Book Review: High Marks for Murder

Reviewed By: Caryn St. Clair

High Marks for Murder     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Rebecca Kent
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth   Cozy
Series: Bellehaven House Mysteries # 1
Berkley Paperback, 200 pages, $6.99

Bellehaven Finishing School's mission is to educate young women in the essential art of running their own households while turning them into refined young women. What the well to do parents did not plan on was their daughters becoming part of a murder investigation.

Headmistress Meredith Llewellyn was concerned when Kathleen Duncan failed to attend church on Sunday morning. With a sense of foreboding, she went looking for Miss Duncan following services. When Duncan's body is discovered with a questionable head wound, the police assume it was a vagrant passing through who committed the crime. Meredith Llewellyn wants the murder investigated and when the constable seems less than anxious to do so, Meredith begins an investigation of her own. Soon however, she realizes she is not alone. The white wisps she's caught glimpses of are actually the ghost of Miss Duncan trying to guide her.

The book is set just as the woman's suffrage movement is beginning. One of the teachers is trying desperately to awaken the girls to their rights and options in life, while another one is staunchly for the status quo wanting the girls prepared to serve their husbands every need. The banter between two leads to some humorous scenes.

Kathleen's ghost gives the book an ever so slight paranormal touch. The ghost isn't a scary ghost, and really doesn't do many “ghostly” things other than appear and sort of nudge Meredith in the right direction in her investigation. I'm assuming this is the beginning of a series. It will be interesting to see if in further books there is also a ghostly presence.

High Marks for Murder is a light and cozy read just right for the long hot days of August.

Caryn St. Clair

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Caryn St. Clair

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