A Body at the Grand Hotel by Benedict Brown

At the end of the last book, Marius got some new information about what may have happened to his father. But he is trying not to dwell on that and is excited to be distracted by a letter inviting him to be an honorary member of the Torquay Mystery and Detection Society. They are inviting him to give a speech the night before the local October Ball. Marius decides, why not? Bella, Inspector Lovelace, and his family all decide to come along as well. 

When he gets there, he discovers that the group is not exactly the fans he had supposed them to be. Instead, he is thrown to the wolves by their leader, Mrs. Thistlethwaite. The same Mrs. Thistlethwaite who Marius finds dead in the hotel pool the next morning. 

This is a twisty turning mystery that is maybe a little overwrought. There was some time spent in a crossover with Brown's Lord Edgington series and that did feel a little forced. The ending was interesting but I'm not sure everything was sewn together successfully. Still, an enjoyable read, overall. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out November 15, 2024

Follows The Castleton Affair

Marius Quin Mystery #4

ARC kindly provided Storm Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Castleton Affair by Benedict Brown

Marius and Bella have a mysterious visitor one day. He's from the government and he needs their help to retrieve an agent who has been taken. They are eager to jump on (at least Bella is) and they follow a series of clues to rescue Earnest Castleton. But that's only the beginning of the story.

Suddenly, they are swept up into government secrets, spies and lies. In addition, Marius has to pretend to be Gilbert (Bella's fiance who he doesn't like) in order to attend a house party. That's where all sorts of things are going down, including murder. 

I would definitely have read the other two books in this series before this one. An enjoyable read but it didn't quite all fit together for me.  

Three and a half stars

This book comes out May 15, 2024

A Marius Quin Mystery #3

Follows The Hurtwood Village Murder

Followed by A Body at the Grand Hotel

ARC kindly provided by Storm Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Hurtwood Village Murders by Benedict Brown

His second book now safely published, Marius Quin is going for a celebratory lunch with his Lady Isabella Montague. Too bad her beau, Gilbert Gaines, joins them. It seems the two have an idea for a new business as private investigators. Their first case can be why people are sending poison pen letters to people in the village they grew up in. Specifically, why Lucinda Heaton, who is revered by most of the town, is getting these letters. 

Isabella and Marius travel back and get to know some of the people in town, none of whom have changed very much though Marius describes trying to overlay the people from his memories with the people in front of him. Then, someone is murdered. Inspector Lovelace is pressed into service once again (though neither Bella nor Marius know his first name...

This was a nice addition to the series. I didn't love the wrap up to the mystery but it left us with an open ended question for the next book in the series.

Four stars

This book comes out February 20, 2024

A Marius Quin Mystery #2

Follows Murder at Everham Hall

Followed by The Castleton Affair

ARC kindly provided by Storm Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Murder at Everham Hall by Benedict Brown

Marius Quin is a bestselling author. He is now working on "Glimpse of a Blood Moon." Well, he's trying to work on it. The first chapter has been written but he's now struggling with a massive case of writer's block. His publisher won't advance him any more money (he has to be guaranteed of a product, after all) but has invited Marius to a Boxing Day party. 

Outside the office, Marius slips and falls. It is then that his childhood sweetheart, Lady Isabella "Bella" Montague shows up. He falls again - instantly back into love. It's been ten years since they've seen each other. In that time, Marius's father has gone missing, the war happened, and he has slipped into some financial distress. 

With some surprise, he accepts an invitation from her to a party at Everham Hall, where a friend of hers, Cecil Sinclair, a famous actor, is throwing a party on New Year's Eve. He goes and takes his basset hound, Percy, with him. 

Marius realizes almost instantly that this party will be as awkward as all heck. It seems that this Cecil is a diva of the first order becoming childish and petulant when drunk.  His paramour, Poppy, is someone that no one likes.  There is a film director, Anton, and his wife, an actress called Alma. There is also Bella's beau, Gilbert, whom Marius instantly dislikes. Cecil's father, Ross, and Edith, who Marius pegs as Ross's innamorata. 

Marius pulls Bella aside to ask why she invited him to this house. He had hoped to reignite their romance; she says that she wanted to help reignite his imagination. She is more successful than he is at the end. 

Of course, there is a murder and, since the police can't get there, Marius is elected to solve teh crime. As a mystery writer, he is (according to the other characters), the most likely to be able to solve the crime.

I haven't made it to that book yet but it appears that Marius has crossed paths with Lord Edgington, another of Brown's mystery series. If you like that series, I believe that this one will be enjoyable as well. 

Four stars

This book comes out November 3, 2023

Followed by The Hurtwood Village Murders

ARC kindly provided by Storm Publishing

Opinions are my own