Murder at Kingscote
  • Published: 25 November 2020
  • ISBN: 9781496720733
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 304
  • RRP: $49.99

Murder at Kingscote

Formats & editions
Paperback
8 Oct 2021
Hardback
25 Nov 2020
Buy from…
Amazon Booktopia Dymocks QBD Readings Your Bookstore Abbeys Boomerang Find local retailers Find local retailers Collins Fishpond Gleebooks Harry Hartog Kinokuniya Robinsons The Nile Mighty Ape

Alyssa Maxwell's eighth Gilded Newport novel featuring Emma Cross, a young woman who, despite being a poorer relation to the venerable Vanderbilts, has shaped her own identity--as a reporter and a sleuth in glittering Newport, Rhode Island at the close of the nineteenth century.

For fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th century elite in this gripping series of riveting mysteries…

In late nineteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, journalist Emma Cross discovers the newest form of transportation has become the newest type of murder weapon . . .

On a clear July day in 1899, the salty ocean breeze along Bellevue Avenue carries new smells of gasoline and exhaust as Emma, now editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger, covers Newport's first-ever automobile parade. But the festive atmosphere soon turns to shock as young Philip King drunkenly swerves his motorcar into a wooden figure of a nanny pushing a pram on the obstacle course.
 
That evening, at a dinner party hosted by Ella King at her magnificent Gothic-inspired "cottage," Kingscote, Emma and her beau Derrick Andrews are enjoying the food and the company when Ella’s son staggers in, obviously still inebriated. But the disruption is nothing compared to the urgent shouts of the coachman. Rushing out, they find the family's butler pinned against a tree beneath the front wheels of Philip's motorcar, close to death.
 
When Emma later receives a message informing her that the butler bullied his staff and took advantage of young maids, she steers the police toward a murder investigation. While Emma investigates the connections between a competing heir for the King fortune, a mysterious child, an inmate of an insane asylum, and the brutal boxing rings of Providence, a killer remains at large—with unfinished business to attend to . . .
 
“Excellent . . . Maxwell combines convincing character development and vivid depictions of Newport’s heyday with a well-plotted mystery. This historical series just keeps getting better.”
 —Publisher Weekly (starred review)
  • Published: 25 November 2020
  • ISBN: 9781496720733
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 304
  • RRP: $49.99
Categories:

Also by Alyssa Maxwell

Two Weddings and a Murder
Murder at Vinland
Murder at the Elms
A Fashionable Fatality
Murder at Beacon Rock
Murder at Wakehurst
A Sinister Service
See all

Praise for Murder at Kingscote

Praise for Alyssa Maxwell's Gilded Newport Mysteries
"Numerous plot twists, a richly described 1898 setting, details of the lives and times of the rich, and a principled, smart main character who is making her own way in the world distinguish this entry in the series. It will appeal to those who enjoy historical mysteries with strong, ahead-of-their-times female characters." --Booklist on Murder at Crossways
"Alyssa Maxwell entertains readers once again...a light, summer-time read perfect for the beach." --Newport This Week on Murder at Crossways
"The setting and historical details are vibrant and colorful, especially real-life figure Mamie Fish--a grand dame in
every sense of the phrase--and the glittering fashions and homes of the Newport rich. The Harvest Festival itself is more than worth the price of admission." --Criminal Element on Murder at Crossways

"Maxwell gives an honest portrayal of the Gilded Age, its pretentious high society, and the second-class status of women. Using just the right period details, Maxwell puts the reader into the story without bogging down the unfolding murder mystery. Fans of the series will enjoy this caper." --Historical Novel Society on Murder at Crossways

"Plenty of red herrings and an intimate look at the world of the wealthy and famous make for a rich broth of a mystery." --Kirkus Reviews on Murder at Ochre Court

"Maxwell dramatically depicts the era's contentious transition from gaslight to electricity...Series fans will enjoy following Emma's changing circumstances." --Publishers Weekly on Murder at Ochre Court

"A sweet, delightful mystery, which is sure to appeal to historical-fiction and mystery readers alike." --Foreword Reviews on A Pinch of Poison

"The characters are fun, the dialogue is both charming and intelligent, but the scenery that makes up that extravagant time period in New England really is the gem in these glorious tales." --Suspense Magazine on Murder at Rough Point

"Several cuts above the usual feisty heroine tale; it provides a good picture of life among the privileged--and not-so-privileged--classes in Gilded Newport." --San Jose Mercury News on Murder at Beechwood

penguin pop image
penguin pop image