Book info

• Title Murder at the Brightwell
• Author Ashley Weaver
• Year 2014
• Genre Mystery

1932, Devon. Amory Ames is glamorous, wealthy and unhappily married to notoriously charming playboy Milo. She willingly accepts her former fiancé Gil Trent's plea for help in preventing his sister Emmeline from meeting a similar matrimonial fate. Amory accompanies Gil to The Brightwell, the sprawling seaside resort where Emmeline and her fiancé, the impeccably groomed, disreputable cad Rupert Howe are holidaying, along with the other rich and sumptuously-dressed guests. Champagne flows but the sparkle soon fades as a dark and unresolved history between Gil and Rupert surfaces. After a late night quarrel the luxurious hotel is one guest fewer by morning. When Gil is arrested for murder Amory is determined to defend his innocence. But if she's right, the killer is still in their midst - can she prove it before she, too, becomes a victim? And what of the unexpected arrival of Milo? Extravagance, scoundrels and red-herrings abound as Amory draws closer to discovering the murderer - as well as love.

Thoughts

I loved the atmosphere of this book, the 1930s upper crust feel with lots of wealthy socialites romping around and annoying each other. A trip to the seaside goes very wrong when one of the party is murdered and our protagonist starts investigating alongside the police (not sure that the Inspector would have gone along with it but it was a different time so who knows?). The middle of the book did drag a bit for me, but as more incidents kept occurring and the whodunit drew to its twisting conclusion, I mostly enjoyed it.

Rating: 3 / 5