Legacy of Death by Judith Cutler

Legacy of Death by Judith Cutler ISBN-13: 9780727889393 Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Severn House Publishers Released: March 2nd 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
With his lordship's mental health failing, management of his grand country estate has been assigned to a group of trustees, including land agent Matthew Rowsley and his capable wife Harriet. But the smooth running of Thorncroft House is disrupted by a series of unforeseen events. Building work on the estate workers' new cottages is halted by the discovery of Roman remains. Shortly afterwards, the family butler is brutally assaulted and left for dead. A random attack – or was he deliberately targeted?

Matters take an even more disturbing turn when Lord Croft's long-lost cousin and heir, Julius Trescothick, arrives from Australia, ready to claim his inheritance. But is he who he claims to be? If they are to preserve Thorncroft House and a way of life that has continued for centuries, Matthew and Harriet must uncover the truth behind Trescothick's identity and solve a series of interlocking mysteries.


My Review:
Legacy of Death is a mystery set around 1860 in England. It's the second book in a series, but it works as a standalone and didn't spoil the mystery in the first book. It reads like a historical fiction since Matthew and Harriet didn't actively investigate the mysteries. The various servants and trustees noticed different clues and brought them up with the others, so all of them were watching for unusual things. This information was passed on to the police and the lawyer to further investigate. Both Matthew and Harriet ended up putting the clues altogether to solve the mystery at the end, but it was more of a 'suddenly everything makes sense' moment that a careful sorting through the clues.

The difficulties and uncertainties faced by the servants drew me in and kept me reading. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the setting and time period alive in my imagination. The characters were varied, engaging, and reacted realistically to events. There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical novel with a mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.