MURDER BY SYLLABUB
BY
KATHLEEN DELANEY
About the Book:
A ghost in Colonial dress has been wreaking havoc at an old plantation
house in Virginia. The house is owned by Elizabeth Smithwood, the best
friend of Ellen McKenzie's Aunt Mary. Mary is determined to fly to the
rescue, and Ellen has no choice but to leave her real estate business
and new husband to accompany her. Who else will keep the old girl out of
trouble?
When Ellen and Aunt Mary arrive, they find that Elizabeth's "house" comprises three sprawling buildings containing all manner of secret entrances and passages, not to mention slave cabins. But who owns what and who owned whom? After Monty--the so-called ghost and stepson of Elizabeth's dead husband--turns up dead in Elizabeth's house, suspicion falls on her. Especially when the cause of death is a poisoned glass of syllabub taken from a batch of the sweet, creamy after-dinner drink sitting in Elizabeth's refrigerator.
Monty had enemies to spare. Why was he roaming the old house? What was he searching for? To find the truth, Ellen and her Aunt Mary will have to do much more than rummage through stacks of old crates; they will have to expose two hundred years of grudges and vendettas. The spirits they disturb are far deadlier than the one who brought them to Virginia.
When Ellen and Aunt Mary arrive, they find that Elizabeth's "house" comprises three sprawling buildings containing all manner of secret entrances and passages, not to mention slave cabins. But who owns what and who owned whom? After Monty--the so-called ghost and stepson of Elizabeth's dead husband--turns up dead in Elizabeth's house, suspicion falls on her. Especially when the cause of death is a poisoned glass of syllabub taken from a batch of the sweet, creamy after-dinner drink sitting in Elizabeth's refrigerator.
Monty had enemies to spare. Why was he roaming the old house? What was he searching for? To find the truth, Ellen and her Aunt Mary will have to do much more than rummage through stacks of old crates; they will have to expose two hundred years of grudges and vendettas. The spirits they disturb are far deadlier than the one who brought them to Virginia.
A Syllabub is a sweet dessert drink, made from lemon juice, white wine and cream. The Colonials loved it.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery, the fifth book in the Ellen McKenzie mystery series.
Ellen's Aunt Mary has been asked to help her old friend Elizabeth who believes a ghost has been trying to kill her. On their first evening there the 'ghost' called Monty is found murdered by a glass of poisoned Syllabub. Monty, the nasty stepson of Elizabeth's deceased husband, was found dressed as a colonial gentleman in a locked up house, but how did he get there and who would want to kill him?
As the plot deepens we learn that there are plenty of suspects and lots of motives.
For fans of colonial history and family secrets with twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end this is an entertaining read.
I received this ebook from Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an unbiased review
So glad you enjoyed this book. Very nice review. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this title.
ReplyDeleteThis book was a lot of fun to write. I spent a great deal of time in Colonial Williamsburg, doing the research I needed about life in the eighteenth century and, of course, bought several books on the subject. However, I haven't yet tried my hand at hearth cooking. Somehow the thought of a chicken stuffed with mash potato roasting on a spit in my living room fireplace doesn't thrill me. I have made Syllabub, though. It's absolutely delicious.
ReplyDelete