Murder at Rough Point (Gilded Newport Mysteries, #4) by Alyssa Maxwell
This story follows Emma as she's been selected to help the caretaker run the event. The artists will arrive later, some from the theater, painters, actors, and other mediums of the craft.
They each have their own room at Rough Point, a place we've driven by often int he past 30 years.
Love the locations as they are described, fashion, food and jewelry, all so thrilling.
There is a death and then others are wondering how it all happened. The artists are now aging and are not as good at their craft as they used to be....
There is a surprise guest which Emma did not see coming.
Love all the speculation as to who killed the fellow artists. Just when they arrest one Emma has second thoughts... So many twists and turns and a really bad storm that leaves the island roads as mud.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). ( )

Excellent cozy mystery if you're in the mood for the genre. A mansion cut off from civilization by a storm... a retreat for a group of artists and performers who are sort of friends and sort of enemies... slight vibes of And Then There Were None (but this is not that story). ( )

Murder and intrigue return to Newport, Rhode Island in this 4th installment of the Gilded Newport series by Alyssa Maxwell.

Emma Cross, a poor relation of the stately Vanderbilt family, is invited to attend an artists retreat at Rough Point, a stately home owned by her Uncle Frederick Vanderbilt. Emma is to write a newspaper article about the retreat. She hopes that the exposure will help boost her career to covering more than the usual Fancies and Fashions articles she normally writes.

In attendance are several well-known artists ranging from ballet dancers to sculptors, including the renowned Edith Wharton. Surprisingly enough, Emma's parents are attending as well, returning from an extended stay in Paris.

The group is not a peaceful one. The artists soon start bickering among themselves, revealing strained relationships. Soon, however, Emma has more to worry about than clashing personalities. An English Baronet, Sir Randall Clifford, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. At first it is assumed he committed suicide over his failing ambitions as a sculptor, but when a second guest is found dead in his bathtub, suspicious turn to murder. Emma finds herself once again assisting police detective Jesse Whyte to discover the identity of the killer before anyone else dies.

This book reminded me of Agatha Christie's novels -- a large house, illustrious guests, servants, dark secrets and murder. As Christie is my favorite author, I found myself absolutely loving this book! It is a great blend of fictional characters and real people, all centered in a historic Newport home.

The mystery is engaging, with plenty of plausible suspects, plot twists and surprises. The killer is revealed in an exciting ending, wrapping up this story in Christie-like eloquent fashion.

I read this book without previously reading any of the novels in the Gilded Newport series, so it isn't necessary to read the books in order. However, there are some nuances to character relationships that would be better understood by reading in order. My jumping in with this newest installment in the series didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book. But, it did make me want to go back and read all of the prior novels! And, I also spent some time researching Rough Point and the other Newport mansions that Maxwell writes about in her books. I live about 40 minutes from Biltmore Estate, located in Asheville, NC, and I find the history of iconic American families like the Vanderbilts and their mansions captivating! I will most definitely be reading more of this series!

In addition to the Gilded Newport series, Alyssa Maxwell has also written two mysteries set in post-World War I England, A Pinch of Poison and Murder Most Malicious. Check out her website here: www.alyssamaxwell.com ( )

Emma Cross, a poor relation of the Vanderbilt's of Newport, has been asked to write about an artist retreat that is being held at Rough Point, the estate of her Uncle Frederick. She is surprised not only by the person who requested her specifically (Edith Wharton) but the other attendees who include her mother and father, whom she hasn't seen in several years. (It appears that they have a secret that they don't want to divulge). The other artists include a retired ballet dancer turned choreographer, sculptor, singer, cellist, and other writers so when the sculptor goes missing and is later found dead at the bottom of the cliff, was it an accident or was he pushed? One by one, different people are being eliminated, but the manner of deaths could be accidents - but were they murder?

I love the story with the setting in the early 1900's and phone problems, washed out roads, and all manner of difficulties to prevent the assistance of the police during a relentless multi day nor'easter. I especially liked that we got a deeper understanding of the main character as well as a chance to meet the elusive parents. ( )

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. This was an interesting and stylish mystery set in 1896 and sounding true to its period. Emmaline Cross is a poor relation to the Vanderbilts and trying to become a serious journalist. She is induced to join a group of Bohemian artists during their stay and therein lies the plot of the story.

I enjoyed the set-up to this story and the introduction and dissection of each character as they were introduced. I loved the setting of Rough Point Mansion in Newport and thought it used effectively allowing the reader to become familiar with the rooms and grounds of the property. The ensuing casualties are perplexing leaving the reader to wonder whether anyone will be left standing. This was an enjoyable and stimulating "whoDunnit." ( )