ARC Review: Murder at the Elms by Alyssa Maxwell

Murder at the Elms
Author: Alyssa Maxwell
Series: A Gilded Newport Mystery (Book 11)
Publication: Kensington (August 22, 2023)

Description: For fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, the glorious mansions of Newport house many mysteries—murder, theft, scandal—and no one is more adept at solving them than reporter Emma Andrews . . .

1901: Back from their honeymoon in Italy, Emma and Derrick are adapting to married life as they return to their duties at their jointly owned newspaper, the Newport Messenger. The Elms, coal baron Edward Berwind’s newly completed Bellevue Avenue estate, is newsworthy for two reasons: A modern mansion for the new century, it is one of the first homes in America to be wired for electricity with no backup power system, generated by coal from Berwind’s own mines. And their servants—with a single exception—have all gone on strike to protest their working conditions. Summarily dismissing and replacing his staff with cool and callous efficiency, Berwind throws a grand party to showcase the marvels of his new “cottage.”

Emma and Derrick are invited to the fete, which culminates not only in a fabulous musicale but an unforeseen tragedy—a chambermaid is found dead in the coal tunnel. In short order, it is also discovered that a guest’s diamond necklace is missing and a laborer has disappeared.

Detective Jesse Whyte entreats Emma and Derrick to help with the investigation and determine whether the murdered maid and stolen necklace are connected. As the dark deeds cast a shadow over the blazing mansion, it’s up to Emma to shine a light on the culprit . . .

My Thoughts: In the eleventh Gilded Newport mystery, Emma and Derrick are married and back from their honeymoon. Emma is fretting that neither his house nor her house feels like their house. But it is back to work for her as the reporter for the Newport Messenger. 

Emma is called to the Elms, a newly built mansion, when she learns that the servants are threatening to strike over working conditions. She goes there and finds rival publisher Orville Brown agitating for the workers. When they do strike, The Elms owner Ned Berwind fires all of them but a Portuguese woman named Ines who refuses to join the strike. 

Just a couple of weeks later, Emma and Derrick are invited to a musical night at The Elms and meets two different couples who are houseguests. Charles and Kay Gilchrist are a mismatched couple. He's much older and a colleague of Ned's. Rex and Sylvie Morton are the other couple. He's an investment banker and she's the one who sponsored the musical entertainment. 

When the entertainment is broken up by the discovery of maid Ines's body in the coal tunnel, Emma and Derrick both decide to look into the crime. And just a while later, when a valuable diamond necklace is stolen from Rex's safe, things get more complicated. 

As Emma looks into the mystery, she discovers lots and lots of connections between the couple and lots more questions than answers when she interviews them leading her to find herself in danger.

This was an entertaining mystery. I liked the historical setting. I also liked the relationship between Emma and Derrick. I've only read the first in this series and had no trouble getting into this one. While earlier events are mentioned, no knowledge is needed to understand and enjoy this mystery. 

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

"Mr. Morton, obviously this is no ordinary necklace. What is it? Why all the secrecy?" I didn't say "from your wife," but the implication hung in the air between us.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.