Heirs of the Body

I need to get into the habit of making notes about books as I read them. Although I don't know how others do it; I get so involved in the story that even the things I noticed are really only noticed on an alternate track of my consciousness. I just get too engrossed in the story to stop. At the end, I remember vague connections, but they're too vague to add that level of detail that is often helpful in good reviews.

This book is a perfect example. I love the Daisy Dalrymple series. I first discovered them in a used bookstore in Chattanooga TN more than a decade ago. They are historical mysteries of the delightfully naive type. Even though murder and mayhem abound, it's always in the most genteel and proper manner. The early books were show more liberally sprinkled with such gems as "Pip-pip!" and "tootles!" and they all continue with "Darling" and "Dash it!" and other gems of a largely by-gone era. Daisy is an Honorable whose father and brother both died; the first to the flu epidemic and the second to the war (WWI), leaving the viscountcy to a distant cousin. Rather than sponging off the relatives, Daisy takes it upon herself to work for a living, writing articles about the aristocracy and their homes for a magazine. Thus putting her front and centre for all sorts of shenanigans of the posh variety.

Heirs of the Body centers on her own family and her distant cousin's need to find another heir (he has no children of his own). Daisy is pulled in to assist with meeting the possible heirs from a branch of the tree that long ago left England for Jamaica, none of which seem to have certified bonafides, leaving who inherits a bit of a quagmire.

The plot of this book is less about the dead body and more about the possible heirs and which one is causing a string of accidents or not-accidents that are befalling just about everybody at Fairacres, the ancestral home. As such, the body is a long time coming, so if you're reading this and you're not a fan of plot building and prefer your dead bodies come fast, you might find yourself impatient with this book. I didn't mind it at all, but then I love visiting with the Dalrymple/Fletcher family and we learn a lot about the family Daisy was born into in this book. Unfortunately, this means we get a snootful of her godawful mother, the Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple. She is the very definition of a harridan. We also get to spend quite a bit more time with Edgar and Geraldine, the current Viscount and his wife. They are shadowy figures throughout the series and it was fun to actually get to know them. Edgar feels like a homage to Mr. Jack Stapleton of the Hounds of the Baskervilles but in a very innocent-lamb, wonderfully eccentric sort of way.

But there were issues with the plot. This one probably wasn't the strongest one in the series. I knew early on who was going to jail at the end.

I knew Martha was being poisoned from the moment she commented on her tea. And for some reason I can't remember now, I knew who was doing it all along.

I also knew the attack in the lane was going to end up being faked. It just felt predictable. I think the author accidentally gave the game away for me when Raymond's death was announced and she discussed the character reactions.


But I still loved this book. It's a fun, light read where the good guys always win and the bad guys always get what's coming to them. If I had to live the England between WWI and WWII, I'd want to be Daisy Dalrymple.

Pip-pip! show less

I loved this book. It was a little hard to understand the relationship between Daisy and her husband. I enjoyed the era the book was set in. The mystery killer had to be found through sleuthing, because there was no DNA. It was interesting that Daisy was allowed in the interviews, etc. because a woman was not usually allowed to do that back then. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review from Night Owl Reviews, however all opinions are my own.
- See more at: http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/2014/02/heirs-of-body-by-carola-dunn-review....

I love this series of books and how Daisy has developed as a character over the years. Here Daisy is called in to help with the investigation into those asserting the claim to be the legitimate heir to her cousin Edgar, the childless Lord Dalrymple. The investigation takes a dark turn when one of the claimants dies, possibly murdered, during a family gathering at Fairacres for Edgar’s birthday and Daisy and Alec are forced to try and untangle the family tree to find the true heir and whether or not he is a potential victim or the murderer. Wonderful.

A nice story. No real mystery in it but still amusing and it kept my interest. I liked the the world building of the 20's in an aristocratic household that the author did and the characters were interesting. I say no mystery because it was clear that the obnoxious character was going to be the victim and that the likable characters were not going to be the murderer and that's the way it was. It was also interesting that the murder occurred in the quarter of the book. I was beginning to wonder if there was even going to be one. Just reread it (12/17) and still enjoyed it.

Daisy and her family stay at Fairacres for her cousin's fiftieth birthday. There are also four possible heirs to the viscountancy staying at Fairacres. When suspicious accidents start occurring, Daisy wonders if one of her new cousins is trying to bump the others off. How far would they go to inherit the title?

This is another charming mystery by Carola Dunn.

From the inside flap: "In the late 1920's in England, the Honorable daisy Dalrymple Fletcher is recruited to help her cousin Edgar, Lord Dalrymple. About to turn 50, his Lordship realizes it is time to find the proper heir to the viscountcy and estate. With the help of the family lawyer, who advertises Empire-wide, they come up with four credible claimants. Edgar invites would-be heirs of the family to Fairacres, the family estate.

With the help of her husband, Scotland yard Detective Alec Fletcher, Daisy must uncover the truth and find the rightful heir before it is too late."

Well, I obviously read this out-of-order.... It was a fast, easy & satisfying read which held my interest...

In the meantime, daisy is asked to be the family's show more representative at the lawyer's interviews with the claimants. The four potential heirs reside in every corner of the world and come from all walks of society. However, one of them seems to have disappeared from thre face of the earth - whether permanently or not, no one knows. While the various claims are still being evaluated, the other three descend upon Fairacres, where a series of unfortunate accidents begins to occur. But are they really accidents, or is someone truing to eliminate the competition while there still is time?

Obviously I read this out-of-order.. but it was a fast & easy read that held my interest. show less