Fatality with Forster

Crime with the Classics #5

by Katherine Bolger Hyde

Emily Cavanaugh walks into a family drama that recalls Forster's classic work while honeymooning at an English country house in the gripping fifth Crime with the Classics cozy.

Retired professor Emily Cavanaugh and her husband, Luke, are taking a much-needed break from Windy Corner and spending their honeymoon five thousand miles away as paying guests at Fizhugh Manor in Oxfordshire.

Quaint nearby villages and the manor's impressive turrets and arches capture Emily's Anglophile heart, but when she meets its dashing young heir, James Fitzhugh and his American wife, Allison, James's cousin Penelope, his dithering uncle Roger and the manor's formidable dowager, Lady Margaret Fitzhugh, it's clear that class prejudice, resentment and secrets threaten to tear the family apart. Is there more to a fatal accident than meets the eye?

Emily soon finds herself in the middle of a family drama redolent of Forster's classic novels, but can she pull off her own masterstroke to catch a killer?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2021

About the author

Katherine Bolger Hyde is the author of the Crime with the Classics series as well as several books for children. A lifelong lover of literature (and alliteration), Katherine has a degree in Russian literature and works as editorial director for Ancient Faith Publishing. She lives in the redwoods of Santa Cruz County, California, with her husband and the youngest of her four children. Katherine loves to sing and knit, and she dreams of one day designing and building her own storybook cottage in the woods.

Reviews

[Kate Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 4.0 Stars

This fifth book in the "Crime with the Classics Mystery" series was an delightful cozy mystery set at an English country estate not far from Oxford. Our protagonist, retired professor Emily Cavanaugh Richards, and her new lawman husband Luke, have left the States for a much yearned for honeymoon in England - to feed Emily's Anglophile passion. They're the first guests of the recently listed Airbnb, Fitzhugh Manor, within Oxfordshire. The dowager, Lady Margaret, is clueless of her grandson's and granddaughter-in-law efforts to keep the estate an on-going income-producing concern. The estate's family dynamics are a bit testy for certain, making things a bit uncomfortable for the happy honeymooners. After a few days of sightseeing away from the manor, there is a death on the estate grounds and Emily and Luke cannot help but insinuate themselves into investigating the sensitive incident.

The writing is solid, the setting of scene is rich and descriptive, and the character development is quite good. For the most part, I anticipated the divulging of the details except for one delicious twist near the end. But I shant give that away. At some point, I'll go back and read the stories which lead up to this one. This was a solid cozy mystery and quite enjoyable.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily has finally married Luke, who was the love of her teen-aged life and who has grown to be the man she wants to spend her retirement with, and they have gone to England for their honeymoon, where Emily has always wanted to visit. They check into a country home bed and breakfast, and get to know the young owner and his American wife. Also part of the household are the owner's uncle (and heir, until he has a son), and his autocratic grandmother. When there's an improbable horse-riding accident, both Emily and Luke are suspicious--but there doesn't seem to be a motive, until Emily realizes that there's an ironic twist to the story worthy of novelist E. M. Forster himself. Unfortunately, the character of Emily doesn't appeal to me. I'm sure some readers find her charming; I find her self-centered, which distracts me from the story as a whole.

[Trisha]

The fifth in the Crime with the Classics series, this particular book references Forster’s novels. I was a little worried about this because I haven’t read anything by Forster in a decade. Thankfully, Bolger Hyde was kind enough to reference the relevant novels and details, using her protagonist Emily as the mouthpiece.

Emily, a clear anglophile from the US, is on honeymoon in England with her sheriff husband, Luke. They are guests in a baronet’s home called Fitzhugh Manor. As these are modern times, this aristocratic family is doing its best to hold on to their home while bringing it into the present. In addition to allowing people stay in their home, they provide horse riding lessons and are building cottages to sell on a portion of their land. The dowager Lady Margaret is shielded from these changes, and believes the newlyweds are family friends. She is of the “old guard,” insisting on traditions such as dressing formally for dinner and employing a lady’s maid. This combination of today and yesterday is a fun mix, and the reader, especially if they’re an anglophile too, is living vicariously through Emily.

A Fitzhugh family member dies, and although it looks like an accident, it is more likely murder. Emily and Luke, a total match made in heaven, find themselves embroiled in the investigation. G I liked how they teamed up for the mystery. Cozies always have a woman detective who teams up with the local cop, but this was better than the usual set up, as the point of view alternated between the two of them. Generally, detective does all the legwork and the cop shows up at strategic points in the story, especially at the end where he claps handcuffs on the culprit. Seeing the two of them work out what is going on together was a fun take.

I have to say, this was a perfect way to start my fall reading.

[Margie Bunting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crime with the Classics is a series of traditional mysteries, each of which may remind you of a particular classic author. In the first in the series, fiftyish professor Emily inherits from her great-aunt a Victorian mansion, which she later turns into a writers' retreat.

In the most recent installment (#5), Emily embarks on a honeymoon in England with her new husband, Luke, with whom she had a romantic relationship as a teenager. As an Anglophile, she has dreamed of staying in a manor house in Oxfordshire and visiting many of the sites she had enjoyed in her reading, including Oxford University, home of many Harry Potter scenes.

But it is immediately evident that there are troubled undertones to the family that owns the manor. The young wife is American, which is unacceptable to her husband's grandmother. Elderly Lady Margaret also doesn't like outsiders traipsing around the stables and even the house, as the young couple offers tours and classes to help support the cost of running the manor. When a tragic accident occurs, Emily and Luke, who is a detective in Oregon, are not satisfied with the finding of accidental death and soon find themselves embroiled (as they often are at home) in an unofficial investigation.

These books can easily be read as standalones, but earlier books in the series are also worth reading for the community of characters the author has introduced and developed. It's refreshing to read books focused on older characters, along with well-drawn settings and non-graphic mystery plots.

My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for allowing me to read and review this book.

[Jean-Luc · Rating 5 out of 5]

British snobbishness and American pragmatism are definitely clashing in this latest addition to the delightful Crimes with the classics Series, a new & very entertaining literary whodunit from Ms. Bolger Hyde. Once again we meet our genial protagonists hailing from Oregon, Emily & Luke, who as a recently married couple, are descending upon Oxford (England) to enjoy a much deserved honeymoon in a posh B&B run by an old & very aristocratic British family,The Fitzhugh, and located on a sprawling estate on the outskirts of the famous university town. So far, so good...... But unfortunately, and unbeknownst at first to our sleuthing Oregonians, they have stumbled upon a venomous nest of family rancors full of verbal snippiness & murderous intents, a dangerous hotbed of upper class shenanigans that is bound to disturb more than a well planned honeymoon..... Fiendishly plotted and blessed with a highly dysfunctional but colorful cast (the late British actress Gladys Cooper would have been perfect in the role of the cantankerous, malevolent and frightening Lady Margaret) this wonderful cozy mystery should be welcomed by all readers familiar with the series and it should definitely be discovered by a larger readership! To be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever! Many thanks to Netgalley and Canongate/Severn for this delicious ARC.

Don't forget! Come back to your

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Emily and Luke are married and on their honeymoon in England, staying at an old manor house near Oxford as paying guest. Naturally they don't expect to become involved in the investigation of a possibly suspicious death, but that is exactly what happens. The inhabitants of Fitzhugh Manor remind Emily of the novels by E M Forster; some are eccentric, there are the obligatory ancient retainers, along with the young baronet and his American wife who are trying to make the estate into a paying proposition. Lots of red herrings obscure the actual solutions, in the tradition of English Golden Age mysteries.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth and final (?) book in the series. Luke and Emily take a honeymoon trip to England and are staying at a B & B near Oxford. Of course, there is a death, but the police write it off as an accident. Luke's nose for an unsolved crime causes them to do a little investigation of their own. I was really upset with the author for a while because I liked the victim a lot. As I went on, I was enjoying the informal way that Luke and Emily asked questions and figured out the solution. The setting was beautiful and evocative. I missed visiting Oxford when I traveled to the UK about 20 years ago. I wish I had gotten there. Not a bad ending to a series or is it the ending?

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Cavanaugh Richards and her new husband, Luke, are honeymooning in England due to Emily's love of all things British. They are staying at Fitzhugh Manor in Oxfordshire when an accident happens but they both think it was murder. Luke is a lawman in the United States and he just feels something is wrong. The couple start asking questions and eventually come up with the answers to the mystery. Enjoyed the setting. The book was an easy read.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good and entertaining mystery in this series.
A solid mystery, cultural clash between the Americans and British, fleshed out characters.
It wasn't hard to guess the culprit but I didn't guess the motive.
Entertaining and engrossing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Minetta Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is number 5 in the Crime with the Classics series it was my first time to read one of them. It stood alone just fine but I will go back and start at the beginning. It's a delightful cozy mystery with interesting characters. I loved all of the references to some on my favorite books, TV shows and movies all set in England. So brew some tea and enjoy the read.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this very much! I was totally wrong about who DONE it.. Thats a first for me... HAHA

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great cozy mystery, I'd give it a 3.5. Looking forward to reading the series in order. This was my 52nd book of 2021!!! Great way to end the challenge!

[Eileen McCauley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the earlier Crime with the Classics books and it is appropriate that Emily and Luke should travel to the home of cozy mysteries: the English country house. This was an quick, enjoyable read. The solution to the crime was fair.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! Emily finally gets to visit England on her honeymoon. Unfortunately, her talent for discovering corpses follows her.

[Kirsten Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know why I’ve continued to read this series. They’re just ok. Nothing exceptional, nothing grating. Just kind of boring.

[Elaine Painter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author and it was a good book that I'd recommend.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best one so far. While cozies aren't my favorite, I am attached to these characters now.

[Anna Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. This time they end up solving a murder in England (present day). We get taking on some touristy trips around the area so I found that fun. I did figure out who did it, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.