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melaniereads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
krisz's review
4.0
A cute couple, nice atmosphere, well written text, but the actual crime in the beginning was written in a way that the reader knows what happened and the sleuths don't - so that's a disappointment.
Were the mystery a good one and well told, I'd have readily bought the sequel, but alas, no thanks.
Were the mystery a good one and well told, I'd have readily bought the sequel, but alas, no thanks.
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve listened to several of the Cherringham series by this Richards and Costello, so when I stumbled across A Shot in the Dark, the first in their Mydworth series, I went ahead and picked it up. I enjoy a light mystery novella, and this fit the bill.
Lord Harry Mortimer and his new wife, Kat have just arrived in England, when Harry is called to Whitehall on urgent business. So Kat decides to drive herself to their new home, but when she arrives, it’s all locked up. She walks across the fields to “nearby” Mydworth Manor where Harry’s aunt, Lady Lavinia, lives. As she arrives she hears gunshots, a man falls from a window and more shots are fired in her direction. Not quite what she was expecting.
Harry arrives and they search the body and find jewelry in his pockets. The man was Lady Lavinia’s driver, who was apparently shot while attempting to rob one of her guests. She asks Harry, and by extension Kat, to look into it, not trusting the local police.
Harry is definitely a member of the British upper class and Kat is from America, daughter of a bar owner, but has clearly done a lot of work for the State Department, some probably less than savory. They make a good couple, capable and clever.
The whodunnit was a bit easy to solve, but watching Kat and Harry put all the pieces together was enjoyable. It’s a fine start to the series.
Lord Harry Mortimer and his new wife, Kat have just arrived in England, when Harry is called to Whitehall on urgent business. So Kat decides to drive herself to their new home, but when she arrives, it’s all locked up. She walks across the fields to “nearby” Mydworth Manor where Harry’s aunt, Lady Lavinia, lives. As she arrives she hears gunshots, a man falls from a window and more shots are fired in her direction. Not quite what she was expecting.
Harry arrives and they search the body and find jewelry in his pockets. The man was Lady Lavinia’s driver, who was apparently shot while attempting to rob one of her guests. She asks Harry, and by extension Kat, to look into it, not trusting the local police.
Harry is definitely a member of the British upper class and Kat is from America, daughter of a bar owner, but has clearly done a lot of work for the State Department, some probably less than savory. They make a good couple, capable and clever.
The whodunnit was a bit easy to solve, but watching Kat and Harry put all the pieces together was enjoyable. It’s a fine start to the series.
wanderthelines's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
a_alves00's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jesslane88's review against another edition
2.0
I really loved the premise of this book. The British husband and American wife duo with backgrounds doing secret work for their governments, the setting of the English countryside in the decade after the Great War. Unfortunately, I figured out the entire plot and mystery before I was even halfway done. It was rather too obvious. I might give the second book a try as I did enjoy the writing and characters, I just hope the mystery in the next installment is a bit more tight.
krazyminchi's review
3.0
3.5
Exactly what you'd expect! A cozy murder mystery and a quick read/listen!
Exactly what you'd expect! A cozy murder mystery and a quick read/listen!
vesper1931's review
3.0
Sussex 1929. Sir Harry Mortimer and his wife Kat Reilly finally arrive at Mydworth Manor, though due to circumstances, separately. Only to be faced with a robbery and gun shots. Aunt and owner Lady Lavinia Fitzhenry, asks them to investigate.
An enjoyable cozy historical mystery.
An enjoyable cozy historical mystery.
alexandrea's review against another edition
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
eddiemunsonssecretbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
Meine Meinung
Als eine Mail kam, in der angeteasert wurde, dass das Buch Ähnlichkeiten zur Serie “Downton Abbey” besäße, war ich sofort dabei. Ich liebe diese Serie und suche schon länger nach Büchern, die in einer ähnlichen Zeit spielen oder eine Adelsfamilie behandeln.
Leider besaß es nicht ganz so viel davon. Die Zeit war zwar ähnlich, aber so viel bekam man von dem Adel nicht mit. Vieles hat mich gestört. Das Buch ließ sich leicht und sehr schnell lesen. Dadurch, dass es nicht viele Seiten besaß, gab es auch keine Längen, wurde also nicht langweilig. Allerdings passte vieles nicht in die Zeit. Die Wortwahl war zu modern, die Gespräche platt und inhaltslos, die Charaktere eindimensional. Es hat einfach nicht richtig zusammengpasst, wie ein Puzzle, wo die Teile nicht zueinanderpassen.
Bis zum Ende habe ich mich nicht wie in einem Herrenhaus des britischen Adels gefühlt, sondern wie in einem Theaterstück, wo ich im 21. Jahrhundert sitze und zuschaue. Die Serie geht noch weiter, allerdings werde ich sie wohl nicht weiterverfolgen.
Fazit
2,5 Sterne von mir. Man wird einfach nie ganz in die Geschichte gezogen, sondern bleibt die meiste Zeit außen vor. Auch wenn es nur kurze, serienartige Geschichten sind, sollte man sich mehr mit der Wortwahl des 20. Jahrhunderts befassen.
Als eine Mail kam, in der angeteasert wurde, dass das Buch Ähnlichkeiten zur Serie “Downton Abbey” besäße, war ich sofort dabei. Ich liebe diese Serie und suche schon länger nach Büchern, die in einer ähnlichen Zeit spielen oder eine Adelsfamilie behandeln.
Leider besaß es nicht ganz so viel davon. Die Zeit war zwar ähnlich, aber so viel bekam man von dem Adel nicht mit. Vieles hat mich gestört. Das Buch ließ sich leicht und sehr schnell lesen. Dadurch, dass es nicht viele Seiten besaß, gab es auch keine Längen, wurde also nicht langweilig. Allerdings passte vieles nicht in die Zeit. Die Wortwahl war zu modern, die Gespräche platt und inhaltslos, die Charaktere eindimensional. Es hat einfach nicht richtig zusammengpasst, wie ein Puzzle, wo die Teile nicht zueinanderpassen.
Bis zum Ende habe ich mich nicht wie in einem Herrenhaus des britischen Adels gefühlt, sondern wie in einem Theaterstück, wo ich im 21. Jahrhundert sitze und zuschaue. Die Serie geht noch weiter, allerdings werde ich sie wohl nicht weiterverfolgen.
Fazit
2,5 Sterne von mir. Man wird einfach nie ganz in die Geschichte gezogen, sondern bleibt die meiste Zeit außen vor. Auch wenn es nur kurze, serienartige Geschichten sind, sollte man sich mehr mit der Wortwahl des 20. Jahrhunderts befassen.