Category Archives: Kate Hamilton Mysteries

June 18, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry

Title: The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry
Kate Hamilton Mysteries Series Book Three
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In Connie Berry’s third Kate Hamilton mystery, American antique dealer Kate Hamilton’s spring is cut short when a body turns up at the May Fair pageant.

Spring is a magical time in England–bluebells massing along the woodland paths, primrose and wild thyme dotting the meadows. Antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is spending the month of May in the Suffolk village of Long Barston, enjoying precious time with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. While attending the May Fair, the annual pageant based on a well-known Anglo-Saxon folktale, a body turns up in the middle of the festivities.

Kate is even more shocked when she learns the murder took place in antiquity shop owner Ivor Tweedy’s stockroom and a valuable Chinese pottery jar that she had been tasked with finding a buyer for has been stolen. Ivor may be ruined. Insurance won’t cover a fraction of the loss.

As Tom leads the investigation, Kate begins to see puzzling parallels between the murder and local legends. The more she learns, the more convinced she is that the solution to both crimes lies in the misty depths of Anglo-Saxon history and a generations-old pattern of betrayal. It’s up to Kate to unravel this Celtic knot of lies and deception to save Ivor’s business.

Review:

The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry is an interesting mystery set in a quaint British village. Although this newest release is the third book in the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series, it can be read as a standalone.

Kate is manning Ivor Tweedy’s antique store in Long Barston while he undergoes much needed surgery. She is also enjoying her time with her long distance significant other Detective Inspector Tom Mallory who is unfortunately tied up working an important case. While attending the May Fair, the festivities come to a shocking end following a murder. Kate is stunned to discover the victim was attacked in Ivor’s storeroom and a valuable pottery jar has been stolen.  When she is hired to value the victim’s expensive and expansive art collection, Kate notices some troubling inconsistencies. Will she and Tom unmask the killer?

Kate owns an antiques business in the United States and she is well-versed in antiquities. So, filling in for Ivor is no hardship. What she does not expect is for a customer to bring in a rare and expensive pottery jar for her to sell on consignment. The client is a little mysterious and Kate feels a bit uneasy about the woman. Trying to focus on what the sale would mean for Ivor, she pushes aside her doubts.

Kate has been involved in two other murder cases so she promises Tom she will stay out of this latest murder investigation. Of course, she does pass on her observations to Tom when they arise. Kate continues valuing the victim’s estate, but she becomes very curious about some of the discoveries she makes.  Despite her best efforts to remain on the sidelines, Kate cannot resist looking into some of the things that are troubling her. Will she discover any new information that might identify the murderer?

Kate is an amiable woman who never expected to fall in love after her husband unexpectedly passed away. Since she lives in the United States and Tom in England, she never believed their relationship would become serious. Although they have spent limited time together, Kate (reluctantly) admits to herself she is in love with Tom. But is there any future for them together?

The Art of Betrayal is a clever cozy mystery with a wonderful cast of characters. The village is a lovely setting that is quite atmospheric. The storyline is interesting and while initially a little slow, the pace soon picks up steam. With a jaw-dropping plot twist, Connie Berry brings this engaging mystery to an exciting conclusion. Old and new fans of the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series are going to love this newest addition.

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Filed under Connie Berry, Contemporary, Kate Hamilton Mysteries, Mystery, Rated B, Review, The Art of Betrayal

October 6, 2019 · 11:58 pm

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.

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Filed under A Legacy of Death, Connie Berry, Contemporary, Crooked Lane Books, Kate Hamilton Mysteries, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense

April 14, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: A Dream of Death by Connie Berry

Title: A Dream of Death by Connie Berry
Kate Hamilton Mysteries Book One
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

On a remote Scottish island, American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton wrestles with her own past while sleuthing a brutal killing, staged to recreate a two-hundred-year-old unsolved murder.

Autumn has come and gone on Scotland’s Isle of Glenroth, and the islanders gather for the Tartan Ball, the annual end-of-tourist-season gala. Spirits are high. A recently published novel about island history has brought hordes of tourists to the small Hebridean resort community. On the guest list is American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton. Kate returns reluctantly to the island where her husband died, determined to repair her relationship with his sister, proprietor of the island’s luxe country house hotel, famous for its connection with Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Kate has hardly unpacked when the next morning a body is found, murdered in a reenactment of an infamous unsolved murder described in the novel—and the only clue to the killer’s identity lies in a curiously embellished antique casket. The Scottish police discount the historical connection, but when a much-loved local handyman is arrested, Kate teams up with a vacationing detective inspector from Suffolk, England, to unmask a killer determined to rewrite island history—and Kate’s future.

Review:

The first installment in the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series, A Dream of Death by Connie Berry is a suspense-laden cozy mystery.

Kate Hamilton is returning to the Isle of Glenroth, Scotland at the request of her estranged sister-in-law, Elenor Spurgeon. The two women were never close but since Kate’s beloved husband, Bill, passed away, they have not been in contact. Despite not particularly liking Elenor, Kate cannot refuse Elenor’s urgent request for her help. She is dismayed to discover she is even more disagreeable than ever and she is frustrated when Elenor puts off telling her why she needs Kate’s assistance. The next day, a shocking murder stuns Kate and the rest of the community.  The murder is eerily similar to one that took place hundreds of year ago and Kate is convinced there is a connection. When the police zero in on handyman Bo Duff, Kate begins her own investigation since she is certain he is not the killer. Will she uncover the murderer’s identity before it is too late?

Kate lives in Jackson Falls, OH where she owns an antique store. Her children are now grown and despite the passage of time, she still deeply mourns Bill’s death. Kate’s relationship with Elenor has always been tense, but she cannot ignore her promise to Bill to care for his sister.  She is hoping to quickly get to the root of the problem, but Elenor is focused on the upcoming Tartan Ball. She drops a bombshell on the attendees and then brushes off Kate’s questions. After the stunning murder, Kate puts her investigative skills to work in an attempt to catch the killer.

With an isolated setting, an intriguing murder and the tantalizing historic murders, A Dream of Death is an absorbing cozy mystery. The characters are vibrantly developed and quite appealing. Despite warnings from the police to stay out of the investigation, Kate just cannot resist trying to piece together the pieces of this perplexing mystery. With some well-placed red herrings and sneaky misdirects,  Connie Berry brilliantly keeps the perpetrator’s identity and motive for the crime cleverly under wraps until the action-filled denouement.  An enjoyable beginning to the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series that I highly recommend to readers of the genre.

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Filed under A Dream of Death, Connie Berry, Contemporary, Kate Hamilton Mysteries, Mystery, Rated B+, Review