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

Omg! I loved both timelines in this novel. The turn of the 20th century intrigues me as we had so much industry yet lacked fast and critical ways of communicating. Now imagine be snowed in on a mountain where there are plenty of reasons to fear for your life. Like the isolation of The Shining but ibpn a much cooler time frame.the audio version did very well in capturing the didn’t tones of dialect…..though I’d think it would be awesome if we still treated each other with the courtesy they did a hundred plus years ago. I will read or listen to more books in this series.

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel narrated by Bianca Amato. It is a murder mystery set primarily in 1906 in the Bavarian Mountains with the backdrop of Castle Neuschwanstein in the distance. It features smart, intelligent Lady Emily and her handsome husband Colin, who are invited to a house party hosted by a baroness with an eclectic group of guests. After several attempts on the life of the baroness’s son in law, who is boorish and not well liked, her daughter is shot while on a sleigh ride with her husband. The rest of the story features Lady Emily and Colin figuring out the complicated lives of the house guests and the multitude of suspects. There is also a side story featuring the infamous mad King Ludwig that takes place in the 1868. Although at first it appears unrelated, it provides important context to compliment the main story.

Although this book is part of a historical murder mystery series, it is a clearly a stand alone novel. I didn't feel like I was missing anything for having read or listened to only one of the previous books. I definitely recommend this audiobook and look forward to listening to future stories in the series!

I was not familiar with the Lady Emily series, but the premise of this book sounded intriguing. The plot takes place in two timelines: late 19th and early 20th centuries, the first one includes Ludwig II of Bavaria and one of his affairs with Niels, a young German lord. The early 20th century scenes introduce us to a generous and rich art collector, Baroness Ursula von Duchtel in the Bavarian Alps, and her eclectic party guests, including Lady Emily and her husband, Colin. There are several attacks against one of the guests and then a murder. Lady Emily and Colin are investigating.

As I gather this series by Tasha Alexander always includes double timelines that are either connected or related to each other. As this was my first book of her, first I found quite distracting and honestly, a bit melodramatically boring the Ludwig line. Truth to be told, it is becoming more interesting and intriguing by the end of the novel, and we find out the connection.

I quite liked the progress of the murder mystery. Ms. Alexander did a great job to offer several solutions with very well placed red herrings throughout the story. When everything was revealed, I was surprised enough. However, I found the unveiled story of the murder a bit fantastic and far-fetched: too many implausible actions needed for the murderer to be successful, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.

I listened to the audiobook version. The narrator was OK, loved the accents, although she seemed to have some difficulties to come up with different voices for the different characters and sometimes I did not know at once who is speaking as some voices were quite similar.

The audiobook of Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander was a courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. Thanks so much to all for this opportunity.

Death by Misadventure is the 18th Lady Emily cozy mystery by Tasha Alexander. Released 24th Sept 2024 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

The author is prolific and adept. She does a more than capable job setting the scene and time period with both the dialogue and by wrapping the fiction skillfully around a framework of actual historical occurrences. The mystery itself is cleverly constructed and full of fair play clues which invite readers to figure out "whodunnit" alongside the story, with a closed pool of suspects, a remote chalet in the Alps, and lots of interesting historical trivia about Ludwig II of Bavaria who is a major element of the story told in dual timelines.

The plot is driven on parallel storytelling, with one main subplot set in Ludwig's Bavaria and the other in the "current" timeline (Late Victorian period).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 8 hours, 31 minutes and is capably narrated by series narrator Bianca Amato. She has a distinct South African accent, but it's not obtrusive or indeed obvious at all after the first few minutes of narration. She has a pleasantly modulated voice and she's adept at giving all the characters distinct and distinguishable voices. Most of the characters have distinct and varied accents, and she navigates them well.

It's partly an homage to Christie, but Ms. Alexander's writing stands perfectly well on its own merits. Heartily recommended to fans of the series; potentially also recommended for fans of the canonical works. Although the setup, mystery, denouement, and resolution are self-contained, there's a significant amount of development in earlier books which will partially spoil the characters and their relationships if read out of order. With 18 books extant in the series, it would make a great choice for a binge read, especially for fans of golden age and historical mysteries.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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!

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narrated by Bianca Amato. I was extremely impressed at Amato’s Accent work for her characters. Taking place in Bavaria one featuring Parisian characters, she made all of the voices unique with corresponding accents to match their heritage. Voice work like this really brings the book alive and create an immersive experience!

Thank you Minotaur books and MacMillan audio for my complimentary arcs of Death by Misadventure. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am fairly new to the Lady Emily series, but I thoroughly enjoy them.
The pairing of historical fiction and mystery make for an engaging read. The dual timelines are easy to differentiate and I always enjoy both perspectives. Lady Emily and her husband Colin make a wonderful team, their crime solving abilities are top notch. I thought for sure I had this one figured out early on, but I was wrong again. I mean I did figure out the overall general connection, but I did not actually figure it out. Hard to explain, but if you have read it maybe you understand?

I was wondering where the children were for this adventure? Nothing was mentioned of them.

Bianca Amato did a wonderful job with the narrations. I really enjoyed pairing the audio with the book. I loved hearing all the correction pronunciations of the Bavarian/German words.

Dual timeline who dunnit. In the beautiful settings of the Bavarian mountains. The year is 1868 and King Ludwig and Neuschwanstein. And the year 1906 in the shadow of the fame castle. Lady Emily and her husband Colin are invited to a house party. There is an interesting group of individuals invited to the party. When one of the guests seems to have suspicious accidents and then his wife is murdered, one wonders if she was accidentally killed and the victim should have really been her husband.
The first I ever read by Tasha Alexander and really enjoyed it. Of course the setting was the big draw for me and was a nice change from the majority of stories during this time period. You wonder why King Ludwig is in the story but have patience all will be revealed in the end. The narrator was excellent! Really nailed the accent. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #DeathbyMisadventure

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.

So, this is the first I've read of this series, but it was ok to read alone...

🛑Brief outline to follow, so if you don't want to know....STOP reading here!!🛑

The year is 1906. A Baroness, Ursula, has just reopened her beautiful villa after renovations. She invites several people over to celebrate the grand re-opening including her daughter (Sigrid), son-in-law (Kaspar), Lady Emily and Sir Colin, as well as several others...(which as you read, will start to make so much more sense!) The grounds look like a winter fairytale as the snow is falling and blowing... Also, she has a view of the famous King Ludwig's castle!

Time after time, Kaspar keeps getting attacked...like, someone is trying to kill him. He completely blows this off (wait, what???). A few days in, his wife demands that they go on a sleigh ride together to discuss some things (in private). While on the sleigh, SHE is murdered, NOT him!! =0
Although Kaspar is NOT well liked by the staff, his mother-in-law, or basically anyone, Lady Emily and Sir Colin are set on finding out what happened, why, and who the murderer is!

Additionally, there is another timeline. This one being 1868. King Ludwig and Niels are featured in this one, and their 'friendship' is under scrutiny. Lots of moving parts here and lots of eyes watching and tongues wagging...

Sadly, Neils is forbidden to have anything further to do with the King, by his father. Instead, an arranged marriage is set for him...and his life is about to change...forever!

As we jump back and forth between the timelines I was beginning to think that one had nothing to do with the other...I was WRONG!

And the ending...mouth.hanging.open...

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
*** RELEASE DATE IS TOMORROW. 9.24.24. ***

#DeathByMisadventure by #TashaAlexander and narrated beautifully by #BiancaAmato.

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 for me, rounded up to 4!!

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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.

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: Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries # 18
Tasha Alexander
The setting is 1906 on a country estate in Bavaria. Lady Emily and her husband Colin are invited to a house party by Baroness Ursula who is a friend of Cecile, a friend of Emily. Ursula’s lavish country estate was created to complement her art collection. The location is close to the castle where Ludwig II lives. Among the guests were Sigrid, the daughter of the baroness and Kaspar her husband. There were several accidents most revolving around Kaspar. Other than Emily and Colin the guests do not take the accidents seriously. When the accidents increased and intensified the other guests began to wonder if someone was threatening Kaspar. Ultimately, someone is murdered. A snowstorm makes the roads impassable leaving the guests stranded with a murderer.
Usually, I like dual timelines but this time it just doesn’t work. It made the plot confusing. The second timeline revolves around King Ludwig II and the building of his Fairy Castle forty years earlier. The character in each storyline is different; eventually the two-story lines come together. But it’s a long way around to get there. The dual storyline does not allow the plot to flow smoothly. The second timeline gets in the way of the first one. Most of the characters in both timelines are unlikable. The description of the area is beautifully done.
Thank you NetGalley.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a galley of the thoroughly engaging audiobook version! Tasha Alexander skillfully blends solid historical research and engaging characters in this taut mystery. Her wry sense of humor stands out (particularly some of the more mercenary dialogue about marriage and social status among some cold-blooded wealthy people) and Lady Emily, the protagonist is observant, empathetic, and intelligent. It's always nice to see an unintentional but confident sleuth in her mature years. Complex story threads and the setting, the Bavarian Alps, make this an absorbing tale. This is a thought-provoking, well researched mystery that will appeal to readers that enjoy both mystery fiction and historical fiction.

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

At first, I was thrown off by the dates, as they didn't align in a way that made sense in my head. About halfway through, it started to make sense and I figured out half of the twist.

Germanic music history is something I researched in my college days (I majored in Music Education) and love a good Richard Wagner story. The man was fascinating and when this book started in on Neuschwanstein Castle, I knew I couldn't stop listening!

The narrator was fine. She did voices well, but she wasn't very moving. I loved the story and can't wait to purchase a physical copy of this book. This was the first Lady Emily book I have read and now I need to go back and read the previous 17!!

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of the audiobook. This mystery takes place in two time periods, alternating each chapter. I have read a few others in the series and I feel this one was the least adventurous. For one thing, most of the action takes place on a single estate in Bavaria. The murder is a bit late in the book as well. The connection between the two stories takes quite a bit of time to make much sense, but that did not take away from the effect. I think there was too much focus on one character and not enough on the supporting cast in the main story line. The past story was effectively told.

Tasha Alexander has once again created an entertaining read in an exotic locale in the harsh beauty of Bavaria. Lady Emily and Colin are their usual intelligent but heartwarming selves. I really cannot get enough of these two, and it is always a treat to see Cecile. The story is relatively complex, and I did not identify the villain in advance. Unfortunately, I am not sure that is because of the complexity or because I really did not care about most of the characters beyond Emily, Colin, and Cecile. While I enjoyed the read, this was not my favorite book in the series. Even though I much prefer the books that include some mixture of Jeremy, Ivy, Margaret, and more recently the Hargreaves children, I usually consider even the unlikeable non-recurring characters created by Ms. Alexander interesting. That was not the case here. I also grow tired of the dual timelines, particularly because the older timeline is always depressing and hopeless. In recent books, I have begun to skip the chapters with the second timeline and find a greater enjoyment of each book. That said, I look forward to Lady Emily's and Colin's next adventure.

It’s the winter of 1906 and Lady Emily and her husband, Colin, are at a house party in Bavaria near Neuschwanstein Castle. Although they are unfamiliar with the majority of their fellow guests, they quickly discover that not everyone in the party is beloved. What appear to be murder attempts start occurring soon after everyone convenes.

When one of the guests is murdered and everyone is isolated at the villa due to a snowstorm, Emily and Colin begin questioning everyone to determine who committed the crime.

The primary action is set during the house party, but there is a dual timeline aspect to this one. The secondary timeline covers the story of a young German, named Niels, who grows close to King Ludwig, who is famous for his construction of Neuschwanstein Castle (among other things), nearly 40 years before the house party Emily and Colin attend.

I will openly admit that when I requested this one, I did realize that it is part of a series but did not realize that it is book 18 in that series. I feel I probably would have enjoyed this more had I already been a fan of the series.

I appreciated the setting and varied cast of characters as well as how Emily and Colin treat each other as equals.

Although there are various clues and red herrings planted in regards to the murderer’s identity in the narrative, when it comes time for the reveal, there is more telling than showing.

The lead-up to the murder and the investigation themselves drag in this one.

And while I learned more about King Ludwig than I had previously known, I do not feel like the entirety of that plot line is necessary background to the events set in 1906.

All that being said, I could see this book (or this series) being adapted and made popular by PBS.

Bianca Amato’s narration portrays British, German, and French accents in this one. There’s a large cast of characters, and Amato utilizes different voices for each one.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

I learned so much from this book about King Ludwig. I really enjoyed the way the historical timeline interwove with the modern (still historical to the reader) timeline.

I enjoyed our heroine and her husband a lot, and the interplay to their different (and similar) detecting styles. The relationship felt fresh still, even though I'm almost positive this isn't the first in the series. The other characters were all interesting and rich, and I enjoyed reading about all of them.

This was a great cozy historical mystery and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes those genres.

Richly detailed historical mystery thriller.

In the winter of 1906, Lady Emily and her handsome husband Colin are invited to the recently renovated home of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel in the Bavarian alps. Her art collection is amazing. Outside is a panorama of the Alps and a winter wonderland with a view of Mad King Ludwig's fairy tale castle. The eclectic group of guests are enjoying a winter house party except that there are several incidents where Ursula’s son-in-law, Kaspar Allerspach, finds himself hurt or nearly killed. Though there’s no love lost between Ursula and Kaspar, everyone is shocked when a death occurs and it’s not Kaspar. In a dual timeline, the narrative unfolds to reveal hidden desires, tumultuous passions, and unfortunate liaisons that destroyed lives.

I loved this multilayered story with its historical details and complicated plot. The writing is excellent and this series is definitely so well researched and interesting. I like the characters of Lady Emily and Colin, and they always find the most interesting cases on their travels.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Bianca Armato, was absolutely amazing with her voice, accents, and dramatic flair. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book as it was an excellent production.

I look forward to the next book in this fabulous series.