Who do you trust when simply everyone is wearing a mask?
A Winter Wedding, Venice, 1923
Posie Parker, London’s premier female Private Detective, is getting married…
But on arrival in Venice, Posie finds she is walking into a nightmare: her lodgings on the Grand Canal are consumed by fire, her famous fiancé is preoccupied, and most bizarrely of all, her hostess, the Countess Romagnoli, confesses she has a stalker and fears for her life.
Tasked with protecting the Countess, Posie investigates the other house-guests and finds that there are disguises everywhere.
And when a terrible murder is committed, with the prospect of the killer striking yet again, Posie realizes she must separate out the shadows of the past and the realities of the present in order to uncover the murderer before it is too late. In her most dangerous case yet, Posie works alongside both familiar and new colleagues in order to get at the truth.
Cambridge-educated, British-born L.B. Hathaway writes historical fiction. She worked as a lawyer at Lincoln’s Inn in London for almost a decade before becoming a full-time writer. She brings her love of detective novels set in the Golden Age of Crime and an obsession with English history to her own writing.
The Posie Parker series of cosy crime novels span the 1920s. They each combine a core central mystery, an exploration of the reckless glamour of the age and a feisty protagonist who you would love to have as your best friend.
Her other interests, in no particular order, are: very fast downhill skiing, theatre-going, drinking strong tea, Tudor history, exploring castles and generally trying to cram as much into life as possible.
Well, huh. I don't know if this is the series finale of the Posie Parker series. It's a puzzler. With the way this story ends, you'll kind of think: Will there be more? You'll also think: What exactly just happened here? And you may think: Why? Why? Is this how it all ends? Sorry to say this #6 found me very vexed in Venice.
So I looked on Hathaway's website. No clue there as to if there will be more Posie P. books after this one. But I must confess that after reading this one, I don't particularly care very much one way or the other if the series continues.That's a shame. I was enjoying these little mysteries set in the 1920s with female sleuth Posie Parker. Up until this one, that is.
So what's my problem? Well, although I've enjoyed the mysteries, I have not especially enjoyed the personal parts about Posie's love life. In the first book or so she had a romantic interest in Len, her detective-agency partner. That didn't pan out. Then came dashing Alaric, explorer and bon vivant. Although he and Posie have barely spent time together in all these books and they seemed to me to have a very passionless relationship, they became fiances and now, it turns out, are going to meet up and marry in Venice.
At the beginning of the new story, we find Posie arriving in Venice, no Alaric in sight to greet her. And more things don't go as planned, to say the least. As you would expect, she meets up with a mystery, a dead body and countless possible suspects. It's a messy mystery with subplots and perhaps too many characters. And there's also Posie's love life to try to make sense of. She's supposed to be getting married, but it's not all roses and lollipops at the moment between her and Alaric. And there's very little real communication between them either.
What's good about the story is the time period and the setting. It's Venice. Who doesn't find Venice interesting? And the time is post WWI in Fascist Italy to make it more interesting, although little is made of the political backdrop. This is more of a travelogue of Venice.
What's not so good for me are: (1) Posie's personal problems. I've never cared for or been interested in her love life. Her romantic relationships are not well drawn by author Hathaway. They're sketchy and don't engage me. (2) Author Hathaway's rather callous descriptions of two of the characters, one an obese woman and one a gay young man. I'm neither obese nor gay but the way these two were treated in the book did not sit well with me. (3) The mystery was all over the place. As I said earlier in this review, it was messy and had too many subplots and characters, not only old ones such as Inspector Lovelace and the enigmatic Max and fiance Alaric whom we have met up with in previous stories, but also a large cast of new characters.
Usually the mystery is my favorite part of a Posie book and the personal issues my least. This time around I didn't care for either very much.
First, I felt it was much too wordy. It seemed that thoughts and descriptions went on and on.
I was not a fan of Posie. She seemed to be a drama queen. If this is the 6th book in a series, surely she would have the routine down pat. And her opinions voiced about other characters were not what I would call very considerate.
Continually describing one character over and over as being obese. I got it the first three or four times.
I had hoped to find a cozy historical mystery.
I found characters who were quite unappealing to me.
The plot could be interesting, but I did feel that there were too many red herrings thrown at the reader.
I was disappointed, and I am sure it is just me, but I would not want to read another book in this series.
The Posie Parker books are great but this one was below par. Aleric seemed different and I couldn't understand why the author was doing this ,until the rushed and very disappointing end. It seemed like the author suddenly couldn't wait to end this great series . It was depressing and a let down to readers.
I have been reaching for cozy mysteries in the evenings after the boys are asleep and I finally have a moment to myself. Stories in a series are either a hit or miss. This one is a miss but it's not due to a lack of a mystery.
The setting is Venice, a picturesque occasion with romantic gondolas and shimmering water. And what an ideal location to get Married! because that's exactly why Posie is in Venice! she's engaged to marry an obvious rake of a male who carries on extra-curricular exploits behind her back. Although their love story is a complimentary dish in the book, it quickly became a problem.
For all her smarts at detecting, Posie is terrible at love. She chooses badly, by ignoring signs and falling for the wrong things. It's reasonable to think that a detective renowned for solving mysteries and making connections could also apply a level of scrutiny and discernment when choosing a romantic partner. BUT NO. We can't have a sensible, drama- free heroine because that would be asking too much. What turned me off is Posie's behavior and familiarity with inspector Lovelace her colleague. She has a moment where she must convey information. She ignores prudence and enters his room while he is shaving and after emptying out her thoughts, she falls asleep in his bed.
it just didn't sit well with that she would behave in this way knowing that the man is married. I cannot support females who make excuses for provocative behavior and play dumb as if it's okay. SO it was in that moment that I realized why Posie is terrible at love. (On a side note, I believe this is the author's way of alluding to an impending romance between Posie and inspector Lovelace, I wonder whether she will kill of Richard's wife first or stir something up to cause a divorce?)
As for the murder mystery, there was an adequate amount of suspense, but the band of characters was too many. The main murder victim is a countess who is described as grotesquely obese with an even less desirable personality. This story is set in the 20's so it's unfair to characterize it through the lens of modern trends and social media outrage. Nevertheless, I knew immediately that there would be readers triggered by this. If you are one of those readers, this one isn't for you.
5 stars to the mystery, 2 stars to PP’s love life. Really, I couldn’t care less about her and her fiancée even in the previous books but this was worst than ever. Alaric’s behaviour here is totally different from the previous books (and I’ve always thought that his love for Poise was one-sided, she was always complaining about him). I don’t like unnecessary drama and this book has plenty of it.
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but found too tragic. It’s hard to tell what annoyed and frustrated me without spolers. Does the auther got bored with Posie Parker?
Very disappointing! I really enjoyed this series but this book was awful. Without giving away the ending, it was so bad it was silly. If you’re a fan stop before you read this book.
Love the series and will continue reading but this one didn't work for me. Too many threads not spun out in a satisfying way - too convoluted. And the Alaric thing was frustrating. He played a kind of absent role in Posie's life so that we're not really sure why she's marrying him but then has this big heroic end with the frustrating miscommunications. Weird thing with Max. Weird epilogue. Blech.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’ve never liked stories with a big misunderstanding, and this story was ruined by one. The main character, Posie, jumped to a conclusion about her husband-to-be, never had an honest conversation with him, seemed to believe the worst, and appeared to be in no way heartbroken by his sudden death. The mystery had good twists and turns, but it didn’t make up for the absurdity of the misunderstanding.
Posie Parker, has traveled to Venice to marry her on-again, off-again fiancé—only to discover that he is carrying on with a famous movie star. This book is piteously over complicated. Posie seems like she is always a step behind. I’m not touching any more books in this series.
This story felt different- heavier and darker. I used to think I might want to be friends with Posie however I found myself disliking her in this story. She was a bit impulsive and judgemental about things that mattered and gave up quickly on them. I didn’t like the epilogue either... it was as if the author was done and took a severe shortcut, but then I see there is a book 7.
The mystery behind the story was interesting. Fires play a huge role in the plot, which goes back and forth in time. Found the fat-shaming part to be a bit awful; also kept wanting to scream at the protagonist and her finance to just talk to each other: so much heartbreak could have been saved if they had just talked to each other instead of avoiding it in anger with each other.
4 stars for the mystery part and 3 stars for the rest of the book. I’m obviously in the minority here, but I enjoyed the mystery in this book more than in some of the other books in this series. However I was puzzled and yet surprised by the ending.
Wow! Could not put this Posie Parker Mystery down! London sleuth Posie is traveling to Venice, Italy, for her wedding to Alaric Boynton Doyle, but mysterious fires and murders greatly complicate her plan. The suspects are numerous and evil each in his own way, but the revelation of the guilty party is a twisted tale in itself. I only began to suspect who it was near the end of the book. Posie's complicated relationship with Alaric grows even more complicated as their wedding day nears and Posie believes (mistakenly) that Alaric has cancelled the reservation for the chapel. The saddest part of their strained relationship is that they barely have time to speak to each other and even more rarely are they alone. Several reviewers wrote that they disliked the ending, but I disagree. It's a surprise (more like shock!) but there is no indication that Posie will not be back to continue her career as England's foremost female detective.
This book has been written so well. It's fast paced and you just can't put it down. I NEED the next book to be released asap, I want to know if my own deductions are right as to last part of the epilogue. I'm saying no more as I don't want to spoil the book. It's an absolute MUST read to all Posie Parker and those who want to pick up and read a good murder mystery. I don't normally write reviews but I felt that I couldn't leave this book without saying Thank you so much for writing this book and if I were your editor I would be telling you to get that next book out there as I need to read asap. No pressure 😁
There are a lot of moving parts on this installment of the series and, once again, the personal side of the story tended to pull things off course. I don't want to include a spoiler but I am glad that that part of the story line is finally dealt with.
I appreciated that the characters took us to places beyond San Marco -- although I loved the reference to Florian's, which is definitely worth a visit -- to see a bit more of Venice. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the city and reminders of the dangers of the city from both water and fire.
Good lord this book was depressing. I read this series because its well written with great characters. and the history is fascinating. But if I had been smart, I would read all the reviews first and skipped this book entirely. Even though, it was a good mystery, the way this story ended was so sad and even morbid. And it seemed as though the series was at end and now another book has come out. So on top of everything else I'm confused as well. This time I plan on reading many reviews before I go forward and get the next book. Very disappointed in this one.
This book is where I ultimately lost interest in the series. Posie's personal angst and assumptions were just too icky and dramatic. The ending left a lot to be desired and I didn't appreciate how I could see the author setting up Posie's future in such an unnecessarily melodramatic way when her marriage could have been just fine. I might be bored enough to finish the series now, but after reading several in a row I was beginning to feel a bit tired of Posie's angst and the formula.
WHO DO YOU TRUST WHEN EVERYONE IS WEARING A MASK?A Winter Wedding, Venice, 1923
Posie Parker, London’s premier female Private Detective, is getting married…
But on arrival in Venice, Posie finds she is walking into a nightmare: her lodgings on the Grand Canal are consumed by fire, her famous fiancé is preoccupied, and most bizarrely of all, her hostess, the Countess Romagnoli, confesses she has a stalker and fears for her life.
Tasked with protecting the Countess, Posie investigates the other house-guests and finds that there are disguises everywhere.
And when a terrible murder is committed, with the prospect of the killer striking yet again, Posie realizes she must separate out the shadows of the past and the realities of the present in order to uncover the murderer before it is too late. In her most dangerous case yet, Posie works alongside both familiar and new colleagues in order to get at the truth.
But will the truth come at a terrible price?
This is a classic Golden Age of Crime murder mystery which will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey. Set against a background of Italian fascism following the Great War, 'Murder in Venice' is the sixth book in the delightfully classic English Posie Parker Mystery Series, although the novel can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story in its own right. If you love an action-packed historical cozy crime with a feisty protagonist, download a sample or buy 'Murder in Venice' now.
The beginning of the book starts ominously with the burning of a building that Posie is supposed to be staying at for her wedding in Venice, but when she gets there, her fiancé is distracted and working hard on helping other people, and she does not feel loved by him. She becomes unsure, as the build-up in previous books has started the seeds of doubt if she should even be getting married. It seems like her fiancee is hiding something. And other mischievous works are going on. The end of the book feels like a foregone conclusion, which feels sad and incomplete in ways, as though the last few pages of the plot were ripped out. Very jarring and dark. Interesting to see where this series goes next.
I wouldn’t say this was my favorite story in this series, but a clean slate is required now.
The roaring twenties, and Posie is on her way to Venice to marry her Alaric, only to be involved in another murder case. This is the first in the series I have read, and I was a bit disappointed, but my own fault, as I expected something similar to Lee Strauss' Ginger Gold series. This story was not light and amusing in places, but more dark and sad, and for me, although the narration style, the storytelling as such, was very good, the story itself dragged a bit. From the author's note, I am aware she did research the time and places, but some behaviourism and actions by the protagonist seemed a bit far-fetched, if not quite unrealistic to me. This is a very personal feeling, as I have not researched this decade, but it is what it is. So while this is not a bad book by far, it is not something I would say I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Posie travels to Venice to get married, but from the moment she arrives things go awry. First the palazzo she was supposed to sty in catches fire. It rapidly becomes clear that it was arson. Then the contessa, a wealthy Englishwoman who was to be their hostess, is poisoned. Meanwhile Posie's fiancee is evasive and frequently absent. Finally, Posie discovers that her wedding has been canceled. Who is behind all these disasters? Why is a Scotland Yard Inspector in Venice? Does the whole horrible experience have anything to do with the contessa's will? This 1920's version of Venice is atmospheric, rainy and spectral. A scene in the Frari is especially creepy.
Posey Parker is going in Venice for her wedding. She and her fiance are staying at the villa of Duke and Duchess friends of her fiance. The day she arrives, her fiance did not meet her at the train station as promised, because the villa burned down due to arson. Posey gets involved in the investigation. On sight were a former MI6 friend, who stays hidden and follows people around, the Duchess's personal secretary and lady in waiting. Posey's fiance was recently on the cover of a magazine with a movie star. Posey is curious because he keeps going to the burned out villa looking for something. Fun read. I listened to it.
Very disappointed with the author’s depiction of senior police officers waiting outside a door in this drug warehouse while two dead bodies and at least two guns are inside - result of waiting is another person shot dead. Really? Seems to be a recurring theme of Poise revealing the full plot (like Perot did with all suspects and a police guard) while a madman has a gun trained on her and the police are awol. Just too ridiculous to be the way to end all your mystery books. My other beef is her star character is a genius at spotting tiny clues and yet blind to obvious threats and inconsistencies that are staring her in the face.