too many earls are dying

I wonder what my reaction to inheriting a grand estate would be. Would I prefer my own cozy home. That is how the unexpected 12th Earl of Ellesmere and his wife felt. Percy Spender was willing to spend a brief time in the cold drafty yet elegant almost palace, then they wanted to sell it and get on with life. Who wants to eat cold food for the rest of their lives?

All of Percy's family have gathered at Chetton Hall to spend time together and to celebrate Percy's sixtieth birthday. Many of the family members are seeing this as a windfall that can enrich all their lives if handled correctly. But someone puts a period to Percy's existence and hordes of police and reporters descend on the estate to turn every bodies life inside out.

Complicating matters is the fact that Percy's heir is currently in lockup doing time because he was caught for the umpteenth time illegally emptying a lorry full of TV's. due out shortly he is sprung to help the police in their inquiries in a different fashion.

Robert Barnard makes all this seem possible, real and humorous. I like to keep some of his books close at hand for a guaranteed enjoyable read.

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My very first Barnard. So much humor. A quick, light read but only because it kept me so engrossed I didn't want to put it down. ( )

How fun. Short and sweet. Great to while-away some time with no heavy thinking. First Barnard mystery I have read. Perhaps I'll try him once more to see....

I am absolutely in love with our public library!

For those who may want an actual synopsis, without giving away too much of the plot, the Earl of Ellesmere has died, leaving a cockney distance cousin to inherit "the old pile." But the new Earl and his Countess don't want to have any of it! Their several offspring have differing views on how the inheritance should be handled.... But this is not to be a case of vive l'difference....