I haven't been reading this series in order but that hasn't made a great deal of difference to enjoying each story. This instalment was not quite as compelling as Book 1, because there was a little too much focus on the horrible Lady Holt's authorship ambitions and the somewhat ambiguous details concerning the murders. The final scenes were a bit rushed for the conclusion and the unexpected twist appeared very perfunctorily. Despite these difficulties with the plot development, it was a good story for moving the saga of Olive Belgrave forward. Jasper as her main companion-investigator is amusing and very likeable. I prefer Rosett's period detective stories much, much more than Rhys Bowen's style. ( )

Thoroughly enjoyable, with the same easy grace and homey feel as an Agatha Christie Mystery. ( )

This series is enjoyable - especially with the narrator. I listened to this as an audiobook and was pleased to hear that Elizabeth Klett reads this book as well as the first one I listened to. This is another High Society murder and I'm thoroughly enjoying the series. This book is about writers, ghost writers, shifty lawyers and golf. Olive is asked to go to stay at Blackburn Hall to find our what has happened to one of Hightower Books authors. She steps into a mess of jealousy, greed and dishonesty. It is September 1923, and unusually warm in the country. Olive's visit starts pleasantly enough, even though her hostess at Blackburn is hoitty-toity and considers herself an expert on etiquette. But soon Olive discovers there is much more to the case of the disappearing author than first assumed. With the help of her friend Jasper, she uncovers a whole bunch of secrets, lies and cover-ups. One of the suspects in the case appears to have an unsavoury connection to Olive, and Olive finds herself in hot water when that gentleman meets an untimely end. I love this series, and am already looking forward to listening to the next in the series. Whether I would enjoy this series more, less or just the same if I was reading it, I don't know, but I do know that I am enjoying listening to it so will continue with this format. ( )

Despite her success at Archly Manor, Olive Belgrave’s attempts to establish herself as a lady detective in 1923 London aren’t going well; going so poorly, in fact, that she’s taken a job as a hat model at a society millinery to make ends meet. That is, until her friend Jasper Rimington puts her on to a possible case: Hightower Books’ most popular author, R. W. May, has gone missing and Mr. Hightower himself hires Olive to see if she can find him. He provides her with an excuse to visit Blackburn Hall, near where May has disappeared, and soon Olive is uncovering secrets there - about the author, about the family of the Hall, and about a mystery of her own past. But when murder occurs, she must pull out all the stops to prevent the possibility, even the likelihood, of being arrested for murder herself…. This is the second in the High Society Lady Detective series, and as such, it is just as light and cozy as the first. We again have a luscious country setting with a beautiful house; here, a highly mannered aristocracy and a small village filled with gossip lend colour to the events. Plus, we find out more about how Olive came to find herself in the financial straits that she is in, and her relationship with Jasper deepens, as well. A most enjoyable light read; recommended! ( )

Olive is a society young woman but is broke and gets a job working for a publishing company and must go to a society house party under the guise of previewing an etiquette book but really trying to get the latest draft of a reclusive writer’s serial book which is late and lives nearby. She discovers that the author has been murdered and is hiding an identity secret. ( )