Death at the Emerald
Death at the Emerald
A Frances Ffolkes Mystery
by R. J. Koreto
Crooked Lane Books
Historical Fiction , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 07 Nov 2017
Review
I’ve encountered few historicals as cleverly plotted as RJ Koreto’s Death at the Emerald. Lady France's Ffolkes is an innovator, a feminist who uses her position to challenge convention, just as her lady’s maid Mallow is the perfect servant - a supporter and confidant who pairs acceptable behavior with acting as Lady Frances’s “Watson”. Koreto skillfully paints a picture of a society in the midst of change, a society where class means everything.
Lady France's Ffolkes is asked to investigate the disappearance of a young woman 30 years previous. Her family assumes she is dead, but one family friend wants Lady Frances to uncover the truth behind the young beauty’s disappearance. The trail begins at the Emerald Theater and leads them on a merry chase that begins and ends with murder. Expect to meet a few historical figures and see how a motion picture is made. It is an intriguing mystery where women’s issues play an important role.
I highly recommend Death at the Emerald to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, particularly those set in Edwardian times.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Death at the Emerald from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Description
One-named stunning actress Helen mysteriously vanished 30 years ago. An elderly family friend is unable to bear not knowing any longer and commissions Lady Frances Ffolkes to track her down. Taking on the role of Lady Sherlock, with her loyal maid Mallow drafted as her Watson, Frances finds herself immersed in the glamorous world of Edwardian theater and London's latest craze - motion pictures. As Frances and Mallow make their way through the theaters, they meet colorful figures such as George Bernard Shaw and King Edward II. Tracking the theaters seems like a dead end. That is until one of Helen's old suitors is suddenly murdered. With the stakes raised, Frances and Mallow work quickly to uncover a box of subtle clues to Helen's whereabouts. But someone unexpected wants that box just as badly and is willing to kill to keep it shut. The stage is set for murder and Frances and Mallow are determined to unravel the decades-old conspiracy inDeath at the Emerald, R. J. Koreto's third installment in the captivating Lady Frances Ffolkes mysteries.
