When a dinner party is held at Kingscote cottage, the butler is found run into by the family motorcar, and dies from the injury. Plenty of secrets come to light as investigative journalist and amateur sleuth Emma Cross assists local police with detecting who murdered the butler. She digs up surprising information about betting, gambling, blackmail and more.

Murder at Kingscote is book 8 of 8 in A Gilded Newport Mystery series by Allyssa Maxwell, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in July 1899 Newport, Rhode Island, where the richest Four Hundred come to spend their summer. We follow Emmeline, Emma, Cross in her sleuthing adventure. The seriously unpopular butler of Kingscote is found close to death between the family motorcar and a tree in the cottage garden. Philip King, eldest son, has just used the car and is suspected of the murder. Everything is not as it seems and with Emma’s contacts, friends and intimate knowledge of the community, she uncovers links to betting, gambling, and more.

Main character and narrator, Emmaline, Emma, Cross is editor-in-chief of Newport Messenger. I am impressed with her. There’s something relentless about her questioning of suspects. She’s like a dog with a bone, reminding me of Miss Marple; always close by when a murder happens. She is my favorite character of this story.

Supporting character Derrick Andrews is owner of several newspapers. He seems under his mother’s thumb about his presence in Society and choosing the right woman to marry. He seems to have little mind of his own around Emma, which annoys me.

I felt the characters of this story interesting and multilayered. It’s like I could have known them I real life. The descriptions of New England luxury cottages of the gilded age were detailed and well researched, particularly the grand gothic Newport cottage Kingscote.
I found descriptions of a New England charity event to be my favorite part of this story. The lifestyle and interactions between people reminded me of Downton Abbey with all the grandeur and luxury.

My least favorite part of this story was descriptions of how mental Health treatment was conducted at the time. To put close relatives into institutions seem to have been pretty easy to do.

Murder at Kingscote is the first book I have read by Allyssa Maxwell. As there were plenty of hints to previous stories, reading it as a standalone worked perfectly. Plenty of exiting and surprising twists and turns along the way made me end up with quite a few suspects, none of which was the right one. The ending was a complete surprise unlike any other I have read.

Murder at Kingscote is the captivating series conclusion about a murder in rich people’s summer haven Newport, where an investigative journalist digs up information to help police solve the case.

Fans of Allyssa Maxwell will enjoy this book. As will readers of murder mystery. Similar authors to explore might be Clara McKenna or Dianne Freeman.

Thank you to publisher Kensington Books and NetGally for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Rating: 4 stars / 5
Main reasons: captivating series finale, vivid writing, well researched, surprise ending