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kat1137's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
asuper81's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you Goodreads for the free digital copy.
This is my honest review.
The book is built around the premises Edward VII did not abdicate the throne but instead was allowed to marry Wallis Simpson and therefore the current royal family is headed by King Eric Windsor.
The King has requested a family only Christmas and is expected to name his successor when he dies as he begins his speech to his family. The king’s chef Jon is then tasked with determining who killed the king and he soon discovers every family member had their own motive.
The book outlines all the characters for a quick get to know you before it all begins. Most have some redeeming qualities it a few are hard to like.
I found the book enjoyable and very engaging as I tried to figure who did it and if the truth that was presented was really true.
This is my honest review.
The book is built around the premises Edward VII did not abdicate the throne but instead was allowed to marry Wallis Simpson and therefore the current royal family is headed by King Eric Windsor.
The King has requested a family only Christmas and is expected to name his successor when he dies as he begins his speech to his family. The king’s chef Jon is then tasked with determining who killed the king and he soon discovers every family member had their own motive.
The book outlines all the characters for a quick get to know you before it all begins. Most have some redeeming qualities it a few are hard to like.
I found the book enjoyable and very engaging as I tried to figure who did it and if the truth that was presented was really true.
rebeccabadger's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mysterymanon's review
4.0
The Cluesletter | @mysterymanon (IG) | @mysterymanon (TT)
A MURDER AT BALMORAL by Chris McGeorge is a twisty-turny whodunnit featuring members of the British royal family.
(Note: this is completely fictional royal family set in an alternate universe where King Edward never abdicated the throne in 1936.)
It’s Christmas Day at Balmoral, and by King Eric’s special request, no one is present but the royal family. The only staff is a security guard and Jon, the king’s chef. But then the king drops dead during the after-dinner toast—was the whisky poisoned? With the security guard missing, chef Jon becomes the only neutral third-party, and is quickly appointed detective, tasked with finding the killer.
This has to be one of the twistiest mysteries I’ve read. It starts slow, but after the 50% mark, it really picks up. By 80% I was reading obsessively, and by 90%, I was shocked. There are so many small clues scattered throughout the book, some that I recognized as clues and some that seemed unimportant, and they all are tied up nicely in the end. Family secrets and thirsts for power and revenge abound, and I never knew who to point the finger at.
I wasn’t a big fan of the writing, which tended to get bogged down by details, and the characters veered on cartoonish. As the protagonist, Jon started off almost pitiful—he’s an immigrant from Barbados, with a difficult childhood before working his way to the top of his career, and yet didn’t have the assertion or confidence I’d expect from a top chef. But by the end of the book, he’s a changed man, and I ended up loving his development.
My advice? Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A MURDER AT BALMORAL by Chris McGeorge is a twisty-turny whodunnit featuring members of the British royal family.
(Note: this is completely fictional royal family set in an alternate universe where King Edward never abdicated the throne in 1936.)
It’s Christmas Day at Balmoral, and by King Eric’s special request, no one is present but the royal family. The only staff is a security guard and Jon, the king’s chef. But then the king drops dead during the after-dinner toast—was the whisky poisoned? With the security guard missing, chef Jon becomes the only neutral third-party, and is quickly appointed detective, tasked with finding the killer.
This has to be one of the twistiest mysteries I’ve read. It starts slow, but after the 50% mark, it really picks up. By 80% I was reading obsessively, and by 90%, I was shocked. There are so many small clues scattered throughout the book, some that I recognized as clues and some that seemed unimportant, and they all are tied up nicely in the end. Family secrets and thirsts for power and revenge abound, and I never knew who to point the finger at.
I wasn’t a big fan of the writing, which tended to get bogged down by details, and the characters veered on cartoonish. As the protagonist, Jon started off almost pitiful—he’s an immigrant from Barbados, with a difficult childhood before working his way to the top of his career, and yet didn’t have the assertion or confidence I’d expect from a top chef. But by the end of the book, he’s a changed man, and I ended up loving his development.
My advice? Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
hxnnx_2809's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Author uses '...' instead of "..." and '... "..."...' instead of "... '...'..."
Makes weird paragraphs and uses new '...' in the middle of one character speaking
Makes weird paragraphs and uses new '...' in the middle of one character speaking
dannyphantomsg1's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
cpalisa's review
3.0
This was okay. Liked the location (Balmoral at Christmas) and the different lineage, but it was pretty slow. Was supposed to be one of my Christmas reads and I just finished it mid-Jan and didn’t get to anything else.
emilydehaven's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
moyarb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75