Julianna Deering's "Death at Thorburn Hall" - perfect end to the series

Drew and Madeline Farthering are vacationing up in Scotland for the British Opener when their host--a man who invited Drew for the purpose of investigating his business partner--dies in an accident. Or was it an accident? Of course, Drew can't keep his nose out of the investigation, especially when it becomes clear it was murder. But how do German spies, gigolo golf caddies, and phony Russian thieves all tie together?

This was the perfect final book to the series, where all those little things--like Nick and Carrie's relationship and a certain mystery I had completely forgotten about--are finally resolved. I loved the sense of the international scene in this one--not so much the golfing (a very minor part of the story, anyway), but how people are keeping an eye on eastern Europe and the new regime growing in Germany, and how it is a controversial topic and growing point of concern. The clock is noticeably ticking down toward WWII.

I really appreciate how the author portrays Drew and Madeline's relationship. They got married three books ago, and yet somehow the adventure hasn't ended! Plus they're still cute and romantic, even after several years of marriage (the climbing up to the window scene was adorable and funny). Like all married couples, they've had to work through issues, but they've also found their rhythm and now they get to help Nick and Carrie work through their issues, having experienced much the same things themselves.

This was a case where I really had no good guess on the murderer. Now that it's solved, I can see why Drew was a confused as I was; it was a sneaky trick on the author's part. I heartily approve. Complex, yet the clues were really all there, if I had only recognized them as such.

If I'm wrong about this being the last Drew Farthering mystery, then I won't be disappointed.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for an e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Drew Farthering Mysteries
1. Rules of Murder
2. Death by the Book
3. Murder at the Mikado
4. Dressed for Death
5. Murder on the Moor
6. Death at Thorburn Hall

Julianna Deering's "Murder on the Moor"---Drew Farthering meets The Hound of the Baskervilles

In the fifth Drew Farthering mystery, Drew and Madeline are invited to a friend's Yorkshire estate, where mysterious happenings have been occurring on the moor, not a mention a murder in town that the local constabulary has been unable to solve. Could the two be related? And how does his friend's society bride--a woman of questionable interests--fit into everything?

The problem with reviewing a mystery is that it can be so hard to gush about the things one likes without spoiling the plot, hence the following somewhat vague praise. I was pleased to have figured out (or, in the case of the murderer, simply guessed right without anything to back it up other than intuition from reading too many mystery novels) a couple of the mysteries in the story before Drew did. It's so satisfying to beat him, even if logic was only involved in one particular case, and not the other. And I was pleased that certain characters that I wanted to be innocent were, in fact, innocent. I would not have appreciated the story nearly as much if they hadn't been.

Nick is adorable Nick, but at the same time he has a slightly different role than we usually see him in, and it added a lot to the fun of the novel, changing things up a bit. It was an excellent choice. I also appreciated that issues from a former book have returned, namely regarding certain prejudices that have resulted from bad experiences in Drew's past. Of course, just because he is prejudiced doesn't mean he ISN'T right . . .

References to Jane Eyre and The Hound of the Baskervilles abound. I really need to refresh my memory of the classics BEFORE reading the mystery so I can actually catch all of the references. I can't decide which book I like best--Murder on the Moor or Death by the Book. Suffice to say, this is one of the best!

I received a free e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. No review was required; all opinions are my own.

Drew Farthering Mysteries
1. Rules of Murder
2. Death by the Book
3. Murder at the Mikado
4. Dressed for Death
5. Murder on the Moor
6. Death at Thorburn Hall 

2016 reading challenge

2016 Reading challenge by Bethany House - for fun, I did Bethany House's reading challenge again this year. It was hard coming up with a book I haven't read since a teenager (I reread favorites often), and it turns out not many books are set in autumn. But I managed to succeed in spite of a couple tricky ones!

Favorite season: For the Record by Regina Jennings (autumn)

Haven't read since a teenager: Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

Set in a place I'd like to visit: A Flight of Arrows by Lori Benton (upstate New York)

Nonfiction about the era/setting of a favorite novel: The Coming of the Fairies by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Edwardian Era England, like Roseanna M. White's Ladies of the Manor series; however, it's admittedly pretty delusional for nonfiction)

Found at yard sale/thrift store: Christy by Catherine Marshall

Animal as a significant character: Wildwood Dancing by Juliette Marillier (a talking frog)

Another author recommends: Carry Me Home by Dorothy Adamek (recommended by Sarah Sundin)

Contains one of my favorite things in the title: Death by the Book by Julianna Deering (that'd be BOOKS, rather than death)

Ends a series: Playing the Part by Jen Turano (A Class of Their Own, book 3)

Has a character with my best friend's name: A Heart Most Certain by Melissa Jagears (Nicholas)

Is at least 100 years old: Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Has a movie adaptation: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Julianna Deering's "Dressed for Death" - drugs, murder, and Jane Austen

Drew and Madeline return with another mystery! It appears that just because they're married, it doesn't mean they've quit solving murders. While at a Regency-themed house party, one of the guests turns up dead, and it's up to the Fartherings to investigate the murder. But at what cost?

It was fun catching references to Jane Austen's works; some I was more familiar with than others, but I know I recognized quite a few! I enjoyed the return of Carrie as a love interest for Nick. And meeting an adorable tuxedo cat that's worth keeping an eye on.

No matter how fun the mystery may be, or how clever the references to the theme, the murders in these books are never taken lightly. Murder truly is serious, no matter how it's often treated in cozy mysteries. I thought this one had an exceptionally tough death to deal with, along with the serious matter of drugs. And when people turn out to be different than one had always thought . . . it can be heart-breaking. This book was a bit heavier than I had anticipated, but the difficult subjects were treated well.


There are plenty of twists and turns to this mystery! The 1930's setting is interesting as always, with lots of little period details to ground it. Highly enjoyable.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free book in exchange for review; I was not required to make the review positive, and all opinions are my own.

Drew Farthering Mysteries
1. Rules of Murder
2. Death by the Book
3. Murder at the Mikado
4. Dressed for Death
5. Murder on the Moor
6. Death at Thorburn Hall 

"Murder at the Mikado" by Julianna Deering; or, Merriment and Murder with Gilbert and Sullivan

In the third Drew Farthering Mystery, Julianna Deering sends her hero to the theatre Tivoli, where an old flame is being accused of murder.  Though neither Drew nor his fiancee Madeline is thrilled with the prospect of working with the actress who broke Drew's 18-year-old heart, Drew sees it as his duty to forgive and take the case, and thus they immerse themselves in the theatrical world of Gilbert and Sullivan. 

By half-way through the novel I hit on a brilliant idea and pegged the murderer.  Except, then the characters picked up on those clues that I was so proud to catch first, and my suspect became a genuine suspect a little too early on, and what with one thing or another, I fell for a red herring.  So I can assert that the mystery is well written, as I did not guess the proper murderer this time. 

I thoroughly enjoy Deering's cheeky wit - the novel is full of references to Gilbert and Sullivan (The Mikado itself being the title of an opera by the pair).  Conversations are brimming with punny plays on song titles (and I'm sure a number of them went over my head), one of the more obvious being Drew's promise to Inspector Birdsong, "I'll be the very model of a modern sleuthing amateur" ("I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" of Pirates of Penzance fame).  Nick, Drew's best friend, is overloaded with wit and comedic timing as per usual. 

I really appreciate that though these are largely humorous books, there is a serious side to them.  Murder is not a lark, and they do treat it seriously.  Drew and Madeline have a discussion of Drew's past early on in the story (which, if they had participated in today's premarital counseling, would have come up by now), and it takes a while to work through it, especially when combined with Madeline's insecurities. 

My favorite Drew Farthering Mystery is still probably Death by the Book, but this one firmly settles Drew and Madeline's relationship, really digging into their pasts and challenging whether their whirlwind romance will stand the test of time.  A thoroughly enjoyable read in the style of the classic mystery masters - 4.5 stars!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free e-copy of the novel for a review; I was not required to make it positive, and all opinions are my own.

Drew Farthering Mysteries
1. Rules of Murder
2. Death by the Book
3. Murder at the Mikado
4. Dressed for Death 
5. Murder on the Moor
6. Death at Thorburn Hall

"Death by the Book" by Julianna Deering - a clean, tantalyzing mystery, told in the classic style

In her second Drew Farthering mystery, Julianna Deering's amateur sleuth happens upon the dead body of his solicitor, bludgeoned in the back of the head and stabbed with an antique hatpin, pinning the cryptic message "Advice to Jack," written in elegant Elizabethan script, to his chest.  Thus commences the Hatpin Murders, a series of murders that keeps moving closer and closer to home.  In between his dealings with death, Drew is busy trying to win the heart of the watchful Aunt Ruth Janson, with whose approval he can perhaps acquire the hand of her lovely niece Madeline in marriage.

Set in England in the early 1930's, around the same time as many of the classic cozy mysteries and whodunits were written, this story follows a similar pattern.  Citing many references to classic literature - including classic detective fiction - the novel was fun to read and puzzle out the references. 

I figured it out!  After the author meticulously killed off or exonerated my initial suspects (so not until the last fifty or so pages of the book), the clues came together and I did pinpoint the murderer.  It is a well-written mystery; Deering cleverly inserts hints throughout the story, but it takes rumination to sift through the red herrings to find the important clues.  Mysteries are no fun when the answer is pure guesswork, and this is a good one - the clues are not obvious, but they are there! 

While there is not much for preaching in the book, it is clear that Drew is trying to live by his Christian principles, both in his romance with Madeline (trying to avoid temptation when they live so close together) and with anyone else he meets, even when they try to provoke him.  The author brings up the point that good Christian men stumble, and Drew's anguished response is one that comes to mind every time another scandal comes out in the church or a ministry: "The world was always waiting to exult over the failings of anyone who claimed the name of Christ.  Did every man who tried to live his principles have to have a dirty little secret?  Must he absolutely be a fraud?  Surely there were good men in the world, men who weren't perfect but who meant to be honest and true to their faith" (54).  Later on, when discussing what sort of God is followed by so many failures and hypocrites, the author points out what so often mystifies the world: that God is merciful, and if any of us were judged as we deserved, there would be no one left to follow Him. 

Like the first book of the series, this one reminded me of Dorothy Sayers' mysteries, but with a strong Christian influence.  Though humorous, it does not deal with wrongdoing in a flippant manner.  I really liked the climax and the end; I think the author found a brilliant and meaningful solution to conclude the story.  A fun, clean read - 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you Bethany House for a free copy for the purpose of review; I was not required to make it positive and all opinions are my own.

Drew Farthering Mysteries
1. Rules of Murder
2. Death by the Book
3. Murder at the Mikado
4. Dressed for Death 
5. Murder on the Moor
6. Death at Thorburn Hall

"Rules of Murder" - A Drew Farthering Mystery, by Julianna Deering

In the golden age of detective fiction - the 1920's-1930's - there were certain rules to detective fiction to make it a game for the reader, so that by following the clues the reader competes with the detective  to figure out "whodunit" first.  Among the most famous authors are the esteemed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes), Dorothy Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey), and Agatha Christie (Miss Marple and Poirot). 

Ronald Knox, a British priest and theologian who happened to enjoy good mysteries and the odd hoax, penned these Ten Commandments of a detective story:

1. The criminal must be mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the reader has been allowed to know.
2. All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.
3. Not more than one secret room or passage is allowable.
4. No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.
5. No Chinaman must figure in the story.
6. No accident must ever help the detective, nor must he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right.
7. The detective himself must not commit the crime.
8. The detective is bound to declare any clues which he may discover.
9. The "sidekick" of the detective, the Watson, must not conceal from the reader any thoughts which pass through his mind: his intelligence must be slightly, but very slightly, below that of the average reader.
10. Twin brothers, and doubles generally, must not appear unless we have been duly prepared for them. 

Our author - Julianna Deering - admits to having broken (or at least bent) as many of these rules as possible with her story, Rules of Murder. 


A suitable setting for the cozy mystery genre, the novel takes place in England in the 1930's.  Ellison Andrew Farthering, alias Drew, returns home to his estate to find his mother and stepfather hosting a house party and business meeting, with guests from America arriving the next morning.  While Drew squires his stepfather's American niece, Madeline Parker, about the grounds later on, they stumble upon the dead body of one of the house guests.  Embezzlement, blackmail, and red herrings abound as Drew, his best friend Nick, and Madeline investigate the murder, with the help of the local police.

I should like to point out that while I never skip ahead to read the end of the book, occasionally I do skip ahead to the author's note, if they have one, as it usually includes a bit of historical or otherwise interesting information relating to the book, and usually it doesn't include key plot points to ruin the story.  Thus I found out the importance of Father Knox's Decalogue of detective fiction before reaching the end, and thus was enlightened as to why it featured so prominently in the text.  Naturally other authors have deliberately broken all the rules before, but Deering manages it in a highly amusing and almost satirical way, given Nick's running commentary about it.

Being a mystery and not a suspense, this novel is not written to thrill or to scare, but to lay out sufficient clues to solve the murder yet still hopefully surprise the reader.  I thought myself so clever early on, having caught on to a glossed-over clue, but while it was highly important, I still interpreted it wrong and didn't beat Drew to the murderer.  Good job, Julianna Deering!

Deering's book reminded me of Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels: not only is the main character a gentleman larking about, but Rules of Murder begins with the levity so common in many of Sayers' earlier works, and yet like her later novels, the plot sobers as it becomes less a game and more a burden for the characters.  Given the upbeat nature of the majority of the book, I was surprised by how grave it becomes; it lends a greater maturity to the book than I was expecting.  Also, though the murder is solved, the end is not wholly concluded, which befits the start of a series.  I am curious to see what happens next.

Is this a perfect novel?  No, the romance is a bit fast and the spiritual depth a little shallow (though it does leave room for growth in subsequent novels).   But is it a good novel?  Yes.  I cannot agree with the overly harsh editorial review by Publishers Weekly; this book does not deserve such an attack.  It is a solid start to a series, written in much the style of the great mystery writers.  4 out of 5 stars

Who is your favorite detective or mystery writer?


Post Script: for the record, this novel not remotely related to Downton Abbey - it may be the same country, but it is a different decade and a completely different genre.  I like them both, but I would not classify them together.

Drew Farthering Mysteries
1. Rules of Murder
2. Death by the Book
3. Murder at the Mikado
4. Dressed for Death 

5. Murder on the Moor

6. Death at Thorburn Hall