Death & Sensibility by Elizabeth Blake
Erin Coleridge owns the Kirkbymoorside bookstore in North Yorkshire moors. But in this tale, we find her heading off to the quaint English town of York to host a Jane Austen Society conference in the York Grand Hotel.
It’s just the change of pace Jane has been looking for. The hotel lives up to its name – the décor is undeniably luxurious and the food positively mouth-watering. Even better, her BFF, Farnsworth is attending, along with other friends from Kirkbymoorside.
The speakers are impressive – literary authors, historians and professors shining prominently in the spotlight. There’s a room filled with vendors selling “everything Jane Austen” – period clothing, baked goods, herbs & spices and other era items.
But as the conference starts swinging into gear, Erin’s noticing that not all of the attendees seem to be “getting along” while other attendees seem to be getting along “too well,” considering their marital status!
As arguments and tempers flare between several of the speakers and hosts, it becomes all too apparent to Erin that a lot of the attendees know each other from the past – and for some, their past seems to be coming back to haunt them.
Barry Wolf is a keynote speaker with a much younger wife. He’s got the reputation for being a real pain in the neck and as Erin finds out, he’s “not a nice guy.” He’s an opportunist with an over-inflated ego and he’s wearing sparring gloves even when he interacts with his assistant, son and ex-wife – all Jane Austen fans and conference participants.
Being one of the hosts at the conference keeps Erin busy – but not as busy as when she discovers a dead body in the cloak room the day after she arrives. Detective Inspector Peter Hemming has crossed paths with Erin before and here he is investigating again – this time the possibility of “heart failure” vs. “murder” in the cloakroom (and, of course, it’s murder).
Much to Detective Hemming’s dismay, Erin is a natural born sleuth. In spite of his warnings to Erin, he knows she can’t help but keep her eyes and ears open at the Jane Austen sessions. And as cozy readers all know – getting too nosy when there’s a killer in your midst is never a good idea and downright deadly!
Death & Sensibility dishes up 3 deaths, served 3 ways in this smooth riding cozy filled with plenty of motives, opportunity and scandal. Elizabeth Blake and Crooked Lane Publishing give us a perfect cozy for a slow-rolling weekend read.
A copy of this book/photo was provided by the publisher.