Murder at Blackwater Bend - (Stella and Lyndy Mystery) by Clara McKenna (Paperback)

About the Book

Following a whirlwind engagement to Viscount 'Lyndy' Lyndhurst, Stella Kendrick is finding her footing within an elite social circle in picturesque rural England. Outrage erupts and accusations fly after Lord Fairbrother's pony wins best in breed for the seventh consecutive year. When Stella and Lyndy discover his body floating in the river the next morning, it appears one of Stella's trusted new acquaintances may be a calculating killer. In the presence of hardly-grieving Lady Philippa Fairbrother - once set to marry Lyndy - and Lyndy's endlessly critical mother, Stella faces the bitter reality that she may always be an outsider. -- adapted from jacket

Book Synopsis

Stella Kendrick, a wild-hearted Kentuckian "Dollar Princess" shipped off to England for an aristocratic marriage and her soon-to-be groom Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst must navigate culture clashes, scandal, and a high society killer in Clara McKenna's second historical mystery set in England's New Forest region at the turn of the 20th century.

LOVE, MURDER, AND HORSERACING IN EDWARDIAN ENGLAND

Wild-hearted Kentuckian Stella Kendrick cautiously navigates the strict demands of British high society as the future Lady of Morrington Hall. But when petty scandals lead to bloody murder, her outspoken nature could be all that keeps her alive...

Following a whirlwind engagement to Viscount "Lyndy" Lyndhurst, Stella is finding her footing within an elite social circle in picturesque rural England. Except tea time with refined friends can be more dangerous than etiquette faux pas--especially in the company of Lady Philippa, the woman Lyndy was once set to marry, and her husband, the ostentatious Lord Fairbrother...

Outrage erupts and accusations fly after Lord Fairbrother's pony wins best in breed for the seventh consecutive year. The man has his share of secrets and adversaries, but Stella and Lyndy are in for a brutal shock when they discover his body floating in the river during a quiet morning fishing trip...

Suddenly unwelcome around hardly-grieving Lady Philippa and Lyndy's endlessly critical mother, Stella faces the bitter reality that she may always be an outsider--and one of her trusted new acquaintances may be a calculating killer. Now, Stella and her fiancé must fight against the current to catch the culprit, before they're the next couple torn apart by tragedy.

Review Quotes

Praise for Murder at Blackwater Bend

"A spirited American heiress who's shocked the stuffy Edwardian aristocracy turns to detection once more...Oodles of charisma in a neat combination of mystery and romance."
--Kirkus Reviews

"McKenna manages to pull the many story lines together toward the satisfying conclusion."
--Publishers Weekly

"Love will have its way and murder will out, but it's a harrowing and dangerous experience for the Kentucky heiress and her noble intended, with plenty of false clues and mysterious diversions."
--The New York Journal

"The varied and richly portrayed characters make this story."
--Booklist

"Entertaining."
--Historical Novel Society

"Stella and Lyndy come from different backgrounds but together they're creating a life that combines the best of the old and new worlds. I look forward to their next adventure, hopefully after a splendiferous wedding."
--Criminal Element

About the Author

Clara McKenna is the author of the acclaimed Stella and Lyndy Mystery Series as well as other historical mysteries written under a different name. She is a member of Historical Novel Society and Sisters in Crime, as well as a founding member of Sleuths in Time, a cooperative group of historical mystery writers who encourage and promote each other's work. McKenna has spent most of her working life in academia and is an avid traveler, a vintage teacup collector, a poet and self-professed anglophile. She lives with her family in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa and can be found online at ClaraMckenna.