American antique dealer Kate Hamilton's Christmastime jaunt to a charming English village leads to an investigation of a missing ruby...and a chain of murders.
It's Christmastime and antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is off to visit her daughter, Christine, in the quaint English village of Long Barston. Christine and her boyfriend, Tristan, work at stately-but-crumbling Finchley Hall. Touring the Elizabethan house and grounds, Kate is intrigued by the docent's tales of the Finchley Hoard, and the strange deaths surrounding the renowned treasure trove. But next to a small lake, Kate spies the body of a young woman, killed by a garden spade.
Nearly blind Lady Barbara, who lives at Finchley with her loyal butler, Mugg, persuades Kate to take over the murdered woman's work. Kate finds that a Burmese ruby has vanished from the legendary Blood-Red Ring, replaced by a lesser garnet. Were the theft and the woman's death connected?
Kate learns that Lady Barbara's son fled to Venezuela years before, suspected of murdering another young woman. The murder weapon belonged to an old gardener, who becomes the leading suspect. But is Lady Barbara's son back to kill again? When another body is found, the clues point toward Christine. It's up to Kate to clear her daughter's name in Connie Berry's second Kate Hamilton mystery, a treasure for fans of traditional British mysteries.
What a great second episode in the life of Kate Hamilton and this was a book that leaves you wanting more and more.
Kate is back in the UK partly to see her daughter (Christine) who is studying over here and partly to see Tom, the police officer she met in Scotland, her daughter has an Intern position at a stately home and it is not too far from where Tom is based, so far so good, but the day after she arrives and whilst going on the tour of the home a young boy discovers a dead body in the lake! Now Tom is trying to juggle a murder case and seeing Kate, Kate has ended up taking the temporary job of the murdered young woman and Christine is having man problems! Oh and Tom's mother really doesn't like her - just to add to the "fun".
Luckily there is a nice gastropub and a wonderful Antique shop, but even these are not enough to keep Kate away from the murder, especially when there is another one and then another attack and now Christine is in the frame for at least one of them, oh and there have been some interesting thefts in the area as well which adds more intrigue to the mix!
An Interview With A Character
- What is your full name?
Katherine Ann Hamilton, née Larsen. My parents were Scandinavian, but I jumped ship and married a Scot, born on the Isle of Glenroth in the Scottish Hebrides.
- What is your profession?
Like my parents before me, I'm an antiques dealer and appraiser, specializing in fine objects from the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries.
- What is your current favorite book or movie?
I adore the classics, so I'd have to say my favorite book is either Middlemarch by George Eliot (1874) with its surprisingly contemporary themes or Clarissa (1748), the five-volume behemoth by Samuel Richardson that helped set the course of British novel-writing. Oh dear—do I sound like a history geek? No comment.
- What is your go-to comfort book or movie?
No question here: Pride and Prejudice, the mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. This gorgeous production (unlike the unfortunate movie starring a skeletal Keira Knightly) reflects not only the English Regency but also the tone of Austen's novel. I watch the series at least once a year, especially when I'm lonely. My Scottish Fold kitty, Fiona, and I cuddle up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and indulge our time-travel fantasies.
- If someone was to play you in a movie, who would it be?
I've been told I look like Charlize Theron in her dark-hair stage, but I can't see the resemblance myself. I'm certainly not glamorous and could care less about things like clothes and make-up—especially since my husband died three years ago. My best friend, Charlotte, an ex-department store window dresser, considers me her private what-not-to-wear project.
- What is your ideal evening?
I don't have one anymore—not since Bill died. We used to take walks in the evening or, in the summer, sit on the porch swing and discuss our day. Nowadays the cat-and-popcorn thing passes the time. What I need is a little adventure, and I may get more than I'd bargained for. In two days I fly to the Scottish Highlands, where my husband's sister, Elenor, owns a country house hotel. Elenor has resented me from our first meeting twenty-five years ago. Now she claims she's in trouble and needs my help.
Exactly why remains to be seen. Wish me luck.
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
November 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
November 1 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
November 1 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 2 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
November 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 2 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 3 – Carole’s Book Corner – REVIEW
November 3 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
November 3 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
November 4 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
November 4 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
November 4 – Diane Reviews Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 5 – Brianne’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
November 5 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
November 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
November 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
November 7 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 7 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
November 8 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
November 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – GUEST POST
November 9 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
November 9 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – REVIEW
November 10 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 10 – Here’s How It Happened – GUEST POST
November 11 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
November 11 – The Cozy Pages – REVIEW
November 11 – Christa Reads & Writes – REVIEW
November 12 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 12 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 12 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
Thank you for your review on "A Legacy of Murder" by Connie Berry and for being part of the book tour.
Enjoyed the interview with Katherine. Can't wait for the opportunity to read this wonderful sounding book.
Posted by: Kay Garrett | 11/10/2019 at 01:31 PM
Kate enjoyed her visit! Thanks for welcoming us to your blog.
Posted by: Connie Berry | 11/10/2019 at 01:53 PM
Great interview with the author! Thanks for being part of the tour!
Posted by: Kathleen Kelly | 11/11/2019 at 12:05 AM