THE SECRET STAIRCASE (2021)

The Secret Staircase by Sheila Connolly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
On sale: August 24, 2021

What drew me to Sheila Connolly's newest entry in the Victorian Village Mysteries? Was it the title "The Secret Staircase" or the book cover featuring a turreted mansion? Having grown up addicted to Nancy Drew, it was probably a little of both.

FIRST SENTENCE: "I looked at the faces of the people around the large oval table in the dining room of the Asheboro Bed & Breakfast - the place I was calling home, at least temporarily."

THE STORY: Kate Hamilton has her heart set on restoring "The Barton Mansion" in a small town a short drive from Baltimore but a world away. The project is formidable and only part of an even bigger concept of recreating Asheboro as a Victorian Village to bring the town back to life.

Just as everything is starting to fall into place, a hidden staircase is discovered and at the bottom, a century old body. When another death occurs, Kate realizes there is something in the past that is still festering and dangerous.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Told in the first person, the reader is aware of Kate's hopes and fears for the project. It's interesting to follow her thoughts, decisions, and plans as she grapples with the complicated process of working on historic properties. I found the book slow-moving and repetitious at times as Kate vacillates. The mystery isn't particularly challenging and gets quickly tied up at the end by an unexpected discovery. (Please realize that I am NOT a cozy fan.)

BOTTOM LINE: This is the third and last entry in the Victorian Village Mysteries. Author Sheila Connolly died in April 2020; but she was a prolific writer of cozys and left many series including Orchard Mysteries, Museum Mysteries, County Cork Mysteries, and Relatively Dead Mysteries among others. A good solid read for lovers of history, Victoriana, restoration, and genealogy.

DISCLAIMER: Thank you NetGalley, and Minotaur Books for the advance copy for an honest review.

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