Just as Drew Farthering thinks his life has calmed down some, Fleur Landis, a former girlfriend, reappears, in dire need of his help. She’s married now, no longer an actress–but the lead actor in her former troupe’s production of The Mikado has been murdered, and Fleur is the police’s number one suspect.
Drew would rather focus on his fiancée, Madeline Parker, and their upcoming wedding, but he can’t leave Fleur and her family in the lurch–even if she did break his heart once. As Drew, Nick, and Madeline begin investigating, they discover more going on behind the scenes of the theater troupe than could ever have been imagined. It seems nearly everyone had a motive, and alibis are few and far between.
Both the murder case and the presence of the beautiful, exotic Fleur put a heavy strain on Drew and Madeline’s relationship. Will their still-young romance survive the pressure?
JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey.
My Impressions:
I’m hooked! I am a fan of all types of mysteries, but Julianna Deering’s Drew Farthering Mystery series has a lot of what I am looking for — puzzling clues, a classic time period and setting, and characters who try to live their faith, but have struggles like the rest of us. The third book in the series, Murder at The Mikado, does not disappoint. Another winner that a mystery aficionado will love!
Drew and Madeline are getting married. After a whirlwind courtship that included not just one, but two, murder investigations, the two are ready to settle down. But of course murders seem to find them, so the two, along with steward-in-training, Nick, are drawn into the world of the theater in order to find out just who killed the leading actor in the light opera company. But while the previous murders have put the two in physical danger, this one may prove fatal to their relationship.
I love everything about this series. With the feel of a classic Christie or Sayers novel, the setting of a small village in England in the 1920s is perfect. Deering’s witty dialog, puzzling plot, and endearing characters are spot on. I especially like that Drew and Madeline seem so real, and definitely relatable. They draw on their faith to keep themselves and their engagement steady, even as they struggle with unforgiveness, insecurity and jealousy.
Murder at The Mikado can be read as a standalone, but I recommend you begin at the beginning. The series is just that good — you won’t want to miss a thing. And I hope this one won’t be the end of the detecting team of Drew, Madeline and Nick. Sure hope there are many more mysteries for them to solve.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Bethany House for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
To purchase the books in this series, click on the images below.
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