Series debut
The first in the De Lacey and Squires Mysteries, Death at Villa De Lacey by Aviva Orr, steps immediately into a great moment of change for both its main characters. Bridget’s safe and peaceful life at her ancestral home is shattered when she is told that her father killed himself. To add insult to injury, his last act was to lose the deed to their home in an ill-fated hand of cards. The rich victor, Edward Squires, very much intends to collect on the winnings.
He sends his brother, Nate Squires, to reside at the property.
All is not well between the brothers, however. Edward has given Nate an ultimatum to marry the bride of his choice or be essentially banished from London to the countryside. As Nate is the younger brother, and Edward completely controls the purse strings in this Regency era, he chooses what he feels is the lesser of two evils and departs. Having lived a hedonistic lifestyle beforehand, Nate is less than enthusiastic about the promise of peace and quiet, and even less pleased about Edward promising to keep him there for five long years.
When he arrives at Villa De Lacy his view starts to change. He pities and soon, comes to like, Bridget and her gorgeous home. It isn’t difficult for her to convince Nate to convert his new manor into a high-class inn, which grants him the potential of financial independence. It is also the only way Bridget can see for her and her aging aunt to stay in a refuge that is no longer theirs.
However, when Nate invites his posh friends down from London as their very first guests, things turn sour quickly. The woman Edward wanted him to marry arrives with her family, alongside Nate’s ex fiancé and her new husband, his rakish friends, and an undertrained new staff that aren’t quite sure what they’re doing. If the fact that they might not even pay for their stay isn’t bad enough, almost every guest is condescending and unpleasant to Bridget and all of them are hiding something.
It takes a bit to get to the victim, a mistress of one of the guests, but the story never feels slow. Both Bridget and Nate are likeable, and have good chemistry together. It contrasts well with how deeply unlikeable each and every guest proves to be. With too many suspects and an uncaring magistrate, the two find themselves investigating the death themselves – and getting closer in the process.
This was a charming, if often quite dramatic, read. Anyone who likes a regency mystery, or a tame regency romance, will likely enjoy this. As there are more to come, this won’t be the last we see of Bridget and Nate. I’m certainly interested to know what their next adventures will be. — Margaret Agnew