A death in the small hours

Charles Lenox, the Victorian-era member of Parliament, doesn't think he misses his days as London's premier private investigator. He's too busy climbing the political ladder, and, anyway, his young protege, John Dallington, seems to be doing just fine on his own, turning into a first-class detective. But when Lenox accepts an invitation to spend some time at his uncle's estate in the country, he has to admit it's not entirely because he needs peace and quiet to work on an upcoming speech: his uncle's tantalizing hints about a series of bewildering vandalisms in the village of Plumley tug at Charles' not-so-dormant investigative curiosity (and when vandalism escalates to murder, Lenox is hooked). The latest in Finch's veddy British mysteries is, like its predecessors, leisurely paced, with ornate Victorian dialogue that often comes oh-so-close to parody ( I find a walk after supper a eupeptic diversion ) and plenty of richly detailed scene-setting description. Sure to please fans of the previous Lenox novels.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist

Set in 1874, Finch's superb sixth mystery (after 2011's A Burial at Sea) finds former private investigator Charles Lenox now an influential member of Parliament. Lenox accepts the honor of giving the opening speech for the new parliamentary session, which could be the prologue to further government advancement. To prepare, he accepts his uncle's invitation to visit the uncle's estate in the village of Plumbley, which has been afflicted by bizarre acts of vandalism: someone drew a picture of a man hanging from a noose on the doors of two local merchants, and the Roman numeral for 22 was painted on the church door. The stabbing murder of a 19-year-old young man raises the ante. Lenox welcomes the chance to resume detecting, "his truest vocation." Boasting one of Finch's tightest and trickiest plots, this installment further establishes Lenox as a worthy heir to the aristocratic mantle of Lord Peter Wimsey. Agents: Kari Stuart and Jennifer Joel, ICM. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Away from London this time, Victorian sleuth Charles Lenox finds a strange evil surging through the normally placid village of Plumley. Protege John Dallington helps out in the series's sixth title (after A Burial at Sea). (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A member of Parliament prefers investigating over speechifying. Even though he's still called upon for advice by his protg John Dallington, Charles Lenox has long since given up his practice as an investigator. A newborn daughter and a request from his party to give the opening speech at a Parliamentary session carry him even further away from his former career. So would an invitation from his uncle Frederick Ponsonby to bring his family for a visit to his lovely estate in Plumbley, Somerset--if it weren't sharpened by a hint of mysterious vandalism. Deciding that it just may be the perfect place for the peace and quiet he needs to write his speech, Charles repairs with his wife, Jane, their infant, Sophie, and her nursemaid, the formidable Miss Taylor, to Plumbley, where Charles looks more closely into several cases of apparently senseless property damage. The case takes on a more serious turn when a young police constable is found stabbed to death. The locals are suspicious of Capt. Musgrave, a retired naval officer who married a local girl and moved to the village. His wife is rarely seen, and most of his neighbors are convinced that he's mistreating her. Charles has the help of Dallington, who's staying with them in disgrace after a drunken spree. Then, Freddie is kidnapped, and Charles must do everything possible to solve the crime and rescue his beloved uncle. The sixth in Finch's steadily improving series (A Burial at Sea, 2011, etc.) develops the congenial continuing characters further while providing quite a decent mystery.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Charles Lenox, the Victorian-era member of Parliament, doesn't think he misses his days as London's premier private investigator. He's too busy climbing the political ladder, and, anyway, his young protégé, John Dallington, seems to be doing just fine on his own, turning into a first-class detective. But when Lenox accepts an invitation to spend some time at his uncle's estate in the country, he has to admit it's not entirely because he needs peace and quiet to work on an upcoming speech: his uncle's tantalizing hints about a series of bewildering vandalisms in the village of Plumley tug at Charles' not-so-dormant investigative curiosity (and when vandalism escalates to murder, Lenox is hooked). The latest in Finch's veddy British mysteries is, like its predecessors, leisurely paced, with ornate Victorian dialogue that often comes oh-so-close to parody ("I find a walk after supper a eupeptic diversion") and plenty of richly detailed scene-setting description. Sure to please fans of the previous Lenox novels. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

Away from London this time, Victorian sleuth Charles Lenox finds a strange evil surging through the normally placid village of Plumley. Protégé John Dallington helps out in the series's sixth title (after A Burial at Sea).

Set in 1874, Finch's superb sixth mystery (after 2011's A Burial at Sea) finds former private investigator Charles Lenox now an influential member of Parliament. Lenox accepts the honor of giving the opening speech for the new parliamentary session, which could be the prologue to further government advancement. To prepare, he accepts his uncle's invitation to visit the uncle's estate in the village of Plumbley, which has been afflicted by bizarre acts of vandalism: someone drew a picture of a man hanging from a noose on the doors of two local merchants, and the Roman numeral for 22 was painted on the church door. The stabbing murder of a 19-year-old young man raises the ante. Lenox welcomes the chance to resume detecting, "his truest vocation." Boasting one of Finch's tightest and trickiest plots, this installment further establishes Lenox as a worthy heir to the aristocratic mantle of Lord Peter Wimsey. Agents: Kari Stuart and Jennifer Joel, ICM. (Nov.)