Agatha Christie meets film noir!

Caveat: this is deep into a mystery series which I haven't read but I found it could be read almost as a stand alone.
I really enjoyed the film noir, hard detective, practical aspect of this book combined with the small village murder mystery and local legend. Some prior knowledge of wool mills would have helped but the book gives a small glimpse into the industry and company villages. The formatting of my e-arc was a little off so somethings didn't make sense and I had to to reread it so that took away some enjoyment.

Will totally visit the series from the start and keep an eye out for new books!

3.75 stars

Kate Shackleton and her post World War I British investigations are a bit quirky and always interesting. She and her cohorts Mr. Sykes and Mrs. Sugden are an efficient team.

Kate gets an odd letter in the mail from a young man who says he wants to discuss something from the past concerning Milner Field and mansion in the British countryside. The manor has a bad luck reputation due to multiple strange deaths occurring to residents and workers.

Mr. Sykes goes along to explore the business end of the area, a large woolen mill operation, and Mrs. Sugden to oversee preparation and cleaning of the house before it's put on the market. But no sooner has Kate arrived than the body of the young man who wrote her the letter is found.

Kate is a competent and empathetic investigator and has to explore a lot of old secrets to discover the murderer. These books are a quiet pleasure. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a good cozy choice for someone looking for a series but wants a standalone option. Brody does well at giving us a mystery -- Kate Shackleton finding a dead body and a letter -- and intertwines other mysteries spanning the past. Good historical value and a fun read.

Thanks to BookSirens and the author for this ARC.

When Kate Shackleton receives a letter from an unknown young man promising "a story about the past that I know will be of interest to you," Kate decides to make a visit to Saltaire and the Milner Field estate.

Kate arrives at the appointed time only to find the police on hand informing his parents that young Ronnie Cresswell has been found dead in the reservoir under the woolen factory where he works. No one seems to know what information he intended to pass on to Kate.

When the head of the woolen mill speaks to her, he asks her to look into some industrial espionage that is threatening to put his mill out of business. Kate wonders if this information is what Ronnie had wanted to tell her. She and her housekeeper and her investigator decide to look into things. Things that might involve a long-standing curse on Milner Field and those who live in it.

This story, set in 1930, is the thirteenth in the Kate Shackleton mystery series. It is the first I have read. I would not hesitate to read others. I enjoyed getting to know Kate, her housekeeper, and her investigator. I found the plot nicely twisty and with intriguing bits of history woven in too.

I love this evocative series as a rule, but I found this one to be slow going.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

This is the 13th novel in the Kate Shakelton series set in English between the two world wars. This book takes place in 1930. The actual mill depicted here actually existed. I love the character of Kate who is a widow. I have not read all of the books in this series, but it is a good solid historical fiction mystery. It is definitely one of my favorites in that subgenre. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy.

A Mansion for Murder starts off with Kate Shakelton receiving a letter summoning her to a mill village in Yorkshire. The letter says that the writer has a matter of importance that must be known. Upon arriving in Saltaire, she discovers that the letter writer, Ronnie Cresswell has drowned on site in the woolen mill. What follows is old secrets, hidden resentments and industrial espionage. Jim Sykes and Mrs Sudgen help Kate. Jim has his work cut out for him in the factory. Mrs Sudgen is in charge of cleaning the large mansion connected with the mill, which is believed to be cursed.

I found this novel a good solid entry in this series. I gave it four stars. I recommend it.

"Old bones speak from the grave as a curse descends on Saltaire in acclaimed author Frances Brody's thirteenth Kate Shackleton mystery, perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Jacqueline Winspear.

When Kate Shackleton disembarks at Saltaire station, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, she has no idea what to expect. A stranger, Ronnie Creswell, has written to say that he has urgent information about the past that will interest her, and he persuades her to make the journey to Milner Field, the grand house that is said to be cursed. But moments after Kate arrives at the lodge, a messenger brings devastating news to Ronnie’s parents: he has been found drowned in the mill reservoir.

Ronnie's father suspects that this was no accident, and the post-mortem proves him right. Ronnie was murdered. Terrified and distraught, Mrs. Creswell refuses to stay at the Lodge a moment longer. But events take an even more shocking turn when ten-year-old Nancy Creswell, eyes and ears for her blind Uncle Nick, goes missing. An account of the fateful Saturday of Ronnie’s death arouses Kate's suspicions, and furhter investigations could prove her right. But truth is never so straightforward at Milner Field. Uncle Nick spins an old story that could hold the key to finding Nancy alive - though the fabled curse may not have claimed its last victim yet. And only a set of old bones buried on the grounds will finally reveal the horrifying truth."

Wouldn't it be funny if a book by Frances Brody just said "perfect for fans of Frances Brody!"

A Mansion for Murder was a great mystery that was set in such an enjoyable pocket in the past. I always enjoy reading mysteries set in different time periods other than our current one and Frances Brody did not disappoint.

On top of the mystery twists in the book there was a historical piece with characters flipping from the past to the current time of the story. This managed to give it a great creepy feel. Always something about long whispered about ghost stories about a cursed place. And then to discover that it was passed on an actual real life place.

I would definitely recommend this book to any cozy mystery lovers out there. This definitely is a great example of the cozy feel these books give while including mystery and murder.

Thank you @NetGalley for allowing me to read
this advance copy.

Set in 1930 Yorkshire, A Mansion for Murder is compelling, enchanting and engrossing, full of unique bits and perspectives. It is the thirteenth in the delightful Kate Shackleton series.

Detective and widow Kate Shackleton receives a letter from Ronnie Creswell of Saltaire who refers to a past secret. Kate and her sleuthing team consisting of her housekeeper Mrs. Sugden and Jim Sykes enter the scene. Unfortunately, Ronnie dies before their arrival at Miner Field Mansion. Old bones, new murder and a disappearance deepen the case and add an element of urgency. There is even a mysterious tower and even more mysterious Uncle Nick who has stories to tell.

Many of the characters are likeable and and the layers of secrets are unraveled beautifully at just the right times. I also like the setting, subplots, history and era. Author Frances Brody has a special way with details which makes her stories easy to envision.

Interestingly, Saltaire is a real town and Miner Field was a country house nearby. This novel whet my appetite to know more so I happily got lost in further research.

Historical Fiction Mystery fans, do try this worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable series.

My sincere thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this spellbinding book. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I have read all of the previous Francis Brody/Kate Shackleton books and have enjoyed them all, unfortunately, I liked this book the least, there were just too many loose ends.

Kate Shackleton receives a letter from Ronnie Creswell who asks that she meets him at Milner Field as he has information for her. Kate arrived to find that Ronnie is dead, seemingly in a tragic accident.

I found the narrative very long drawn out, and it didn't flow as much as in previous books.

Also who was the person on the motorbike, what was that about? Industrial espionage, end result.

Disappointed

This book was not bad and I did appreciate how she portrayed the main character - a paramount professional. The characters are well written and fleshed out. If you enjoy mysteries set during the world wars - this is for you! If you also love shows like Father Brown, Poirot, Grantchester - this is for you! The mystery is well thought out and it's fun to eliminate suspects as you read. I am excited to read some more of this authors books in this series.

It was a slow period for Kate Shackleton investigations. Her housekeeper Mrs. Sugden was pursuing her projects and Jim Sykes was finishing up a case. During this time Kate received an unusual letter from Ronnie Creswell of Saltaire, asking for her to come and meet with him. On the appointed day, arriving at the Lodge of Milner Field estate she learned of Ronnie's death. So she returned home not knowing what he wished to tell her. A short while later, Mr. Whitaker, owner of the Salts Mill and estate , came to Kate and hired her to investigate not only Ronnie's death but also who was giving out insider information to his rivals. In order for her team to be in the area, Kate and Mrs. Sugden, were hired to help put the Miner Field house in order, for it's sale.
An intriguing period cozy mystery where secrets from the past a well as the present are brought to light.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this e-galley of "A Mansion for Murder".

"Old bones speak from the grave as a curse descends on Saltaire in acclaimed author Frances Brody’s thirteenth Kate Shackleton mystery, perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Jacqueline Winspear."
This is a good mystery. I haven't read any books by this author before. It is awesome that this is about a real location.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

i am sorry that I could not rate this book more than two stars. I read a previous Kate Shackleton novel which I liked a lot. It was what I would call a pleasant book-not exactly a cozy but the detectives are likeable and there is not too much blood and gore.

This book was very slow. It takes a while to get into the main action. Also it had too many sub mysteries that directed from the main plotline. In my opinion, mysteries with more than two plots get too confusing.

I was disappointed that I did not enjoy this Kate Shackleton because I did enjoy a lot another book in this series.

When Kate Shackleton received the letter requesting she come to Saltaire she wasn’t sure what to expect. The writer, Ronnie Cresswell, only stated that he had “a story about the past” that he must tell her and that he could say no more. But before they can meet Ronnie is found dead, drowned in the local mill reservoir. Did Ronnie know something that lead to his death? Kate is determined to find the truth.

The author created quite an intriguing plot that involves multiple crimes, past and present, creating a number of possible suspects and motives. I’ve read a couple of the books in this series and enjoy how the author has developed the central characters. I especially appreciate how Kate has evolved—a strong, intelligent female protagonist who remains caring and empathetic.

Unfortunately, I found the narrative, which jumped from past to present and back again, uneven and at times confusing. Also, the dialogue was, at times quite stilted (not a complaint I’ve had with this author before, so I was somewhat surprised by this).

All in all, just an average read. Here’s hoping that the next installment is better.

When Kate Shackleton disembarks at Saltaire station, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, she has no idea what to expect. A stranger, Ronnie Creswell, has written to say that he has urgent information about the past that will interest her, and he persuades her to make the journey to Milner Field, the grand house that is said to be cursed. But moments after Kate arrives at the lodge, a messenger brings devastating news to Ronnie’s parents: he has been found drowned in the mill reservoir. This is the 13th book in the Kate Shackleton series and it’s every bit as good as the first one. Kate has grown a lot and it shows in her approach to this murder. This story is narrated by more than one person and could be a bit confusing at times but all in all the story flowed smoothly and had a very satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to book 14. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Kate Shackleton faces village secrets and industrial espionage ad she investigates the death of a letter writer. Arriving in Saltaire, Kate expects to meet letter writer Ronnie Creswell only to discover he is dead in what appears to be an accident. The more she digs, the more the "accident" appears to be murder. Is there a curse on Milner Field mansion as the tale goes or is something else behind the death? Another stellar novel by Frances Brody.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. A great mystery that kept me interested until the very end.

A Mansion for Murder is my first Kate Shackleton mystery. Shackleton is described as a female Sherlock Holmes, but honestly, while Shackleton proves to be an interesting investigator, she lacks the intuitive nature and attention to detail that define Holmes, who is truly a detective, just as the term "detective" is being defined. Frances Brody chooses a real location as the centerpiece for the plot for A Mansion for Murder. This mansion, which is not described in much detail, is real. Brody misses a good opportunity in not describing the mansion. There is a suggestion about tunnels that are used to steal silver and other goods, but there is no forthcoming details about the tunnels.

Shackleton has two able assistants, both of whom share time and narration as the plot unfolds. There are additional characters who also share narration, which is a significant problem. Maybe a third party narration would solve the jerkiness of so many different narrators. The shifting narration, sometimes with accompanying shifts in time, is confusing. Just when the plot gets interesting, Brody shifts the narration to another character. Perhaps a prologue focusing on Nick and Billy, and the teacher, would help clean up the novel and eliminate some of these time and narrative shifts.

I enjoyed the plot and thought it was interesting. Several of the characters were interesting, but it was not clear where the novel ended and the author's notes began. The Postscript section was confusing. This area needs some cleaning up. I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC and thank both author and publisher. One of NetGalley's strengths is the ability to introduce readers to new authors.

Kate arrives at Milner Fields, the grand house that's said to be cursed only to learn that Ronnie has been found dead. He's the one that sent for her, and he's the one who said he had information that would be of interest.

As the investigation gets underway, they realize that Ronnie was murdered. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end.

A great read!