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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
2.0
I just finished reading Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman by Tessa Arlen. I thought this would be a great book. It is set in England before 1920. Mrs. Pankhurst and her cohorts are causing trouble in England trying to get women the right to vote. The Earl and Countess of Montfort are throwing a house party. The Countess throws a big costume ball every year that is the talk of the season. Her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson is very busy handling the staff and getting everything ready for the ball. The morning after the ball Teddy Mallory, ward and nephew of the Earl, is found dead. Lady Lucinda Lambert-Lambert and Violet, a kitchen maid, are also missing. The Countess, Clementine, works with Mrs. Jackson to solve the murder and the girl’s disappearance. It sounds like a great book, but the more I read the longer the book seemed to get. It just seemed to drag on and on. It is a good story line with some decent writing, but the story just became tiresome. The details that you love when watching Downton Abbey do not translate as well into writing. The book did get better toward the latter half of the book (or I could have just been happy I was almost done reading it). It is a good mystery. I can usually solve a mystery within the first hundred pages, but this time it took me a while longer to solve both mysteries. Happy Reading!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
4.0
Nominated for the 2015 Agatha for Best First Novel, the first entry in the Lady Montfort mystery series was a strong one. The series is set in early 1900s England. According to the blurbs on the book jacket, it was billed as being sure to appeal to fans of Downton Abbey. Since I'm pretty sure that I'm one of about three people who have not watched the series (I know, I know...insert surprised gasp of horror here), I wasn't sure whether it would hook me in the same way. Any concerns were quickly allayed by the time I finished the first chapter, however, and I found this an extremely enjoyable mystery. Excellent writing, historical details skillfully woven into the story (I loved the suffragette movement details in particular), and the plot development overall held my attention throughout, and I plan to read the next one in the series based on this fine first entry. While I'm sure that this series will indeed appeal to fans of Downton Abbey, I think this series will appeal even more broadly to any fan of historical fiction and Golden Age-style mysteries.
neveroutofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.
I loved this book. It was a perfectly paced romp through rural England. It took me a while to read because I just wanted to savor the ride as long as possible! I will be looking out for more books by this author in the future.
I loved this book. It was a perfectly paced romp through rural England. It took me a while to read because I just wanted to savor the ride as long as possible! I will be looking out for more books by this author in the future.
mamap's review against another edition
3.0
Slow.
There's been a murder at Lady Montfort's annual ball. Secrets abound.
It's well written for it's genre - interesting and quite smart, but slow.
Mrs. Jackson rocks.
There's been a murder at Lady Montfort's annual ball. Secrets abound.
It's well written for it's genre - interesting and quite smart, but slow.
Mrs. Jackson rocks.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. The plot was good, the murder was good, the detection also was good. The historical details were also well done; nothing was jarring. I think I just did not like the writing and language. Some slang was used that I am not sure belongs to the period; and some expressions, such as something being a "no-no," just did not add much to the quality of the writing. I guess I would say that it looked like the time period but didn't sound like it. It was also rather shallow and I did not feel connected with the characters.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Set in the English countryside during the early 1900s, Tessa Arlen's Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman is a very intriguing mystery. This debut novel offers a unique pairing of detectives when Clementine Talbot (Lady Montford) asks her trusted housekeeper Mrs. Edith Jackson to help her investigate the troubling murder of her nephew, Teddy Mallory.
Clementine's annual house party coincides with Teddy's latest troubles at school and when his body is discovered the morning after the event, her guests and their servants fall under suspicion of the local constable. Clementine's concern over her son's altercation with Teddy the day before prompts her to ask Mrs. Jackson for her help in learning what the servants might have seen or heard during the party. Mrs. Jackson is uneasy about becoming too familiar with Lady Montford and she is equally appalled to report on her fellow servants' conversations. But when she learns that a new maid mysteriously vanished at some point during the festivities, she puts aside her dismay and begins her investigation. At the same time, Clementine is gently probing her guests for information and the two women regularly meet to compare notes. They uncover startling revelations about Teddy's rather nefarious activities and Mrs. Jackson follows very promising leads.
Despite the somber occasion, Clementine's guests enjoy lavish dinners and games while the overburdened servants continue their numerous chores. The pampered and privileged upper crust frequently argue about the politics of the day and the suffrage movement is hotly debated. The differences between the classes are also brought into sharp focus as Mrs. Jackson delicately balances the unexpected blurring of class lines during her meetings with Clementine. Mrs. Jackson also must respect the hierarchy that exists between the servants and she remains very uncomfortable listening in as they gossip about their employers.
Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman is a brilliantly crafted mystery and Tess Arlen successfully conceals the perpetrator's identity right up until the novel's conclusion. All in all, it is a very entertaining novel with an interesting mystery and fascinating peek into life during the Edwardian era and I am very eager to read the next novel in the Lady Montford Mystery series.
Clementine's annual house party coincides with Teddy's latest troubles at school and when his body is discovered the morning after the event, her guests and their servants fall under suspicion of the local constable. Clementine's concern over her son's altercation with Teddy the day before prompts her to ask Mrs. Jackson for her help in learning what the servants might have seen or heard during the party. Mrs. Jackson is uneasy about becoming too familiar with Lady Montford and she is equally appalled to report on her fellow servants' conversations. But when she learns that a new maid mysteriously vanished at some point during the festivities, she puts aside her dismay and begins her investigation. At the same time, Clementine is gently probing her guests for information and the two women regularly meet to compare notes. They uncover startling revelations about Teddy's rather nefarious activities and Mrs. Jackson follows very promising leads.
Despite the somber occasion, Clementine's guests enjoy lavish dinners and games while the overburdened servants continue their numerous chores. The pampered and privileged upper crust frequently argue about the politics of the day and the suffrage movement is hotly debated. The differences between the classes are also brought into sharp focus as Mrs. Jackson delicately balances the unexpected blurring of class lines during her meetings with Clementine. Mrs. Jackson also must respect the hierarchy that exists between the servants and she remains very uncomfortable listening in as they gossip about their employers.
Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman is a brilliantly crafted mystery and Tess Arlen successfully conceals the perpetrator's identity right up until the novel's conclusion. All in all, it is a very entertaining novel with an interesting mystery and fascinating peek into life during the Edwardian era and I am very eager to read the next novel in the Lady Montford Mystery series.
felinity's review against another edition
4.0
An Edwardian mystery with a possibly surprising number of contemporary events; if, like me, you studied each event on its own, you may not have a holistic sense of the context. [a:Tessa Arlen|8267477|Tessa Arlen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1404142226p2/8267477.jpg] even manages to get in the traditional dig at France, with the subtle humor that's prevalent throughout the story.
The characters are well-drawn and true to their position (though my mind kept picturing Downton Abbey, which I hope the author takes as a compliment) and the awkwardness of cross-status dealings with multiple levels of authority was handled with aplomb. Unpleasant events may have been publicly brushed under the carpet, but it's clear that they were not unknown. The mystery itself was slow to build and never overpowering, both appropriate for the era.
Very enjoyable, and I look forward to the next one!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The characters are well-drawn and true to their position (though my mind kept picturing Downton Abbey, which I hope the author takes as a compliment) and the awkwardness of cross-status dealings with multiple levels of authority was handled with aplomb. Unpleasant events may have been publicly brushed under the carpet, but it's clear that they were not unknown. The mystery itself was slow to build and never overpowering, both appropriate for the era.
Very enjoyable, and I look forward to the next one!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
eserafina42's review against another edition
3.0
A well-written intelligent mystery that is sure, as its publicity says ad nauseam, to appeal to Downton Abbey fans. Bonus points for the fact that I didn't guess "whodunnit." While I can't point to anything negative, however, I just can't muster up the enthusiasm to give it 4 stars, although it is certainly a promising debut.
historical_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Delightful whodunnit set in early 20th England. Very Downton Abbey feel which I loved and a story that hooked you to the end.
tmdavis's review against another edition
4.0
This debut mystery by Tessa Arlen transports readers back in time to early 20th century England before the Great War. Lady Montfort's annual costume ball goes off without a hitch until someone finds the body of her nephew hanging from one of the gamekeeper's gibbets in a remote section of the woods. In addition, one of Lady Montfort's guests and one of the new maids have both gone missing. Lady Montfort convinces her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson to help her investigate the murder alongside and unbeknowst to the local constable. What results is a very enjoyable mystery that addresses the issues of the day such as women's suffrage, class prejudices and the privilege of the rich. Downton Abbey fans will love this one!