Murder at Mullings

This quiet first in a series set in the early decades of the 20th century from British author Cannell (Sea Glass Summer) introduces Florence Norris, who first comes to Mullings, the Stodmarsh family estate, in 1900, at age 14, to work as a kitchen maid. She returns as a widow, after WWI, to work as the housekeeper. The household includes young Ned, whose parents died when he was a baby; Ned’s grandparents; an aunt and uncle with anger issues; and Madge Bradley, a poor relation. A bit of a mystery surrounds the death of the fragile Lady Stodmarsh, but nothing happens until years later when Regina Stapleton, the second Lady Stodmarsh—as nasty as the first one was loving—is stabbed to death. Meanwhile, Florie cuts off a budding romance with pub owner George Bird because she thinks it would be disloyal to the family if she discussed her murder suspicions with him. Alert readers will have a pretty good idea of the killer long before the police appear on the scene. (May)