Having read about the Mitford sisters in both Laura Thompson's "Take Six Girls" and Mary Lovell's "The Sisters", I was naturally quite intrigued as to how one of the Mitford girls was going to feature in a murder mystery.

Louisa Cannon is a young woman looking to escape a harsh life in London in 1920. A chance meeting of an old friend leads to an introduction to the young Nancy Mitford, and for Louisa, the possibility of creating a new life when informed of a newly vacant position within the Mitford household.

It seems that as Louisa is escaping the clutches of her evil uncle, a woman, Florence Nightingale Shore, is attacked a left for dead aboard a train. The two stories, told independently, begin to merge as the investigation onto Florence's death takes place, and by coincide, Louisa and Nancy Mitford slowly become involved.

The story build slowly, characters cross our paths as the investigation progresses, and we are treated to an insight in the lives not only of the gentry in the early post-war years but also those who returned from the fighting. The empathy and identification with Louisa developed as the story progressed.

I enjoyed the fact that this was a fictionalised account of the very real murder of Florence Nightingale Shore, with the author offering a resolution of sorts. I particularly liked the occasional interspersion of letters written by Florence from the front which gave a little background to current events.

I'll be very interested to see how the Mitfords are introduced into the next in the series - obviously as this is #1 there follows that there will be a second book.

I am just loving these books based on true events. It really brings the past to life and sheds light on how much humanity has, and hasn't, changed.
Louisa, an educated but struggling daughter of a washer-woman in London is trying to escape the clutches of her scheming uncle. She is living in a London that is on the cusp of cultural change. WWI has opened up more opportunities for women, some of the rules of society have changed, but the world is still run by the elite.
Guy Sullivan is a man with potential, albeit with some restrictions. He is noble and kind, and incredibly clever.
These indomitable pair come together to solve the murder of a retired war nurse, whose tragic death seems to be dismissed by authorities without much fanfare. Whilst they pursue the truth, they also try to come to terms with their own demons and find their place in a rapidly changing society.
If you've read Amy Stewart and enjoyed her Kopp Sister novels, you are sure to enjoy this one.
Looking forward to the next one!

Recommended. Mystery. Louisa Cannon has problems. It's 1919, and her oppressive uncle is proving to be dangerous. She really wants to escape London and is happy when she secures a position as a nurserymaid at Asthall Manor the home of the Mitford family. Then Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous namesake, is murdered on a train and Louisa becomes entangled with a young railway policeman and Nancy Mitford as the trio try to solve the murder.
To my surprise I discovered that this was a real murder, which has never been solved. It was interesting to read a murder mystery knowing that the culprit had never been found and wondering how the author would present the case. Many people have put forward theories and Fellowes’ solution is one that the reader can believe in.
Setting much of the action in the Mitford home will give readers who enjoyed The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford, a glimpse into the life of the upper classes in the early 20th century. At the same time the reader gains an in-depth knowledge of World War 1, the brave nurses who served during the war and the life of the poor in London.
The narrative is slow but the historical background and characters of the three main protagonists keep the reader’s interest and ensure that further research is done into the read murder.

A very fun romp that I found so cozy and comforting to read. The characters in this are really interesting, and I definitely felt the tension whenever it came up. Honestly, I only kind of remembered that the Mitford's were real, but reading this has actually made me much more interested to read Nancy Mitford's work. There was one minor inconsistency during the course of the book, which bugged me a little, but mostly this is a fun read which made me feel happy. Looking forward to the next one!

Enjoyed. Looking forward to the next adventure from Lousia and Guy.

EXCERPT: 'As she moved along, stately but sure, like the Lusitania departing from Liverpool, she thought she recognized a figure out of the corner of her eye. It gave Florence a start. Did he know she would be at Victoria? The man was slight, angular and frayed at the edges - a wooden life raft to her ocean liner. His back was half turned away and his hat was pulled down low so that she couldn't be sure if he had seen her. Florence picked up the pace, her heart quickening. She spotted her Porter up ahead, waiting patiently by her bags, and she calmed herself. She had only to get on the train; in less than twenty minutes she'd be on her way. ....It was not long before the guard blew his final whistle. The train moved off, slowly at first, then gathered momentum steadily until, by the time it reached the first tunnel, it was rolling down the line at full speed. That was the last time anyone saw Florence Nightingale Shore alive. ..'

THE BLURB: It's 1919, and Louisa Cannon dreams of escaping her life of poverty in London, and most of all her oppressive and dangerous uncle.

Louisa's salvation is a position within the Mitford household at Asthall Manor, in the Oxfordshire countryside. There she will become nurserymaid, chaperone and confidante to the Mitford sisters, especially sixteen-year-old Nancy - an acerbic, bright young woman in love with stories.

But then a nurse - Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous namesake - is killed on a train in broad daylight, and Louisa and Nancy find themselves entangled in the crimes of a murderer who will do anything to hide their secret . . . '

MY VIEWS: I didn't realize, when I began The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes, that it is based on a real murder. It was not until I reached the end of the book and read the author's historical note, that I discovered Florence Nightingale Shore actually existed, that she was god-daughter of the famous woman herself, and that she was indeed attacked on the Brighton line Monday 12 January, 1920 and died a few days later of her injuries. Nobody was ever found guilty of her murder.

The Mitford Murders is a captivating blend of fact and fiction. Newspaper reports of the interviews conducted with the witnesses at the Inquest have been used to recreate the events. People, including Florence's friend Mabel, the Mitford family and their servants, also have their roots in reality, although some things have been changed for the benefit of the novel.

Fellowes has captured the atmosphere of the early 1920s splendidly. The war is over, but nothing has quite returned to normal. There is a shortage of men; many physically and psychologically wounded soldiers have returned home to nothing, wondering what it was all for. Life is nothing like we know it. The British class system is still very evident. Poverty is a way of life for the lower classes where survival is all, violence and intimidation a way of life . But then again, perhaps nothing has really changed after all, only fashion and technology.

The Mitford Murders is a captivating read. Fellowes, perhaps best known for her Downtown Abbey books, is very good at what she does. This is, apparently, the first book of a new series,one I am looking forward to reading.

Thank you to Hachette Australia via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page for an explanation of my ratings. This review and others can also be viewed at sandysbookaday.wordpress.com