A Most Efficient Murder: A 1920s Country House Mystery (The Mr. Quayle Mysteries Book 1)

England, 1925. When a young woman is found murdered on the grounds of Unsworth Castle, the Earl and his family are initially shocked, then angered when police begin their inquiries. As suspicion falls on a family member, Mr. Quayle, Lord Unsworth's efficient secretary, must investigate to uncover the true culprit and protect the House of Unsworth from scandal and ruin. Quayle is quiet, methodical, and exceedingly efficient. He has served as Lord Unsworth's personal secretary for nearly a year, though their connection runs deeper—both served in the same regiment during the war, and Quayle wrote to the family after the death of Lord Unsworth's son, Teddy, on the Western Front. Determined to protect the remaining family, Quayle must navigate a web of red herrings and buried secrets to solve the murder. Unsworth Castle, located on the outskirts of Hartchester County, was once among England's grandest stately homes but is now a crumbling ruin. Burnt down twice in the past century and rebuilt multiple times, it contains hidden passages, forgotten rooms, and deteriorating halls. Previous restoration efforts have nearly bankrupted the family, and the current Earl has allowed the estate to fade into picturesque decay. This is the first book in the Mr. Quayle Mysteries series.