Deadly Kin

Alec Halsey Mystery, Book 4

By: Lucinda Brant

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

Alec is back!

Summer 1764. Alec and Selina anxiously await the birth of their first child at their estate in Kent. It should be a time of family celebration, but the death of a young poacher has Alec investigating murder. And when renovations to his sprawling manor unearth a secret burial chamber, a shocking family secret comes to light. Everything Alec thought he knew about his birth is again called into question, and with it the special bond with his irascible uncle Plantagenet.

©2019 Lucinda Brant (P)2020 Lucinda Brant

Critic reviews

Very well written, fast paced, and full of secrets...A cracking good adventure! (Historical Novel Society)

I challenge anyone not crave more from the handsome Alec Halsey with his high sense of morals, dark good looks, and divine analytical mind. (Reader’s Favorite)

Quite simply, a perfect combination of mystery, romance, and history. (Romantic Historical Reviews)

An exceptional narration of a complex mystery

Marquess, former diplomat and amateur sleuth Alec Halsey and his pregnant wife, Selina, have returned to the country property that he has inherited. While they nervousely await the birth if their child, Alec focuses on renovating the property. Naturally in this series, he is faced with having to solve a complex and vicious murder and other mysteries.
As always, Lucinda Brant provides a well researched and very gripping tale. Alec Halsey and Selina are sympathetic and all of the other characters are well-drawn. There is a wealth of historical detail seamlessly woven into the story.
Matthew Lloyd Davies is an exceptional narrator, providing memorable and distinct voices for both male and female characters of all backgrounds.
Very highly recommended.

A lot of loud forced angry voice

Story ok. Continuing story line. Didn’t like the forced angry voice stuff. Could have been handled better

Great story and an enjoyable listen

Let me start by saying that I’ve read this book almost a year ago and was really anticipating the release of this audio. And it was well worth the wait, the story and the performance is by far one of my favorite of this series and considering this is the 4th book and with a new narrator that’s saying a lot.

This is book four in the series and even though it could easily be read as a standalone I do highly recommend listening to all the books in order to get the most out of the ongoing mystery of Alec’s background and relationships with all his cohorts. Every book gets better and more truths are reveal regarding Alec and his background. And I suspected his true relationship with his uncle Plant since it was hinted in book one but how Ms. Brant got us to the reveal was so heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. It’s a sad story but it also made my heart happy.

As usual, Ms. Brant’s ability to blend real historical facts with her awesome imaginations always make for an intriguing story. And it also gets me interested in researching all things Georgian Era. I can’t wait for Deadly Desire!

Matthew Lloyd Davies did an excellent job in bringing the story and characters to life. He was able to lent distinguishable voices to each of the characters and performed each with such feelings that I can easily immersed myself in the story. His intonation was also pleasant and that makes my ears happy.

Good Mystery

The fourth in the series, this is the story of an eerie killing of a young boy who was poaching deer on Alec’s land. Many of our favorite characters are here as well as new ones (some unsavory). Add the facts that Alec is uncovering details of his parentage, Plantagenet Halsey is desperate to keep secrets, and Selina is close to giving birth to their firstborn. Just like Lucinda Brant’s other books, there’s no shortage of intrigue throughout. Overall it’s a very good read with a satisfying end.
The narrator was good, especially considering he had to follow Alex Wyndham who narrated the first three books. He was a bit flat in places.

Intriguing combination of mysteries

In this latest book in the Alec Halsey mystery series we see Alec and his wife Selina settle in Alec's family seat, looking forward to the birth of their first child. However, several mysterious events cast a dark shadow on their felicity: Alec begins to investigate the disappearance of a young boy, a secret vault is accidentally revealed during the renovations, with hints of its sinsiter purpose; and even more disturbingly, his uncle Plantagenet seems to keep secrets from him, along with many others. As Alec tries to unravel the threads with his two helpers, the young apothecary Tam, and his valet Jeffries, he discovers the truth about his own birth, the past of his family, and the long shadow that past sins have cast on the people of the whole neighbourhood. The stellar character of Alec, the way he inspires loyalty, is intent to help those under his care, the strong family bonds between him and his uncle and his wife are beautiful counterparts to the greed, jealousy and fanaticism that motivate the villains to horrible and grisly crimes.
As the interwoven mysteries are told, we see an amazingly rich and detailed picture of the life on a Georgian aristocrat's country seat, supported by the author's vast amount of research (from the organization of a household, clothing, utensils, even the place and method of processing the meat of the deer are true to life). Several historical facts influence the plot and are effortlessly included and explained: the Black Act, the strange ancient inheritance law called gavelkind, the recent invention of Benjamin Franklin's lightning rod, to mention only a few.
The extremely talented and narrator gives a perfect performance: illustrates the different characters givnig them their own voice, displays the complex emotions and motivations, illuminates the subtle humor and overall, provides a memorable listening experience. I eagerly await the next book in the series and hope to hear the same narrator take it to similar heights.