Reckoning at the Riviera Royale by P.J. Fitzsimmons

Anty has been summoned by his mother to join her on the Riviera. Since her two sentence missive has more emotion than he's ever seen from the woman, he immediately sets out. It's there that he learns of the death of Malandrino the Magnificent. He was the main draw of a small circus but it seems hew was killed by the elephant, Thumpy. Now the circus owner is going to try and make money by executing the elephant. Anty is not in love with the idea. 

While there, Anty also meets the wife of his mother's brother and her amazingly beautiful daughter, Chadwick. He is immediately in love with her and proposes marriage. He also encounters any number of suspects, both in the circus (including the man's brother and the circus owner) and out (two women who were in love with the charismatic murder victim for many years) and even Anty's own mother who was seen with the victim.

Anty is more Bertie Wooster than ever in this story. While this mystery may not have been as well put together as previous stories (and we still don't know what happened to his father), it was still an enjoyable story.

Three and a half stars

Anty Boisjoly #5

This book came out November 29, 2022

Follows The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse

The Case of the case of Kilcladdich

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own