Sarah Kelling Bittersohn and her husband Max are invited to take the place of Sarah’s Uncle Jem at a Renaissance-themed party at the estate of the Billingsgates, close friends of Uncle Jem. The latter could not attend because he was off sailing somewhere, but the connection serves to conceal the real purpose of Sarah and Max’s attendance: one of Bill Billingsgate’s many vintage Rolls Royces has been stolen, and he is hopeful that Sarah and Max can determine the culprit and, if possible, get it back. But when one of the household’s faithful retainers, assigned to keep guard on the shed where the Rolls Royces are kept, is murdered and his body concealed in a nearby tree, Sarah and Max realize that something much more sinister than car-napping is going on…. As ever, this eighth book in the cozy series featuring Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn is chock full of eccentric and interesting characters, many of them Sarah’s relatives. Here we also have a smarmy professor, a treatise on the history of the Morris dance, a huge swarm of (usually) benevolent bees and, of course, a bevy of ancient but glorious vehicles. Oh, and a host of private radio stations in the process of being hijacked by sinister forces. Plus lots of witty dialogue, too; recommended! ( )

I just couldn't get into this one ( )

I just couldn't get into this one ( )

stolen Rolls Royce

historical-fiction, cozy-mystery, situational-humor, verbal-humor, family-dynamics

The Rolls is already a valuable antique in the time of the story which also includes Princess style corded phones, multiple radio stations, and phone booths. There's also a Renaissance gala on a family estate, the missing Rollers and the murder victims total two of each, a multiplicity of suspects and red herrings, and a disgraceful police chief making a mess only Max and a real cop can untangle. But Sarah is the one with the creative imagination that leads to the resolution. And it's great fun!
Andi Arndt is the very enjoyable narrator. ( )