Absolutely wonderful! A totally pleasurable book! While one in a series this is a fabulous book which would work as a standalone. The characters are believable and draw you in immediately so you cant help but care for them. I cannot wait till the next book as these are perfect to devour!

One of my new favorite discoveries. I really love a good detective/murder story, particularly when it's set in other eras and the people involved are all in the same location!

This is set in the 1920's and we follow Olive trying to find a job, to make her own living, struggling to make ends meet. There is going to be a wedding in the family, and this leads to several suspicions, which ultimately leads her to play detective. Things take a wrong turn and her detective playing gets interesting when there is a murder (in Archly Manor, as the title suggests), in the middle of a fancy Saturday-Monday.

The settings and environments in this book are very well described: the whole epoch characterization and the details of having a maid button up a dress, getting ready for dinner with gloves, give the book character.

The mystery itself is also well structured and there are several plot changes which make it very enjoyable.

What a delightful historical mystery. Bringing two of my favourite genres together. Our lead character Olive is a bit of an outsider to the money rich young folk of the 1920's enjoying weekends in grand country houses. Flapper fashions and pastimes of music, croquet and bridge keep them occupied.

This is a tale of a murder at Archly Manor on one of these weekends. Albert is a rascal - living a lie and with many people who could have a motive to kill him. Olive is already doing her aunty a favour in covertly researching Albert as he has become the fiancé of love blind Violet. So once Violet becomes prime suspect in his murder, Olive is on hand to investigate....she is like a dog with a bone and keenly unravels the secrets of the house guests.

I look forward to reading more instalments in this historical mystery series.
Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett. #MurderAtArchlyManor #NetGalley

Murder at Archly Manor is the first novel in the High Society Lady Detective series by cozy maven Sara Rosett. Released 15th Oct 2018 by the author, it's 256 pages and available in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

I love English country house mysteries. Golden age is a definite plus for me. This book was maybe a little more 'cozy' style than Marsh or Christie, but it was such a lovely read. The settings are well described and the plotting never drags. I like that Olive (lead character) is intelligent and brave and plucky.

The murdered man is a cad and a blackguard (another nice golden age touch - the corpse 'had it coming'). There's a stately home absolutely full of suspects and it's up to Olive to sort them out, since the local plod has his eye firmly fixed on Olive's cousin, the dead man's fianceé.

This book is well researched and it shows in the details of setting, dress, and dialogue. I was actually impressed at how seamlessly it worked within the time period.

I will absolutely look out for the next books in the series (second book is already released, third is to come in April 2019).

The language and narrative are very clean; no bad language or sexual content. There is some brief mention of drug abuse, but it's not graphic or glamorized.

Well worth a look for mystery lovers and fans of the golden age. I really enjoyed it.

Five stars.

Despite her aristocratic upbringing, Olive Belgrave is penniless. She has traveled to London in hopes of finding a job, but things are looking bleak. But when her aunt Caroline and cousin Gwen ask her to look into the background Alfred, the fiance of her other cousin, Violet.

The family is sure that Alfred is a bounder, but they can't prove it. It's up to Olive to come up with evidence of his misdoings. But when he's killed at a party at Archly Manor, Olive's job changes from investigating his background, to trying to find his murderer before the killer claims a second victim.

Set in 1923 in London and the town of Nether Woodsmore, Murder at Archly Manor is the first in the High Society Lady Detective series.

I enjoyed meeting Olive, an independent woman intent on living her life on her own terms. She is bright, and willing to take on a job to which most ladies of her station would turn up their noses. But Olive has always been the curious one, and she works her ways through the clues, asking questions and discovering things that even Scotland Yard did not see.

I loved the feel of this book, the setting of the "long weekend" house party, and the characters that made up the cast of suspects.

Murder at Archly Manor is rich in detail, and the mystery was expertly plotted. I look forward to Olive's second adventure in Murder at Blackburn Hall.

I read a digital copy of this book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

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I can easily say that historical fiction is my favorite genre. Add in a dash of mystery and a female character that fights against her times and conventions and I am in for a thrill ride. I loved following Olivia through her journey. I loved how spunky she was and the fact that she adapted to the circumstances and took on a role that no one (not even she) expected her to take. She was ready though and she had proven before, to take on whatever circumstances were thrown her way. I loved the writing in this book because you truly immersed yourself in the time period and you wanted to follow along with Olivia from beginning to end. Truly a wonderful book and a must read, especially for mystery novel fans.

Sara Rosett has switched gears from writing article enjoyable cozy series about a contemporary military wife to a post-WWI English high society traditional mystery. My high expectations for this new series were exceeded in Murder at Archly Manor.

Olive Belgrade is penniless due to disastrous investments of her father. Compounded by the fact that he has just remarried and she has been pushed from the nest. Looking for gainful employment with no skills except a high intelligence has proven to a disappointment. Called back to her cousin's estate, she becomes enlisted, and paid for, in looking into the origins of the dubious fiancee of Violet, the younger sister. Of course, there's a house party and a murder, and Olive needs to prove Violet's innocence.

Fun, well-written and a great start to a new series!

Thank you Net Galley. This was a delightful cozy mystery set in the 1920's. I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to more in the series.

Olive Belgrave comes from money, but after her stepmother makes life difficult, Olive is determined to make it on her own. Almost penniless in an era where women getting a job was still strange to the upper crust, she is lucky to get a retainer to look into her cousin's fiance, Alfred. Suddenly, Murder is on the menu and every one at a large party is a suspect.

If you're the type who wishes Miss Fischer would calm down, Sara Rosett's book is more your speed. Olive is a more innocent upper class white women who is getting to know the dangers of the world, versus a 1920's full on flapper (despite the cover). Murder at Archly Manor is definitely a cozy mystery, and is warm like an old well-loved sweater.

Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett, Kobo Writing Life, 2018.

Miserable at home with her new stepmother now in charge, Olive leaves only to find herself unqualified for suitable paid employment. She first agrees to investigate her cousin’s fiancé, suspected of being an imposter, and then finds herself investigating a murder.

Murder at Archly Manor is set in and around 1920s London with most of the action taking place at a high class house party. Compared with other UK crime fiction of the period, e.g. that of Charles Todd, it is a light hearted, easy read.

This book is well written, the dialogue and narrative are well balanced, the descriptions and characterizations combine to make it interesting and ejoyable. I look forward to reading more in this new series.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Murder at Archly Manor free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Olive Belgrave is out of funds. Too attractive to get taken on as a governess and too unskilled to get taken on as a typist, she eventually receives the novel offer of private detective from her aunt. The mission? To find out more about her cousin Violet's unsavory fiance, Alfred. His uncouth manners show he's hiding something, but Violet is so enamored with him she doesn't even question his vague past and lack of connections. 

When Olive travels to Archly Manor to monitor the shady Alfred at a house party, it's not long before murder ensues. Determined to protect her cousin's reputation, Olive looks for her own clues alongside the Scotland Yard inspector only to uncover selfishness, secrets, blackmail, and other sordid details that point the finger in half a dozen directions. Will a trail of broken pearls lead the way? Can she find the murderer before death strikes again?

This well-crafted mystery kept me guessing till the very end. Olive is a likable protagonist with sound instincts and a commendable sense of family loyalty. Both her longtime friend Jasper (a languid society gentleman who knows where to dig up information) and the thorough Inspector Longly were sympathetic characters who, I trust, will make an appearance in the next installment of the series. 

I couldn't help comparing this book to Lauren Willig's The Other Daughter, which is also set during the 1920s. Olive's high society friend Jasper reminded me of Simon Montfort from Willig's book. As an outsider trying to infiltrate the Bright Young Things, Olive's own investigation was similar to the one Rachel conducted. But despite the similarities, the tone of these books was very different, with Sara Rosett penning a cohesive and compelling whodunnit while Lauren Willig's book had a far more literary and romantic quality. Both books are great examples of 1920s historical fiction. 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received an advanced digital copy of Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett from NetGalley and Kobo Writing Life in exchange for an unbiased review. This is the first book in a proposed series by Sara Rosett featuring Olive Belgave, a member of high society in 1920’s England, with one foot in the world of the “bright young things” and the other in the world of work as she tries to make her own way in the world.
This is a solid new entry in the world of historical cozy fiction that introduces what could turn into an interesting series. Olive is hired to investigate her cousin’s new fiance, Alfred Eton, and his background by her aunt who has serious concerns about the truth of who he presents himself to be. Most of her investigation centers around her attendance at a weekend house party being held by Sebastian, a famous high-society photographer and purported Godfather to Alfred.
As the book unfolds, Olive witnesses Alfred’s murder by a person strongly resembling Violet, her cousin, Alfred’s fiancee. Olive and Gwen, Violet’s sister, are convinced Violet is innocent although she seems to be the primary suspect for the inspector in charge of the case. In an effort to prove him wrong and discover the identity of the real murderer, Olive pursues several lines of inquiry throughout the houseguests and in London.
There are clues and red herrings sprinkled liberally throughout the book with ample opportunity for the reader to determine the perpetrator. The mystery was easy to solve, and it was interesting to continue reading to see if the solution was consistent with the clues as presented.
While the book has good potential, the characters were not as fully developed as I would have liked. It was difficult to develop strong feelings toward Olive. She didn’t have enough depth to provoke any emotion within me as a reader. The same is true for the other more prominent secondary characters. It would be interesting to learn if Gwen and Violet, along with secondary characters such as Jasper, a childhood friend of Olive’s; Olive’s stepmother who presents some major changes in Olive’s life, not all of them positive; and Olive’s aunt and uncle develop more depth in future novels as at present they do not have enough depth to be compelling figures.
In summary, if you like books that are set in the roaring twenties, this series may hold some interest for you, particularly if the character development continues as the books progress. I would like to read at least one more book in the series before deciding if the series is one I would want to continue reading.

historical-fiction, murder, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, cosy-mystery, British

Enjoying this book was easy, writing a review without leaking spoilers is not.
The publisher's blurb is pretty good, but can't let you know that it's hard to pick out who will actually be the victim or how convoluted the suspect list becomes. There are even a small few characters that I really hope will feature in later books. Speaking of characters, they are very well drawn from the shallow to the ably competent to the downright slimy.
An excellent read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy via NetGalley. Thank you!

Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett is the first book in the High Society Lady Detective series and I hope this will continue for some time.

I found Ms. Rosett's writing to be descriptive and smoothly paced as the characters were introduced to the reader. I like Olive and cheered her on as she tried to find a way to make a living in London during the 1920s. Being from a higher society, but not the "upper crust", Olive has a few years of college under her belt but no marketable skills. She needs a job to support herself as she left home after her father remarried. Her Aunt Caroline and cousin, Gwen, hire her to establish the background on Alfred Eton who has become engaged to Violet, Gwen's sister. To learn more about him, Olive and Gwen attend a weekend party at Archly Manor. Unfortunately, the first night of the party, Alfred is pushed off a balcony and now Violet is the police's number one suspect. With a deftly plotted story, many shady characters attending the party, and enough twists and turns to cloud motive, means and even opportunity, it's an intriguing story that I was completely wrapped up until the end. It's obvious that Ms. Rosett did her homework for this historical novel and I was fascinated by the little details about the life and times of London and the countryside after the war.

Olive badly needs a job so she volunteers to check out her cousin's new boyfriend. They plan to marry and her aunt is not sure about him. She's not either and the money will come in handy. In the middle of the investigation, he falls from the balcony and dies. Her cousin is accused of murder. She might not know about him but she knows her cousin didn't kill him...

Kobo Writing Life and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

Olive steps up her investigation and tries to find proof it wasn't her cousin on that balcony with him watching the fireworks display. She's got two men who are flirting with her, the women are being snippy and she knows some are lying. When she finds out he's a blackmailer, she thinks she has a motive for death. But who did it?

The story began in the past and with various alias names and unknown history together, it takes some effort to find the killer. When Olive sets a trap for them, she almost gets caught in her own trap. They've already killed once, what's another body or two?

This was a good mystery that was very busy. No one in the story is an angel, but some are more evil than others...

I love historical mysteries and was excited to read this one by a new author to me. It was well written and fun to read. Both the story and characters were interesting and easy to relate to. I highly recommend and look forward to reading more in this series.

Murder at Archly Manor is an impressive beginning to a new cozy mystery series. The elements of a good story were all in place and worked together very well. I was interested from the first page and remained completely engaged to the last word.
Olive is a whip-smart main character. I particularly liked that she was part of proper society, but down on her luck, so that she had to rely on her wits - and a little help from her extended family.
Archly Manor was an excellent setting for a murder - an isolated manor filled with potential suspects. Every time I thought I had figured out the culprit, I was wrong - this made the unveiling of the killer very satisfying.
I set the mood for reading by listening to this playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/1273770988/playlist/132NEqR1asKt3ATLwSZ2AW?si=kSPLS6YGQOKE_BOC9PgTJQ
I recommend the book and the playlist for an immersive reading experience.

I really enjoyed this mystery! Historical mysteries are not a common read for me, I certainly gravitate more to contemporary mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one.

As a fan of <u>The Great Gatsby</u>, I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised that I like the reading about the 1920s. This story was an artful blend of aristocratic and the working class in England after the Great War.

The mystery unfolded in a natural way with clues pointing to everyone! The story was easy to follow with enough characters to keep interest, without confusion. I hope there will be plenty more stories about Olive and her investigations.

I plan on reading more of this author's mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

A fun historical cozy mystery filled with humor, a well developed plot and interesting characters,. It bring to life the early 20th century and the difficulty that women had in entering the working world. I enjoyed it.