Murder at the Mansion

I've noticed authors of cozy mysteries tend to begin multiple series, and man of these series contain between ten and fifteen books. Cozies revolve around an amateur sleuth, someone who has no formal criminal investigative training. Aurora Teagarden ( the Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris) is a librarian. Brooklyn Wainwright and Shannon Hammer (the Bibliophile series and the Fixer-Upper series, both by Kate Carlisle) are a book restorer and carpenter, respectively. Sarah Brandt (Gaslight series by Victoria Thompson) is a nurse.

I guess the reason an author can only write a dozen or so books for each character (Sarah Brandt is an exception) is that, unless we're talking about Jessica Fletcher, an amateur can't conceivably fall into crime solving in a small town dozens of times. No one would believe it. A series featuring a police professional is another matter (Inspector Ian Rutledge by Charles Todd, for instance).

All of that to say: Sheila Connelly has a new series. I guzzled down two of her other series like a woman drinking water after a long run. The Museum series follows Nell Pratt's sleuthing among the museum curators of Philadelphia. The Orchard series is completely different, featuring Meg Cabot, an out of work financial analyst who moves to an old family homestead in western Massachusetts.

The Victorian Village series promises to be another series I'll follow eagerly. Kate Hamilton moves back to her hometown, Asheboro, Maryland, at the behest of an old friend. The town is bankrupt and just suffered a devastating storm; they need help to rebuild. They have an old mansion. Kate has a degree in hospitality management. Perhaps she's the answer to their problem.

Not long into the story, of course, there is a murder. One thing I appreciate about this particular story is that the main character isn't a viable suspect. Most cozies I've read seem to have a main character that must prove their own innocence. Kate is present when the body is found, but she has a strong alibi. Still, though, Connelly writes a believable plot. Believable as far as cozies go. There's always a level of suspension of disbelief.

Connelly is a talented author, and I appreciate the mix of history and mystery. As a lover of history, for me, it's the best of both worlds.