Death in Kew Gardens - Jennifer Ashley Audiobook

Written by Jennifer Ashley
Read by Anne-Marie Piazza
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Kat Holloway Mystery Series, Book 3
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Release date: June 4, 2019
Duration: 08:05:50

A chance encounter on a London street introduces Kat Holloway, the cook in the Mayfair mansion of the unconventional Lady Cynthia Shires, to Mr. Li, “a polite, well-spoken gentleman” from China.

In return for a random act of kindness, scholar Li Bai Chang presents young cook Kat Holloway with a rare and precious gift—a box of tea. Kat thinks no more of her unusual visitor until two days later when the kitchen erupts with the news that Lady Cynthia’s next-door neighbor has been murdered.

Sir Jacob Harkness, who has spent time in the Orient, returns home from a visit to Kew Gardens and is stabbed to death in his bedroom that same night. Known about London as an Old China Hand, the victim claimed to be an expert in the language and customs of China, acting as intermediary for merchants and government officials. But Sir Jacob’s dealings were not what they seemed, and when the authorities accuse Mr. Li of the crime, Kat and Daniel find themselves embroiled in a world of deadly secrets that reach from the gilded homes of Mayfair to the beautiful wonder of Kew Gardens.

Kat and Lady Cynthia’s efforts to exonerate Mr. Li lead them to the hangers-on and sycophants gathered around the bewildered widow. There may be a link to the victim’s trip to Kew Gardens and his subsequent murder.

Ashley does a fine job portraying urban life among the well-to-do and those who serve them, though the rich characterization and abundance of domestic detail sometimes threaten to overwhelm the unusual and well-thought-out plot. Anne Perry fans will find a lot to like.