Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Rules of Murder Bethany House Publishers (August 1, 2013) by Julianna Deering

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, 2014).



 ABOUT THE BOOK

Downton Abbey Meets Agatha Christie in This Sparkling Mystery

Drew Farthering loves a good mystery, although he generally expects to find it in the pages of a novel, not on the grounds of his country estate. When a weekend party at Farthering Place is ruined by murder and the police seem flummoxed, Drew decides to look into the crime himself. With the help of his best friend, Nick Dennison, an avid mystery reader, and Madeline Parker, a beautiful and whip-smart American debutante staying as a guest, the three try to solve the mystery as a lark, using the methods from their favorite novels.

Soon, financial irregularities at Drew's stepfather's company come to light and it's clear that all who remain at Farthering Place could be in danger. Trying hard to remain one step ahead of the killer--and trying harder to impress Madeline--Drew must decide how far to take this game.

My Thoughts:

“…I love your stubborn loyalty, your belief even in the face of hard evidence, but there has to be a time when you let go.”

Farthering Place is a rather quaint English manor…or is it?  Drew Farthering has returned home with his lifelong friend Nick to find his mother and stepdad deep in the throes of hospitality…hospitality that has spilled over into his personal space!  Introduce some American young ladies into the mix and suddenly things become vastly intriguing!  Fireworks begin to explode between Drew and Madeline just as intensely as they explode overhead…and just as suddenly murder explodes right before their eyes! Once, twice, three times..enough is enough, right?  But is doesn’t end even there!  By the time the bodies are collected and the murderer is found, the reader is left so flabbergasted that he can only gape into the pages in astonishment!

Okay, I’ll admit, I almost gave up on this book too soon.  Things seemed a bit slow at the beginning.  Little did I know that the foundation was being laid for a murder mystery that was both intriguing and a bit cozy…and even included a faith element woven in so believably amidst the mayhem that I was moved to tears at its transparency.  Rules of Murder was a very satisfying read on many levels, and I am thrilled to discover that it is the beginning  of a series that is sure to keep me thoroughly entertained!

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rules of Murder, go HERE.