Murder at the Brightwell
Ratings3
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings3
Average rating3.7
"Amory Ames is a wealthy young woman who questions her marriage to her notoriously charming playboy husband, Milo. Looking for a change, she accepts a request for help from her former fiance;, Gil Trent, not knowing that she'll soon become embroiled in a murder investigation that will test not only her friendship with Gil, but will upset the status quo with her husband. Amory accompanies Gil to the luxurious Brightwell Hotel in an attempt to circumvent the marriage of his sister, Emmeline, to Rupert Howe, a disreputable ladies' man. Amory sees in the situation a grim reflection of her own floundering marriage. There is more than her happiness at stake, however, when Rupert is murdered and Gil is arrested for the crime. Amory is determined to prove his innocence and find the real killer, despite attempted dissuasion from the disapproving police inspector on the case. Matters are further complicated by Milo's unexpected arrival, and the two form an uneasy alliance as Amory enlists his reluctant aid in clearing Gil's name. As the stakes grow higher and the line between friend and foe becomes less clear, Amory must decide where her heart lies and catch the killer before she, too, becomes a victim. Murder at the Brightwell is a delicious novel in which murder invades polite society and romance springs in unexpected places. Ashley Weaver's debut is a wonderful testament to the enduring delight of the traditional mystery"--
Reviews with the most likes.
I'm a fan of the Electra McDonnell novels so I thought I'd give this series a try. I must say I think the author has come a long way in her writing since her debut novel. Not that it wasn't worthwhile reading, but I felt this one could've used some more aggressive editing, cutting unnecessary sentences and paragraphs, as well as some better mystery plotting.
It was about 50-50 mystery and romance but the romance bits were much more engaging than the mystery—and I am reading it more for the mystery.
I particularly felt like the author held her cards too close to her chest with regard to the characters. I didn't really learn anything notable about them until the reveal at the end. Up until then I didn't have many theories about who did it because I didn't know enough backstory about the characters to feel like they had any motive, and she didn't really create a distinct path of clues to follow.
I am always skeptical when authors are compared to Agatha Christie because they are almost never like her at all—her name is just a buzzword—but one way the author differs from her predecessor is that Christie much more focused on stringing together the mystery plot. It pieces together like a puzzle. This one didn't.
I engaged with the protagonists and the relationships so I intend to keep reading the series. I am hoping the mystery elements improve over time.
