A Question of Inheritance
by: Elizabeth Edmondson
A Very English Mystery - Book 2
Hugo and crew are on the case when another murder happens at the castle.
This story picks up where the last one ended (if you haven’t read Book 1, they give you enough where you won’t be lost in this one). The new heir, an American (gasp! LOL) is on the way with his two daughters to take up residence in the Selchester castle. Freya, Hugo and Georgia are looking for new accommodations after the holidays. No one is sure what to expect of the new Lord Selchester, Augustine Mason (Gus) Fitzwarin. Let alone his two daughters, Barbara (Babs) and Paulina (Polly).
Lady Sonia is still smarting that she didn’t inherit the castle after the former Lord was declared dead when his bones (and killer - again in book 1) were found seven years after he went missing. She invites herself, her fiancee Rupert, and art expert Oliver to the castle. She wants “her” paintings, the ones secreted away and not included in the inventory before Gus finds them. Freya, the late Lord Selchester’s niece currently living at the castle, suspects Sonia is up to something, but doesn’t know what it is. Despite all of her plotting and such, she proves to have some moral boundaries - to the surprise of Freya, Hugo, and all.
Polly and Georgia, Hugo’s teen sister’s friendship starts off a bit bumpy with Georgia, being worried about where her and Hugo will live, scares her with ghost stories and an all-around brat.
Babs is near 18 years old and playing the sulking teen.
Father Leo - Hugo’s brother and Georgia’s uncle is up for the holiday. I think he is my favorite character in the two books of the series I’ve read so far. He is not only a priest but a scientist, with a penchant for driving Hugo’s car rather fast.
Everyone in the village is buzzing about Gus and his family, excited to learn more about them and what the Earl plans to do with the castle and village.
There are a couple of intersecting subplots that provide twists and turns.
I made a prediction before the murder and happily I was wrong. A bit of a slow burn that picks up quickly. I don’t understand the Scenes within the Chapters, I don’t recall book 1 being structured that way and they seemed to act like speed bumps. Aside from that an enjoyable read.
Happy Reading!
