Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting, charming Read
Review: Back for a second Grace and Favor adventure is the sleuth team of siblings Robert and Lily and their dog Agatha. They inherited their late great uncle Horatio's home with some stipulations, no cash for so many years. Although named the Grace and Favor Cottage, it is really a mansion, and Lily tired of trying to make ends meet, has an idea how to use the cottage to earn a living. She wants to turn it in to a Bed and Breakfast of sorts, invite a famous person, and surround him or her with fans. The first blessed or cursed soul, depending on which side you are looking at, is the famous fiction war writer, Julian West. With him comes his helper, a young man that has been with him and his cousin for years. Also on the list of paying guests are Addie Jonson, a teacher; professor, and critic Cecil Hoornart; siblings and old Brewster acquaintances, Raymond and Rachel Cameron; Mad Henry, invited by Robert, and one self-invited guest who gets permanently uninvited. Support characters back again are, the estate lawyer, Mr. Prinny, the cook Mrs. Prinny, the maid Mimi, the police chief Howard Walker, and news editor Jack Summer. Life goes on for these recurring characters and the reader has the pleasure of joining in.It's a fun mystery, full of wonderful characters. The storyline repeats some of the Brewster duos past, and there are some small spoilers, so if you haven't read the first Grace and Favor Mystery, Anything Goes, you may want to. It took me a little longer to solve this mystery than the last. The plot was pretty basic, but what makes the read so fascinating is the atmosphere, with the jargon and historical facts sprinkled through out, it really brought the thirties era to life. It's a series I plan to continue following.
Rating:
Summary: The party should have gone off without a hitch
Review: For Robert and Lily Brewster, the planned gathering at Grace and Favor Cottage held the possibility of a living. For the guests, both honored and paying, it turned into something gelse entirely. Lily's hopes for the literary gathering featuring author, Julian West, are thwarted when one of their guests turns up dead and the much-valued manuscript of another disappears. When it appeals the two incidents might be linked, the brother and sister duo find themselves on the hunt for another killer in order to preserve their aspirations for their inherited cottage. Jill Churchill displays a stunning ability to integrate the history of the 1930's with the fiction she writes. This is perhaps the story's greatest recommendation. The mystery itself is thin and while suspenseful, it also becomes somewhat predictable. What the mystery has to recommend itself are the strongly drawn characters with interesting quirks of credible motives. I did enjoy Lily's guests, but perhaps the most entertaining of them all was Robert's "idiot", Mad Henry, whose skill, or lack thereof, as an inventor, proves to be a constant source of irritation and bafflement for Lily though it ends up paying off in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Second in a delightful new series
Review: I had never read any of Jill Churchill's books, as I am usually a fan of British mysteries. However, I was intrigued by the premise of an American series set in what has always been known as the Golden Age of British Mysteries, the late 20's and 30's. I enjoyed ANYTHING GOES and was delighted by IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT. Lily and Robert Brewster, a high society brother and sister who have been wiped out in the Crash have inherited a slightly down at the heels mansion in the Hudson Valley and a huge fortune-if they can live in the house with very few financial resources for ten years. Their solution is to take in paying guests to help keep afloat. This sets up a perfect scenario for the "Country House Murder" so beloved by the golden age writers. It's a great read for fans of Agatha Christie who aren't fond of the modern tendency for graphic detail.
Rating:
Summary: Second in a delightful new series
Review: I had never read any of Jill Churchill's books, as I am usually a fan of British mysteries. However, I was intrigued by the premise of an American series set in what has always been known as the Golden Age of British Mysteries, the late 20's and 30's. I enjoyed ANYTHING GOES and was delighted by IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT. Lily and Robert Brewster, a high society brother and sister who have been wiped out in the Crash have inherited a slightly down at the heels mansion in the Hudson Valley and a huge fortune-if they can live in the house with very few financial resources for ten years. Their solution is to take in paying guests to help keep afloat. This sets up a perfect scenario for the "Country House Murder" so beloved by the golden age writers. It's a great read for fans of Agatha Christie who aren't fond of the modern tendency for graphic detail.
Rating:
Summary: Great follow up!
Review: I really enjoyed this second edition to the Grace and Favor Mysteries series. Lily and Robert are fun and smart characters. There was also good character develpement with the supporting characters. Chuchill gives a vivid picture of Depression era New York. Most importantly the mystery is very captivating.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read!
Review: Jill Churchill is as always a great read. I've been a fan of Ms. Churchill for years and was so thrilled that she started another series. One book a year is not enough for me. This one set in the 1930's gives it a difference that makes it very fun. You go Jill, keep those books a coming!
Rating:
Summary: Fresh and Innovative Series Set in Depression - Era
Review: Jill Churchill only gets better with the second book of her "Grace and Favor" mystery series. "In the Still of the Night" adds a little more mystery to the plot and a few additional characters as well. "In the Still of the Night" continues the saga where Lily and her brother, Robert Brewster are contemplating various ways to add to their income. Their relative's will stipulates that they must earn their living expenses (minus the upkeep of the house, etc.) for 10 years - before inheriting the estate. Hesitantly, they embark on the venture to invite a famous novelist for the weekend and invite various wealthy friends as paying guests. They know many who will pay for the priviledge of spending the weekend at the manor in his company. A murder takes place and in order to earn any type of profit at all - they must solve the mystery. (As well as knowing that one amongst them is a murderer.) I especially enjoyed how the plot and characters were so believable. Also, Churchill does a wonderful job of incorporating various historical facts of the time into the story. It is interesting to read that Phoebe makes hats for Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt whose husband is the governor in a nearby city! When Lily invites Phoebe as a boarder to their mansion, Churchill gives a very sound reasoning for Phoebe's decision. This type of detail makes the characters very multi-faceted with a great deal of depth. Excellent book; wonderful series!
Rating:
Summary: Great historical mystery in new series
Review: Jill Churchill's new Grace and Favor Mystery series centers on a brother and sister, former members of New York high society who enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle of polo games and Christmas holidays with British cousins. But since the crash of 1929 when their family lost their fortune, Lily and Robert have had to work to survive. A bequest from their uncle provides them with a mansion, Grace and Favor, and basic necessities, but no income, so in the book IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT Lily and Robert snag a famous author and invite a select group of paying guests to their country home as a way to bring in money. As always, Churchill writes a tight plot with interesting characters, especially the guests. She deftly reveals their personalities in a series of revolving viewpoints as the guests travel to Grace and Favor. An unusual aspect of this series compared to Churchill's Jane Jeffery series, is the historical setting of the Depression year of 1932. Churchill uses Lily's glimpses of everyday life, such as families scavenging in the town dump; the locals' veiled hostility towards the wealthy; and rumors of their neighbor, the optimistic FDR, as a possible presidential candidate to capture the uncertainly, fear, and hope of people at a crucial time in American history. On a strictly personal note, I love this new series. The history is a refreshing change and I'm waiting for the next book!
Rating:
Summary: Great historical mystery in new series
Review: Jill Churchill's new Grace and Favor Mystery series centers on a brother and sister, former members of New York high society who enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle of polo games and Christmas holidays with British cousins. But since the crash of 1929 when their family lost their fortune, Lily and Robert have had to work to survive. A bequest from their uncle provides them with a mansion, Grace and Favor, and basic necessities, but no income, so in the book IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT Lily and Robert snag a famous author and invite a select group of paying guests to their country home as a way to bring in money. As always, Churchill writes a tight plot with interesting characters, especially the guests. She deftly reveals their personalities in a series of revolving viewpoints as the guests travel to Grace and Favor. An unusual aspect of this series compared to Churchill's Jane Jeffery series, is the historical setting of the Depression year of 1932. Churchill uses Lily's glimpses of everyday life, such as families scavenging in the town dump; the locals' veiled hostility towards the wealthy; and rumors of their neighbor, the optimistic FDR, as a possible presidential candidate to capture the uncertainly, fear, and hope of people at a crucial time in American history. On a strictly personal note, I love this new series. The history is a refreshing change and I'm waiting for the next book!
Rating:
Summary: An American country-house mystery --
Review: Learning how to make lemonade when life hands you lemons is one of the more important lessons one can learn. A sterling example of this is in this second book of the new Grace and Favor series. The first book ANYTHING GOES introduced Lily and Robert Brewster, whose once-wealthy broker father committed suicide after the big crash of 1929, rather than face up to his greed-prompted mistakes, leaving them impoverished orphans. Their struggles to survive with something of dignity intact is greatly enhanced by the will of their great-uncle, who leaves them a huge mansion along the Hudson, and the fortune to go with it--but only after they've proved they didn't need the money on which to live for the required ten years in the run-down mansion. This charming pair of siblings blend well with the town folks of Voorburg-on-Hudson, having no more ready cash than any of the natives. However, they still have to live, so in the spring of 1932, Lily hatches the plan to convert Grace and Favor Cottage into an exclusive guest house, at which the drawing card will be a celebrity of some sort, who is offered a week-long stay in exchange for mingling with the other guests. Who pay to stay. Julian West, a best-selling author is the first of these guests, accompanied by his 'man' Bud, who idolized his hero-employer so much that he accompanied him to France, and fought beside him in WWI. Period detail is wonderfully mixed in with this assorted cast of characters, the whole reminding one immensely of the traditional English County House mystery. The puzzle is a good one (I figured out the why, but not the who) and the writing smooth. You'll enjoy your visit, and most likely, look forward to the next occasion, as well. I suspect you'll find a few old friends when you return. Hope it's soon!
|
