has the honor of cutting the ribbon, but is taken aback when Douglas informs her that he is receiving death threats in the mail. Shortly thereafter, a fire breaks out at the factory killing Douglas and a charwoman. Following a rather quick inquiry, the fire marshal declares an accident occurred, but Elizabeth wonders in light of the letters whether murder happened. She learns that the victims were locked inside an office unable to get out. Totally connived that murder took place, Elizabeth intends to prove that and uncover the identity of the culprit.

FIRE WHEN READY is a fun to read amateur sleuth historical mystery that pays attention to period detail so that the readers can taste the real frustrations, fears, sacrifices, and hardships of villagers in England during the Great War. The heroine is a plucky strong willed character who watches over her villagers like a mother hen; thus investigating arson and murder in Elizabeth's mind is part of protecting her "children". Kate Kingsbury treats her readers with a charming tale that will send her satisfied audience seeking previous novels in this fine series.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fire When Ready, October 15, 2005

By 

Adele Greenwood (Asheville NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fire When Ready (WWII Manor House Mystery Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

I liked this much better than Berried Alive. I was happy to see Earl return but it was a pretty good conclusion that he would..
I think Ms Kingsbury did very well with this series set in the WW11 with the Landed Gentry and all it's quirks.
Let's hope there is something else as interesting coming from her pen. ?