I thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance reader copy of “Death at Darrington Manor.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Viscount Winborne’s daughter is getting married at Darrington Manor, and as much as she would like to be covering “real” stories, reporter Abigail Dixon is sent by her editor at the “Chicago International Post” to cover this high society wedding. She hates it, but since the groom’s father is a big advertiser and has requested her attendance (she’s “famous” since she was involved in a murder investigation – see book #1, “Murder at the Paris Fashion Show”), off she goes to the ancestral pile.

Abby might get her wish, though. While everyone’s getting ready for the big event (including Coco Chanel doing fittings for the wedding gown – our time frame is 1920s England), the best man is shot to death. And because she has a nose for news -- and a propensity for solving crimes -- Abby realizes the “complicated emotions” that are at play form the basis for a backdrop of hate and jealousy and calculation that can only lead to one thing -- murder.

Abby is a “good” character, not overly in your face or flighty, which can happen in many a cozy mystery heroine. Author Nancy Warren has given us someone very real and down to earth, a definite plus. And for mystery-lovers, there’s plenty of suspects to decide about, and since this is a historical mystery, a history lesson or two -- ask farmer George Smith what he thinks about Americans, for instance.

Our girl Abby may have been “in the know” with what’s happened at Darrington Manor, including the solving of two killings, but Editor Walter Strutt reminds her that the society pages are still her beat. So, it’s back to Paris and more “what’s new on the hemline front,” presumably. But that’s a tale for the next book, no doubt.

The second book in the Abigail Dixon series and it is every bit as good as the first.

Abigail is a news reporter working in Paris for an American paper. In this book she is sent to England to report on a society wedding which she does under sufferance because what she really wants is to report hard news. This does come to pass but not in the way she probably wished for it happen.

There are only two books so far in this series but I hope there will be more. In the meantime I see that Nancy Warren, although new to me, is an extremely prolific and popular author so I must see about reading some of her other wor

Spring 1925. Abigail Dixon is about to cover the wedding of the year. An American car tycoon's son is about to marry and English aristocrat's daughter. Abigail finds a man murdered on a fishing expedition and a local woman discovered dead in London. There are clues linking the two murders. Can Abigail unveil the truth before the wedding of the year becomes the obituary column? This is book 2 of the series. A car is brought back to the manor, the question is; was someone out to murder Reginald Mitchell? The car veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The best man, Oliver Platt, is found dead floating in the river. Was the death intentional? I am now looking forward to book 3 of the series. If you like mystery surrounding your thrillers, then you will love this book. Recommended!

This is my first experience with Nancy Warren’s books and now that I have entered Abigail Dixon’s world, I am dying to visit it again! In fact, I want to head back into this reporter’s past to book one and see how it all started. Even though it would have been a bonus to have read the first one of the series, the author gives us plenty of background info to get us up to speed. There are a number of snapshot references of the main character’s past experiences and of persons with whom she interacted. I warmed very quickly to reporter Abby and delighted in this cosy mystery that drew me in quickly and held me firm to the last page. There were lots of great puzzles to solve that kept me interested and mentally active.

In Death at Darrington Manor, Abby is a compelling protagonist determined to solve more than one crime that may or may not have been connected. There are lots of clues, red-herrings, and an intriguing cast of characters that kept me engaged from start to finish! Guessing the killer was not easy so Ms Warren has delivered well and provided lots of maze pathways, some which lead to dead ends while others unveil valuable information that help solve the crime(s).

Abby, who lives in Paris, is a reporter for a Chicago newspaper. Much to her annoyance she is called to cover a high society wedding at Darrington Manor in England. She is frustrated at being assigned articles for women’s pages when she is chomping at the bit to do more. And although she tries to make the best of her situation, and longs to cast her net farther, her dream to cover hard news stories seems to remain dampened by her boss who won’t give her the opportunities. She knows she is more than capable in accomplishing such a task but this the 1920’s when men were given those challenging assignments. Will fate intervene and deal her a main player’s hand in crime reporting? It seems so, because once she gets to the Manor and meets some fascinating characters, a murder occurs and she is in the thick of it with the advantage of first-hand accounts.

There are some famous persons like Coco Chanel present at the Manor so fashion is part of this story’s fabric—especially for the wedding. Vivien, Abby’s best friend is a great side-kick and comes as her maid in charge of her Cotour-designed clothes (we are provided information of her past connection to a designer from the first book of the series). French Det Henri Deschamps, her past arch-rival, from the previous novel is there to support the bride’s father—an old war comrade. Abby tip toes around him for a while until they put their heads together to analyse the crimes. Potential bride and groom Reggie (son of American car design-producer) and Cressida (daughter of high society parents) are an interesting pair. Money and society come together to offer each other support but do they mix well or are they more like water and oil?

It was a pleasure to watch Abby move through the mine fields, investigate and report. She is someone you’d love to meet and listen to while she questions the suspects. The full cast played their parts well, including Lord and Lady Wimborne, their family, staff and acquaintances. It has a satisfying ending with lots of surprises. Fans of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey will truly enjoy this cosy mystery that is fun, smoothly written and deliciously rich in its approach. Ms Warren’s books are now on my list as must reads—with instalment two of this series shining as a worthy winner! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Nancy Warren for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death at Darrington Manor coming out June 27, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved the first book and was excited to receive this book as well. Historical cozies are one of my favorite genres. Abigail is a strong and smart character. I loved that this book was set in a different place. I love the old English Manor stories. I thought the plot was really fun. Who doesn’t love an infamous, elegant wedding? I think having Chanel as a character brings something different to the story. I think Abigail had some good character development. I’m excited to check out the next book in the series!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys glamorous cozy mysteries!

Abigail Dixon is sent on a writing assignment at Darrington Manor. She is to write about a high society wedding. But during her trip there are two murders in connection with the estate and she uses her journalistic curiosity to uncover clues about who's done it.

I really enjoyed this cozy little mystery. It is book two in a series but it doesn't rely on the first novel - I hadn't read the first one and fell right into this story no problem. I didn't feel as though I had to read the first book. It referenced what happened just enough. The story flowed really nicely and I feel like everything was wrapped up really nicely in the end. I never really knew for sure who had done it until the end either.

Thank you Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Nancy Warren for the ARC of this story.

#DeathAtDarringtonManor#
By: Nancy Warren
Plucky 1920's reporter, Abby Dixon, employed by a Paris newspaper, a subsidiary of a Chicago newspaper, arrives at Darrington Manor to report on an upcoming wedding, a social highlight of the year. Abby longs to report hard news, the gritty stuff, and instead is sent on societal events. Arriving at the manor, dark happenings intrigue her. Is everyone as they appear? She suspects not. A former occasional maid at the manor was murdered in London. When the best man at the wedding is shot and left for dead in the river while on a wedding party fishing trip, Abby investigates in earnest.
An English countryside manor house mystery you won't want to miss. Highly recommended.
I received this book from #NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

Its 1925 and Abigail Dixon is living in Paris working for a Chicago Newspaper's Paris office. She longs to be taken serious as a journalist but only get assignments for society and women's page news. She is sent to Darrington Manor in England to cover the pre-wedding festivities and wedding of the daughter of an English aristocrat and a very wealthy and powerful American businessman. She was specifically requested by the groom's father who is an admirer of her "spunk."

This story grabbed my attention and didn't let go until the end. The mystery was well crafted and kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed all the characters. I liked how they were developed to show that people have different sides to their personalities. People that are likeable can also do bad things. Abigail (Abby) and her best friend Vivien complimented each other and kept each other from getting too far out in left field as they try to get to answers. I also enjoyed the character of French Det Henri Deschamps, her nemeses from the previous book, who is there to support his old friend, the bride's father. I look forward to seeing Abby and Det Deschamps match wits again.

A great read and I highly recommend. I do give warning that you will not want to put this one down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this story.

The central character here is great. An aspiring investigative journalist fighting prejudice because she is a woman finds herself covering society news instead. Once invited to the wedding of the season she is on hand to witness a brutal murder. Hence she ends up being a newsworthy journo after all. The plot is engaging and there are plenty of twists and turns before different strands in the book are woven together ready for the denouement. This is the second in a series and there is plenty of scope for further development, not least a potential romance with the detective who at one point in a previous book attempted to have her convicted for murder. Quite intriguing!

A great sequel to ‘Murder at the Paris Fashion House’.

Abigail Dixon is a young American reporter with a college degree in journalism. She’s been posted to Paris and despite proving herself she still finds that the best assignments get allocated to male colleagues. So instead of getting the story of an anarchist she is allocated one on a society wedding at Darlington Manor in rural England. Abby embarks on her mission accompanied by her flat mate and friend, Vivienne, who has agreed to be her maid for the week. On their journey to Darlington they read in the local paper about an unexpected death of a local girl in London. Abby is excited by the opportunity this presents for some serious reporting and the scene is set for a society wedding with a twist or two.

The dialogue is quick with plenty of humour as Abby and Vivienne share their experiences above and below stairs. The historical context of this murder mystery in the 1920’s makes for interesting reading and is clearly well researched and totally engaging from start to finish. The characters are well rounded and I hope to read further books about Abby and her continuing and exciting career as a reporter.

Excellent cozy mystery perfect beach read or just one to pack for your weekend reading. The characters are all well described and introduced. I too had the feeling of being invited to the Darrington Manor for the week’s activities before the big wedding, of Viscount and Viscountess Wimborne’s daughter Cressida,to Reginald “Reggie” Mitchell son of the rich and famous American automobile maker, Charles A. Mitchell. This takes place in spring 1926. Charles Mitchell will spare no expense to see that this wedding is the wedding of the century., knowing the Wimbornes have fallen on hard times. He has employed Coco Chanel to make the brides gown, and wants only Abigail Dixon, the women’s style feature writer for the Chicago Post International, Paris office. Abby has begged her editor, Walter Strutt, for her to be a true journalist not just a women’s page. At any rate she is told to be at Darrington Manor to cover the wedding of the century and to send in glorious daily details. To fit in with the crowd she asks her best friend Viviennto come along as her lady’s maid. She has had a famous Cotour-designer design a weeks wardrobe including evening wear for every dinner meal. The designer comes thru and Viv has learned all the details of cleaning, pressing accessorizing, etc. Mr. Mitchell presents the Lord and Lady Wimborne for Reggie and Cressida’s wedding. One unfortunate event happens after another the final straw was the death of a guest at the manor. I was given an advance unedited e-copy to review and give my own opinions, which I have done and want to thank the following for allowing me to review this book early:
#NetGalley
#StormPublishingCo.
#NancyWarren
Publication Date: June 27, 2024
Pick one up to read this summer. You will love it.

"When intrepid reporter Abigail Dixon swaps Paris for an English manor to cover the wedding of the year, she expects afternoon tea on the lawn and cocktails in the drawing room, not a man lying dead in a stream and a woman strangled by her own silk stockings.

Spring 1925. Abigail Dixon arrives in Somerset to report on the high-society wedding of an American car tycoon's son and an English aristocrat's daughter. But when a man is murdered on a trout-fishing expedition, and with the quaint village abuzz with gossip of a local woman discovered dead in London, Abigail quickly finds herself entangled in a web of murder and scandal.

As she investigates, Abigail unearths some dark secrets lurking within Darrington Manor and clues linking the two murders. From the lovelorn estate manager to a tight-lipped butler and local mechanic with an axe to grind, everyone is a possible suspect.

Determined to expose the culprit, and with danger lurking at every turn, can Abigail unveil the truth before the 'wedding of the year' becomes the obituary column?

Fans of Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey will devour this page-turning 1920s whodunit brimming with twists, red herrings, and charming period detail."

Yes, devour away, but please can we get some new cover art? That 1920s vector graphic lady is on one too many books these days.

It’s spring 1925 and when Abigail Dixon is sent to cover a society wedding between an English aristocrat's daughter and an American act tycoon's son for The Chicago Post she doesn’t expect to end up at the centre of a murder again. As she investigates she begins to discover there is more going on than it first seemed…

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Intrepid reporter Abigail Dixon is off on another "lightweight" assignment - while Abigail wants to cover hard news, her editor only wants her to work on "women's page" topics, and this time, she is off to England to cover the wedding of an American millionaire's son and an English aristocrat's daughter.

It is soon clear that something is amiss - someone is murdered and Abigail must figure it out. Abby is capable, creative, and not easily frightened, and notices things that many others do not, and I enjoy her observations and her determination to get the assignments she really wants.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery and the change of location to the British countryside - if you enjoy mysteries like Gosford Park, you will enjoy this installment of the series.

Abigail Dixon is not your ordinary 1925’s female; she is a member of the new breed of young women who are looking for more than just marriage. They want a career, more independence. She has studied as a Journalist, achieving a place of work in Paris, where she has discovered that female emancipation has not moved as far as the Newsroom at the Paris office of the Chicago International Post.
She wants a real story to cover, not just the society pages, as she has already had an article on front page to do with a murder in which she was one of the accused. Her Editor Walter Strutt sends her to England to cover a Society Wedding; she is less than impressed.
Arriving at Darrington Manor she is a little cautious the level of society is very different to her American lifestyle, Her friend Vivian is acting as her lady’s maid and her trunk is full of beautiful designer gowns, courtesy of her friend up and coming designer Paul Joubert.
Only one day into the wedding preparations she begins to sense all is not well, which as it turns out is absolutely right, as Murder is committed making this second such event to occur with links to Darrington Manor. The first the murder of a local girl in London and now the best man. Who is doing the killing and are they one of the guests is the question Abby is asking.
Murder at Darrington Manor is the second book in the Abigail Dixon series and is a very well-constructed cozy murder, the characters well-crafted, the plot carefully disguising the murderer until the final reveal.
Nancy Warren also delves lightly into the familial pressure that can be bought to bear, often with disastrous results, as Abby discovered with the murder of her stepmother previously, something which still haunts her; particularly as she finds she has become far more involved in the hunt for this killer than any sane woman should be; journalist or not!
Murder at Darrington manor is an excellent read as, with all ‘who dun it’s’, you find you are trying to work it out well before the last page! Will you succeed, maybe!

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Nancy Warren for the advanced reader copy of the book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

In the first book in the series, Murder at the Paris Fashion House, readers were introduced to Abigail Dixon, an American who moves to Paris in an attempt to escape her past. However, that past followed her to Paris. Although I don't think it's necessary to have read Murder at the Paris Fashion House prior to reading Death at Darrington Manor, I do think it helps for some of the background as to why Abigail has dresses designed for her by a Paris designer as well as relationships with several people who appear in this book.

Abigail works at the Paris office of a Chicago newspaper. She's a journalist, but her editor sees her as only capable of covering women's issues such as fashion and society. He sends her off to cover the wedding of Reginald Mitchell, the son of a wealthy American automobile manufacturer, to Cressida Wimborne, the daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Wimborne. It's to be the wedding of the year, and Abigail is tasked with reporting on it.

Enlisting the help of her roommate and friend, Vivian, to act as her ladies' maid, Abigail travels to England for the wedding. Upon arrival at Darrington Manor, she is tepidly welcomed by the Wimbornes. The economy has been hard on them, with death duties eating away at the family fortune over the years and the land becoming less and less profitable. Cressida's marriage to a wealthy American will not solve problems for them, either.

Charles Mitchell is depicted as a typical American of the era, with a lack of decorum and determined to show off his wealth. He has commissioned Coco Chanel to design Cressida's dress as well as importing one of his unique automobiles as a gift for the Wimbornes. Reggie takes the vehicle into town one day and crashes it into a tree, nearly killing himself. An examination of the vehicle reveals the brakes were tampered with.

Under orders from her editor, Abigail is supposed to only be reporting the positive aspects of the wedding, not the crash or the possibility that someone was trying to hurt someone. However, she is caught up in events that have taken on a life of their own, and, in the end, helps figure out who among the occupants of Darrington Manor might be a killer.

I very much enjoyed Death at Darrington Manor. Billed as a "cozy mystery," it's just that; a book that's enjoyable to curl up with and lose yourself in. Abigail is a compelling character as a young woman trying to make her way in a world that doesn't yet see a woman to be as capable as a man would be. She enjoys the niceties of life a bit, thanks to the relationship she has with designer Paul Joubert, so there is a great deal of descriptions of fashion and style. The balance is great, though, between that and her trying to prove herself in a man's world.

I was a bit disappointed at first, thinking the character of Inspector Deschamps would not appear here. He is a French detective who investigated the murder at the heart of Murder at the Paris Fashion House and seemed to be a potential love interest for Abigail down the line. However, he does show up at Darrington Manor, and there definitely seems to be more to him than meets the eye. Their relationship does advance a bit during the events in Death at Darrington Manor, although it's still more about the potential of what's there than anything else.

The mystery was pretty easy to figure out early on, despite the excellent red herrings the author puts in the path. I admit to having doubts about my guess a number of times while reading it, but in the end, my initial suspicions were correct.

I recommend Death at Darrington Manor as a great bit of summer reading. It's got just about everything you could ask for with a blend of fashion, high society, intrigue, and murder. I look forward to the next book in the series as well.

"Death at Darrington Manor" was a cozy mystery set in 1920's England. "Plucky" journalist Abigail Dixon is sent to cover an aristocrat wedding between British nobility and American industrial royalty when all of a sudden she finds herself in the midst of another suspected murder. Abigail's simply assignment suddenly turns into a much more nefarious story as she finds herself surrounded by possible murderers.

Overall, I thought that this was a fun, quick read. The mystery itself was interesting and I thought that the author did a nice job of creating a plot that was potentially solvable, yet not obvious. As a character, Abigail is quite charming and I am interested in reading the first book in the series as well. However, I did find certain scenes or pieces of dialogue to become quite repetitive and I found that there were a few too many side characters that distracted from the plot. For example, I found the inclusion of Coco Chanel's character to be quite unnecessary.

Nevertheless, Nancy Warren knows how to craft an enjoyable cozy mystery and if you are a fan of the genre, then it is highly likely that you will enjoy being whisked away to rural England with Abigail Dixon and her crew.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of this book.

An intrepid reporter, an idyllic setting, and an eclectic cast of characters; prime ingredients for a fun cozy mystery. Abigail Dixon is a reporter in Paris in the mid 1920's, and she's trying to find her footing in a male-dominated profession. So she's not very happy when her editor sends her off to Somerset England to cover a society wedding rather than reporting on the more "important" stories she'd like to be on. However, things get a lot more interesting when she arrives to find out that a local woman has recently been murdered and then one of the wedding guest dies during a fishing trip. Abigail will have to use all her investigative skills to figure out what's going on in this quaint village before anyone else gets hurt.

This is the second installment in the Abigail Dixon series, and one thing I like about it is that there is a lot of room for growth. Abigail's career is at the edge of taking off, and her reporting has the potential to take her off to many different adventures. Even in this book, we start to see the international aspects this series could take, and I think that could take a fun little cozy into something even better. The characters are likable and interesting, and the addition of some real-life, famous historical figures is a plus. I *was* able to guess the ending in this one, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's nice to get one right every once in a while. Over all, I found this to be a quick, fun read with lots of potential for future books in the series.

Nancy Warren’s Death at Darrington Manor, the second book in the Abigail Dixon Mystery series, is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and historical intrigue that promises to captivate readers from the first page. Set against the elegant backdrop of a 1925 English manor, this novel masterfully combines high society drama with the sharp investigative skills of its intrepid heroine.

The story follows Abigail Dixon, a reporter who trades the bustling streets of Paris for the picturesque, yet secretive, Darrington Manor in Somerset. Abigail’s assignment to cover the high-society wedding of an American tycoon’s son to an English aristocrat’s daughter takes an unexpected turn when a man is found murdered during a trout-fishing expedition. The situation becomes even more complex with the discovery of a local woman strangled in London, creating a web of intrigue that Abigail is determined to unravel.

Warren excels in crafting a plot that is both engaging and meticulously paced. The narrative is rich with twists and turns as Abigail delves into the secrets of Darrington Manor, uncovering connections between the two murders. The suspense builds steadily, keeping readers guessing and thoroughly entertained. The author’s attention to historical detail vividly brings the era to life, from the social customs of the time to the atmospheric setting of the manor and its surroundings.

Character development is a standout feature of Death at Darrington Manor. Abigail Dixon is a formidable protagonist, characterized by her keen intellect, journalistic tenacity, and independent spirit. Her interactions with the manor’s eclectic inhabitants, from the lovelorn estate manager to the tight-lipped butler and the local mechanic with a grudge, are skillfully depicted, adding depth and complexity to the story. Each character is well-drawn, with their own secrets and motives, enhancing the mystery and adding layers to the investigation.

Fans of cozy mysteries will find much to love in this novel. Warren’s writing is charming and accessible, capturing the essence of the genre with its blend of light-hearted moments and darker undertones. The historical setting adds a unique flavor, transporting readers to a time of elegance and societal expectations while weaving in the thrill of a whodunit. The interplay between Abigail’s modern sensibilities and the traditional backdrop of Darrington Manor creates a dynamic and engaging narrative.

Moreover, Death at Darrington Manor explores themes of class, ambition, and the hidden lives behind society’s polished façade. Abigail’s role as an outsider allows her to navigate these themes with a critical eye, uncovering the discrepancies between appearance and reality. Her determination to seek justice and uncover the truth, despite the dangers, adds a compelling layer to her character and the story.

Death at Darrington Manor is a captivating addition to the Abigail Dixon Mystery series. Nancy Warren has crafted a cozy historical mystery that is both intellectually stimulating and thoroughly entertaining. With its well-developed characters, intricate plot, and evocative setting, this novel is sure to delight fans of the genre and leave them eagerly awaiting Abigail Dixon’s next adventure. Warren’s ability to blend historical detail with a gripping mystery makes this book a standout read, perfect for those who enjoy a good puzzle set against a charmingly old-fashioned backdrop.

3.75 stars

This number two entry in the Abigail Dixon historical cozy series is entertaining. Set in the 1920s in Paris, it features journalist Abigail who has reluctantly agreed to cover a society wedding in England uniting a rich American bridegroom with a poor but titled English bride. Abigail itches to cover real news stories but her crusty editor ignores her. The fact that the American is a major newspaper advertiser clinches the deal.

But a near fatal accident and then an actual murder thrust Abigail into a news story and she takes advantage of her proximity without sensationalizing it. Her old adversary French detective Henri just adds spice to the mix. Even the dashing inspector grudgingly admits Abigail has a talent for detecting.

The country house upper crust setting and the nicely drawn characterizations make this a pleasurable read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.