An engaging new addition to the series, made all the more romantic now that Stella and Lyndy are married! Some twists in the mystery I didn’t see coming, but a few I did. Definitely not how one wants to spend their honeymoon!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was the first book that I've read in the Stella and Lyndy mysteries series. And, even though it was the 4th book in the series, I was able to understand and follow along, as this could easily be a standalone book. I loved the Edwardian setting for the story. It made for such a cozy murder mystery! I felt the characters were relatable too! I loved the use of chocolate, although it definitely made me crave all the sweets! I will definitely be going back to read the other Stella and Lyndy books, as well as recommending them to my friends.

Lord and Lady Lyndhurst are on their honeymoon in York. Lord Lyndy has taken every care that nothing
should go amiss on their stay in York but right at the start the Honeymoon Suite has been given to an
an elderly gent Mr. Wingrove much to Lord Lyndhurst's chagrin and dismay but his wife the light hearted
American Stella just shrugs it off as another odd thing that has happened.

When Mr. Wingrove is found dead the next morning and several people and circumstances prove too suspicious
for Stella, she independently tries to get to the bottom of this mystery despite all protocols and
expectations of the time expect her to behave otherwise.

When Stella's visit to York coincides with the Royal Princesses unveiling of Queen Victoria's statue
she like all dignitaries attend until a bomb set off disrupts the proceedings, causes injuries and damage
to people attending and a search for whether the attack and the murders are connected.

The story which was a detective story in the main, held a lot of interest due to its Edwardian setting.
Everything and everyone was dictated by the norms of the time, from the Police to the inhabitants and
it was striking to see how the aristocracy could get away with literally murder if they were pushed to it.

Very interesting reading.

There’s something particularly cozy about Clara McKenna’s Stella and Lyndy series. No, I don’t have a bunch of Lord and Lady friends, and clearly we are not living in the early 1900s, but the main characters are nevertheless so relatable. Murder at the Majestic Hotel, the fourth book in this wonderful series, continues the tradition, offering both a gripping mystery and a plethora of charming characters.

When newly-married Lyndy and Stella (Lord and Lady Lyndhurst) arrive at the Majestic Hotel in York, they are dismayed to discover that their Honeymoon Suite has been given away to Horace Wingrove, a respected chocolatier who is famous for his “cream milk.” They are even more frustrated when Wingrove refuses to trade for their equally luxurious Royal Suite. Wingrove, it turns out, has a long-standing connection to the hotel, having honeymooned there several decades before. Lyndy and Stella have barely adjusted to their Royal Suite when a couple of people looking for Wingrove come knocking at the door. When Wingrove is found dead in the Honeymoon Suite, ostensibly due to carbon monoxide poisoning, Stella and Lyndy consider themselves lucky to have escaped his fate. The local constabulary deems it an accident. But when it is discovered that the secret formula to Wingrove’s chocolate is missing, Stella’s curiosity is aroused. Was this a mere accident, or is something – or someone – more sinister afoot?

This mystery is especially engrossing. With several layers and a surfeit of suspects ranging from hotel personnel to Wingrove’s disgruntled relatives, there is a lot for Stella and Lyndy to untangle. I only guessed at the resolution shortly before they did. Stella and Lyndy have good chemistry together, with her headstrong spirit serving to balance out his formality. There Is an intriguing subplot involving a foiled bombing at a private reception honoring Princess Beatrice and Princess Ena, and another involving Stella’s desire to see the first grandstand in York. Add to that a heavy dose of familial machinations, and the result is non-stop entertainment.

As a historical cozy mystery, Murder at the Majestic Hotel is spot on. It is a well-crafted novel that draws the reader in and holds your attention until the very end. The author’s note at the end of the book offers an interesting historical perspective, both with respect to the bombing incident and to the “dairy milk” that inspired the Wingrove’s cream milk. I very much enjoyed learning these bits of history, and I look forward to joining Stella and Lyndy again on their next literary adventure.

Note: I received an ARC of Murder at the Majestic Hotel from NetGalley and Kensington Books. The above is my honest review.

This fourth installment in the Stella and Lyndy historical cozy series is excellent, with a great plot, interesting characters and a bit of fun.

American Stella Kendrick, an heiress, and her new husband, Viscount Lyndy Lyndhurst are in the cathedral city of York on their honeymoon. Even though Lyndy reserved the honeymoon suite for an extended period, the couple arrived at the Majestic Hotel to find an elderly gentleman, Horace Wingrove, the head of England's best chocolate company staying in their suite.

Loved the characters in this one and, while this 4th book was the first I read, I had no trouble following along and, in fact, have just picked up a copy of the first book so I can quickly get up to speed in this series.

Very enjoyable!!

3.5 stars

This cozy historical series set in Britain in the early 1900s features American heiress Stella and her titled but impoverished husband Lyndy. Earlier books detailed their rocky road to romance -- both were coerced by family members into an arranged betrothal. But along the way, they fell in love and are now married and supposed to be enjoying their honeymoon in the historic city of York.

But from the first, things don't go according to plan. The Honeymoon Suite has been co-opted by an old gentleman who turns up dead there the next morning. Stella and Lyndy are aghast, and of course they investigate.

This is a pleasant read. Personally I preferred their earlier prickly relationship to their saccharine newlywed cooing, but perhaps that will moderate after the honeymoon is over. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read this as a standalone novel, yet not knowing the previous books I found this enjoyable. The settings and strictures of society in this era. The clothing, the formalities, the carriages, hair styles, foods, gave an enjoyable read.

Stella and Lyndy have traveled to York for their honeymoon. Upon arrival at the Majestic Hotel, they find that their reservation has been given to someone else! And Horace Wingrove, owner of England’s largest confection companies, is not giving it up. This turns out to be fortunate for the newlywed’s, as during the night, Wingrove dies from what appears to be carbon monoxide poisoning.

Accident, or murder? If it was murder was Wingrove the intended victim, or was someone targeting Stella and Lyndy? Stella is determined to find the answer. Along the way, and as the suspect list grows, the couple uncovers secret chocolate recipes, anarchists, and plots against visiting royals.

I’ve read all of the previous books in the Stella and Lyndy series, and I think this is a good addition. It has just enough twists and red herrings to make for an interesting cozy mystery and lightweight read.

Stella and Lyndy are, as always, engaging characters, but I did miss all of the characters from the previous books. The interactions of the couple with Lyndy’ s family, friends, servants, and village residents created more of a balance, whereas here it was all Lyndy and Stella’s adoration of each other. This soon became a bit tiresome and one note.

All in all, an entertaining entry into this cozy series.

My thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy made available for my review.

1905 and the young couple from the previous books in the series decide the honeymoon in York. Here they immediately (and conveniently) are faced with a murder to solve. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read the earlier books in the series. The characters seem a bit silly to me and the romance does not always seem to fit into the overall feel of the story. I did really enjoy the setting and any book with a story based on chocolate makes me smile.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Of course Stella and Lyndy can't even go on their honeymoon without investigating a murder! I do love that this book allowed them to build their relationship and closeness with some time just for them, away from parents and society. It's been a delight to watch them begin to care for each other and trust each other throughout the series. And how that trusts extends to their investigations as they work together to determine what happened to their hotel neighbour and another unsettling event.
I enjoyed the various elements of the mysteries and how they were resolved. Once again, the historical details were fascinating (though events that include a real life figure did not happen as they did in the book). Now I shall look forward to their next adventure.

I'm so happy to see how the relationship between Stella and Lyndy (now married) has progressed and how much in love he is with her.

It was slow at first to get into the book, but once I was in it, the mystery was wonderful.

Great continuation of a wonderful cozy.

1905, Yorkshire, newlyweds, law-enforcement, theft, relationships, relatives, murder, murder-investigation, hotel, expats, class-consciousness, cosy-mystery, chocolatier, series, amateur-sleuth, married-sleuths*****

Heck of a way for a honeymoon to begin. First the reserved honeymoon suite was given to an elderly chocolatier, then a tiny bat flies down the flu in their very purple room, then his relatives create a row, then the old man turns up murdered. Toss in an unpleasant secretary, a missing formula, and someone ransacking the dead man's room. But the newlyweds are (to their own dismay) experienced sleuths and get into the fray. A growing list of suspects, a few twists and red herrings make this an enjoyable cozy.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thanks for introducing me to a new mystery author!

Why haven't I heard of Clara McKenna and all the beautiful books she wrote? While I was reading half of the book, that's when I found out that this is already the 4th book but wow, just wow!!! Reading through Murder at the Majestic Hotel didn't made me feel like I'm missing out a lot or had to read the books before this installment to understand. A MUST READ IF YOU'RE INTO MURDER AND MYSTERY!!!

This has become one of my favorite historical mystery series, mostly because I love this time period, because of all the changes it brings historically, but I can rarely find GOOD books set in this era.

Stella and Lyndy are married now (!!) and their honeymoon absolutely doesn’t go as anticipated. When their honeymoon suite is given to another guest, then that guest dies in the room, there’s a mystery to be had. Stella notices an anomaly and starts looking into what really happened, while Lyndy goes along with it because he adores his wife.

There’s a well written mystery with a couple of red herrings and a list of suspects and I liked that Stella and Lyndy actually used intelligence to look into this. But the real fun to this book was the interaction between those two, especially since Lyndy could pretty much care less what happened, he just wants to be with Stella. With them being newlyweds, this read a little bit more like a romance than a mystery compared to the previous books, but I absolutely didn’t mind because I love these characters and Ms McKenna’s storytelling is fantastic.

I hope we get more books in the series!

Stella and Lyndy are back with a bang in this new installment! Newly married, they embark on a honeymoon trip that doesn’t go at all as planned. You have to feel a little sorry for them, trying to catch a break and ending up with more murder and intrigue, but it makes for a great read!

Lyndy is by far the most precious and delightful element of this book. His adoration for our intrepid Stella is so painfully evident, and he grounds the entire novel with his realistic view of this new mystery- he just wants to spend time with his wife, intrigue or no. He doesn’t hinder the mystery, but keeps us in the realm of possibility for amateur sleuthing- he can help solve the crime (if it even IS a crime) but he wants to leave it to the inspectors, not put his wife in danger.

Stella is no footnote- her intelligence and compassion have marked her from the very start, and they’re present in spades here, as well as being a key to mystery in this novel. It’s one of the reasons Lyndy loves her, and it makes her special in the world of historical mysteries. I love that her emotion and passion are keys, not hindrances, to the plot.

The mystery here is also very interesting, as well as being REALLY high stakes. Obviously in book 3 the murder is very personal to our characters, but this one broadens the horizons and possibilities for future books.

My one complaint here is that when we remove our couple to a new town, we lose a lot of the characters that support them, and it was hard to adjust to an almost entirely new cast, not even Tully! I’m attached to New Forest, and we didn’t get to see any of our side favorites in this new location. Hopefully they’ll be back and we’ll have more New Forest ponies, and I’m glad we did get some Sir Owen because I love him. Overall a great installment in the series and I can’t wait to see what Stella and Lyndy get up to next!

“Murder at the Majestic Hotel” is book four in a series authored by Anna Loan-Wilsey, pen name Clara McKenna. The book follows the honeymoon of American heiress Stella Kendrick and husband Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst. Despite the pairing initially being an arranged marriage, we’ve seen their friendship develop and romance blossom over the course of the series.
Brief synopsis: “Leaving behind tragedies surrounding their wedding at Morrington Hall, travel-worn Stella and Lyndy arrive at the grand Majestic Hotel in York to more misfortune--their stately honeymoon suite has been given away to Horace Wingrove, owner of England's largest confectionery. Stella refuses to let an innocent booking mistake spoil the mood, but her optimism vanishes when Horace suffocates in the room where she and Lyndy should have stayed . . .”
Wonderful prose throughout. I especially liked the rich, descriptive details which set the scene every step of the way: “white-faced wooly sheep dotted the verdant pastures liked spilled pearls on a plush green carpet.”
Clever motives and means and murder(s), a plucky heroine, sweet romance, Edwardian charm and lots of British architectural history make this novel a must-read.

I have been fortunate in having read all of the books in the Stella and Lyndy mysteries from the first book where their parents arrange an engagement between strangers-The American heiress's money for an English title.
Luckily Stella and Lyndy fell in love and are finally married and on their honeymoon in York where they have reserved the honeymoon suite at the Majestic Hotel.

Unfortunately, their suite is given away to Horace Wingrove, who stayed there years ago on his honeymoon and wanted to bask in his memories as his wife has passed away. Stella and Lyndy
are comped the Royal suite across the hall and are disturbed in the middle of the night by visitors demanding to see Mr. Wingrove. They are disturbed again the next morning by the screams of the hotel maid and discover that Mr. Wingrove has died. It appears he succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning and Stella and Lyndy realize they had a close escape. The hotel manager doesn't agree as the rooms don't have gas in them and wants the police. involved as he is concerned about the hotel's reputation. Stella notices an anomaly-there are no pillows in the Honeymoon suite and there should be pillows galore.

There are plenty of red herrings, and another death to solve. Stella and Lyndy work well together and it is fun to get a peek of their relatives as well. A very well plotted mystery with great characters and intelligent sleuthing. I didn't see this one coming. I recommend this series and this latest installment in particular.

Also enjoyed the author's notes-Wingrove's is somewhat based on Cadbury's with their famous cream milk and Rountree's on Rowntree's the inventor of KitKats

I did receive an ARC from the publisher but the opinion expressed is mine and not influenced by that.

Stella and Lyndy are spending their honeymoon in York at the Majestic Hotel and, of course, there was a murder. It occurs in the honeymoon suite, a room they were supposed to have. Were they the intended murder victims. Was it not really a murder (it was), or was it an unfortunate accident (it wasn't). Through the course of their investigation they uncover a plot to murder they royals visiting York and discover a missing chocolate recipe.

Finally! The honeymoon! Too bad someone died in what was to be Stella and Lyndy's hotel suite. Lyndy is head over heels in love with Stella, to the point of being demonstrative in public! It is so much fun to see that man coming out of his too cool to care shell with a big smile on his face. It is even making his playboy cousin Owen jealous as to what he is missing out on. Stella is over the moon in love with Lyndy and so appreciative of the care and love he shows her. Despite its being their honeymoon, the two work together to see justice done and help the people affected by this mysterious death.

As a mystery and true crime lover, this would have been a very fun honeymoon for me! I was intrigued the entire time and couldn't put this down.