by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

A Fatal Reception is book four in Kathleen Marple Kalb’s Ella Shane Mysteries featuring Ella Shane, an opera singer in New York City in the early 1900s. Ella is a mezzo soprano “trouser diva” who sings male roles. She’s a remarkable character for both her vocal skills and fencing skills, as well as for her generosity of spirit.

The book opens with Ella making her debut at the Metropolitan Opera, while her fiance Gilbert Saint Aubyn, the British duke, is traveling by ship to New York. There is much to prepare for their upcoming wedding!

While Ella’s performance is stellar, the reception is marred by the discovery of the body of prominent citizen and war hero Chester Lorimer. Standing above Chester and holding a bloody rock is Mrs. Corbyn, an unpleasant society matron. Mrs. Corbyn claims that she acted in self-defense because Chester had attempted to assault her. Something, though, doesn’t sit right with Ella. And on top of that incident, Ella receives word that Gil has been shipwrecked, and while the company reports two losses of life, Gil’s name isn’t noted in the surviving passenger lists. In an effort to occupy her mind while she waits on word about Gil, Ella, along with the Countess (Gil’s mother) and Ella’s cousin Tommy, decide to investigate Mrs. Corbyn’s claim.

What a ride this mystery is! It’s an interesting twist in a mystery to not have to consider who killed someone, but if it was truly self-defense or murder. The interactions between the Countess and Ella as they await news are lovely and makes the ending of the novel all the more heartwarming. The characters are well developed and interact with each other in such an entertaining way. I love the closeness these characters have after many of them grew up together in poverty.

The historical background is well-researched and adds to the novel – I loved going back in time to New York of the 1900s. There are a lot of threads that Kathleen skillfully intertwined without confusing the readers. No spoilers here, but there is an action scene towards the end of the novel that had me turning pages quickly.

Fans of Lady Hardcastle Mysteries by T.E. Kinsey and Countess of Harleigh Mysteries by Dianne Freeman should enjoy this series and especially this new addition.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win an ebook copy of A Fatal Reception, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “fatal” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 27, 2024. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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