In 1906, Lady Emily and her husband Colin are invited to a lavish Bavarian villa near King Ludwig's famed castle, where a series of suspicious accidents befall Kaspar, the baroness’s son-in-law. As Emily investigates, she uncovers buried secrets among an eclectic group of guests, including a musician, an art dealer, and a coquette. Meanwhile, memories of King Ludwig’s past friendship with Niels, a young noble, cast a haunting shadow over the villa, and Emily must unravel these long-hidden connections to unmask the killer.

It’s amazing how far Lady Emily has come since book one. She’s grown in her understanding of history and appears to have become more confident in social environments. This book is a bit of a closed room murder mystery. With a snowstorm in force, the murderer is in the house and it is a matter of finding them.

The opposing narrative, set in the past, was very dull. None of it was interesting, and I didn’t really see a strong connection to the murder. It could have been left out entirely, and nothing would have been affected.

Overall, it was an interesting read. I guessed the culprit early on, but not the reason behind the murder.

Fans of the series will no doubt enjoy this one.

A great addition to the series and it doesn’t disappoint. The writing is rich in historical detail and I loved the mystery. Lady Emily has to delve into old secrets to find the murderer snd there are plenty of suspects. A great read.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

In Tasha Alexander’s “Death by Misadventure,” Lady Emily and husband Colin Hargreaves travel to the Bavarian alps at the request of their friend, Cecile. Bungling attempts on the life of one of the guests, the unpleasant son-in-law of their hostess, set Emily and Colin to investigating the incidents. Soon another guest is seemingly a victim. Then the killer is successful. A massive snow storm prevents officials from taking charge of the situation, so our duo races to find the culprit before they can strike again.

This is the 18th book in the Lady Emily series and is just as enjoyable as the previous volumes. The characters are so well-drawn so that the reader does not have to wrack her brain on how the character fits into the story after a year-long break in the series. I loved the moody atmosphere of this story as the cast is isolated in a brand new manor house in a snowstorm. The characteristic dual timeline story fits in nicely with the mystery.

This book is great for readers who enjoy historical mysteries. While this story could be read as a stand alone, it is much better if you know the characters from the previous stories.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a great British mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and quickly became engrossed in Lady Emily's life in 1906. As I listened, I could easily picture the setting. Tasha Alexander expertly weaves 1906 with 1866 and brings it all together in a wonderful conclusion.

Bianca Amato did a great job narrating as usual.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 24 September 2024

Tasha Alexander has written more than fifteen novels featuring Lady Emily and her husband Colin. Over time, Lady Emily has become one of my favorite characters as have the others who regularly appear in this historical mystery series.

We have now reached 1906. Lady Emily and Colin are traveling to winter time in Bavaria, home of Mad King Ludwig. They are at a house party that includes a variety of guests/suspects. Among them are several characters who are involved with the arts. There is also the Baroness’s not very well liked son in law.

In addition, readers will spend time with Ludwig and Niels. How will the two time periods and characters tie together?

What will happen when the mayhem begins? Find out in the capable narration of Tasha Alexander. Then, like me, wait for the next adventure to be published.

Fans who enjoy historical mysteries will, I think, want to take a look at this one. Come to the Bavarian Alps and enjoy the virtual trip and time periods.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Death by Misadventure is a historical mystery set in the Bavarian Alps, a picturesque backdrop that unfortunately fails to ignite the narrative. The novel, while promising a chilling tale of intrigue and murder, ultimately falls short due to its meandering plot, unconvincing characters, and a dual perspective that adds little to the story.
The central mystery, involving a series of seemingly accidental deaths, is slow to develop and lacks the urgency to keep the reader engaged. Lengthy descriptions and character musings weigh down the narrative, stalling its momentum. The amateur sleuths, Lady Emily and her husband Colin, are a tired trope, and their ability to pry information from reluctant witnesses without arousing suspicion strains credulity.
The characters, while intriguing on paper, are underdeveloped. The Baroness Ursula von Duchtel, with her eccentric personality and mysterious past, has the potential to be a fascinating figure, but her character is never fully explored. Similarly, the supporting cast, including the enigmatic Kaspar and the alluring coquette, are mere sketches, lacking the depth and complexity required to make them truly memorable.
The novel's dual perspective, alternating between the present-day investigation and the romance of a young King Ludwig, is a curious choice. While the historical subplot is intriguing, it feels disconnected from the central mystery and serves little purpose. It adds a layer of complexity to the story but fails to enhance the overall narrative.
Death by Misadventure is disappointing. While the author's skill at creating atmospheric settings is evident, the novel lacks the suspense, intrigue, and character development necessary to captivate the reader.

In the latest installment of Tasha Alexander’s New York Times bestselling series, Lady Emily must solve a string of high stakes “accidents” while trapped in a lavish villa in the Bavarian Alps.

Thank you Minotaur Books for sending me an ARC of this book! I decided to DNF it at 65 pages. I can’t get into it and I don’t like that this story has dual timelines.

I've read and enjoyed a few books from the Lady Emily Ashton mysteries. Death by Midadventure is the 18th, so if you want to start at the beginning, you've got quite a lot of reading to do! Those who love the series won't be disappointed.

Lady Emily and her husband Colin are invited to a beautiful villa in the Bavarian Alps, located near King Ludwig's fairytale castle. The castle is featured on the beautiful cover for the book. I enjoy the relationship between Lady Emily and her husband, and their soft detecting style, in beautiful or exotic settings with a real sense of place. This was no exception, and if you listen to the audio, with its subtle German accents, you will really feel like you are in a mountain abode.

I did not enjoy this story as much as some in the past books. I found the cast of characters hard to keep straight, and when someone was murdered i had to backtrack a little, because my reaction was "no who was that?" Maybe this was just me, and I shouldn't have read with a distracted mind. But what I can say is that this installment didn't keep me quite as enthralled as some of the past Lady Emily mysteries. Nevertheless, I will eagerly seek out the next installment when it is released! Overall, I found this an enjoyable read.

I would give it 3.5 stars, but will round up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tasha Alexander, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a part of the Lady Emily mystery series, although it can be read as a standalone. In this book, Lady Emily and her husband Colin are visiting Baroness Ursula at her lovely mansion in the Bavarian Alps. While there, Kasper, the boorish son-in-law of the the Baroness, experience numerous mishaps, so someone does not like him! Lady Emily and Colin become embroiled in trying to unmask who is attempting to harm Kasper and they unearth secrets that date back decades. This is a dual timeline novel, alternating between 1906 and 1866, and featuring King Ludwig of Bavaria and connections to Wagnerian opera.

I have read other of the Lady Emily novels, and this particular one is not my favorite. There were a lot of characters to keep track of in this book and I had difficulty keeping them straight. I am not a fan of dual timeline novels that keep switching between the time periods. Other readers may enjoy this book better than I did though.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Thank you St. Martin's Press -- Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review Death by Misadventure, A Lady Emily Mystery, by Tasha Alexander on NetGalley.

Published: 09/24/24

Stars: 4.5

Fun. I enjoyed the relationship of Emily and Colin. The two were mindful and respectful of each other and I appreciate the author writing these characters with these qualities.

This is the eighteenth book in the series and my first. I don't feel like I missed anything. This is a true standalone.

I try to shy away from series in general, and try hard not to pick up #18. This was not an accident. I am a cover person. Upon seeing the cover I heard Streisand singing Memories and me carrying a backpack up a hill miles and miles, okay maybe a mile but it was really hot and arriving to Neuschwanstein Castle and not caring. This was the era of travelers checks, passport, currency exchanges, and thieves stealing everything not nailed down. Sadly, that is my memory.

However, I hold no grudges. Alexander showed me a good time. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters.

Yes, I recommend wholeheartedly. The book is a good time. I look forward to reading another Alexander book in the future.

It appears that King Ludwig is the historical mystery theme of the year. This is my 2nd King Ludwig novel of this year. Each Lady Emily novel gets better and better, in my opinion. The flashbacks can be a bit much sometimes, but the reader is aware of which storyline they are in at all times. In the past I haven’t been completely enthralled with them, however, this one made more sense as the stories began to merge.

I noticed that Lady Emily and Colin’s children were not present in this novel, which saddened me a bit. It would have been great fun to see those two young men run circles around the oafish Kaspar. I hope Tasha Alexander brings them back in the next novel.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

4.5 Stars!

This is the first book I've read by Tasha Alexander and, consequently, the first book I've ready in the Lady Emily Mysteries series (Death by Misadventure is 18th!) I was hesitant to request this title as I typically have to read any series starting from Book 1; however, I can assure all potential readers that this book can be read as a stand alone and thoroughly enjoyed.

I adore reading dual timeliness and trying to figure out how they are going to intersect before the author makes the grand reveal. This tale was even more appealing to me since I have visited the Bavarian Alps and walked through Mad King Ludwig's Fairy Tale Castle (Neuschwanstein Castle)! The author, Tasha Alexander, wonderfully described the settings and I could see myself in every scene!

Regarding the story itself, Death by Misadventure is an enjoyable murder mystery/whodunnit tale that keeps the reader guessing and JUST when they think they have it figured out, Alexander introduces another twist that shakes up all preconceived solutions.

If you enjoy traveling without leaving the comfort of your favorite reading nook, while also employing your sleuthing skills, this is a great book for you!

I will definitely be looking forward to exploring more of Alexander's work!

This Lady Emily mystery did not grip me and left me disappointed. As with all of the Lady Emily book I have previously read, this one was set in two timelines. The first involves Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves who were attending an outing at the Bavarian estate of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel. The second timeline is set in 1868 with King Ludwig II of Bavaria planning the construction of his famous fairy tale castle. Both events have a well drawn cast of characters who interact as one would expect in an extended outing with acquaintances.

Lady Emily's stay at the Baroness's estate is punctuated by troubling and dangerous events. The boorish son-in-law of the Baroness, Kaspar, is attacked several times by what appears to be either an incompetent assassin or a prankster with poor taste. Ultimately, of course, someone does die—but not the one targeted by the previous attempts. To make matters worse, the murder happens in the wake of a blizzard that leaves the estate cut off from all outside help. From that point on the Lady Emily timeline moved pointedly toward the discovery and arrest of the murderer.

My biggest problem with this novel was with the second timeline. The first half of the book dragged horribly because the King Ludwig story seemed pointless and completely disconnected with the contemporary story. By the time the glimmer of a connection occurred, it was inconsequential to me because I had already lost all interest in that thread.

Of the three Lady Emily books I have read, this was my least favorite. The author is very talented and did a great job of researching the story. The only failure was involving me as a reader into the life of Ludwig II.

I am appreciative of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur for the chance to read and honestly review this book.

A murder mystery, but not exactly what I had hoped or thought it would be. In all fairness, I've not read any of the other mysteries with the investigative team of Lady Emily and her husband Colin, so maybe that would make a difference. Set in the Bavarian Alps in 1905, Lady Emily must solve mysterious murder attempts her friend Ursala's son-in-law's life, as a party of 10 or are gathered at her palatial home for skiing and relaxation. With the backdrop of the Alps, I enjoyed the descriptions of the area, but found all the constant quoting from Shakespeare and the Greek classics a little overbearing. The story also brings in the history of the area, and that of the "mad King" Ludwig, and his friendship with a young musician Niels. This comes together at the end, but I'm not totally convinced it was all necessary. I seldom give a 3 star review, but I just can't give this one more than that, as I have stated I will give an honest review in response for an ARC of this novel.

This series continues to be intriguing and entertaining. Lady Emily and her husband Colin have been invited to a house party in Bavaria in 1906. The party is hosted by Baroness Ursula at her newly built mansion not far from the famous and IRL Neuschwanstein Palace of “Mad King” Ludwig II. Murder attempts prompt Emily and Colin to identify the culprit in a snowbound estate. Unfortunately, they aren’t successful until an actual murder does happen and the married daughter of Ursula is shot dead. Of course her boorish husband is the prime suspect but, have little money of his own, why would he willingly cut himself off from his mother-in-law’s allowance? The book also looks back to the later life of King Ludwig in the 1860’s and 70’s and their impact of the current day murders. Past loves, mistakes, lies and relationships are slowly revealed and the murderer and their motivation comes to light. “Death by Misadventure” is a great blend of murder mystery and history, with a little bit of spiciness. My only criticism is that there be more written on the inner thoughts of Emily and Colin. Sometimes their characters lack humanity.

Tasha Alexander never ceases to keep me entertained while educating me on an interesting historical subject. In this latest installment, Lady Emily finds herself in the shadows of Neuschwanstein during a particularly bad bout of weather. She and Colin, along with some other unsavory characters, were invited as guests to see a Bavarian baroness’s exquisite art collection. A series of strange injuries and a murder dampen the dinner party, and it starts to feel like a game of Clue as the party is stuck in the countryside due to the incessantly falling snow. Everyone seems to have a motive, but can Lady Emily and Colin figure out who the true murderer is before they strike again?

As usual with the Lady Emily series, another story is being told from a historical time in the same place. This one is about a forbidden love between the Mad King Ludwig II and a young musician. I was eager to figure out what connection the historical story had to the present day story and wasn’t disappointed.

I loved this installment of the Lady Emily series and can’t wait for the next!

Thanks to @netgalley, @minotaur_books and @tasha_alexander for the ARC.

I love this series! This time Lady Emily and her husband are trapped in a hotel in Bavaria with a murderer. I enjoyed the dual time line that sets us up to connect the characters.
This can be read as a stand alone but the whole set it’s is so good that you will want to read them all. Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Lady Emily and her husband Colin spend a lot of time traveling and we get to go along to Bavaria this time as they once again put their detective sills to use. We even get a trip to Neuschwanstein Castle and a visit with Mad King Ludwig. It’s a fun series

Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves have been involved in murder investigations and intrigue in Italy, Russia, Egypt and a number of other locations. Now visiting a villa in Bavaria for a party hosted by Baroness Ursula von Duchtel they are once again drawn into an investigation. It started with what everyone believed was a prank. A newspaper representative arrives to write the obituary of Kaspar, Ursula’s son-in-law, who is attending the party and is very much alive. It becomes more serious when the bindings on his skis are cut, causing an accident. Kaspar shrugs off any concern until a bullet just misses him as they tour Neuschwanstein. The episodes escalate until someone is killed. Ursula’s guests include her daughter Sigrid, Kaspar’s friend Felix and his date Birgit, Max, a friend of the family, and Liesel, an art dealer who hoped to sell Ursula a painting. Emily and Colin are there as guests of Cecile, Ursula’s closest friend. Uneasy after the first prank, they begin to investigate after Kaspar’s accident. There have been winter storms and the snow has closed the roads for the police, so it is up to them.

The villa has beautiful views of Neuschwanstein and Tasha Alexander’s story covers two time frames. The party occurs in 1906, while alternating chapters take place in 1868. In the past, Niels von Schon encounters King Ludwig II when he travels to Bavaria to escape his disapproving father. He becomes a close friend of the king as they share a love of music and Ludwig’s plans to build his castle. As the story progresses Alexander eventually ties Niels’ story to Ursula’s history, giving Emily and Colin a direction for their investigation. The discovery of hidden documents finally reveal the reason Ursula’s family has been targeted and the motive for murder. Lady Emily and Colin are wonderful characters and Alexander has once again given them a mystery to solve that is filled with suspects. Her story of King Ludwig and Niels is an emotional one at times and ends with the question of the King’s death, whether murder or suicide, and its’ effect on Niels. With a fascinating period of history and characters to love, this is another excellent entry in Alexander’s series. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for providing this book.