Our Lady of Pain: An Edwardian Murder Mystery

M.C. Beaton is a wonderful writer. This series is lovely written. Not for a reader who enjoys a tight and emotional story. Just a pure joy reading when you are not well ot just want to relax.

Enjoyed every minute reading it!! Ms Beaton is great - I cannot wait for her next book!

Marion Chesney (terrific cozy author M.C. Beaton) knows how to write one heck of an enjoyable read - IF you like historical cozies where the author has actually done solid, serious research about the era. Edwardian debutante Lady Rose Summer and her wise-cracking sidekick Daisy don't mean to keep stumbling into disreputable adventures, but they certainly add a zip to life; and after all, why should private detective Captain Harry Cathcart be the only one to have adventures?!?! Then calamity strikes! When Harry's newest client, Dolores Duval, a gorgeous French lady "of reputation" causes Rose to feel tremors of jealousy our heroine ultimately loses her head and actually threatens to kill Dolores only to be discovered standing next to Dolores' dead body the very next day! Her strait-laced parents are horrified and determinedly pack Rose and Daisy off to a strict convent for a year to learn how to behave. But then another murder occurs and fingers again point to Rose . . .

I love this series! She always leaves me wanting more! I was pleased with the ending this time and I hope the author continues with the angle of keeping Harry and Rose together. They need to get married and run the detective agency together! Any more twist between Harry and Rose will cause readers to lose interest. I really think Harry and Rose as a team personally and professonally could be fun. I was confused/disappointed with Daisy's character this time. I'm not sure where the author is going with her. We have watched this wonderful transformation of Daisy coming from a hard life and learning to be a "proper lady". I have also loved watching the love between her and Beckett blossom. However, this book brought her back to the behavors of her roots and then some from start to finish. I was very disappointed! So, I'm anxious to see why the author did that. It totally changed my impressions of Daisy and what I was hoping for her. But overall, it was great and I will be anxiously awaiting the next book.

The Earl of Hadshire's daughter Lady Rose Summer failed to catch a husband during her season so her parents want to send her to India to find a spouse there among the expatriates. Rose convinces Captain Harry Cathcart, a private investigator, to fake an engagement so she won't have to travel to India. Although the engagement is phony, Rosa has real feelings for Harry and is insanely jealous when he starts squiring his new client Dolores Duval around town. Rose threatens in a public place to kill Delores if she doesn't stay away from Harry. Later Rose visits Dolores' lodgings and finds that her rival is shot to death. The police assume Rose killed Delores and arrest her. She is soon released and they travel to Paris to interview the woman named in Dolores' will, but soon afterward she is murdered and Rose is thrown into the Seine. Harry rescues her. They find a fake suicide note where Rose admits to the two killings. Danger follows Rose to Scotland and in London when she asks too many questions. Even after the suspected murderer is caught, Rose remains in danger from an unknown enemy with only Harry to help her. OUR LADY OF PAIN gives readers a glimpse of Edwardian England as seen through the eyes of the aristocracy and their servants. Rose's life is in danger and she is also being set up by someone to take the fall as a murderess. Harry has his hands full keeping Rose safe and out of jail while trying to figure out just how deep his feelings for her go. This is a very entertaining historical mystery which is at times very funny as the heroine goes from one crisis to the next. Marion Chesney beguiles the reader with her witty and non-conformist characters. Harriet Klausner