Tasha Alexander involves Emily in another murder in Bavaria, close to mad King Ludwig's castle. The daughter of her hostess is found murdered in a sled out in the snow; suspicions focus on her husband who was also subject to several attacks by unknown parties. The history dates back to a paramour of King Ludwig and the gentleman;s wife. Emily and her husband try to find the criminal actor. Meanwhile the parallel story from the 1860's follows Ludwig and his lover in their impossible relationship.

I started reading the lady Emily murder mystery series a few books back, and I have to say- I am obsessed! I love the idea of Lady Emily casual, yet purposeful investigation style and the way that author, Tasha Alexander sets Lady Emily up in a local with her current mystery taking place while simultaneously back in time in the same location another mystery is also unfolding! Two stories for the price of one- how can you beat it?

In this episode, Lady Emily and her husband are in Bavaria for a housewarming party when her hostesses son-in-law starts suffering from a multitude of different attacks that appear to be attempts on his life! Soon one of the party is dead and Lady Emily and her husband need to step in to unwrap this mysterious death that has taken place while they’re all snowed in!

On the flipside less than a half century earlier on the same mountain peak in Bavaria, Niels von Schön, a son of a baron accidentally stumbles across “The Mad King”, King Ludwick II while traversing the countryside and strikes up a friendship that will alter both of their lives forever…

I love how the twin mysteries often parallel each this series, but this one had a fun twist to relate the two stories. As for the mysteries themselves- I was left wondering the whole time and anxious to see the end reveal!

Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves are invited to a house party in the Bavarian Alps. The party is to showcase the art collection and the new modern villa of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel the collection is housed in. Among the attendees is Emily’s friend Cecile du Lac, as well as the Baroness’s daughter and son-in-law. There are a series of “mishaps”, any of which could have seriously injured or killed the son-in-law, and when a death eventually does occur, it is up to Emily and Colin to investigate.
There is an alternate time line story taking place in the same area in 1868, and involving King Ludwig II and a few of his friends. I enjoyed this alternate story line, and kept wondering how the earlier period was going to relate to the events of 1906.
The mystery kept me guessing, and I enjoyed the investigations of Emily, Colin, and Cecile. This is not my favorite in the series, several of the characters were not likeable, and overall both stories were rather depressing.
I received a free copy via NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Mysterious occurrences at a house party. It was quite intriguing I was not expecting a couple of the twists that happened. It did jump back and forth between the main story and another one as well. However, both were interesting, and simultaneously, the story with the King and Niels was unique in that the King seemed so happy to be surrounded by only beautiful things. He did not hesitate to get rid of things or people he found ugly. I knew there was something special between King and Niels, but it was unfortunate that nothing could come out of it. I loved Lady Emily and her husband. Not only do they have a beautiful relationship, but they also work well together during their investigations. Overall, it was enjoyable if you want to read a detective mystery.

Thank you to the publisher!

Enjoyed visiting with Lady Emily and Colin on their adventures ,this time in Bavaria. A really fun entertaining series.#netgalley#st.martins

In DEATH BY MISADVENTURE, written by Tasha Alexander, Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, are attending a gathering at Baroness Ursula von Düchtel’s home in Bavaria. Kaspar Allerspach, the Baroness’s son-in-law, believes he is destined to die when he recognizes a person at the party. Is that person there to write Kaspar’s obituary? Why does Kaspar think he is going to die? Do Kaspar’s wife, Sigrid, and others share his belief that he will die? Does Kaspar die? If so, how? I have lots of questions.

I like the structure of this book. Throughout most of it, the chapters alternate between the time periods of 1906 and 1869 in Bavaria. The 1869 chapters dealing with King Ludwig II are the most interesting to me. The characters are well-drawn, and the plot works well with an interesting ending that unites the two time periods. I look forward to reading other books in the Lady Emily series. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of DEATH BY MISADVENTURE.

A mystery set in the early 1900 set in the Bavaria Alps.
Lady Emily and her husband Colin are invited to a house party where there are several accidents and then a murder.
Lost of drama, suspense, surprises and twists.
A good suspense mystery..
Voluntarily reviewed.

If you love historical mysteries like I do, this you should read everything this author has written!

This series has been fantastic and I have listened to all of them mostly on Audible which is my preference due to bringing the story alive, and will also go back and do the same for this one.

A dual timeline that goes back and forth between present time (1906) and forty years earlier will keep you on your toes following the journey.

Never boring and always intriguing, don't miss this latest in the Lady Emily series

Death by Misadventure is book 18 in A Lady Emily Mystery series by Tasha Alexander.
And this is a wonderfully written historical mystery story.
A very well written read with good dialogue, descriptive settings, and a good storyline.
Historical and setting details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing. The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events.
What always draws me to this author’s work is her witty, clever dialogue and swift narrative, her attention to historical and period detail, and her ability to keep me glued to the pages!
I look forward to seeing where Lady Emily's adventures take her next!

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read Death by Misadventure, the latest installment in the long-running Lady Emily historical mystery series by Tasha Alexander. It's the first book I've read by this author.
The setting is the beautiful Bavarian Alps, which brought back memories of my trip there years ago. I've visited Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein, so I enjoyed reading about those castles in their heyday.
The story is told in a dual timeline. The main storyline takes place in 1906, when Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, are invited to the opening of Baroness Ursula von Düchtel’s striking new villa near Schloss Neuschwanstein, “mad” King Ludwig’s castle and retreat. Ursula is an extensive collector of art which she’ll house in this fascinating building. The collection is large enough for her to hire a curator to catalogue all the treasures. Emily, as a connoisseur and modest collector, is intrigued by the assortment of art. This part of the story is told in first person from Emily's POV.
The other timeline begins in 1868. It deals with King Ludwig and his relationship with Niels von Schön. It's told in close third person from Niel's POV.
The two stories seem unconnected (other than the setting) until about two-thirds through the novel.
In the main storyline, there are a series of failed attempts on the life of Kaspar Allerspach, Ursula’s boor of a son-in-law, who has his share of enemies. Then he takes a sleigh ride with his wife, Sigrid, and she gets shot to death. No one can figure out if Kaspar was the intended target, or if someone planned to kill Sigrid all along.
A snowstorm prevents the police from reaching the villa, so Emily and Colin take over the sleuthing, questioning the guests and staff, following the clues, and eventually solving the crime.
This was a well-written mystery, and I didn't guess the culprit until Emily does.

I love the opportunity to travel with Lady Emily and Colin. It’s always fun tagging along in new locations and solving a mystery with them. Definitely recommend you read this newest book!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Death by Misadventure is the latest in the long running Lady Emily series, although I don't think this book relies too much on prior books so you could likely read it without reading all the other titles. This time, we find Lady Emily and her husband Colin visiting Bavaria along with her good friend Cecile to attend the celebrate the completion of her villa. The villa was built specifically to display her art in the best way possible while also making use of modern architecture. The other guests are a hodgepodge including their hostess's (Baroness Von Duchtel) daughter and son-in-law, friends of the son-in-law, and an art dealer from Berlin. As always in Lady Emily books, a series of attempted murder directed at one of the guests becomes deadly while the villa is cut off from the police and nearby towns due to bad weather. Emily and Colin must work to find the killer before they can strike again.

The narration is very well done and definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. Like other titles in the series, the book has two narratives that eventually collide. This time, the past events feature Bavarian King, Ludvig, who was known as either the Fairytale King or the Mad King. One of his greatest legacies was the building of Neuschwanstein Castle, which served as Walt Disney's inspiration for Cinderella's castle and is similar to Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland. I was not very familiar with Ludvig outside of the castle, so I enjoyed the chapters that gave details about his life. I found the weaving of the past and present to be more successful in this story than in some of the more recent series titles. The mystery around the death was well done and definitely kept me guessing. I continue to enjoy titles in this series, but would like to see Emily and Colin's sons start to feature more in future titles.

Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander is the eighteenth installment in the Lady Emily Mystery series. This dual timeline is set in gorgeous Bavaria and is riddled with murder and mayhem.

In 1868 King Ludwig II, the fairytale king of Bavaria, serendipitously meets Niels in a forest. They become fast friends and take their relationship further. Mad King Ludwig's castles and steel bridge are mentioned which took me back to this beautiful region in a nanosecond.
I felt the electric fantastical atmosphere as I re-wandered the grotto at Neuschwanstein and gaped at the castles in my mind. Ludwig's close cousin Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria is included in this storyline. As I have a big interest in Bavaria and Ludwig's story, these aspects drew me in.

Four decades later in 1906, Lady Emily and her devoted husband Colin attend Baroness Ursula von Düchtel's party to reveal her new and modern villa. While there, shenanigans started to happen in various locales, including a skiing expedition Emily participates in. But lines are crossed when shenanigans become murder. The couple investigates.

The setting is breathtaking but the story isn't my favourite in the series. It seems to be missing that special je ne sais quoi and oomph I've become besotted with. The storylines felt too separate. I miss the couple's banter and children. However, I always do like art connections so was happy to see that here.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this captivating novel.

In Death by Misadventure, Tasha Alexander brings Lady Emily back for another thrilling mystery set against the stunning backdrop of the Bavarian Alps. The luxurious villa, complete with an impressive art collection and an array of intriguing guests, sets the stage for a series of increasingly suspicious accidents, particularly surrounding the unlikable Kaspar. Alexander’s skill in creating atmospheric settings shines through, immersing readers in both the beauty and tension of the alpine winter.

While the premise is engaging, the execution falls a bit flat. The dual timeline involving Niels and King Ludwig, although intriguing, sometimes detracts from the main storyline, making the pacing uneven. Additionally, some character motivations feel underdeveloped, leaving readers wanting more depth to the eclectic cast. Lady Emily’s determination and cleverness are admirable, but the resolution feels rushed, as if the complex web of secrets wasn't fully unraveled. Despite its flaws, the book still delivers an enjoyable escapade for fans of historical mysteries, with enough intrigue to keep readers invested.

Death in the Bavarian Mountains!

It’s 1906. Colin and Emily Hargreaves have been invited to the opening of Baroness Ursula von Düchtel’s striking new villa in the mountains of Bavaria near Schloss Neuschwanstein, “mad” King Ludwig’s castle and retreat. They’d been invited through Emily’s friend Cécile du Lac.
Baroness Ursula is an extensive collector of art which she’ll house in this fascinating building. The collection is large enough to have had her hire a curator to catalogue all the treasures. Emily as a connoisseur and modest collector is entranced by the Baroness’s works.
Running alongside this story, beginning in 1868, is that of King Ludwig and his companions, including Niels von Schön.
Niels’ father, a baron, forces Niels into marriage with a woman Niels continues to refer to as the Valkyrie. The first time he sees her is in front of the Bishop.
The lives of these three, Ludwig, Niels and the Valkyrie, will meld into that of drama and loss, in a searingly distressing way. A story that will hold significance for the now.
However in Colin and Emily’s times it appears someone is trying to kill Kaspar Allerspach, the Baroness’s boor of a son-in-law.
The awful mystery of who the murderer is, is finally revealed, but not without heartbreak and despair.
A somewhat dark and sobering addition to this absorbing series.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This is a fun, light cozy mystery. It's a dual-timeline story where you don't quite see how the two stories make sense together until very close to the end. I understand that this is a series, but it's the first one I'm reading.

It's a locked-room murder mystery with lots of suspects and red herrings. The characters are interesting, the setup is strong, and the story's well-written and engaging. Historical fiction lovers will appreciate the details. I had a hunch about the murderer but could not have figured it out.

However, I found the beginning to be confusing. With two timelines and many characters, I had a hard time remembering who was who and what they had to do with each other. It picked up in the back half.

Worse, in a trend I'm seeing lately in these kinds of novels, you can't figure out the murderer because you aren't given the right clues. Lots of information comes out at the end that's purposely hidden. That makes the ending less satisfying.

Altogether, I think that readers who enjoy a historical cozy mystery will enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Tasha Alexander for an advanced copy for review.

This is an enjoyable addition to the series, and I especially enjoyed the setting of this book as I've been to this area of Bavaria and recognized a number of the locales.
In the winter of 1906, Lady Emily and her husband Colin are visiting Baroness Ursula von Duchtel at her home in the Bavarian alps, near Schloss Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschwanstein. Among the other guests are the Baroness's daughter and son-in-law, an art dealer, a musician and family friend, and the son-in-law's friend and his young girlfriend. When the son-in-law experiences a number of near-misses on his life, Emily and Colin put their experience investigating mysteries and murders to use. A parallel story set in Bavaria in the 1860's follows the friendship between King Ludwig and a young aristocrat; the relationship of this story to the later timepoint takes some time to develop but not knowing how for much of the book builds the suspense. As always, the characters are the best part, from the relationship between Emily and Colin to discovering unexpected depths among the supporting cast.

Tasha Alexander's Death by Misadventure is book 18 in the Lady Emily series. Initially I thought I must have read one of the previous novels in this series, but it did not take long to realize I had not read any of this series before. I always enjoy meeting a new author and discovering a series of books. Unfortunately, Death by Misadventure may have been the wrong novel to introduce myself to this series.

Death by Misadventure uses a dual timeline to connect the events of 1906 with events some 4 decades previously. Although Alexander does manage to connect the earlier timeline with the events of 1906, there was no real need to do so. I do enjoy dual timeline novels, but I expect there to be a good reason for doing so, and in the case of Death by Misadventure, this would be a stronger novel, with fewer interruptions into the past. I enjoy historical mysteries, and the role of women and the lives women lived during the Victorian period are important themes for me. I am sure that fans of Alexander will appreciate Death by Misadventure, in spite of the digressions into the past. As a new reader to this series, I would have appreciated either a stronger reason for those digressions or the elimination of them. Dual timelines need a compelling reason for them to exist.

Thank you To Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I am offering a qualified recommendation for Death by Misadventure, especially given that Alexander's fans will love this book and forgive the digressions easier than those of us who are new readers to the Lady Emily Series.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for the free copy for review.

Tasha Alexander's "Death by Misadventure" is a delightful addition to the Lady Emily Mystery series, offering readers a tantalizing blend of historical intrigue and classic whodunit elements. As a devoted fan of mysteries that confine a cast of characters to a single location, I found this novel particularly engaging.

Returning to Lady Emily's world feels like reuniting with an old friend. The chemistry between Emily and her husband Colin continues to sparkle, their witty banter and mutual respect forming the backbone of the narrative. Alexander has a knack for developing these characters in ways that feel both authentic and surprising, allowing readers to discover new facets of their personalities with each installment.

Lady Emily continues to evolve as a protagonist; her keen intellect and unconventional approach to sleuthing make her a joy to follow. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, each with their own secrets and motivations that add to the overall mystery.

The dual timeline structure adds depth to the story, seamlessly weaving together past and present. While Castle Neuschwanstein may be familiar to many, Alexander's exploration of the monarch behind its construction sheds new light on this iconic landmark. The author deftly handles sensitive topics such as mental illness and queer relationships in a historical context, adding layers of complexity to the characters and their motivations.

I eagerly await Lady Emily's next adventure.

Death by Misadventure is another Lady Emily story by Tasha Alexander. I have been reading this series forever and it never fails to satisfy. The last several books have been duel timeline books and that adds some depth, as well as history, to the story. Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, find themselves at a house party at a chalet in Bavaria. It is a mixed group, to be sure, but should be entertaining. They are there to celebrate the completion of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel’s strikingly modern villa. As always, there is one guest that wouldn’t be missed if they weren’t in attendance, but overall it was a congenial group. As the story progresses we see the Baroness’ connection to Mad King Ludwig, which is the second storyline. It makes it all so personal. There appeared to be some half-hearted attempts on the life of the Baroness’ son-in-law, Kaspar Allerspach, but nothing serious until Kaspar returns from a sleigh ride with wife proclaiming she is dead; she has been shot. By this point the group is snowed in so it is plain the murderer is one of then.

Emily and Colin whip into investigative mode, although with the snow it is not easy. Meanwhile the party goes on. It is uncomfortable, knowing one of the company is a murderer, but everyone is confident that something will happen to uncover the culprit. There is art and there is music and wonderful food. The Baroness knows how to entertain. No one particularly cared for Kaspar and assumed Sigrid’s death was an accident, the murderer having been after Kaspar. The worst had happened so they soldiered on. Emily, as usual, managed to put together the clues to determine the murderer and everyone was astounded. Emily had this gift and she used it. She is a wonderful character as is Colin. This book is an example of what historical mystery should be. It is a good story, whether one chooses to read it or listen to it. A better story cannot be found.

The narrator is Bianca Amato and she is excellent. She has just the voice to portray Lady Emily and does well differentiating the other characters. She makes this an extraordinary listen, having such good source material.

I was invited to listen to Death by Misadventure by MacMillan Audio and to read by St Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacMillanAudio #StMartinsPress #TashaAlexander #BiancaAmoto #DeathByMisadventure