With a Little Bit of Blood (The Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mysteries)
by D.E. Ireland
About the Book
With a Little Bit of Blood (The Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – England
Grainger Press (April 15, 2018)
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 0998180939
ISBN-13: 978-0998180939
Digital ASIN: B07BSV486T
In the fourth book from the Agatha Award nominated writing team of D.E. Ireland, famous literary characters Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins find they may have brought trouble with them when they attend a country house party in With A Little Bit of Blood.
Eliza is not happy when Higgins buys a snazzy roadster. Her misgivings prove correct when he becomes injured in a motor car crash. Forced to play nursemaid, Eliza is thrilled to accept an invitation to a house party from Lord Ashmore and his bride, the former Clara Eynsford-Hill. But upon their arrival at Banfield Manor, Eliza is dismayed to see her sweetheart Freddy arm in arm with a beautiful actress. Higgins is shocked to learn the woman who once stalked him is also attending the party. Things grow even worse when spiritualist Madame Evangeline arrives and warns of impending danger. Her prediction comes true when someone is killed during the following day’s shoot in the forest.
Higgins and Eliza suspect it wasn’t an accident, but murder. Every guest hides a dark secret that involved the dead man. But who hated him more? The French aviator, the American cinema actress, a lady novelist, the Austrian count, or a knighted explorer of the Amazon? Madame Evangeline’s séance may reveal what is really going on. But her cryptic words deepen the mystery, especially after another guest turns up dead.
Who is behind these murders? And has Higgins himself been targeted? As the day of the fox hunt begins, it seems likely that more than the fox will die. Before that happens, Eliza and the Professor must discover who may have a little bit of blood on their hands.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Iconic characters Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins along with Colonel Pickering, Freddy Eynsford-Hill, and Mrs. Pearce, return in the 4th installment based on the George Bernard Shaw classic, My Fair Lady. Sadly Colonel Pickering and Mrs. Pearce has minor roles this time.
An accident in a fancy roadster and a fire send Eliza and Henry off to the country. They were invited to the home of Lord Ashmore and his new bride, Clara. Higgins had no desire to go but current circumstances have given him no choice. Eliza was excited to go but when she sees Freddy, the man who has begged her to marry him several times, with a beautiful woman by his side, she is unsure how she feels. When Higgins gets a gander of another guest, Lady Annabel, he is ready to return to London immediately, seems the woman stalked after him in the past.
The guest list rounds out with Sir Anthony Dennison, Annabel’s husband, pilot Phillippe Corbet, Count, and Countess von Weisinger, Madam Evangeline, “a table tipper”, and her manservant Zohan Batur. Dwight Pentwater, an American businessman arrives just after dinner has been served. An eclectic bunch all there for a week-long house party that will culminate with a fox hunt.
Madam Evangeline is barely in the door when she proclaims “Death and Darkness surround this house. The future of the world stands in the balance.” So when someone is killed in the forest Henry and Eliza suspect the death was no accident. The house is full of suspects and Madam Evangeline even holds a séance to try to reveal the killer but all it raises are more questions like is Henry somehow involved? With a “little bit of luck,” or blood, he and Eliza work to solve the case before anyone else ends up dead.
I opened the book and start to read and as before the voices I hear are the ones from the movie. The authors have truly captured their essence in manner and dialogue. Their descriptions bring everything alive from people to places and even the food and tea served. There is a large cast of characters but each is clearly defined and easy to keep straight.
The story is very well written and time is taken to add background and introductions before death occurs and the mystery portion of the story starts to play out. For this reason, the story takes place at a very comfortable pace. It takes time to determine the exact and correct motive. Then a plan is made but like true Eliza, she has her way of doing things. I was very entertained from beginning to end.
I love these characters and enjoy the imaginative way the authors take them on this little journey to the countryside. There is never a dull moment when Eliza Dolittle is around.
Blimey, you just have to read this book, I tell ya!
Thrilled to note, Escape With Dollycas has a place on the Praise pages of this book!
by D.E. Ireland
It’s an intriguing plot and I did not figure out the villain before the end.
~Valerie’s Musings
I have read all the books, the series is getting better and better . . . The characters are so wonderful to read about.
~Babs Book Bistro
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD is a fun country house mystery. Interesting characters with lots of motives and a hint of the supernatural make this a page turning addition to a delightful series.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
About the Authors
D.E. Ireland is the pseudonym of long time friends and award-winning authors, Meg Mims and Sharon Pisacreta. In 2013 they decided to collaborate on a unique series based on George Bernard Shaw’s witty play Pygmalion, which also inspired the classic musical My Fair Lady. At work on Book Four of their Agatha nominated series, they also pursue separate writing careers. Currently, both of them write cozy mysteries for Kensington under their respective pen names: Sharon Farrow
Purchase Links – Amazon B&N Kobo
Sharon’s Books
Meg’s Books
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 5 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 6 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
December 6 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
December 7 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
December 7 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
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December 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 10 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
December 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
December 11 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
December 12 – Jane Reads – REVIEW
December 12 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The new D.E. Ireland book looks great!
Thank you for your review on “With a Little Bit of Blood” by D.E. Ireland. Sounds like a wonderful book and one I’d love the opportunity to read.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
What an intriguing book! I enjoyed the movie, My Fair Lady and will definitely add this series to my tbr. Thanks for sharing.