An Extravagant Death by Charles Finch was a truly enjoyable trip through history as well as the sleuthing that was necessary to solve crimes in bygone days.

We have become jaded in our modern day with the speed with which problems and paradoxes are untangled. Go back in time to the late 1800’s. We know that Time was not really a friend. In centuries past, waiting weeks or months to get results was not uncommon. A criminal case, a “Who done it”, was not solved with medical, or forensic techniques to ferret out clues. That is what we do now with the knowledge we have at our disposal.

Observations and reactions of those involved or close to the crime needed to be measured. Motives for everyone close to the scene needed to be closely monitored. Actions and reactions could lead to the culprit.

Travel wasn’t done in hours, rather, a good detective needed to travel by boat, train, carriage and foot. Time was not on the side of the Detective! Rather time could make it possible for the guilty to “disappear” before they came into the spotlight as a possible suspect.

Everything is taken into consideration when murder is involved. especially with the new “Society order” of people in America. The rich and powerful hold the reins. Money and the ability to hire the best detectives, when one of their own is the victim becomes paramount.

Family honor is at stake.

So Detective Lennox is summoned from England (as one of the best detectives) to American soil, to find the murderer of a beautiful young socialite. Needless to say, there are many twists and turns in this novel and a lovely look at what socialites did in those early days in America.

The backdrop is New York and the lovely Newport area that is home to some of America’s richest. The whole town up in arms over the murder in their midst. Nothing is straight forward, everyone has ulterior motives. Long shadows are cast into everyone’s corner. It is up to London’s best detective to use his incredible senses of observation to find the guilty party!

Stay tuned for a ride through the Americas of the late 1800’s as our sleuth takes us through to the final conclusion!

I really enjoyed this book that will be available February16 of 2021. Look for it in your local bookstores then!

This Review was originally published at https://www.grammieknows.ca

Charles Lenox, the great English detective, has put the Disraeli government in a tight spot with his latest success (uncovering corruption at Scotland Yard). He has been "encouraged" to visit America, meeting with police commissioners and other officials to discuss crime detection methods. After a successful meeting in New York City, Charles is heading to Boston via train. Accompanying him is Theodore (Teddy) Blaine, the second son of a wealthy and influential family. Teddy aspires to become a detective and is taking advantage of the opportunity to talk with Charles, whose fame is known on both sides of the Atlantic. The train unexpectedly stops, and Charles soon discovers that he is the reason. William Schermerhorn IV, head of another wealthy family with ties to the original Dutch settlers of New York, wants Charles to investigate the murder of Lily Allingham, a young socialite who was killed on his property in Newport and who has been connected romantically to his son. Charles is reluctant to get involved, but Teddy convinces otherwise. Newport and high society in Newport are not what Charles expected. Charles is no stranger to wealth and nobility, but there is an ostentatiousness among the wealthy in New York and Newport that is unfamiliar to him.

The author has crafted a creative and enjoyable mystery, with some surprising twists. The mystery involves social aspirations (Lily is not from the highest tier of American royalty but her beauty is such that she would be a “catch” for the scion of any high society family), as well as old wealth (represented by families such as the Schermerhorns) vs. new wealth (represented by families such as the Vanderbilts), and the passion and fickleness of young love (Lily has been connected with both William Schermerhorn V and Lawrence Vanderbilt and she left many unsuccessful suitors in her wake). "An Extravagant Death" was well worth reading.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book Charles Lenox who is a detective in London has been very busy. His next case takes him to the United States. While their a woman jumps to her death. Individuals are not sure if it was suicide or murder. This book kept me guessing.

Somehow I have missed the last few Lenox books but found this one as enjoyable as I did the early books in the series. His trip to America and foray into Newport society to solve the mystery of a debutante makes for an interesting story and the plot is so well done - the culprit took me completely by surprise! Seeing the excesses of the Golden Age through an English aristocrat was fascinating, particularly in regards to Mrs. Astor and the 400. No spoilers but based on the ending I look forward to seeing where Lenox's future takes him. Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of #AnExtravagantDeath.

British detective Charles Lenox investigates the murder of a debutante in Newport, Rhode Island, in Charles Finch's new book in the series.

Finch's three most recent books filled in Lenox's early days: In "An Extravagant Death" we return to present day, albeit late 19th Century, Lenox has just completed the case of his career, investigating corruption at Scotland Yard. Exhausted, he jumps at the chance to visit America.

Lenox describes life in American society and muses over the lives of its rich compared to wealthy English society.

The change of scene is entertaining. It breathes fresh air into Finch's popular series. Let's hope it's not Lenox's last case.

n Extravagant Death was a severe disappointment. I love historical mysteries, being an Agatha Christie fan, but this story was too bogged down with descriptive details. It took ten chapters for the murder to occur, and I am disappointed that I stuck with the book. I was hoping it would get better. The differences in class systems and the prejudices of the time period were accurately shown through the characters. Even though the historical details were very well-researched, the main focus from the start should've been the murder. I received an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

An Extravagant Death is an interesting English spy novel with a detective working along the lines of the Scotland Yard investigations although he is a private investigator.. He gets sent to the United States by Prime Minister Disraeli to quiet him and thus discovers a new murder to investigate. Set in the earlier years of the US with lots of British dialogue among characters, the book was a challenging read. I did enjoy the mystery.

this was a great mystery novel, the plot itself was fantastic and I really enjoyed trying to solve the mystery. I enjoyed the characters and going on this journey with them. I look forward to more from the author.

I've really enjoyed the two prequels that have been published before this book however I am glad to be back to the main story. This book did not disappoint. We find Charles Lennox being asked to go to America and while there he finds himself conducting a murder investigation. We get a glimpse of Gilded Age America and I loved the comparisons between England and America at that time. I did feel like this was an ending to the series which I haven't verified yet. I hope not.

Book Review for An Extravagant Death by Charles Finch
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

An Extravagant Death is an extravagantly written story: brilliant imagery in metaphor and word choice, intuitive, thoughtful and relentlessly thorough.
To new and seasoned readers, the first paragraph of the book
masterfully introduces gentleman detective Charles Lenox, setting the journey ahead with his observation that “human affairs, too, could unexpectedly take decisive shape just when everything seemed to be in flux.”
The political and social history of the late 1870’s flows through the pages. Lenox is torn between family loyalties and affection, his longings to travel, and a firm request from PM Disraeli for him to disappear for a while during a sensitive trial, embarks on a mission to America under the Queen’s patronage.
He arrives on the shores of New York. The author, with insightful characterization, and detailed descriptions of place, customs and courtesies, depicts
Lenox’s enthusiastic forays into the city where he meets Teddy Blaine, a young man who is quite interested in his detective work and hopes to be mentored.
They set out for Boston but enroute are diverted by a murder of a young woman in Newport.
In the ensuing investigation, the reader is drawn into the workings of the intricate culture, societal rules and privilege of the ultra wealthy of American aristocracy-the Astors, the Vanderbilts.
The question is whodunit and why?
Who murdered the most beautiful young woman of “not of the first class” parentage? Exactly how are familial affairs being handled by the privileged? Which son would she have agreed to marry?
Charles Finch has accomplished a wonderfully descriptive chase, and one line in the books sums it up: “In America, we begin with money, revenge, and love, and find that answers for most of them.”

I have read several of this series and was a little disappointed to read that this book took place mainly in the USA. Generally, I like my detectives to stay in their usual environment. In this case I needn’t have worried. I enjoyed this novel very much.

The detective in this story is Charles Lennox, who has acquired a wife and two daughters since I last read about him. When the story opens, he is being encouraged to leave the country, on official business for the Queen, by no less a person than the prime minister, who wishes to avoid as much official embarrassment as possible after Lennox had exposed a scandal at Scotland Yard. Lennox is reluctant to leave his family, but his wife encourages him to go to America, as she knows he has always wanted to travel. Lennox’s purpose is not to detect, but a murder is brought to his attention and he deviates from his route to help in solving it.

Although this book was written recently, it has the flavor of an old fashioned detective story. It is mostly set on the east coast of the US during the Gilded Age. The mystery is a good one, with a very surprising finish, but the book is also notable for its excellent perspective on society and class during that time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this excellent novel.

I have never have had the opportunity, and what turned out to be the pleasure, of reading a Charles Lennox mystery. The fact that it is the 14th in the series did not hamper my enjoyment of An Extravagant Death, It is not necessary to have read any of the preceding installments to follow the storyline or lend a hand in solving the mystery.

Lennox, an upper-crust British gentleman, doesn't carry the same cache' as his peers, because he happens to be the second son, and is therefore not as restricted by the convention of the time. He became a private detective and opened his own flourishing agency.. Working in that capacity, he solves a case of corruption in Scotland Yard and is asked to leave the country while this plays out. Sent to America, under the auspices of the crown, he is called upon to investigate a suicide/murder in the wealthy community of Newport, RI.

Bouncing back and forth from suspect to suspect, Lennox seems as uncertain as I was throughout most of the book, but eventually finds the murderer in the guise of a most unlikely character. Along the way we both learned something about class and custom as it applies to those with title, position and wealth versus the working class. Charles doesn't seem as bound by custom, using his ability to connect with the working class to help solve the mystery.

I'm a bit sorry that I started this series with #14, but glad that I have books 1-13 to look forward to. Thank you #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was excited to read this book, but I had a hard time getting into it. This book is part of a series. I haven't read the others, so I felt lost in the beginning chapters.

This is an exciting and unusual addition to this series. Most of the book is set in Newport, Rhode Island, along the cliff walk and the mansions. At the request of the Prime Minister, Disraeli, Charles goes to America as a controversial trial begins in London, based on his previous investigation. Soon after his arrival, a body is discovered on the cliff walk. As a noted detective, Charles assistance in the investigation is requested. The author immerses you in the history and politics of the gilded age, as the mystery unfolds. You experience the opulence and excess of the time, as well as the class divisions and prejudices. The mystery takes many unexpected turns, that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed the book! I did receive a complimentary copy through the publisher and Netgalley, and I am very glad I did.

Charles Lenox is an established detective in Victorian England despite that not really being an acceptable occupation for one of his class. He set aside his passion for traveling the world when he married Lady Jane and started his family. However, there is a big trial and Prime Minister Disraeli wants Charles out of the country before it starts. Disraeli requests that Charles go to America to visit a number of police agencies to bring back fresh ideas to put into use in England. While in America, Charles is sent a letter requesting his help in solving a murder in Newport, RI. Through the investigation of this murder we get to follow along as Charles the glitz and glamor of Newport. The "cottages" owned by people like the Astors are just a bit different than what Charles knows as a cottage. This is different than any of the previous Lenox mysteries as he is working in America rather than England. However, Finch has done his research and it is well written and brings the Newport of 1878 to life for us. Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read #AnExtravagantDeath and give my honest review, I'm more than happy to recommend this one!

The Gilded Age was a period in American history that encompassed the last quarter of the 19th century. The epitome of the age of the Vanderbilts, Astors and other obscenely wealthy and powerful was in full view in Newport, Rhode Island ‘Cottages’, the setting of this mystery. It seems the extraordinary nineteen year old beauty of the age, Lily Allingham, was in the season of her ‘coming out’ and was being courted by any number of suitors. Tragically she is discovered in the sand at the bottom of a cliff, the victim of a murder, her head being battered in.

The English aristocrat - and self made detective - Sir Charles Lenox was sent on a political mission to America by none other than the Prime Minister and Queen. Shortly after arriving he is none to subtly solicited to change his plans to solve this murder since it is well beyond local authorities to handle.

There is much to recommend this book. It is very well written and researched. Much will be revealed to the reader about people and places that will inform and entertain. The interactions and dialogue between the characters is authentic and interesting. The author, Charles Finch, handles the characterizations of the personalities colorfully yet not extravagantly. The physical description of the buildings and setting are equally well handled.

As to the mystery of the murder, the reader is able to follow Sir Lenox’s research and explorations as he collects both the clues and leads. The biggest mystery of the mystery is the ‘why’ perhaps even more than the who. Which brings me to my disappointment. I had to subtract one star from this review because the murder comes as a total surprise, with the reasons for his motivation seemingly coming out of nowhere.

All in all, though, this was a compelling, interesting and enjoyable read.

Thoughts: This is a story that takes place mostly in New England (America) during the Golden Age – between the end of the Civil War and the turn of the century. Lenox is a London detective who has been asked (commanded) by British PM Disraeli to get out of London until the results of his last case are over. His last case being one where he discovered and reported corruption at the highest levels of Scotland Yard. Although reluctant to leave his wife and two daughters, Lady Jane convinces him that it is best for everyone if he does. In America, he is asked to look into a murder that occurred in the highest levels of Newport society. While there, he is shocked at the absolute extravagance of the families—“cottages” that are nothing less than mansions; people who think nothing of spending millions on parties, and more. It’s almost more than his modest British sensibilities can handle. But he plows ahead and follows the clues, no matter who they might lead to. Lenox is a beautifully done character. You feel his emotions as he misses his family and deals with society. And the history in the book is well-researched and presented.

What I liked: This is the first book I read in this series but it is very well written and easy to read. You learn a lot of little things through Lenox and he discovers America. Things like how we got the words “shrapnel” (Lt. Henry Shrapnel invented an artillery shell that fragmented in 1803) and “grapevine” (the Grapevine Tavern in N.Y. was a place where Union officers and Confederate spies mingled during the Civil War. Thus, the source of news, information, gossip, and rumors was through the Grapevine). These little factoids added to the overall flavor of the story. I also loved Lenox’s wife, Lady Jane. How he married into society is a bit of a mystery in itself, but it works well for them—and the reader, especially when she manages to get him a “suitable” suit for the Astor party.

What I didn’t like: Actually, I thought at times, the story was a bit slow. There is a lot of detail—almost too much—before we even get to the “mystery” of the story. You’re almost a third of the way through before we get there. Also…the author made a big deal of the “Wallace murder” near where Lenox lives in London and he takes the files with him to America to work on and…nothing. It is not solved. Nothing about it is even mentioned after the Newport murder. I assume this will be solved in a later book, but it was disappointing to be teased by this case and then it is dropped. Not fair.

Recommendation: If you’ve read the other books in the series, definitely pick this one up. Though a bit slow for me, it is nevertheless well-written and has a satisfying conclusion to the murder. If you haven’t read any, though you can enjoy this one, I believe starting with the first will give you more of a basis with which to understand Lenox and his stories.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone.

A real triumph, oh, how completely dazzling! I read this in one sitting, through breakfast and lunch, in the feverish state that only unputdownable books can conjure up. An absolute treat.

Charles Lenox, acclaimed Victorian detective, would like to spend more time with his family - his lovely wife Jane, his sparkling daughter Sophia and his new baby, Clara, but those plans of domestic bliss are thwarted when Benjamin Disraeli (amazing portrayal of a rather forceful but charming PM) himself asks him to pay a visit to America, as a service to the Queen. There, Charles is quickly thrown into Newport's height of splendour where he meets old and new money and navigates an upper crust distraught by the murder of its most beautiful débutante, Lily Allingham.

I can't tell you how much I loved An Extravagant Death. It has everything this series does best. But first, if you're reading this - please don't pick up this book as a starting point if you haven't read the others. You can read books out of order sometimes in a series and it hardly matters but you can't do that here. It will spoil too many things and a lot of elements (secondary characters and Lenox's character arc) will make zero sense to you.

1/ I read a lot about Victorian England and this, I can say with absolute certainty, is the greatest series when it comes to learning about that time. This book is no exception. The research is excellent and it's not just broad strokes - intricate, small, tiny details (like the kind of taps you'd find in one of Lady Astor's many bathrooms, hot, cold, and salted, if you care to know). The kind of detail like knowing what fabric a piece of clothing is made of is not just here as a nod to history, it genuinely brings History to life. It's just gorgeous.

2/ OH MY GOD GILDED AGE NEWPORT. The abundance of riches in this book is completely over-the-top insane, I was in HEAVEN. If you're looking for description of all the details of extravagant parties and a catalogue of what money can buy - look no further. Lenox has to infiltrate the circle of millionaires of the nineteenth century and most of the book is spent with Charles having to pick up his jaw from the floor and I was in much the same state! I'm completely obsessed now. It's one thing to have characters wear expensive jewellery, it's quite another when our hero realises the very ballroom he's in carries no less than six paintings by Rubens. Yet throughout the book, it was completely like Lenox to see both the glamour and its problems, what makes America attractive, and its pitfalls, this was done so well and the social commentary is top-notch as usual. The comparisons with England at the same time are SO interesting. I'm completely obsessed now and must read everything I can about the the Knickerbockers and the arrival of new money, the Vanderbilts, the Astors and of course those glorious mansions (they call them cottages, a choice of vocabulary that's greatly commented upon in the book!). This is the world of Edith Wharton's The Buccaneers and Lisa Kleypas's Lillian and Daisy in The Wallflowers.

3/ Yes, there's a murder but this book is SO COSY. Every single dish is described (and let me tell you, there are many, it's completely glorious), there are scenes that last several pages that are written solely for Lenox to sit in his study and just enjoy a meal, picking up a cooing baby, scenes where he and Dallington stay at a club and are brought food IN THE LIBRARY because in clubs you can stay ALL DAY if you want to, a scene all about the sheer bliss that are dolphins. What I mean is - it's a WORLD, not just an investigation, and Charles Finch is incredible at making you feel like you're right there with the characters through tiny details that make them seem so human and just full of the need to just be content (when Lenox goes to America, he carries a small list of all the states and ticks every one once he's seen them for example, it's just lovely and something I can totally picture myself doing in the future!)

4/ The humour of this book is just perfect. Not PG Wodehouse stitches but genuine chuckles. It's truly lovely. Even though there's an investigation going on, this tells you that, somehow, you're safe. Levity brings down the tension considerably so you can really enjoy the plot. At some point, there's a clear reference to a Jane Austen creation that was such good insight into a new character it had me laugh and laugh. This humour comes with infinite pearls of wisdom, too, about privilege, about the status of women, remarks which speak to how great a social study this actually is - fear not, you're in good hands.

5/ Which brings me to the writing. Excellent and FREQUENTLY gorgeous. Where else will you find a home compared to a 'a ship built to sail to the stars' (this one made me sigh, I reread it several times).

6/ The gallery of characters is so well-drawn. I cared for each and every single one of them and had no trouble remembering who was who. Charles meets a past flame, Kitty, and she was easily my favourite one, she'd had a remarkable journey since we last saw her and their scenes showed how two ex lovers can interact with all the nostalgia, longing, but also, ultimately peace and acceptance, that is so true in real life. I was deeply moved. We also meet Disraeli, mentioned previously, and Caroline Astor and both come with the aura you associate with Historical Figures and leave a lasting impression.

7/ The plot itself was easy to follow yet full of twists - I didn't guess the culprit and their motives came as a complete SHOCK. The ending is left ambiguous as well - I wonder if this is Lenox's last case (say it ain't so?). If it is, though, you'll see why.

What a beautiful, beautiful new book in this already amazing series. One of my favourites for sure. I'm left completely satisfied - the plot is wrapped, the characters I love are safe and happy for now and this left me wanting to know everything I can about this period of time. The best books do.

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My endless thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced copy. I've read all of the Lenox books in the series and will buy a copy when it's released (HAVE YOU SEEN THIS COVER) but it's pretty special to be able to read a book almost 4 months before its publication.

An Englishman in Newport

A prepublication Big5 Plus review

Gilded Age amateur sleuth

r/suggestmeabook: I want a sedate journey through Gilded Age high society with a little murder mixed in.

Rating: G

From the publisher: London, 1878. “An Extravagant Death” finds Sir Charles Lenox traveling to Gilded Age Newport and New York to investigate the death of a beautiful socialite.

When The Favourite came out, there was a great conversation among the historical consultant and two other historians in my favorite history podcast, BBC History Extra. The point that stayed with me is that historical fiction is an attempt to translate the past for the present. To some extent, the success of any historical novel is the degree to which it successfully gaps the two.

Charles Finch has managed to capture the sedate pace of a period before cell phones and Google. The first ten chapters are part history lesson, part travelogue. As a denizen of the hurry-up present, that didn’t feel sedate; it felt slow, but in a way Louisa May Alcott doesn’t feel for me. Instead, it felt like a delay to get to the meat of the novel—ten chapters to get to the damn murder.

The book blurb doesn’t help: It makes it sound as though the protagonist has gone to the States specifically to solve the murder, but that’s not how it works at all.

Obviously a great deal of historical research has gone into the story, but sometimes the inclusion of the lovely bits feels a little forced, as is the case of the multiple mentions of “back log.” We meet historic personages and places with no bearing on the plot—which, coupled with the delay in getting to the main subject of the book, isn’t as interesting as it could be if better integrated into the mains storyline.

The subtle wit is a pleasure, though, and is well-suited to evoking Victorian England and the American Gilded Age. Once the murder mystery starts to unfold, it’s absorbing enough, although there’s nothing aside from the costume it’s wearing to distinguish it.

It’s off to me that the full blurb bothers mentioning the two children, as they, and his wife, are at best peripheral. To be fair, the novel is part of a series, so the mentions of characters as though I should care about them, when nothing in this book has created any feelings for them, could be an explanation for an assumption that cursory references suffice.

Reading it as a standalone, though, I’m not engaged enough with the characters to want to spend anymore time with them than this one book. Perhaps I would feel differently if I started at the beginning, but it’s too late for that now. This is the kind of trip down memory lane that makes the past seem tedious.