Lady Frances Ffolkes, sister of Charles Seaforth, 7th Marquess of Seaforth took the opportunity of her brother’s marriage to move from the family home to enjoy residence at Miss Plimsoll’s Residence Hotel for Ladies with her lady’s maid, Miss June Mallow. Lady Frances loves her independence as she had her first taste during her college years in America. She fills her days volunteering at the Ladies’ Christian Relief Guild soup kitchen and participating in the League for Women’s Political Equality and various clubs and associated committees. The intrigue begins when a manuscript is discovered missing after the death of Major Daniel (Danny) Colcombe. Has the manuscript been destroyed or will secrets about the Boer War finally be shared with the public?

Character delights, investigation highlights, and a touch of romance:
• The independent and adventurous nature of Lady Frances.
• Lady Frances and Miss Mallow have a formal relationship in public but more of a companion and friend in private yet Miss Mallow always defers to a formal response to Lady Frances if there is any question of proper reply or circumstance.
• The unwavering decision by Lady Frances to find the missing manuscript and the steps of her investigation
• In a British cozy mystery, the amateur sleuth generally interacts with a local police constable or inspector but this investigation includes conversations with the elite at Scotland Yard, Special Branch, War Office, and retired military officers that provided different catalysts and red herrings.
• I always applaud when the romantic sparks that light up a sleuth’s face are with a gentleman or triangle other than a detective. Kudos for the sparkling selections for Lady Frances.

Lady Frances and Miss Mallow reminded me of Lady Cecilia Bates and her friendship with Miss Jane Hughes although Miss Hughes is not in direct service to Lady Bates as created by Eliza Casey (pseudonym of Amanda McCabe) in the Manor Cat Mysteries. I recommend adding both series to your tbr list. I’m up-to-date on the Manor Cat Mysteries so I can’t wait to spend more time with Lady Frances and Miss Mallow. ( )

I liked this. I had a little trouble keeping the characters straight (I listened to it and would have remembered the names better if I'd seen them. But I would have missed out on the great narration, the reader did a good job with the different accents). The point of view jumps around everywhere, even minor characters, which I don't like as well, but I could overlook it. I didn't figure out all of the mystery elements before the protagonist, but I still felt kind of excited to hear her conclusions. ( )

Death on the Sapphire - Koreto
Audio performance by Justine Eyre
3 stars

The first book in an Edwardian mystery series featuring the suffragette, Lady Frances Ffolkes. The Vassar educated Lady Frances is a feminist after my own heart. She’s a campaigner, certain that the 20th century is the women’s century. She uses her education, her position in society, her money, and her lady’s maid, June Mallow, to insert herself into a murder investigation. The mystery was a bit predictable, but the characters are fun. There are enough historical details for a good early 20th century atmosphere. It was the perfect kind of light entertainment that I need in an audiobook.

This was an audible plus selection. I have mixed feelings about Justine Eyre’s audio performance. Her English accent seems so exaggerated and her voice is quite breathy. There are times when I find it very annoying. However, she seems to have exactly the right voice for Lady Frances. ( )

My main complaint? It was soooooo slow-moving. I actually forgot the plot and halfway of the characters' names as I neared the end of the book. ( )

Lady Frances (Franny) Fflokes is independent of her family and living with her Lady's Maid, June Mallow, in Miss Plimsole's Hotel for Ladies.

When a friend of the family's dies by gunshot wound and his brutally honest manuscript from the Boer War goes missing, Franny is asked to find it.

In between her investigation she attends Suffragist meetings, works in a soup kitchen, & begins an acquaintance with two very different men.

The book was well written, flowed nicely, had likable characters, and was easy to read.

I was surprised to learn that the author is male, like C.W. Gortner, Koreto does well with a woman protagonist!

I have already begun to read the 2nd in the series. ( )