A Medal for Murder (Kate Shackleton Series #2)

Publishers Weekly

Set in 1922 Yorkshire, Brody’s second Kate Shackleton mystery (after 2012’s Dying in the Wool) falls short of the standard set by such authors as Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd in creating early 20th-century female sleuths whom Harriet Vane could have regarded as peers. Near the start, Kate catches a glimpse of herself in a mirror, and describes what “the stylish lady detective is wearing this season under her motoring coat,” revealing her to be appearance-conscious in a way that Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford are not and perhaps less serious when it comes to catching criminals and seeking the truth. That’s not borne out by the plot, in which Kate tries to solve a robbery of a Leeds jewelry store before shifting gears to a homicide inquiry after stumbling across a corpse on her way home from the theater. Unfortunately, the storyline isn’t compelling enough to compensate for the less than engaging lead. Agent: Judith Murdoch, Judith Murdoch Literary. (Feb.)

From the Publisher

Praise for A Medal for Murder

“Brody again displays her prodigious talent for misdirection, tempered by her fair play with clues that render the possibility that the reader will not be fooled. But don’t bet on it…. Steeped in period color, A Medal for Murder again showcases a winning heroine and a clever plot, a combination reminiscent of the genre’s golden age but one made fresh and gripping by an author who melds murder with mercy.” –Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Brody’s excellent second offers a morally conflicted sleuth, historically detailed flashbacks to the Boer War and a clever mystery indeed.” —Kirkus

“This lusciously written historical cozy is an excellent addition to the crowded 1920s market, and Brody’s second series entry (after Dying in the Wool) positions her for deserved attention. Her gentle and traditional structure (noteworthy use of flashbacks) pairs nicely with Kerry Greenwood (see review above) and Jacqueline Winspear titles.” –Library Journal

“These gentle crime novels, that have you guessing at every turn… are a pure joy. Refreshing and highly entertaining, especially for the winter nights.” – Yorkshire Gazette and Herald

"A Medal for Murder contains all the elements of crime fiction - theft, kidnap, murder, a feisty private detective, a handsome Detective Inspector, a (sometimes) dour sidekick, plenty of suspects and all the twists and turns we expect from our genre…. A work of extraordinary depth, lightness of touch and strength of characterization." —Mystery Women

“[Kate Shackleton’s] lively wit and intuitive abilities serve her well as she steps into the limelight of this drama filled with theft, deception, assumed identities, faked kidnapping, blackmail, and murder— a veritable theatrical trunk full of mystery-plot props. The author's period details— including some flashbacks to the Boer War, involving incidents vital to the present-day plot— add further historical flavor and thoroughly enhance Brody's show.” —bookreviewsbydavidmarshalljames.blogspot.com

Praise for Dying in the Wool

"The first in a planned series introduces a refreshingly complex heroine and adds a fine feeling for the postwar period." –Kirkus

"Brody, who has written historical fiction, presents a carefully researched setting, with accurate references to the popular culture of the day and clear explanations of the dyeing and weaving processes at the mill." —Booklist

“Reminiscent of Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie with a thoroughly likeable protagonist and a plot that held me to the end.” —Mignon F. Ballard, author of the Miss Dimple Kilpatrick Mystery Series

“This well-plotted and atmospheric tale is enriched by technical expertise and a vividly imagined Yorkshire setting. Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear’s

Maisie Dobbs in a sub-group of young female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences…. They make excellent heroines.” —Literary Review

From the Publisher

Praise for A Medal for Murder

“Brody’s excellent second offers a morally conflicted sleuth, historically detailed flashbacks to the Boer War and a clever mystery indeed.” —Kirkus

“This lusciously written historical cozy is an excellent addition to the crowded 1920s market, and Brody’s second series entry (after Dying in the Wool) positions her for deserved attention. Her gentle and traditional structure (noteworthy use of flashbacks) pairs nicely with Kerry Greenwood (see review above) and Jacqueline Winspear titles.” –Library Journal

“These gentle crime novels, that have you guessing at every turn… are a pure joy. Refreshing and highly entertaining, especially for the winter nights.” – Yorkshire Gazette and Herald

"A Medal for Murder contains all the elements of crime fiction - theft, kidnap, murder, a feisty private detective, a handsome Detective Inspector, a (sometimes) dour sidekick, plenty of suspects and all the twists and turns we expect from our genre…. A work of extraordinary depth, lightness of touch and strength of characterization." —Mystery Women

Praise for Dying in the Wool

"The first in a planned series introduces a refreshingly complex heroine and adds a fine feeling for the postwar period." –Kirkus

“This well-plotted and atmospheric tale is enriched by technical expertise and a vividly imagined Yorkshire setting. Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear’s

Maisie Dobbs in a sub-group of young female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences…. They make excellent heroines.” —Literary Review

Kirkus Reviews

Sleuthing becomes more than a diversion for a World War I maybe-widow whose husband is still MIA. Now that Kate Shackleton and her assistant, ex-policeman Jim Sykes, have succeeded in solving a case of murder (Dying in the Wool, 2012, etc.), they're asked to recover goods stolen from a pawnshop. Each of them is given a list of owners of pawned goods to notify. Kate's list takes her to the spa town of Harrogate, where she'd taken cast photographs for Meriel Jamieson, a talented but dishonest theatrical producer. The name and address on Kate's list prove to be fake, but the trip is far from a waste of time, for when she attends Meriel's play, Kate stumbles over a dead body. The murdered man, wealthy Mr. Milner, was heartily disliked by all, including his son Rodney, who, as a friend of the lovely star of the play, Lucy Wolfendale, resented his father's plan to marry her. Lucy, who wants to go to drama school, has cooked up a plan with another amateur thespian, Dylan Ashton, to extort tuition money from her grandfather, Captain Wolfendale, by faking her abduction. Having asked Kate to find Lucy, the Captain grows furious when he realizes that she's looking into his past, especially the shady secrets he shared with Milner during the Boer War. Meanwhile, something more than a professional relationship has sprung up between Kate and Inspector Charles of Scotland Yard. There are a number of plausible suspects, including two who confess, but do they have the real killer in the end? Brody's excellent second offers a morally conflicted sleuth, historically detailed flashbacks to the Boer War and a clever mystery indeed.

Library Journal

Still fairly new to the PI business, photographer Kate Shackleton combines her work with pleasure when an assignment involving a pawnshop robbery necessitates a quick trip to Harrowgate. Recently, she spent time there photographing a theater cast in advance of their stage presentation. After she attends the performance, Kate's evening is shattered when she finds one of the theatergoers stabbed to death in an alley. Her routine robbery case morphs into a murder investigation when Scotland Yard—via a certain special Inspector—requests her assistance. VERDICT This lusciously written historical cozy is an excellent addition to the crowded 1920s market, and Brody's second series entry (after Dying in the Wool) positions her for deserved attention. Her gentle and traditional structure (noteworthy use of flashbacks) pairs nicely with Kerry Greenwood (see review above) and Jacqueline Winspear titles. Brody has also written historical novels as Frances McNeil.