1919 and Lasies Phoebe and Julie Renshaw are visiting their cousin Regina at her new home at High Head Lodge. When the rest of Regina's family arrive there can only be one outcome.
A delightful easy read, and well-written.It can certainly be read as a standalone novel. Tempted to read the first two in the series.
A NetGalley Book ( )

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In this cozy mystery, Lady Phoebe and her lady's maid, Eva, work to solve a murder that directly impacts Phoebe and her family. Inheritance disputes have brought Phoebe's warring relations to descend on the home Phoebe and her sister are visiting, and the arguments soon lead to murder.

Lady Phoebe and Eva are compelling and strong characters, and their relationship is a delight, as are the romances they find themselves in. The supporting cast are unique and interesting, and as a reader I found myself genuinely caring about the solution to the crime and who it would impact.

I'm not a huge fan of the book cover (I think it makes the book look more amateurish than it is), and the story did start out a little slow for my tastes, but this was a fun cozy in a series I could see myself revisiting. ( )

A Devious Death is the third book in the Lady And Lady’s Maid series.

I love to step back in time to before cell phone, computers, and the medical advancements we now have. The Lady and Lady’s Maid series is one my of very favorites for just that.

It’s August of 1919 and Lady Julia, her sister Lady Phoebe with their maids are on their way to visit Cousin Regina, who has recently inherited a large amount of money from her deceased father. Regina, who has purchased a manor house, wants Lady Julia to help her completely redecorate the interior. Also in residence, is Olive Asquith a friend of Regina’s. After conversing with Olive for a while, Lady Phoebe wonders whether her cousin embraces the socialistic sounding feelings of Olive.

As everyone is returning from a day of shopping, Regina’s family arrives in a major huff. It seems that with Regina inheriting all money, the only thing that went to her mother, brother, sister-in-law and the family lawyer was the family home and have come to convince Regina to part with family’s fair share of the money.

The next day a scream is heard and everyone exits their rooms to see Olive standing outside of Regina’s room. Inside the room is the lifeless body of Regina who just appears to be asleep. A brooch, belonging to Regina’s mother is found at the base of her skull.

Constable Miles Brannock is sent to investigate the death and asks Lady Phoebe and her Lady’s Maid Eva to be his eyes and ears as they are more likely to uncover some useful clues, as they have in the past for him. It’s going to be a tough investigation as the whole family certainly had it in for Regina. The lawyer, Ralph Cameron needs to come under scrutiny, too. To start the investigation, Phoebe tells Brannock that she had seen Olive coming out of Regina’s room in the middle of the night that she was killed. Also, that she was awakened by a loud argument between Regina’s brother and his wife. In addition, there is a Russian couple, who speak little English, claim to had been hired to clean at the house, but when Brannock says he is going to arrest, they take off running.

Once again, Ms. Maxwell provides the reader with a well-plotted and told story. The characters are all very interesting and believable. I do believe that Lady Julia character is more in line with how it was back in the period the book was set, but I also believe that interaction of Lady Phoebe and Eva also probably happened, just not the norm.

I can wait for the next exciting book in the series to see what adventures Lady Phoebe and Eva will be involved in. Also anxious to see if there might be a romantic interest for Eva developing. ( )

August, 1919 - Lady Phoebe and her sister Lady Julia Renshaw, together with Lady Phoebe’s confidant and lady maid, Eva Huntford, are off to visit their cousin Regina Brockhurst to help design her new purchase, High Head Lodge. Think of anything that could possibly go wrong and there you have the basis of this entertaining, quick read. Having read and enjoyed the second in this series, A Pinch of Poison I happily returned to the the adventures of Ms. Maxwell’s characters and look forward to the next in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for an advance copy. ( )