Death made cozy … again. How long is this genre’s history?

Posted on March 29, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist

Death is an old subject. Old, old subject. And there are no signs we’re going to stop hearing about it.
For some reason, in 1891 England, amateur detectives and mystery book readers liked to call themselves Lord and Lady. Feeling superior, you two main characters?
Anyway, this time Lord William Wethington and Lady Amy Lovell jump into action after Mr. James Harding – no Lord in this guy – “drunkenly” falls to his death in the icy River Avon.
Problem.
Mr. Harding doesn’t drink. He may be a well-known dirty rotten scoundrel, but, he doesn’t drink.
Hmm.
But why should the Lord and Lady care about poor Mr. Harding and his unfortunate demise?
Because, like all cozy fans love to read, the cops have it wrong, again.
But … in 1891, the English constable somehow finds a letter with Lord William’s name on it.
Hey, isn’t that a paper letter? Water, paper, water, paper … That’d odd. Forget that the victim was drunk in a river. A paper with Lord William’s name on it surely means he’s the evil villain, right?
No, not a villain, a warlock! A stupid warlock who knows how to indict himself in a murder charge by creating waterproof paper in 1891.
Whatta moron.
Lord William’s circumstances certainly don’t change when the constable learns his dead guy cheated Lord William … and a bunch of other people … in business.
Hey reader, have you ever noticed these authors make the bad guy someone, who in secret, you really don’t feel that bad about losing?
Well, like all the rest, this historic cozy novel is yet another wonderful diversion into the world of superior police work pulled off by complete amateur detectives who are nothing more than cozy authors and their fans, who have nothing better to do than to be nosy.
It’s a nosy cozy.
That sounds like that term that started out in 2010 called “citizen journalism,” where a bunch of greedy newspaper publishers fired all their reporters and encouraged people who did not know a thing about how to report the actual news, flood newspapers and Internet social media sites with propaganda, lies, and half-truths.
But I’m not bitter.
Geeze and people wonder why our society is so generally uniformed with the actual facts these days …
Sign of Death, the second book in the Victorian Book Club mystery series by Callie Hutton. This title delivers exactly what it promises and is a no-brainer-read for historic cozy mystery fans everywhere.

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Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2

This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. I have only just started reading murder mysteries and they are such a nice change from pure romance. I enjoyed the characters and felt that they interacted very well. The mystery was well done and had me guessing till the end. There was adventure, mystery and a little romance that continued on from the last book where their romance started. It was an easy and enjoyable read. What they call a cozy mystery. There was no sex in this book but lots of looks and thoughts. I received this book as an ARC and freely give my review.

I had a hard time staying interested in this story. Too many genre tropes I don't care for (biased police, sleuth breaking in (or rather trespassing in this case), confronting the prime suspect). So you just know it's also going to follow the trope of "it's always the one they least expect".

I don't know why, but this story was trying my nerves more than usually.

Ummm, sadly, this book disappointed me. The synopsis of The Sign of Death was really interesting, but the story fell short it terms of character depth. I couldn't relate to the characters at all and struggled to keep on reading. 😭

2.75/5 stars.

Bath, England 1891
I don’t usually like stories about Lords and Ladies but this one is very enjoyable. Lady Amy is a mystery writer under the assumed name of E.D. Burton because back in those days a woman wasn’t recognized as a writer. Lord William Wethington is a businessman who has been called to identify a man found floating in the river that happened to be his man of business. The Lord and Lady met at a mystery book club meeting and together are working to solve how the man died. Practically everyone of Harding’s many clients had ample reason to want to kill him. Amy will have to be as clever as her characters if she is to save William from the gallows and herself from Harding’s real killer.

What a fun read! Delightful main characters, a nice romance and the twist and turns of murder. I really liked Amy and William. They had such a normal life in Bath yet found time to be sleuths. Their circle of acquaintances are interesting yet easy to see as the guilty one. With all those possible bad guys there is plenty of secrets to uncover. I admit I read this in one sitting. I was pulled into the story early in the book.

Story line was kind of dull and I didn’t get into it enough to want to continue reading it. Characters were boring and there wasn’t much to it to keep me interested.

In this adventure it is Lord Wethington who becomes a murder suspect. His man of business was found floating in the River Avon with Wethington's card in his pocket. William had begun to have questions about Mr. Harding's business ethics and wondering if he was cheating him.

As William and Lady Amy investigate they discover that William wasn't the only one the Mr. Harding was cheating. Other members of Bath society and even fellow members of their mystery book club had reasons to want Mr. Harding dead.

With the police focusing on Willian, it is up to Amy and William to track down the clues and try to discover who really did murder the villainous Mr. Harding. That would be enough to keep any two people busy. But they also have to deal with William's mother moving in with him and being determined to marry her son off. Of course, Amy's father has long been very concerned about marrying her off. When the two parents get together, the pressure mounts for both William and Amy.

Both Amy and William have gradually been coming to opinion that their reservations about being married are softening. If left alone, they would likely have decided to marry soon anyway.

But Lady Amy has another problem to deal with. She writes mysteries under a male pseudonym because her father wouldn't let her sell her books under her own name. But now the publisher is demanding that she appear at a book festival in Bath which she would like to do but which her father really opposes. One thing that endears her to William is that he knows her secret and isn't at all threatened by Amy's exposure as a best-selling author.

The story was filled with lots of characters who make good potential murderers. I liked the setting and the time period even though I could wish that women would have had more rights to their own lives. I liked that William was determined to protect Amy despite her desire to get herself into all sorts of dangerous situations. I liked her combination of bravery and reality. She faints on her first visit to a morgue, for an example.

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this one for its great characters and interesting plot.

This is a great novel! It is both comical and poignant. What starts as a humorous title turns poignant in the end.
After he helped solve the mystery of who murdered her fiance Amy finds herself in love with William and he in love with her.
William finds himself accused of the murder of his man of business Mr. James Harding. Amy is determined to help solve the mystery.
A surprising ending tops it all off.
Who knew Callie Hutton could write murder mystery as well as romance? She has done a stupendous job with both.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and I have left this review voluntarily.

An entertaining second entry into The Victorian Book Club mystery series featuring Lady Amy Lowell and Lord William Wethington. This book is part mystery, part Victorian romance novel, and all fun with a little humor thrown in for good measure.

As with the first book in the series, Amy and William are pitted somewhat against the police as they try to solve the murder of William's man of business. The police have leaped to the erroneous solution that William is responsible for this death. Expecting the police to work hard to find information that confirms their suspicions rather than identifying the real murderer.

Ms. Hutton does an excellent job of combining mystery, romance, and a touch of humor into this Victorian Era novel. It's easy to read, whether you want to read it more or less straight through or as a beach/airplane read with frequent interruptions. It is apparent from the beginning that William's man of business is involved in numerous shady dealings, creating the perfect motive for a number of people. As Amy and William investigate, they learn he is also a blackmailer, providing yet another motive for murder. He has managed to forge William's signature, thus implicating him in the activities, at least in the opinion of the police. Add to this the announcement from William's mother that she is moving in with William, which she does; and the insistence by Amy's publisher that she appear as E. D. Burton, her pen name, at a local book fair,and you have several storylines which need to be resolved. All of this takes place while Amy and William's relationship is growing into something more serious, despite their hesitations and the parent's proddings.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. An in-depth review is being scheduled for publication in Mystery and Suspense, the online magazine.. Link will be provided at that time.

We find our heroine and hero once again in deep water. So much so that this book could also be called The Further Murder Mystery Adventures of Lady Amy and Viscount Willam. When William's shady man of business is found floating in the River Avon, it is his turn to be the main suspect. Since the police are only focused on William, the two amateur detectives conduct their own investigation. Afterall, they did it successfully in the previous book when Amy was the main suspect. Lady Amy does have an advantage, she is the well-known murder mystery author writing under a pseudonym. What follows is a wonderful tale, full of intrigue, mystery, a bit of romance, and a full list of suspects. However, is the murderer on their list? I do hope that this is not the last we see of the characters. I absolutely love them.

this was a delightful romp. Even though this was not the beginning of the series, I felt I didn't need it, but it wasn't overly explained either - which is a good thing. I will need to explore this authors other books

The Sign of Death is a historical cozy mystery and is the second book in the Victoria Book Club Mystery. There is enough context in this book that you won't feel lost at all if you jump into this book. The story is told from two points of view, Lady Amy who writes mysteries under a pen name, and Lord William her good friend and--maybe more! This book takes place in Bath, England in 1891. This is the first cozy I have read taking place in this time period, but I have read romance taking place during the late 1800s.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and so the exact wording of the book can change between the ARC and the published book so this might be slightly different but I have to share a sentence. I knew I would enjoy this book from the first sentence:

"William, Viscount Wethington starred in horror at the missive in his hand, the blood draining from his head. He read it a second and then a third time, but the words never changed. My dearest son, After much consideration, I have decided to retire from our townhouse in London and take up residence with you in Bath...affectionately, Mother."

My kind of humor right from the start! Lord William's mom is moving in and she wants him to get married. But he has bigger problems because in the next chapter we find out that Willam's man of business was found drowned in the river, and later we find out he was quite unscrupulous!

Recently, I attended a webinar for mystery writing and the author who was presenting talked about how important it is for amateur sleuths to be actively searching for clues instead of writers having clues just conveniently plop into their laps. Callie Hutton does a great job having active sleuths. Lady Amy and Lord William are like Sherlock Holmes and Watson, they are on the case!

This book a fun historical mystery Lady Amy and Lord William make a great duo and I am looking forward to their future adventures!

4.5 stars!

“The Sign of Death” by Callie Hutton is the 2nd instalment in the " Victorian Book Club Mystery". What an amazing follow up to book one, I think this is my favourite historical mystery series.
The story pulled me in right away, I was so engrossed in it that I read in one sitting. I found myself becoming invested in what happened to lady Amy and William as they are likeable characters that work well together plus the budding romance between them you can’t help but be happy.

I like how there were several stories woven into this mystery but they flowed seamlessly together. It enabled us to get more background on some of the book club members The mystery itself was well plotted, entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. At the end

I can’t wait for the next instalment!

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

I found it difficult to muddle through several storylines while trying to focus on the main characters, main story. It was okay but I found it messier than necessary.

William is accused of killing his man of business. Amy helps him to prove his innocence. In doing so they realize that they make quite the team. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my honest review.

This is a very good cozy with elements of mystery and romance. William and Amy have a murder investigation to solve and there is a great cast of quirky characters to support them. Very well written, this book will draw you along for the ride.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second novel in Callie Hutton's A Victorian Book Club Mystery, but it is my first novel to be read by the author. After reading this one, I have to say that I plan on purchasing both the first and second as soon as possible.

In England 1891, Lord William Wethington has been asked to identify his man of business, James Harding, after he was found drowned in the River Avon. It quickly becomes apparent to Lord Wethington that Mr. Harding's death was not a drunken accident, as the police suspect, and that Mr. Harding appears to have been conducted some shady business with both Lord Wethington's and a few other clients' finances. When the police insistently focus on Lord Wethington as the culprit, he enlists the assistance of Lord Amy Lovell, friend and fellow book club member. Lady Amy has some experience in detecting as she is secretly a famous mystery novel writer. With so many suspects and little time, Lady Amy and Lord Wethington are in a race to find the real killer before Lord Wethington winds up behind bars or, worse yet, another body is found.

I love reading historical novels because I love the manners and nobility that is often portrayed. The author was generous in her regards to both William and Amy as well as a slew of other characters. It is a privilege to find oneself engulfed in the atmosphere of the times. How I wish many still followed some (not all) of these rules of society.

It was the relationship between Amy and William, however, that truly made the novel enjoyable. Even though there was a murder, their lives did not stop. Instead, it seemed to flow into the way they communicated with each other. William was very progressive in his thoughts about Amy's working and her intelligence as they conducted many outings together, and kept each other up-to-date about the investigation when they were separated. But William never lost his protectiveness over Amy, and Amy first thought was of William when she needed help.

The murder itself was interesting, but I did feel that the facts were relatively vague. The conclusion came a little too quickly for my liking, and with very little evidence. I think it would have been nice if there had been more clues, instead of a vague one off.

Overall I rate this novel 4 out 5 stars, and will follow this author.

I have read and loved many many cozy mysteries over the years. Not once did I ever think of mixing that in with historical fiction but all I can say is, Wow! I wish that I would of thought about this combination years ago as I liked it so much more than I had originally anticipated.

I loved this book so much that I didn't want it to end. Normally, I look and see how much more of a book is left so that I can calculate how much time until I start the next book but on this one I kept looking just because I didn't want it to run out!

William and Amy are the most wonderful couple even if they themselves do not realize it yet. I love love love historical fiction. I always have. I think that there is something so pleasing about the old ways of life, especially of the genteel. There is just something about it that I love and this book hit the spot. I loved the mystery. I loved the family lives of each of the characters and the fact that even the peerage had problems. It was highly relatable, grandiose in a wonderful way, and the mystery kept you on your toes.

I had no clue who the killer was until the very end and I love love love surprises. This is the first book of Callie Hutton I have read and man I just loved it so much! Never a dull moment. Truly a fantastic book. I cannot wait to read many many more books by this author. I highly highly recommend. I especially loved the ending. It left me feeling happy and lighthearted. I loved it. I cannot say that enough!

I was given this ARC to be read and reviewed through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

So, so much fun! A little reminiscent (in a good way) of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series by this same publisher. I love books that are directed around book lovers like this one, and it had a compelling romance to boot.