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Emma Berry, Murray River #1
Saddled with Death
Novella-length prequel in the Emma Berry Murray River Australia cozy mystery.
Family are more deadly than strangers.
Emma Haythorne (unmarried, but soon to meet Sam Berry) is staying at neighbouring Nettifield pastoral station, on the Murray, to help her friend Bea Macdonald look after the household comprising her three brothers, father George and terminally ill mother, Martha.
Family visitors arrive by paddle steamer, on their way home from a trip to England. Shortly into their visit, George Macdonald’s half-brother, Vernon Appleton, is found dead in the stable.
Emma is charged by the dying woman with finding out who killed him, but who, apart from her husband, had a motive?
Family are more deadly than strangers.
Emma Haythorne (unmarried, but soon to meet Sam Berry) is staying at neighbouring Nettifield pastoral station, on the Murray, to help her friend Bea Macdonald look after the household comprising her three brothers, father George and terminally ill mother, Martha.
Family visitors arrive by paddle steamer, on their way home from a trip to England. Shortly into their visit, George Macdonald’s half-brother, Vernon Appleton, is found dead in the stable.
Emma is charged by the dying woman with finding out who killed him, but who, apart from her husband, had a motive?
166 pages, ebook
First published March 1, 2017
42 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Irene Sauman
12 books39 followersIrene is a retired historian living in Perth, Western Australia. She grew up and went to school in New South Wales, by the mighty Murray. Several generations of her father's family were involved with paddle steamers on the river, so this is the setting she chose for her first cozy mystery series.
Irene is a readaholic, tennis fan, croquet player (old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm every time), and has a reasonably green thumb, which means not too much dies in her garden, unlike in her cozy mysteries. T
Her favourite authors-gone-by are Anthony Trollope, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Agatha Christie, but she doesn't restrict her reading to just mysteries.
Irene can be contacted through her Facebook author page. She is also on BookBub and is a member of the Aussie Readers group and several cozy mystery groups on Goodreads. Her Pinterest board shttps://au.pinterest.com/irenesauman showcase maps and photos relating to the Emma Berry Mystery series.
Irene is a readaholic, tennis fan, croquet player (old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm every time), and has a reasonably green thumb, which means not too much dies in her garden, unlike in her cozy mysteries. T
Her favourite authors-gone-by are Anthony Trollope, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Agatha Christie, but she doesn't restrict her reading to just mysteries.
Irene can be contacted through her Facebook author page. She is also on BookBub and is a member of the Aussie Readers group and several cozy mystery groups on Goodreads. Her Pinterest board shttps://au.pinterest.com/irenesauman showcase maps and photos relating to the Emma Berry Mystery series.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 31, 2017
Emma Haythorne met the paddle steamer with the family guests who were heading for Melbourne on the way home from England. They only planned to stay until the next steamer came up the Murray River – a couple of days – as Emma’s friend Bea Macdonald’s mother was confined to bed and couldn’t take too much in the way of interruption to her days.
But on the second night there was a commotion in the stables and to their horror, one of the guests, who happened to be George Macdonald’s half-brother, was found fatally injured. Emma was sure there was more to it than what was being said – and when Mrs Macdonald requested Emma discover the culprit, she felt she had to do her best for the old lady who didn’t have much longer to live. But could she? Or was Emma putting herself into danger?
Saddled with Death is the prequel to Book #1, A Gem of a Problem by Aussie author Irene Sauman and is set just before Emma meets her future husband. The banks of the Murray River saw the frequent arrival of paddle steamers which was the only way the farmers and homesteaders had of receiving mail and household goods back in the mid-1800s. I thoroughly enjoyed Saddled with Death and look forward to Book #2, A Body in the Woodpile. Highly recommended.
But on the second night there was a commotion in the stables and to their horror, one of the guests, who happened to be George Macdonald’s half-brother, was found fatally injured. Emma was sure there was more to it than what was being said – and when Mrs Macdonald requested Emma discover the culprit, she felt she had to do her best for the old lady who didn’t have much longer to live. But could she? Or was Emma putting herself into danger?
Saddled with Death is the prequel to Book #1, A Gem of a Problem by Aussie author Irene Sauman and is set just before Emma meets her future husband. The banks of the Murray River saw the frequent arrival of paddle steamers which was the only way the farmers and homesteaders had of receiving mail and household goods back in the mid-1800s. I thoroughly enjoyed Saddled with Death and look forward to Book #2, A Body in the Woodpile. Highly recommended.
November 16, 2017
3★
“Bea kept everyone busy in the kitchen, deciding to keep the rest of the mutton stew for lunch next day. Dinner that evening consisted of cottage pie with fresh greens, followed by apple crumble and Tillie’s custard. Outside there was a lamp alight at every corner of the homestead, dispelling the shadows, beyond which Emma imagined the patrolling men. She wasn’t sure if hiding in the darkness was the better option to being surrounded with light, like a target.”
There’s been a murder at the homestead, and there are plenty of possible, if unlikely, suspects. Our intrepid Emma Haythorne (not yet Berry) lives nearby and has been staying with the family to help care for the family matriarch who is bedridden but is still sharp-witted enough to enjoy Emma's company.
Unannounced visitors arrive to stay, a half-brother of the owner and his family, plus French shipboard friends. They are there to discuss selling horses. These were the days when properties had cooks, maids, stable hands and others regularly coming and going.
And, of course, there’s a handsome young Frenchman. And the French widow seems to be flirting with the very married half-brother in front of his wife.
Emma is determined to ask questions and not wait for police to show up after the body is buried. She’s a smart cookie who needs more than a humdrum life and does not take kindly to heavy-handed 'advice' from the young man she's sort of promised to.
The plot thickens along with countless stews and custards. So much of this novella revolves around the day-to-day, the kitchen, the menu, that I chose the quotation above to give you a sense of the style. (I think I know everything they ate. Unnecessary but yum!)
I haven’t read the earlier books, which actually take place after this, but I’m sure Emma will have many fans.
This prequel is currently free on Amazon Australia.
“Bea kept everyone busy in the kitchen, deciding to keep the rest of the mutton stew for lunch next day. Dinner that evening consisted of cottage pie with fresh greens, followed by apple crumble and Tillie’s custard. Outside there was a lamp alight at every corner of the homestead, dispelling the shadows, beyond which Emma imagined the patrolling men. She wasn’t sure if hiding in the darkness was the better option to being surrounded with light, like a target.”
There’s been a murder at the homestead, and there are plenty of possible, if unlikely, suspects. Our intrepid Emma Haythorne (not yet Berry) lives nearby and has been staying with the family to help care for the family matriarch who is bedridden but is still sharp-witted enough to enjoy Emma's company.
Unannounced visitors arrive to stay, a half-brother of the owner and his family, plus French shipboard friends. They are there to discuss selling horses. These were the days when properties had cooks, maids, stable hands and others regularly coming and going.
And, of course, there’s a handsome young Frenchman. And the French widow seems to be flirting with the very married half-brother in front of his wife.
Emma is determined to ask questions and not wait for police to show up after the body is buried. She’s a smart cookie who needs more than a humdrum life and does not take kindly to heavy-handed 'advice' from the young man she's sort of promised to.
The plot thickens along with countless stews and custards. So much of this novella revolves around the day-to-day, the kitchen, the menu, that I chose the quotation above to give you a sense of the style. (I think I know everything they ate. Unnecessary but yum!)
I haven’t read the earlier books, which actually take place after this, but I’m sure Emma will have many fans.
This prequel is currently free on Amazon Australia.
March 18, 2017
I was given an advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Although I rarely read novellas I found 'Saddled with Death' pleasant and easy to read and it reminded me of the wonderful Australian books that I used to read many years ago. The novella is set on a pastoral station on the Murray River and offers the reader an insight into the lives of the people who lived along its banks. I loved the old-time romantic notion of relatives arriving on the wharves from what was considered such distant far-flung places and the interaction between rival family members, set amidst the colonial events of horse viewings, dinners, and cups of tea poured in delicate china cups.
A short read that follows the daily events of Emma Hawthorne, a young woman who appears quite independent and modern in her ways for that time in Australia. Interwoven in the story is the mystery of a murder that kept me turning the pages in suspense to find out who the culprit was. I loved the hint of romance, however it didn't quite go where I thought it would and it appears I will have to read the next book in this series to find out where Emma's path leads her.
An enjoyable read that kept me intrigued and wanting to know more about the lives of those in this novel. I am looking forward to reading the books that come after and once again being transported back in time to the romance, mystery and intrigue of the people and places who once lived on the banks of the Murray River.
A short read that follows the daily events of Emma Hawthorne, a young woman who appears quite independent and modern in her ways for that time in Australia. Interwoven in the story is the mystery of a murder that kept me turning the pages in suspense to find out who the culprit was. I loved the hint of romance, however it didn't quite go where I thought it would and it appears I will have to read the next book in this series to find out where Emma's path leads her.
An enjoyable read that kept me intrigued and wanting to know more about the lives of those in this novel. I am looking forward to reading the books that come after and once again being transported back in time to the romance, mystery and intrigue of the people and places who once lived on the banks of the Murray River.
December 30, 2023
Free e-book at time of download.
3.5 stars
In the 1870s, farmers along the Murray River in the Australian bush help each other out whenever there's a need. Emma Haythorne, a 23-year-old spinster and assistant herbal healer is helping out the neighboring Macdonald family, a 2 hour ride away, waiting for Margaret, the family matriarch, to die. Visitors recently arrived from England cause a big commotion when George Macdonald and his brother get into an argument and spook the horses the Macdonalds are training for the army. Later that night, Emma is awakened by her servant and discovers someone has let a few of the horses out. Emma tries to help in the stables but discovers the dead body of George Macdonald's half-brother, Vernon Appleton, on the ground. Emma wants to clean the body to determine whether Vernon fell or was murdered. She fears George Macdonald killed his brother and the family will close ranks to prevent justice from being served. Severely ill, Margaret Macdonald wants to know her family will be OK after her death. She sends Emma to investigate the mystery of Vernon Appleton's death, much to the consternation of George Macdonald and his son Matty. Was Vernon's death connected to the drowning of their other brother, Harold, four years earlier? To make matters worse, Margaret seems to want Matty to hold Emma to a silly promise of marriage they made when they were younger and Emma has cold feet about what marriage to Matty may mean for her independence. Can she solve the mystery, save the Macdonald family and herself from an unwanted marriage?
The Australian setting is different and I learned a lot about life on a horse and sheep farm in the 1870s. I learned about colonial Australia and how people in the cities perceived the bush farmers and what they all thought about England. The mystery wasn't super complicated. While there was a large cast of characters, only a few were in the right place at the right time to have committed murder. That is, if there is only ONE murderer. The prologue reveals Harold was killed by someone he knew but we don't know who. The mystery of how many killers were on the loose and what the French guests were up to kept me reading very late into the night. I noted a major historical error in the cozy details. If you're going to write a historical cozy mystery, you have to get the small details right and not just the large ones. The author's note about riverboats shows she did her research there but there's not much about riverboats in this novel so who cares? I wanted more information about Australia in the 1870s and where and how they shopped because the error I spotted was in the domestic details. Chocolate cake and chocolate bars as we know them simply didn't exist in the 1870s. The earliest recipes for chocolate cake are coffee cakes or tea cakes, to be eaten with a DRINK of chocolate. The next recipes for chocolate cake, around the time the story takes place, show grated chocolate in the batter similar to a marble cake. Chocolate cakes made with cocoa powder came along a little later, by the turn-of-the-century. I also did a quick search to see when chocolate bars were first made in the UK and while they existed, they weren't imported to Australia until the next decade. Yes these details matter because a LOT of emphasis is placed on domestic life in this novel.
I also wanted to know more about the "blacks". I assume that's the term for aboriginal? I know a tiny bit about them but not a lot and I'd like to know more about their lives and culture. There are some unusual words tossed in here and there I assume are aboriginal but there's no real explanation. Is black even the correct word for the time?
I like Emma. She's educated and a strong, modern woman. Emma wants to be independent and live her own life. She has a brain and isn't afraid to use it. Unfortunately sometimes her brain opens her mouth and she comes across as "opinionated" and men at this time do not like opinionated women. Emma is perceptive and brave. She loves her family and close friends and enjoys helping her grandmother prepare herbal remedies in the stillroom. However, she is a woman of her time and place and she can be a bit rude to the servants. She's firm with Janey, the black woman her family sent to help out. Janey is young and sassy. Good for her! Janey doesn't put up with being told what to do or mistreated by the white people in charge. She comes across as headstrong and insubordinate, as in who else would hire her except Emma's family? Janey happens to be Emma's cousin because you know, the same nasty stuff that went on here in the U.S. with the enslaved women happened there too with the aboriginal women. Janey is not portrayed sympathetically and comes across as not that likable. The other maid, Tilly, is a timid Irishwoman. She's a harder worker than Janey and unafraid of toil but she's afraid of the dark and other stuff that Janey uses as ammunition to make fun of the other maid.
The Macdonalds are not a likable family. Margaret, the matriarch, is dying of some unknown disease. Emma is keeping her comfortable in bed with herbal remedies and laudanum but Margaret is a wife and mother so she sees all, knows all, even from her bed. She knows something bad happened when her husband didn't come to bed until very long after his usual time. She's as stubborn and strong as Emma in spite of poor health. Margaret loves her family to death and can't bear leaving them if they're fractured from keeping secrets. She wants to know the truth even if it hurts. She's a very wise woman. Her husband, George, is sexist. Uneducated and content to be a humble farmer, something about Emma irks him to no end. He finds her annoying and she disturbs his peaceful life. He does not think women have brains or should have opinions and is pretty rude to Emma. George is rude to everyone except his sons though. Yet Emma feels deep down that George doesn't have it in him to be a murderer. He has a kinder heart than he lets on maybe? The problem with characters who already know each other and have a history together is that judgement can be clouded by memories and also we don't get a lot of character development because no one is getting to know each other. I don't think George and think he absolutely could be a murderer.
George's older son Jim is nice enough but younger son Matty is shaping up to be too much like his father. Matty is pushing Emma to fulfill a youthful promise to marry him if still unwed in 10 years. Emma is hesitating and he keeps pushing. He doesn't respect her enough to be a good husband and she would be expected to be a good little woman and keep her mouth shut and stay in the house. Oh yuck! No thank you. Bea, George's only daughter, is quiet and tries to keep the peace in the family but becomes emboldened by Emma. I think she wanted an education like Emma and was denied it and she keeps quiet about her hopes and dreams because she loves her family. Her life is rather sad.
Visitors include Vernon Appleton, George Macdonald's half brother. Vernon is snooty, citified and proud of it. He's more educated than his brother so he thinks he knows best. He's just as sexist as his brother and thinks of his sister-in-law as his housekeeper. He doesn't know horses and country life. The man is whiny and blames his brother for everything that has gone wrong in his life since childhood. Though educated, Vernon is not too bright. I think he's trying to sabotage his brother's business for some reason or another. He's an investor so that doesn't make a lot of sense. Even so, he didn't deserve to be murdered. Their sister-in-law, Dora, is just awful. She's been to London and likes to brag about what she did and who she met. She brags about her brother-in-law's estate and the people she keeps company with there. I think she's trying to impress people but just blowing hot air. Emma calls her on a lie and it causes friction between them. Dora is a mean girl grown up. She likes to be in charge and in control of everything. SHE knows best, HER way is the best and I have a bad feeling she is not going to leave. I think she wanted to marry Vernon but now he's dead and the next available man is George! His wife isn't even dead yet! Dora dotes on her son Anthony, a lazy, selfish, young gentleman. He's been raised to expect the life of a gentleman of leisure and he is next to inherit his late father and late uncle's home. Emma once scolded Anthony when they were young teens and Dora hasn't forgiven Emma for it. I fear if Dora stays forever, Emma will be unwelcome. Anthony seems all right though. He's thoughtful, albeit somewhat absent minded and is nice to Emma.
There are two other visitors, a brother and sister from France, Claude Deveraux and his widowed sister, Gabrielle Fournier. Madame F brings along her young daughter as well. Madame is snooty, catty, seems to hate the Anglo-Australians and their culture and is eager to leave. Why is she so eager to leave? Why is she afraid to speak to the police? I suspect Claude is not really her brother but her lover. There are signs. Vernon Appleton has a crush on Madame and hopes she will be his wife. She doesn't seem as interested. Live in the colonies? MOI? Mais no! She's a good mother to her daughter though and Emma seems to like her. Claude is kind of shady. He speaks perfect English and has an affinity for race horses. I don't trust him. He is both kind and loving towards his sister but quick to correct her behavior as if she's a child. He's also quick to smooth things over when conversation between the brothers gets too intense. Who is he really?
Dora's husband, Harold, drowned on a visit to the Macdonalds four years earlier. He disappeared and it was deemed an accident but was it, really? He was not a good businessman and lost a lot of money. His Hail Mary is to invest in his brother's horse scheme and hope it works. I think his wife has a very good reason to want him out of the picture. His son too. Did one or both of them kill him? Anthony claims he wasn't there, he was away visiting friends but Emma wasn't there either so we don't know if that's true. He could have come back early and killed his dad.
Abe, a station hand, is a dark skinned man who keeps company with Janey. He seems reliable and dependable. Emma feels the need to intrude on Abe and Janey's relationship and give him a talking to about not hurting Janey. That doesn't seem necessary and shows the patriarchal racist attitudes of the time. No wonder Janey and Abe hide their relationship. Janey is making plans for a future with Abe so it sounds like they've been together for awhile. I hope it works out and he's a steadying influence on Janey.
Emma's grandmother is wise in many ways. She's an excellent herbalist/green witch but she's uncomfortable with Emma digging into the murder mystery. She would rather save the family than see justice done. Eleanor has had a tough life and now she's old and family will soon be all she has. What's right for her family may not be right for the Macdonalds. Emma's mother, Rose, comes across as a southern belle type. She's not as close to Emma or as perceptive as grandmother Eleanor is. Emma's dad is liberal and tolerant and allows her her independence. I like him just from her description.
I liked this story well enough to be mildly interested in another but not enough to want to buy it.
3.5 stars
In the 1870s, farmers along the Murray River in the Australian bush help each other out whenever there's a need. Emma Haythorne, a 23-year-old spinster and assistant herbal healer is helping out the neighboring Macdonald family, a 2 hour ride away, waiting for Margaret, the family matriarch, to die. Visitors recently arrived from England cause a big commotion when George Macdonald and his brother get into an argument and spook the horses the Macdonalds are training for the army. Later that night, Emma is awakened by her servant and discovers someone has let a few of the horses out. Emma tries to help in the stables but discovers the dead body of George Macdonald's half-brother, Vernon Appleton, on the ground. Emma wants to clean the body to determine whether Vernon fell or was murdered. She fears George Macdonald killed his brother and the family will close ranks to prevent justice from being served. Severely ill, Margaret Macdonald wants to know her family will be OK after her death. She sends Emma to investigate the mystery of Vernon Appleton's death, much to the consternation of George Macdonald and his son Matty. Was Vernon's death connected to the drowning of their other brother, Harold, four years earlier? To make matters worse, Margaret seems to want Matty to hold Emma to a silly promise of marriage they made when they were younger and Emma has cold feet about what marriage to Matty may mean for her independence. Can she solve the mystery, save the Macdonald family and herself from an unwanted marriage?
The Australian setting is different and I learned a lot about life on a horse and sheep farm in the 1870s. I learned about colonial Australia and how people in the cities perceived the bush farmers and what they all thought about England. The mystery wasn't super complicated. While there was a large cast of characters, only a few were in the right place at the right time to have committed murder. That is, if there is only ONE murderer. The prologue reveals Harold was killed by someone he knew but we don't know who. The mystery of how many killers were on the loose and what the French guests were up to kept me reading very late into the night. I noted a major historical error in the cozy details. If you're going to write a historical cozy mystery, you have to get the small details right and not just the large ones. The author's note about riverboats shows she did her research there but there's not much about riverboats in this novel so who cares? I wanted more information about Australia in the 1870s and where and how they shopped because the error I spotted was in the domestic details. Chocolate cake and chocolate bars as we know them simply didn't exist in the 1870s. The earliest recipes for chocolate cake are coffee cakes or tea cakes, to be eaten with a DRINK of chocolate. The next recipes for chocolate cake, around the time the story takes place, show grated chocolate in the batter similar to a marble cake. Chocolate cakes made with cocoa powder came along a little later, by the turn-of-the-century. I also did a quick search to see when chocolate bars were first made in the UK and while they existed, they weren't imported to Australia until the next decade. Yes these details matter because a LOT of emphasis is placed on domestic life in this novel.
I also wanted to know more about the "blacks". I assume that's the term for aboriginal? I know a tiny bit about them but not a lot and I'd like to know more about their lives and culture. There are some unusual words tossed in here and there I assume are aboriginal but there's no real explanation. Is black even the correct word for the time?
I like Emma. She's educated and a strong, modern woman. Emma wants to be independent and live her own life. She has a brain and isn't afraid to use it. Unfortunately sometimes her brain opens her mouth and she comes across as "opinionated" and men at this time do not like opinionated women. Emma is perceptive and brave. She loves her family and close friends and enjoys helping her grandmother prepare herbal remedies in the stillroom. However, she is a woman of her time and place and she can be a bit rude to the servants. She's firm with Janey, the black woman her family sent to help out. Janey is young and sassy. Good for her! Janey doesn't put up with being told what to do or mistreated by the white people in charge. She comes across as headstrong and insubordinate, as in who else would hire her except Emma's family? Janey happens to be Emma's cousin because you know, the same nasty stuff that went on here in the U.S. with the enslaved women happened there too with the aboriginal women. Janey is not portrayed sympathetically and comes across as not that likable. The other maid, Tilly, is a timid Irishwoman. She's a harder worker than Janey and unafraid of toil but she's afraid of the dark and other stuff that Janey uses as ammunition to make fun of the other maid.
The Macdonalds are not a likable family. Margaret, the matriarch, is dying of some unknown disease. Emma is keeping her comfortable in bed with herbal remedies and laudanum but Margaret is a wife and mother so she sees all, knows all, even from her bed. She knows something bad happened when her husband didn't come to bed until very long after his usual time. She's as stubborn and strong as Emma in spite of poor health. Margaret loves her family to death and can't bear leaving them if they're fractured from keeping secrets. She wants to know the truth even if it hurts. She's a very wise woman. Her husband, George, is sexist. Uneducated and content to be a humble farmer, something about Emma irks him to no end. He finds her annoying and she disturbs his peaceful life. He does not think women have brains or should have opinions and is pretty rude to Emma. George is rude to everyone except his sons though. Yet Emma feels deep down that George doesn't have it in him to be a murderer. He has a kinder heart than he lets on maybe? The problem with characters who already know each other and have a history together is that judgement can be clouded by memories and also we don't get a lot of character development because no one is getting to know each other. I don't think George and think he absolutely could be a murderer.
George's older son Jim is nice enough but younger son Matty is shaping up to be too much like his father. Matty is pushing Emma to fulfill a youthful promise to marry him if still unwed in 10 years. Emma is hesitating and he keeps pushing. He doesn't respect her enough to be a good husband and she would be expected to be a good little woman and keep her mouth shut and stay in the house. Oh yuck! No thank you. Bea, George's only daughter, is quiet and tries to keep the peace in the family but becomes emboldened by Emma. I think she wanted an education like Emma and was denied it and she keeps quiet about her hopes and dreams because she loves her family. Her life is rather sad.
Visitors include Vernon Appleton, George Macdonald's half brother. Vernon is snooty, citified and proud of it. He's more educated than his brother so he thinks he knows best. He's just as sexist as his brother and thinks of his sister-in-law as his housekeeper. He doesn't know horses and country life. The man is whiny and blames his brother for everything that has gone wrong in his life since childhood. Though educated, Vernon is not too bright. I think he's trying to sabotage his brother's business for some reason or another. He's an investor so that doesn't make a lot of sense. Even so, he didn't deserve to be murdered. Their sister-in-law, Dora, is just awful. She's been to London and likes to brag about what she did and who she met. She brags about her brother-in-law's estate and the people she keeps company with there. I think she's trying to impress people but just blowing hot air. Emma calls her on a lie and it causes friction between them. Dora is a mean girl grown up. She likes to be in charge and in control of everything. SHE knows best, HER way is the best and I have a bad feeling she is not going to leave. I think she wanted to marry Vernon but now he's dead and the next available man is George! His wife isn't even dead yet! Dora dotes on her son Anthony, a lazy, selfish, young gentleman. He's been raised to expect the life of a gentleman of leisure and he is next to inherit his late father and late uncle's home. Emma once scolded Anthony when they were young teens and Dora hasn't forgiven Emma for it. I fear if Dora stays forever, Emma will be unwelcome. Anthony seems all right though. He's thoughtful, albeit somewhat absent minded and is nice to Emma.
There are two other visitors, a brother and sister from France, Claude Deveraux and his widowed sister, Gabrielle Fournier. Madame F brings along her young daughter as well. Madame is snooty, catty, seems to hate the Anglo-Australians and their culture and is eager to leave. Why is she so eager to leave? Why is she afraid to speak to the police? I suspect Claude is not really her brother but her lover. There are signs. Vernon Appleton has a crush on Madame and hopes she will be his wife. She doesn't seem as interested. Live in the colonies? MOI? Mais no! She's a good mother to her daughter though and Emma seems to like her. Claude is kind of shady. He speaks perfect English and has an affinity for race horses. I don't trust him. He is both kind and loving towards his sister but quick to correct her behavior as if she's a child. He's also quick to smooth things over when conversation between the brothers gets too intense. Who is he really?
Dora's husband, Harold, drowned on a visit to the Macdonalds four years earlier. He disappeared and it was deemed an accident but was it, really? He was not a good businessman and lost a lot of money. His Hail Mary is to invest in his brother's horse scheme and hope it works. I think his wife has a very good reason to want him out of the picture. His son too. Did one or both of them kill him? Anthony claims he wasn't there, he was away visiting friends but Emma wasn't there either so we don't know if that's true. He could have come back early and killed his dad.
Abe, a station hand, is a dark skinned man who keeps company with Janey. He seems reliable and dependable. Emma feels the need to intrude on Abe and Janey's relationship and give him a talking to about not hurting Janey. That doesn't seem necessary and shows the patriarchal racist attitudes of the time. No wonder Janey and Abe hide their relationship. Janey is making plans for a future with Abe so it sounds like they've been together for awhile. I hope it works out and he's a steadying influence on Janey.
Emma's grandmother is wise in many ways. She's an excellent herbalist/green witch but she's uncomfortable with Emma digging into the murder mystery. She would rather save the family than see justice done. Eleanor has had a tough life and now she's old and family will soon be all she has. What's right for her family may not be right for the Macdonalds. Emma's mother, Rose, comes across as a southern belle type. She's not as close to Emma or as perceptive as grandmother Eleanor is. Emma's dad is liberal and tolerant and allows her her independence. I like him just from her description.
I liked this story well enough to be mildly interested in another but not enough to want to buy it.
October 31, 2020
Author Irene Sauman takes readers back to the late 1800s in this cozy mystery. Protagonist Emma is off to help her friend care for her dying mother Margaret. While a sad atmosphere hangs in the air, it suddenly turns to terror when a body is found in the nearby stable. Margaret learns of the story and pleads with Emma to quickly find out what happened before she passes.
Sauman writes with beautiful descriptions that will instantly transport you to the Australian riverside setting. There are also a few plot twists that will surprise you. While well-written, some areas are a bit long and could be difficult to follow.
At the end of the book, you’ll find an intriguing section dedicated to explaining more about riverboats and the important role they played during this era.
Overall, if you’re looking for a fun and clean mystery to snuggle up with, definitely consider this one.
Sauman writes with beautiful descriptions that will instantly transport you to the Australian riverside setting. There are also a few plot twists that will surprise you. While well-written, some areas are a bit long and could be difficult to follow.
At the end of the book, you’ll find an intriguing section dedicated to explaining more about riverboats and the important role they played during this era.
Overall, if you’re looking for a fun and clean mystery to snuggle up with, definitely consider this one.
July 3, 2024
I received this book as a freebie in return for an honest review.
This was a lovely historical novel, set on the beautiful Murray river back in the 1800's.
Our heroine Emma is helping to nurse her dying neighbour. Naturally there is a murder, it is a cozy mystery after all, and her neighbour has asked her to solve it so she can die in peace.
Throw in a few twists and turns to sidetrack us, and it is a very pleasant read. I look forward to reading more in this series.
This was a lovely historical novel, set on the beautiful Murray river back in the 1800's.
Our heroine Emma is helping to nurse her dying neighbour. Naturally there is a murder, it is a cozy mystery after all, and her neighbour has asked her to solve it so she can die in peace.
Throw in a few twists and turns to sidetrack us, and it is a very pleasant read. I look forward to reading more in this series.
March 19, 2021
I found this book very interesting to read. Being set in the era of steamboats being used to travel the Murray River was intriguing. Add to that two murders! There are several red herrings & a good mixture of people, most of whom could have done the deed.
September 30, 2022
Two mysterious deaths keep Emma busy ferreting out clues to help her solve the cases. Meanwhile, her family and neighbors and friend conflict over other issues. The woven story lines take you on an interesting path in trying to predict the outcomes. A good read!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2024
It was okay.
apuntados
March 19, 2017Amazon - 18/03/2017
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2018
Enjoyable read!
An easy, enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Some grammatical errors and misuse of words,but none interfered with reading. I will be reading more in this series.
An easy, enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Some grammatical errors and misuse of words,but none interfered with reading. I will be reading more in this series.
October 25, 2019
Kindle book
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