The Mystery of the Missing Heiress
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4.7 • 10 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Wycliffe Manor, a magnet for murder...
On a long-delayed errand to remote Wycliffe Manor, ex-Lieutenant Jack de Sackville stumbles across the murdered body of London dandy, Basil Culpepper, in the hedgerow, a long way from his usual haunts. To Jack’s dismay, he discovers the earl’s daughter Culpepper ruined hiding in Wycliffe’s kitchen.
Disguised as a lowly cook, Lady Elspeth Villiers may have liked to shoot Culpepper for ruining her life, but she dropped out of sight for more immediate reasons than an old scandal—her wealth has become the focus of greedy men. The arrival of Jack, the man she’s adored since childhood, along with Culpepper’s corpse, mean her hiding place is no longer safe.
But once Lady Elsa reveals herself to the unconventional inhabitants of Wycliffe Manor, they become the protective family she has never known. Outraged to learn the beautiful woman he once loved and lost has become a target of greed, Jack joins the investigation into Culpepper’s death.
With a murderer on the loose, the amateur sleuths must unravel a deadly tangle of kidnappers and counterfeiters or the Manor’s eccentric inhabitants will be in as much danger as their cook.
Customer Reviews
A well-written and insightful book that will delight intelligent readers
This book is so entertaining! There’s a mystery, a murder, an attempted kidnapping or two, a treasure hunt, ‘dinosaur’ eggs, skirmishes in a courtyard, a sniper, evil minions, misguided relatives driven by greed, and multiple characters pragmatically deciding how best to live their lives in a new and different environment. There’s something for everyone in this book! I found myself laughing out loud at times as well, and I cried once or twice, too. The first half is slightly slower-paced than the second half, but it works out beautifully by being that way. There are multiple characters to keep track of, and there is a prior book in this series that introduces readers to many of these characters. We get to see their personalities evolve and strengthen in this book, and we observe as this rag-tag band of misfits takes full ownership of and responsibility for their new home. What a delight!!
This story centers around four separate protagonists: Clarissa (Clare) Knightly and Alistair Huntley (Hunt), and John (Jack) Cecil de Sackville and Lady Elspeth (Elsa) Villiers. The setup for this story is fascinating and complex and each character has a reason for their behavior in the storyline. There is a bit of frank discussion regarding the roles of men and women in society at this time, and it is refreshing to read about it, and to see male characters who recognize some of the absurdities of the limitations placed upon women of the era. This is a well-written and insightful story that will delight intelligent readers.
Riveting
I loved it! I have never seen a gothic castle(?) in person, but this made me feel like I was in one! Lots of thrills and chills and plenty of mystery! I love the unconventional feel of the group as the try to figure out the mystery, and the growth of the characters as they band together. Another riveting read!