Another outstanding new book in the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. As always, the mystery is outstanding, full of twists and suspects and keeps you guessing right up until the end. It is a well-written, well-paced and very well executed book – both romance and mystery.

Robert and Lucy have been married for three years and they are going through a bit of a rough patch. It is not that they don’t love each other, it is that Lucy is horribly depressed and Robert doesn’t know how to help her. He tends to order her around, demands that she take care of herself, etc. Frankly, I’m not sure what else he could actually do because she is inconsolable after going through two miscarriages within six months. Robert is afraid of losing her in childbirth and while he’d love children, he wants her more. He just isn’t good at actually making her understand that. She feels inadequate as a wife because she doesn’t think she can give him the heir he needs and wants. Most of the problems, as usual, fester because two people just don’t actually talk with each other.

What does it take to perk Lucy up? Well, a murder will do it nicely. Lucy has just met the new school teacher and did not like her at all. Normally, she would have been heavily involved in the selection of the new teacher, but she was ill and since Robert was concerned with Lucy’s health, both of them basically left it to Lucy’s father. After doing some checking, they have discovered that the teacher was dismissed without reference from her last position. When Robert goes to confront the teacher and to dismiss her, he finds her dead with a quill lodged in her eye.

Robert does his best to keep Lucy out of the investigation, but she’ll have none of that. As she gets more involved in the investigation we see more and more of her old spark come back. That delights Robert, but he still worries about her overdoing. Even with the spark of health coming back, something is still bothering Lucy – a lot. You’ll have to read the book to see what it is and if the relationship survives it.

Who murdered Miss Broomfield? Who is sending the incendiary notes to people in the community? Are they also being blackmailed? Do we have one perpetrator? Two? More? I’ll not tell – and you won’t guess. You’ll just have to wait until you get to the end of the story!

We get a couple of lovely new romances in this story as well – so they get their HEA’s. They are lovely romances and one of them will probably surprise you because we’ve known those two characters through all of the books.

Check out my reviews of the other books in the series:
Death Comes To The Village
Death Comes To London
Death Comes To Kurland Hall
Death Comes To The Fair

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"I requested and received this e-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."

This is truly the perfect series for those who love quiet, intelligent, period mysteries with a strong female protagonist. Lloyd's series, the Kurland St. Mary mysteries, are set in Jane Austen's era and feature perfectly rendered stories of a strong-minded, rather plain, rector's daughter, Lucy, and her life in this small English village. Naturally, there is a titled man in the picture, and the series brings together these stubborn, misfit intellectuals who clash and meld while solving local murders. It's fascinating reading to see how Lloyd develops these stories, always keeping the tone and action accurate to the period. Very well written and intriguing series. Perfect for those who love their mysteries English, historical, and intellectual. Jane Austen fans will adore Lucy! Pick up the first one and then relish the next two. Lloyd keeps the plot steady, building on each one. This third one continues the superb work. Enjoyable!

'Death Comes to the School' is another expert offering by Catherine Lloyd in her Kurland St. Mary Mystery series. Robert and Lucy are experiencing a distance from each other after suffering the grave disappointment of miscarriages. This is complicated by a vicious letter Lucy receives which accuses her of witchcraft due to her accepting help of the local healer. When the newly hired school teacher ends up murdered the feeling around the village is very dark, with suspects abounding. The suspense is taut, the depth of feeling in interpersonal relationships is heart wrenching and the mystery is a stunning surprise. I can't recommend this, along with the whole series, highly enough.

Thank you Net Galley. I loved the latest instalment of the Kurland series. It is the perfect read anytime. The book is as fresh and interesting as the first in the series. I like the way the characters are changing, evolving and growing. Highly recommended.

I am a big fan of this little gem of a historical cozy, so I was anxious to read the latest installment, set three years after the marriage of Lady Lucy (the Rector's daughter) and Sir Robert Kurland (local gentry and injured war hero). Part of the charm of the series has been the evolving relationship of the pair, each of whom in the past has had no trouble expressing an opinion.

This entry finds them mourning significant loss that had led to uncertainty and misunderstandings in their marriage. Despite health issues and against her husband's wishes, Lucy begins investigating the death of the new schoolmistress, who had no fans among the village children or their parents. It also appears that Miss Broomfield possessed a fabulous jewel collection. So why was she working as a teacher? Who disliked her enough to kill her? And was she responsible for writing poison pen letters to the residents of Kurland St. Mary, including Lucy?

While I enjoyed my Christmastime visit with this now familiar cast of characters and found the mystery to be multilayered and well done, I was disappointed regarding the depiction of the relationship between Lucy and Sir Robert. Their misunderstandings, which threaten the very essence of their marriage, could have been cleared up in a couple of pages of dialogue at the beginning of the book; instead the process drags on until book's end. Given the frankness of both characters in previous books, this plot point did not ring true and felt forced. Hence, four stars instead of five.

Nevertheless, I will be looking forward to seeing more of one of my favorite cozy couples in future books, hoping they will return a bit more true to form.

Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Excellent! Atmospheric,entertaining,hugely enjoyable.