Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering

I thought this would be a most interesting book because it was touted as Downtown Abbey meets Agatha Christie. Not at all. This is a very transparent mystery, and that means it is no mystery at all. To be fair, I have been reading Agatha Christie eBooks, Greatest British Mysteries, and 100 All Time Great American Mysteries. I've been entrenched with mysteries since January.

Deering is a pseudonym for an author who has multiple books published, this is her mysteries name. She notes in the back that Knox was well known for writing a 10 commandments for mystery writing and then she says she broke or bent them all. Well, it shows. It is not the best offering from this experienced author. I was disappointed because the premise is so great.

The twists are not that twisted, and there are no surprises. I give this book 1 star out of 5

ABOUT THE BOOK

Downton Abbey Meets Agatha Christie in This Sparkling Mystery

Drew Farthering loves a good mystery, although he generally expects to find it in the pages of a novel, not on the grounds of his country estate. When a weekend party at Farthering Place is ruined by murder and the police seem flummoxed, Drew decides to look into the crime himself. With the help of his best friend, Nick Dennison, an avid mystery reader, and Madeline Parker, a beautiful and whip-smart American debutante staying as a guest, the three try to solve the mystery as a lark, using the methods from their favorite novels.

Soon, financial irregularities at Drew's stepfather's company come to light and it's clear that all who remain at Farthering Place could be in danger. Trying hard to remain one step ahead of the killer--and trying harder to impress Madeline--Drew must decide how far to take this game.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rules of Murder, go HERE.

JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuts with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book (Bethany House, 2014).