Murder in First Class
(Miss Underhay #8)
by Helena Dixon
All aboard a train bound for… murder.
Kitty Underhay is looking forward to a week of long lunches and wedding planning with her husband-to-be, Captain Matthew Bryant. But the plan is derailed when he is called on to collect a former comrade-in-arms, arriving on the 15:50 from Bakerloo. As the train bearing Simon Travers pulls up to the platform, a piercing scream rises over the screech of its brakes. Travers is dead in his seat, a dagger in his heart.
Who gave this defenseless man a one-way ticket to the next life? And why? And could Matt’s close connection put him at risk? Only a few individuals had access to Travers’s compartment, and Kitty must find out which of these seemingly benign passengers is in fact a cross-country killer.
But when Kitty’s prime suspect, the traveling salesman with no merchandise, is found murdered, she is stumped. Until she makes the connection between the two victims and realizes that this murderer has an even more deadly destination in mind. Can she stop them before they strike again? Or will Kitty’s own next stop be the graveyard?
A pitch-perfect and totally gripping Golden Age historical cozy mystery! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey, and Lee Strauss.
My Rating:
Favorite Quote:
Her friend was bearing a tray of tea and toast, with a side dish of gossip.
My Review:
I have vastly enjoyed the installments of this series that I’ve been lucky enough to nab. Helena Dixon’s writing style is a joy to read, easy to follow, and scrolls smoothly with each scene brilliantly described and thoroughly composed in both thought and deed. Her work would make an excellent series for the small screen and better than most currently airing. Even the secondary characters are uniquely compelling and so well detailed I feel I could recognize them in a crowd. Kitty Underhay is a plucky gal ahead of her time yet respectful of convention. The storylines are historically accurate, unpredictable, and pleasantly engaging. I am already looking forward to their next caper.
Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo, and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel, and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was the winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.
Great review. I loved this book and the entire series.
Good to see that you loved the book. Let’s hope the next is as good. Great review.