Murder by Midnight (Miss Alice #1) by Blythe Baker

Let's meet Author Blythe Baker:

"Blythe Baker is the lead writer behind several popular historical and paranormal mystery serieses. When Blythe isn't buried under clues, suspects, and motives, she's acting as chauffeur to her children and head groomer to her household of beloved pets. She enjoys walking her dog, lounging in her backyard hammock, and fiddling with graphic design. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV." ~Amazon

To learn more about Blythe, visit her website and sign up for her newsletter:

www.blythebaker.com

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Today, we're investigating her Historical Detective Mystery Murder by Midnight.

It's the first novel in her Miss Alice Murder Mystery Series.

Murder and mystery in a Scottish castle...

"When Alice Beckingham boards a train for Edinburgh in 1929, she begins a journey that will test everything she thinks she knows about her past and her family. From the moment of her arrival at the rugged and remote Druiminn Castle, something sinister haunts her steps.

With the murder of her host and the revelation that one of her fellow guests at the castle is an unscrupulous jewel thief, Alice resolves to uncover secrets that someone will stop at nothing to keep hidden.

Coercing the coolly unpredictable Sherborne Sharp into assisting her, Alice follows in the footsteps of her detective cousin Rose and pursues a heartless killer through glittering dining rooms, shadowed passages, and moonlit groves. A mysterious local legend may hold the key to unraveling everything, but will Alice survive long enough to decipher it?" ~Amazon

Numeric Breakdown:

1: didn't like it/skip it
2: it was okay/it wasn't for me
3. liked it/worth a read
4. really liked it/loved it
5. it was amazing/must read!

A new Nancy Drew? ;)

I'll be honest. It was the cover. I saw it, and thought, this looks interesting. I'm attracted to anything that screams "classic," "noir," and "pre- or post-WWII." This certainly shouted "flapper 20s" to me, and when I saw it was a mystery book, I was hooked.

First, this is a spin-off series to the author's mystery series Rose Beckingham Murder Mysteries which I haven't read yet but have already added them to my to-read list. Now, I mention this not only to give you another series to become enchanted with, but also, because the content of this first novel reiterates characters and events that happened in Rose's series. Now, this might be a bit disconcerting at first, and it may lead you to think you should start with Rose Beckingham's mysteries first. If you choose to do this, it might be beneficial, but for me, it in no way affected Alice's mystery for me. It was a personal choice to go ahead with this book, and although it led me to decide to read Rose's series as well, it didn't really impact my appreciation or understanding of this plot.

Now that's out of the way, from page one I'm intrigued by the sad past hovering over Alice Beckingham and her family. Starting with a nightmare about her brother brings its own intrigue, and it lends the hand of sympathy. It also makes me want to learn more. Since this is a previous storyline, as mentioned above, they allude to the issues concerning her brother and how it influenced her family but isn't elaborated upon. Of course, this is a new mystery and a new series and won't go through everything that's already been gone through previously. I can respect that. Again, I'm now hooked in wanting to learn more.

Alice's character gives us a peek into her sorrow over losing her brother, the stress it has caused for her and her family, her perspective on her parents, and the slight reclusive behavior she's adopted since his death. We learn she likes horses and is an adequate rider, but it isn't something she loves spending her time doing. However, it proves a helpful skill when needed in the wilds of Scotland. She enjoys reading, and she's determined to walk in the same steps as her "cousin" Rose as a detective. This book gives her the first step toward making that reality a possibility.

Throughout the book, we're introduced to a cast of characters who are a bit bland -- no offense. Mrs. and Mr. Drummond are kind people and seem friendly enough, but you don't quite get to know them as the book progresses except to learn how Mr. Drummond seems to be a person who smiles often and is very amiable -- until his tragic loss, and Mrs. Drummond appears as compassionate and free of the prejudices of those in society.

Alice's mother comes to be a great comfort to them both, and with what happens, I suppose it's only fair we don't get to see as much of them as we might have liked. Although we're introduced to Mrs. Drummond's sensitivity and caring, we're not given a well-rounded portion -- even her concern for Alice's welfare is overshadowed in her distress for the Drummonds. While that is an acceptable reaction, it does leave a little bit of a gap between her intentions and her actions. After all, a murderer has entered the house and killed. What's to say it won't happen again?

We're introduced then to the sons and brothers Alastair and Gordon Drummond. Alastair is a consummate flirt and charming beyond measure. He follows his parent's orders to the letter and seems to be the apple of his mother's eye. Gordon is standoffish, short, and not friendly as a whole. Both make an impression on Alice, but she's determined she won't be set-up into marriage with either one of them. When events take a devastating turn while Alice and her mother are there, she begins to see everyone as a possible suspect.

Alastair's friend, Sherbourne Sharp -- what a name! -- and author Samuel Rigby come under suspicion as well as Charles and Vivian Barry, brother and sister and past acquaintances of the Beckinghams. Alice begins watching them all and talking to the servants of Druiminn Castle. Her investigations lead her to a loyal and retired servant living in a cottage on the castle's land and speaking to the guests proves to be a challenge and not often rewarding in its information. No one wants to talk to her and discuss the intricacies of why the murder occured.

Teaming up with Sharp, for more than one reason, she tries to get him to ferret out the information she hasn't been able to gather. They strike up a deal but not necessarily a friendship. However, even though there are romantic possibilities all over the place, I appreciate Alice's focus on the case. Her purpose and desire to find the killer are admirable. She doesn't get sidetracked but gives us snippets of her inner thoughts regarding these men and the overall situation.

While I had my suspicions of who might be the culprit, I found myself distracted by the red-herrings the author threw at us, and I'm embarrassed to say I only figured out half of it. I suspected far more was going on than what really was, and it played out on a gothic scale. I'm always thankful for resolution, and this was a quick and diverting read. It was uncomplicated, fun, and a great way to pass the time.

A few more notes to be made about this story includes the time period, 1929, which takes a bit of a backseat to the mystery. I'm not positive I saw a lot of key factors that made me think it was set in the late-20's, except for some of the clothing and mannerisms. We're given a beautiful setting, and I wish the author would have used it a bit more in her storytelling. Also, the police seem to disappear with occasional updates --where do these updates come from? -- about their progress. They are on the hunt for suspected burglars who've hit other homes, castles, in the area. However, I would have liked a little bit more from them, I think.

This is a clean, mildly suspenseful, slightly creepy, fun read. It gives you build-up for a new mystery at the end and creates a bright new mc to enjoy. Despite some cosmetic foibles in the overall plot, I enjoyed this book and found it entertaining enough to keep me reading in one sitting. It reminds me a little of the protagonists in a Georgette Heyer book, and I look forward to trying more of Author Blythe Baker's mysteries.

Overall, this was an amusing and lighthearted read. It gave an entertaining story, and it kept my attention while creating a desire to read more. Alice's character grew on me, and I appreciated her tenacity and wit. She's one who knows her own mind, something about her kept me engaged, and I'm eager to learn and read more. I hope to see more growth and evolution of her character in the following books in this series. Because of the level of engagement it did inspire, I'm giving this read a 4/5 "really liked it" rating.