loribonesscaswell

Traveling secretary and dilettante detective Hattie Davish is bringing her talents to a small New England town whose wealthy residents have more secrets than they do money. . .

When Hattie Davish’s job takes her to Newport, Rhode Island, she welcomes the opportunity for a semi-vacation, and perhaps even a summer romance. But her hopes for relaxation are dashed when she learns that members of the local labor unions are at odds with Newport’s gentry. Amidst flaring tensions, an explosion rocks the wharf. In the ensuing turmoil, Mr. Harland Whitwell, one of Newport’s most eminent citizens, is found stabbed to death, his hands clutching a strike pamphlet. All signs point to a vengeful union member bent on taking down the aristocracy, but Hattie starts digging and finds a few skeletons in the closets of the impeccable Whitwell mansion. As she strikes down the whispers spilling out of Newport’s rumor mill, she’ll uncover a truth more scandalous than anyone imagined–and a killer with a rapacious sense of entitlement. . .

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I was late to the party on this series. I am usually a stickler for reading series books in order but when I booked the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for this one and I read the synopsis above my interest sure was piqued!!

I absolutely love Hattie Davish. What a wonderful and strong character. Her adventure to Newport turns out to be totally different than she expected but she perseveres and gets through it with more grace than any woman above her stature.

Miss Lucy and Miss Lizzie are charming characters who met Hattie in one of the previous books and are her true champions. They stand up for her several times in this story and do all the can to help her romance with a certain doctor continue to evolve.

I truly enjoyed the labor union tie-in to the plot. It is interesting to read that even way back in the 1890′s people were fighting for better pay and better working hours and we are still fighting some of those same battles today. This theme ties quite well with the mystery and serves up the required twists that make mysteries like this so much fun to read.

The author also uses her words to paint pictures in our mind of the summer playground for the American socialite families with names like Astor and Vanderbilt just wonderfully. I have never been to Rhode Island but after this story I can see it clearly in albeit a simpler time.

It was a delight to travel to Newport with Hattie. I need to catch up on the first two books in this series so I am ready to go along with Hattie on her next adventure.