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Christmas Is Murder
A Rex Graves Mystery #1

by C S Challinor



      Scots barrister Rex Graves receives an invitation from an old, widowed friend of his mother's, Dahlia Smithings, to spend the Christmas holidays at her home, Swanmere Manor.  Since he will be alone this Christmas (his mother is taking care of an ailing relative and his significant other is in Africa), he decides to accept.

Smithings’ home, Swanmere Manor, has been converted into a hotel because of financial difficulties. Rex travels to the Sussex countryside in the midst of a blizzard. He is forced to abandon his car and use his tennis racquets as snowshoes. He finds eight guests snowbound. Among them is: a gay antique dealer, a pair of newlyweds, an American biographer of George W Bush (Dahlia hates Bush as the man who is responsible for the Iraq War, which killed her son), and a disabled World War II veteran.

During an afternoon tea, the elderly veteran dies suddenly.  Cause of death is thought to be a stroke but, upon investigation, Rex discovers his death was caused by a poisoned almond tart.  What Rex must determine is whether the tart was meant for the veteran or whether he was mistakenly given it. When another death follows and the Bush manuscript is found burned, Rex has to look further into the possible motives of the guests.

Christmas Is Murder is a classic country house mystery true to the tradition of Agatha Christie, with a remote country manor, a house full of guests, all of whom can be suspects, and a discerning man who seeks the truth and then assembles all the guests into a drawing room to unmask the culprit.  We are introduced to Rex, a welcome addition to the ranks of amateur sleuths.  Rex is charming, astute, intelligent and witty.  There are strong elements of suspense and mystery and a touch of romance with a fellow guest who assists Rex in his investigations. We can only hope to see more of Rex in the future.

Highly recommended   This is a great read.

The Book

Midnight Ink
September 2008
Paperback
9780738713595 / 0738713597
Mystery / Amateur Sleuth / England
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE: Holiday read: Christmas

The Reviewer

Barbara Buhrer
Reviewed 2008
NOTE:
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