Review: A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry

Title: A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry
Kate Hamilton Mysteries Series Book Two
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 327 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

American antique dealer Kate Hamilton’s Christmastime jaunt to a charming English village leads to an investigation of a missing ruby…and a chain of murders.

It’s Christmastime and antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is off to visit her daughter, Christine, in the quaint English village of Long Barston. Christine and her boyfriend, Tristan, work at stately-but-crumbling Finchley Hall. Touring the Elizabethan house and grounds, Kate is intrigued by the docent’s tales of the Finchley Hoard, and the strange deaths surrounding the renowned treasure trove. But next to a small lake, Kate spies the body of a young woman, killed by a garden spade.

Nearly blind Lady Barbara, who lives at Finchley with her loyal butler, Mugg, persuades Kate to take over the murdered woman’s work. Kate finds that a Burmese ruby has vanished from the legendary Blood-Red Ring, replaced by a lesser garnet. Were the theft and the woman’s death connected?

Kate learns that Lady Barbara’s son fled to Venezuela years before, suspected of murdering another young woman. The murder weapon belonged to an old gardener, who becomes the leading suspect. But is Lady Barbara’s son back to kill again? When another body is found, the clues point toward Christine. It’s up to Kate to clear her daughter’s name in Connie Berry’s second Kate Hamilton mystery, a treasure for fans of traditional British mysteries.

Review:

A Legacy of Murder by Connie Berry is a perplexing addition to the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series. Although this newest release is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

American Kate Hamilton is looking forward to spending time with DI Tom Mallory and her daughter Christine during her trip to England. She has barely settled in at Finchley Hall when she is with a group of visitors who find a dead body.  The victim is Tabitha King who is an intern at Finchley Hall.  Vowing not to become involved with another murder investigation, Kate volunteers to fill Tabitha’s position. She is soon quite busy setting up the exhibit for Lady Barbara Finchley-fforde’s exquisite collection of family heirlooms.  But Kate cannot resist when Lady Barbara asks her to look into the sightings of a mysterious man who has been seen around the estate and the local village.  Despite her best efforts to stay out of Tom’s investigation, Kate is soon uncovering clues and tracking down leads.  And when the case takes a shockingly personal turn, Kate is determined to identify the murderer in order to save her daughter, Christine.

Kate is excited to see Tom again but she is still questioning the future of their long distance relationship. She is also delighted to spend time with Christine, but her daughter is busy with her boyfriend, Tristan, and her internship. Kate busies herself with setting up the exhibit and asking questions about the mysterious man. She and Tom manage to carve out time together, but  he is frequently called away as new information about Tabitha’s case is discovered.

Kate is an absolutely charming, warmhearted woman but her daughter Christine is nothing like her mother. Christine is  immature,  quick to anger and prone to violent outbursts.  She is known to hold grudges and exact revenge for perceived betrayal. Her relationship with Tristan becomes volatile after their boss Alex Devereux begins pursuing Tristan. Plenty of drama ensues as Christine refuses to give up on her troubled romance.

Set against a bucolic backdrop, A Legacy of Murder is an intriguing mystery with a clever storyline and interesting characters. Kate is a wonderful lead character who is quite endearing. Tom is a wonderful man who is very sure of himself and what he wants.  Through misdirection and clever red herrings,  Connie Berry brilliantly obscures the perpetrator’s identity and motive for the murders until the story’s nail biting conclusion. I thoroughly enjoy this second installment in the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series and I am eagerly looking forward  to the next book in the series.