Death Comes to the School by Catherine Lloyd ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

I fell in love with Lucy and Robert this summer, so when I saw Death Comes to the School on my library's bookshelf I couldn't help but check it out. It is a delightful mystery.

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October 2018; Kensington; 978-1496702104
audio, ebook, print (304 pages); holiday cozy

This summer I read book 4 in this series, Death Comes to the Fai,r and quickly decided I needed to read the other books in the series. Unfortunately, my library only has book 1 and book 5. I did check out book 1 and it was nice to see how the series started and I loathed Lucy's father. I could have requested books 2 and 3 via interlibrary loan, but I've been busy with ARCs so I was afraid when they came in I wouldn't be able to get to them. When I went to the library last week for book club I checked to see if they had any of the series and book 5 was on the shelf. I debated checking it out as I enjoy binge reading holiday stories this time of year, but I'm also not as busy with review copies. Also, book 7 is coming out in January.

To my happy surprise, Death Comes to the School is set during Christmas! I could continue my holiday story binge-reading while enjoying another book in this series.

Lucy and Robert have been married for three years, but it is not marital bliss. Lucy has suffered a series of miscarriages. And in this regency set cozy mystery,  the wife's duty is to produce an heir. Lucy has never failed at anything which only adds to her misery. Robert is his usually grumpy, noncommunicative self which leads Lucy to assume his disappointment in her. These marital issues is just the backdrop to murder. The temperamental (some would say hateful) teacher of the Kurland St. Mary School is found dead - stabbed through the back into her heart with a hatpin. What should be a joyous season is instead filled with suspicion and gossipy letters. Somebody wants to spread discourse in the village.

While the churlish Sir Robert is back in this novel, I still loved the couple. He is quite progressive for the time period. And he has learned that he can't control Lucy. Lucy is still impetuous, she has matured and is willing to work within the bounds (for the most part) that keeps her husband happy. They often were at odds in this novel which made it a little less enjoyable, but the love between to the two is quite evident so you know its only a bump in the road.

Now that Lucy no longer lives at the rectory, her father is not part of the story as much. He's mentioned but he is mostly off-page. He seemed a bit more agreeable. Though Robert's favorite aunt, who has come to cheer up Lucy, might have something to do with that.

Overall, it was another great novel in the series and I'm very much looking forward to book 7, Death Comes to the Nursery (isn't that an ominous title?).

Buy Death Comes to the School at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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