Book Review - Sara Rosett's Murder on a Midnight Clear
Murder on a Midnight Clear by Sara Rosett
Published by: McGuffin Ink
Publication Date: December 1st, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 282 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
If you just happen to be stopping by the house of some "friends" near where your recent paramour happens to have hared off to, it makes sense just to scope things out, right? Well, that's what Olive Belgrave thinks. What's a lady detective to do when she has time on her hands and it's the holidays afterall? And she puts action to thought and is trying to see what Jasper is up to at Holly Hill Lodge when she gets in a bit of an accident. At least she can honestly say it wasn't her fault as she's taken up to Holly Hill Lodge. There was ice. And eccentric drivers. In fact, everyone at Holly Hill Lodge is rather eccentric. They're all here to have a good old fashioned Christmas. Mr. and Mrs. Searsby, who bought the house the lock, stock, and barrel, are hosting the eclectic group. But what do these people have in common? Madge Lambert, the lawn tennis player, and her fiance Tommy Phillips, were the first Olive met at the scene of the crash. Then there's the star of the London stage, Bebe Ravenna, who seemed all too close to Olive's Jasper for Olive's taste. Mr. Ambrose Eggers, a scientist who photographs snowflakes. Mr. Theo Culwell, an inventor who has invented some luggage and is looking for investors. Miss Beatrix Windway, a lady traveler who could make Theo Culwell's name for him. Throw in the Searsby's daughter Francie and an eccentric aunt and the house is full to bursting. But Mrs. Searsby insists that Olive stay for Christmas. Olive's car is destroyed. The least she can accept is Dr. Harris examining her and a good night's rest. Of course when morning comes the snow has trapped them at Holly Hill Lodge. And trapped them without a butler! Because Bankston has disappeared! When Olive and Jasper stumble on the body of the butler Mrs. Searsby asks if Olive could be persuaded to investigate. A murder investigation could ruin a house party, but a discreet Olive finding out the culprit and handing them on a silver platter to Scotland Yard when they arrive after the snow melts, well, that would be preferable.
Despite the fact that I actually have the first book in the High Society Lady Detective Series, Murder at Archly Manor, on my Kindle I didn't realize that Murder on a Midnight Clear was part of that series until I started to read it. When I was looking for murderous holiday reads I read the description and was like, "well, that's me sorted!" Thankfully Sara Rosett does a magnificent job of doing just the right amount of catch-up. Some authors summarize the previous events to an excruciating degree until you're shouting at the book that "you already know this!" Some authors are vague and cryptic and just infuriate you so not only do you not care what happened with what came before but you now hate what you're currently reading. Here, chef's kiss perfection, I was able to catch up without being too confused or too annoyed and then get into the story without any lingering questions that would effect the plot. And what's more, it made me want to read the rest of the series at my earliest possible convenience. Sara Rosett was obviously going to be a new favorite author. Because ANYONE who makes a Magnum, P.I. reference by calling the dogs in their book Zeus and Apollo is so going to be my new best friend. PS, she even listed them in the correct order. Moving on from my love of Magnum, P.I., which is the original series NOT the reboot, which I hope I didn't have to mention, this book is full of other things I love, mainly books. Rare books. Beautiful and lovely books that are in a spectacular library! Oh, and then as if that wasn't enough, my new best friend went and added a snowflake scientist! If you don't know about Wilson Bentley, aka Snowflake Bentley, well, you're in for a treat. He was able to photograph snowflakes and show their unique crystalline structure that made each and every one amazingly unique. The pictures he took at the turn of the last century are phenomenal. To have a character in a Christmas book based on Bentley? Perfection. Seriously, I think I might need to have this book as a yearly re-read now.
