I read this novel without having read the two books in the series that precede it but had no trouble getting to know the characters and understanding their background. This is a cozy mystery that takes place in Edwardian England, and therefore will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey. The author does an excellent job of recreating the aristocratic atmosphere of this time gone by while setting the stage for World War I and the tragedy and drama to come.

<I>Wow</i>, I made a lot of notes and highlights on this book – over 100. As I say all the time, this is either a sign of a good book or a terrible one.

They always warn not to quote from an ARC without checking against the published work – so I did. I was horrified by the comma abuse in the book, so I checked. And unfortunately, it's still there. "Clementine smiled at the thought of her grandsons, it had been nearly six months since she had last seen them." Run-on sentences, comma splices, all the usual things that make my eyes burn – it all appears to be unchanged from the Netgalley proof. It's a little shocking that no one at what I thought was a pretty solid publisher got a handle on this nonsense. It ranges from the annoying ("he ate an entire dish of lampreys or what we would call eels" or "Good afternoon, I am Mrs. Jackson, you asked for me?") to the unreadable ("Clementine blessed her husband's unruffled and farsighted view, and his ability to put a firm foot down where Althea's gadding-about was concerned and only prayed that her cousin Clarendon had the strength of character not to be persuaded otherwise by their strong-minded daughter." Wut?)

A good editor taking some time to make this more readable would have rebuilt sentences like "Etienne is a generous man about how much time his wife spends with us." Or, oh Lord, like "She relaxed, he was onboard then, but there would be a stipulation, of this she was quite sure." Or "Clementine was not only too happy to answer his every question but with as much detail as she could provide." Or "She felt quite uncomfortable by this outward expression of emotion." (Felt uncomfortable by - ?) Or " I know the kedgeree was not spoiled it could not possibly have been…" Or … so many more. The writing was demanding only in that it took some unraveling now and then to figure out not what was being said but what the author was trying – and failing to say.

When it didn't border on gibberish, it could be awfully laborious. In one paragraph, someone was startled by a man's sudden appearance, and jumped. Done well, this moment could be as startling to the reader as to the character – but not the way this was written, where it took three sentences.

It feels very broken-record-ish to add that there are also moments where the language felt wrong for this period mystery. "I don’t want you to get steamed-up" – why is there a hyphen, and why not find a solidly non-anachronistic way of saying "don't get angry" (like "don't get angry")?

<I>"…Rum cove."
"I have never quite understood what that meant," she said.
"It means that he is a bit of a rogue…"</i>
- No, it doesn't.

I wonder how one is supposed to pronounce the name of the home of Lady Montfort, Iyntwood. It's so awkward in print – it made for a stutter every time I hit the word in my reading.

Unsurprisingly, there are other problems. There are two main characters, "Lady Montfort and her redoubtable housekeeper Mrs. Jackson", and the author thinks nothing of head-hopping between them. Actually, one note I made was on what I called a head LEAP. Reading good writers, I never had a problem with this habit so many writing guides warn against; a good writer can, will, and does give you enough information to know whose thoughts you're supposed to be reading at any given time. Tessa Arlen does not have that skill, and I lost count of how many times I had to reread a paragraph or a page because the point of view switched without warning from Lady to housekeeper. (This might - <I>might</i> - be at least partly down to Kindle formatting issues – but I don't think so.) Even within the same point of view there were inconsistencies that were annoying – one moment it was "Lady Montfort", and then in the next paragraph she was referred to as "Clementine" (it took me some time to figure out who the hell Clementine was the first couple of times it happened). This might have been a good way to differentiate the points of view – when it was with her, she could be called by name, in the housekeeper's POV sections called by her title – but no.

And of course it was repetitious. When someone was attacked midway through, the story was told over and over, ad nauseam. I think I know why – there was a detail that the intrepid sleuths, and the determined reader, was supposed to pick up on. In fact, I did pick up on the detail – but I thought it was yet another poor choice of words by the author. Another aspect of this was over-use of words; "lovely" was used thirty-two times, usually in the same context.

I'm not sure if I'm supposed to like Clementine/Lady M or not. I think I am. But I don't. She's a bully. "Did [Mrs. Jackson] mind being involved in her inquiries? She had fleetingly pondered this before." Only fleetingly, of course – what possible difference would it make if Mrs. Jackson objected? She was the help.

Since the book was largely about the breeding of roses, I would have rather expected to come away with a bit more knowledge about the subject than I had going in. This didn't happen.

I'm genuinely surprised I didn't rage-quit when I came across "a small flair of anger". (I just checked – it's in the final text.)

Or when the outbreak of WWI was referred to as "what a tempest in a teapot".

Or when "chaffing" dishes were mentioned. (That's still in as well.)

All this complaining accounts for maybe half my notes – and makes me wonder why on earth I gave this thing two stars. Reading over the run-on sentences I saved has been awful – how on earth did I finish this thing, and why? I'm knocking a star off, and will be avoiding this author like the plaguiest plague.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.

Just some brief notes about this one. I picked it up from NetGalley in exchange for a review - it sparked my interest because it was a British mystery, my favorite kind. It is set just before WWI and is the 3rd in the Lady Montfort series.

Edith Jackson, the Montfort's housekeeper, has just returned to the Montfort's main residence, Iyntwood, after a vacation, when the former cook of Hyde Castle and sister of the Montfort dairyman, seeks her help. Mrs. Armitage was let go as the cook at Hyde Castle because one of the guests died after eating a breakfast of kedgeree, which was made especially for him. Mrs. Armitage swears there was nothing wrong with the food and is backed by the butler of Hyde Castle who suggested that she consult Mrs. Jackson and Lady Montfort. Mrs. Jackson seems to be tired of dealing with mysteries, but Lady Montfort is intrigued and manages to get an invitation to Hyde Castle. Hyde Castle is owned by the nouveau riche Haldanes. Mrs. Haldane is a member of the Hyde Rose society, and so was the deceased - Mr. Bartholomew. At first, it seems that the police were correct, and it was just food poisoning, but Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson soon suspect murder.

I found this book more enjoyable than I expected it to be. For a historical novel, I felt it kept true to the period. The mystery was well-developed and believable, as was the solution. There were clues all the way throughout leading to the solution of the mystery. The author gave some insights into Mrs. Jackson and Lady Montfort during the book - much more than an Agatha Christie, but quite a bit less than Elizabeth George or Deborah Crombie. I think this author's books are as good as some of the popular current mystery writers - such as Laura Childs or Joanne Fluke.

While it is the 3rd in the series, it definitely could be read as a standalone. There were a few mentions, I believe, of the prior book(s), but that didn't interfere with my understanding or enjoyment of this book. I didn't really care for the title, but I do understand why the author chose it.

I would certainly read more by this author, just to see if her other books held up to this one. A Death by Any Other Name would make a good beach read for someone who likes mysteries - it's a fun book.

A Death by Any Other Name (Lady Montfort, #3) by Tessa Arlen
Minotaur Books, 2017
Crime Fiction (Cozy); 336 pgs
Source: E-copy provided by the publisher for review.

While the last two murder investigations Countess Clementine Talbot, better known as Lady Montfort, and her housekeeper Mrs. Jackson got involved in were closer to home--and easy to excuse their involvement in--this time around the two women step way out of the usual circles--right into the middle class. When a former cook from a well to do middle class family approaches Mrs. Jackson about her circumstances, Mrs. Jackson has mixed feelings. The cook claims she was let go because of a death in the household, allegedly the result of accidental food poisoning. Only, the cook isn't so sure it was an accident, and she is hoping Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson can find a way to clear her name. Mrs. Jackson is as reluctant as ever to get involved, but the same cannot be said for Lady Montfort who seems to like sticking her nose into these most serious matters.

As always, it was a joy to spend time with Mrs. Jackson and Lady Monfort. I love how proper Mrs. Jackson is. She takes her role as head housekeeper very seriously and does not like to meddle where she doesn't belong. And yet the always curious and determined Lady Montfort manages to talk her into it every time.

Using a well-known guest visiting the Montfort estate to gain an invite to the Hyde Rose Society, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson find themselves among an interesting group of people, all aspiring hybrid rose breeders. They all feel very passionately about their roses, the two learn rather quickly. Among the group, is the widow of the dead man. The group arrange for a competition with their well known guest, Ms. Jekyll, as the judge. She's not altogether happy about the idea, not being a fan of hybrid roses, but she goes along with it just the same. Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson do there best to get to know everyone and learn the facts of surrounding the popular member's death. The reader gets a definite flavor of the class differences between the characters, most often through Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson's observations as they talk with the guests, the hostess and the staff.

I admit to not especially caring for many of those in the Hyde Rose Society. They each have their own possible motives for the possible murder. And the man of the house, especially, is a despicable character. He treats his wife very poorly.

In the background of events at Hyde Castle is the possibility of war. Germany has invaded Poland and set its sights on France. Lady Montfort is worried about all her children, one who is traveling by sea to the Baltics and another who is living in France with her young children and husband. Lady Montfort's son is a pilot, flying for Churchill. All their lives are about to irrevocably change and the tension is high. In each one of her novels, I have appreciated how well Tessa Arlen captures the time period, both in historical detail but also in the more social and psychological aspect.

I wasn't quite as taken with this third addition to the series as the first two, although it was still a very enjoyable read. I felt as if there were some loose ends not tied up in regards to events at Hyde Castle. It was definitely interesting to see Lady Montfort and even Mrs. Jackson out of their elements a bit. They certainly had their work cut out for them! I loved the literary references added into the novel. This continues to be one of my favorite cozy historical mystery series, and I am eager to see what Tessa Arlen has in store for us next!

A Death by Any Other Name
A Lady Montford Mystery #3
Tessa Arlen
Minotaur Books, March 2017
ISBN 978-1-250-101426
Hardcover

From the publisher—

The elegant Lady Montfort and her redoubtable housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, investigate a murder among a group of amateur rose-breeders while the idyllic English summer days count down to the start of WW1.

When Mrs. Jackson receives a visit from a cook who believes she was an indirect witness to murder from a poisoned dish of breakfast kedgeree Lady Montfort promises to do what she can to clear the cook’s name, and contrives an invitation to Hyde Castle, the home of a self-made millionaire, to investigate a murder of concealed passions and secret desires. With the help of the invaluable Jackson Lady Montfort sets about solving the puzzle surrounding the death of the rose society’s most popular member and discovers a villain of audacious cunning among a group of mild-mannered, amateur rose-breeders.

While they investigate, the headlines bring news of the continuing conflict in Prussia following the assassination of the heir to the Austrian empire. As each day brings more threatening news and the very real fear that Britain will be drawn into war Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson must race the clock to solve the mystery before Britain declares on Germany.

Edith Jackson, housekeeper to Iyntwood House, home of the Earl and Countess of Montfort, reluctantly accepts the task of investigating yet another suspicious death with her employer, Lady Montfort. Clementine, on the other hand, has all the enthusiasm of one who loves to detect and knows she’s good at it, with the help of her fellow sleuth. They make a great upstairs-downstairs team but this case is a little different from their first two adventures because they have to create a reason to go to the house in question, Hyde Castle.

You wouldn’t think rose-breeders would be a shifty lot with murderous inclinations but, apparently, at least one of the rosarians gathered at Hyde Castle might be involved in the death of Rupert Bartholomew. Or could his murder have something to do with his business, the manufacture of Bartholomew’s Bully Beef? Or is some other motive behind the purported accidental food poisoning?

Lady Montford and Mrs. Jackson set about their task with the determination and clear thinking they’ve developed in the past and both are very good at recognizing what information is important albeit from widely different sources. Gardening knowledge comes into play as well as a small touch of the occult and a plethora of characters, suspect or no, provide plenty of possibilities. Hovering over everything is the looming declaration of war, bound to come soon following the buildup of high tensions after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

As with the first two books in this series, I was completely taken by our two indefatigable sleuths but also by the other players, the English country setting, the times and a lively puzzle to be solved. Ms. Arlen includes a most welcome cast of characters and I especially enjoyed the presence of a real person, the highly regarded garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll. I’m even more a fan of this series than I already was and am only sorry I have to wait so long for the next book.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, March 2017.

This story, set just before the outbreak of the first world war, features Lady Montfort and her intuitive, clever housekeeper Mrs. Jackson.
Lady Montfort, is in need of a bit of discraction and decides to investigate the death of a member of the Hyde Rose Society. She discovers that the cook was unfairly dismissed without a reference for serving up a tainted kedgeree, which poisioned a guest.
This book is, on the surface, a traditional country house murder mystery, which is a hotbed of intrigue, class division and high tea!
The book is well plotted and very well written, with characters that are believable and all the human characterists and frailties needed to engage the reader. I was impressed, in particular, with the evocative descriptive passages, you could almost believe yourself standing on the lawns of the gardens and breathing in the fresh country air. The time frame lends a sense of impending uncertainty with war looming in the background. You feel involved in the story with the characters and their petty jealousies, and heightened emotions hidden beneath the surface. I thoroughly enjoyed this country house mystery, and was sorry when it ended, I will look forward to following the burgeoning romance of Mrs. Jackson and Mr. Safford in future novels.
Thank to net galley for letting me read it.

Another solid mystery by Arlen. She weaves a suspenseful captivating.

I am thrilled today to be part of the publicity blog tour for Tessa Arlen’s new mystery novel: A Death by Any Other Name. I’ve read Ms. Arlen’s other cozies: Death Sits Down to Dinner and Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman, and loved them! They are a bit in the Downtown style of Edwardian England with the lady of the house solving mysteries with the help of her trusty housekeeper.

Here’s the overview for this story:

A Death by Any Other Name is a delightful Edwardian mystery set in the English countryside. Building on the success of her last two mysteries in the same series, Tessa Arlen returns us to the same universe full of secrets, intrigue, and, this time, roses.

The elegant Lady Montfort and her redoubtable housekeeper Mrs. Jackson’s services are called upon after a cook is framed and dismissed for poisoning a guest of the Hyde Rose Society. Promising to help her regain her job and her dignity, the pair trek out to the countryside to investigate a murder of concealed passions and secret desires. There, they are to discover a villain of audacious cunning among a group of mild-mannered, amateur rose-breeders. While they investigate, the rumor mill fills with talk about a conflict over in Prussia where someone quite important was shot. There is talk of war and they must race the clock to solve the mystery as the idyllic English summer days count down to the start of WWI.

Brimming with intrigue, Tessa Arlen’s latest does not disappoint.

************************************

Tessa Arlen is a gifted writer, and the pages come alive with the sense of the period. Though this is the third in this series with Lady Monfort, this novel is absolutely a stand alone title as well. Ms. Arlen includes a cast of characters break down at the start of the book, and I found this handy as there were a lot of characters in this novel.

Well, paced and well,plotted, this was a fun read. Highly recommended to those who enjoy cozy mysteries and/or those who may just be missing their Downton fix!

Thank you for my review copy and for making me part of the tour!

I am always on the look out for new murder mysteries, preferably with a female lead ‘detectives’ and set in England. While this isn’t my first novel by this author, it felt new to me. I read Tessa Arlen’s first book in this series, DEATH OF A DISHONORABLE GENTLEMAN, back in early 2015 and though I wasn’t completely hooked at the beginning, I was invested enough to finish it and was rewarded for my tenacity.

I didn’t read the second book in this series for some reason, but when the third book came up for review it sounded rather good so I decided to give her books another go. I wish now that I had read the second book before this one, but over all, the third book read find as a ‘stand alone’.

Set in the day leading up to WWI, the elegant Lady Montfort and her redoubtable housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, investigate a murder among a group of amateur rose-breeders. When Mrs. Jackson receives a visit from a cook who believes she was an indirect witness to murder from a poisoned dish of breakfast kedgeree Lady Montfort promises to do what she can to clear the cook’s name, and contrives an invitation to Hyde Castle, the home of a self-made millionaire, to investigate a murder of concealed passions and secret desires.


With the help of the invaluable Jackson Lady Montfort sets about solving the puzzle surrounding the death of the rose society’s most popular member and discovers a villain of audacious cunning among a group of mild-mannered, amateur rose-breeders.

While they investigate, the headlines bring news of the growing crisis in the Balkans following the assassination of.the heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire. As each day brings more threatening news and the very real fear that Britain will be drawn into war, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson must race against the clock to solve the mystery before Britain declares on Germany. (Summary from Goodreads).

One thing that stood out to me about this book was the development of plot and writing compared to the first book. It’s hard for me to not compared this book with the first. In the first, I felt like the writing and plot structure needed some work and polish, feedback that I see reflected and ratified here. I noticed that this book has much more polish about it and I loved reading it! There were numerous plot twists and the beginning hooked me quite fast.

What really stood out in my mind with this book was the beautiful descriptions of the gardens! I literally felt like I was sitting in an English garden enjoying the summer sun…..it was so vivid that when I put the book down to ‘return to reality’ I was sad about the pouring rain and wind that I saw from my bedroom window! Honestly I am not really in to horticulture or roses and this book had a lot of info in those subject areas but they way in which she described the roses and such made me want to learn more. I found myself Googling some of the roses just so I could get a clearer picture of them in my head! Her descriptions and historical detail were second to none. I loved reading this book simply for this reason! Wonderful hand for story telling!

This book is more of a cozy than a detective novel and while a cozy is fun once in a while, it’s not my primary review genre but I still enjoyed it just the same. It was a welcome break from some of the books I’ve been reading lately and I loved the growth in this book compared to her first novel! Well done!

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: A Death by Any Other Name (Lady Montfort Mystery #3) by Tessa Arlen

Kindle, 336 pages
Published March 14th 2017 by Minotaur Books
ISBN 1250101425 (ISBN13: 9781250101426)
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review
This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 4 out of 5

Genre: Cozy, mystery, detective, Edwardian era

As with each of the other Tessa Arlen novels, I thoroughly enjoyed A Death by Any Other Name. The Lady Montfort mysteries have become my favorite escape reads. In the third novel, Mrs. Jackson hears about a suspicious death which was blamed on food poisoning and a woman loses her job with no prospects for future employment. Mrs. Jackson is sympathetic towards the woman and knows that her employer, Lady Montfort, would love to investigate the incident. Despite her reservations, Mrs. Jackson does bring the matter to Lady Montfort and they are soon contriving to obtain invitations to the home and embark on a new investigation and adventure.

This mystery was quite fun to read -- there are some great supporting characters, some with lots of quirks and great potential murderers. The backdrop to the novel is a meeting of amateur rose breeders who are very devoted to their pastime - for some, maybe too devoted. Despite the beautiful summer days, there is also much political turmoil as the country gets closer to war. The tension from both the rivalry among friends and the idea of war on the horizon help lend to the sense of urgency for solving the mysterious death for the women.

A Death by Any Other Name is a lovely, cozy mystery that is fast paced without being frenzied or too stressful -- sometimes I really enjoy this beautiful type of mystery -- the scenery is lovely, the people are polite and refined and yet the mystery is engaging and the resolutions is satisfactory. At the end of each of the novels, I am happy and yet a little anxious to see what the next mystery will be. I don't think a mystery reader could ask for much more than that. The Lady Montfort Mysteries have become my favorite suggestion to friends and family and A Death by Any Other Name is a great addition to the series.

A Death by Any Other Name by Tessa Arlen is the third book in the Lady Montfort Mystery series. Mrs. Edith Jackson has just returned to Iyntwood (the house where she is the housekeeper) after a ten-day vacation. Mrs. Jackson loves her job except for Lady Montfort’s new habit of involving herself in other’s problems (and she always manages to drag Mrs. Jackson in with her). Mrs. Jackson is told there is a woman at the backdoor requesting to speak with her. It is Beryl Armitage, the sister of Walter, the dairyman on the estate. Beryl needs Lady Montfort assistance with a problem. Five months prior Beryl had been let go from her position as cook at Hyde Castle. A guest, Mr. Bartholomew, had died unexpectedly, and it was blamed on tainted dish of kedgeree. Beryl knows the dish was fine when she sent it up to the dining room. She had sampled the dish herself. Beryl would like Lady Montfort to look into the case and clear her name. She has been unable to get a job since she was fired because she has no reference. Mrs. Jackson feels compelled to take the case to Lady Montfort. Clementine (Lady Montfort) wants to help Mrs. Armitage and quickly arranges a visit to Hyde Castle. She has the perfect reason to visit with renowned flower expert, Miss Jekyll. Mrs. Maud Haldane has created the Hyde Rose Society and the members are currently staying at Hyde Castle. The group welcomes a chance to speak with the renowned Miss Jekyll. Clementine, Miss Jekyll, and Mrs. Jackson head off to Hyde Castle. Lady Montfort hopes to get the bottom of Mr. Bartholomew’s death with the help of Mrs. Jackson. Can this duo clear Beryl Armitage’s name and bring Mr. Bartholomew’s killer to justice?

A Death by Any Other Name is the third book in the series, but can easily be read alone. The author provides readers with the necessary details to understand and read the story. Lady Montfort is a delightful character. I like her spirit, intelligence, and desire to help others. It is wonderful that her husband endorses her pursuits. The story is set in August of 1914 just as war is about to break out in Europe. A time of great change for England. I appreciated the setting and time period. The author did a good job at capturing the history and how people behaved in the big houses of England. I give A Death by Any Other Name 3 out of 5 stars. I did feel that the pace of the novel was lethargic and the novel was too long in length (it really needed to be shortened). I found information about the case to be repeated throughout the story as well as a few other details. The mystery was complex and the author provides several suspects (any one of them could have done the deed). I liked the method of murder and how the killer achieved it. The writing style was a little formal which made the book hard to get into and enjoy. I believe the idea and characters have potential. The book just needs a less stilted/stuffy writing style.

“A Death by Any Other Name” is the third in a series of mystery books which follow the “detective” skills of Lady Montfort and her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson. It is the first of the books that I have read and I found it very easy to pick up the story without having read the first two books. I also appreciate that, while the author made references to the first books, she didn't give away the plots. That way I can go back and read the series without already knowing whodunnit.

In this book, the focus is on a hybrid tea rose society who meet at Hyde Castle with Mrs. Maud Haldane as their host and the death (or was it murder?) of one of their members. The death occurred months before the action in this book but the intrepid duo are pulled in to assist in order to clear the name of a (potentially) wrongly accused woman. The woman, Mrs. Armitage, has been accused of using tainted food which then killed the man in question. She has been turned off by Mr. Haldane and will never find another job. Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson step in to see if they can solve the mystery.

The storyline is superimposed on the few days leading up to England's declaration of war in WWI. It's interesting to have the slight history lesson on which countries declared first and why (treaties that required it.) Those events are interwoven into the story very nicely and you could see two sides of how individuals react – Lady Montfort who has family in harm's way in Europe and Mr. Haldane, the owner of Hyde Castle, who stands to profit greatly from the sale of canned food as a war provision.

The book is written in a formal style of language and the manners and morals of the period are evident. It was an interesting read and I will certainly be looking for more in the series in the future.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

A DEATH BY ANY OTHER NAME is the delightful third book in the Lady Montfort mystery series featuring an older aristocrat and her younger housekeeper as amateur sleuths. With its lavish descriptions of English gardens, an engaging locked room style murder mystery, and a varied group of suspects, it provides readers with hours of cozy entertainment.

I admit it – I am an Anglophile and particularly enjoy historical mysteries so I find this series is quite appealing. It takes place in the days leading up to the declaration of World War I in the summer of 1914. The tension of the pending war is a fine backdrop for the mystery centered on Rupert Bartholomew’s death and his fellow Hyde Rose Society members. Lady Montfort (Clementine) insinuates herself into the group, with housekeeper Edith Jackson posing as her companion, after Hyde Castle’s displaced cook comes to Clementine for aid in clearing her name. Mrs. Armitage knows that her cooking had nothing to do with Rupert’s untimely death. The death took place months ago, but this does not deter the sleuths, and it had me guessing as to how they would solve the case with so little physical evidence.

A DEATH BY ANY OTHER NAME relies on the protagonists’ cerebral abilities and their intuition to sift through the suspects and their motives. The rose society is a competitive and jealous group though they all claim to be friends. Rupert’s wife, an aggressive and unrefined host and his timid wife, an effusive flirt and her older stodgy husband, and an elderly hypochondriac with vast botanical knowledge are just some of the viable suspects. They each have motive and secrets they wish to keep. They are not entirely likable but still quite fun to read about.

I enjoy the different perspectives Clementine and Edith bring to the investigation. Even though Edith sees Clementine’s involvement in their investigations as “plain old interfering” and is a reluctant detective herself, they make a solid investigating team. Edith’s ability to put two and two together and think outside the box makes her especially engaging. Clementine uses her position in society to her best advantage and is quite likable. I also appreciate the maturity, both physical and emotional, that they bring to the story, especially since it seems most of the protagonists in other books I read are much younger than Clementine.

Tessa Arlen descriptive style is period appropriate and I felt like I was right there solving the puzzle along with Clementine and Edith. While I did suspect the perpetrator early on in the story, figuring out the hows and whys kept me reading. A DEATH BY ANY OTHER NAME is a compelling, interesting step back in time, and I recommend it to fans of historical mysteries and fiction and to any reader who appreciates well developed characters and whodunits.

Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.

Love this duo! Always a great mystery with quirky characters, unique plot and great storytelling

A Death by Any Other Name is the third in this series by Tessa Arlen. Somehow, I missed the second in this series, but perhaps the library will have a copy.

from the description: The elegant Lady Montfort and her redoubtable housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson, investigate a murder among a group of amateur rose-breeders while the idyllic English summer days count down to the start of the First World War.

The cook from Hyde Castle has been dismissed from her position when a guest dies after eating one of her dishes. Although the inquest determined the death was a result of tainted fish, the cook had eaten of the same fish with no ill effects. In hopes of restoring her reputation, the cook approaches Lady Montfort and her housekeeper Edith Jackson clear her name.

Lady Montfort, eager for another chance to use her skills of detection, elicits an invitation from the Haldane's to visit the rose-breeders and investigate the incident. Her name and position alone would gain her admittance, but as the famed Gertrude Jekyll, renowned horticulturist and designer of gardens for Britain's elite, is Lady Montfort's current guest, there is no doubt that her visit will be considered a coup for the Haldane's.

Clementine Montfort and Edith Jackson are welcomed to Hyde Castle and find themselves among a diverse--and not entirely likable--group of rose-breeders whose friendships are rife with gossip and competition. There are a number of red herrings (not all of which are satisfactorily explained) and undercurrents are plentiful.

Set in the summer of 1914, the events that signal the outbreak of the first World War are daily being reported, increasing the tension for some of the guests, not least Clementine Montfort.

I enjoyed this mystery, but found that some incidents and situations were not adequately explained. A Death by Any Other Name did not feel as smooth and polished as the first book, but I do like the Shakespeare allusion in the title, and to quote another Gertrude, "a rose is a rose, is a rose."

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press

Historic Mystery. March 14, 2017. Print length: 336 pages.

WOW!! Tessa Arlen sucks you into the story and doesn't turn you loose until you've finished the book! So be prepared for a late night. Her writing is smooth and the characters are well developed - and she leaves you wondering where some of the recurring characters are heading, thus making you anxious for the next book.

One thing I loved about the story, aside from the mystery, is the descriptions of English gardens - especially in the 'magic hour' just before sunset. With Arlen's vivid descriptions, you can see the flow of colors and smell the enchanting scents of the garden.

Another thing I thought was really well done was the feeling, the air of apprehension in the lead-up to the beginning of the first world war. There are men of power who are hoping for the war because they will enrich themselves and there are others who only picture the horrors war will bring to their own loved ones and their country as the nation's young men march tThemselves off to fight.

As I was reading, I was thinking about the relationship between Lady Montfort and her husband. I think that is the sort of relationship to which we should all aspire. I read a lot of romance novels and sigh over the macho heroes just like everybody else. But, then I wonder if, in real life, I'd really want a relationship with that person long term. I really admire that the Earl of Montfort loves his wife unconditionally and accepts her totally -- just as she is. They've been married a long time (they have grandchildren) and you can still feel the love and affection they have for each other.

The one thing I wish had been different is that two of the leading male characters in the book are wife abusers and not only did they not have any punishment for it, they weren't even publicly mentioned as doing it. Everybody knew and could see it, but nobody mentioned it. I know that those were less confrontational times and that men ruled the roost, but I really would have liked to see them smacked down in some way!

"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

I would Ike to thank NetGalley for providing a copy of this book or review. For anyone who still suffers from the loss of Downton Abbey, Tessa Arlen has the perfect solution, a mystery featuring Lady Montfort and her housekeeper Edith Jackson. In her latest,A Death By Any Other Name, they are asked to clear the name of of the cook at Hyde Castle, who was fired for negligence. A guest was supposedly poisoned by spoiled fish that was served at breakfast. The cook had also tasted the fish with no ill effect, but the inquest found her responsible.

Lady Montfort pursues an invitation to Hyde Castle, using her celebrated garden designer to impress the owner who is currently hosting the Hyde Rose Society. Posing as Lady Montfort's companion, Edith is provided to the guests as well as the staff of the estate, giving a peek at the divisions in society in the early 1900s. As their investigation progresses, they also monitor news from France and Germany as tensions mount leading to WWI.

Arlen populates her story with some interesting characters. Roger Haldane, owner of Hyde Castle, made his fortune in tinned stew and sees money to be made if war is declared. Findlay Urquhart, an older mild-mannered guest, demonstrates a knowledge of poisons. Albertine, wife of the victim, is there as a friend of the Rose Society and to submit her husband's hybrid rose to their annual competition. These and the remaining guests and staff give Edith and Lady Montfort a number of mixed signals that they must sort out if they are to find a killer. This is a delightful read that should keep the reader guessing right to the very end.