Deadly Secrets at Ballyford Castle

Ariadne Winter Mystery, #2

by

Ellen Butler

Family secrets lead to tragedy.

Deadly Secrets at Ballyford Castle is the second book in author Ellen Butler’s historical cozy Ariadne Winter Mystery series, and brings a great change of venue for the young newswoman’s burgeoning investigative skills. This new adventure takes Ariadne to Ireland to attend a weekend house party at the ancestral home of her cousin Julia Brennan’s soon-to-be fiancé, Cormac O’Connell. But rather than an engagement party, the hosts find themselves planning a wake. 

Set in the late 1950s, Ariadne Winter is still breaking ground as a journalist, but this story is all about family. When a convenient accidental death occurs, she is suspicious, especially when several members of the O’Connell family have good motives for wanting the victim out of the way. Ariadne is down-to-earth but naturally sophisticated, which serves her in good stead among this family of Irish aristocrats who are barely keeping their estate viable. 

Also at the manor for the weekend are Julia’s parents, Ariadne’s Aunt Maggie and Uncle Gerald. Julia is head over heels for Cormac, and even though her mother likes him well enough, she’s not overly impressed by the title he will one day wear. She is a force to reckon with and proves more than equal to the task of handling his supercilious mother, Lady Aisling, with the always helpful Uncle Gerald a good partner. I enjoyed the normal teenage Imogene, Cormac’s much younger sister, and his troubled brother, Shane, provides a ready-made suspect. 

The plot is fast-paced, and the setting is full of atmosphere and tension as the two families get to know one another, and tragedy strikes. I had my suspicions all along and was pleased to find out that I had guessed correctly about a couple of things. However, there were some interesting and exciting twists and turns along the way to the final resolution. I was glad for the epilogue, which lets the story end on hopeful notes. 

While this is the second book in the series, it stands well on its own, and new readers will be able to easily read and enjoy it without needing to read the previous book first. However, it was great and not to be missed either! I recommend DEADLY SECRETS AT BALLYFORD CASTLE to cozy mystery readers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.