Book Review: The Death of Colonel Mann

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Death of Colonel Mann     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Cynthia Peale
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Historical
Series: Beacon Hill # 1
Doubleday, Mar 2000, $22.95, 288 pp.

Addington and Caroline Ames are part of Victorian Boston’s social elite even though they do not have the money to keep up their lifestyle. To supplement their income, they accept a boarder, Dr. John MacKenzie, who is recovering from a bullet wound. Although he pays rent, the Ames treat John as a member of the family.

Although newspaper publisher Colonel William D’Arcy Mann does not travel among Boston’s Brahmin circles, he knows the upper echelon’s most private indiscretions. William blackmails many of the upper class. His latest victim is a cousin to the Ames, who pleads with Addington to retrieve her stolen letters that contains information she cannot afford go public. Accompanied by Dr. MacKenzie, Addington visits Mann’s hotel suite where they find the Colonel dead and the letters missing. Addington and MacKenzie begin sleuthing in order to protect their family from scandal.

Judging from the high quality of the story line and the sharply defined cast, although this is the first “Beacon Hill” mystery, this series will have a long run. The action-packed story line provides insight into Victorian Boston’s upper class through the myriad of characters. Surprisingly, the novel is Cynthia Peale’s first mystery, though she has written several novels as Nancy Zaroulis (see CALL THE DARKNESS LIGHT and THE LAST WALTZ). Reminding readers of Dianne Day’s Fremont Jones tales, THE DEATH OF COLONEL MANN will appeal to fans of Americana historical mysteries.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner