A Beautiful Blue Death: a Mystery

by: Charles Finch

Published by: St. Martin's Minotaur

Reviewed by Janelle Martin

Victorian gentleman Charles Lenox recently assisted Scotland Yard in solving the Isabel Lewes case; a simple case the Yard should have easily solved despite their appalling lack of imagination. Now, on a bitterly cold late afternoon, all Lenox wants to do is sit in his library and enjoy the bliss of a warm fire. So when he receives an urgent message from Lady Jan Grey, his closest friend and next door neighbor, he ventures forth to brave the cold, despite his inadequate boots.

Lady Grey’s former servant, Prue Smith, has apparently committed suicide-by-poisoning at the home of her new employer, George Barnard, the current director of the Royal Mint. At Lady Grey’s request, Lenox visits the crime scene and is quickly convinced that Prue’s death is murder, despite assurances from the Yard and Barnard that it is suicide. Thomas McConnell, a surgeon and close associate of Lenox, determines the cause of death to be a rare poison called bella indigo (beautiful blue). The Yard does not welcome Lenox’s assistance, and that leaves him little access to the Barnard household, forcing him to investigate discreetly and utilize the services of Graham, his butler and friend. It is not until a second death occurs that Lenox begins to piece together the puzzling crime.

A Beautiful Blue Death is Charles Finch’s delightful debut novel. The pairing of Lenox and Graham brings to mind Lord Peter Wimsey and his valet Bunter. Similar to Dorothy Sayer’s creations, Lenox and Graham share more than a purely professional relationship. Despite the friendship and amity they feel for each other, the barriers of class keep them separated.

What elevates A Beautiful Blue Death is the relationships Lenox has with the people around him. While the central mystery is fascinating, what captivates readers is the exploration of Lenox’s relationship with Lady Jane and the glimpse it provides of a gentleman of leisure’s life. Their habit of taking tea together illustrates the depth of their relationship, unusual for a time when men and women’s lives had little intersection.

Armchair Interviews says: It is the man these relationships illuminate which will draw readers to future volumes about Charles Lenox.

Author’s Web site: http://Charles-Finch.com