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    Murder at Kingscote
    Murder at Kingscote
    Murder at Kingscote
    Ebook318 pages5 hours

    Murder at Kingscote

    By Alyssa Maxwell

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    For fans of HBO’sThe Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th century elite in this gripping series of riveting mysteries…

    In late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . .

    On a clear July day in 1899, the salty ocean breeze along Bellevue Avenue carries new smells of gasoline and exhaust as Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, covers Newport's first-ever automobile parade. But the festive atmosphere soon turns to shock as young Philip King drunkenly swerves his motorcar into a wooden figure of a nanny pushing a pram on the obstacle course.
     
    That evening, at a dinner party hosted by Ella King at her magnificent Gothic-inspired "cottage," Kingscote, Emma and her beau Derrick Andrews are enjoying the food and the company when Ella’s son staggers in, obviously still inebriated. But the disruption is nothing compared to the urgent shouts of the coachman. Rushing out, they find the family's butler pinned against a tree beneath the front wheels of Philip's motorcar, close to death.
     
    When Emma later receives a message informing her that the butler bullied his staff and took advantage of young maids, she steers the police toward a murder investigation. While Emma investigates the connections between a competing heir for the King fortune, a mysterious child, an inmate of an insane asylum, and the brutal boxing rings of Providence, a killer remains at large—with unfinished business to attend to . . .
     
    “Excellent . . . Maxwell combines convincing character development and vivid depictions of Newport’s heyday with a well-plotted mystery. This historical series just keeps getting better.”
     —Publisher Weekly (starred review)
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKensington Books
    Release dateAug 25, 2020
    ISBN9781496720795
    Author

    Alyssa Maxwell

    Alyssa Maxwell began a love affair with the city of Newport years ago. Time and again the colonial neighborhoods and grand mansions drew her to return, and on one of those later visits she met the man who would become her husband. Always a lover of history, Maxwell found that marrying into a large, generations--old Newport family opened up an exciting new world of historical discovery. Today, she and her husband reside in Florida, but part of her heart remains firmly in that small New England city of great historical significance. For more info please visit www.alyssamaxwell.com.

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    Reviews for Murder at Kingscote

    4/5

    24 ratings7 reviews

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    • 4/5
      1899 Newport, Rhode Island. Emma Cross, editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, and her friend Derrick Andrews, are attending a dinner party hosted by Ella King, when her drunken son disrupts the proceeding. A few minutes later the the butler is discovered, dying, pinned to a tree by Philip King's car. Detective Jesse Whyte investigates with the help of Emma and Derrick.
      But was it an accident, or murder. But what could be the motive if murder.
      An entertaining historical murder mystery, well-written and with a varied cast of likeable characters. Another good addition to this series.
      ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      Emma Cross, now the editor-in-chief of a local newspaper in Newport is having dinner with the King family at Kingscote when it is discovered that the butler has been hit by the motorcar that the Kin's drunken son had been driving earlier in the day. Mrs. King enlists Emma and her boss Derrick Andrews to find out what really happened.Emma and Derrick use their social connections to delve into the history of the butler and why he was a target.Enjoyable mystery with a good historical venue. The characters could use a bit more growth, they seem to in a stalemate but possibilities loom!
    • 4/5
      Emma, now the editor of the Newport, RI, newspaper is happens to be on the scene of the murder of a butler of the King family's home. The wealthy son, Phillip, is suspected of the crime and his mother asks Emma and her boyfriend, Derrick, to investigate and find the murderer. There's lot of class discrimination and discrimination against women and immigrants by the Newporters.
    • 4/5
      Newspaper manager Emma Cross gets more than she bargained for when (once again) she ends up involved in a murder investigation! Although she prefers to discover the truths behind stories, Emma's time is often taken up with her role of managing employees and assigning stories. When a butler comes to an unfortunate end following a sumptuous meal at the lovely mansion called Kingscote, Emma and her gentleman friend Derrick are both drawn into finding out what happened. What does the butler have to hide? With the aid of an undercover reporter, the investigation is underway!The beautiful "cottages" of Newport serve as a sumptuous background for deadly drivers, family scandals, and secret sporting events. The detailed descriptions of the homes make the story come alive, although some readers might find them too lengthy for their own tastes. The background information is well-researched, and the author endnotes add perspective to the story. While this historical novel is part of a series of stories set in Newport, the book can be read as a stand-alone novel. The end of the book sets the stage for further action and adventure for Emma Cross.I received this novel from the Publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
    • 4/5
      July 1899 saw the advent of the motorcar arrive, along with many of the famous families of “400”, in Newport, RI for the Summer Season. As always, there are many references to many of the historic sites in Newport as well as references to the storied, Astors, Vanderbilts, Belmonts and their comings and goings. Parties, dinners, and murder are on the agenda. Spoiled rich boys whine and wheedle, ladies visit, Emma Cross works as the editor-in-Chief of the Newport Messenger. Nothing has really changed. All of Maxwell’s best characters make appearances and move the story along smoothly.While weaving an interesting mystery, Maxwell always involves the reader in the history and personages of Newport. This one centers around the King family and Kingscote, one of the earliest mansions. Another gem from a talented writer.Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a copy.
    • 4/5
      When a dinner party is held at Kingscote cottage, the butler is found run into by the family motorcar, and dies from the injury. Plenty of secrets come to light as investigative journalist and amateur sleuth Emma Cross assists local police with detecting who murdered the butler. She digs up surprising information about betting, gambling, blackmail and more. Murder at Kingscote is book 8 of 8 in A Gilded Newport Mystery series by Allyssa Maxwell, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in July 1899 Newport, Rhode Island, where the richest Four Hundred come to spend their summer. We follow Emmeline, Emma, Cross in her sleuthing adventure. The seriously unpopular butler of Kingscote is found close to death between the family motorcar and a tree in the cottage garden. Philip King, eldest son, has just used the car and is suspected of the murder. Everything is not as it seems and with Emma’s contacts, friends and intimate knowledge of the community, she uncovers links to betting, gambling, and more.Main character and narrator, Emmaline, Emma, Cross is editor-in-chief of Newport Messenger. I am impressed with her. There’s something relentless about her questioning of suspects. She’s like a dog with a bone, reminding me of Miss Marple; always close by when a murder happens. She is my favorite character of this story.Supporting character Derrick Andrews is owner of several newspapers. He seems under his mother’s thumb about his presence in Society and choosing the right woman to marry. He seems to have little mind of his own around Emma, which annoys me.I felt the characters of this story interesting and multilayered. It’s like I could have known them I real life. The descriptions of New England luxury cottages of the gilded age were detailed and well researched, particularly the grand gothic Newport cottage Kingscote. I found descriptions of a New England charity event to be my favorite part of this story. The lifestyle and interactions between people reminded me of Downton Abbey with all the grandeur and luxury. My least favorite part of this story was descriptions of how mental Health treatment was conducted at the time. To put close relatives into institutions seem to have been pretty easy to do. Murder at Kingscote is the first book I have read by Allyssa Maxwell. As there were plenty of hints to previous stories, reading it as a standalone worked perfectly. Plenty of exiting and surprising twists and turns along the way made me end up with quite a few suspects, none of which was the right one. The ending was a complete surprise unlike any other I have read.Murder at Kingscote is the captivating series conclusion about a murder in rich people’s summer haven Newport, where an investigative journalist digs up information to help police solve the case. Fans of Allyssa Maxwell will enjoy this book. As will readers of murder mystery. Similar authors to explore might be Clara McKenna or Dianne Freeman.Thank you to publisher Kensington Books and NetGally for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.Rating: 4 stars / 5Main reasons: captivating series finale, vivid writing, well researched, surprise ending
    • 5/5
      cozy-mystery, 1890s, law-enforcement, journalist, family, friendship, amateur-sleuth*****On the cusp of a new century the young woman who is cousin of a sort to the moneyed Vanderbilts and is the editor of the local newspaper is present at a small dinner party when an auto accident occurs on the grounds. It is suspicious and the household's profligate son could well be at fault. When the victim dies it becomes a thorny matter for her friend, a police detective, as well as others who are more than friends. Let the sleuthing begin! There are exquisite descriptions of both attire and surroundings, plus exhaustive descriptions of the lineage and implications of financial heredity as well as the general snobbery of the era. The mystery is well done and the characters are very interesting and believable. A very good read.I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley.

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    Murder at Kingscote - Alyssa Maxwell

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