A Fatal Fondness (A Mary MacDougall Mystery) - Richard Audry

It's 1902 and Miss Mary MacDougall is proud to announce she has her own detective agency - Moody Investigations. Granted this came with a few stipulations but it's nothing the young woman can't handle.

Nonetheless, Mary is determined to make a go of things and prove to her father (and all of Duluth society) that a woman can run a detective agency - successfully - even if she is being chaperoned by her cousin Jeanette Harrison.

However, reality sets in as no one approaches their office door. But, just as she laments, silently, about not attracting enough business, a few cases land on their desks. Wrapping up the stolen napkin rings case, the two women are appointed to investigate missing felines and a stolen pocket watch.

During their investigations where Mary insists that "applying good old-fashioned shoe leather" will assist in finding clues and answers, the young woman ponders about a recent drowning of a young boy. Detective Sauer who visited them to stress the importance of not interfering in police matters when they carried out Moody work let slip a case he was looking into which had "international implications."

Obviously this piques Mary's interest despite being told categorically to leave matters alone and don't meddle. But when has the young woman ever listened to that advice? The heiress gets involved even more so when it becomes clear that the body belonged to an Ostovian Prince. The lady who makes exquisite lace that adorns her dresses is Ostovian. Surely a few innocent questions won't go amiss?
As Mary becomes embroiled in international intrigue, her personal life is taking a bit of a battering and her cousin's love life is improving. With the death of a young boy consuming her thoughts though, Mary devotes little time to her would-be relationship with Edmond Roy as she finds herself getting deeper into hot water. Will she be the unsung heroine again or become a victim?

In Richard Audry's fourth book about the budding sleuth, the innocent case of a stolen pocket watch develops in to a case that Mary soon realizes is so much more. Despite her concerns and the threat of imminent danger, she can't leave well alone and investigates in her unique way.

An excellent installment in the series, the story is absorbing and filled with great descriptions and historical references as usual. For me, a sign of a good writer is when I get annoyed, smile etc., with a character and I found myself irritated with Mary! In my head I was 'yelling' at her not to investigate, for once listen to Detective Sauer. But that's Mary for you. She has a nose for what's not quite right and has to investigate. With an exciting proposal at the end, it seems that Mary's adventures are set to continue. A recommended read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Then opinions expressed are not my own and I am not required to give a positive critique.

A Daughter's Doubt (A Mary MacDougall Mystery) - Richard Audry

Mary MacDougall's summer, so far, is filled with wide-brimmed hats, brass bands and her first case.

When Detective Sauer becomes her mentor (she did help solve the case of a missing jewel after all), he seeks Mary out to help him with what he believes is just a case of grief and nothing ontoward.

One Mrs. Clara McColley is convinced that her mother, Agnes Olcott, did not die from cholera. In fact, she believes her step-father - Merton Olcott - has something to do with the woman's demise. Whether its murder or not is something that Clara would like to be investigated.

Mary is giddy with excitement. Her first real case!

With a trip already planned with her Aunt Christena that will take them to past the small town of Dillmont (where the death occurred), she takes her Aunt into her confidence explaining that they may have to carry out a tiny investigation, a few questions, and then onto their stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

And, as it happens, travelling to their vacation means passing through Ishpeming where her former teacher Edmond Roy is painting a mural for a bank. Mary is still not quite sure of her feelings for talented artist and she hopes that this chance meeting will perhaps cement their relationship.

When Mary and Christena ('Tena) make general enquiries they get told the same cholera story but when Mary visits the Dr. Applegate, signer of the death certificate, his strange behavior makes Mary dig further into the sudden death of Mrs. Olcott. Everything is not as it seems, especially when the young sleuth discovers that a number of men, especially those who are wealthy, intern their wives into the local asylum stating mental health problems.

Did Agnes meet her death at the institution? Is the doctor hiding something? And, is Merton Olcott really innocent of any wrongdoing?

A full-length mystery,  Audry's third outing with the amateur sleuth brings a compelling and entertaining puzzler. Although she still struggles for people to take her seriously about becoming a detective (and a female one to boot!), Mary is determined to bring closure to her client - whatever the outcome - and have an official investigation closed. With this case, Mary understands that solving a would-be crime means being prepared for the unexpected. Enlisting the help of her aunt and Edmund, Mary knows that she is not only perhaps opening them to danger but putting strain on her would-be relationship with the artist. 

I found this longer length mystery more involved and certainly allowed the author to add more dimension to the MacDougall family and their friends. Historical references and descriptions add more depth to the story. The introduction of Mary's cousin felt a little bit of an afterthought, but I don't think it distracts from the main story and I accepted it as a premise of the next installment in Mary's detecting adventures. Overall, a great mystery that has twists and turns and will keep the reader guessing 'whodunnit' until the last few chapters. A recommended read. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author to review. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive critique.