Murder at the Brightwell

by Ashley Weaver

“It is an impossibly great trial to be married to a man one loves and hates in equal proportions.”

So begins our mystery and our introduction to Amory Ames, our wealthy, young sleuth. It appears that Amory’s husband, Milo, is a bit of a rake. She admits to a certain degree of indifference to his activities, so it is no surprise when she accepts the offer of a former lover.

Gil Trent was Amory’s fiancé when she met Milo. He is now asking for Amory’s help with his sister, Emmeline. Emmeline appears to be making the same mistake Amory made with Milo, and Gil would like to separate her from her fiancé, Rupert.

So, Gil asks Amory to accompany him on a holiday by the sea. The Brightwell is a lovely resort, and it is there that they meet a true cast of characters.

Before Gil can use Amory to convince his sister to drop her fiancé, the aforementioned fiancé is murdered. Since Gil and Rupert have a publicly adversarial relationship, Gil is naturally a suspect.

It is up to Amory to find the real killer and clear Gil’s name.

This is a delightful, cozy mystery. Our sleuth is very likable, and the mystery is well written. A wonderful debut mystery!

8/23/14