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Pamela F. (Sun City West, AZ)
Going to be hooked on another series
This was my first time reading a book in this series. I love books of an historical genre and also love mystery series because of the beautiful way they develop the main & supporting characters that make you long to spend more time with them with each published book. I think that anyone who is a fan of Louise Penny would enjoy this series as well as M.C. Beaton. I look forward to going back to the first of this series and moving forward!
Maggie R. (Canoga Park, CA)
A Good Mental Vacation
Another first time reader here. Home By Nightfall prompted a mental movie a la PBS Mystery. Charming characters, small town Victorian setting, intriguing mysteries, all in a package that can be read quickly with the reader choosing the ideal cast!
Alan K. (Westport, MA)
Gentle, Fast Read
The ninth in the series, Home By Nightfall certainly can be read as a stand alone. Gentlemen sleuths, simultaneous mysteries, well developed characters and a good feel for both the English countryside as well as grittier London combine for a good read with a cup of tea. After reading this one, I am definitely interested in reading them in order from the first.
Sarah W. (Frenchtown, MT)
Victorian mystery in easy doses
This was a fun, quick read. It is a mystery set in London and the English countryside that is full of interesting characters, a plot that moves along steadily and not one, but two parallel evolving cases. The contrast between city and country living is explored, and tender family relationships are heartfelt. After the sleuthing is done, the feeling remains that people are basically the same regardless of the century.
Sue Z. (Cornelius, NC)
Home by Nightfall
When I began "Home by Nightfall" I didn't know that this book was the newest in a series by Charles Finch. One reviewer described the writing as between Jane Austin and Charles Dickens, an observation I found to be quite accurate. This gentle and well-written mystery is the ideal book to read on a wintry day in front of the fire with a cup of tea to hand. The description of a Victorian village is somewhat idealized but the characters are well depicted and the story moves along a good pace. It is not for the reader who likes lots of gun-play and cool customers, but for the lovers of Agatha Christie this is just ideal
Linda W. (Arlington, TX)
Leisurely Historical Mystery
This is a pleasant, leisurely-paced mystery set in 1876 England. Charles Lenox is a gentleman detective who runs a private detection agency. The plot features two mysteries--the disappearance of a famous German pianist, and strange goings-on in Lenox's home village. It gives an interesting picture of noisy, smelly, bustling London, and of intertwined relationships in the little village of Markethouse. This is not a world-beater, but a pleasant read for those of us who like historical mysteries.
This is the first Charles Lenox novel I've read and I plan to seek out the others.
Debra V. (Kenosha, WI)
Home By Nightfall
The beauty of reading a mystery set in the late 1800's is the pace -- nothing happens quickly and you have time to read every word and ponder the revelations as they unfold.
This was the first book I've read in this series by Charles Finch and I enjoyed his use of the more formal language of that era. It was a good change of pace from the mystery set in "modern times" where technology sometimes becomes the "star". The heart-felt rumination of the detective (Charles Lenox) on many topics added depth for me. Loved this one regarding how he felt when his father died -- "but a parent --while one's parents were alive,
…more if they were decent parents, one was always at least in some small part of one's self protected -- from life, from fear, from reality. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a mystery set in the English countryside of the 1800's. (less)I am an avid reader of historical mysteries. I enjoy Anne Perry, Charles Todd (mother-son duo) and my current favorite, Jacqueline Winspear. This is the 9th in the Charles Lenox series but it is my 1st. The author has a fine ear for dialogue and paints a vivid picture of Victorian London with his attention to period details. The twin mysteries in the plot were well developed and held my interest. I would have enjoyed this novel more if I had been more familiar with the back stories of the main characters . I plan to read the first novel in this series.
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