Reviews with content warning for Murder - Miss Aldridge Regrets

This has hardcore Agatha Christie vibes all the way through, and I absolutely loved it. Dual settings of gangsters and showgirls in Soho, and the upper echelons of society on a trans-Atlantic ship, in the glitzy 1930s. It's got brilliant characters (Lena herself is a great protagonist), a twisty mystery and story strands that weave cleverly together.

I flipped back and forth in my suspicions so many times that it wouldn't be fair to say I guessed how things would end; although I did go in the right direction just before the big reveal. To be honest I'm not entirely sure how I felt about how things wrapped up. I definitely didn't dislike it (and on balance I enjoyed the whole book), but after how the story progressed, it just seemed a little less shocking or tense than I think I was expecting. Though I did love where Lena's journey took her, and found all the detail about her past and her father utterly engaging.

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morgonwashere's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If you like Agatha Christie you will love this book 10 out of 10

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abbie92g's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

London, 1936. Lena Aldridge wonders if life has passed her by. The dazzling Theatre career she hoped for hasn't worked out. Instead, she's stuck singing in a sticky-floored basement club in Soho, and her married loved has just left her.

She's feeling utterly hopeless until a stranger offers her the chance of a lifetime; a starring role on Broadway and a first-class ticket on the Queen Mary bound for New York. After a murder at the Club, the timing couldn't be better and Lena jumps at the chance to escape England, but death follows her on board, when an obscenely wealthy family draws her into their fold, just as one of them is killed in a chillingly familiar way. As Lena navigates their increasingly bizarre family dynamic, she realises that her greatest performance won't be for an audience, but for her life.

Miss Aldridge Regrets is marketed as Historical Fiction, but with an air of "Murder on the Orient Express" about it, it is more suited to the title of Murder Mystery. Louise Hare writes an intriguing tale, spanning several periods in Lena's life, and jumps between these with apparent ease, and without losing the story's momentum. Lena is a believable protagonist, and relationships are developed well within the story.

I gave this 4 stars, purely because I felt the ending was a little rushed. It would have been nice to see a little more of what Lena found of her father's family in New York, as a central theme to the story is her late father and his life as a musician.

I enjoyed this book and it was a gentle read, recommended to fans of Murder Mysteries with a little bit extra!

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megwilli's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.5

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bookbrig's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A really interesting mystery with a wonderful leading lady. I also liked the small interludes from another character's perspective, and the setting of the ship. The ending went a bit faster than I expected given the build-up, but it was interesting and there were several twists I didn't anticipate. Also I highly recommend the audiobook because the reader was excellent.

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nicolaparty's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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