Death at the Crystal Palace

May 1, 2021
Who's poisoning the mistress of the house in Victorian London? Kat Holloway is a cook with unusual connections that are very useful when she encounters mysteries to be solved. While visiting the Crystal Palace, she meets wealthy Lady Covington, a friend of the family she works for, who confides that she's being poisoned and can trust no one. Although she rules the house where her two stepchildren and her own two children live, she suspects them all except for her beloved youngest son. Kat's romance with Daniel McAdam, who helps Scotland Yard as a way of working off an unspecified debt, has been slowly developing over the course of several puzzling cases she's helped him solve, but he's still an enigma to her in many ways. Bringing a recipe for the cook as an excuse, she visits Lady Covington's home to see if she can discover how and why milady is being poisoned. Luckily, Kat works for eccentric Lady Cynthia, who's far from the perfect Victorian miss her parents desire--she dresses in men's clothing and is always willing to help Kat solve mysteries. Meantime, Daniel reluctantly seeks Kat's help in his quest to expose Fenians plotting to kill British leaders. His request that she pose as the fiancee of the empty-headed fop he's playing puts her in peril even as she makes headway on the case of the poisoned lady. Fans will enjoy the continuing exploits of the clever cook, who gets to solve two complex mysteries.

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June 21, 2021
Set in 1882, bestseller Ashley’s delightful fifth Below Stairs mystery (after 2020’s Murder in the East End) opens at London’s Crystal Palace, where Lady Covington, a wealthy widow with four grown children, seeks out Kat Holloway, a cook employed in the home of a lord, after a mutual friend introduced them at the palace earlier. Lady Covington, who feels unwell and can trust no one in her immediate family, fears she’s being poisoned and wants Kat, who has a reputation as a crime solver, to identify the culprit. Kat enlists the aid of her charming suitor, criminal investigator Daniel McAdam, who confirms that Lady Covington is indeed in danger. When Lady Covington’s daughter-in-law dies after ingesting delicacies meant for her ladyship, Inspector McGregor of Scotland Yard investigates, assisted by Kat, who uses her culinary expertise to put the pieces together before the murderer can strike again. Well-drawn supporting characters and logistical details of running a prosperous household complement the intricate plot. Downton Abbey fans will be delighted. Agent: Bob Mecoy, Bob Mecoy Literary.