It’s June 1899, and Roderick and Valentine DeVere have been invited to Kiddwood, the country home of family friends Sadie and Alf Kidd. Roddy had grown up with the Kidd’s son Clarence, although they drifted apart as adults, and he has fond memories of the place. His own parents own the neighboring tract of land and for many years, water from that land had been used at Kiddwood, but suddenly the water seems to have dried up and part of the reason for the invitation to the DeVeres was so that they could investigate on behalf of Roddy’s parents. But what they discover on the DeVere’s land only begins with guile and proceeds quickly to murder…. This is the fifth book in the Gilded series by Cecelia Tichi, herself a historian of the period, a fact that I appreciate because I know the historical details will be accurate in her books. I love Roddy and Val, the former a New York City blueblood and the latter the daughter of an Irish immigrant who made a fortune in the Nevada silver mines; she is unconventional and spirited, while he is a steadying influence with a good sense of humor and a knack with newfangled cocktails. A small irritant with this entry into the series is that both characters mention several times that if she had been born on a day other than February 14, Val would have been named Fiona (the name of a murder victim); this is seen as giving Val a reason to identify with the girl, but it really need to have been mentioned only once or twice, not half a dozen times. But that’s a mere editing quibble; the story itself, and its characters, are as realistic and charming (or not, as the case may be) as ever and it’s a joy to read another book in this fascinating series; recommended! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ( )

1899, amateur-sleuth, charlatan, class-consciousness, country-house, cozy-mystery, family, family-dynamics, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, investigations, investigative-journalist, law-enforcement, lawyers, mining, mixologist, NYC, pet-dog, read, seeress, situational-humor, supernatural, upstate-New-York, wealthy*****

A very intricate look into the attitudes and misdeeds of some of the very wealthy at the turn of the twentieth century in New York. Some are simply misguided and thoughtless, but others are cruel and heartless toward nearly everyone. Val, Roddy, and his parents do try to do their best but sometimes they do place their trust in the wrong people. Roddy has a true passion to be and exceptional mixologist, and this helps him to balance his efforts as a lawyer. Val was not raised in this rarified atmosphere, but was mostly raised by her father as he worked and prospered in the mines in Colorado. The murder mystery requires an extensive amount of investigation, but I am most impressed with the real history imparted within the story (history geek here). Loved it as a history with fiction as well as a cozy mystery!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Independent Book Publishers Association ( )