Rules of Murder

An exciting, 1930s mystery! When I first heard about Rules of Murder I fell in love with the cover. The style and the font fit the story setting very well. But, as we all know, we cannot simply judge a book by its cover. I'm happy to say what I found inside the cute cover is a fabulous mystery that befuddled me further with every new clue. Though I will note with some pride I did see one of the twists coming... Ahem. Anyway. Deering did her research well. Drew, Madeline, and Nick's accents, and even the way they talked, popped off the page. She crafted the setting very well, also bringing it off the page, reminiscent of Downton Abbey. I don't think she could have made the story feel any more real and for that, I praise her. Drew and Madeline are positively adorable together. I loved the banter between them and between Drew and Nick. The three of them make up a great cast and I cannot wait to read more about them in the next novel Death by the Book! If you enjoy mysteries or any of Agatha Christie's works (note: I have not read any of her novels) then I can guarantee you'll like this one. With an escalating mystery, true to the times characters, and a tangible setting, Deering's debut is one you won't want to miss. I recommend to 15+ for some minor violence surrounding a murder. I received this book from CFBA, through the publisher, in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks!

Do you like a good mystery set in the English Countryside? Are you a fan of Downton Abbey? Well if you do then I suggest you head out and pick this book up as you will fall in love with it. This is the first book in the new Drew Farthing mystery series. I for one am looking forward to more in this series. Drew comes home for a weekend party and stumbles upon a murder. With the help of his friend Nick and an American named Madeline they set out to solve this murder by using the things Drew has read about in his beloved mystery books. There are many twists and turns in this book before the crime actually gets solved and that is one thing that I think makes a good mystery. In this book you will never know who the next suspect or victim might be. This was a new author to me and I am glad I took the chance on reading it. 

The first Drew Farthering book has me longing for the next...immediately. I am a huge fan of classic black & white murder mysteries like the Thin Man series of movies. This book made me think of those, only with the British accent of a Maisie Dobbs mystery. I ADORED it. And I don't state that lightly. Drew Farthering is a British playboy in search of a purpose. The purpose flops in his lap as two people are murdered at his country estate on one night. As he investigates he gets help from his sidekick Nick and an American gal who has come to visit her uncle, his stepfather. There's corporate espionage, murder, mayhem, and an attempt to break all ten of the rules for not solving a murder. I loved the romance -- the interplay between Drew and Madeline was wonderful if occasionally over the top as the last murder unfolds.  This book gets five solid stars from me. Bring on the next Drew Farthering mystery. The sooner the better!

I'm not a very big fan of mystery, but the book club I am a part of at church decided on this one to read. Once completing it I was very surprised in how much I enjoyed it! I didn't feel it was very different from any other typical mystery novel available on the market, but it had a good story line that kept me on my toes in figuring out who the murderer was! I was tickled pink when I found out at the end that I was halfway right which is seriously uncommon for me! However with that said, it doesn't mean that the case was easy to figure it out! Throughout Rules of Murder there was not any really gruesome parts/images except maybe two that were not very descriptive, but left the mind little to imagine. The characters were very enjoyable, especially Drew, Nick, and Madeleine! I absolutely loved their interactions and the growing romance between two of them! I do want to mention that this book might fall under inspirational, but really there was not a lot of "religious talk" as some people might call it. Actually, one of the main characters has some issues with God more or less. There are only a few small mentions in different parts of the book concerning his struggles and believing if God is really there. I felt this enhanced the story rather then take away because it was easier to relate to him. Overall, great mystery that is clean with good romance as well as a fair dose of humor (that was also one of my favorite things about the book next to the romance)! Plenty of suspense too! Just when you think you know who the murderer is, you find out that your wrong!

Back in the summer I was the winner of a blog giveaway over at Margaret Daley's blog.  The prize, a copy of Julianna Deering's new mystery Rules of Murder arrived quickly along with a nifty pen bearing the book's title.  As always for me, I already had a hefty pile of books which required my attention, some of them for blog tours and others with looming library due dates.  Ever so slowly Rules of Murder moved up the pile until finally, it was time for a warming fire in the pellet stove and some "feet up" reading time. The cover reminds one of a 1930s or 40s Hollywood movie with a debonair leading man who despite his great charm remains slightly aloof.  The beautiful woman, the luxurious limo and the grand estate behind him all point to a story of wealth and privilege.  And so it is in Deering's first Drew Farthering mystery. It is 1930s England and Drew has just arrived home to his country estate to find his mother and step father giving yet another lavish party.  When Drew finds that his own private quarters have been lent to a Mr. Lincoln, Drew is livid.  How could his mother bring this scoundrel into their home?  When Lincoln is found dead the next day, everyone at the party is a suspect.  As the constable begins to investigate and more deaths occur, Drew, his best friend Nick, and a lovely young American Madeline Parker find their curiosity and shared love of mystery writers compels them to begin their own investigations.   Deering, I believe, has set out to create a series with the quiet tone of Agatha Christy and other classic mystery writers. Add in a similarity to the current popular Downton Abbey and other period PBS series, and I think she has a successful formula.  I am looking forward to future additions to the series as Drew and Madeline pursue their mutual attraction as they, of course, get caught up in some unsolved mystery. Hopefully, Nick's character will continue to add depth, humor, and spark to the stories.

For Lovers of Film Noir and Classic Mysteries This is just a pure work of clean fun! The setting is on an old estate in England with a few Americans thrown in to accent the flavor. When a murder occurs, the characters are intent to solve the mystery by the rules of murder set by a mystery author. The game keeps twisting creating lots of interest and fun. If you love Agatha Christi or old murder mystery movies, you will enjoy this book. I recommend it to anyone looking for a clean mystery with Christian and romantic theme sunning through. I will definitely pick up the second in the series.

This reminded me of an adult version of a Nancy Drew or a Hardy boys type novel..  I loved it.  I am looking forward to  reading the next in the series.  I love this time of year that these books take place.

I loved this vintage mystery novel!  As a longtime Agatha Christie fan, I was delited to disover the same appreciation evident in Ms Deering's writing. * Full advantage of the era has been taken in descriptions, locales, dialogue, and the country estate setting. All the accoutrements of a well devised mystery that will keep a reader curious. The amateur sleuths, Drew and Nick, are likeable, drawing me in with their humour and idiosyncrasies. The budding attractions and romantic inclinations of the visiting American young women on a European tour, add human interest to the efforts of solving the mysterious murder.  And will it stop at one...? * Red herrings aplenty and devious plot twists built and kept the tension. My mystery solving concentration was fully engaged. Pleasurably so. Every rule of the ten to Never employ when writing a mystery, according to Nick's favourite author, are employed as the story unfolds. Thus,the title 'The Rules of Murder'. Their sense of humour serves the story well, lightening the tension, yet keeping the focus. * Murder mystery buffs will enjoy a reading adventure with this one.  And if you solve it, you're a better sleuth than this reader.  * Highly recommended.   5*s 

If you are looking for a good mystery, look no further. Rules of Murder, set in the 1930′s, has interesting characters and the murder mystery kept me intrigued throughout. The author did a great job of setting the scene and I truly felt immersed in the time period of this novel. She also kept me guessing until the end of the novel and threw in some twists that were fun. I enjoyed reading a novel that reminded me of the old 1930′s and 1940′s movies that I used to enjoy watching with my mom (who is a classic movie buff) while growing up. I was really able to connect with Drew and Nick’s dry wit throughout the story. I was also impressed with the way the author handled Drew’s questions and worldview regarding God. He has valid reasons for the way he feels and the way Madeline, the leading lady, responds to his questions is lovely. If you enjoy a mystery and are looking for a book that is set in a time period that is not written about much in Christian fiction, Rules of Murder is an excellent choice. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I enjoyed this book...was fun and touching...a little bit of God thrown in but not preachy...good read

A mystery from the beginning to the end. Every one needs to read a good mystery.

This is the first in this series and was excellent. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one in the Fathering Mysteries. Good deal!!!!!

Very fun to read if you like murder in the mansion type books. Well written and twisty. Will be getting the next two that are still in preorder.

I very much enjoyed this murder mystery and am looking forware to the next book in the series! The book is easy to read and captured my attention from the beginning.

Pretty good

This is the first book in the Drew Farthering series and it did not disappoint. It evoked classic mysteries- I liked the setting of a 1930s English manor house. The characters were interesting, were well drawn, and had good chemistry. I also liked how the author handled religion, she got her point across without being heavy handed.The plot was interesting and flowed well. I'm looking forward to reading other books in this series. * I received a copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful romp riddled with bodies and brightened with clever repartee I enjoy the occasional Agatha Christie book, and Dorothy Sayers ranks among my favorite authors, so Ms. Deering faced a tough task in winning my approval with her new period mystery series. Opening the novel, one skeptical brow raised, I read the opening page . . . and was utterly delighted to read a well written description in omniscient POV, a beautiful paragraph that took me straight into 1930's England! This is the author's first attempt at the mystery genre, and I think she handled it rather well. I still had one or two questions when I closed the book, but I have an inkling these will be cleared up in subsequent novels. Drew Fathering is not Sir Peter Wimsey--he is a character in his own right, a much younger man, and quite appealing. Neither he nor Madeline, the American heroine, are deeply drawn characters, yet they fill their roles admirably, as do the secondary characters (victims and survivors). Drew Farthering's questions about religion and purpose are lightly handled, suiting the style of the novel. I look forward to following these characters and watching them deepen and mature as the series progresses. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, but I was in no way obliged to write a positive review.

Delightful Hoot of a Murder Mystery Julianna Deering must have had a great deal of fun while crafting the engaging, colorful characters in this tale.   Her descriptions painted a lovely picture of England in the 1930’s. Her choice of descriptive wording was “spot on.” Right from the opening page the manor house,  Farthering Place, is described as having “symmetry that saved it from outright stodginess.” As an American that lived for nearly 40 years in a formerly British colony, I appreciated that there were no stodgy characters . The “imperturbable” butler, Dennison, is “suitably grave.” The lead character, Drew Fathering, is witty, stylish, gallant and a true gentleman. Drew’s mother is described “clutching her pink satin wrapper…with majestic hauteur.” I enjoyed the smattering of British expressions, “capital”, “jolly nice”, “by harry”, “Nick can ‘kip’ on the divan in my study”, and many others.  The dialogue was as much fun as the mystery. When Drew was asked if he read his answer was, “I manage to make out most of the words.” I appreciated the element of faith included in the story.  It was a clean and fun murder mystery. I look forward to further stories that include more of Drew Farthering and all the other delightful characters that survived the murders.

The PW review above was not very flattering, but I found the book enjoyable. The faith component is a side issue, but I thought it was well done as I was afraid it would feel forced. I thought the mystery was great - lots of possible suspects to work through if you try to solve the mystery as you read along. I liked the main characters - they really hooked my attention as I don't generally read historical fiction. The mystery itself kept me up late reading because I wanted to know how it all came together. Well done! (I received an electronic copy of this book for review from the publisher.)

What a good mystery involving smart and charming amateur sleuths. I was immediately drawn into Drew’s world. Mystery, with a number of suspects and romance on the side — Well played. Full review is at my website.

Drew and Nick jokingly referred over and over to the ten commandments for murder as set forth by Father Knox in his mystery novels. They were avid mystery readers and saw themselves as detectives. The challenge was trying to find the murderer who seemingly was totally unaware of the rules of murder. One of those books where the reader starts to wonder if everyone is going to get killed before anyone can figure out who is doing the deeds, the story takes a number of interesting twists. I thought I had it figured out two or three times only to discover that the clues were taking me in the wrong direction. I enjoyed the faith element, the clean romance, and the action.

A very pleasant book along with being an interesting mystery

This book was like an Agatha Christie mystery. I love the 1930's setting. And I didn't see the end coming until, well, the end. This does not happen for me very often as I have generally, figured out "Who done it" about 2/3rds of the way through the story and finish just for confirmation. The main characters are smart and likable. I'm looking forward to reading the entire series!

I'll admit I am a great fan of Agatha Christie. I love cozy mysteries and the historical ones set in the 1920's to '50's are favorites of mine. Ms. Deering has done a fantastic job of writing a Christie-esque style murder mystery. In fact, there were times I became so intwined in the story and writing that I thought I WAS reading a Christie, and then a character would bring out some Biblical or Christian point, and I was reminded I was reading modern Christian fiction. Very well done. (By the way, the Christianity is not overdone, quite subtle overtones.) I enjoyed the first novel of this new mystery series. Drew Farthering in the main sleuth intent on solving the double murder especially as it happened on his own estate and one of the victims was his own mother. The story included a great cast of characters who fit perfectly in this 1930's world. Nick is his right hand man and friend while Madeline is his love interest but also at his side trying to solve the crime as well. Drew and Madeline reminded me a lot of Tommy and Tuppence in their first book together (Agatha Christie characters). I look forward to seeing all these characters in the following books and how the relationship between Drew and Madeline develops. Overall I found it to be a riveting novel, well-researched, with a mystery and writing voice perfectly suited for the time period. 5 stars.

Loved it. Great dialog. Perfect setting for a cozy mystery.