Murder at Wakehurst

By: Alyssa Maxwell

Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo

Following the death of her uncle Cornelius Vanderbilt in September 1899, a somber Emma is in no mood for one of Newport's extravagant parties. But to keep Vanderbilt's reckless son, Neily, out of trouble, she agrees to accompany him to an Elizabethan fete on the lavish grounds of Wakehurst, the Ochre Point "cottage" modeled after an English palace, owned by Anglophile James Van Alen.

Held in Wakehurst's English-style gardens, the festivities will include a swordplay demonstration, an archery competition, scenes from Shakespeare's plays, and even a joust. As Emma wanders the grounds distracted by grief, she overhears a fierce argument between a man and a woman behind a tall hedge. As the joust begins, she's drawn by the barking of Van Alen's dogs and finds a man on the ground, an arrow through his chest.

The victim is one of the 400's most influential members, Judge Clayton Schuyler. Could one of the countless criminals he'd imprisoned over the years have returned to seek revenge - or could one of his own family members have targeted him? With the help of her beau Derrick Andrews and Detective Jesse Whyte, Emma begins to learn the judge was not the straight arrow he appeared to be. As their investigation leads them in ever-widening circles, Emma will have to score a bull's eye to stop the killer from taking another life....

©2021 Alyssa Maxwell (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Stay engrossed.

Fully engaging! A pleasure to read… Characters, settings, are developed fully. Plot progression pours a reader effortlessly through the story. 2+ speed not required out of boredom! Highly recommended.

Great

Well finally! A lot going on and hard to figure out the murderer with a lot of red herrings.

LOVED IT

Another wonderful read in Alyssa Maxwell's Gilded Newport Mystery Series. Things may be changing in Newport, and, if so, what will it mean to Emma, Derrick, and Jesse? Uncle Cornelius has died, leaving the family in mourning. The fate of The Breakers remains unknown. There is a new face at the police station. Derrick's mother is in town and on a mission. Amidst it all, murder takes center stage.

As usual, I am left wanting more and impatiently awaiting the next book.

One note on the narration. Ms. Ezzo did a good job, and had I not just listened to the previous book, perhaps I wouldn't have noticed. However, I do hope Ms. Kaminsky returns as narrator.

Worst. Narrator. Ever.

I enjoy these stories but had to labor through listening to this narrator. She needs to tamp down the drama in every word and save it for when it’s appropriate