Murder at the Brightwell

3.5 / 5.0 stars

This first book in series was a delicious introduction to the Amory Ames mystery series by talented author, Ashley Weaver. There is depth to her very human characters, each one a bit flawed in their own special way. The interplay among characters is quite believable, as emotions run high throughout the story. One gets a strong sense of time, place, and the glitz and glamour of the Bristish aristocracy on holiday at the seaside. It doesn't take long for a corpse to appear on scene. Then it's off to the races to figure out who had it in for the poor soul.

England, Summer of 1932
Amory Ames, is a delightful young aristocrat whose errant husband of five years, Milo Ames, has caused pure embarrassment to her and brought shame to show more their marriage. In her frustration and sorrow, she is at a crossroad in her life. She tires of hearing the tawdry gossip concerning Milo and his playboy exploits all over the continent. Shortly after he returns home to Kent, Amory is visited by Gilmore Trent, the fiancé she jilted when swept up into the vortex of Milo's exhilarating and thrilling existence. Gil seeks out Amory on the pretense that he needs her assistance in shepherding his sister, Emmeline, away from a disastrous engagement to Rupert Howe. Would she please consider joining them at the seaside and advise Emmeline away from a marriage which would
problably become too much like her own. Sure, why not get away and head for the seaside? What's good for the goose is surely good for the gander. And off they go, leaving Milo behind, or did they?

That first night at the Brightwell, dinner was awkward and a bit stiff with all the posh friends of Gil's and Emmeline's. It didn't take Amory long to size up the members of the group and determine who was friend and who should be avoided at all costs. By the next morning, it appeared that one of their party had taken a spill over the hotel balcony and wouldn't be joining them for breakfast or any subsequent meals. As it was Amory who spotted the body, she decides to take on the sleuthing work to figure out who really is friend and who is foe. Then enter stage right, Milo Ames, just to stir things up and provide fodder for the gossip rags.

This was a fun story with a bit more depth than most cozy mysteries. This seems to be the way of most historically set mysteries. With six books already out in this series, it would appear that this reader has some catching up to do and they're looking forward to it.

I am grateful to author Ashley Weaver and her publsiher, Thomas Minotaur Books for having provided a free uncorrected digital galley of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone. show less

It's going to be hard to say anything about this one without making it sound like I'm damning it with faint praise. The cover quote says it's "An elegant Christie-esque romp". Putting aside that I'd hardly call most of Christie's work a "romp", there is a similarity in tone, and certainly setting. This is a well-written, relaxing read.

The main characters are upper-class repressed Brits in the 1930's. It seems things changed enough after WWI that a bit of scandal was acceptable, although nobody had better get too emotional about it. Very stiff-upper-lip. It sounds like I'm being snarky - but I'm not, I quite enjoyed the calm control that is such a part of Amory she could hardly be anything else; even during situations where a bit of show more hysteria could be considered appropriate.

Amory is married to a rogue. He charmed her out of her engagement with her childhood friend, and then promptly left her at home while he played about the continent. After 5 years, her ex comes to her and asks for help convincing his younger sister not to make the same mistake Amory did, and Amory decides what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Only her husband, Milo, follows her. And someone ends up dead.

Here's my only real complaint about the book: Amory consistently forgets to be mad at Milo. She certainly has plenty of reason, and it's not like she's a limp rag around him, but he need only say something charming, or kiss her, and she forgets all about pursuing their marital issues. It's trying to the reader's patience after awhile. I don't care if Milo looks like Thor and acts like James Bond, if I was married to him and his name was linked to every other woman in Europe, we'd be having that row and I'd not be distracted.

The mystery was awesome at the end. Never saw that coming. Incredibly well-plotted, although the writer doesn't give up a lot of clues. I don't mind this but I know some people do. Amory flirts with TSTL a couple of times, but mostly, it works.

Overall, a very, very good debut novel I enjoyed immensely. I'm quite looking forward to the second book out at the end of this year. show less

Bright, young thing Amory Ames is in her fifth year of an unsatisfactory marriage to the devilishly handsome and charming (but philandering) Milo when her former beau Gil Trent shows up with a request for a favor: Will Amory accompany him to the seaside for a weeklong holiday to talk his little sister Emmeline out of entering into a similar marriage?

It doesn’t take Amory long to see that Emmeline’s fiancé, Rupert Howe, is cut from the exactly same cloth as Milo Ames: good-looking, wealthy, exciting, and polished, but conceited and selfish. Amory’s nuanced talk appears to succeed where Gil’s heavy-handed entreaties of Emmeline and threats against Rupert have not. But we’ll never know for certain, as Rupert is killed — and show more poor Gil is arrested! Amory, convinced of Gil’s innocence, takes it upon herself to prove his innocence.

While the premise may sound cliché, author Ashley Weaver has penned a cozy mystery that’s plausible, charming, and intriguing. Set in 1932, Murder at the Brightwell feels as if it were set a decade earlier, with the gaiety and recklessness of 1920s. And Amory Ames is such a delightful heroine — generous, clever, and witty — that I cannot wait to begin the sequel, Death Wears a Mask, so as to get another dose of her.

For those listening to the Audible edition of Murder at the Brightwell, narrator Billie Fulford-Brown does a respectable job with the women’s voices, although the male ones are barely differentiated. Still, I enjoyed listening to the book overall. show less

Set at a luxury resort by the sea in 1930’s Britain, Murder at Brightwell has all the ingredients of a perfect diversion--well burnished prose, a captivating plot, witty dialog, elegant fashions, charming cads, upper class shenanigans, love gone wrong, secrets galore, an appealing main character, and murder. What could be more fun than that? I dashed through the story.

Five years ago Amory Ames married Milo, her far too charismatic playboy husband, and then regretted that choice almost immediately. Milo jaunts off to places like Monte Carlo to engage in gossip column worthy amusements far too often, leaving Amory all alone with the servants, so when her former fiancé knocks on the door one day Amory can’t help wondering what might show more have been. Amory has known Gil Trent since they were children and he’s everything Milo is not--steady, dependable, and trustworthy. After years of no contact he’s come to ask a favor that involves Amory accompanying him on a holiday by the sea, and Amory decides, why not? It’s a request and opportunity she can’t resist, but then someone is murdered and Gil is accused and Milo of all people shows up making everything all the more confusing.

Amory investigates, of course, and a wonderful cast of characters make up the possible suspects. The romance and murder aspects of the story are finely balanced so that both threads kept me in suspense for most of the book. Murder at Brightwell is author Ashley Weaver’s debut novel, and I will be eagerly awaiting her second. show less

If a snippet of a book review reads, "It's all very Downton Abbey," one could lay a bet that I will show an interest. True to anticipation, life for the posh and wealthy of post-WWII England at the seaside resort of Brightwell is just all that − that is, murder under the best of manners in the most luscious of wardrobes all on display through the politest biting sarcasm.

Amory Ames and her husband Milo are having marital difficulties. They met just a few years ago and married quickly after a whirlwind romance. But now Milo is spending most of his time in various fashionable European cities -- and gaining quite a reputation as a playboy -- while Amory sits at home. Then one day Amory receives a visit from Gil Trent, a longtime friend and former fiancé, who needs her help: Gil's sister has just gotten engaged to a thoroughly unsuitable man, and Gil hopes that Amory can persuade her not to go through with the wedding. Intrigued by Gil's reappearance in her life, and angry at her husband, Amory agrees to help. She accompanies Gil to the fashionable Brightwell hotel, where Gil's sister, her fiancé, and a show more small group of friends have gathered. But Amory gets more than she bargained for when the fiancé is murdered, and the culprit must be someone she knows....

This is one of those books that you'll enjoy if the summary sounds interesting to you. I really like traditional English mysteries set in the first half of the 20th century, and this novel is a solid addition to that tradition. Amory is a likeable narrator and protagonist, and even though her amateur sleuthing seems a bit unnecessary (given the presence of a competent police inspector on the case), at least she's not obnoxious or too stupid to live. The mystery plot is reasonably satisfying; it's not particularly original or shocking, but the killer's identity did surprise me. There's a strong romantic subplot in the novel as well, as Amory must choose between Gil and Milo. I'm a fan of romance in my fiction, so I enjoyed this plotline, although I was never really in any doubt about whom Amory would choose. All in all, I enjoyed the book and would certainly read a sequel if one materializes. show less

This first book in the Amory Ames cozy series, which is set in 1930's England at a seaside hotel, has the feel of a "golden age" mystery, though it was published in 2014.

Interesting plot and a lead character, sleuth Amory Ames, is a person I would love to read more about. I'm not sure how many of the other characters, if any, will appear in future books, but they were well done.

If you enjoy reading a historical mystery about murder among the upper crust, and I do, this one's for you. In fact, I'm tracking down the other books in this enjoyable series in an effort to get caught up.

A fun read that I'd recommend to my cozy-loving friends!!

(I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest show more review.) show less