Malice in Miniature

Dorothy Martin, American widow transplanted to England, is enjoying her first few months of wedded bliss, having recently married Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, although she worries that he might try to prevent her from her favourite pastime of sleuthing. But when cleaning lady Ada Finch comes to Dorothy for help in clearing her son Bob of a charge of theft, Dorothy is all too happy to comply. It seems that the lord of Brocklesby Hall, Sir Mordred, has an obsession with dolls’ houses and has made a museum out of his ancestral home, complete with curator Meg Cunningham, housekeeper Mrs. Lathrop and her less than innocent son Claude, and gardener Richard Adam, for whom Bob was working when the accusation was made. That matter is quickly show more resolved, but Dorothy finds herself up to her neck in miniature houses when first one, then another of the household is killed - and someone is trying to frame Bob for those murders, too….This is the fourth book in this slight but enjoyable cozy series; I like Dorothy, although it peeves me when she says things like how she is not a feminist, after all she likes men. Surely everybody should know by now that feminism is not about disliking men, it’s about the equality between the sexes, and seeing this kind of calumny in writing just annoys me no end! I guessed the secret of the Hall fairly early on, but still enjoyed the way the plot played out, so a mild recommendation from me. show less

So here I am at #4 in Dorothy Martin's adventures in amateur sleuthing. Dorothy and Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt are recently married and Alan, apparently on the verge of retirement, is away exploring what may well be his final administrative job. Dorothy is not sure how he feels about her continuing her sleuthing activities but that doesn't stop her from going to the aid of Ada Finch when her son Bob is arrested for theft.

As readers we are now well familiar with the main characters of the story: Dorothy and Alan, Dorothy's London friends, her neighbour Jane, and Ada and Bob Finch. Bob has been accused of stealing a valuable item from the nearby Museum of Miniatures, Brockelsby Hall, where he has a part time job as a gardener. Theft is show more so out of character for Bob that Dorothy takes no persuading to come to his defence.

Dorothy makes new friends at the Museum and then a very nasty and dangerous enemey indeed.

I am enjoying the series and have one book to go in the ones that I have purchased. After that I will probably consign them to "occasional read" when I am looking for something to read on my Kindle. show less

I would almost say that Dorothy attracts murder! I thoroughly enjoy how she gets involved...and of course, she has her handsome husband Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt to consult with...