December 9, 2016

Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver


St. Martin's Press | October 2015 | 336 pgs
Source: Library



Murder at the Brightwell is Ashley Weaver's debut and the first book of her Amory Ames series.

Amory Ames is a wealthy young woman who have married Milo Ames for five years. Milo is charming, but he is notorious for his playboy reputation and his carefree behaviour. Amory was supposed to be engaged to Gilmore Trent but being a foolish young girl that she was she chose Milo as she felt he was reckless and exciting while Gil was calm and reassuring. She was attracted by Milo's charming unpredictability but their relationship has turned lukewarm over the years. However, her relationship with Gil remains amicable and they have not contacted each other in a while until he turns up at her house one day unexpectedly.

Gil Trent doesn't want to trouble Amory but he thought she might help change his sister's mind regarding her relationship with her fiancĂ©, Rupert Howe. When Rupert was found dead mysteriously, all speculations point to Gil as he seems to be the person who has something against Rupert. Amory may have accidentally overheard Gil's heated disagreement with Rupert, but she believes Gil isn't the kind who would kill a person out of spite. In order to clear Gil's name, Amory decides to do her own investigation. It is also at this time that Milo turns up at Brightwell unexpectedly and causes a bit of flutter within the group.

Although Amory doesn't like some of Gil's and Rupert's acquaintance at Brightwell, she thinks no one has enough reason for murder but with so many incidents happening thereafter she is not so sure anymore. She decides to seek a little help from Milo; for she finds him useful especially gathering information with his charms and eloquence from the few aristrocrats' wives. When another guest is found dead, Amory is sure there is something more than meets the eye and she is more determined to unravel the truth.

Murder at the Brightwell is a delightful read set in the 1930s amidst the upper class British society. It has a tad of Agatha Christie feel and I found myself immersed in the story quickly due to the smooth flow and that the mystery really intrigued me. Amory is a likeable character full of modesty and courage; and her relationship with Milo fuels up the story and would keep readers rooting for them despite the cool demeanour behind them. All in all it was a satisfying read and I'll be looking forward to the rest of this series.



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8 comments:

  1. I thought this one was fun, too! :) Amory and Milo are an intriguing pair aren't they?

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    1. Jenclair - Yes, they are! :) I'll have to finish reading a few books I'm currently reading so I'll get to read her second and her third book.

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  2. Hi Melody! While this mystery sounds good, I just wanted to tell you that I finished reading Uprooted by Naomi Novik ... and I loved it! It was so good; I was sad when it ended. So, thanks! I never would have read it without your review. :)

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    1. Lark - I'm so glad you enjoyed reading Uprooted, Lark. It was great, isn't it? And that's what blogging friends are for... recommending good books to one another. :D

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  3. I had this one on my radar; glad to hear you enjoyed it! It sounds like fun.
    Also, I see you are recommending Uprooted and I do want to get that one, maybe in the beginning of the new year.

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    1. Rita - It was a fun read. And I hope you'll enjoy Uprooted. :)

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  4. The 1930's setting really appeals to me. I will definitely be looking for this one.

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    1. Wendy - I loved the time period, too. There's something intriguing to it, isn't it? :)

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