Dara England

The Book Report: A Kindle original novella. Miss Mariah Featherstone is visiting her friend Charlotte at the home of Charlotte's guardian and uncle, Sir Harold Morley. She knows Charlotte's fondest wish is to marry the local curate, Mr. Pettifor, who most regrettably turns up dead...whit Mariah's rejected suitor and fellow houseguest. Mr.Edwin Winterbourne, hovering over him. A rush to justice then begins, and poor Mr. Winterbourne...Mariah might not want to marry him, but she does not want show more to see him hanged for the crime of another person.

So off goes Mariah, speaking to the son of the Morley house, to Lady Morley, to the mad daughter of the house, to Miss Pettifor the curate's very young sister, all in aid of Mr. Winterbourne's proof of innocence. She must clamber over fences (dressed as a man, no less!), interview angry people on every side, and still maintain a watch over poor, poor Charlotte's bedside, as her friend is prostrated with grief.

In the end, of course, justice is served and punishment is meted out to the guilty. It is what mysteries do best, after all.

My Review: This was a perfect palate-cleanser between my recent five-star read of an historical novel and the rest of literature. It is short, and it is a mystery, and it has a charming premise, so I thought whattheheck and Kindled it up.

Very glad I did. Its aforementioned virtues are delivered upon with charm and verve. I thoroughly liked Miss Featherstone, and while the novella length doesn't allow for such fripperies as careful characterization or extensive puzzle-building, it does deliver the goods in shorthand versions of same.

Charming. Winsome. Most amusing. Worth two hours or so of your reading time, when heavier fare lacks savor. show less

This book was written in a similar style to some older classics like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice. It was a little hard to get into. After the first few chapters, it starts to pick up and stays very interesting to the end. The story itself is very intriguing. As a female reader, it is easy to put yourself in the heroine's place. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received this from the author to read and review. Like her previous novellas, this one is superb. Millicent Wright travels from American to Devonshire to re-acquaint herself with Sir Oliver Longbourne, a widowed baronet and owner of a huge estate with moors all around it. Her mother insists this feisty, intelligent would be detective find a suitable husband and has accompanied her to see if Sir Oliver can be the man for her daughter. Shortly after arriving, he is killed, and the mystery show more begins, as Millicent begins searching for clues, much to the dismay of the detective on scene who cautions her about the dangers of becoming involved in the investigation. I think the author has captured the true Victorian, Gothic spirit in this novella. In addition, her characters, from Millicent to the detective and other guests and members of the Longbourne household are very believable. As the investigation unwinds, Millicent proves her mettle as a detective and gradually convinces Detective Lockwood of her abilities. The author has left the door open for a friendship or more between these two characters. I found this novella very well written and interesting. One aspect that appealed to me was its length. Naturally, I would have liked it to go on longer, but its shortness brought out a conciseness and clarity that I have often found lacking in longer books. After reading this novella, I encourage anyone who loves a good mystery and especially a Victorian, Gothic mystery (in the vein of Victoria Holt or Daphne du Maurier) to read and enjoy this story. show less

When American Heiress, Millicent Wright, travels to Devonshire, England to become better acquainted with Sir Oliver Longbourne, she has no idea she’ll be the heroine at the center of her own gothic novel. Her mother, on the other hand, wants Millicent married and who better than an English titled husband? Millicent is reluctant because she knows there’s only one reason why Longbourne would want to marry her: she’s an heiress and it’s apparent he needs the money. In the late 19th show more century, cash strapped English aristocrats married American heiresses, who were part of the nouveau riche, in exchange for a title that would earn them a place in high society. Millicent is aware of Longbourne’s interest as well as everyone present at Buckfast Hall, Longbourne’s estate. When Longbourne is murdered in front of his guests, everyone becomes suspect. Will Millicent unmask the culprit before another victim is claimed?

Dara England’s Death on Dartmoor has a gothic feel to it in terms of plot and language. Readers familiar with the gothic novel will be familiar with the set up. The writing is polished and the language is appropriate for the time period. It doesn’t sound too modern and it was just a delight to read. Characters are relatable and flawed. In terms of a suspect, we’re introduced to Amelia Shepherd, the daughter of a local physician and neighbor to Longbourne; she was once a prospective bride to Longbourne. Millicent begins to suspect Amelia, after all people have been known to commit murder for being jilted. Along with the murder, Millicent has to deal with the Longbourne curse. Several events point to the family being cursed and while Millicent doesn’t exactly believe in it, she has a hard time explaining certain events.

As far as the mystery goes, the clues are fairly easy to pick up on, but nevertheless it was an intriguing read. The reasons for key events are thoroughly explained and one can’t help but feel heartbroken at not being to help. Although we do have a detective assigned to the house, it’s Millicent who makes up her mind to help solve the murder. At one point she tells Lockwood, she’s read gothic novels and knows how investigations are conducted. He’s reluctant to have her assistance, but she goes out to prove him wrong. Unfortunately, her investigation doesn’t go as planned, but nevertheless, Lockwood has to agree she’s an important asset to the investigation. There was one instance, though, I wish she had spoken with Lockwood regarding an incident involving Longbourne’s grandmother. I understand why it was set up the way it was, but I can’t help but wonder what Lockwood’s reaction would have been, had he been privy to this piece of information.

There’s a hint of romance between Millicent and Lockwood. I’m hoping they’ll wind up together. We’ll just have to wait and see if her mother manages to successfully bring up a titled gentleman up to scratch. Although I can imagine Mrs. Wright having a fit of the vapors at the thought of her daughter marrying a detective!

Death on Dartmoor is a delightful read. If you have a few hours to spare and are fan of gothic mysteries, I highly recommend picking this up. I’m looking forward to reading more of England’s work. show less