‘Excellent’ Literary Review
‘Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine’ Ann Granger
The Woman Unknown: Deirdre Fitzpatrick is married to a man who wants to know where she really goes when supposedly taking care of her sick mother and calls on the expertise of Kate Shackleton, amateur sleuth extraordinaire to investigate.
The Gentleman: Everett Runcie is a banker facing ruin and disgrace. His American heiress wife will no longer pay for his mistakes, or tolerate his infidelity, and is seeking a divorce.
The Murder: When a chambermaid enters Runcie’s hotel room, she is shocked to find that he is alone – and dead! Suddenly Kate is thrown into the depths of an altogether more sinister investigation. Can she uncover the truth of her most complex, and personal, case to date?
‘Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine’ Ann Granger
The Woman Unknown: Deirdre Fitzpatrick is married to a man who wants to know where she really goes when supposedly taking care of her sick mother and calls on the expertise of Kate Shackleton, amateur sleuth extraordinaire to investigate.
The Gentleman: Everett Runcie is a banker facing ruin and disgrace. His American heiress wife will no longer pay for his mistakes, or tolerate his infidelity, and is seeking a divorce.
The Murder: When a chambermaid enters Runcie’s hotel room, she is shocked to find that he is alone – and dead! Suddenly Kate is thrown into the depths of an altogether more sinister investigation. Can she uncover the truth of her most complex, and personal, case to date?
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Reviews
[An] engaging and resourceful 1920s heroine; a deftly constructed, intriguing period piece
Neatly plotted . . . a classic Golden Age whodunnit
Fabulous . . . Such details as cloche hats, Yorkshire pudding, and 'grand country houses' provide period flavor, while more serious historical matters, such as cultural attitudes toward divorce and adultery, prove germane to the plot. Snappy dialogue and a cast of well-developed minor characters are a plus
Brody's spirited and stalwart protagonist has found her true calling in solving mysteries, and her fourth case (after Murder in the Afternoon) holds true. Fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Agatha Christie will enjoy these historical mysteries set in 1920s England
It is rare to find an author that brings character so much to life that they become like real friends but Frances Brody is certainly such one . . . her Kate Shackleton books are so entertaining, well-constructed, and well written that, when finished, the reader feels bereft; but there is always anticipation for the next one
