The Curse of Arundel Hall (A Yellow Cottage Vintage Mystery) (Volume 2)

The character is clever, the mysteries are interesting, and I enjoy the ghostly tweaks to the "cozy" genre. But I have a very difficult time reading through all the grammatical and spelling mistakes in these books. Please find an adequate editor.

4.5*
The ghost residing in the secret dining room beyond the pantry was causing Ella some problems in that Mrs Shaw, the housekeeper-cum-cook, refused to enter the pantry. Ella’s temporary solution was to move the food stuff into the kitchen proper, but she was determined to try and solve the mystery of who the woman had been and how she died. Ella decided she needed to visit her friend, Harriet, a local historian, to see if she could research The Yellow Cottage and shed any light on who the mysterious spirit was. Harriet is the founder of the local library and that’s where Ella finds her. It seems Harriet had found a connection between the cottage and Arundel Hall, now owned by Harriet’s old friend, Sir Robert Harlow. Harriet discovered that Ella’s cottage was once The Dower House belonging to the Hall.

As Ella begins to unravel the mystery of her resident ghost she discovers solid links between the cottage and the Hall, as well as how the ghost woman died. Invited to the Hall for Robert’s engagement party to a much younger woman, the celebration comes to an abrupt end when the body of one of the guests is discovered.

Paying homage to the classic/murder mystery of the period, it reminded me a little of Miss Marple except that Ella is much younger and her input in the investigation is welcomed by Scotland Yard. The author has written a story which includes all the elements needed, and included a paranormal twist which, for me, gives it an added extra. The gathering of the characters for a social occasion, in this instance including the local doctor and a friend of the newly engaged Patty Mae, as well as Ella, Harriet and Sir Robert. Any of the assembled party, or even the butler, could be responsible for the murder. Or is it the curse of Arundel Hall?

Ella has two mysteries to solve and I enjoyed the processes of both. The plot is well crafted with believable characters, appropriate language and dialogue and descriptive prose. The atmosphere of the era is brought to life. There are plenty of twists, an ending I didn’t expect and a surprising discovery at the very end. A very entertaining read.

I chose to read and review The Curse of Arundel Hall based on a copy of the book supplied by the author/publisher.

Then again, it's been awhile since I read this tome. Doesn't stand out either way.

There are clever twists and turns in this entertaining read, which was gifted to me by the author. And a colourful array of characters from another period. I was a little unsure of the era but enjoyed the style and voice of what sounded to me Edwardian, but is probably intended to be pre-Second World War. If you like Agatha Christie-cum-Downton Abbey-cum-Sherlock Holmes-cum-Midsomer Murders, then curl up by the fire, tuck your toes under your imaginary, longish frock and lose yourself for a couple of hours in another world. A couple of murders, a haunted house on the Island of Linhay, a feisty heroine (a paranormal investigator...love it!), plenty of red herrings( but the reader is never cheated), a handful of suspects, delicious suppers and crackling fires...all ingredients for a splendid read. I didn't see the ending coming and the author skilfully ties up all the threads to a satisfying conclusion. And - what a clever touch at the end. (No spoilers!) I could visualise this story on screen. Congratulations, Miss New! I'll be reading more of your books.

Comment
|
Thank you for your review.

The Curse of Arundel Hall is a cozy, the second in the Yellow Cottage Vintage Mystery series. There is a lot to like about this book, but it does have its drawbacks.
Ella, following the death of her husband is given the strong suggestion by his boss, the British Home Secretary, that she forget about hIm and move away. She has decides to live on Linhay Island and take up residence in a refurbished cottage that was once a part of the Arundel Hall estate. There is a ghost living in a secret dining room that Ella discovers behind the kitchen, and she visits her friend, Harriet, the local librarian to find out more about her cottage and its history in relation to Arundel Hall. Her friend tells her a curse was placed on the hall by its first owner. Ella discovers a secret stairway from the hidden dining room to the cottage’s upper floors, and a centuries-old skeleton of a woman at the bottom of the stairs. The skeleton gives evidence she was murdered. Ella is invited to the manor hall for a celebration dinner of the engagement of the elderly owner to a much younger woman who claims to have been a stage actress. The evening takes a shocking turn when one member of the dinner party is murdered. Ella again joins forces with Scotland Yard’s Police Commissioner, her uncle, to find and catch the killer(s).
The author creates a colorful world in Linhay Island, with wonderful, well-drawn characters, and after I got into the book, I found it very entertaining. Her descriptions convey the life on an island, the charm of Ella’s cottage and the menace and gloom of Arundel Hall exceedingly well.
The main problem I encountered derives from the fact I hadn’t read the first book. I had no idea that Ella could really see ghosts and that Phantom, which I thought was her cat, was also a ghost. This was compounded by a substantial first chapter going into great detail – although beautifully written -- about Ella’s childhood. I had to wait until midway through the second chapter to be introduced to the woman’s ghost. I also did not realize the era of the mystery until I took a close look at the stylish cover. More confusion derived from Ella’s traveling back and forth from the city to Linhay Island by car and train. Was there a bridge or a ferry?
Finally, the book needs the hand of a copy editor. There were a sufficient number of errors to detract from the enjoyment I derived from the book.
Now that I have become acquainted with Ella and her abilities, and despite the shortcomings, I do look forward to Ms. New’s next book in this series.

I am always on the lookout for something different and unusual to read, and The Curse of Arundel Hall was not disappointing. A well-written murder mystery set in the 1930s, transporting you back to another time with the old-fashioned language and way of life.
The main character, Isobella Bridges, or Ella, reminds me of the Agatha Christie heroines, although this particular lady is not an old spinster. Young and adventurous, life has not been kind and moving to the fairy tale cottage on Linhay Island was supposed to be a retreat from the world.
After a slow, scene-setting start, Ella discovers that a ghost of a woman haunts the cottage. Undaunted, it turns out she has a flair for such things and sets out to solve the mystery. She finds the skeletal remains of the woman hidden behind a secret panel. A murder soon follows, linking Ella’s cottage to nearby Arundel Hall, the subject of an ancient curse.
She discovers that Arundel Hall has been plagued with bad luck ever since the eleventh Duke of Norfolk built it for his wife Marion who sadly died in childbirth. The next wife went insane, and the third wife nearly drove him to murder, but she vanished, never to be seen again. Shortly after that, the Duke sold the Hall, cursing it as he left.
I really liked Ella, cheerfully determined to get on with her life and solve every problem that life throws at her, something that comes in handy in this adventure, as she figures out how to open various secret passages and hidden rooms.
This story is filled to the brim with exquisite detail and old-fashioned scenarios. The dialogue between the characters is amazing, the vocabulary perfect for the period. I loved the paranormal twist to the story, just enough to give the story an extra depth – although personally, I would have liked more.
I would defy anyone to try to guess who the murderer is, or why it happened. Just when you think you have figured it out, you are led to another possibility.
The “Spartacus” moment towards the end of the book (I won’t add any spoilers) was hilarious and the classic cliff-hanger had me yearning for the next book, but I will read the first book in this series while I am waiting.
Definitely, worth all of five stars…

If you like Agatha Christie, this is a book for you. This novel has all the ingredients you want in a cosy, detective story: a sassy, young, female detective, oodles of mystery, including paranormal interest, lots to keep you guessing and an outcome which isn't obvious until the end. It's an easy read, perfect for holidays, which should suit any age from teenage to 99.

This book is a great vintage mystery and it reminds me of Agatha Christie.
I really enjoyed the story and the descriptive settings. The protagonist Ella in interesting, as are the other characters, and I have to admit I loved the postmaster Mr. Tipping. I like characters who are a little difficult to like and hope he will turn up in the next book.
The book is very well written!