Sophia Rose Reviews: Murder at Moorington Hall by Clara McKenna, narrated by Sarah Zimmerman

Today Sophia Rose reviews, the first in a new historical mystery series by Clara McKenna, Murder at Moorington Hall.
Enjoy!

Murder at Moorington Hall by Clara McKenna, narrated by Sarah Zimmerman

#1 Stella and Lyndy

Historical Mystery

Publisher:  Recorded Books

Published:  5.28.19

Time:  8 hours 9 minutes

Rating: 4.5 stars

Format: Audio

Source: Library Borrow

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Blurb:

Stella Kendrick is an all-American heiress who can't be tamed. But when the lively aspiring equine trainer tangles with British aristocracy, she meets her match--and a murderer . . .

Spring, 1905: Free-spirited like the Thoroughbreds she rides across the Kentucky countryside, Stella takes adventure by the reins when she's asked to attend a mysterious wedding in rural England. But once she arrives at the lush Morrington Hall estate, her cold and ambitious father confesses that he won't only give away his best racehorses as gifts--he has also arranged to give away his daughter as bride to the Earl of Atherly's financially strapped son . . .

Stella refuses to be sold off like a prized pony. Yet despite a rough start, there's something intriguing about her groom-to-be, the roguish Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst. The unlikely pair could actually be on the right track with each other . . . until they find the vicar who was to marry them dead in the library.

With culture clashes mounting between families, a scandalous murder case hangs over Morrington Hall. Now, Stella and Lyndy must go from future spouses to amateur sleuths as they team up to search for the truth--and prevent an unbridled criminal from destroying their new life together right out of the gate . . .

 

Sophia Rose's Review:

A Turn of the Century caper of courtship and murder set in the British countryside had strong appeal so I happily put in my earbuds and listened in to the first of Clara McKenna’s Stella and Lyndy Historical Mysteries told by new to me narrator, Sarah Zimmerman.

 

Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst and his family await the arrival of his future American heiress bride on the doorstop of the Earl of Atherly’s family estate.  He is ambivalent about his parents’ plans to marry him off to put money in the family coffers to save the estate, but the arrival of Miss Stella Kendrick driving a flashy motorcar and her free manners and broad smile have him growing more interested by the minute even with her uncouth father’s ways and the later realization that poor Miss Kendrick had no idea the wedding in the country she attended was to be her own.

 

Stella’s shock over her rich domineering father’s wish for her to join him on a trip into the English countryside to see the most famous English horserace is only subterfuge to wed his daughter into the aristocracy and give himself a leg up from his humble beginnings.  But, she has little time to ponder this and the ill-disguised reaction Lyndy’s family has to her brash American ways when a murder is discovered.  She finds herself oddly interested in helping figure out the truth and she is more surprised when Lord Lyndy puts away his insouciant posture and attempts to charm her with boyish smirks to partner her in this endeavor.

 

I love when an author can tell a stellar story even while not stinting on historical background and clever character work.  Murder at Moorington Hall is a historical cozy murder mystery, but it is also a class difference romance that mirrors some real life similar courtships when an American heiress is introduced to an impoverished British aristocrat.  It was fun that horseracing and riding was a keen interest for both Stella and Lyndy along with the need to dig out the answers to the murder.

 

Stella was lively and sparkling.  She notices much and cares about what others think, but this does not stop her from being herself and doing what she feels she must.  She’s an intrepid horsewoman and she can drive a motorcar in an age when few motorcars are even on the road.  She doesn’t see class distinctions and befriends her ladies’ maid and other staff.  She might not like the way her father set her up, but she does give Lyndy a chance. 

Lyndy is also interesting.  At first glance, he’s a spoiled rich playboy and he is that, but even before Stella’s arrival he’s had a good look at what the men and women his age in society are doing.  He’s starting to find it all rather dull and he’s avoided the excesses of others.  Seeing his father squander the family money on his explorations makes him cautious.  Stella is the breath of fresh air and impetus he needs to continue growing into a man who cares about more than the racing news and his tailored clothes.

 

The mystery is well plotted with some side plottings woven in to keep one guessing until the end.  There are a few secrets that come out as the police, Stella and Lyndy start digging.  I liked seeing this pair starting out in detecting using their insider knowledge from being on the spot and knowing all the players to get at evidence to help the police.

 

Sarah Zimmerman worked great voicing both Stella and Lyndy’s narration times and she matched up with the tone of the book.  She had a variety of characters to bring to life and I thought she did great.  I hope she voices the rest of the series.

 

All in all, this was a fab start and I can’t wait to continue with Stella and Lyndy’s personal journey as well as seeing them partnering in detecting once again.  Definitely recommend!

 

Author Bio:

Clara writes the historical Stella & Lyndy Mystery series, about an unlikely couple who mix love, murder and horse racing in Edwardian England. Murder at Morrington Hall kicks off series.  As a student at Wells College in Aurora, NY, she published several poems in the college's literary magazine. She graduated with a B.A. in biology. She graduated from McGill University with a Masters in Library and Information Studies.  Besides her current series, Clara had penned five novels in a mystery series set in 19th century America. She is the founding member of Sleuths in Time, a cooperative group of historical mystery writers who encourage and promote each other's work, as well as a member of Sisters In Crime. With an incurable case of wanderlust, she travels every chance she gets, England being a favorite destination. When she can't get to England, she's happy to write about it from her home in Iowa.

http://www.claramckenna.com/index.html

 Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.

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GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose