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1805. An engagement party is taking place for Mr Richard Montague, son of wealthy landowner Sir Edgar Montague, and his fiancee Catherine. During a dance with his beloved, a strange thing happens: a man appears at Richard's shoulder and appears to communicate something to him without saying a word. Instantly breaking off the engagement, he rushes off to speak to his father, never to be seen again. Distraught with worry, Catherine sends for her spinster aunt, Miss Dido Kent, who has a show more penchant for solving mysteries. Catherine pleads with her to find her fiance and to discover the truth behind his disappearance. It's going to take a lot of logical thinking to untangle the complex threads of this multi-layered mystery, and Miss Dido Kent is just the woman to do it. show lessTags
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dieseltaylor A quartet of books set in the Regency period with a sly nod to Jane Austen and hints of Heyer. Of all modern Regency period writers I think Anna Dean is my numbe two after Heyer with believable characters and a sly humour plus a couple of mysteries and romance. A five star writer who has only written the quartet.
Member Reviews
This is subtitled "The Observations of Miss Dido Kent", who, to paraphrase Library Thing author Rosie Claverton, is sort of what might result if Jane Austen had created Miss Marple. It's been likened to Regency mysteries, although the first page sets us clearly down in the autumn of 1805, so not quite of the actual period. Miss Kent is a maiden aunt, called into service when her niece Catherine's engagement to the heir to Belsfield Hall is suddenly cut off by the young man himself. Aunt Dido simply must find out why he would have done it, and then disappeared from the estate, when Catherine knows he still loves her. Before she can get very far with her discreet inquiries, however, a body turns up in the shrubbery. Dido has unpleasant show more suspicions...a good many of them, as the days pass...but she can't substantiate much until she gains the loyalty of a young footman, and the friendship of Sir Edgar's "man of business". Pleasantly cosy, not quite predictable, but eminently plausible and satisfactorily concluded.
Reviewed in 2023 show less
Reviewed in 2023 show less
When her niece Catherine's betrothal hits a strange snag, Dido Kent finds herself among a house party full of secrets. Where has Catherine's fiancé gone? What can explain the curious behavior of certain other members of the party? And who shot the unidentified woman who was found dead in the shrubbery?
There's a lot to like about this historical mystery. The writing is good, with plenty of clues and hints (I figured out at least some of the plot twists a little ahead of our protagonist) and red herrings. And, unlike some historical mysteries I've read recently, Dido reads as an authentic Georgian spinster, not a modern woman inserted into an historical setting. There's one sub-plot where every modern reader knows exactly what's going show more on, but Dido has no clue -- and yet, she still manages to deal with the situation effectively. Like I said, good writing. I did find Dido a little bit cold and calculating, but that's true of many fictitious detectives. Sherlock Holmes, for instance, is not exactly cuddly. So, if you enjoy historical mysteries, I'd recommend this one. I'll probably continue with the series sooner or later. show less
There's a lot to like about this historical mystery. The writing is good, with plenty of clues and hints (I figured out at least some of the plot twists a little ahead of our protagonist) and red herrings. And, unlike some historical mysteries I've read recently, Dido reads as an authentic Georgian spinster, not a modern woman inserted into an historical setting. There's one sub-plot where every modern reader knows exactly what's going show more on, but Dido has no clue -- and yet, she still manages to deal with the situation effectively. Like I said, good writing. I did find Dido a little bit cold and calculating, but that's true of many fictitious detectives. Sherlock Holmes, for instance, is not exactly cuddly. So, if you enjoy historical mysteries, I'd recommend this one. I'll probably continue with the series sooner or later. show less
I like historical mysteries. I also tend to gravitate toward book titles that sound like the names of stately homes. And the main character's name-- Miss Dido Kent-- rolls trippingly off my tongue. I had to give this book a try, and I am so glad that I did.
Reading the first pages of Bellfield Hall is like sinking blissfully into a novel written by Jane Austen. The dialogue, the characters, the setting... they all ring true, and not as a slavish Pride and Prejudice knockoff. The character of Miss Dido Kent is a strange and wonderful blend of Jane Austen and Miss Marple. Her letters home to her sister are the perfect means to let readers into her thought processes. In one such letter she states,
"Indeed, I begin to think that, terrible show more though this whole business is, it has at least the advantage of allowing full play to my genius, which I have long considered wasted in the contriving of new gowns and roast mutton dinners out of a small income; and if there was such a profession as Solver of Mysteries, I think I should do as well in it as any man."
As indeed she would. Miss Dido Kent isn't the only draw to this novel. I loved the well-plotted mystery, the wonderful dry, witty sense of humor, and the feeling of being immersed in Regency England. I'm hoping that Miss Dido Kent's circle of acquaintance is wide enough for her to forsake contriving new gowns and roast mutton dinners on the cheap because I want to read many more books about this Solver of Mysteries. show less
Reading the first pages of Bellfield Hall is like sinking blissfully into a novel written by Jane Austen. The dialogue, the characters, the setting... they all ring true, and not as a slavish Pride and Prejudice knockoff. The character of Miss Dido Kent is a strange and wonderful blend of Jane Austen and Miss Marple. Her letters home to her sister are the perfect means to let readers into her thought processes. In one such letter she states,
"Indeed, I begin to think that, terrible show more though this whole business is, it has at least the advantage of allowing full play to my genius, which I have long considered wasted in the contriving of new gowns and roast mutton dinners out of a small income; and if there was such a profession as Solver of Mysteries, I think I should do as well in it as any man."
As indeed she would. Miss Dido Kent isn't the only draw to this novel. I loved the well-plotted mystery, the wonderful dry, witty sense of humor, and the feeling of being immersed in Regency England. I'm hoping that Miss Dido Kent's circle of acquaintance is wide enough for her to forsake contriving new gowns and roast mutton dinners on the cheap because I want to read many more books about this Solver of Mysteries. show less
This was on my paperbackswap wishlist (I don't remember why); it became available, and I pounced. While still in a sort of "I don't care, there's too much crap going on for me to worry about reading anything besides what I want to read" mood I firmly ignored all the Netgalley books clamoring on the sidelines, picked this off the upper slopes of Mount TBR, and settled in.
I loved it from the start. I was a little afraid at first – the Regency period spinster aunt swooping in to Detect felt like a mish-mash of various storylines that Have Been Done. Happily, this was, like Miss Dido Kent, highly individual – and delightful. You know how there are certain words that just aren't fashionable anymore, aren't used much anymore, just don't show more often apply to much anymore? "Delightful" is one of those. I do enjoy a book I can apply it to. In some ways it's not the most original premise in the universe – it feels like it borrows from everything from Austen to Miss Marple – but I don't say that to run it down. I say that to grin about how a really fine writer can merrily mix together familiar ingredients and produce something unique and lovely.
Bellfield Hall is a bit of a classic English Country House Mystery (™), in that there is a group of people gathered together in a home not their own, and Miss Kent (coming in after the fact) must work with a topography and schedule and staff new to her to discover whether it is her niece's fiancé who has committed a dreadful murder – which is certainly what he has made it seem like, since he up and disappeared, breaking the engagement by letter with no real explanation before making his exit. Dido alone supports her niece in the belief that he had some other reasons, reasons of honor, to vanish, and Dido alone begins to dig.
In the process of the investigation she comes to know the other temporary denizens of the house, most of whom must be considered suspects. There are the two sisters being shopped around by their father for husbands, who don't seem to be what they seem to be; there is the reckless young man who has gambled and drunk away a small fortune he never had in the fine Edwardian style of young dandies, and his honorable father who is going distracted trying to find a way to extricate his son, and himself, from the mess. The latter happens to be an intriguing gentleman, and handsome, and very attentive to Miss Kent …
Dido makes for an interesting, engaging sleuth. She doesn't stray so very far from what is probable and acceptable in a woman of her period; she adheres to the mores of the time, for the most part, and manufactures plausible excuses for the departures she must make in order to find the truth. There's no pretense that she's Sherlock Holmes in skirts – she utilizes her particular skills (observation, good relations with the servants, and a knack for knowing what questions to ask combined with a disregard for unspoken rules that would prevent some of said questions), and gets herself into jams, and doggedly unravels the mystery.
I enjoyed the format, partially epistolary as Dido writes to her sister with news and asking for counsel; the book is entirely from her point of view, and these segments of her first-person voice deepen the picture.
I think the only problem I really have with the story is the love that begins to bloom for Dido. Besides the simple fact that it's kind of nice to have a mostly-un-angst-ridden spinster as the main character (doesn't everyone like to read characters they can easily identify with now and then?), the object of her affection, Mr. Lomax, is … inappropriate. His station is acceptable, I believe – but the problem I see with him is one that would be valid today: his son goes through money like water, and he takes very seriously the duty of repaying the son's debts. It's another indication of his honor – but it's also not really a situation likely to change. As long as Father steps forward to take care of his debts, how likely is the son to stop racking them up? However "on the shelf" Dido may feel (and in fact, in her society, be), however much she might like Mr. Lomax, the cold-blooded and practical must be considered: will her life be more or less precarious if she eventually marries this man? Yet at no point does the consideration really seem to trouble Dido. For someone as eminently sensible as she seems, this felt like a wrong step.
Overall, I liked it very much, and I'm looking forward to the series. The mystery was not beyond the capabilities of someone like Dido; her motivations for involving herself didn't tax my willing suspension of disbelief; I'll have to deal with the keeps-tripping-over-murder-victims aspect of the cozy series further down the road. I liked Dido and the to-the-point letters from her sister, and the language in general. It's a keeper. show less
I loved it from the start. I was a little afraid at first – the Regency period spinster aunt swooping in to Detect felt like a mish-mash of various storylines that Have Been Done. Happily, this was, like Miss Dido Kent, highly individual – and delightful. You know how there are certain words that just aren't fashionable anymore, aren't used much anymore, just don't show more often apply to much anymore? "Delightful" is one of those. I do enjoy a book I can apply it to. In some ways it's not the most original premise in the universe – it feels like it borrows from everything from Austen to Miss Marple – but I don't say that to run it down. I say that to grin about how a really fine writer can merrily mix together familiar ingredients and produce something unique and lovely.
Bellfield Hall is a bit of a classic English Country House Mystery (™), in that there is a group of people gathered together in a home not their own, and Miss Kent (coming in after the fact) must work with a topography and schedule and staff new to her to discover whether it is her niece's fiancé who has committed a dreadful murder – which is certainly what he has made it seem like, since he up and disappeared, breaking the engagement by letter with no real explanation before making his exit. Dido alone supports her niece in the belief that he had some other reasons, reasons of honor, to vanish, and Dido alone begins to dig.
In the process of the investigation she comes to know the other temporary denizens of the house, most of whom must be considered suspects. There are the two sisters being shopped around by their father for husbands, who don't seem to be what they seem to be; there is the reckless young man who has gambled and drunk away a small fortune he never had in the fine Edwardian style of young dandies, and his honorable father who is going distracted trying to find a way to extricate his son, and himself, from the mess. The latter happens to be an intriguing gentleman, and handsome, and very attentive to Miss Kent …
Dido makes for an interesting, engaging sleuth. She doesn't stray so very far from what is probable and acceptable in a woman of her period; she adheres to the mores of the time, for the most part, and manufactures plausible excuses for the departures she must make in order to find the truth. There's no pretense that she's Sherlock Holmes in skirts – she utilizes her particular skills (observation, good relations with the servants, and a knack for knowing what questions to ask combined with a disregard for unspoken rules that would prevent some of said questions), and gets herself into jams, and doggedly unravels the mystery.
I enjoyed the format, partially epistolary as Dido writes to her sister with news and asking for counsel; the book is entirely from her point of view, and these segments of her first-person voice deepen the picture.
I think the only problem I really have with the story is the love that begins to bloom for Dido. Besides the simple fact that it's kind of nice to have a mostly-un-angst-ridden spinster as the main character (doesn't everyone like to read characters they can easily identify with now and then?), the object of her affection, Mr. Lomax, is … inappropriate. His station is acceptable, I believe – but the problem I see with him is one that would be valid today: his son goes through money like water, and he takes very seriously the duty of repaying the son's debts. It's another indication of his honor – but it's also not really a situation likely to change. As long as Father steps forward to take care of his debts, how likely is the son to stop racking them up? However "on the shelf" Dido may feel (and in fact, in her society, be), however much she might like Mr. Lomax, the cold-blooded and practical must be considered: will her life be more or less precarious if she eventually marries this man? Yet at no point does the consideration really seem to trouble Dido. For someone as eminently sensible as she seems, this felt like a wrong step.
Overall, I liked it very much, and I'm looking forward to the series. The mystery was not beyond the capabilities of someone like Dido; her motivations for involving herself didn't tax my willing suspension of disbelief; I'll have to deal with the keeps-tripping-over-murder-victims aspect of the cozy series further down the road. I liked Dido and the to-the-point letters from her sister, and the language in general. It's a keeper. show less
A Moment of Silence is an entertaining murder mystery set in the early 19th century. It's the first in a series of novels featuring the wonderful Miss Dido Kent.
The story begins when Dido is summoned to Belsfield Hall, the country estate of the Montague family. Her niece Catherine is engaged to Sir Montague's son Richard - who has mysteriously disappeared during their engagement party. Dido agrees to help Catherine solve the mystery behind Richard's disappearance, but events soon take a more sinister turn when a dead body is found in the shrubbery...
This was a light, easy read which should appeal to fans of Jane Austen due to the setting and the elegant, witty writing style - although I'm not a huge Austen fan and I still loved it! A show more Moment of Silence has all the elements of a classic English country house mystery: clues, red herrings and lots of possible suspects, with almost every one of the guests and family members concealing a secret of some kind. Although some of the clues were quite obvious, there were others that I didn't figure out and the mystery was interesting enough to hold my attention right to the end.
But rather than the mystery itself, the main reason I loved this book was because of Miss Dido Kent, who is a wonderfully engaging character. She's intelligent, observant and always speaks her mind, though usually in a good-natured way. Although we're not told exactly how old she is (unless I missed it) she's unmarried and her 'spinster' status gives her the freedom to investigate and to wander around the estate asking questions and interfering - always with the best intentions of course! I loved reading Dido's letters updating her sister Eliza on the progress of her investigations (we never actually meet Eliza, but the letters are intended to allow us some insights into Dido's private thoughts and musings).
I can't wait to read more Dido Kent mysteries. This was a great start to the series and I'm looking forward to reading the second, A Gentleman of Fortune. show less
The story begins when Dido is summoned to Belsfield Hall, the country estate of the Montague family. Her niece Catherine is engaged to Sir Montague's son Richard - who has mysteriously disappeared during their engagement party. Dido agrees to help Catherine solve the mystery behind Richard's disappearance, but events soon take a more sinister turn when a dead body is found in the shrubbery...
This was a light, easy read which should appeal to fans of Jane Austen due to the setting and the elegant, witty writing style - although I'm not a huge Austen fan and I still loved it! A show more Moment of Silence has all the elements of a classic English country house mystery: clues, red herrings and lots of possible suspects, with almost every one of the guests and family members concealing a secret of some kind. Although some of the clues were quite obvious, there were others that I didn't figure out and the mystery was interesting enough to hold my attention right to the end.
But rather than the mystery itself, the main reason I loved this book was because of Miss Dido Kent, who is a wonderfully engaging character. She's intelligent, observant and always speaks her mind, though usually in a good-natured way. Although we're not told exactly how old she is (unless I missed it) she's unmarried and her 'spinster' status gives her the freedom to investigate and to wander around the estate asking questions and interfering - always with the best intentions of course! I loved reading Dido's letters updating her sister Eliza on the progress of her investigations (we never actually meet Eliza, but the letters are intended to allow us some insights into Dido's private thoughts and musings).
I can't wait to read more Dido Kent mysteries. This was a great start to the series and I'm looking forward to reading the second, A Gentleman of Fortune. show less
When Catherine Kent's fiance suddenly breaks off their engagement and vanishes, she is distraught. Who better than maiden aunt Miss Dido to rush to the country house of Catherine's in-laws-to-be, to solve the mystery of the missing heir and groom? And while there, also to solve the mystery of the young woman found murdered in the shrubbery?
All the mystery happens before we start our journey with Miss Dido Kent, but we get plenty of shots at it with assorted re-tellings and interviews. Dido gets it all hopelessly wrong lots of times, but on each occasion her deductions seem logical. I spotted one or two things before she did, but they turned out to be wrong anyway. There was a great deal of plot thickening with assorted character twists show more and revelations, all great fun.
Miss Dido Kent is right up there with my favourite investigating protagonists. She'll brook no nonsense, she indulges her niece too much, she knows her way in the world and doesn't stand on ceremony. The rest of the characters left a little to be desired - the bullying Sir Edgar, mad Lady Montague, the two silly Misses Harris and their busybody mother... it was a carefully crafted cast of caricatures. However, crucially, there were enough other characters to keep this interesting - often these ye olde country mysteries can feel a bit stifled when the guest list is too short. And there was the odd promising side character who might hopefully turn up in a sequel...
Dean cheats a little, having Dido recount much of the tale through letters to her sister Eliza, but the writing is generally smooth and clever. Dido is given to some rather modern opinions for the time (or rather, less snobby opinions than one might have held in her position at the time) and unsurprisingly has a lot to say about the roles of women and professional people - which is of course what a modern reader wants! The sub-title was "Or, The Deductions of Miss Dido Kent" which sets the tone perfectly - a very cozy mystery but longer and better developed than other cozies (e.g. M. C. Beaton's works)
I loved this - hopefully Dean will write some more Dido Kent mysteries! My copy of this had a preview of "A Gentleman of Fortune" in it so I shall be keeping an eye out for it! show less
All the mystery happens before we start our journey with Miss Dido Kent, but we get plenty of shots at it with assorted re-tellings and interviews. Dido gets it all hopelessly wrong lots of times, but on each occasion her deductions seem logical. I spotted one or two things before she did, but they turned out to be wrong anyway. There was a great deal of plot thickening with assorted character twists show more and revelations, all great fun.
Miss Dido Kent is right up there with my favourite investigating protagonists. She'll brook no nonsense, she indulges her niece too much, she knows her way in the world and doesn't stand on ceremony. The rest of the characters left a little to be desired - the bullying Sir Edgar, mad Lady Montague, the two silly Misses Harris and their busybody mother... it was a carefully crafted cast of caricatures. However, crucially, there were enough other characters to keep this interesting - often these ye olde country mysteries can feel a bit stifled when the guest list is too short. And there was the odd promising side character who might hopefully turn up in a sequel...
Dean cheats a little, having Dido recount much of the tale through letters to her sister Eliza, but the writing is generally smooth and clever. Dido is given to some rather modern opinions for the time (or rather, less snobby opinions than one might have held in her position at the time) and unsurprisingly has a lot to say about the roles of women and professional people - which is of course what a modern reader wants! The sub-title was "Or, The Deductions of Miss Dido Kent" which sets the tone perfectly - a very cozy mystery but longer and better developed than other cozies (e.g. M. C. Beaton's works)
I loved this - hopefully Dean will write some more Dido Kent mysteries! My copy of this had a preview of "A Gentleman of Fortune" in it so I shall be keeping an eye out for it! show less
Perceptive and self-aware, Miss Dido Kent puzzles out a country house party murder that threatens the happiness of her niece. Wry humor, dialogue and vocabulary appropriate to the time period, well-painted sense of place and time. A charming puzzler and an interesting protagonist. A bit much with the letter-writing, but otherwise very engaging.
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Attention Janeites and fans of cozy mysteries: This is going to be good.
In 1805, Miss Dido Kent is summoned to Bellfield Hall to comfort her niece Catherine, whose fiancé has mysteriously disappeared from his own engagement party. Shortly after his disappearance, the body of a young woman is found on the grounds. Coincidence? Catherine is certain her clever aunt can reunite her with her show more beloved, but as Dido observes his family and their guests and uncovers gossip in the nearby village, she’s increasingly convinced that a reunion is not for the best. As Dido comes closer to the truth, her own safety may be in danger as well.
Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean is rich in period detail, transporting the reader to a different time where a visit to a draper’s shop or a walk down the portrait gallery in a manor house reveals many secrets. The relations between the different social classes are complex and through Dido’s discerning eye we travel upstairs and downstairs, inside the house and out in the village, making the necessary connections to solve the mystery. show less
In 1805, Miss Dido Kent is summoned to Bellfield Hall to comfort her niece Catherine, whose fiancé has mysteriously disappeared from his own engagement party. Shortly after his disappearance, the body of a young woman is found on the grounds. Coincidence? Catherine is certain her clever aunt can reunite her with her show more beloved, but as Dido observes his family and their guests and uncovers gossip in the nearby village, she’s increasingly convinced that a reunion is not for the best. As Dido comes closer to the truth, her own safety may be in danger as well.
Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean is rich in period detail, transporting the reader to a different time where a visit to a draper’s shop or a walk down the portrait gallery in a manor house reveals many secrets. The relations between the different social classes are complex and through Dido’s discerning eye we travel upstairs and downstairs, inside the house and out in the village, making the necessary connections to solve the mystery. show less
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Author Information
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Bellfield Hall: Or, The Observations of Miss Dido Kent
- Original title
- A Moment of Silence
- Alternate titles
- Bellfield Hall
- Original publication date
- 2008-06-23
- People/Characters
- Dido Kent; Catherine Kent; Edgar Montague (Sir); Richard Montague; William Lomax; Tom Lomax (show all 8); Amelia Harris; Sophia Harris
- Important places
- Bellfield Hall, England, UK
- Dedication
- For Peter, with love.
- First words
- My dear Eliza,
I must begin another letter to you, although it is not six hours since I sent my last. - Quotations
- [excerpt about Sir Edgar and Lady Montague from Miss Dido Kent's 9/25/1805 letter to her sister, Eliza]
Altogether, I think it is the novelty of the event which distresses him more than anything else; if only his... (show all) ancestors - those innumerable previous Sir Edgars who stare at one from dark portraits in every conceivable corner of this house - had suffered the shock before him, then dead women in shrubberies would be a family tradition and hold no horrors for him at all. Meanwhile, her ladyship sits upon her sofa and wrings her hands and declares that 'one does not know what to think', hoping, I suppose, that someone will tell her what to think and so save her the trouble of forming an opinion of her own. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)At that moment, secure in the knowledge of his affection, she felt equal to anything...
- Disambiguation notice
- Published in the United States in 2010 as: Bellfield Hall
Originally published in London as: A Moment of Silence (2008).
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- Reviews
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- Rating
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- ISBNs
- 13
- ASINs
- 10
