Further troubles at Marston Hall!

False Gold (Abbot Agency Mystery #18) by Veronica Heley          

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We return to Marston Hall in the Home Counties with Bea Abbot who’s left London domestic agency behind for a short visit with Sir Julian, Lady Polly and their infant son Pip. As a bonus it seems Bea’s portrait painter Piers will join them.

Only it’s not going to be clear sailing. Bea arrives at Marston Hall to find the road closed. Entering by another route she finds an officious female police officer who trys to direct her away, a security guard dead, and the place up in arms.

What’s more her friend Rosemary who’s been helping Julian has gone, her motor home’s missing, and a new estate manager, Major Ian Charpentier seemingly in charge.

From there it’s a messy time of mayhem, corruption, upper class youths running amok, and a village glancing over their shoulder constantly.

Julian’s butting heads with his estate manager, who’s constantly doing something different to what Julian wants done and Polly’s at her wits end.

Piers arrives and Bea is glad of his support.

Somehow there’s an infective talk of lost treasure in the air that seems to point the way back to Julian’s troublesome father-in-law, Mr. Colston.

A cozy mystery with some of our favorite and not so favorite people.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.