Another rollicking ride through history and murder with my favorite sleuths Lady Kathryn and Sir Charles. Don't be put off by their titles. And if you don't know them, don't start here. (Oh, my, too many negatives for such a fabulous book.) You will want to get to know the main characters Kate and Charles in "Death at Bishop's Keep" by Robin Paige (pseudonym for wife and husband writing team Susan Wittig Alert and Bill Albert.) This is book number 12. I do wish they'd publish the series number beneath the title. I am chronologically addicted to the unfolding of characters and time lines.I won't tell you the plot except to say: 1903, Lizard Village. I always think of King Arthur when I consider Cornwall and now I will also add this book and the feisty, arrogant Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi. New technology will always be a place for competition, suspicion, doubt, greed, secrecy and in this case murder.The authors historical research seems impeccable. And the character development authentic. This was the perfect book to read after "Great Expectations" and before "Tinkers".Happy reading!!!**** I should qualify all my 4 stars as being 5 stars. I'm saving up stars for that once (or twice) in a lifetime, that deserves appreciation beyond all numbers. Perhaps I shall be more generous in the future and just let you know when a stellar book comes along.
I reached about halfway with this book before I simply lost interest and could not find the motivation to pick it up again and finish it, even though I had it sitting on my bedside table. It wasn't bad, but it certainly failed to draw me in. Perhaps my mistake was picking up the 12th book of the series; there was little introduction to the characters of Charles and Kate, except hints of what they had done in previous books. I simply didn't feel any connection with the two protagonists (who didn't communicate very much in the half I read), nor did I feel any sympathy for the other characters. I was utterly uninterested in development of the wireless and the competition between the companies.To be fair, though, the historical aspects sound very well-researched by Paige, and there was a reasonable balance between prose and dialogue, both of which fit the era without being forced. Perhaps one day I'll pick up the first book in the series and see whether I'll be more interested in Charles, Kate, and their mysteries.
Do You like book Death On The Lizard (2007)?
A disappointing end to an enjoyable series. There was no real feeling of mystery and I'm not sure that the clues were there to solve the mystery. Even worse, Kate was practically non-existent and there was no time showing Kate and Charles relationship. These two characters and their relationship was what drew me to the series in the first place. Instead there was too much focus on secondary characters. You can see that the author's interest in the series has waned and I think it is good that they have finished. I just wish they could have gone out on a high note.
—Aileen Frost
Finally, the last in the series. Only an average entry.As the series went on, it became less about Kate solving mysteries and more about her husband Charles and historical figures. I understand by this book's dedication that the wireless is important to the writers families and that is probably why they ended the series this way. As a reader, I'd much rather have had a more famous or notorious person featured as I simply didn't care one way or another about Marconi despite his scientific contributions. and the Germans yet again, a so frequent feature in the series. Ah well, the series is done now and after 12 books, I probably won't remember it a month from now.
—Teddi
This is the 12th and last in the Victorian/Edwardian mystery series. The primary historical figure is Marconi and focuses on his wireless (transmission of Morse code) technology. Charles and Kate work to solve several mysterious deaths, some related to wireless, and the drowning death of a young girl whose mother's estate they are visiting. There are some supernatural elements including a seance with ghostwriting that provides some historical atmosphere. While I found the historical information to be interesting, the mystery lacked some punch and there was some poor editing, such as Kate introducing herself as Lady Sheridan Sheridan. I also found her talking alter-ego, Beryl to continue to be annoying. While it is always sad to get to the end of a series, this one has suffered in the last few books, with the exception of Death at Blenheim Palace. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the series overall, and look forward to other series by Susan Wittig Albert (half of the writing duo of this series along with her husband, Bill).
—Michelle
