Lady Rights a Wrong

Written by Eliza Casey

Narrated by Susan Lyons

As the suffragette movement sweeps England in 1912, Lady Cecilia Bates wants to march but ends up
trailing a killer instead in the latest entry to the Manor Cat Mysteries.

Lady Cecilia of Danby Hall feels adrift. She couldn’t be less interested in helping to plan the church’s upcoming
bazaar. Instead, what excites her most is the Woman’s Suffrage Union meeting she has just attended.

Inspired by the famous and charismatic leader of the group, Mrs. Amelia Price, Cecilia is eager to join the Union—
if she can hide it from her parents, that is. But when Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs in her home,
her Votes for Women sash torn away, Cecilia knows she must attend to a more urgent matter: finding the killer. With
the help of her lady’s maid, Jane, and intelligent cat, Jack, she hopes to play her part in securing women’s equality by
stopping the Union’s dangerous foe

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980059653

Reviews for Lady Rights a Wrong

[fernemysteryreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As I have read this novel in the months leading up to the next presidential election in the United States, it's particularly interesting to read a novel about the suffragette movement that was sweeping across England in 1912. Although a work of fiction it brings to light the attitudes of the time by both men and women in the cause of "Votes for Women." Mrs. Amelia Price, President of the Women's Suffrage Union has separated from her husband, Mr. Henry Price, Esquire. As Mr. Price built his career on service to the royal family it is assumed the separation was caused by his wife's suffragette activities.

Lady Cecilia Bates is as charming and delightful as in the introduction to this new series by Eliza Casey (a pseudonym for a multi-published author). Lady Cecilia is quite excited to attend a meeting to listen to Mrs. Amelia Price and delighted to have the opportunity to meet her directly. She can hardly contain her excitement to be invited to Primrose Cottage for further conversation.

It's fun to read the excitement of Lady Cecilia for the prospect of being taught to ride a bicycle like Mrs. Amelia Price prefers as her transportation. Amelia explains, "It is the finest exercise to be had, Lady Cecilia." As Lady Cecilia thinks about the ease of using a bicycle for her neighborhood errands, Amelia confirms "A bicycle would make it so much easier." Remembering my own exhilaration during childhood in graduating from a tricycle to a bicycle with training wheels to the ultimate freedom of bicycling with no training wheels I can only imagine the eagerness and joy for women as this mode of transportation became available to them and without the confines of a carriage or supervision of the driver or needing to wait until a male of the household didn't need the services of his chauffeur.

It's wonderful to learn that Jane Hughes, maid to American heiress Annabel Clarke are still at Danby Hall. Jane is able to assist as maid to Lady Cecilia whenever she is free from her duties for Annabel and a bond of friendship is continuing to grow between Jane and Lady Cecilia. As handsome marmalade cat, Jack arrived at Danby Hall with Jane they both visit Lady Cecilia's room whenever possible and Jack is a wonderful friend and great distraction for both of them. It's also nice to see the growth of friendship between Lady Cecilia and Annabel (the prospective bride to Lady Cecilia's brother) as Annabel is intrigued by the suffragette women.

Although I'm intrigued by the mystery of the author's name I'm even more attracted to think of reading more of this series so please keep writing Eliza Casey and thank you for creating this enchanting series!

[barbararogers-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Series: Manor Cat Mystery #2
Publication Date: 6/2/20
Number of Pages: 320

This is an excellent addition to the well-written, well-plotted, perfectly-paced Manor Cat Mystery series. We get better acquainted with the main and supporting characters and there are a couple of new characters – with possibilities – added. Still no romance though – and that is something I want in my mysteries. Luckily, there are a couple of possibilities for Cecilia and Jane as well – we’ll just have to try the third book to see what happens there.

It is the fall of 1912 and Lady Cecilia Bates is getting restless. She’s not unhappy, she loves Danby Hall and their little village, she just isn’t sure where her life is going and if she wants it to go in the direction in which her parents expect. She wants to be useful and to accomplish something – especially after she solved the murder that took place at Danby Hall earlier in the year, Lady Takes The Case. So, she is totally open and ripe for the message of suffragette leader, Mrs. Amelia Price, when she comes to Danby for a rally.

Not everybody in Danby is happy to see the suffragettes arrive in their village, and they heap verbal abuse on the ladies – someone even shoving them. That certainly doesn’t daunt the ladies and when Cecilia meets Amelia, she likes her right away. Amelia is a charismatic, energetic lady who holds the crowds spellbound. However, Cecilia senses some undercurrents and tensions within Amelia’s entourage and wonders if all is as happy as they make it appear.

When Cecilia arrives at Primrose Cottage one morning, she finds one of the inhabitants sitting outside crying and the remainder in the house – also in tears. They awoke to find Amelia’s body at the foot of the stairs. How could that have happened? Did she fall? Was she pushed? Accident or murder? Did Amelia tipple a bit too much?

When Inspector Hennesy seems content to leave it as either an accident or the work of a burglar found in the area, Cecilia isn’t content and decides to ask a few questions herself. Along with Annabel, a rich American heiress, and Jane Hughes, Annabel’s lady’s maid, they travel to London to ask questions and then continue investigating back home in Danby. Could it truly be an accident? Cecilia just doesn’t feel that to be the case and there are so many suspects from family to lovers to subordinates in the organization.

Will Cecilia unravel the mystery? You’ll just have to read the book to find an exciting and eventful conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am already looking forward to the next one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lady Cecelia Bates is feeling restless in her country home and wondering what her purpose is. She was engaged and active in an earlier murder investigation at her home but now things have settled down too much for her liking. While her mother tries her hand a matchmaking with the local vicar and her brother courts an American heiress, Cecelia just is.

Some excitement does come to the neighborhood in the person of Mrs. Amelia Price who is a noted spokeswoman for the suffrage movement. Cecelia is curious about the movement and soon attends some speeches and gets to know Mrs. Price and her entourage which includes her daughter who studied as a lawyer but can't practice, Mrs. Price's second in command, and her new young protegee.

Lady Cecelia notices all the tensions among the women and also notices that many men including her neighbor Lord Elphin are not at all happy about this new focus that takes women away from their rightful role as wives and mothers. Cecelia wonders why Mrs. Price is not living with Mr. Price anymore. She also wonders why Mrs. Price's daughter Mary who married lawyer Mr. Winter and is estranged has come with her husband to visit.

When Mrs. Price is found dead at the foot of the stairs in the cottage she was renting, Lady Cecelia feels that she has a new case to investigate and a purpose in life. She and a maid who was her helper on her first case busy themselves looking into all the suspicious characters until a wrong move puts Cecelia herself in danger.

This was an entertaining mystery with interesting characters. I liked the descriptions of life in the village and the hint of change in the air. I felt that there were some pacing issues in the story. It took until 32% before the murder happened and the reveal of the murderer seemed to come too fast and with too little buildup at 94% leaving the last 6% returning to quiet and the idyllic country setting with Cecelia back to being bored and restless.