Author Charles Finch has really outdone himself with this 9th entry into the Charles Lenox Mystery series. He deftly weaves the stories of at least four mysteries throughout the book. His depth of research is sine qua non and his characters are strong, yet not infallible. Although each books can stand on its own, I do recommend starting from the beginning to get the full impact of the series' development.

As for this story, our protagonist, Charles Lenox, is partner in an up and coming detective agency. Just as an important case of a missing German pianist surfaces, Charles is called away to attend to family matters in Sussex, away from his London home. Sure enough, as he is well known for his detection capabilities, he is called to the scene of a house break-in in the village near the family's estate. This case seems rather squirrelly, which just causes the hairs on the back of Charles' neck to rise. His heart is focused on family and his mind on at least two different cases. Can Charles figure it all out in time to save the day? Time will only tell. Oh, and yes, he has dead bodies with which to deal as well.

As previously mentioned, if you enjoy smartly written historical mysteries, then the Charles Lenox Mystery series may be just the one for you. Finch writes prose exquisitely with an eye to every detail. It is a pleasure reading his scenic descriptions as much as delving into the details of the mysteries themselves. The banter among characters is absolutely delightful and it eases the tension of the grizzly parts of the stories.

There are so many twists and turns in this story that just when you think you got all the facts in order another twist is introduced. I do so enjoy the author's cleverness, depth of research and delightful writing style. As much as this book can stand stand on its own in spite of being part of series, you won't want to miss out on all the work leading up to this moment - the groundwork which is laid out in the previous eight books. ( )

In this latest edition of the Charles Lenox Mysteries, two mysteries take the stage. One occurs in London, involving the sudden,surprising disappearance of an internationally acclaimed pianist. The second takes place at the Lenox ancestral home in Sussex, and involves strange thefts, burglary and more. Both problems are bizarre, with a touch of sensationalism, but Charles takes each case seriously in hand whilst travelling back and forth between the locations.

Both cases are engrossing, and the play of going back and forth between the two makes for a really enjoyable read. Added to the core mysteries are the familiar cast of characters, and the trials and triumphs of their personal lives.

Over the course of the series, Finch has unselfishly allowed major life events to affect characters. These significant changes have caused me to become greatly invested in the series, while growing to be extremely attached to both the major players (Charles, Edmund, Lady Jane, Graham), as well as those who appear less frequently (Polly, Toto, McConnell). That he introduces major developments is very refreshing, and makes the series consistently new and intriguing.

I have greatly enjoyed this series since the first book, [b:A Beautiful Blue Death|13539182|A Beautiful Blue Death|Charles Finch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344316355s/13539182.jpg|1031235]. I enjoyed [b:Home by Nightfall|23848281|Home by Nightfall (Charles Lenox Mysteries, #9)|Charles Finch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1438703699s/23848281.jpg|43458225] even more! Charles Finch has become one of my favorite authors. With such regular reliability in the quality of his writing, he has never disappointed me. Unlike many other mysteries, I find the Charles Lenox Series to be very re-readable.

Very highly recommended.

**eARC netgalley** ( )

This series has been sort of like riding a roller coaster for me. It's had its ups & downs. When I first started reading it, I loved it. Then when Charles Lenox started working in the Parliament I didn't like it all. Now that he's left Parliament and has his own detective agency, I love it again. I'm extremely glad that the author decided to go that route so Charles can freely detect again because the whole Parliament thing was tedious and boring!!

In this book, Charles' brother Edward, goes through some major life changes so I'm curious to see what happens with him next. He's always enjoyed detecting with Charles so maybe he'll leave Parliament and start dabbling in detecting too. You never know... : )

*I received this ARC from Minotaur Books and Goodreads Firstreads in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
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I was excited to be reading an English mystery, but that excitement quickly disappeared, and loathing entered the story. Charles Finch attempts to impress with eloquent language, but he missteps in his grammar during this endeavor. I spent too much time rereading sentences to figure the writer's intention and lost all enjoyment of the story. The story seems to have left my memory immediately after the final chapter. Nothing in the story remains to ponder. The journey into the English countryside provoked nothing but ennui. ( )

In 1876 London, a famous pianist disappears, but the disappearance is entangled with captivating twists and turns, and more than one murder must be solved.