Deadly Manor

Deadly #10

by Kate Parker

Surrounded by war, stalked by murder, can she stay alive?

October 1940. Livvy Redmond is thrilled to receive an invitation to a country house party away from the Blitz. There she hopes to help her husband overcome his injuries from fighting in France. But excitement turns to horror when she stumbles across two members of the house party – murdered.

Indebted to her hostess, Livvy attempts to catch the killer. No one is who they seem, and the party goers leave her with more questions than answers.

Somewhere close, the killer waits in the shadows to stop her.

Deadly Manor is the exciting tenth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like intrepid heroines, research-based history and clean reads, then you’ll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker’s page-turning mystery.

Uncover a murderer in Blitz-era England with Deadly Manor.

Genres: Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, World War II, Fiction, British Literature

314 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2023

About the author

Kate began reading Agatha Christie mysteries and the Nancy Drew books while her classmates were reading Dick and Jane. She particularly likes historical mysteries and the feeling of time travel a good historical book can give the reader. Combined with her love of late Victorian to World War II architecture and fashions, she found an outlet for the stories and characters that fill her head by writing The Victorian Bookshop Mysteries, The Milliner Mysteries, and The Deadly series, as well as taking part in the Christmas Revels anthologies.

So far, Kate has put out four free short stories, The Missing Brooch (Victorian Bookshop Mystery), Emily's First Case (Milliner Mysteries), and The Missing Maps and A Christmas Mystery (Deadly Series), to her newsletter list. The Mystery at Chadwick House is a novella that is free for newsletter subscribers or can be purchased at retailers. Sign up at www.KateParkerbooks.com to get free copies.

Reviews

[Kurt Cagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the story isn't about the mystery

The ostensible plot was fairly threadbare, and the mystery was predictable. That's okay. The real story was about newlyweds caught up in the midst of World War II, and how that and a snipers bullet forced the Redmonds to redefine their love in the face of adversity.

I love how Kate Parker has created such a strong, wonderful yet delightfully human protagonist to life, and in the process laid out an incredibly researched world. I look forward to future installments.

[Debbie Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read A LOT of historical mysteries, and this one is among the best of the best. I discovered the series last week and binge read/listened to all 10 books that are currently available (thankfully with more to come). Ms. Parker skillfully recreates the pre-WWII/WWII era in Great Britain, capturing the escalating tensions and conflicts among nations and individuals as "Herr Hitler" and his Nazi party disassemble the alliances in Europe and beyond; while adeptly weaving murder mystery and spy novel into a cozy historical mystery that will delight readers of several genres and sub-genres. Livvy is quite an amazing female lead with her intelligence, integrity, and determination, as she balances and develops her roles as newspaper reporter, amateur detective, and spy in a world where even her nearest and dearest often fail to recognize or appreciate her abilities. Adam is her perfect match as an army intelligence officer who not only recognizes Livvy's talents but appreciates them and her. Theirs is not an easy road, but together they embody "The Greatest Generation" who placed not only king and country, but justice and duty, above their own needs and desires. Watching these characters develop is truly a treat. The other characters, both recurring and not, are equally well developed, and the mysteries are complex enough to keep the best armchair sleuth or intelligence agent guessing. In addition to Livvy and Adam, there are several recurring characters who I particularly enjoy, including Livvy's cousin by marriage, Abby and her husband, who live in the countryside raising 4 boys (that's an interesting story), her boss (or one of them), Sir Henry, and the characters in this book, Rosalie and Thorpe (a unique duke and duchess), who we met in Book 8, as I recall. I do hope to see much more of all of them, along with others, as the series continues. That said, I eagerly await Book 11 in the series that is scheduled for release in April 2024. You have 3 months to catch up, and I recommend you start now.

[Katreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEADLY MANOR by Kate Parker
The Tenth Deadly Mystery

Looking for a respite from the bombing in London and a place to help her husband recover from a war injury Olivia Redmond and Adam, head to the country to stay with friends. Unfortunately, the manor is overrun when the obnoxious Viscount Norrington invites himself and a shooting party to stay as well. When two of the guests don't appear for breakfast, Livvy and Adam decide to check the old wing-and find the two men dead-murdered. Determined to help her hosts, Livvy tries to uncover the killer. But with no clear motive and a house chock full of suspects, all with secrets, the task seems insurmountable.

I love a good country house mystery and DEADLY MANOR executes it brilliantly. Giving a look at the aristocracy, it includes a crass Viscount I'd love to punch, or at least dress down, who I was certain would be the murder victim. Without being maudlin or overly sentimental it also deals with disabilities, accommodations, and learning new ways to live. I truly appreciate the little historical details, such as refugees from London living with the vicar, blackout curtains, and the inability of women to gain access to certain places. Those facts add verisimilitude and depth and increase my enjoyment of the story.

Almost everyone has a secret in the tenth book in the Deadly series and disparate motives make for a complex and compelling mystery. The reappearance of an old foe added another layer to the already multilayered plot and tension increased as the story progressed. There were plenty of thrills to rev up my heart rate and I applaud Livvy for her determination and smarts.

DEADLY MANOR is a brilliant mystery bringing together the theme of country house parties infused with class issues all within the backdrop of World War II. This series remains one of my most favorites and I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Manor is the tenth book in the Deadly Series by Kate Parker and the sixth I’ve read. I missed out on the first four, but each book can be enjoyed on its own as long as you know a bit of WWII history. The series stars Olivia Denis Redmond, a newspaper reporter/spy, who leads an exciting yet dangerous life. In Deadly Manor, she is hoping that her husband Adam will get the restorative rest he needs as they visit Livvy’s friend Rosalie’s and her husband Thorpe’s manor, Briarcliffe Hall. But, for reasons you will read about, several members of a hunting party and their wives happen to be staying at Briarcliffe instead of the neighboring manor where the actual hunting will take place.

I love reading historical cozy mystery books, especially those set during WWII. I’ve been enjoying Livvy’s story throughout the series, and Deadly Manor keeps her thrilling story going. Though she’s never looking for murder, murder always seems to find her. This time Olivia and Adam find the body(ies??) in the old part of the manor. It’s where Rosalie’s husband keeps his collection of ancient armor and weapons. Who is the murderer? It’s definitely bewildering because there are multiple suspects but what was the motive? It’s not obvious though once you follow the clues, you’ll solve the crime.

The characters in Deadly Manor come to life through Parker’s descriptions of a character’s demeanor. Yes, she gives bits of their physical descriptions too, but I think she does a marvelous job of revealing her characters through their actions and interactions with the other characters. I really enjoyed the camaraderie Adam and Thorpe, Rosalie’s husband, shared, and I hope to see them together again. Thorpe is paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair while Adam uses canes since being shot during the war. They enjoy each other’s company while playing chess or just talking. Their interactions gave me that cozy feel that you want from a cozy mystery.

As with all of the books I’ve read by Kate Parker, I loved Deadly Manor and highly recommend it. It’s set in the beautiful English countryside, the characters leap off the page, the mystery is not easily solved, and the plot is well-paced. If you enjoy historical cozy mysteries, check out Deadly Manor as well as the rest of the Deadly series!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livvy and Adam have gone to the country to get some peace from the Blitz and to help Adam reciver from wounds to both legs that he sustained in France. They haven;t been at their hosts' country house twenty-four hours before two other guests are murdered and Livvy is tasked with finding out who did it and why. The downside of this installment of this long-running series is that whdunnit seemed fairly obvious to me, although at first it was not really clear why. Once it was, it was just a matter of time - and one more body - before the culprit was arrested. Along the way, quite a bit about British inheritance law, the College of Arms and attitudes toward the aristocracy isall revealed.

[T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy the Deadly series, but this book was disappointing to the point that it felt like it was ghostwritten. There were repetitive paragraphs/dialogues, and there were awkward storytelling and continuity issues. Good editing should have caught these issues. I'm tempted to list a few, but spoiler alerts are never good.

[Leyna Durham]

Really a 41/2 stars

The only reason for the missing 1/2 star is several repetitive dialogues. The story is good if a bit drawn out, made more obvious by the repetitions. The entire series is a must read.

[Debbie Trammell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is suberb!

I have throughly enjoyed this series and all the characters. Can't wait for the next but I know it will be a wait. I highly recommend this series. Liv has really improved her spycraft. Kate is a master storyteller.

[Virginia Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this wonderful cozy historical mystery set in a manor house outside of London during WWll. I loved Livvy and her husband Adam. I loved the twists and turns. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[Stephanie Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story!

I have enjoyed every book in this series. I feel like I always say this is the best one yet, but I really do feel that way about this book. The stories, characters, and double mystery are well researched and kept me reading much later than I should have.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed every audiobook in this series. Deadly fits into the Deadly series very well. Nice to see some recurring characters in this series. I enjoyed the twists in the plot, Adams attempt at recovering from war injuries, and surprising whispers about infidelity.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one. I liked that Adam was home and that there was a proper mystery for Livvy to solve and that Sir Malcolm 's appearance was brief and not him forcing Livvy do something ridiculous & dangerous

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodbye Earl

What a (not) restful week in the country for Livvy and Adam. They go to visit Livvy's friends to get away from the Blitz and end up solving multiple murders and catching a Nazi spy and some traitors. It's a very good book.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio. Good book for listening - entertaining, sufficient suspense (missed turning to store for 3 blocks while listening to it), great reader. Time period is early in WW2 and depicts differences between country life and London in the beginning. Solid mystery.

[Mark J. Sauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!!

The beginning was hard due to the time gap between the 9 and 10th book. The book was excellent. Well written and told a lot about the issues going on during WWII.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a great book but an ok read. I like Livvy and enjoy her quests for Justice . I’m not sure where the Fleur subplot came from. It didn’t really fit into the storyline.

[Vicki O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Manor

Another great addition to Olivia Redmond's adventures in World War II. She and her husband go to the country to help him recuperate and end up solving murders.

[Ruth Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed spending time again with Livvvy, a newspaper writer/spy and friends, in this historical cozy mystery.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm happy that the character who dunnit was the one.

[Mi3sprouts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed another book in this series

[Mary Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caught up on a series I enjoy and now waiting for the next installment.

[Jane Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

another good story

I really enjoyed this. Olivia and an injured Adam retreat to the country to rest and recover. Of course, they find a murder. Plot and motive were straight forward and easy to follow. The good guys won!

[Jill Stirling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite good.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I honestly finished it last week and don’t totally remember it…. I like this series and the characters though!!

[Jackie Mulkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 52 Book Club's 2025 Challenge - Prompt #50 - Set in the 1940s

This is book #10 in the series. Always a great read!

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books

With three murders, one heck of a news story and a Nazis spy how can you not enjoy this story.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good audio book! Love this series!