Charles W. Snyder's MURDER AT KNEBWORTH is a charming look at a famous politician and author, his literary and political circles, and the luxurious lifestyle of the upper class in late Victorian England. The readers see Lytton and his world through the eyes of the Deflorettes, newcomers from North Carolina, experiencing it with them as a novelty for the first time. Their relative naïveté is uncolored by much backstory beyond Marie’s enthusiasm and musical talents. We're told that Philip worked for the Confederacy, but they don’t spend much time talking or thinking about American politics; nor do they show any great distress at the Confederacy’s loss.
The setting is thoroughly upper-crust British, and Lytton is clearly the main and most interesting character. Snyder has clearly done his research and knows his British characters well, as their personalities come across far more distinctly on the page. Lytton comes across as suave, sophisticated, witty, and just a bit patronizing towards his new protégés. While it’s hinted that his intentions towards Marie are dishonorable, he never quite steps over the line. His friends (or at least the ones invited to Knebworth House) are a colorful bunch who, though not as thoroughly developed as they could be, are at least quite interesting to spend time with for a bit. The best part of the book is the dialogue, which reveals more about the characters (especially Lytton) than mere descriptions can do.
In fact, MURDER AT KNEBWORTH feels much more like a character sketch and a portrait of an historical era than an actual mystery. The crime takes place more than halfway through the novel, and a key piece of evidence isn’t revealed until the criminal is confronted with it—making it difficult for the reader to play sleuth and try to solve the murder before Lytton does. The entire investigation feels rather rushed, taking up maybe a quarter to a third of the book at most, and it’s not nearly as dramatic as it really should be. There’s a lot of unexplored potential here for suspense, plot twists, or revelations that could have made the mystery more exciting. For example, there’s a séance that appears mainly just to show Lytton’s interest in the occult. While it does possibly reveal something about the murder, it could easily be cut from the novel without any effect on the actual plot.
Still, MURDER AT KNEBWORTH is an interesting and plausible snapshot of the personality of a famous British statesman and author—which should appeal first and foremost to Victorian history buffs.
Written by Charles W. Snyder, MURDER AT KNEBWORTH gives the reader a pleasant and historically accurate literary vacation in the late Victorian era. However, the actual mystery feels more like an afterthought.
~ Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader