Death Comes To The Village: A Kurland St. Mary Mystery by Catherine Lloyd

Major Robert Kurland returns home as an injured soldier.  His leg is painfully broken and his spirit isn't doing too well, either.  He's not able to do anything, not even stand up.  When he attempts to stand and look out the window at the night, he glimpses someone carrying something before he falls.  He thinks it might have been a body, but who can he tell?

Kensington Books sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Miss Lucy Harrington has been taking care of her father and family since her mother died.  When her father, the rector, goes out to buy another horse, he tells her to visit the Major and cheer him up.  She does what she's told but he's a horrible patient.  He doesn't want to talk to her and he doesn't even seem to want to get better.  Lucy can't understand that and tells him so.  She also tells him about two young women who are missing:  one works at a store downtown and the other was one of her maids.  He doesn't have much interest in the disappearances, he thinks they probably went to London with visions of a better life.  But he does mention that strange sighting he had.  He also admits he's not altogether sure what he did see.

Lucy attempts some detective work on her own and finds out various facts about the girls disappearance.  Robert appears to be bored with it but he listens.  And, soon, he offers suggestions for her to check out.

I really enjoyed this story.  Robert and Lucy verbally spar, neither is dumb, and the danger is closer than the Major thinks.  The ending makes me believe that there will be more in this series.  Robert hires Lucy to be his secretary.  She has more of an interest in him than that and I think he has eye on her as a future wife.  What would be more fun than watching them solve more cases together and do some courting along the line?

Happy reading.