The Heiress of Linn Hagh

The Detective Lavender Mysteries, Book 1

By: Karen Charlton

Narrated by: Michael Page

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Northumberland, 1809: A beautiful young heiress disappears from her locked bedchamber at Linn Hagh. The local constables are baffled and the townsfolk cry "witchcraft".

The heiress' uncle summons help from Detective Lavender and his assistant, Constable Woods, who face one of their most challenging cases: The servants and local gypsies aren't talking, Helen's siblings are uncooperative, and the sullen local farmers are about to take the law into their own hands.

Lavender and Woods find themselves trapped in the middle of a simmering feud as they uncover a world of family secrets, intrigue and deception in their search for the missing heiress.

Taut, wry, and delightful, The Heiress of Linn Hagh is a rollicking tale featuring Lavender and Woods—a double act worthy of Holmes and Watson.

©2015 Karen Charlton (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved

narrator and setting terrific

A surprise how much I enjoyed the characters. I stayed awake to finish, and am eager to get the series. The setting (of early 1800 ) and overall storyline are enhanced by the narrator .

I enjoyed it

I enjoyed this book. The story moved right along and the narrator did a great job.

An enjoyable historical mystery

Detective Stephen Lavender and Constable Ed Woods, of the Bow Street Magistrates' Court are summoned to Northumberland to solve the disappearance of a beautiful young heiress, Helen Carnaby, from her locked bedroom in a tower.

The local residents have already decided it's witchcraft, the better to blame their favorite villains, the gypsies who reside in Hareshaw Woods. Neither the gypsies nor the servants at Linn Hagh, home of the Carnaby family, want to talk to the authorities.

And there's something very odd about Helen's brother George Carnaby, and her sister Isabel Carnaby. They're hiding something, yet they seem genuinely baffled by Helen's disappearance.

Gradually, Lavender and Woods work out that the problems at Linn Hagh go back well before Helen's disappearance on a cold October night, and madness, jealousy, and dark family secrets play a large role in whatever has happened here.

The characters are good, complex, and interesting, and both Lavender and Woods are fully fleshed out, with lives beyond their jobs. Charlton and the narrator, Page, capture both the mutual support and the sometimes claustrophic nature of a rather isolated small town, and make the characters worth spending time with. The plot keeps moving, and there are some interesting twists and turns.

Recommended.

I bought this audiobook.

Well-detailed story to relive 19th century

I enjoyed the main character and his sidekick. Great character development, amazing but simple plot. I love Lavender, I enjoyed his sense of humor. I was busy when I got the book so it took me a while before I could really get into it. But once I started, I finished the whole thing in 3 days. I just couldn't put my phone down. I read in the comments that there was inappropriate contents such as nudity, that is false accusation. Even if the book was published back 1809, I'm sure it would have still been PG 13. I recommend this for anyone looking for an enjoyable story.

Loved it!

First time reader and listener of this Author! Love Detective Lavender! The narrator was fantastic! Throughly enjoyed this experience! Look forward to the next time!

Average mystery

Nothing really stood out in this story, but it was well written and the characters were engaging. Good narration.

Excellent Mystery

I got this book on a daily deal or sale and got the rest the next day! I love this series and read them all in order (so far)! Well developed characters in a plot wit lots of twists and turns. Very well read and written. Looking forward to many more installments. Worth the credits!!

More than I expected!

Lots of unexpected twists and turns! Very enjoyable and fun to listen to. I look forward to more.

Surprisingly Enjoyable

I didn't know what to expect from this series and writer I hadn't encountered before, and the beginning of the book felt a little slow, but it quickly picked up and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I figured out a few major plot points but many others kept me guessing, and the mystery unfolded gradually and satisfyingly. Lavender and his sidekick, Woods, are interesting characters as well.

Though set in 1809, the book doesn't give a great deal of social insight into the time - the plot could be set in any Western era where women were under male protection and domination. But there is a little glimpse into the Bow Street runners that added to the story. There were a few grim elements reflecting the evil capabilities of human nature, but not in gory detail.

Recommended for those who enjoy a good English cozy mystery with a sense of humor and a tantalizing but PG touch of romance.

I want more!

Loved this book! Loved the narrator's voice! I want more and I can't wait to listen to the rest of the series! I didn't want to miss a minute!