by Sara Rosett
James said, “And I understand Hugh intends to run for Parliament.”
Violet shook her head. “They’d never accept Muriel if they knew the truth. And can you imagine if it came out later and the gossip sheets got ahold of it?”
“That’s precisely why Alfred blackmailed her,” I said. “And why Muriel pushed him over the edge of the balcony. She didn’t want him continually threatening to expose her. Hugh had proposed, and she was set to move on to a new life.”
“But wasn’t she in the nursery?” Gwen looked to me. “She went up after dinner.”
“Muriel was in the nursery but not during the whole evening. Paul said he got sleepy and missed the fireworks. I think Muriel gave both the children some of the sleeping powder. Paul said Jane brought a special treat of punch and cakes Cook had sent up. Jane must have mentioned to Muriel that Thea had taken a sleeping powder.”
“Why would they discuss Thea?” Monty asked.
“It wouldn’t be unusual for Jane to mention something like that to Muriel,” Gwen said. “After all, Muriel was on duty as both a governess and a secretary. Jane was probably letting Muriel know Thea wouldn’t need her again that night.”
“But how did Muriel do it?” Violet asked.
“After she put the children to bed, Muriel snuck down from the nursery and changed into the gown Thea had worn that night, including the pearls. Muriel wore a blonde wig from Sebastian’s studio to disguise herself. If anyone did see her, they’d assume it was Thea. Of course, I didn’t see any details of who was on the balcony, but I suspected Thea because of the pearls.”
“But you did figure it out eventually,” Violet said. She hopped up from her chair and gave me a quick hug. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Just be careful who you get engaged to next time.”
“Oh, I will. I’ll probably become an old maid after this.” she said, but her gaze strayed to James, who flushed up to the rims of his glasses.
Two weeks later, I left the tube station and strode down the pavement, comfortable in the knowledge my rent was paid and I had funds in the bank. After Muriel was arrested, I’d returned to Parkview Hall with Gwen and Violet, where I’d borrowed Uncle Leo’s secretary’s typewriter and pecked out a report for Aunt Caroline with all the details of the incident at Archly Manor—well, almost all the details. I’d glossed over a few things, like my misplaced suspicions of Gwen. But on the whole, it was a thorough précis, complete with a detailed accounting of every penny spent.
Aunt Caroline had skimmed it and said, “Of course we’ll cover your expenses, plus an extra fifty pounds above what we agreed on, I think.”
It was an astronomical amount. When I protested, Aunt Caroline shook her head. “You saved Violet and proved Alfred was a wastrel. I’ll not have any argument. I always pay my bills promptly,” she’d said as she held out the paper to Gwen, who’d actually counted out the notes and pressed them into my hand.
The call of a newspaper boy drew me to the corner. I bought a newspaper and opened it to the Positions Wanted section. Someone jostled my elbow, and I moved to the edge of the pavement. In the shadow of the building, I skimmed the columns until I found my ad.
Do you have questions but can’t use conventional methods to find answers? Do you have problems? Discreet, confidential solutions obtained. Perplexing problems and delicate situations our speciality.
I closed the paper with a swell of satisfaction. I couldn’t wait to see who replied.
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THE END
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The Story Behind the Story
The idea for the High Society Lady Detective series came when I was writing a book in the Murder on Location series, which is set in modern times in the small Derbyshire village of Nether Woodsmoor. I was writing about the stately home, Parkview Hall, and a stray thought flitted through my brain. What was Parkview Hall like in the 1920s? Who lived there? The idea intrigued me, but I had a book to write. I put my nose back to the grindstone and finished off the book I was working on, but the idea of a historical series set in and around the world of Nether Woodsmoor stayed in the back of my mind. Once the modern book was finished, I dived into research and plotting.
I decided Murder at Archly Manor would be a more interesting story if my main character, Olive, was a bit of an outsider struggling to find her place in the world. Olive is related to the Stones of Parkview Hall but doesn’t have their social standing—or their bank account—which, while not an ideal situation in real life, is an excellent starting point for a novel!
I love Golden Age mystery fiction as well as historical mystery novels, especially those set in the 1920s, so writing Murder at Archly Manor was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve had. The clothes! The slang! The music! In short, I loved every minute I spent researching. But because I love this type of mystery, it was also one of the hardest books to write.
I spent a lot of my time searching out details about life in 1923. What kind of stockings did young women wear? (Silk or rayon in light colors.) What was a hall porter? (A doorman on duty at the main entrance of a building of flats.) When was the sentence, “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog,” first used in typewriting manuals? (1890.) Did people use the term “sour grapes” in 1923? (Yes, it originated with Aesop’s fables in ancient Greece.) Could someone go to the library in the British Museum and look at maps in 1923? (Yes.) When was the first telephone box introduced in London? (1920.) Was the term “country house weekend” used at the time? (No. The term “country house weekend” didn’t come into the vernacular until later. In the early 1920s, people called their short getaways “Saturdays-to-Mondays.”)
Besides researching the details of daily life, my research on the time period gave me a jumping off point for some of my characters. The idea for making the owner of Archly Manor a society photographer came after I read about Cecil Beaton, who was one of the Bright Young People. Beaton attended Cambridge and made a name for himself with his photography. His sisters were his models, and his iconic portraits of the society set from the twenties capture the energy and angst of the time.
When I was working on the rough draft of this book, I searched for images of women from the early twenties for inspiration and discovered the silent film actress Colleen Moore. With her energy, her humor, her up-beat personality, and her work ethic, she captured the essence of Olive Belgrave. I spent a fun evening watching YouTube clips of Colleen Moore. Sadly, most of her silent movies are lost, including Flaming Youth, which popularized the term flapper, but snippets of her movies remain as well as still photography with some gorgeous costumes. Check out my Pinterest board about Murder at Archly Manor for more fashion, character inspiration, and other tidbits from the 1920s.
Much of my research was spent reading fiction—it was hard work, but someone had to do it!—published in the early 1920s, including The Secret Adversary, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder on the Links, and The Man in the Brown Suit, all by Agatha Christie. Other titles from my 1920s reading list: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers and The Astonishing Adventure of Jane Smith by Patricia Wentworth. I also read Georgette Heyer’s first detective novel, Footsteps in the Dark, although it was published later, in 1932. Highland Fling by Nancy Mitford isn’t a mystery, but it depicts the lifestyle of the Bright Young People and captures the mood and dialogue of the times.
Nonfiction books helped round out my research, including Long Weekend: Life in the English Country House, 1918-1939 by Adrian Tinniswood, The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards, and Bright Young People: The Rise and Fall of a Generation, 1918-1940 by D. J. Taylor.
I hope you enjoyed Olive’s first case. She’ll be back in her second adventure, Murder at Blackburn Hall. If you’d like to keep up with me and my books, please sign up for my newsletter. I’d love to stay in touch!
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett writes fun mysteries. Her books are light-hearted escapes for readers who enjoy interesting settings, quirky characters, and puzzling mysteries. Publishers Weekly called Sara’s books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.”
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Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.
Connect with Sara
www.SaraRosett.com
Also by Sara Rosett
This is Sara Rosett’s complete library at the time of publication, but Sara has new books coming out all the time. Sign up for her newsletter at SaraRosett.com/signup to stay up to date on new releases.
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High Society Lady Detective
Murder at Archly Manor
Murder at Blackburn Hall
The Egyptian Antiquities Murder
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Murder on Location
Death in the English Countryside
Death in an English Cottage
Death in a Stately Home
Death in an Elegant City
Menace at the Christmas Market (novella)
Death in an English Garden
Death at an English Wedding
On the Run
Elusive
Secretive
Deceptive
Suspicious
Devious
Treacherous
Ellie Avery
Moving is Murder
Staying Home is a Killer
Getting Away is Deadly
Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder
Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder
Mimosas, Mischief, and Murder
Mistletoe, Merriment and Murder
Milkshakes, Mermaids, and Murder
Marriage, Monsters-in-law, and Murder
Mother’s Day, Muffins, and Murder
