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Aug 08, 2010

Hattie rated it:

Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn

Death At Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn

For a long time I have wanted to start the Carola Dunn series. Finally, I have finished the first book in the series, "Death At Wentwater Court." The first book is very good. I have already put the second book of the series on hold at the library.

My one misgiving was that at the beginning there were so many characters being thrown at me. I worried whether it would be necess More...

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Oct 25, 2009

Gail rated it:

This series takes place between the wars in England. WWI has hit England hard, both in the hearts of the people and on the class system. Daisy Dalyrmple is the daughter of a peer and as an Honorable, she was brought up in the midst of the upper class. Having lost her brother, fiance, and father in the war, she is now determined to make her way as a writer-reporter and photographer. Her title and upbringing gives her entre into many social circles.

Her magazine sends her to the hom More...

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Mar 03, 2009

Christa rated it:

This was my first book by Carola Dunn, and I was entertained by it. This book reminded me of the current "Royal" series by Rhys Bowen. I enjoyed the character of Daisy Dalrymple, as well as that of Detective Alec Fletcher. I like historical mysteries, so am glad to have found this entertaining series.

Daisy Dalrymple, daughter of a viscount, has elected to work in the early 1920's rather than be dependant upon family members. She heads to Wentwater Court to write a magaz More...

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Jun 21, 2010

Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) rated it:

Daisy Dalrymple, despite being an "honourable" has decided to ditch the title and make a name for herself as a writer (and photographer, cause she really needs the money). She's on her way to Wentwater Court, where her title did happen to wrangle her an invite, to feature the house for Town and Country. On a crisp January day she arrives to see Lord James Beddowe, the Earl of Wentwater's eldest son ice skating with his sister Majorie, his fiance Fenella and Fenella's brother Phillip. P More...

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May 31, 2011

Hannah rated it:

A very enjoyable first installment in the Daisy Dalrymple series, one that would definitely please fans of historical mysteries. This, I think, is one of those series that are far better read in order. I had actually picked up Dead in the Water (Book 6) by mistake a long time ago and remember not liking it half as much as I liked this one. In hindsight, I realize it's because the latter books jump straight into the mystery without much backstory, and you barely know either Daisy or Alec (as most More...

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Jan 13, 2012

Esme rated it:

Januar 1923: Honourable Daisy Dalrymple darf ihren ersten Artikel für das Town and Country Magazine über Wentwater Court und seine Bewohner schreiben. Die ländliche Idylle währt nicht lange, ein Gast des Hauses, Stephen Astwick, wird in einem Loch im Eis des Sees ertrunken aufgefunden.

Die Golden Twenties sind auch das Golden Age des Kriminalromans und ganz in diesem Stile verhält sich dieses Buch: die Upper Class, ein überschaubarer Kreis von Verdächtigen, Befragungen der Zeugen und ei More...

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Sep 05, 2010

T.L. rated it:

Carola Dunn starts the Daisy Dalrymple series with Death at Wentwater Court. Dunn drops the reader into the Hampshire countryside in the early 1920s. The reader is transported to the cold, snowy English countryside. Daisy Dalrymple is a likeable character both for her strength and her spirit. Her intelligence and insight also draws the reader to her side in most situations. When her plans to write an article for a magazine are interrupted by the suspicious death of a fellow houseguest, Dais More...

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Aug 05, 2009

Elizabeth rated it:

I haven't read this series before, written now, but in the style of British mysteries in the 1920s. I was hoping I would love it ... it turns out I think it's a little too obvious that it's of its time (the time of now) but it was still moderately enjoyable. As one might expect, a murder happens at an English country house and a plucky young woman helps the handsome inspector from Scotland Yard solve the crime. In a weird way, I suspect that if you like 1920s mysteries enough to seek out a facsi More...

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Nov 30, 2009

Wealhtheow rated it:

As sweet and comfortably domestic as a murder mystery can be. When the Honorable Daisy Dalyrmple visits a school chum's ancestral home to write a magazine article, she does not expect to find a roiling mess of emotions and secrets. The earl's new wife is young, beautiful, and clearly caught up in something with the underhanded Lord Stephen. And when Lord Stephen is found dead, everyone is a suspect.

Daisy and her new friend, Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher, try to sort out the tangle More...

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Jan 09, 2012

Nikki rated it:

This was so much fun to read. It's set in the 1920s and full of (undoubtedly over-the-top) 20s slang and a 'jolly ho' kind of talking. The characters are very engaging, I found myself wondering who'd committed the murder by going over all their personalities and motives etc, which I don't often do when reading crime novels for some reason. What did disappoint me was the way in which the murderer was revealed, I can imagine you'd miss it if you weren't careful. Quite anticlimactic. I'm also not t More...

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Jan 30, 2011

Gerry rated it:

Nineteen-twenties country house mysteries are excellent, especially when Daisy Dalrymple is the heroine.

Here we are celebrating at Wentwater Court with snow and ice on the ground when one of the revellers is found drowned in the pond, ice cracked all around.

Is it an accident or did someone do away with Stephen Astwick? All the guests are, not surprisingly, suspected of knowing more than they care to admit but it takes Daisy, along with Alec Fletcher from Scotland Yard, fo More...

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Jul 19, 2011

Clare rated it:

A charity shop find, my local oxfam had a whole batch of Daisy books with their brightly coloured spines shining out of the crime section. Obviously I couldn't leave them there!

Death at Wentwater Court is a real Sunday afternoon book. Perfect for kicking back in the garden and relaxing, easy to follow but not horribly predicatable (it is a mystery book after all).

It is light and a bit silly, but the characters are fun and you can't help but be charmed by Daisy and her das More...

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Apr 12, 2010

Jan rated it:

This is a classic British cozy. Daisy is a "modern" woman trying to make it on her own in 1920's England. Since she is part of the British peerage, she snags a job for a magazine to write articles on the great estates of England. Her first assignment is at Wentwater Court, a grand old Tudor estate. No sooner than she arrives, one of the guests in the home falls through the ice and drowns, or did he???[return][return]This is the first of the series. I enjoy Daisy and her interactions wi More...

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Sep 30, 2009

Laura rated it:

This was a guilty pleasure! Very quick audiobook, and totally enthralling. Reminiscient of the movie Clue, where all members of the party are equally likely to be guilty, and you discover the truth at the end. The plot did disappoint a little at the end - almost a rush to the finish, and Daisy disappointed me a little there, too. It's also not brilliant writing, but the characters are great and entertaining. But, that said, I was totally engaged in the book the whole time and intend to get More...

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Dec 30, 2011

Lori rated it:

Fun book! I think I've found a new set of enjoyable mysteries to read!

The Honorable Daisy Dalrymple is a twenty-something daughter of a viscount, but her father is dead (influenza after WWI) and her brother died serving in the war. Rather than be banished to the dower house, living with her mother and at the good graces of her finicky cousin who inherited the title, Daisy has decided to seek work on her own. She's just gotten a job as a feature writer for Town and Country. Daisy is a More...

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Apr 04, 2011

Alexandra rated it:

In 1923 England, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple, aspiring journalist, goes to Wentwater Court to do a magazine article and runs into murder most foul. Which member of uppercrust society did in blackmailer Stephen Astwick? With the help of Scotland Yard detective Alec Fletcher, young and spirited Daisy determines to find out in this engaging cozy mystery. She may just find the stirrings of romance along the way. First of (a long) series, this is a charming introduction to the characters and th More...

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Sep 25, 2008

Gloria rated it:

I'm still stuck on that historical mystery thing. This could get bad. Especially when I force myself to read amateurish drawing-room-dramas like this one. The Honorable Daisy Dalrymple is a single woman of aristocratic upbringing trying to make her own way in 1920s England. She has taken a job writing articles about fancy houses for Town and Country Magazine. As a journalist, she visits the stately home of Wentwater Court. On her first morning, she stumbles upon the body of Lord Stephen As More...

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May 11, 2009

Heidi rated it:

Finally made it...read the entire series from the most recent to the first in reverse-chronological order! That was FUN!! This is really a wonderful series, the atmosphere of the time period is like an endless box of bon-bons, the characters become old friends and the mysteries are appealing. This was my English grandmother's era and country, she told me stories of being at the Henley Regatta...the scene of the book "Dead In The Water", so that may be part of the charm for me.

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Jun 05, 2011

Hettie rated it:

This is a nice gentle read. A great choice is you do not want anything too challenging.

It is set in the 1920's and I grew to really like Daisy. I did really hate the resolution to the case but maybe it is true to the time period it is set in I am not sure. The few pages did reassure me about other books in the series.

This is not a series that I will go and buy myself but I will actively look for them in the library and charity shops so I can continue Daisy's story.

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Sep 29, 2011

Carrie rated it:

A wonderful example of the British-cozy-mystery genre. Set in the 1920s, this book introduces us to the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple, a modern young woman trying to make her way as a journalist. When she visits to Wentwater Court to write an article there, she finds herself mixed up in murder. This book was lots of fun, and a classic example of the "closed room" mystery.

I can't wait to read the next in the series!

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Jul 22, 2009

Beverly rated it:

Kind of inoffensive version of the classic British cozy. It's a locked door mystery in which the victim and suspects are all guests at an English manor house. This is the first in the Daisy Dalyrumple amateur detective series about an aristocratic young woman who works as a journalist to be independent. She solves the mystery because everyone loves her and opens up to her spilling their deepest secrets. Silly.

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Nov 29, 2009

Pam rated it:

A rather weak mystery, but sympathetic and intriguing enough female character that I finished the book. Daisy Dalyrymple is an aristocrat who has fallen on hard times and turns writer/photographer of famous country homes and stumbles upon a mystery. The Scotland Yard detective is rather cardboard, as is the rest of the characters. They all seem a set piece for the mystery without any real depth.

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Oct 22, 2010

Judy rated it:

A 3.5 if I could score it that way. The first Daisy Dalrynple mystery. Our heroine is of good birth, but doesn't wish to live with her Mother, and wants to earn a living. She is sent off to Wentwater to write a magazine article about this sprawling country estate. A cad is murdered, and Daisy helps the detective from Scotland Yard solve the mystery. A lovely cozy.

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Aug 23, 2011

Sonia rated it:

I like Daisy Dalrymple! This book gave a great feel for the times (1920s England) as well as the upper class lifestyle. I was a little disappointed in Chief Inspector Fletcher, I thought he was a little too quick to skirt the law, but of course he was definitely affected by Daisy. I'm looking forward to a developing relationship between him and Daisy. What fun.

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Apr 03, 2009

Teresa rated it:

This is the first book of Carola Dunn's that I have read. While the story seemed to flow a little slow to me and I had a hard time keeping track of some of the characters (had to keep going back to check who was who) I did enjoy this book. I really liked Daisy Dalrymple and Alec Fletcher and do look forward to reading more of their stories.

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Nov 16, 2011

Jessica rated it:

This wasn't something I would usually pick up to read, but it was interesting. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to follow it since it was set back in the 20's but that wasn't the case at all. I kept thinking about the Mystery game Clue, it was the butler in the kitchen with the butchers knife... Overall an easy read and kept me guessing throughout.

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Jan 26, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

A very charming book!

I found this book to be an entertaining, well written, fast-paced read that kept me guessing right up until the 'big reveal' was made.

I loved the main characters of Daisy Dalrymple and Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher.

I also felt that the author captured the both setting and the lingo of 1920's Britain quite nicely.

I own the second book in this series, and was planning on reading another book next, but I do believe I'll be moving More...

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Jan 28, 2012

Ellemiek rated it:

It is as it the author did not want to offend her readers. The good are rewarded and the bad are punished. No real surprises here. It was an easy read though too predictable like Jessica Fletcher in the twenties. Since there are so many Daisy mysteries I might pick up another one. But first I'll read the latest Maisie Dobbs who wins hands down!!

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Feb 15, 2012

Pam rated it:

I adore all British crime written in this who dunnit style. The only thing that annoys me about this author is her lack of accuracy in translation from American into English. Otherwise I love the heroine and how the books are evolving as far as her love life is concerned!! Hope to read them all.

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Nov 11, 2011

Amblingbooks.com marked it as to-read

"Perfectly captures the atmosphere and charm of the classic British cozy. Sure to delight mystery fans everywhere." - Armchair Detective

Listen to Death at Wentwater Court on your smartphone.

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