Murder at the Carnival

Miss Hayward & the Detective #1

by Helen Goltz

Now on exhibition for a few days only, the strange, the wonderful, sights you have never beheld before - Burnham's Carnival. Including Mrs Anna Tufton, the Giantess.

-Brisbane Courier, 18 April, 1888.



Matilda Hayward is determined to have a career, after all, it is 1888! While reporting for the Women's Journal newspaper, Matilda is sent to cover the visiting carnival and to interview Mrs Anna Tufton, a giantess. During the interview, the giantess slips a note to Matilda begging for help to her escape the show she is forced to do by her husband. But then the giantess's husband, along with the owner of the carnival, Mr Alfred E. Burnham, is murdered. The giantess is a likely suspect.




Matilda enlists the help of her lawyer brother, Amos, to prove the giantess is no killer and to free her from a life of exploitation. But close family friend, Detective Thomas Ashdown - who might just have feelings for Matilda despite having known her since childhood - would prefer Matilda was nowhere near his murder case. There is mystery, danger, and love afoot!

Genres: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Ebooks

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2023

About the author

Helen is a hybrid-published, Amazon best-selling author. After studying English Literature, Media, and Communications at universities in Queensland, Australia, and obtaining a Counselling Diploma, Helen Goltz has worked as a journalist, producer and marketer in print, TV, radio and public relations. Born in Toowoomba she has made her home in Brisbane, Australia with her journalist husband, Chris, and Boxer dog, Baxter.

Connect with Helen:
Website: www.helengoltz.com
BookBub:www.bookbub.com/authors/helen-goltz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HelenGoltz.Author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helengoltza...

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a new to me series featuring Matilda Hayward and her favorite Detective, Thomas Ashdown. I have read and enjoyed other books by this author but somehow this series has managed to get past my radar until now.

It is 1888 in Brisbane, Australia, and Matilda, rather daringly, is employed as a reporter for the Woman's Journal. Her father and her brothers are supportive of her choices, but they are also very protective of her, which is fortunate because she does rather tend to end up in scrapes. Thomas is a childhood friend and there is a will they/ won't they relationship going on there.

Freak Shows were a rather ghoulish but real part of our past and the author handles the characters really well. There is a female giant, conjoined twins and an ape man who all play significant parts in the mystery. I thought all the characters were well done and the mystery was intriguing.

All in all I enjoyed it very much indeed and I am very happy that I have four more books in the series still to read.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, low key, cozy Victorian mystery. I enjoyed this quaint little mystery set in Brisbane, Australia in 1888. It was a very easy and straightforward read with some small twists at the end. The setting was particularly intriguing as it featured middle class characters investigating a freak show. Freak shows are a macabre and interesting Victorian phenomenon and I like how realistically it was explored in the book. This was a character driven mystery focussing more on the main and side characters than on any police procedure, though there was some of that. The story felt very BBCesque and had many slice of life scenes featuring the heroine, Matilda, living her life as an independent minded journalist writing for a woman’s periodical. She struggled against conforming to society’s demands in both her actions as well as in her mind, as her thoughts and wishes were often at war with themselves. I would have actually loved if this had been explored more, and I think it may be the intention of the author to go further into Matilda’s conflicting wants as the series goes on. Needless to say, a Victorian woman could not have it all and if she wanted to pursue her career and independence, marriage and children were not likely an option. This was sticky for her because her of attraction to our hero, Thomas, who is not exactly for the women’s movement.
Her growing feelings towards Thomas, the police detective and family friend, as well as his to her, had a nice slow burn feel and added a secondary plot line to the murder mystery. I’m not sure I liked Thomas though. He was dour and stodgy and I hope he loosens up more in future books. Their personality contrasts were interesting though and I do want to see how the author will deal with their differing views on Matilda’s work and the overall idea of independence for women as their courtship progresses.
Looking forward to reading more form this series.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was 1888 in Queensland, and Miss Matilda Hayward was the only girl in the family, with four brothers. Amos, the eldest, was married to Minnie; Daniel, then twins Elijah and Gideon - all made their father proud. Thomas Ashdown, a family friend since they were children, was now a detective, well known for his solve rates on cases. When Matilda visited the "Freak Show" in her guise as a reporter for the Women's Journal magazine, she planned to interview some of the acts. Mrs Anna Tufton was named a "giantess" and it wasn't long before Matilda's empathetic nature saw her wanting to help Anna. The note she passed Matilda had her visiting her brother Amos, a lawyer, for his assistance.

When first one person was murdered, then another, the "freaks" were the ones suspected. It was up to Thomas and his partner, Detective Harry Dart, to find the killer. But Matilda wanted to help, knowing with her interviews she could possibly find some clues. Was she putting herself in danger? Would there be a good outcome to these crimes?

Murder at the Freak Show (originally titled "Miss Matilda Hayward and the Freak Show") is the 1st in the Miss Hayward and the Detective series by Aussie author Helen Goltz and it's an excellent historical mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. Well paced, with family entertainment alongside investigating the crime, I'm looking forward to the 2nd in the series. Highly recommended.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was fun! 😁 Fun plotline, fun characters, fun setting ... turns out I like fun books! Who knew?!? 😮🤷‍♂️😝

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 4.25 🌟 read rounded ⬇️ to 4 🌟.

[Jeannine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise was interesting, but the writing was a bit too simple for my taste. I also wish the relationship development was a little more sophisticated.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. Not a five-star story, but a good, solid, interesting read that I enjoyed.

I liked the setting of the freak-show with the non-traditional people it included. The author did an excellent job of humanizing people that many would write off or be afraid of and making them real, likable and interesting characters. She also worked them into the mystery in creative ways.

I liked Matilda, but she occasionally annoyed me. I liked that she is determined to have her career as a reporter, but her drama about should she go after the relationship option also available to her grated on my nerves. Look I get it - a woman of this time was expected to marry and have children and trying to do something else was hard. Maybe it's just my modern sensibilities but I just wanted her to make a decision already and stop obsessing about it. That could just be me.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. I liked the characters, the setting and the mystery. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to read future books in this series, especially as I bought the book as my library didn't have it, but I did enjoy it.

[Mary Monks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series of books containing these 4 titles plus more:
Murder at the Freak Show · The Artist's Missing Muse · Mystery at the Asylum · The Mortician's Clue
The books are set in Brisbane and are a lovely mix of historical fiction and crime.
Miss Matilda Hayward is a journalist and loves to get her teeth into any interesting crimes which may occur in her area. She and her family have a close relationship with Detective Thomas Ashdown ... and Matilda often sources her stories alongside him.
There may even be a spark of romance between the two .... but will it come to anything?
All four books were an exciting read, and I look forward to many more.

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the writing, setting and angsty plot. Vulnerable people are being preyed upon and when there's a murder the rather proper h gets more involved than the H would like. A sweet love story simmers with a dash of emancipation and murder mystery.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 1888 and Miss Matilda Hayward is working as a journalist for a Women’s magazine in Brisbane, Queensland. She is planning to write a feature on a carnival which has several acts displaying unusual humans or ‘freaks’ of nature. Alongside a giantess, there is a very hairy man, conjoined twins with two heads and an albino man. Matilda is interested in the giantess, Mrs Anna Tufton, and her life and has arranged to interview her along with her brother Daniel, an artist who will illustrate her for the article. At the end of the interview Anna passed Matilda a note asking for her help to leave the carnival which she took to her brother Amos, a lawyer so see if he could help Anna.

Not long after Matilda’s visit a man is murdered at the carnival and Daniel’s good friend Detective Thomas Ashdown and his partner are given the case to investigate. Matilda also can’t help a little private sleuthing when she again visits the carnival even though Thomas warns her to be careful.

This was an enjoyable historical mystery. The freak show characters were all handled sensitively and their very human lives and desires highlighted through Matilda’s interviews. Thomas and Anna are clearly attracted to each other but have been friends from childhood and dance around each other as they decide what they want. Matilda very much values her career and independence so it will be interesting to see how their relationship evolves in future episodes.

[Lena Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder Mystery & A Little Romance

I really enjoyed reading this Story of Murder Mystery & a Little Romance. It was Light & a little slow at times. Definitely not an edge of your seat suspense but intriguing nonetheless. 


The Author really gives you an in depth insight into her characters. Each different & unique in their own ways. 


I absolutely loved the Hayward Family Dynamic. Their banter & love for each other really reminded me of my family. 


Matilda reminds me of Nancy Drew but less troublesome lol I really like her personality & natural detective skills. 


I read a long with the audiobook & the narrator did really well. There was just one thing I noticed & didn't really like was her reading was a little flat. It held no emotion where there should have been some expressed.  Had me wondering if it was read by an A.I though I mean no disrespect to the narrator. 


I really liked the banter & the appeal the book gave. Though I felt the murderers were a bit obvious it was still a great read. 


I give it a 4 Star & look forward to reading the next book in the series. 


Lena 🫶🏽

[Dallass · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unexpected surprise.

I downloaded this as the premise sounded interesting, but I did not expect to find it set in a familiar location, let alone one so close to my childhood home. It’s always a joy to discover stories set in Brisbane, and this was no exception. The characters were interesting, flawed and relatable, and I could just imagine the former tomboy, Miss Matilda, playing with her brothers and friends as child. Her relationships with her brothers was fun, and their loving family dynamics gave the book a cozy mystery vibe. Thomas was engaging, socially awkward, and up to typical male pursuits at times (really, Thomas?!), however it was 1888, so… 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyway, the murder mystery was interesting and held my attention throughout. I loved meeting Anna, Mr. Jo-Jo, Miss Ella and Miss Elvira, and seeing the way of the world through their eyes thanks to Matilda and Alice’s news articles. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next book which I’m off to download via KU right now.

4 🌟

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally enjoyed the plot and story. The setting was well-researched and vividly described. I suspect that the descriptions of the tawdry activities of the men were accurate, but they were honestly kind of distressing for me.

**** SPOILERS ****


While the two main characters might not have been together officially, there were all of these hints about affection and a future, but then Thomas hired a prostitute while thinking about Matilda. That kind of character isn't something I could get behind or enjoy seeing Matilda go for. So sadly, I couldn't rate this any higher and I won't be reading any more of the series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lively mystery had an interesting cast of characters, Mathilda and her four brothers, father, and housekeeper, her editor and her co-writer, Thomas and his nephew, partner and constable, the members of the "freak show", three in management and four performers. Twemty individuals in all! They are introduced and are enlarged in such a way that I felt no confusion at all. I anticipate a deepening acquaintance with Mathilda and her family and Thomas and his associates in future books. Well done! The setting is Brisbane which doesn't come into the story much, but maybe next time!

[CHud · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing plot concept. Unfortunately there was less of the freak show material than I had hoped for. The author went to great lengths to be very descriptive and helped to paint detailed pictures of the story. I wished there had been a bit more action and involvement of the unique setting of the freak show.

[Desiree Trott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good detective mystery

I've never read anything by this author before, but thoroughly enjoyed reading this. The characters were lovely. I loved that the setting was different than the books I usually read.

[Samantha herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply splendid

I enjoyed this murder mystery partially because of the era it was set in but also because of the sexual tension between Matilda and Thomas. It felt so real. The murders were an extra bonus. I look forward to meeting them again. Great story. Simply devine.

[KELLY A JACK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Freak Show book 📕 1

This is a book I enjoyed reading.This is a historical romance murder mystery with fun quirky characters and heart.An independent minded woman who works for a woman’s magazine and her wannabe beau not being at all happy with it.❣️❣️😉🧐🤨

[Daenerys Targaryen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Murder mystery of a giantess. I DNF'ed it as the detectives in this story lacked drive and seriousness. May be it is my 21st century sensibilities talking but I just need more involvement from the investigators if they plan to solve a murder.

[Tash Spring · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF the audiobook @ 5%. For a moment I thought the narrator was AI. It's so bad it makes the story hard to follow, especially during dialogue.

Hopefully I get the chance to give this book another go in ebook form.

[debmar50]

Good

Could almost be like watching an episode of 'Miss Fisher'. Liked mostly everything about it. It was entertaining and enjoyable.

[sue mg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

Fabulous action packed historical story. I loved the characters and intricacy of the he plot. Well worth a read. Spectaculsr.

[Debbie Lawrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and hugely enjoyable historical detective story. I liked the strength of the female character and her reluctance to be pigeon holed into being married and seeking a career.

[Veena Soujanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 4 1/2 stars

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly a little different in the choice of characters. Not a bad murder mystery but I wasn't totally drawn to the protagonists

[Cherime MacFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done

Friends to lovers without any heat. Then again this is set in Australia in the 1800s. Good mystery and a page turning read.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful start to a series.

[Mickey Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story!

A well written and suspenseful story. The strong characters and clever plot have the makings of a successful series. I look forward to what's next!

[LaGina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new to me author with a strong female lead detective that doesn't mine sharing the spot light or asking for help
This story really had me guessing all they way up to the end!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the characters but it seemed like it needed a bit of an edit to remove some of the superfluous information. Interesting mystery, but really more about the family and love interest.