A Dreadful Murder: The Mysterious Death of Caroline Luard

by Minette Walters

A body is found in the woods . . .
Based on the true story of the shocking murder of Mrs Caroline Luard, which took place in Kent in August 1908.

Caroline Luard is shot dead in broad daylight in the grounds of a large country estate. With few clues available, her husband soon becomes the suspect . . . But is he guilty?

Bringing to life the people involved in this terrible crime, in A Dreadful Murder bestselling author Minette Walters uses modern detective skills to attempt to solve a 100-year-old crime.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, True Crime, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Historical

125 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

Minette Walters (born 26 September 1949) is a British mystery writer. After studying at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, she began writing in 1987 with The Ice House, which was published in 1992. She followed this with The Sculptress (1993), which received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She has been published in 35 countries and won many awards.

The Sculptress has been adapted for television in a BBC series starring Pauline Quirke. Her novels The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, and The Scold's Bridle have also been adapted by the BBC.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, that was my last book in a batch of Quick Reads.
This one was not for me. It felt extremely flat and I skim read until the end. 🙄
Now to return to full length novels for a while.

[Erica⭐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In August 1908 Caroline Luard was shot in Kent, in broad daylight on a large estate. Since there are few clues, her husband very quickly becomes a suspect... but is he guilty? Major - General Luard is not only a respected man, but served as a Kent County Councillor and was made a Justice of the Peace. and personally friends with the Chief Constable of Kent and the parliamentarian of that area.

No one has ever been arrested for this terrible murder of the nearly sixty-year-old upper class woman, but who had made a name for herself in the area for her charity and generosity. But the rumors did not want to be silenced that her husband, at the time of the act almost seventy, carried out the murder in cold blood, escaping punishment and justice only through his friends.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another 'short read' by Minette Walters. I believe the short read selection was concieved as a way of encouraging reading but based on the fallacious premise (my opinion) that people read less in response to e readers etc. I personally think it's absolute nonsense to think less reading happens than 'when I was young' and all that - there are more books published, more people writing and more options for how to read - or listen to - books than there used to be. The laws of supply and demand would surely suggest that new technology would be dwindling if less were being read rather than proliferating - howsomever, that is a complete deviation from what is supposed to be a review.

It is short - never a good thing for me. Personally, I don't think Ms Walters ever displays her very considerable talents to anything like their full extent in this format. She is never less than competent, though - and handicaps herself at the outset by retelling unsolved crimes so that there is no 'outcome' which is not satisfying for the reader. It's an enjoyable read but if you really want to know if Ms Walters can write (and she is one of the best I have ever read) please go and read one of her full length novels. It's also worth starting with her first novel and following chronologically because you get to watch her writing develop and it is truly a thing of beauty.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting short read. It is based on a real murder which took place in Kent in the early nineteen hundreds and the author has written an imaginative reconstruction of it. Caroline Luard is found dead as she was walking home.

Her husband was the last person to see her alive and the person who discovered her body. He is a friend of the Chief Constable who quite rightly calls in Scotland Yard to investigate. It is a story of animosity against Caroline’s husband and anonymous letters falling thick as leaves in Vallombrosa.

Even though this book is written in simple language and designed to be read by people who may not read very much I still found enough in the story to keep me reading. It is an intriguing mystery and it is up to the reader to make up their own minds about who did it. If you want a quick read which is part fiction and part non-fiction then give this a try.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the 2013 Quick Reads series. Its been several years since I last read a book by Minette Walters and I had forgotten just how good she is. This is based on a true story from the early 1900's of the murder of Caroline Luard. The true story itself makes for interesting reading (there is a very good account on Wikipedia) however the author has bought to life the characters and the period by means of part fact and part fiction. A very enjoyable read.

[Lance Greenfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this as a quick read.

It is based on a true murder in Edwardian England.

The detective work aimed at solving the murder itself, and the switching of suspicions amongst the suspects is not the most satisfying aspect of this book. What I liked about it was the way that the class divides, and the inequality of the sexes, in those times are brought to life. These conflicts make the police work difficult and cause a lot of animosity, which turns to violence at times.

The research is good, and it is obvious, from the author's comments at the end of the book, that Minette Walters has her own opinions on what actually happened.

Worth picking up to fill an hour or two of your life with some pleasant and interesting reading.

[Cate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess the cover, including a sponsorship from a chocolate bar company, should have been my first clue, but this was not a good book. I’m at a loss to determine the intended audience for this book. It reads like a children’s book (very simplistic language, large font, short chapters, etc.), but with subject matter that would be difficult, if not inappropriate, for most children. I think it’s supposed to be for reluctant adult readers, and while it’s a quick read, it still felt like a bit of a waste of time.

It was a fictionalized retelling of the true story of the murder of Caroline Luard on August 24, 1908 in Kent, however I'm pretty sure it was more fiction than fact. The author invents multiple characters, including those that she hints at as the killers. The quality of this book can be summed up by the fact that the Author’s Note ends with “For those interested in further research, a factual retelling of the murder can be found on Wikipedia.” … Using Wikipedia as your source, and seemingly your ONLY source (no works cited page)?? I have no words.

1.5 stars.

[Lina Cankas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that the description of the book says that the writer uses modern detective skills to attempt to solve a 100 year old crime, but at the end there are speculations, the crime remains unsolved. The book is easy to read, you learn more about the politics of the time, people's mindset and everything else. If a person is fully engaged in charitable activities, then they did not have much to do to keep themselves busy every day. This is what the inspector's speculation or conjecture can be.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first crime book I've read and I found it enjoyable I liked the fact that it was based on a true story I think now I would like to read more crime books

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do very much like the concept of the Quick Reads, because short and entertaining doesn't get enough respect. I like what Walter's has done here. I'm delighted to finally have a copy to read

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the Quick Reads series aimed at those who don't find reading easy, this is a crime novella based on the real-life case of the shooting of Caroline Luard in the early 20th century. Although never solved, Walters drops hints in the writing that it was probably local men poaching who were responsible. I whizzed through this in no time at all and it made for a perfect evening's read.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

An early twentienth century crime. Very good telling of the crime, the community and the aspects involved.

[Wendy Unsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting short read, a true story of the shooting of the wealthy Caroline Luard in the grounds of her country estate in Kent. The period ( set in 1908) is very well captured; the genteel, ,rather stifled life of a country lady who must defer to her Major- general husband. The foreward describes this crime as one of the great unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century and I can imagine the murder of a woman of Mrs Luard's station to be quite a sensation at the time.
The Major-general is the last person to see his wife alive and the first to find her body. Suspicion immediately falls on him and rumours abound amongst the local poor who have never liked his gruff and superior manner.
So far, so good.
Unfortunately, the promise of a further exploration of the case was the disappointing aspect of the story. It could have been the husband or it could have been someone else, seems to be the conclusion.
I really loved the descriptions, period atmosphere and the clear illustration of the class divide as it was at that time, but I couldn't help feeling that the promise of further insights into the 'mystery' failed to happen.

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read.
Sad case and Minette Walters did a good job of bringing it to life. I have to agree with her that the Major-General never killed his wife someone else did.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction for me into the writing of Minette Walters.
However, like most writing on the cover of books it does not deliver what it promises. There are very little new insights to this unsolved murder but the actual re-telling of the story with some new characters to reflect the feelings of the time makes this an enjoyable read.
This is an actual crime so lovers of crime fiction may find it slightly annoying that the detectives investigating cannot name a culprit or find a solution that they then reveal to all the suspects akin to Poirot.
The story is written well enough to make the reader think about a different period of time and it is topical in terms of how we treat and support the unwaged and those in poverty.
I shall certainly be looking to read Walters more established works as this is perhaps the role of Quick Reads to present authors and genres to a new audience.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing murder mystery, which is based on a real crime in 1908 in Kent.
Crime novels are my least favourite, hence the 3* rating that reflects my enjoyment rather than the prose - Minette Walters is a fabulous writer.
For a little book, it has a lot to say about cowardly men, violent crime and public opinion; one might conclude this is a fable for the pitfalls of social media in the modern world, when it comes to hate mail and trolls, although this is perhaps a parallel I'm drawing from the text.
A quick read to make you ponder, and one probably better suited for lovers of crime fiction.

[Suzie Grogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars as a short read (it is labelled as one so don't expect more), but not one to be rated as a novel. It simply isn't one. It is based on a real-life, pre-WW1 unsolved murder but if you are expecting any character development, historical detail or insight into police procedure you will be disappointed. But Minette Walters has done a decent job of teasing out as much as possible from a thin story, adding some embellishments of her own. I do think it should have been made clear at the beginning however that some of the characters are fictitious.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in a couple of hours this afternoon as it is one of the Quick Reads series. It is a fictional account of a true murder in Kent in 1908 which was never solved. Minette Walters puts forward a couple of theories but doesn't draw any definite conclusion.
I got Wrong Time, Wrong Place at the same time so I'll probably rattle through that one this evening.

[Plum-crazy]

A short but interesting read based on the mysterious death of Caroline Luard (as the title suggests!) The story is a mix of known facts & supposition by the author with both real & invented characters. The author suggests a likely scenario for the murder but interesting as the story was the outcome was too inconclusive to be able to form an opinion on whether the husband was guilty or not.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice short one here...nicely told story, but didn't resolve the who dunnit so felt a little pointless.

[Talia Van der wel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stories based on unsolved murders. A very quick and easy read. A good time.

[KL Caley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction

Introduction: I really enjoyed this little book it is part of the quick-reads collection. The idea of this collection is exactly as it says on the tin (or should that be cover), a shorter than normal book by world leading authors. One of the things I quite like about these books is that they force the authors to cut out a lot of the waffle that sometimes goes on in books. This keeps the stories quite fast paced with a lot happening in less time. This seems to be what has jarred other readers (the use of simpler language) but I didn’t find it detracted from the novel at all. I’m proud of authors who take on the challenge of writing these books so that they can be enjoyed by all even those who aren’t keen readers.

Premise: Based on the true story of the shocking murder of Mrs Caroline Luard, which took place in Kent in August 1908. Caroline Luard is shot dead in broad daylight in the grounds of a large country estate. With few clues available, her husband soon becomes the suspect…But is he guilty?
Minette Walters tells the story of Caroline and her husband’s stroll through the grounds of the estate on the morning of the murder and then branches out to the story of Superintendent Albert Taylor. Albert Taylor follows the clues but is shocked to see how quickly the town turns on Caroline’s husband Charles as the prime suspect. Soon Charles is receiving threatening notes from an anonymous writer. Yet, Taylor is becoming more and more convinced that Charles is innocent. Will proving his innocence matter if the entire town has turned against him?

Reason for the 5 Stars:

Minette Walters writes this book very cleverly. You follow the steps of the inspector but whilst you are keeping track of one thing another happens (e.g. a note arrives). You do find yourself trying to figure out the truth and coming to your own conclusions. Would Charles have had time to kill his wife and sprint back to the house (with the dog)?

I thought it was interesting that this was based on a true story and I really enjoyed the author’s foreword giving the facts of the actual case.

I am a big fan of these quick reads collections and think they are great for giving you a taster of an author’s writing style without the invested time of much larger books. I had heard really good things about Minette Walters, it was nice to enjoy a shorter snapshot of her writing in this novella before going on to read one of her larger thicker novels (which I most certainly will be doing now).

I often think it is useful for readers to see a brief extract as they would in a book shop so here is a little passage from the novel:

‘It’s a public event. Anyone has the right to attend.’
‘Not if it’s to revel in a lady’s death, the don’t. I wouldn’t mind so much if they’d listened to what was said instead of making up so-called evidence afterwards. A man can’t be in two places at the same time…though you wouldn’t think it to hear the nonsense that’s being talked in the village.’
‘What sort of nonsense?’
‘Every sort,’ she said crossly. ‘It makes me so mad. They whisper behind their hands when they see me coming. But not one of them has ever asked me what I think.’
‘And what’s that, Jane?’
She glanced towards the drawing-room door. ‘The Major-General’s lost without his wife. He’d have died in her place if he could.’

I would have liked it more if the foreword had been an afterword instead. Although I really enjoyed reading this, it would have been nicer to have read the fictional account finished with the factual account. It being a foreword it almost felt like a spoiler to the actual story. I fully acknowledge this is a personal preference but my advice to readers would be to skip this and then go back to it.

Summary: A brilliant little book. Highly recommended and a great taster to get you started with this author if you have not read her works before. I will definitely be picking up more of her books in the near future.

Please leave a like if you think my review/feedback of the item was helpful to you. Alternatively, please contact me if you want me to clarify something in my review.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1908, A Dreadful Murder tells the true story of the murder Caroline Luard....which still remains an unsolved crime...and one of which Minette Walters tries to unravel. There were various theories made at the time, and most were based on where people were at the time of the crime and the suspect's motives. These two things were the only things police could go by in this era when it came to solving crimes; however there was an early indication of forensics which we could see in the inspection of the firearm and bullets...but in terms of people-forensics it was non-existent, making some crimes very hard to solve. This was a very good murder mystery (Agatha Christie style) and this short format really suited my taste for the murder-mystery genre - short and to the point, without going into too much plot and character development - and certainly no room for flowery language. I love a good fiction read with developed plots and characters, but I felt that this format worked perfectly for this book. I am reading the Quick Reads books to meet, or even exceed, my reading challenge for 2017.

[Nay · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's technically a crime novella - a short 'novel' based on a true unsolved crime that happened in 1908, but it doesn't read as a story, it reads as though it's relaying facts about a case. 125 pages, 12 very short chapters and an epilogue. However, it falls under fiction because the author created some of the characters herself. Including the people she suggests are guilty of the murder - the real life murder that never got solved. It makes it all a little confusing to be honest. The blurb also says that the author uses modern day detective skills to help solve the case, but that doesn't happen. The murder is still unsolved to this day.

What grates at me is that this would be a fantastic novel if Walters had put her mind and energy into it. It could be fleshed out, throw in some suspense, loads of empathy for some characters, anger at others, a great twist at the end. It even has politics in the way of the society of the time, the rise of suffragettes, the act of charity, friendship, the police system, grief and loss, even a war hero! It could have been something great!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book is one of the Quick Read books that were designed to be read by people who may not read very much, keeping the language simple, I still found it interesting and the mystery intriguing. It is part fiction and part non-fiction. Caroline Luard takes a walk with her husband, returning to her house whilst her husband walks on to a golf club. Caroline is then found dead by her husband outside their home. Him being the last person to have seen her and finding her body, he is the prime suspect for murder. As he is close friends with the local constabulary, Scotland Yard is called in to investigate. It is then left to the reader to decide whether the husband is to blame having heard the report from the Scotland Yard detective.

[15RobertsonC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really eye opening on how investigations took place during the early 1900's. I really enjoyed it and especially as it's a true story it makes you infuriated almost that the police didn't investigate further in the case back then and now we'll never know who the real murderer of Catherine Luard is!

The author really tell this mystery well and they draw you in on it so you feel like finding clues and wish you could have investigated it yourself!

I definitely recommend it, especially people who like history and are interested in investigations, murder stories and true stories that will always be a mystery.

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was nothing in the clear blue skies over Kent to warn Caroline Luard she was about to die. The rain clouds had gone. The sun was shining. Everything was right with her world.

This "Quick Read", a scheme apparently sponsored by Galaxy chocolate promoting £1 books, is part true crime and part historical fiction.

Based on the all too real and unexplained murder of Caroline Luard, the book suggests a possible way that events could have happened.

As much as I like a bit of true crime, adding new characters and new avenues of investigation takes away from the authenticity of the events, in my opinion. As such I can't give this more than 3 stars.

[Louise Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this was only based on a true story but I felt that the author cheated somewhat by inventing her suspects. It made me feel that while no one was ever arrested that I at least had a clear idea who had committed murder, how and why. Only to be let down by finding that none of it was true. This had made me question everything else in the book. Did the hate mail really happen or was this another creation inspired by a line in the suicide letter or was it real, I now don’t know.
However the book was well written and flowed well. It was a nice easy read if you don’t want anything heavy.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Minette Walters takes a real unsolved murder case from the early years of the 20th century and turns it into a novel where she suggests a possible solution. The story is a very sad one - Mrs Luard was shot near her home and her husband was blamed in local gossip, but there was no proof he did it. Minette Walters makes a good case for her solution but as we're told at the end she invented the villains, it's impossible to know how much else she invented to fit her idea, so it's hard to judge. But certainly what she suggests seems possible.

[Steven Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

A body is found in the woods.... Based on the true story of the shocking murder of Mrs Caroline Luard, which took place in Kent in August 1908.

Caroline Luard is shot dead in broad daylight in the grounds of a large country estate. With few clues available, her husband soon becomes the suspect... but is he guilty?

Bringing to life the people involved in this terrible crime, in A Dreadful Murder best-selling author Minette Walters uses modern detective skills to attempt to solve a 100-year-old crime.