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Avg. Rating: 4.64
I'd give it a six if I could
As a fan of Jill Churchill, I have read all of her Jane Jeffry titles. When I saw a new series, I doubted it could live up to my expectations based in the other series. I found the Grace and Favor series, if which this is the first, to be a totally fresh kind of mystery for me. The era of the Depression in a fascinating time of contrasts between the haves and have-nots. Lily and Robert are both. They seem to have inherited a line back to the good life, but making ends meet continues to be a challenge for them.
The idea of a house party with paying guests was certainly a new one to me. It was written with a lot of character development necessary to the future of the series, but with here-and-now action. A great read, as well as a great send-off for a new series.
Great historical mystery in new series
Jill Churchill's new Grace and Favor Mystery series centers on a brother and sister, former members of New York high society who enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle of polo games and Christmas holidays with British cousins. But since the crash of 1929 when their family lost their fortune, Lily and Robert have had to work to survive. A bequest from their uncle provides them with a mansion, Grace and Favor, and basic necessities, but no income, so in the book IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT Lily and Robert snag a famous author and invite a select group of paying guests to their country home as a way to bring in money.As always, Churchill writes a tight plot with interesting characters, especially the guests. She deftly reveals their personalities in a series of revolving viewpoints as the guests travel to Grace and Favor. An unusual aspect of this series compared to Churchill's Jane Jeffery series, is the historical setting of the Depression year of 1932. Churchill uses Lily's glimpses of everyday life, such as families scavenging in the town dump; the locals' veiled hostility towards the wealthy; and rumors of their neighbor, the optimistic FDR, as a possible presidential candidate to capture the uncertainly, fear, and hope of people at a crucial time in American history. On a strictly personal note, I love this new series. The history is a refreshing change and I'm waiting for the next book!
Fresh and Innovative Series Set in Depression - Era
Jill Churchill only gets better with the second book of her "Grace and Favor" mystery series. "In the Still of the Night" adds a little more mystery to the plot and a few additional characters as well."In the Still of the Night" continues the saga where Lily and her brother, Robert Brewster are contemplating various ways to add to their income. Their relative's will stipulates that they must earn their living expenses (minus the upkeep of the house, etc.) for 10 years - before inheriting the estate. Hesitantly, they embark on the venture to invite a famous novelist for the weekend and invite various wealthy friends as paying guests. They know many who will pay for the priviledge of spending the weekend at the manor in his company. A murder takes place and in order to earn any type of profit at all - they must solve the mystery. (As well as knowing that one amongst them is a murderer.) I especially enjoyed how the plot and characters were so believable. Also, Churchill does a wonderful job of incorporating various historical facts of the time into the story. It is interesting to read that Phoebe makes hats for Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt whose husband is the governor in a nearby city! When Lily invites Phoebe as a boarder to their mansion, Churchill gives a very sound reasoning for Phoebe's decision. This type of detail makes the characters very multi-faceted with a great deal of depth. Excellent book; wonderful series!
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