Book Beat – Murder at the Mikado by Julianna Deering

Country gentleman Drew Farthering wants to hang up his amateur detective hat to concentrate on his upcoming wedding to Madeline Parker. When his old flame, Fleur Landis, begs him to solve the mysterious death of an actor in her former troupe, Drew sees dual threats and refuses. As more members of the troupe are killed, Drew gets drawn into the case – but will Madeline stick around?

Murder at the Mikado by Julianna Deering blends all the fun of an old-fashioned Agatha Christie-type mystery with a sweet romance. Seasoned with Gilbert & Sullivan references – but still accessible to those unfamiliar with light opera – the clues are artfully arranged. The mystery is fun to solve, not obvious to me, but completely clear once realized. While you don’t have to read the first two Drew Farthering books (Rules of Murder and Murder by the Book) to enjoy Murder at the Mikado, you’ll want to in order to follow these delightful characters.