1933 Louisa Cannon is now married to D.S. Guy Sullivan. Because of her former position as lady's maid to the Mitford sisters she is asked by a complete stranger to accompany them on a holiday, but also to spy on them. Because of their connection to Sir Oswald Mosley and the BUF, the British Union of Fascists. Unfortunately the characters are a bunch of unpleasant people and it doesn't say much for Louisa's character that she associates with them.
Not a particularly satisfying mystery.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

It is 1933 and the Nazis have just taken power in Germany. In England, Louisa Cannon is asked to accompany part of the Mitford family, her former employer, on a European cruise. At first she refuses since she has just recently married Guy, a DC with the CID and she is studying to be a stenographer. However, she is approached by Iain, a government agent, who asks her to reconsider. Diana, one of the Mitford daughters is having an affair with Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists, and Iain wants Louisa to discover any useful information she can about the fascists' plans. He also asks her to keep her purpose for deciding to go on the cruise a secret even from Guy. Louisa agrees but this becomes a lot harder when Guy surprises her by joining her on the ship shortly before a murder occurs.

The Mitford Trial is the fourth in The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes but the first I have read. As a result, I was unaware that it was based on true events. At first, it seems like a classic locked room mystery but it soon becomes clear that this will not be that...or at least not just that. The action on the ship is interrupted occasionally by the later trial and although I guessed the murderer fairly quickly, I did not guess the motive or the outcome. Definitely one for fans of the series or anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a touch of the Golden Age and given depth by real historical characters and details.

Thanks to Netgalley and St martin's press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

1930s, espionage, historical-novel, historical-research, murder, fascists****

These books are fiction, but based on true events and Fellowes includes historical notes at the end of each book. The time is during the rise of the Nazis and all that entailed.
Newly wed Louisa is in steno training and her husband is a DS at The Met in London when she is tapped by the espionage agent known to her to join the Mitfords (her former employer) on a three-week European cruise as a lady's maid because of their involvement in fascist enterprises. While on the cruise there is the predictable murder and that sets things up for the later trial. It is fast-paced and riveting and highlights the issues of fascism as well as the role of women and marriage in the 1930s. Very interesting!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. ( )

For Louisa Cannon her marriage to her beloved Guy Sullivan should have been the start of a new life. However as Guy is called away from their reception to tackle a potential riot involving the British Union of Fascists, Louisa realises that politics is getting very close to home. Although no longer employed by Diana Guinness she is close to the family and can see Diana's fascination with Oswald Mosley and Unity's obsession with Germany. When she is asked to accompany the sisters on a cruise and to spy on them little does Louisa know that she is walking into a more complex intrigue.
Fellowes' books are actually quite clever. She has used the well-known Miford family as a foil for the development of her independent sleuth Louisa Cannon. Here the politics of Diana and Unity are to the fore as Britain fights the fascist menance. However at its heart this is an old-fashioned murder mystery set on a ship (so very Agatha Christie), with a fun set of characters ( )