Murder at Crossways (Gilded Newport Mystery Series #7)
4.7
14
5
1
Hardcover
USD
20.8
$20.80
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781496720726 |
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| Publisher: | Kensington |
| Publication date: | 07/30/2019 |
| Series: | Gilded Newport Mystery Series , #7 |
| Pages: | 288 |
| Sales rank: | 33,890 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d) |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Murder at Crossways (Gilded Newport Mystery Series #7)
4.7 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
14 reviews.
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Excellent read!!!!!!!!
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I've enjoyed this series and especially appreciate the author's notes at the end. I look forward to the next book in the series.
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I was so happy to check back in with my old friend Emma Cross. In the 7th installment, Emma Cross is acting editor at The Newport Messenger and finds herself standing over not one, not two, but three dead bodies and one of them may have a personal connection to Emma. Three mysteries come along with the dead bodies. Who is the first murder victim? Why was the Prince murdered? And why was the third person murdered and how is everyone connected? Since the Prince was murdered during a Harvest Party at Mamie Fish's grand estate, she decides to tag along with Emma and discover just who murdered the Prince and ruined her party. Mamie Fish is an interesting character who seems far different than any of the other rich socialites. I loved Mamie Fish's upfront and strong opinions. The partnership between Mamie and Emma was fun to watch develop. They are opposites on so many fronts mainly wealth and status. They are also alike in so many ways. They both are dedicated to finding out the truth and why the murders happened. They played off each other and when Emma needed to be quiet and demure, Mamie Fish could be crass and blunt.
What makes the Emma Cross books so different is that Emma can bounce between the world of a local Newporter and the world of the rich and powerful families who vacation in Newport during the summer. I love the mix of both worlds and how Emma can easily trapeze through the two.
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Murder at Crossways by Alyssa Maxwell is the 7th installment in the Gilded Newport Mystery series. This is my first delve into this fabulous series myself, and I loved every minute of it.
Set near the turn of the century, 1898 Newport late summer/early fall, this book features a strong female character Emma Cross who is balancing between two worlds (those of a “working gal” as the Editor in Chief of the Newport Messenger Newspaper) and that of a distant relative of Cornelius Vanderbilt).
She is an independent and confident woman who has a strong moral compass, and has a radar for getting to the bottom of mysteries, murders, and shenanigans.
I enjoyed her surrounding friends, coworkers, and loved ones, and I felt the characters were realistic and complex.
I loved the intricacies of the mysteries and murders, and would love to see how this series continues to develop with future installments. I will now have to read back and start from the beginning.
5/5 stars
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3.75 stars
The continuing adventures of Emma Cross in the rarefied social atmosphere of Gilded Newport at the turn of the century. Emma is related to the upper crust Vanderbilts, but is not on an equal social footing. She has an entree to that world, but she is only peripherally a part of it which makes for some interesting interactions. She is a modern thinker and a woman with a job. She aspires to be a hard-nosed news reporter but has often been relegated to the society pages. Currently Emma is acting editor-in-chief of a Newport paper at the request of her friend and love interest Derrick (who is absent in this book) whose family owns the newspaper.
Emma is on a beach outing with family when a body is discovered. Then days later, she is present as a journalist at a society affair when the dead body of a German royal turns up. Is there a connection between the two murders? Is there a connection to Emma's family? And are any of the eager young husband-hunting heiresses involved?
Emma is an appealing character who works hard to be independent despite family opposition and the disapproval of most of the men she works with. These books are fun to read with a lot of interesting historical detail. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
A dead body can really ruin a day at the beach. Emma Cross had hoped for a relaxing day, but first, a prominent lady almost drowns and then a short time later a man is found dead. A man who looks remarkably like the father of her half-brother Brady.
With that case on her mind, Emma attends the Harvest Festival at the home of Mamie and Stuyvesant Fish to cover the affair for the Newport Messenger. The “cottage” is full of the elite and almost all the area’s eligible daughters hoping to catch the eye of the guest of honor, Prince Otto of Austria. The festival goes late into the night but the Prince never arrives. While cleaning up the estate Prince Otto’s body is found in the garden. The wound appears to be the same as the man found on the beach.
Again Emma finds herself embroiled in another murder mystery. With the family connection, she feels she has no choice.
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Alyssa Maxwell again draws readers back in time to Newport, Rhode Island 1898. This time we visit Crossways, An American “cottage” owned by Marion Graves Anthon Fish a.k.a. “Mamie” and her husband Stuyvesant “Stuyvie” Fish. What this author does so well is blending history with her fictional tale. She describes everything so well but I still find myself wanting to see the people and places with my own eyes after I finish the story to learn more about the characters and settings that kept me captivated for 288 pages. I love The Gilded Age Era site for all things Newport.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was that Alyssa found herself with an unexpected sidekick. Maimie Fish was determined to apprehend the person that used her party and property as the backdrop for murder. She glued herself to Emma’s side and even offered to hire someone to handle Emma’s real job at the paper until the case was solved. Emma is a smart woman and realized Maimie could be a real asset. Maimie was a grand character, not your typical rich socialite. She is very down to earth and very opinionated and doesn’t hold back expressing her thoughts or wishes. She was a complete treasure and together with Emma, they made a wonderful team. I love the way this author focuses on strong and independent women.
The mystery was multifaceted as connections between the murders needed to be delved into as the confirmed identity of the first victim was totally up in the air. Emma and Maimie tracked down each clue and checked out each twist no matter where the led. Emma’s brother Brady was not handling all the news well so he was a constant concern. She was also dealing with a mystery at the newspaper but she was clearly able to juggle everything thrown at her. I enjoyed following along with all the developments and was pleased that all the clues dropped into place for me at the same time as Emma.
Murder at Crossways is unique and entertaining. Maxwell’s characters are so strong and believable. I totally enjoyed my visit to Newport and am looking forward to returning again soon. For me, this was A Perfect Escape!
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Well written book. A real story line from start to finish. Without pads of sex scenes. Very enjoyable to read a story that is really a story.
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Newport, Rhode Island - 1898
Cornelius Vanderbilt, II is being taken to the beach in his wheelchair. He had suffered a stroke 2 years ago, followed by several mini-strokes. Many of the wealthy families living in the area are enjoying the beach as well.
Emmaline (Emma) Cross, niece to the Vanderbilts, is with the family today. She is on the poor side of the family and had earned her living as a society journalist for the “Newport Observer.” Now, she is the editor-in-chief of the “Newport Messenger."
Many women are wearing woolen bathing costumes considered by some to be quite shocking for the time period. One woman in particular, Mrs. Lucy Clews, wife of the New York financier, Henry Clews, begins floundering in the water and some of the men go out and rescue her. At the same time, Emma hears some shouting further down the beach. Running to see what’s happening, she finds the body of a man who has just washed ashore and who looks just like her half brother, Brady, She realizes with relief that it is not Brady, but an older man that looks similar to him. She wonders if it could be Brady’s father who went missing years ago. Detective Jesse Whyte of the Newport Police is investigating the find. He is also a dear friend of Emma’s.
Crossways is the home of Mamie Fish and his just been completed. Tonight, Mamie is hosting a Harvest Festival party. Emma is attending in her capacity to cover social events for the “Newport Messenger” and is simply observing from the sidelines. Prince Otto of Austria is reportedly to be attending as the guest of honor with many mothers hoping to match him with their daughters. But when he is delayed, people wonder if it’s all a hoax. But later, the Prince is found murdered in the garden, and another murder occurs a couple of days later. Emma soon finds herself investigating these deaths, along with the help of Mrs. Fish.
This is the seventh book of the Gilded Newport Mysteries Series by Alyssa Maxwell. I have enjoyed learning about the beautiful homes that housed some America’s very wealthy during the late 19th century. She has perfectly woven mysteries with each of the homes and the people who inhabited them. Her characters are well-created and true to the time period. I can’t say that these books could necessarily be stand-alone novels, as the characters could cause confusion as to who is who. However, the author does her best to do a brief explanation of how they fit into her life. Pay attention as you read this book to pick up the clues to see if you can solve the mystery before the end of the book. Enjoy.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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Murder At The Crossways is the seventh book in The Gilded Newport Mystery series.
Emma had hopes of an enjoyable day at the shore with the Vanderbilt's, her distant relation, ends of being ruined when she discovers the body of a man that has had his throat cut, lying on the Spouting Rock. Emma is startled when she first looks at the body as she fears it is her half-brother, Brady. She soon realizes that it isn’t Brady, but wonders if it might be his father that had reportedly, fallen off a yacht and drowned while sailing off of Newport some twenty years ago.
Before Emma can get started on investigating the identity of the dead man, learns that she must replace the reporter she had assigned to attend the Harvest Festival at The Crossways, the home of Mrs. Mamie and her husband. This is the last ball of the summer season and it has been reported that Prince Otto, from Austria, will be a special guest. The guests are anxiously awaiting the Prince’s arrival, while some are commenting that it was just a ploy to attract more attendees. But soon a scream is heard and the dead body of the Prince is found. The method of the Prince’s death and the body found at Spouting Rock are identical. Emma and Jesse Whyte, police detective, both feel that the two deaths are related, but are stymied by how. Once again Jesse welcomes Emma’s help in the investigation. Jesse has learned early on that Emma’s link to the Vanderbilt’s and other members of society will allow her to get information that they wouldn’t willingly share with the police.
I love this series. The books are well-written, plotted and the times are well researched. I particularly enjoy reading the descriptions of the houses that Ms. Maxwell is having the reader visit. The characters are well developed and I find it interesting to read about the interacting of the various classes of people.
I looking forward to the next book in this very enjoyable and informative series.
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I love this author and this series involving Emma Cross, reporter and Gilded Age Newport. The main character, Emma is a woman ahead of her time but is totally believable and likable. This mystery involving visiting royalty is very well-plotted and kept me interested from start to finish. Tight dialogue, interesting characters and a surprising mystery make this book one of my summer favorites this year! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.
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Emma Cross continues to sparkle in the latest entry in this wonderful series. Emma has moved up from society reporter to acting editor-in-chief of the Newport Messenger and deals with the inherent difficulties of the position while also tracking a killer. She continues to evolve in each book, and her intelligence and ability to remain true to her own values and feelings make her a heroine to root for. The Newport setting is a character in itself, and Maxwell offers great descriptions that add to the charm of the story.
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August 1898 and Emma Cross is picnicing on the beach in Newport when a group of people discover a body of a man, presumably drowned. Emma is distressed to realise that the man resembles her half-brother Brady's father, presumed dead in a yachting incident many years ago.
Circumstances a few days later mean that Emma although Editor-in-Chief of the local newspaper, must attend a function of Mamie Fish, at their grand "cottage," Crossways. With the added bonus that Prince Otto of Austria will attend. But in the gardens his body is discovered.
Is there a connection between the two deaths, will there be more murders.
Another enjoyable and well-written mystery, which also has a couple of sub-plots added to the mix. Joined to this are the likeable characters and description of the era, which makes a satisfying addition to this series.
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OMGoodness - the Prince is dead! Murdered! What will this do to the people in Newport who were looking forward to his being at the Harvest Festival (especially the young women and their parents who were hoping for a match!). Emma, our intrepid heroine, has more trouble that that on her hands because she's actually most interested in the identity of a man found dead in a swimming pool. He resembles her half-brother. It's not but is it Brady's father, who disappeared? SO much excitement in gilded age Newport! Maxwell has done a nice job with Emma, a reporter who is trying to deal with both the others in the newspaper office and her own interests. She's plucky and she's determined. She has a good foil in Mamie, the uber wealthy woman who hosted the Festival. I've not read all the books in this series and I wish I had- not because my pleasure in this one was diminished but because they're a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun historical cozy of sorts.
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I like this series and I liked this book even if I don't think it's the best instalment.
It's engrossing and entreating, it was great to meet again the cast of characters but the plot seemed sometimes a bit slow.
The mystery was good and kept me guessing till the end.
I like Emma, a strong willed woman, and I hope to read soon some of her adventures.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
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