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Blog Tour: A Deadly Legacy (Lady Evelyn Mystery #6) by Malia Zaidi: A Book Review

A Deadly Legacy by Malia Zaidi

Publication Date: March 15, 2022
Paperback & eBook
Genre: Historical Mystery
Series: A Lady Evelyn Mystery, Book 6
Pages: 535
Source: This book was given to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.


Synopsis: A few months after the Carlisle Detective Agency opened its doors, Lady Evelyn and her partner, Hugh, are twiddling their thumbs. The cases are slow to trickle in, leaving the detectives feeling uninspired. So, when Evelyn's Aunt Louise asks her to join the local chapter of the Women's Institute, she has no excuse to decline the invitation. Yet what she expects to be a tedious gathering, turns out to be anything but. She meets former suffragettes and outspoken women, eager for change, forcing Evelyn to reexamine her own prejudices. A decidedly less welcome surprise is the body she comes across only a few days later. Evelyn need hardly be a professional detective to recognize a murder when she sees one. Amid planning her wedding and navigating family affairs, she sets out to solve the case. The investigation takes Evelyn and Hugh into the past, examining the war years, which left the present far from untarnished. Is the victim's history connected to her death? Could her involvement in the war have given someone a motive for murder? The questions pile up, and Evelyn and Hugh must race against the clock to discover the truth, before more lives are lost, not least, their own…

My Review: Lady Evelyn stumbles upon the death of Juliet Nelson, a mysterious and quiet woman that likes to keep to herself. As she investigates to find Juliet’s killer, she learns that the victim had links to WWI. What was Juliet’s involvement in the war? Is this the reason why Juliet was quiet and liked to keep to herself? Lady Evelyn continues to investigate to discover Juliet’s past.


Lady Evelyn is an intriguing protagonist. She seems to have a thriving detective agency. She is about to get married to her longtime boyfriend and is ready to begin a new chapter in her life. She seems to be very confident and self-reliant. I like how she and her work partner, Hugh, conduct their investigation. I thought their undercover scenes were the most fun parts in this novel. They also seem to have formed an excellent partnership with the police. Thus, Lady Evelyn seems to be the most relatable character in the novel because she seems more carefree.

 

I do like Lady Evelyn’s partner, Hugh. He seems mysterious but is suffering from war trauma. It feels that he is trying to get his life together by becoming a private detective. Investigation seems to be his healing process from the war. Therefore, Hugh is also a very compelling protagonist. He also seems to be very adept with his job. I found Hugh to complement Lady Evelyn well, especially in solving crimes. Both of them have different personalities and circumstances. However, they both have a common goal, which is to pursue justice.


Overall, this novel is about secrets, war trauma, and recovery. I found all the characters to be very real and likable. The novel started out slow, but the mystery was well-crafted. I liked learning about Juliet and her past. This was the first book I have read in the Lady Evelyn series, and I am interested in reading the previous books in this series! I also hope that there will be more installments in the future! A Deadly Legacy is a must-read for mystery fans! I recommend A Deadly Legacy for fans of Maisie Dobbs, Death in Soho, and Murder at the Dolphin Hotel!


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


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About the Author


    Malia Zaidi is the author of The Lady Evelyn Mysteries. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh and at the University of Oxford. Having grown up in Germany, she currently lives in Washington DC, though through her love of reading, she resides vicariously (if temporarily) in countries around the world.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, May 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Monday, May 23
Excerpt at Heidi Reads

Friday, May 27
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Monday, May 30
Guest Post at The Cozy Book Blog

Tuesday, May 31
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Thursday, June 2
Guest Post & Excerpt at Older & Smarter

Saturday, June 4
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, June 6
Excerpt at bookworlder

Thursday, June 9
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink

Giveaway

   Enter to win all 6 books in the Lady Evelyn Mystery series!

Book One: A Poisonous Journey
Book Two: A Darker Shore
Book Three: The Study of Silence
Book Four: The Golden Hour
Book Five: The Quality of Mercy
Book Six: A Deadly Legacy

    The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on June 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

A Deadly Legacy


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