Rated of 5
by Gail B. (Albuquerque, NM) Deja Vu
A dark and stormy night, a frightened, well-bred woman crouching on our heroine's London doorstep, with no money and nowhere to go. Tender-hearted Sister Bess Crawford is drawn into the spooky life of the Ellis family at Vixen Hall in the Sussex countryside. The convoluted plot, with multiple victims and possible villains, a la Agatha Christie, is saved by the back story of wartime England and France in WWI. Storyline has many similarities to Maisie Dobbs novels, though not as well written.
Rated of 5
by Debbie S. (Paso Robles, CA) Not Impressed
Set in England during World War 1, Bess Crawford, a nurse stationed in France, returns home to London on leave. Upon reaching her flat she finds a young woman huddled in her doorway. After giving the young woman shelter for the night, Bess accompanies Lydia to her home in Sussex. There Bess becomes involved in a murder. Alternating between the battlefields of France and the scene of the murder, the story seems at times to drag and lack excitement or suspense. Characters are not fully developed and some of the plot line is somewhat confusing. For those looking for a "cozy" mystery, this might be suitable. For those wanting a more suspenseful mystery this will not be a good read.
Rated of 5
by Juliet F. (clarendon hills, IL) a very fun read!
I love this series. The character of Bess Crawford continues to solve mysteries in her typical demure-yet quietly awesome- way. I love how the other characters seem to consistently underestimate her, until they realize how sharp she is. This series also does a great job of painting the era in which it takes place, without feeling dated or stodgy. There a few plot points which are kind of a stretch, but it's well worth it in the end. Great plot, great characters, well paced- I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rated of 5
by Jane N. (Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey) Bitter Truth
From the first page readers will be hooked. I enjoyed the historical perspective of the book, WW1 and how Charles Todd wove all of those details into a really good mystery. From page one when Bess finds a desperate woman on her doorstep to the very end, the story holds your interest, and builds as it moves forward. Book clubs should really enjoy this because there is so much to digest and discuss here. A really good read and a fine story
Rated of 5
by Penny P. (Santa barbara, Calif) A Good Read
I read this book in one sitting. I have never read any of the other Kim Crawford books so I have nothing to compare this one to. I do not normally read mystery books but I do think this book was very interesting.
The characters were well developed and the plot was twisty. The time covered in history was something I know little about so that too was sort of fun to learn about. I will recommend it to the members of my book club that enjoy mysteries and may explore the other Kim Crawford mysteries.
Rated of 5
by Marie D. (Waretown, NJ) Oh, what tangled webs we weave!
The book splendidly recreates the period during World War I in England. The coming together of the protagonist, Bess Crawford, and the household of murder suspects – one wonders if it will be determined that the butler did do it - was totally random, yet it all seems to work.
The young nursing sister from a “good” family finds herself center stage in the dysfunctional, wealthy world of the Ellis family at Vixen Hill in the foreboding Ashdown Forest in Sussex. The bleak, twisted landscape and the cold, rainy damp in the house and its environs had me reaching for a cup of hot tea!
The constraining life for women at that time, defined as it was by money, position, and, most certainly, their choice of husbands, played a significant role in the story. The reader may be motivated to slap Lydia Ellis for her behavior at several points in the book. All the characters are delineated fully and all seemed to have a motive for murder!
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Full Story
of 5
by Gail B. (Albuquerque, NM) 
of 5
by Debbie S. (Paso Robles, CA) 
of 5
by Juliet F. (clarendon hills, IL) 
of 5
by Jane N. (Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey) 
