Review - Death at the Manor

 "The tortured spirits of the dead haunt a Regency-era English manor—but the true danger lies in the land of the living in the third installment in the Lily Adler mysteries, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn."

Here are the previous books in the series that I have reviewed:

1) A Body in the Garden (click here)  

2) Silence in the Library (click here) 

Now let's take a trip into the English countryside for a locked room murder.

Author: Katharine Schellman

Copyright: August 2022 (Crooked Lane Books) 348 pgs

Series: 3rd in Lily Adler Mysteries

Sensuality: mild with mature themes

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical cozy

Main Characters: Lily Adler, still grieving society widow

Setting: 1815 London, England

Obtained Through: Netgalley/publisher for honest review

Book Blurb: "Regency widow Lily Adler is looking forward to spending the autumn away from the social whirl of London. When she arrives in Hampshire with her friends, the Carroways, she doesn’t expect much more than a quiet country visit and the chance to spend time with her charming new acquaintance, Matthew Spencer.

 But something odd is afoot in the small country village. A ghost has taken up residence in the Belleford manor, a lady in grey who wanders the halls at night, weeping and wailing. Half the servants have left in terror, but the family seems delighted with the notoriety that their ghost provides. Intrigued by this spectral guest, Lily and her party immediately make plans to visit Belleford.

 They arrive at the manor the next morning ready to be entertained—only to find that tragedy has struck. The matriarch of the family has just been found killed in her bed.

 The dead woman’s family is convinced that the ghost is responsible. Lily is determined to learn the truth before another victim turns up—but could she be next in line for the Great Beyond?"

My Thoughts:  Lily Adler is an independent young widow that seems fresh in a crowded historical cozy field. In this addition to the series, Lily faces doubts of her observational skills.  Aunt Eliza and her companion Miss Clarke are new characters that I love and hope they return in future books.  Captain John (Jack) Hartley is present only in the first few chapters since he is leaves to command a ship.  Lily's friend Ofelia and her new husband join her to visit her aunt.  And to complicate the romantic field, Matthew Spencer enters the picture in this outing.  

The country setting and neighboring haunted house add a slight gothic touch which I always enjoy tremendously.  The plot moves along steadily as Lily and Ofelia investigate the increasingly surprising Belleford manor residents.  There is a good story twist as well with the killer reveal.  The suspenseful climax had plenty of tension and danger, also a favorite.

Overall this was a great addition to the series although I really like Captain Hartley and I'm not sure about Mathew Spencer getting involved with Lily simply because I like Hartley so much.  I can see the gentlemen causing fans to pick sides and root for Hartley or Spencer.  The mystery was well done and spending time with Lily's aunt was delightful.  I am certainly anxious for the next book and highly recommend this title.

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list