here is a dead woman in the shrubbery at Belsfield Hall – the country seat of baronet, Sir Edgar Montague – and nobody even knows who she is. It is...
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May 08, 2010
LJ
rated it: 
First Sentence: My dear Eliza, I must begin another letter to you, although it is not six hours since I sent my last.
Catherine Kent is engaged to Richard Montague. During a special ball at Betsfield Hall, Richard reacts strongly to a red-headed man and then disappears. Catherine’s father sends for his spinster sister, Miss Dido Kent. The same day Dido arrives, the body of a murdered woman is found under a hedge on the property and Dido decides it’s up to her to discover the kille More...
Catherine Kent is engaged to Richard Montague. During a special ball at Betsfield Hall, Richard reacts strongly to a red-headed man and then disappears. Catherine’s father sends for his spinster sister, Miss Dido Kent. The same day Dido arrives, the body of a murdered woman is found under a hedge on the property and Dido decides it’s up to her to discover the kille More...
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Feb 22, 2012
Sarah
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Apr 22, 2010
Talulah
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Miss Dido Kent, spinster and aunt extraordinaire, rushes to her niece Catherine’s side when Catherine’s fiance abruptly breaks off their engagement in the middle of their engagement ball. Catherine refuses to accept that her man is gone, and begs Dido to figure out what the eff is up. Shenanigans ensue.
I liked this. I think the first half dragged a bit–as evidenced by the fact that I was able to summarily abandon it in favor of The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Seri More...
I liked this. I think the first half dragged a bit–as evidenced by the fact that I was able to summarily abandon it in favor of The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Seri More...
Apr 04, 2010
Taracuda
rated it: 
3.5 Stars- it fell just short of really good.
It was well-written, and I really was caught up in trying to figure out who dunnit. But was the side plot with the serving boy really required, especially when Miss Kent so obviously missing what the author implied? And the Misses Harris, who suddenly turn out to be more than they appear for no reason other than thwarting Tom Lomax? He could have been more easily thwarted without them ever making an appearance.
I think the par More...
It was well-written, and I really was caught up in trying to figure out who dunnit. But was the side plot with the serving boy really required, especially when Miss Kent so obviously missing what the author implied? And the Misses Harris, who suddenly turn out to be more than they appear for no reason other than thwarting Tom Lomax? He could have been more easily thwarted without them ever making an appearance.
I think the par More...
Mar 04, 2010
Aarti
rated it:
Bellfield Hall is an English country home murder mystery set during the Georgian era. Miss Dido Kent arrives at the hall after her niece summons her there- she soon finds out that not only has her beloved niece's fiancee called off their engagement, but also that a woman no one knows has been murdered in the shrubbery. Dido promises to help her niece discover why her fiancee so abruptly called off their marriage, and in the meantime, she does some of her own sleuthing on the murder.
I More...
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Jan 13, 2011
Maya
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Pros: Really liked the main character, written in first person, her strengths (scary smart and acting with best of intentions) and weaknesses (at times not only judgemental but feeling justified in acting upon that judgement, at times being just as patronizing to younger women as she feels and is irritated by men acting patronizing toward her as a spinster woman) were believable and made her seem genuine. I wasn't able to predict the outcome, and the author does a good job of keeping the reader
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Dec 20, 2011
Peggy
rated it:
'Bellfield Hall or, the Observations of Miss Dido Kent'
is the debut novel of Anna Dean. This Regency Mystery is a delightful read. A really good puzzle with wonderful characters, period detail and grand suspense. I am looking forward to more Dido Kent adventures!
Miss Dido Kent is requested to join her niece Catherine at Bellfield Hall as Catherine's intended has suddenly and mysteriously broken off their engagement and disappeared after a strange man came and gave him a silent More...
is the debut novel of Anna Dean. This Regency Mystery is a delightful read. A really good puzzle with wonderful characters, period detail and grand suspense. I am looking forward to more Dido Kent adventures!
Miss Dido Kent is requested to join her niece Catherine at Bellfield Hall as Catherine's intended has suddenly and mysteriously broken off their engagement and disappeared after a strange man came and gave him a silent More...
May 23, 2010
Barbara
rated it:
I am of two minds about this book. One one side, the writing was good, the style of the book (first person letters and third person narrative)was interesting. However, the mystery was very thin.
Our heroine, Dido Kent, joins a house party at Bellfield Hall to comfort her niece, whose fiance Richard ,a son of the house, has rather abruptly severed their engagement. The morning after Dido's arrival the body of a young woman is found on the grounds of the estate. Hmmm, what did Richard's More...
Our heroine, Dido Kent, joins a house party at Bellfield Hall to comfort her niece, whose fiance Richard ,a son of the house, has rather abruptly severed their engagement. The morning after Dido's arrival the body of a young woman is found on the grounds of the estate. Hmmm, what did Richard's More...
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Nov 06, 2010
Helen
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A Moment of Silence is an entertaining murder mystery set in the early 19th century. It's the first in a series of novels featuring the wonderful Miss Dido Kent.
The story begins when Dido is summoned to Belsfield Hall, the country estate of the Montague family. Her niece Catherine is engaged to Sir Montague's son Richard - who has mysteriously disappeared during their engagement party. Dido agrees to help Catherine solve the mystery behind Richard's disappearance, but events soon take More...
The story begins when Dido is summoned to Belsfield Hall, the country estate of the Montague family. Her niece Catherine is engaged to Sir Montague's son Richard - who has mysteriously disappeared during their engagement party. Dido agrees to help Catherine solve the mystery behind Richard's disappearance, but events soon take More...
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Feb 26, 2010
Leslie
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Dean's entry into the lists of Regency mysteries is well worth reading. Flavored with a pinch of Jane Austen but not relying on her in any way, Bellfield Hall is a refreshing change. Dean's heroine, Dido Kent, has been described by the excellent Louise Penny as a Regency Miss Marple, a fairly apt comparison. Dido is more flirtatious and less ancient than Christie's detective, though hardly the newly bereaved, though still blushing, brides favored by recent Regency favorites Deanna Raybourn an
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Feb 10, 2010
bookme4life
rated it:
3.5 STARS
Reflecting back on this book, I would hold to my earlier assertion that it's a bit like Miss Marple in Jane Austen's world. Her curiosity and propensity to gently meddle are worthy of Miss Marple. Her niece describes her as casting a satirical eye on others -- I rather wished for a bit more of that from her, but I supposed what I was really craving was Jane Austen's wit.
Anna Dean spreads out the clues such that an attentive reader will have the satisfaction of More...
Reflecting back on this book, I would hold to my earlier assertion that it's a bit like Miss Marple in Jane Austen's world. Her curiosity and propensity to gently meddle are worthy of Miss Marple. Her niece describes her as casting a satirical eye on others -- I rather wished for a bit more of that from her, but I supposed what I was really craving was Jane Austen's wit.
Anna Dean spreads out the clues such that an attentive reader will have the satisfaction of More...
Aug 12, 2011
Maddie
rated it:
Miss Dido Kent is 28 and unmarried and hence heading towards spinsterhood. Her beloved niece Catherine sends her word that Catherine's new fiance, Richard Montague, has upset her. Dido rushes to her niece's help to Bellfield Hall, home of the Montague family. She discovers that Richard has secretly broken off the engagement without any proper reason and since then disappeared. Then, a dead body of a woman is discovered in the garden. Are these incidences related? Dido wants to find out.
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Oct 03, 2011
bookczuk
rated it:
A debut novel: Miss Marple does Regency England. Had some interesting elements and some choice tidbits about that time and life in a country manor. Dido is a good main character, though her personality is not fully drawn for me. Were I to read more in the series, I might come to like her better. A bit heavy handed in some things (aka the colonel's not being the marrying sort of man, the fate of poor Jack the footman), but some other subtleties were handled well. The mechanism of letter-writ
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Feb 21, 2010
Kate
rated it:
A very light regency mystery (not like Julian Kestrel or the Jane Austen Mysteries, but a nice complement) starring Miss Dido Kent. Dido is summoned to the country house of the future parents of her niece, who fears her engagement is falling apart. The mystery involves a young woman found dead as well as the strange behavior of the besotted fiance. Lots of regency detail, especially some interesting bits about clothing (which sucked ME right in) and an okay solution, although a few more early
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Apr 26, 2010
Susan
rated it:
Spinster Dido Kent travels to a house party at Bellfield Hall at the urging of her niece, Catherine, who was engaged to the heir of the house until he suddenly broke their engagement at a ball. Not only that, but after he left, a woman was found dead in the shrubbery. Surely her clever Aunt Dido can figure out why Richard broke the engagement, and prove that he has nothing to do with the dead woman! Dido soon learns that just about everyone in the house party is concealing secrets, even the a
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Jun 14, 2011
Jane
rated it:
Bellfield Hall is an Austen-alike, but unlike so many of them, it contains original characters set in the same time. It is unlike the works of Jane Austen in that it is a mystery, but otherwise the description of manners and the times is very similar. Of course it does not have the depth and genius of Austen, but I found it a very pleasurable read. I am often put off by authors inspired by Austen who insist on messing with her original characters and plots, so I found this book refreshing. I am
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Jun 08, 2010
Jennifer
rated it:
This was a fun mystery trip through Austen-territory. Although there were a few too many character tangents and the ending revolving around Dido and Mr William Lomax was a bit contrived (especially as we really saw so little of him until the end of the novel), I enjoyed the ride. Dido Kent is a young Miss Marple, and I hope that she doesn't change too much in future excursions, simply because I found her refreshingly abnormal. From one "spinster" to another, I wouldn't like to see her
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Jan 08, 2012
So slow going...I found that I could not read this with distractions around me...I also had trouble keeping all the characters straight!
That being said, the last 40 pages were full of interesting twists to the story that made it difficult to put down and I'm now anxious to get started on the 2nd book to see what will become of Miss Dido Kent.
"There is a dead woman in the shrubbery at Belsfield Hall – the country seat of baronet, Sir Edgar Montague – and nobody even k More...
That being said, the last 40 pages were full of interesting twists to the story that made it difficult to put down and I'm now anxious to get started on the 2nd book to see what will become of Miss Dido Kent.
"There is a dead woman in the shrubbery at Belsfield Hall – the country seat of baronet, Sir Edgar Montague – and nobody even k More...
Oct 21, 2010
Deborah
rated it:
Also published in the US as "Belfield Hall",this is a very clever and entertaining book which starts with a body in the shrubbery and then piles on layers of mystery for the reader to solve. Or rather, the reader follows breathlessly behind the delightfully astute Dido Kent, a Regency lady sleuth, who gently teases the truth from the clues. An excellently-crafted novel with all the atmosphere and wit of classic Jane Austen,I loved the wickedly observant Dido Kent and will be over to th
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Jun 15, 2010
Susan
rated it:
Catherine's spinster Aunt Dido has been summoned to Bellfield Hall to help her niece discover why her fiance has called off their engagement and disappeared. To make matters more complicated and sinister, a dead woman has been found in the garden, and Dido can't help but think the two events are somehow related. A fast, fun read, this lighthearted mystery will appeal to Austenites and historical mystery lovers alike. There is enough mystery to keep one guessing and it is light and not-so-goth
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May 05, 2010
Ana T.
rated it:
Miss Dido Kent is a spinster, she never married but she comes from a big family and her brothers occasionally ask for her help when dealing with their children. She has a special fondness for her niece Catherine who lived with her for a while when she was a young child and when she asks for her help Dido runs to her side.
Catherine had just become engaged when, during the celebratory ball at his parent’s estate, Bellfield Hall, the fiancé is approached by a mysterious man who, More...
Catherine had just become engaged when, during the celebratory ball at his parent’s estate, Bellfield Hall, the fiancé is approached by a mysterious man who, More...
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Mar 01, 2010
Jenna
rated it:
I actually would give this a 3.5 but decided to round up instead of down this time around. I found this book an enjoyable first book in the series and I certainly would read another book in this series. Dido is an interesting heroine, self-aware but not too pompous, compassionate but not falling into annoying sweetness either. Small period details add a specificity to the historical setting and also make it seem that the author has done good research in the era (though I admit the Regency is
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May 08, 2010
LJ
rated it:
A MOMENT OF SILENCE (Hist Mys/Ama. Sleuth-Dido Kent-England-1805) - Ex
Dean, Anna – 1st book
Allison & Busby, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780749079109
First Sentence: My dear Eliza, I must begin another letter to you, although it is not six hours since I sent my last.
Catherine Kent is engaged to Richard Montague. During a special ball at Betsfield Hall, Richard reacts strongly to a red-headed man and then disappears.
Catherine’s father sends for h More...
Dean, Anna – 1st book
Allison & Busby, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780749079109
First Sentence: My dear Eliza, I must begin another letter to you, although it is not six hours since I sent my last.
Catherine Kent is engaged to Richard Montague. During a special ball at Betsfield Hall, Richard reacts strongly to a red-headed man and then disappears.
Catherine’s father sends for h More...
May 06, 2010
Rosemary
rated it:
The minute I read the jacket flap, I knew this book was right up my alley. A fun but literate read, Bellfield Hall is a Regency-era mystery with more than a little Austen influence. Its heroine, Dido Kent, is a sharp-witted lady of a certain age with a "satirical eye" and a nose for a good mystery.
And Anna Dean gives us just that, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The prose is smart, the red herrings fresh, and the Austen references are subtle and s More...
And Anna Dean gives us just that, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The prose is smart, the red herrings fresh, and the Austen references are subtle and s More...
Jul 23, 2011
Madonna
rated it:
I liked this first book of a series enough to read others in the series. However, I was sometimes irritated by the letters. The main character writes letters to keep the reader and her sister informed--and advance the plot. But, we'd be with her when she discovers or deduces information and then we have to wait for her to get to that info in the letter to her sister. I felt as if I were marking time. I did enjoy the mystery and the interesting twist at the end.
Sep 05, 2011
Carmen
rated it:
Dido is asked to come look after her niece. The niece's fiance is acting strangely and step mother and father don't really know how to handle her. But Dido finds out much more. Set in an English estate of the 1800's, this book is entertaining. Dido discovers all the secrets of the residents of Bellfield Hall. Who knew that adultery, aborption, drugs, blackmail and plain meanness played such a part of the English country life?
Nov 18, 2010
Lauren
rated it:
Miss Dido Kent, spinster, finds herself embroiled in the mysteries of Bellfield Hall – including a murder – after her niece’s fiancé calls off the engagement. Not great literature by a long shot, it’s mildly entertaining with a decent plot. Parts of the beginning of the book read like a bad Austen imitation, but Ms. Dean develops her style as the book progresses. Recommended for when thinking is simply too much work.
Aug 10, 2011
A broken engagement, a dead body, and a country house party; what do all of these have in common? Miss Dido Kent, a spinster with an admittedly curious nature, aims to find out. While the mystery was more cozy than I generally enjoy, and there was an odd sub-plot or two, I really enjoyed this book. Miss Dido is funny and intelligent and her voice will keep me looking for the sequel to this mystery.
-Rebekka
-Rebekka
Apr 07, 2011
Kelley
rated it:
I never could get into this book. From the beginning I felt as if I came into the middle of the story and I was already supposed to know more about the people in the book than I did. As I continued reading the story, the mystery became less and less important. In fact, I couldn't remember much about the murder, the suspects or how the heroine was resolving the matter. It all became unimportant. I skimmed the last couple of chapters just to finish it and confirm who I thought was the murderer
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Oct 20, 2010
Barb
rated it:
I enjoyed this first novel with Miss Dido Kent investigating the goings on at Bellfield Hall where her young niece has been left by her fiancé with nothing more than a cryptic excuse for his departure.
I liked the clever narration that incorporated Miss Kent's letters to her sister so that we could have her first person perspective alternating with the third person narration. There are some very heavy issues that are addressed in this mystery but they are dealt with in a fairly ligh More...
I liked the clever narration that incorporated Miss Kent's letters to her sister so that we could have her first person perspective alternating with the third person narration. There are some very heavy issues that are addressed in this mystery but they are dealt with in a fairly ligh More...
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