I always enjoy Charles Lenox mysteries. The only thing I missed in this story was Lady Jane. She balances him out. I missed all the side characters, too. I like that the author took him out of London to America to solve a murder, but I think I would have liked it more if he could have brought one of his associates with him.

I think I've read too many of these because I was suspicious of the killer from the very beginning. He struck me as shifty. But I still loved watching Charles come around to the solution.

I was a bit confused about the chronology of the installment, but I think I missed one and will have to go back and check.

Keep Charles solving mysteries! He's great!

Charles Finch takes Charles Finch back to his detective roots in An Extravagant Death. Disraeli sends him to America to research crime there so he does not testify in person against the corrupt Scotland Yard inspectors he has brought down. He is invited to Newport to look into the murder of a young woman who was rumored about to be engaged to several of the men of Newport high society. Charles is shadowed by Blaine, a young wealthy son of one of the richest Americans. As he investigates he also sees Newport cottage goings on. Whodunit?

An Extravagant Death by Charles Finch visited Gilded Age Newport, Rhode Island, in 1878. After closing a politically sensitive case in his home country of England, Finch is pressured to visit the United States while the court case unfolds. Along the way he’s dragged into a murder case set among fabulously wealthy Americans who’ve built “cottages” (actually mansions) at the seaside; meanwhile, he muses upon his career and if he wants to continue with it. This novel is fourteenth in the Charles Lenox series; I had read one previous installment, much earlier in the continuity. I don’t think it’s necessary to be familiar with the series to enjoy the book; this one felt very different from the other one I read in both tone and plot.

I have enjoyed the Charles Finch series of murder mysteries. Rather than enjoy my usual British venues this latest story takes protagonist Charles Lenox to America smack dab in the midst of the “Gilded Age.” For those that enjoy the Vanderbilt’s et al you shall enjoy “An Extravagant Death.” For me I shall wait for the next book in this series. As always, great writing by the duo authors.

Thank you NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book wasn’t my favorite book by Charles Finch. However, I did find the setting change in America interesting. The story was good. I also enjoyed the classic clues that led to solving the mystery.

Historical Fiction Mystery - Charles Lenox Mystery book 14

Charles is sent to America to establish an international investigative cooperation and exchange. While traveling to Boston he is summoned to Newport, RI to solve the murder of socialite Lily Allingham.

This is a slow-burn mystery. Most of the clues were kept in Lenox’s head so it was hard to see the connection and form a solution ahead of the reveal at the end. I did enjoy learning the historical background of the time period and area. I also liked the classic writing style. It was similar to reading a Sherlock Holmes novel. I would recommend this book to mystery readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Very engaging.
Nice touch to have the accomplished British detective go to America (amidst some arm-twisting by the government) and have him pulled into a murder in posh Newport, RI.
Although culturally something of a fish out of water, his basic skills still apply.
Quite cleverly done, both Lenox's actions and those of the murderer.

I usually have little trouble reading and keeping up with multiple books at the same time. This proved an exception, I readabout 20 percent and just wasn't getting into the book. I've read this series off and on over the years and enjoy the character of Lennox, us this one takes him to America and the wealthy enclave of so called cottages in Newport. So, I started over and read it straight through. That worked. This is a series that is slow moving but very atmospheric. The Gilded age is a fascinating one and coming from England the ostentatious appearance of wealth is one Lennox finds disconcerting.

When a young debutante is found dead at the bottom of the cliff stairs, Lennox with his reputation of detective extrodinaire, is asked to investigate. In the age before DNA, computers etc, all crimes are challenging to solve. There is much back and forth talking to the various old monied aristocrats, which provides some extraordinary looks at the opulent sceneries.

This is a whodunnit of the old kind, where the killer is fairly obscure till the end. Of course, it didn't turn out quite that easily for Lennox, nor did he find satisfaction in the revelation. Plus, I should mention, I didn't guess the person and was quite shocked by the reveal.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as previous entries in the series. The location change didn't work for me, and I found I missed the usual cast of characters. The narrator's American accents left something to be desired. There were sections where I was drawn in, however there were also others that appeared to go overly long without action or resolution and I found I got distracted. The description of Newport, Rhode Island was interesting and I enjoyed the author's observations of some of the cultural differences between England and America

I loved it! I hope is not the last novel of the Charles Lenox mysteries!
Thanks NetGalley and Saint Martin Press for the ARC.

When I think of thrilling reads, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels, thrills and can satisfies just about every reader's heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day. A great mystery.

A big thank you to the author Charles Finch, the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for my candid opinion.

This is the 11th book in the series about a turn of the century English self-trained detective. It is a good story about his trip to the United States and how he is brought in to help determine who murdered a young debutante. It is a mystery that takes place mostly in Newport RI during the gilded age when Vanderbilts, Astors, and scores of other uber-rich American socialites are the unofficial royalty in the US. While I did not solve the mystery on my own, there were clues there that should have pointed to the correct prepetrator.

It is an interesting series and I will enjoy going back and reading some earlier stories in the series.

An Extravagant Death was a great read. I love the characters and how I feel like I am meeting up with old friends as I am reading. This story is a great addition to the series or great as a stand alone.

I've been reading Charles Lenox since the summer of 2015 and it has been one of my favorite mystery series. Charles Finch writes with such precision and intelligence that I really cannot get enough of his writing. It makes me want to live in this time period and be Lady Jane's bff.

An Extravagant Death starts with the startling proposition for Lenox to travel to America. Hesitant to leave his wife and two young children behind, Lenox struggles with the decision to accept. But his lovely wife, Lady Jane, know that he will regret not traveling to America.

Upon his arrival, Lenox is met with wonderful hospitality and his reputation as a detective is quite the topic. In his travels, Lenox meets Teddy Blaine, a second son to one of the wealthiest families in the states. Teddy wishes to become a detective like Lenox. Traveling from New York to Boston, Lenox's train is stopped and his presence is requested at a site of a murder in Newport.

Lenox heads straight into high American society and the complicated politics of Newport to solve the murder of the 19 year old diamond of the season. The investigation takes twists and turns as Lenox struggles to make sense of the facts and bring justice to Lily Allingham.

My fears are that this is the last Lenox novel in the series. I don't think so, according to Charles Finch, but it's a possibility. I've come to love this series (14 book in all!), and I anticipate each new release. It's a series that will be in my heart for a long time.

When Charles Lennox is forced to travel abroad, he is exposed to the dark underbelly of New York and the lavish lifestyle of Newport. The debutante season is off to a rough start, when a young girl is found dead. Will the detective be able to help the family find answers, or has the wise sleuth been duped?

The heart of the story is spent on Lennox reflecting on old cases, and feeling stumped that he can’t solve this one crime. While this may flow better for readers who have read all the books in order, it will leave others questioning which book they should read first. The author does a brilliant job of bringing the sites and sounds, of early America, to life.

This was not my favorite Charles Lennox mystery. This felt like a goodbye, instead of a continuation. I read The Vanishing Man a few years ago, and absolutely loved it. I have read a few others and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one fell short for me, but I still hope Lennox returns in 2022.

Notes:
This review was originally posted on the Ariesgrl Book Reviews website. Thanks to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting mystery in that it took place in 1878 and 1879 in London, New York City, an Newport RI. I had not read anything by this author so I was intrugued reading about Charles Lennox, the distinguished detective sent from Englnd for a diplomatic mission for Queen Victoria.
The author described the place and the time wonderfully with a lot of historical detail. His descriptions put me back to the cities, the manners and the general aura of those times. I have never been to Newport, RI but I certainly saw the "cottages" of the coast through Charles (a proper English gentleman).
As he was traveling from New York to Boston to fulfill his mission, he was asked to go to Newport to investigate the death of a debutante. Was it murder or suicide?
In great Agatha Christie style (to my mind the gold standard for murder mysteries), Charles delved into each of the possible suspects, determined their possible motives, and discovered their whereabouts during the hours surrounding the death. This well crafted mystery was well paced and full of historical detail. He found some helpers along the way (who knew of him by reputation), and although I strongly suspected the perpetrator, the motive was a surprise.
This book definitely whet my appetite for more books about Charles Lennox.
I receibed an advance review electronic copy for free and I am leavingthis review voluntarily. Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing this to me.

Charles Lenox in America, specifically Newport RI. Interesting to see the differences between London Society and American in that period and through his eyes.

Charles Finch has done it again! I absolutely love this series with Charles Lenox, the Victorian era detective. In the latest installment, Lenox is asked to go to America and visit New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. Both are homes to the richest of society in a new America, and Lenox must navigate the social cues and family secrets in order to solve a murder mystery.

After 11 books and numerous stories. one would think Finch might get flat with story ideas, but that is not the case in this series.

This was a really good story that is unique in that I have never a storyline like this. It is kinda of a slow burn but then it gets going and gets really interesting. A very good mystery with twists and wit. I do not want to give anything away but a really great mystery read!

This was my first Charles Finch book. I am trying to branch out and read new things that I wouldn't ordinarily be drawn to. I must admit that I was impressed by his writing style! This book is set in my favorite time period - the late 1800s. Most of the books I read from this time period have characters who are barely making ends meet, so it was intriguing to read about the wealthy and affluent during the same time. Lenox was an interesting character, and I enjoyed seeing America through his eyes. I will definitely be adding Finch to my list of authors to watch for new books!