In the second Belinda Lawrence mystery our heroine and her friend Hazel visit Kidbrooke House, a Tudor mansion full of glorious antiques and a mysterious piece of tapestry. Soon after their visit the House’s owner is killed in a grizzly manner and when Hazel buys some furniture from the estate sale she discovers the tapestry in a drawer. She gives the tapestry to Belinda who in her quest to find out more about its origins becomes embroiled in a thousand-year-old conspiracy and a modern-day religious cult.

The characters in this series are developing nicely. Belinda seems much more assertive than she was in her first outing (Capable of Murder) and is more of an instigator of events in the story than in the first book where she seemed to react only to the things that happened around her. I also found her boyfriend Mark more agreeable this time around and my only quibble with the characters is that I’d like to see more of the bloke-mad, gin-drinking Hazel Whitby as she adds a nice humorous element to the stories.

The plot is complex although not difficult to follow although I did struggle in a couple of spots because so much of the story relates to the intricate details of the piece of tapestry which we readers never see. There is a partial picture on the front cover of the edition of the book I read but it doesn’t contain the all-important borders and I couldn’t always visualise what the characters were talking about.

I’m not terribly familiar with this period of history but my inner conspiracy theorist was thoroughly engaged by the well-researched details and intriguing speculations about the Bayeux Tapestry, the historical events it portrays and the royal lineage of England. The resolution to the story was very much in keeping with the events that preceded it (not always a given in crime fiction these days) although far more gruesome than the average ‘cosy’ reader might like.

All in all this is a thoroughly entertaining read and especially recommended to those who enjoy stories with a historical twist.

My rating 3.5/5

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#2 in the Belinda Lawrence series. Set about 2 years after the first (CAPABLE OF MURDER), Belinda now has her inherited cottage set up with its re-constructed Capability Brown garden. Antique collector Hazel Whitby has furnished it with appropriate furniture and it is now on the tourist bus routes, bringing in a small income. Real estate agent Mark Sallinger completes the investigative trio as wll as providing the romance interest. On their way back from an antiques fair at Castle Howard, Belinda and Hazel call in at Kidbrooke House and are shown a framed piece of tapestry by its elderly owner. It reminds Belinda of the Bayeux tapestry and she decides she wants to see the Bayeux replica at Reading. Just after their visit to Kidbrooke House its elderly owner is murdered. Hazel buys some furniture from his deceased estate and accidentally becomes the owner of the tapestry which she gives to Belinda. This book is a delightful romp somewhat in the vein of Margaret Rutherford's interpretation of Miss Marple. I suspect Brian Kavanagh is rather enjoying writing these stories with their mixture of murder, mayhem and romance. THE EMBROIDERED CORPSE has indications that he is constantly honing his craft, and I think they would be popular with YA female readers. Try to read them in order (CAPABLE OF MURDER, then THE EMBROIDERED CORPSE) ( )

THE EMBROIDERED CORPSE is the sequel to CAPABLE OF MURDER. Our Australian heroine, Belinda Lawrence, has put the events surrounding the murder of her aunt behind her and has now moved permanently to England. She is living quietly in the village of Mitford in the house bequeathed to her by her late aunt. However, her sleuthing days are not over. After a trip to purchase antique furniture for her friend Hazel's shop, Belinda finds herself in the possession of a mysterious piece of tapestry that may, or may not, be linked to the famous Bayeux Tapestry. However, ownership brings danger. Two murders occur in quick succession. The first is that of the original owner of the tapestry. The second murder is the local vicar who had offered to help her check the tapestry's authenticity. Both men are killed in the same bizarre way. Belinda and her friends start to investigate and find they learn more than they wanted to know about a medieval French invasion of England, royal shenanigans, monks and people who are not afraid to kill for what they believe in.

THE EMBROIDERED CORPSE is a cosy murder mystery. Belinda is a feisty and believable heroine who is in total control of herself. She can actually walk out of a bedroom leaving a naked man in her bed without a second glance - now that's control. Her best friend, Hazel, is an antique dealer who has just gone through a divorce, and is consoling herself with young men and lots of alcohol to stave off the horror of being rejected for a younger woman. Belinda also has a gorgeous boyfriend, Mark, a real estate agent who would like more snuggling in bed, more sex, and less chasing after obscure clues. This unlikely trio have to deal with mad, and probably murderous monks, along with their religious leaders (who may just be the true descendents of the British throne) trying to kill, kidnap or generally harass anyone to get their hands on the tapestry. At first Hazel and Mark think Belinda is off her rocker for thinking that there is more to the tapestry than meets the eye. But as the strange events mount up, and when Hazel is beaten up by one of the monks, they change their minds and allow Belinda to go off and follow up her suspicions.

Hazel and Mark both appeared in the first novel, albeit as suspects. Despite the fact that the brewing romance between Mark and Belinda in the first book has now been consummated in the second, the romance does not get in the way of the action. Once again author, Brian Kavenagh, has produced a well-written book, with a believable plot with just a touch of suspense and gothic horror, culminating in a very spooky graveyard climax. He has obviously researched his subject well, and has his British history down pat, and yes, it is widely believed that some parts of the original tapestry are missing. Kavenagh skilfully weaves true history, legend and fiction to produce another outstanding story. I can't wait for the soon-to-be-released third in the series, BLOODY HAM ( )