A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

In the latest USA Today bestselling, Victorian Era-set Countess of Harleigh Mystery from multi-award winning author Dianne Freeman, Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, uncover the secrets of backstage Paris to find out who's acting the role of a killer to chilling perfection...

Frances and George are enjoying some well-deserved leisure time in Paris when an old acquaintance from London, Alicia Stoke-Whitney, seeks Frances's help to investigate a personal matter. Alicia's daughter is being courted by Carlson Deaver, a wealthy American shadowed by a very suspicious tragedy.

Less than a year ago, Carlson's wife, a former actress, was murdered, her body discovered in one of the more dubious quartiers in Paris. Though authorities guess it was a robbery gone wrong, no one was ever brought to justice. Until Daniel Cadieux, Inspector for the S rete, follows a startling new lead. None other Sarah Bernhardt, legendary icon of the Paris stage, receives a piece of jewelry stolen from the victim, along with an incriminating note- I know what you did .
It opens a new door for the Hazeltons' investigation, as well. But not a soul believes that the Divine Sarah would become entangled in something so disreputable as murder-even if she and the late Mrs. Deaver did have a history of theatrical clashes. Amid questions of revenge, blackmail, scandals, and secrets, more poisoned pen letters follow, and suspects abound. Now it's up to Francis and George to infiltrate the most elite social circles of Paris, and find a culprit before another victim faces their final act.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Freeman's eighth entry in her "Countess of Harleigh" historical mystery series finds Frances and George vacationing in Paris in 1900. Frances really doesn't want to help her former rival Alicia Stoke-Whitney but reluctantly agrees to use her society contacts to investigate Carlson Deaver and determine whether he's a suitable match for Alicia's daughter. He isn't. In fact, it's looking like Deaver may have murdered his first wife, Isabelle, and he is definitely a womanizing scoundrel. The action heats up when famed actress Sarah Bernhardt receives a blackmail letter in an envelope containing one of Isabelle's earrings. Could Bernhardt somehow be involved in Deaver's case? Meanwhile, Frances discovers that she is terrible at golf, which has nothing to do with the murder investigation. This rather predictable mystery is notable mostly for the glamorous Parisian setting and the aforementioned appearance of Bernhardt. Freeman is at her best when she focuses on the personal lives of her characters, as in the previous entry in the series, An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder. VERDICT Suggest largely to readers who are already attached to the series.--Laurel Bliss

Booklist Review

Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, are on vacation in Paris when Frances is asked by a friend to look into Carlson Deaver's past, as Deaver is courting her daughter and his wife, former actress Isabelle Rousseau, died under suspicious circumstances. The plot thickens when Frances and George are recruited by Daniel Cadieux, a detective inspector with the Sûreté, to investigate when a note and piece of stolen jewelry received by Sarah Bernhardt implicate the beloved French performer in the crime, and no one on the force wants to touch the case. Frances and George consider the possible suspects, including Bernhardt, and as their suspect pool diminishes, another murder occurs. They must untangle whether the two murders are connected and, if so, how, as a series of stunning revelations upends their efforts. Frances goes undercover to advance their investigation then hatches a plan to force a confession from the killer. Framed by its beautifully described, immersive 1900-Paris setting, this engaging historical mystery includes sympathetic, well-drawn characters and numerous plot twists to keep readers guessing.

Kirkus Book Review

The turn of the 20th century finds France hosting both the Paris Exposition and the second Olympic Games. But the real buzz concerns a murder mystery. Frances Hazelton, Countess of Harleigh, and her aristocratic English husband, George Hazelton, are no strangers to solving crimes. Having remained in Paris after cracking a murder case there, they're dealing with family business, visits from Frances' sister Lily, who's exhausted by her newborn baby, and the impending arrival of their mother. One day at a picnic, Frances is approached by Alicia Stoke-Whitney, whom Frances has rarely seen since her first husband died in Alicia's bed. Alicia asks her to investigate Carlson Deaver, a wealthy American whose first wife, Isabelle, was murdered. Now he's taken an interest in Alicia's daughter. When Frances gets home, she finds George entertaining Inspector Daniel Cadieux, the detective they met on their first case in Paris. Frances asks if he knows anything about the death of Deaver's wife, a case that's still unsolved. Deaver's wife was an actress, and Sarah Bernhardt recently came to the police with a note accusing her of the murder. But no one wants to investigate because Bernhardt is a national treasure. So Cadieux asks George and Frances to look into it. Their investigation is thorough, and many of the suspects are people they know socially. Deaver isn't a very nice person, but he has an alibi, so they have to keep looking. The murder of an actress friend of Isabelle's in Bernhardt's dressing room turns up the pressure to find the killer. A whodunit whose tangled plot and fascinating background will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.