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Susanna, Lady Appleton #1
Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie: An Elizabethan Mystery by Kathy Lynn Emerson
"Today's letter was not a summons to serve Queen Elizabeth. It came from Lancashire. John Bexwith, my steward at Appleton Manor, is dead."Susanna frowned, surprised that this news should have affected her husband so strongly. "The man was quite elderly," she said hesitantly, "was he not?""Your memory is excellent," Robert told her, absently tucking an unruly lock of dark brown hair back up under her brocaded cap. "He was found face down in a marrow-bone pie."With that incredible statement, Robert placed the letter in his wife's outstretched hand.Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie is a delightfully cozy Elizabethan mystery introducing Susanna, Lady Appleton. When her husband's steward dies in a unique, ignominious, and highly suspicious manner, Susanna takes advantage of her husband's absence on a political mission for Queen Elizabeth to investigate Bexwith's mysterious demise.The serving wench who found Bexwith claims that he was frightened to death by a ghost, but Susanna can think of several poisons that could have been concealed in the marrow-bone pie. (Susanna is something of an expert on poisons, having been inspired by her sister's fatal encounter with some poisonous berries to write a cautionary herbal for housewives.)Even if Bexwith was poisoned, was it accidental or intentional? As if the case weren't complicated enough, Susanna must also unmask a "ghost"-- or are the ghost and the poisoner one and the same?Kathy Lynn Emerson's debut Elizabethan mystery will delight as it introduces you to a sixteenth-century husband's worst an intelligent, no-nonsense wife who happens to know hundreds of poisons.
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First published January 1, 1997
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About the author
Kathy Lynn Emerson
95 books146 followersaka Kaitlyn Dunnett, Kate Emerson, Kaitlyn Gorton
Kathy Lynn Emerson began writing as a child: a newspaper for her dolls and then a rambling adventure series featuring characters from all her favorite television shows. In addition to contemporary, historical and time-travel romance (some written under the pen-name of Kaitlyn Gorton) and historical novels written as Kate Emerson, Kathy has written children's books, non-fiction, short stories, and historical mysteries. She won the Agatha award for mystery nonfiction for How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries. She also writes as Kaitlyn Dunnett.
Kathy Lynn Emerson began writing as a child: a newspaper for her dolls and then a rambling adventure series featuring characters from all her favorite television shows. In addition to contemporary, historical and time-travel romance (some written under the pen-name of Kaitlyn Gorton) and historical novels written as Kate Emerson, Kathy has written children's books, non-fiction, short stories, and historical mysteries. She won the Agatha award for mystery nonfiction for How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries. She also writes as Kaitlyn Dunnett.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 19, 2016
I think several of these categories need revisions like one-half (humor), or double (strong women), or double (historical--really far back there!).
Susanna, Lady Appleton, is a very strong-minded woman. She is married to a man who is a diplomat in the English court and is frequently away on court business, even out of the country, for months at a time. Now that she has whipped her husband's estate into shape, she has time on her hands, until word comes that the steward of her husband's childhood home has died under mysterious circumstances. Of course, Susanna decides she needs to go there, see what needs to be done on the estate, and find out what happened to the steward and why. Her husband doesn't agree, but he's leaving for France. Well, well.
Susanna goes to the estate and starts bringing it up to her standards, and also starts finding out what happened to the steward. There is some serious interference, but Susanna doesn't concede defeat. She intends to find out exactly what happened and why and who did it, and she will put the estate to rights. So there!
This was a very entertaining book, with lots of interesting points about life in the Elizabethan period in rural England, and a real pleasure to read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Lady Susanna gets up to and whether or not her husband has any better luck in restraining her in that one! I certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical mysteries.
Susanna, Lady Appleton, is a very strong-minded woman. She is married to a man who is a diplomat in the English court and is frequently away on court business, even out of the country, for months at a time. Now that she has whipped her husband's estate into shape, she has time on her hands, until word comes that the steward of her husband's childhood home has died under mysterious circumstances. Of course, Susanna decides she needs to go there, see what needs to be done on the estate, and find out what happened to the steward and why. Her husband doesn't agree, but he's leaving for France. Well, well.
Susanna goes to the estate and starts bringing it up to her standards, and also starts finding out what happened to the steward. There is some serious interference, but Susanna doesn't concede defeat. She intends to find out exactly what happened and why and who did it, and she will put the estate to rights. So there!
This was a very entertaining book, with lots of interesting points about life in the Elizabethan period in rural England, and a real pleasure to read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Lady Susanna gets up to and whether or not her husband has any better luck in restraining her in that one! I certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical mysteries.
April 20, 2018
3.5 stars
July 2, 2022
Average cozy set in Elizabethan England. Some political intrigue but mostly the goings-on in a country manor. Worth reading once, but I won't bother seeking out the rest of the series.
January 5, 2014
I wanted to give this 3.5 stars. I like Susanna, but as another reviewer said, the men are awful. I know the time period means the idea that women were silly, dull dimwits who should be ruled over by men, but surely every male didn't agree so much?
May 3, 2008
Another strong woman in history novel wrapped around mystery story thingy.
November 27, 2017
Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie by Kathy Lynn Emerson is the first book of the Lady Susanna Appleton mystery series, set in 1559 England. Susanna is an intelligent, quick-witted, well educated woman with a curiosity for knowledge and a talent for organization; qualities not greatly admired by chauvinistic males in the 16th century. Sir Robert, Susanna's husband, frequently travels to France on diplomatic and/or covert missions for Queen Elizabeth, while Susanna ably manages their estate in Kent. She is an expert on poisons, writing an herbal to advise on the use of safe vs. deadly herbs.
When steward John Bexwith of Robert's ancestral home in Lancashire dies while eating a marrow-bone pie, Susanna suspects it was poisoned. Sir Robert wants her to ignore the steward's death and remain at their estate in Kent. Susanna is bored; she waits until he's off on a political trip to France, then heads for Lancashire with a few loyal servants.
The Appleton property is a wreck; clearly mismanaged for years. Rather than feeling discouraged, Susanna is invigorated by the challenge to restore the property, something to do to hold her interest. The locals are afraid to work for her; rumor is a ghost caused Bexwith's death. Of course Susanna does not believe in ghosts. She decides to find out exactly what happened that night. In her efforts to find the former servants, she gets very little help, mostly hindrance, from Grimshaw, the estate lawyer.
Residents of the neighboring property, Denholm Hall, initially seem to offer friendship, but Susanna soon recognizes discrepancies in what they tell her vs. what she learns from her own investigations. After Susanna is lured into a trap and badly injured, finding the truth is imperative to save herself.
What sets this book apart from a typical cozy mystery is the political and religious climate that sets the backdrop and provides the motivation for the intrigue (Denholm Hall & Sir Robert). The Catholic Queen Mary is no longer in power, replaced by Elizabeth I. Former subjects of the Catholic Queen have converted (at least publicly) to survive. Any history or practice of Catholicism is carefully hidden, for political expedience.
When steward John Bexwith of Robert's ancestral home in Lancashire dies while eating a marrow-bone pie, Susanna suspects it was poisoned. Sir Robert wants her to ignore the steward's death and remain at their estate in Kent. Susanna is bored; she waits until he's off on a political trip to France, then heads for Lancashire with a few loyal servants.
The Appleton property is a wreck; clearly mismanaged for years. Rather than feeling discouraged, Susanna is invigorated by the challenge to restore the property, something to do to hold her interest. The locals are afraid to work for her; rumor is a ghost caused Bexwith's death. Of course Susanna does not believe in ghosts. She decides to find out exactly what happened that night. In her efforts to find the former servants, she gets very little help, mostly hindrance, from Grimshaw, the estate lawyer.
Residents of the neighboring property, Denholm Hall, initially seem to offer friendship, but Susanna soon recognizes discrepancies in what they tell her vs. what she learns from her own investigations. After Susanna is lured into a trap and badly injured, finding the truth is imperative to save herself.
What sets this book apart from a typical cozy mystery is the political and religious climate that sets the backdrop and provides the motivation for the intrigue (Denholm Hall & Sir Robert). The Catholic Queen Mary is no longer in power, replaced by Elizabeth I. Former subjects of the Catholic Queen have converted (at least publicly) to survive. Any history or practice of Catholicism is carefully hidden, for political expedience.
November 19, 2017
This is a light, moderately pleasant read. It's predictable and not very deep, but I liked the protagonist detective, Lady Appleton, and the way she was determined to investigate a suspicious death despite her husband's disapproval. (I didn't like the husband at all. All of the men in this book were unlikeable to various degrees.)
July 28, 2017
The mystery wasn't deeply intriguing. Not really an enormous number of suspects or clues. However, the history felt authentic, and was interesting enough to keep me reading. Will look at the next in the series.
August 27, 2017
2.5 stars. This is a cozy mystery set in 15th century England. It was just ok, if that. I didn't care about any character. I wasn't impressed by any character. I almost gave up on it at 60%. The ending was predictable but decent- there was just too much tedium to get there.
September 15, 2017
Mystery brain candy. I like the 16th century heroine and setting enough to seek out the second Face Down book when it comes out in November (2000). A bit predictable, but fun, and I had to look up some of the Elizabethan terms, so some minor mental exercise occurred.
April 8, 2020
Quick easy read. Learned a lot about poisonous herbs and antidotes. Author tried too hard with using terminology of the time period. Story would have flowed better with editing some of the terms out.
December 4, 2018
First in a series that takes place in mid 1500's and it gets 5 stars from me! Great read with interesting characters, intrigue, humor and story!
Definite recommend!
Definite recommend!
August 19, 2022
So unrealistic it was painful.
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November 10, 2022Enjoyable, light read for any occasion. While the mystery might be easy to figure out, Emerson didn't skimp on her history/period touches.
May 25, 2022
Lady Appleton is quite the accomplished herbalist and detective and I really enjoyed this first in a series book. My only problem was the 16th century dialect...it took a bit to get the rhythm of the words. When Susanna discovers that her husband's steward died in a strange way, and he has no plans to investigate the death, she just ups and travels on her own to discover what happened. Since he is attending to a request from the Queen, by the time he realizes what she is doing, it's far too late to stop her. A strong willed woman who quickly gets to the bottom of the puzzle...just a fun read. I'm hoping to read the next in the series soon!!
June 4, 2009
First Sentence: Steam rose from the marrow-bone pie until the old man’s sharp beak of a nose wrinkled in delight.
Sir Robert Appleton is off to France on a mission for Queen Elizabeth. A letter he receives, shortly before his trip, tells of the death of John Bexwith, steward of Appleton Manor in Lancashire. As Bexwith was not old and was found dead face down in a marrow-bone pie, Lady Susanna Appleton, who is writing an herbal and knowledgeable of poisons, suspects his death to be unnatural. In spite of tales that a ghost haunts Appleton Manor, Susanna decides to unmask the ghost, find the killer and put the manor to rights.
I’d not read Emerson before. Two things, in particular, stand out with her writing; her characters and her research.
Lady Susanna is delightful. She is smart--highly educated for the time, practical—not given to superstition or fancy, and independent. She is certainly the most developed of the characters, yet the personalities of the other characters come through as well.
Ms. Emerson’s research is apparent. The period is a fascinating one in which there, as Sir Robert puts it “…too many queens…” The offset of Susanna’s activities by Robert’s in France, provides a view of their relationship and of the time. The information on plants and herbs was fascinating but I also didn’t realize that hair jewelry, memorializing the dead, dates back as far as the 16 century.
The story is well plotted with a good balance of suspense. There was, however, a fairly obvious hint as to the killer. What was lacking was a strong sense of time and place.
At times, I felt the story read as much more modern than the setting. This was mainly due to the language being quite modern. However, as the first in a series, I did enjoy it enough that I’m interested in reading the next book.
FACE DOWN IN THE MARROW-BONE PIE (Hist. Mys-Lady Susanna Appleton-England-1559) – G+
Emerson, Kathy Lynn – 1st in series
St. Martin’s Press, 1997, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312151233
Sir Robert Appleton is off to France on a mission for Queen Elizabeth. A letter he receives, shortly before his trip, tells of the death of John Bexwith, steward of Appleton Manor in Lancashire. As Bexwith was not old and was found dead face down in a marrow-bone pie, Lady Susanna Appleton, who is writing an herbal and knowledgeable of poisons, suspects his death to be unnatural. In spite of tales that a ghost haunts Appleton Manor, Susanna decides to unmask the ghost, find the killer and put the manor to rights.
I’d not read Emerson before. Two things, in particular, stand out with her writing; her characters and her research.
Lady Susanna is delightful. She is smart--highly educated for the time, practical—not given to superstition or fancy, and independent. She is certainly the most developed of the characters, yet the personalities of the other characters come through as well.
Ms. Emerson’s research is apparent. The period is a fascinating one in which there, as Sir Robert puts it “…too many queens…” The offset of Susanna’s activities by Robert’s in France, provides a view of their relationship and of the time. The information on plants and herbs was fascinating but I also didn’t realize that hair jewelry, memorializing the dead, dates back as far as the 16 century.
The story is well plotted with a good balance of suspense. There was, however, a fairly obvious hint as to the killer. What was lacking was a strong sense of time and place.
At times, I felt the story read as much more modern than the setting. This was mainly due to the language being quite modern. However, as the first in a series, I did enjoy it enough that I’m interested in reading the next book.
FACE DOWN IN THE MARROW-BONE PIE (Hist. Mys-Lady Susanna Appleton-England-1559) – G+
Emerson, Kathy Lynn – 1st in series
St. Martin’s Press, 1997, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312151233
September 23, 2014
This is a light mystery, but it held my attention well. Set in 16th century England (1559) it involves a strong, intelligent woman -- Susanna Appleton -- in a culture that didn't respect strong, intelligent women. Her marriage was arranged by her family, and her husband is a product the culture. She is compiling a guide to poisonous herbs, to be used by wives and cooks as a safety reference, and has a very good working knowledge of poisons. She is also not given to superstition.
Word reaches her of the death of the caretaker of one of her husband's estates. He has never allowed her to visit that estate, his boyhood home, but he's abroad on the queen's business, so this is a good opportunity.
The main mystery is the suspicious death of the caretaker, but there are other mysteries that are even more immediate: neighbors who seem unfriendly and threatening, a family lawyer who seems to have a hidden agenda, a ghost which might be trying to either warn them away or draw them to their deaths.
I'm not an expert on this time or setting, but it rang true to me. The characters were well developed and the plot was reasonable and logical. As is often the case, the coverup and various family secrets are more significant than the death that sets everything in motion.
I enjoyed this story and have already started the second book in the series.
Word reaches her of the death of the caretaker of one of her husband's estates. He has never allowed her to visit that estate, his boyhood home, but he's abroad on the queen's business, so this is a good opportunity.
The main mystery is the suspicious death of the caretaker, but there are other mysteries that are even more immediate: neighbors who seem unfriendly and threatening, a family lawyer who seems to have a hidden agenda, a ghost which might be trying to either warn them away or draw them to their deaths.
I'm not an expert on this time or setting, but it rang true to me. The characters were well developed and the plot was reasonable and logical. As is often the case, the coverup and various family secrets are more significant than the death that sets everything in motion.
I enjoyed this story and have already started the second book in the series.
October 7, 2014
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. It wasn't bad....but it wasn't as good as I expected. The climax was great, but the ending just sorta let me down. I will give the next book a shot, but it's not looking all that promising. I enjoy the fact that Lady Appleton is a strong willed, knowledgeable, get down to it kind of woman. She doesn't let anything scare her and she doesn't let her husband rule her. At the same time, I kinda wish her and Sir Robert had a more intimate relationship..even towards the end. Of course, what happens to him is her fault, but it just seems there could be a little more affection? I became a little irritated with Jennet, the tiring maid, her attitude towards Mark and his advances on her seem ok at first, but later in the book you just want to slap her. You can't be mad at someone you have shot down so many times when he ventures out to meet others. Lady Appleton's servants are devoted to her and love her, that is cool.
March 6, 2016
This was a reread for me and I’m so happy I gave this series another try. I had initial read this book in my early twenties and while I liked the main character, I was turned off by the undercurrents of sexism, double standards, and general “why do all these men suck?” angst. Being a bit older, the realistic misogyny of the time period is less chaffing and I have a much greater appreciation of just how unusual the main character is. The mystery was not the most complex or deviously plotted, but I loved the central elements of family secrets and history in the plot. Overall, a really enjoyable read this time around and one I appreciated a lot more even while understanding why I disliked this book the first time.
August 16, 2010
Lady Appleton is a promising character. I think I'm going to enjoy reading more of her mystery novels. The language of the book is rich and the details of everyday life in Elizabethan times are intriguing.
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September 22, 2011If you prefer Faye Kellerman’s historical mysteries, you might enjoy the Susanna, Lady Appleton series. It features a strong and intelligent heroine who is unique in her Renaissance world. This is the first in the series.
September 10, 2013
Cute little 15th century mystery story. I will likely read more of this series. The author was quite adept at integrating elements of Elizabethan lifestyle and social customs into the telling of this tale, which made it seem more authentic. I also really like the main character. She has spunk!
August 4, 2013
I really enjoyed this book despite the fact that you could spot the solution as soon as you were introduced to the manor residents. A little naughty, a little predictable, but all around a charming escape.
November 23, 2014
This is a book Linda and I read years ago. I'm not sure I ever finished it, and if I did, I forgot the story, so don't mind reading it again.
* * * * *
Very entertaining, with lots of details about life and cooking and herbs during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.
* * * * *
Very entertaining, with lots of details about life and cooking and herbs during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.
October 14, 2014
Great strong beginning of the series, a very sympathetic heroine and wonderful historical details. Great plot, too.
October 23, 2008
Lady Susanna Appleton Mystery Series
May 2, 2015
It's fine, but not particularly mysterious or compelling.
August 28, 2009
Susanna, Lady Appleton #1
February 3, 2010
Good little mystery book!
September 30, 2010
Face Down was a charming mystery, with a likable heroine and funny servant sidekicks as they solve murders in the 1500's. The first in a series--I plan to download the others onto my Nook soon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews