Great book, love this author and how they can keep my attention to the end! The plot is well developed, characters are believable and they obviously paid attention to detail to make the story worth your time to read.

Lucy and Sir Robert are back with another mystery in Kurland St Mary. No ones really knows or likes the school teacher but they are upset to find her murdered in the schoolhouse. Was she writing the nasty letters that folks in town have been receiving? Is that why she is dead? Or is there more to her backstory that caused her death?
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Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. They still love one another very much, but Lucy is depressed, due to a couple of miscarriages, and Robert does not know how to help her. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just doesn't tell her that. Lucy is trying to keep busy and break out of her depression, so she involves herself in the Village Christmas Festivities. What she does not expect is that the miserable school teacher her father hired, ends up dead. Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but that doesn't work. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of the old Lucy. Add in that someone is sending nasty letters to Lucy and others in the village and there is a lot to keep Lucy busy. Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the terrible notes to people in the community? Is there more than one perpetrator?

This is the fifth book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series, but only the second that I have read. I would recommend that if you want to read this series, you read them in order. I missed a lot of the history and back stories of the characters and the village which would have helped me to enjoy the story more. Having said that, the mystery is very good, full of twists and suspects and kept me guessing right up until the end. It is well paced and well written with both some romance and a couple of mysteries. I was rooting that Lucy and Robert would get their relationship back on track. I actually didn't like him much as the beginning of the story because he was so bossy and short with her. There are also a couple of romances developing in St. Mary's that were a nice break from the mystery. I am not usually a big fan of period reads, but this series captures the feel of the late-1800's beautifully. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. Overall, this seems to be a good series that I will continue with, however, I will go back and read/listen to the stories I have missed.

This is apparently the fifth in the Kurland St Mary Mystery series. It was fun, bright, intelligent and very well done. I love period reads and this captured the feel of the late-1800's beautifully. I didn't have any trouble following the story or the characters - apart from wanting to know some more details and background on the cast - and was sufficiently 'red herringed' that I didn't guess the murderer (although will admit to second-guessing the character). I stayed up late to finish reading it last night and am very glad I did! I'd finished a not-so-good book a couple of days before, so I was really pleased that I enjoyed this so much.

Definitely a series I'll be searching out and reading from the beginning!

This is the fifth in this mystery series which takes place in England in the early 19th century, three years after Lucy and Robert marry. Lucy wants desperately to give Sir Robert an heir to the Kurland estate, but after several miscarriages, and misunderstandings, their relationship is strained. When the local teacher is murdered, they combine forces to solve the mystery. With the usual banter between them, I enjoyed this fifth book in the series.

I've read the other books in the series and to me, this have been the best one so far. I love how the relationship between Robert and Lucy changes and develops. I found them more endearing this time around both trying to deal with grief and fear and to "be there for each other." The mystery was good too!

The fifth book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series by Catherine Lloyd is Death Comes to School. I had not read any of the previous books but had no trouble jumping right into this one. I will admit that I am not normally a fan of period cozy mysteries, but Ms. Lloyd's book is an exception. I was immediately drawn to Lucy, the rector's daughter and wife of Sir Robert Kurland. The serenity of Kurland St. Mary is disturbed when several people including Lucy receive letters accusing them of horrible things. It gets worse when the local teacher is found murdered. Lucy is a strong woman especially for England in the late 1800s. The book was well written, and I can easily see this series becoming one of my favorites!

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest entry in the Kurland mysteries. It brought a new depth to Robert and Lucy's relationship, which had to do with their difficulty in having a child. [Mild spoiler alert - I like that they didn't magically get pregnant by the end of the book. That would have been too pat and too nicely wrapped up.] It was a beautiful, realistic story of how two people were hurting inside and hurting each other, then learned to deal with their hurt and forgive each other. Also, it was a mystery. :) I enjoyed the mystery. It was a return to form, in my opinion, and much better than book #4. There were, as always, a good number of unpleasant characters peppered throughout the story, though I think less so than in previous books. (Side note - Lucy is quite unfortunate in her friends. For heaven's sake, will we ever be rid of Penelope??) But the mystery was intriguing, a little guessable (not too easy but with enough clues to help the reader along), and the story very much enjoyable. Can't wait for the next one!

I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Catherine Lloyd continues the Kurland St. Mary mysteries as Death Comes to the School. Sir Robert Kurland has married Lucy Harrington and opened a school for village children. Suddenly poison pen letters are sent to Lady Kurland and others and the schoolmistress is murdered. Whodunit? The schoolmistress was a very unpleasant woman who mistreated the school children. Meanwhile Lady Kurland is recovering from a miscarriage and distance has grown between the married couple. Excellent historical cozy with interesting village characters.

Catherine Lloyd has done it again!! It's truly impressive that Lloyd continues creating absorbing mysteries for such delightful characters to solve even though they live in a small nineteenth British village. Lucy's and Robert's complicated relationship continues to add just the right amount of spice to the plot. The solution to this case eluded me more than usual which was welcome in comparison to other mysteries I've read this year. It's always a pleasure to learn more about the many characters from all social levels readers have come to appreciate as the series has developed. This time several of their interactions offer interesting possibilities for future titles. Thanks to Kensington Books for providing access to such outstanding titles!!

Death Comes to the School is a great murder mystery. I loved the plot, characters and the English setting. I enjoyed the author's writing and hope to read more of her work.

The fifth Kurland St Mary books finds our protagonists dealing with marital discord (after a pair of miscarriages) as well as the murder of the awful local schoolteacher, who may have been killed after writing a series of poison pen letters. Of course, the former could be handled with one honest conversation, but the latter is a fairly interesting mystery. I still enjoy this series a lot. B+.

Death Comes to the School by Catherine Lloyd is the fifth book in A Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. Christmas is quickly approaching in 1820. Lady Lucy Harrison and her husband, Major Sir Robert Kurland are having issues in their relationship since her last miscarriage. Robert hopes to improve Lucy’s spirits by bringing Aunt Rose Armitage to town who dives in to help Lucy plan the Christmas ball. Then Lucy receives an anonymous threatening note and she is not the only lady to receive one. Who is sending them out and why? Robert goes to the schoolhouse to speak with the schoolteacher, Miss Broomfield about her teaching methods and discovers her dead in her chair with a quill through one eye (someone making a point). Did Miss Broomfield write the threatening notes? Over her husband’s objections, Lucy starts asking questions and nosing around. Will the killer be apprehended before the Christmas festivities commence?

Death Comes to the School can be a standalone. However, you will miss out on the early years of Lucy and Robert’s relationship. I found the story to be nicely written and have a good flow. I did, though, tire of the miscommunication and bickering between the couple. I missed the easy rapport we normally experience between the couple (who are usually open with each other and very frank). It was present throughout the whole book and took away from an otherwise enjoyable story. It was odd and did not fit with the characters. I found the mystery to have several layers, and it was appealing. The killer’s identity can be discerned long before the reveal (which was disappointing to me) despite the author’s attempt at misdirection. I always enjoy visiting A Kurland St. Mary Mystery characters. They are well thought out and developed. It was nice to see how Christmas was celebrated in Kurland St. Mary and that time-period. The author certainly captured the era in this series with the events, how they communicated, method of travel, clothing, and language. My rating for Death Comes to the School is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).

It is now December 1820, three years since Major Kurland married Lucy Harrington and all is not well. But they become distracted for a while by the discovery of a body at the estate school.
One of the main reasons that I enjoy this series is the relationship between these two people, and that is evident again in this book. I also found this is be an enjoyable well-written, and very easy to read, mystery.

The latest entry in this historic British mystery series is as entertaining as ever. In the Regency manner, two prickly made-for-each-other main characters finally married and have embarked on their life together.

But it's never easy. Lord Robert and Lucy are both suffering -- he from recurrent leftover pain from an old war injury, and she from two recent miscarriages. Both carry emotional scars as well.

When their village schoolteacher ends up dead, skewered by a hatpin, and poison pen letters begin to circulate in their community, Robert and Lucy must investigate. Despite their great affection and respect for each other, they often find themselves at cross-purposes, fearful of treading on each other's toes. We can confidently assume that our hero and heroine will work out their differences and solve the mystery before the final pages.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The fifth in the Kurkland St. Mary series, this mystery was still as enjoyable as the earlier novels. Lucy and Robert have now been married for three years. Lucy is depressed and recovering after a second miscarriage. With upcoming holidays, Lucy breaks away from the constraints on her activities to plan the Christmas Ball and get involved in preparing the local school children to sing in the local Christmas mass. Robert also engages his Aunt Rose to come for a visit to lift Rose’s spirits and help with the festivities. Before any real work can begin though, Robert finds the schoolteacher dead in the schoolhouse when he goes to talk to her about her extreme use of discipline on the children. In addition to the mysterious death are anonymous letters that are being received by the local ladies (and a few men) making allegations of witchcraft, infidelities and worse.
Robert and Lucy relationship is what makes these stories so interesting. In the age these were written, men and women didn’t speak openly and honestly to one another. It is fascinating to see miscommunications that arise because of the constraints put upon them even though sometimes it gets a little tiresome. The timing of this book for the Christmas holidays was perfect.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Kensington, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

I like cozy historical mysteries, and one of my favorite series is the Kurland St. Mary Mysteries by Catherine Lloyd. The most recent release is Death Comes to the School.

Lucy (now Lady Kurland) and her husband, Sir Robert, have been married for three years. (It is 1820, in the small English village Kurland St. Mary.) It’s been three years since they’ve had a mystery to solve. They have been going about doing the things that landed gentry do and are well regarded by the people of their village.

Unfortunately, all is not well between them. Lucy has miscarried twice and is confused and miserable. She is not used to “failing” and feels she has failed at marriage and heir-producing. Robert is at his wit’s end trying to figure out how to behave towards her. Moreover, the pain in his injured leg is back, making him miserable as well. Communication has all but broken down between them, which puts them almost back at square one in their relationship.

It is Christmastime. Lucy has been occupying herself with plans for a village party and ball, as well as some matchmaking on the side. But it isn’t enough to keep her thoughts from returning to the miscarriages, especially since people keep asking after her health.

And then, the recently-hired school teacher is found dead at her desk, stabbed in the neck. The woman was universally disliked, with no apparent family or friends. But she had no particular enemies either.

In addition, nasty unsigned notes are turning up all over the village. Lucy and Robert feel the two things must be connected, but are at a loss for how to connect them.

As always, the two go about collecting clues while dealing with their own problems, managing the affairs of town, and helping friends and family. In this book, the relationship is primary with the mystery a bit in the background. It is intriguing and the plot holds together well, but I was more concerned with how Lucy and Robert would resolve their differences that with who killed the school teacher.

The series continues to charm. This novel could probably stand alone, but to truly appreciate the story start with book one, Death Comes to the Village.

This is a wonderful subtle calm mystery that blends the domestic with murder more successfully than most cozys. Set in a small UK village in the 1820s, it gives a sense of both time and place. Robert and Lucy are coping with so much in their new marriage, not the least of which is the sadness of miscarriage, when Lucy is accused of being a witch. Wow. Some of us might have closed our doors and gone to bed but Lucy steps up when the local school teacher is murdered. Not only does she volunteer to teach the children, she also investigates the murder. The mystery isn't too complicated but it's fascinating to read a mystery set in this time period. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is one for fans of the historical mystery who would like to meet a new character. I had not read the previous books but I was fine with this one and am going to look for Lloyd in the future.

This is the fifth book in the Kurland St. Mary mysteries. It took some time for me to get into this one, but I stuck with it and was rewarded with an enjoyable cozy. The characters were lovely and the plot had enough twists and turns to be interesting.

I definitely recommend this book, especially to lovers of historical mysteries.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed reading all the books in this series, and was looking forward to seeing what happened next to Lucy and Robert, as well as solving another mystery along with them. This one was disappointing though. This is set 3 years after their marriage and things haven't gone all that well for them in the last year. Yes, death does come to the school, in a thoroughly unpleasant way, and yes, Lucy does manage to finally figure it out. Perhaps Lucy's unhappiness colored the story a little too much.