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WISE Enquiries Agency #12
The Case of the Devious Daughter
‘SO WHAT DO YOU THINK – IS SHE PARANOID, OR IS IT REALLY POISON?’
It’s January in the picturesque Welsh village of Anwen-by-Wye, where temperatures plummet as Annie Parker and Carol Hill find themselves working for a woman who seems perilously close to death’s door...and holding some worrying views about why that might be. They’re tackling the delicate case alone because Christine Wilson-Smythe is trapped in London until her baby is born, where she battles boredom by burrowing into the woes of a couple of wine snobs. Meanwhile, Mavis MacDonald has accompanied dowager duchess Althea Twyst to the family’s Scottish pile, where time with offspring is supposed to be the focus, until a very significant person from Mavis’s past appears with an alarming problem she feels compelled to investigate...leading to a situation that threatens Althea’s elaborate – and not entirely welcome – plans for Burns Night.
Despite the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency being scattered around the UK, they still manage to act as a strong team, especially when a plea from Henry, Duke of Chellingworth, gets them to stand as his wife’s chum, Val Jenkins – once best known as TV’s Curious Cook – has convinced the duchess that a healthy eating plan is needed by everyone residing at the Hall. When Henry realizes this includes himself, he takes action to try to save his favorite foods and, as a side-effect, his wife’s good friend.
- GenresCozy Mystery
276 pages, Hardcover
Published December 22, 2025
15 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Ace
41 books389 followersCathy Ace migrated from her native Wales to Canada at the age of 40. She is the award-winning author of the traditional Cait Morgan Mysteries featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, which have now been optioned for TV. She also writes the cozier WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries featuring a quartet of female PIs who run their business out of a Welsh stately home. Both series have been well-reviewed. Her award-winning standalone, THE WRONG BOY, is a gripping novel of psychological suspense, set in Wales, and has also been optioned for TV.
"Ace is, well, an ace when it comes to plot and description.” The Globe and Mail
Cathy's work has won the prestigious Bony Blithe Award for best Canadian light mystery, an IPPY and an IBA Award, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story.
Her short story "Dear George" appeared on the UK's O Level English Language syllabus and, together with another story, "Domestic Violence", has been produced for BBC Radio 4. You can find out more about Cathy, her books, and events she'll be attending, at www.cathyace.com
"Ace is, well, an ace when it comes to plot and description.” The Globe and Mail
Cathy's work has won the prestigious Bony Blithe Award for best Canadian light mystery, an IPPY and an IBA Award, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story.
Her short story "Dear George" appeared on the UK's O Level English Language syllabus and, together with another story, "Domestic Violence", has been produced for BBC Radio 4. You can find out more about Cathy, her books, and events she'll be attending, at www.cathyace.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 29, 2025
The ladies of the WISE Women Enquiries Agency are hoping for a quiet start to the New Year, because two of their number are absent from their office in Wales Welsh village, leaving Carol and Annie to deal with any cases that crop up. As well as working with the WISE Women, Mavis acts as a companion to her friend Althea Twyst, the Dowager Duchess of Chellingworth, and has accompanied her to the Twyst family home in Scotland, so that Althea can spend time with her daughter and son-in-law, and Mavis can visit her sons and grandchildren. Christine is staying in London with her parents while awaiting the birth of her first child.
Annie and Carol are asked to take on a new case, and it is one that has special significance for Annie because it involves the therapist that had treated her when she was traumatised after an injury. When Barbara Newsom arrives at the office Annie is horrified because she hardly recognises the smart, competent woman she had known. Barbara has lost a great deal of weight and appears gaunt, frail and unkempt. Barbara tells Annie and Carol that her husband died a few months ago; for both of them it had been a second marriage, and they each had one adult child who did not live at home. Barbara’s late husband had been a very wealthy man, and he had left everything to Barbara, which caused ill feeling between Barbara and her stepson.
The doctors have carried out several tests and have been unable to discover a physical reason for her symptoms of nausea, weakness, fatigue and vertigo, and Barbara is aware that these symptoms could be caused by psychological factors following her bereavement. However, she is haunted by the fear that she is being poisoned, presumably by someone close to her, the most likely suspect being her daughter. Annie and Carol agree to take the case and put measures in place to discover the truth and, if necessary, to protect Barbara. Unfortunately, this proves very difficult when they have to cope with a client who is torn between the necessity of safeguarding her own life, and her desire to consolidate her relationship with her daughter, who has been unusually attentive since Barbara’s bereavement.
As well as this major case, Carol and Annie have other investigations to engage their time and attention. One of these is instigated by Annie who is concerned about the arrival of a fish and chip van that parks in the village. The chip van’s owners charge a lot less than Tudor, Annie’s partner can ask for the meals he serves in his pub. Annie knows her suspicions of the new business may be fuelled by personal concerns, but she is determined to find out all she can about the people running the chip van.
Another personal investigation is one that they undertake at the request of Henry Twyst, the Duke of Chellingworth. Henry is very worried that his much-loved wife, Stephanie, is determined to improve their health by changing their diet and enforcing more exercise. Henry feels that Stephanie is being unduly influenced by her friend Val Jenkins, bookshop owner and nutritionist. Although Henry does not like Val’s interference in his lifestyle, he is fond of her, and she is the godmother of his son. This means that he is genuinely concerned when he discovers that Val has formed a romantic attachment and gone into business with a man that he has good reason to distrust. Stephanie does not agree with his fears, but Henry feels so strongly about the matter that he overcomes his natural diffidence and asks Carol to use her outstanding computer investigation skills to check on Val’s new partner. With three cases to investigate, Carol and Annie have a great deal to do, and while they hope that Mavis and Christine are enjoying their break, they also feel rather overwhelmed and overworked.
However, neither Mavis nor Christine are enjoying their time away from Wales. Mavis finds Twyst House uncomfortable, cold and badly maintained, and the Steward in overall charge is dour and unhelpful. In London, Christine has been confined to bed until her baby is born and is desperately bored. She knows that she has to take care in order to safeguard her own and the baby’s health, but that does not stop her from feeling frustrated by her inactivity, and she misses her fiancé, Alexander, who is trying to get all of his business interests settled, so that he can devote himself to his family when the baby arrives. However, even when officially off duty, both Mavis and Christine have the instinct that discovers suspicious things to investigate, but, without her usual support network, and with patchy internet and phone access, Mavis also discovers that curiosity can prove very dangerous.
The Case of the Devious Daughter is the twelfth book in the excellent series featuring the WISE Women and it is a delightful addition to the series. The central characters are all engaging and skilfully drawn as they change and develop with each book. The multi-viewpoint plot is cleverly handled so that each strand is clearly designated, but the investigations are woven together by the close relationship of the protagonists. The Case of the Devious Daughter is a page-turner, which I thoroughly recommend.
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Reviewer: Carol Westron
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
Annie and Carol are asked to take on a new case, and it is one that has special significance for Annie because it involves the therapist that had treated her when she was traumatised after an injury. When Barbara Newsom arrives at the office Annie is horrified because she hardly recognises the smart, competent woman she had known. Barbara has lost a great deal of weight and appears gaunt, frail and unkempt. Barbara tells Annie and Carol that her husband died a few months ago; for both of them it had been a second marriage, and they each had one adult child who did not live at home. Barbara’s late husband had been a very wealthy man, and he had left everything to Barbara, which caused ill feeling between Barbara and her stepson.
The doctors have carried out several tests and have been unable to discover a physical reason for her symptoms of nausea, weakness, fatigue and vertigo, and Barbara is aware that these symptoms could be caused by psychological factors following her bereavement. However, she is haunted by the fear that she is being poisoned, presumably by someone close to her, the most likely suspect being her daughter. Annie and Carol agree to take the case and put measures in place to discover the truth and, if necessary, to protect Barbara. Unfortunately, this proves very difficult when they have to cope with a client who is torn between the necessity of safeguarding her own life, and her desire to consolidate her relationship with her daughter, who has been unusually attentive since Barbara’s bereavement.
As well as this major case, Carol and Annie have other investigations to engage their time and attention. One of these is instigated by Annie who is concerned about the arrival of a fish and chip van that parks in the village. The chip van’s owners charge a lot less than Tudor, Annie’s partner can ask for the meals he serves in his pub. Annie knows her suspicions of the new business may be fuelled by personal concerns, but she is determined to find out all she can about the people running the chip van.
Another personal investigation is one that they undertake at the request of Henry Twyst, the Duke of Chellingworth. Henry is very worried that his much-loved wife, Stephanie, is determined to improve their health by changing their diet and enforcing more exercise. Henry feels that Stephanie is being unduly influenced by her friend Val Jenkins, bookshop owner and nutritionist. Although Henry does not like Val’s interference in his lifestyle, he is fond of her, and she is the godmother of his son. This means that he is genuinely concerned when he discovers that Val has formed a romantic attachment and gone into business with a man that he has good reason to distrust. Stephanie does not agree with his fears, but Henry feels so strongly about the matter that he overcomes his natural diffidence and asks Carol to use her outstanding computer investigation skills to check on Val’s new partner. With three cases to investigate, Carol and Annie have a great deal to do, and while they hope that Mavis and Christine are enjoying their break, they also feel rather overwhelmed and overworked.
However, neither Mavis nor Christine are enjoying their time away from Wales. Mavis finds Twyst House uncomfortable, cold and badly maintained, and the Steward in overall charge is dour and unhelpful. In London, Christine has been confined to bed until her baby is born and is desperately bored. She knows that she has to take care in order to safeguard her own and the baby’s health, but that does not stop her from feeling frustrated by her inactivity, and she misses her fiancé, Alexander, who is trying to get all of his business interests settled, so that he can devote himself to his family when the baby arrives. However, even when officially off duty, both Mavis and Christine have the instinct that discovers suspicious things to investigate, but, without her usual support network, and with patchy internet and phone access, Mavis also discovers that curiosity can prove very dangerous.
The Case of the Devious Daughter is the twelfth book in the excellent series featuring the WISE Women and it is a delightful addition to the series. The central characters are all engaging and skilfully drawn as they change and develop with each book. The multi-viewpoint plot is cleverly handled so that each strand is clearly designated, but the investigations are woven together by the close relationship of the protagonists. The Case of the Devious Daughter is a page-turner, which I thoroughly recommend.
-------
Reviewer: Carol Westron
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
January 4, 2026
"The Case Of The Devious Daughter" is book #12 in the "WISE Enquiries Agency Mystery" series by Cathy Ace.
Carol and Annie are working on a troubling case as a woman believes she is being poisoned. Mavis has traveled with the dowager Althea to spend time with family at the Twyst estate in Scotland. Christine is staying with her parents in London pending the birth of her and Alexander's first child.
Of course things get complicated for each of the women. Carol is called upon, by Henry - who is generally a fusspot - to investigate a man who is involved with his wife's best friend Val. He has stepped out of his comfort zone, but Val has convinced Stephanie that a healthier diet is in order. Is he concerned for her wellbeing or the loss of his favorite foods? Annie and Carol are trying to help Annie's former counselor prove that she is being poisoned. A chips truck is trying to set up in the village but Tudor is concerned it will take away from his business. Althea is pouting as her daughter seems to be ignoring her while she is visiting her in Scotland. Mavis is surprised to reunite with her teenage beau and also tries to help him sort out a business issue. Christine secretly works on a wine scam while she is supposed to be on bedrest before the baby is born.
It's a lot to absorb but the story is told from multiple perspectives as each character does their bit. Some of the subplots seemed a bit obvious as to how they would likely turn out but the getting there took some unexpected and interesting turns that kept me turning the pages to see how it all played out.
Carol and Annie are working on a troubling case as a woman believes she is being poisoned. Mavis has traveled with the dowager Althea to spend time with family at the Twyst estate in Scotland. Christine is staying with her parents in London pending the birth of her and Alexander's first child.
Of course things get complicated for each of the women. Carol is called upon, by Henry - who is generally a fusspot - to investigate a man who is involved with his wife's best friend Val. He has stepped out of his comfort zone, but Val has convinced Stephanie that a healthier diet is in order. Is he concerned for her wellbeing or the loss of his favorite foods? Annie and Carol are trying to help Annie's former counselor prove that she is being poisoned. A chips truck is trying to set up in the village but Tudor is concerned it will take away from his business. Althea is pouting as her daughter seems to be ignoring her while she is visiting her in Scotland. Mavis is surprised to reunite with her teenage beau and also tries to help him sort out a business issue. Christine secretly works on a wine scam while she is supposed to be on bedrest before the baby is born.
It's a lot to absorb but the story is told from multiple perspectives as each character does their bit. Some of the subplots seemed a bit obvious as to how they would likely turn out but the getting there took some unexpected and interesting turns that kept me turning the pages to see how it all played out.
January 21, 2026
really entertaining
The title doesn’t let you know that there are more than 4 subplots besides the main one suggested by the title. Such a fun read, and so engrossing, I read it in one sitting. I can’t wait for the next in the series to see what new adventure is in store for the WISE women.
The title doesn’t let you know that there are more than 4 subplots besides the main one suggested by the title. Such a fun read, and so engrossing, I read it in one sitting. I can’t wait for the next in the series to see what new adventure is in store for the WISE women.
January 1, 2026
Exce!lent
This series is never a disappointment. It was very good how everything came together. It was a little bit more nervous than usual but I loved the book.
This series is never a disappointment. It was very good how everything came together. It was a little bit more nervous than usual but I loved the book.
January 6, 2026
Another good read from Cathy Ace, well worth a read. These books are a really good read it has crime and also lighthearted moments
March 14, 2026
Fun if slightly chaotic at times installment in the series. There are so many little investigations going on with alternating narrations. However the author continues to do a good job of portraying the four distinctive personalities that make up WISE.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews