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Mrs. Xavier Stayton #1
Murder Most Convenient
It's the Golden Age of Detective Novels, and Mrs. Xavier Stayton is convinced she can pen the best!
Ripping fun at her late husband's family estate turns to tragedy when murder most foul is committed.
Once the inspector arrives, motives abound, and Mrs. Xavier finds herself the chief suspect.
If she can avoid the gallows, the hopeful author may walk away with a manuscript that is the cat's meow; if not, a dastardly killer has committed a perfect frame-up job.
Journey with Mrs. Xavier Stayton and her loyal friend, Lucy, from the safety of Holland Park to the perils of Pearce Manor, where a sinister figure awaits them.
Ripping fun at her late husband's family estate turns to tragedy when murder most foul is committed.
Once the inspector arrives, motives abound, and Mrs. Xavier finds herself the chief suspect.
If she can avoid the gallows, the hopeful author may walk away with a manuscript that is the cat's meow; if not, a dastardly killer has committed a perfect frame-up job.
Journey with Mrs. Xavier Stayton and her loyal friend, Lucy, from the safety of Holland Park to the perils of Pearce Manor, where a sinister figure awaits them.
- GenresMysteryHistorical
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2014
19 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Robert Colton
31 books39 followers I became interested in Roman history at a very young age. While always reading or writing, I didn’t know that my true passion would be the invention of my trio of fictional characters attempting to make their way in Pompeii, until I was reading "The Robe" by Lloyd C. Douglas. I am a fan of the happily ever after conclusions,and "The Robe" did not offer that.
I put my other unending writing projects down and started typing the tale of a young noble Roman who was a bit less noble than Douglas’s hero. After years of research on Pompeii and the details of Rome that would have influenced a likeable, and unfortunate young man, an entire world came together for me. "Pompeii: A Tale of Murder in Ancient Rome" is just the beginning.
A fan of autumn and a lover of animals, I am always reading something that takes me back to the glory days of Rome. I stumble through the day, quoting Cicero and daydreaming about a time long gone, but not forgotten.
I put my other unending writing projects down and started typing the tale of a young noble Roman who was a bit less noble than Douglas’s hero. After years of research on Pompeii and the details of Rome that would have influenced a likeable, and unfortunate young man, an entire world came together for me. "Pompeii: A Tale of Murder in Ancient Rome" is just the beginning.
A fan of autumn and a lover of animals, I am always reading something that takes me back to the glory days of Rome. I stumble through the day, quoting Cicero and daydreaming about a time long gone, but not forgotten.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 7, 2014
It's not often I pick up a Kindle freebie by an author I've never heard of before and find a gem of a story. They are usually so/so. This one is quite good! Think Miss Marple, forty years younger, with twice the humor.
Young Mrs. X, widowed now three years, fancies herself a mystery writer all of a sudden and her and her companion set off for a house in the country...where between a very wacky family and servants, they run into a REAL murder.
The style takes some getting used to at first. The narrative is in first person--not a problem--but it's as if you're reading the manuscript of her story. It even has little notes to her editor or agent in parenthesis. This irritated me at first, but I came to understand it and once I got over the initial feeling of being "jarred" by it, I was no longer bothered.
I enjoyed the heroine and laughed so many times...I lost count. From the dog named Bugger to the sarcastic remarks exchanged between these family members who loathe each other so much... There's not only a murder mystery here, but secrets from the war, the mystery circumstances of her own husband's death, the way she calmly handles the personal questions...there's actually a lot going on in this "little" story.
Full review and final thoughts: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2014/...
Young Mrs. X, widowed now three years, fancies herself a mystery writer all of a sudden and her and her companion set off for a house in the country...where between a very wacky family and servants, they run into a REAL murder.
The style takes some getting used to at first. The narrative is in first person--not a problem--but it's as if you're reading the manuscript of her story. It even has little notes to her editor or agent in parenthesis. This irritated me at first, but I came to understand it and once I got over the initial feeling of being "jarred" by it, I was no longer bothered.
I enjoyed the heroine and laughed so many times...I lost count. From the dog named Bugger to the sarcastic remarks exchanged between these family members who loathe each other so much... There's not only a murder mystery here, but secrets from the war, the mystery circumstances of her own husband's death, the way she calmly handles the personal questions...there's actually a lot going on in this "little" story.
Full review and final thoughts: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2014/...
December 30, 2015
This is a fun, somewhat silly, witty mystery. Set in England in the 20's the young widow, Mrs. Xavier Stayton, has decided to write a country house mystery. The book is essentially supposed to be a manuscript she is sending to an agent. She and her friend travel to a relative's home to get inspiration and end up getting caught up in a country house murder.
July 29, 2016
Very basic
I would barely call this a mystery. It is more of a short story with a very thin plot. Disappointing to me, as I like this authors Pompeii series.
I would barely call this a mystery. It is more of a short story with a very thin plot. Disappointing to me, as I like this authors Pompeii series.
January 2, 2019
I don't do book reviews like you keep seeing, as I find that some give too much of the plot away and I personally hate that, as it makes the book not worth reading. I much prefer to take the authors back cover write up as a review as it can either intrigue you enough to read the book of provide you enough information to make you decide that the book is not for you.
My review rules are: The more stars, the more I liked it.
If there are too many typos or errors the less stars I give
If the storyline or plot is poor or contains too many errors, the characters are too weak, the ending lacking something, then the less stars I give.
Simple, uncomplicated and to the point without giving anything away.
Some of the books I read have been given to me by the author as a pre-release copy and this does not bias my reviews in any way
My review rules are: The more stars, the more I liked it.
If there are too many typos or errors the less stars I give
If the storyline or plot is poor or contains too many errors, the characters are too weak, the ending lacking something, then the less stars I give.
Simple, uncomplicated and to the point without giving anything away.
Some of the books I read have been given to me by the author as a pre-release copy and this does not bias my reviews in any way
April 13, 2016
A fun, fast & easy read, this book is set during the the Golden age of British detectives & is written in the form of a manuscript that is to be submitted for publication. The premise of the book, introducing the next great British detective to mystery readers, is novel & sometimes hilarious. Although I found a few minor aspects of the murder mystery solution weak, the author has done a great job of recreating a bygone era and has introduced memorable characters while writing an involved, engaging & often funny story.
February 18, 2016
I got this book as a freebie on Amazon and read it while waiting for my choice book to come to the library. It's surprisingly not bad, but not quite good. It's easy, silly, likable enough, and good for a light read, but it has flaws (like the mystery is almost non existing) and it just does not rise to the level of a good/interesting book.
February 2, 2016
Quite enjoyable, yet - just a little - amateurish...
The descriptions were vivid and pleasant, however a few times they seemed a little excessive or forced, particularly in the beginning; I find it hard to describe. On the whole, I liked it and I'm moving on to the next Mrs. X mystery.
The descriptions were vivid and pleasant, however a few times they seemed a little excessive or forced, particularly in the beginning; I find it hard to describe. On the whole, I liked it and I'm moving on to the next Mrs. X mystery.
December 14, 2014
Not bad. A little silly. Mrs. X is a likable enough narrator, but neither she, nor Colton, will ever be Agatha Christie.
September 25, 2016
This did not have the appeal of this author's Pompeii series for me, so I will not try any others in this series and will wait for another Pompeii book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews