When Viv reached out to me on Twitter I was intrigued by this mysterious novel. My intrigue was peaked when I was one of the first to see the gorgeous cover to this book. Cover Reveal post

I had hoped to have read the first few in this series but alas life and work got in the way. So in two sittings I devoured this tasty treat. I now more than ever cannot wait to go back and start from the beginning of the series, although saying that it read very well as a stand alone novel the only thing I would have liked is to know more of Lady Alkmene and Jakes relationship.

A truly picturesque novel I felt like I too attended the ball. Have always liked the thrill of not knowing who was under the mask. Although in this the ball was in fact a deflection from what was really going on. I took to Lady Alkmene from the off although I’m still not entirely sure of her and Denise’s friendship but I can see that she has good gut instincts and can read people. I won’t say too much on that I too knew that who was originally taken as the killer was not and I am sure you will allude to that but I did love that you were made to doubt many people until closer to the final pages. I knew the book would end like any book in a series on a cliff hanger my saving grace in being behind is I can go back and dig in to the series whilst I await the next instalment.

Vivian Conroy writes a mystery that would make an epic TV series or movie and this may have been my first read of hers but it’s just the beginning. Thanks for inviting me to this blog Tour I’m so happy to have devoured it in such a short time frame to kick this off….

In Fatal Masquerade there is another fabulous mystery to solve with Lady Alkmene and Jake. Even though it had been a while since I last picked up a book in this series it really did feel as if no time had passed. There was just that feeling of catching up with old friends. In no time at all I found myself immersed in the story and I couldn’t wait to see if I could figure it all out!

The story moves at a lovely pace and as usual I enjoyed all the interactions between Jake and Alkmene. They really do bring so much to the story and I love their connection which has built into a wonderful friendship. The mystery at the heart of this book is an intriguing one especially as Alkmene finds herself well and truly in the middle of things. The evening begins with a masked ball and ends with the discovery of a body. As usual Alkmene is determined to discover the truth!

This is a wonderful series that has gone from strength to strength. Seeing the characters find themselves in various scrapes along with some brilliant mysteries to solve. I especially love the 1920s time period that the books are set in. Providing glamour and charm that makes things just that little bit extra special. Fatal Masquerade really was the perfect addition to the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I really do recommend reading the entire series if you get chance!

In Fatal Masquerade you will find a twisty, cosy mystery that was so much fun to escape reality with!

Book four in the Lady Alkmene Mysteries sees our lady sleuth invited to a masquerade party at the home of the wealthy Franklin Hargrove as soon as she steps through the front door it is instantly clear that there is something very wrong with the household which intrigues our Alkmene and when journalist Jake Dubois turns up under the pretence of writing a story about the lords new foray into motor engines she knows that something is amiss. Why would Jack be there just to write a story about a motor engine? Especially as Jack has unashamedly can’t stand the aristocracy and he too is acting rather secretive.

I love the cliff hanger ending, if it were a TV show it would freeze frame on our Jake Dubois with “To be continued…” running along the bottom of shot, Ms Conroy has left book four in such a place that there must be another episode, we need to know the answers to the questions that circulate the last scene.

I thoroughly enjoy this series, its like being transported to another, more glamorous and deadly time. With twists and unexpected turns Fatal Masquerade keeps you hooked from page one to the very last and beyond as you are still wondering where we are going from here. The writing is riveting and charming especially Alkmene and Jake who are still fun and engrossing.

Another winner and highly recommended.

Fatal Masquerade by Vivian Conroy is a Lady Alkmene Cosy Mystery. This is the first book that I read in the series and it was easy to pick up and read on its own. The novel is rich in setting and full of many characters, which can be a bit tricky to keep straight. In this novel, Lady Alkmene and Jake Dubois are invited to a masquerade ball and have to solve a mystery when a body is found. Nothing is what it seems in this novel and many secret motives abound. I think this is a fun read and I enjoyed it, but I would have liked more resolution at the end. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. This is my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really liked this book but felt I should have read the earlier ones so I could understand Lady Alkmene a bit better.

As usual Vivian Conroy manages to weave a complex yet fun and engaging mystery with elegance and style - much like her heroine the lovely Lady A. With a great cast of characters and such gentle humour this is another triumph! Although part of a series this book does stand alone, however I would encourage you to read the rest as there are always snippets of information that help the characters to grow and thread through all the stories.

There's a lovely feel of the glamorous roaring 20s throughout this book. Lady Alkmene has been invited to a masked ball at her friends country house. An unpopular servant is murdered and the guests are the suspects. The Police quickly conclude that a maid has committed the murder but Lady Alkemene doesnt believe this to be true and with the help of her journalist friend Jake works to clear her. There are family secrets and lots of nice sub plots to keep the story moving along. It was an enjoyable read.

Fatal Masquerade puts me in mind of a good old-fashioned whodunit, with a single location, a limited selection of suspects and a classic bit of misdirection. What’s not to love?!

Based in the 1920’s, we join Lady Alkmene Callender as she arrives at the family home of her young friend, Denise Hargrove, in order to attend a masquerade ball hosted by Denise’s wealthy father and his new wife.

There are a number of guests at the house party and they certainly are a bit of an odd bunch, including nervy aunt Felicia, serious lawyer Mr Keegan, to the supercilious psychiatrist, Theobald Zeilovsky. Lady Alkmene’s colleague/investigative partner Jake Dubois then appears on the scene, refusing to tell Lady Alkmene the real reason behind his presence there.

The party takes a sinister turn when one of the servants is found dead in the boathouse. When a young maid is accused of the murder, Lady Alkmene isn’t convinced of her guilt and sets out to discover the real perpetrator of the grisly crime. Cue some intrigue, blackmail and some very shady characters.

As Lady Alkmene and Jake question the suspects and comb through the clues, the reader is left to wonder why the servant was killed and who had a motive to kill him?

Fatal Masquerade is a light and entertaining read. The characters are fun and the plot is satisfyingly twisty. Chances are, it will keep you guessing until the end! Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries.

The book is the fourth in a series. I think it works fine as a standalone novel, however reading the earlier books will give you a bit of background about Lady Alkmene and her investigative talents. I hope to find the time to catch up on those earlier novels.

The cosy mystery is often delegated to the inconsequential, fluffy and comfortable read shelf. It simply isn’t given its dues. It is actually a really popular sub-genre of the crime and mystery genre.

Not everyone wants to read brutal psychological stories that mess with your head and make your little grey cells ask for a break, although admittedly I love those a lot.

Some readers want the eloquence and eccentricities of Christie-like characters combined with the quirky scenarios of Beaton, witty reads that leave you with a smile.

Conroy delivers the kind of characters you remember and enjoy. An ode to Tuppence and Tommy, but perhaps a little less suave and with a lot more cheek.

In this fourth book in the Lady Alkmene Mystery series, the reader is spoilt with choices of possible culprits, which means the amateur detectives have to work a lot harder to discover who did the deed.

Lady Alkmene accompanies her friend to a masquerade ball, which becomes a wee bit more serious when a dead body turns up and the hostess and her family become the main suspects.

If you’re looking for a bit of mystery, a dead body now and again, and a set of colourful characters then you should give Conroy a try.

Amazing comeback for Lady Alkmene and Jake. This was a fantastic read. Interesting and I loved that Conroy returned to the blackmailing ring first mentioned in book one.

Firstly I just want to say that I love the cover for this book, I really think it is perfect and suits the story so so well!
So you may have noticed I don't normally read this genre of book but I took part in a blog tour for another book by Vivian Conroy 'Rubies in the Roses' and I found I really enjoyed it so when I knew Vivian had a new book out I got extremely excited and started reading as soon as I could. Again I was really impressed with it and found myself hooked on the book!
I hadn't been introduced to Lady Alkmene before so I was really impressed when I started reading the book. I just love her character she is defiantly someone I would love to know in the real life world.
The thing that kept me gripped was the whole mystery to the book and playing detective trying to work out what was going on and the ''whole who done it'' I loved that the mystery wasn't predictable and I was left guessing right until the end, and that was something that really made me happy because with a lot of books I have read before they are very predicable and you know what is going to happen.
I have got to say the whole 1920's vibe in this book is just spot on and I could imagine every part so clearly!
The way Vivian has wrote Fatal Masquerade is utterly fantastic, with every page I truly felt I was there with all the characters.

A really enjoyable and very glamorous read!

I always enjoy this series when I am looking for some light, easy reading. This installment is a classic manor house mystery trying to determine whodunit from the dinner guests. This series is not heavy on details or settings, but the characters are engaging, as you follow them and the clues to its satisfying conclusion. The plot moves along at a nice pace, and the secondary plot lines are not distracting. Alkmene and Jake make a good team and their developing emotions for each other a pleasant addition.

Mysterious, atmospheric, and delightfully entertaining!

In this latest novel by Conroy, Fatal Masquerade, Lady Alkmene Callender finds herself immersed in a clue-like murder mystery, complete with a country estate, class tension, secrets, half-truths, a knife, a boathouse, and of course an enigmatic, handsome sidekick.

The writing style is light and descriptive. The setting and mood are vivid and superbly authentic. The characters, including the intelligent, independent heroine, are well-developed, complex, and intriguing. And the plot is a well-paced whodunit full of amateur sleuthing, red herrings, suspects, deduction, and a little romance.

Fatal Masquerade is the fourth book in the Lady Alkmene Mystery series, and if you love cozy mysteries, this novel will not disappoint. It is a quick, easy, fun read that is truly a lovely, refreshing change in a time when we seem to be inundated with psychological thrillers.

Fatal Masquerade is the fourth enthralling stand-alone mystery in Vivian Conroy’s fantastic series featuring the redoubtable and indomitable sleuth Lady Alkmene Callender and mysterious reporter Jake Dubois.

When Alkmene is asked by her new friend Denise Hargrove to attend the masquerade ball her family is giving, she is absolutely delighted to accept her invitation. Lady Alkmene adores grand parties and she has grown increasingly closer to Denise, with whom she has a lot in common. Sure, Denise can be rather petulant and unpredictable at times – which is nothing like her – but, knowing about the tensions between her new friend and her stepmother, Alkmene decides to put her doubts and concerns aside and focus on enjoying the party. However, on her arrival at the Hargrove family home, Alkmene cannot shake off this nagging feeling that all is not quite as it seems and beneath all the gentility and sophistication of Franklin Hargrove and his new young wife Cecily’s sumptuous house a maelstrom of dangerous secrets, anger, hostility and revenge bubbles beneath the surface…

With terrified housemaids, maniacal guests, presumptuous servants and strained family relations, Lady Alkmene soon begins to wish herself a million miles away from the party – especially as Jake Dubois is also a guest at the ball! No sooner does she find herself wondering what Jake is doing at the party and what is his connection to Franklin Hargrove that she finds herself stumbling upon the dead body of affected and self-important servant Cobb who has been stabbed in the chest during the masquerade party!

On her arrival at the Hargrove family mansion, Alkmene had been instantly taken aback by Cobb’s insolence and superciliousness, but why was he allowed to carry on in such a conceited manner? Why did his employers repeatedly turn a blind eye? What secrets was Cobb hiding? And what did Cobb know that drove someone to murder him?

As Alkmene begins her investigation, she once again is thrown headlong into a tangled web of lies, duplicity and deception, but will she unmask the heinous perpetrator? Or is this the case that will have her stumped? One thing is for certain: Alkmene will not give up until justice is served!

Whenever I pick up one of Vivian Conroy’s mysteries, I find myself absolutely unable to put them down and Fatal Masquerade is certainly no exception. A must-read for fans of Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple and Kerry Greenwood’s Phyrne Fisher series, Fatal Masquerade is a captivating nail-biter that will grab your attention from the very first page and keep you glued until the very last full stop. Full of glitz, glamour, thrills, chills and red herrings, Fatal Masquerade is a delicious spine-tingler featuring one of crime fiction’s most glamorous and most dazzling sleuths with mayhem, mischief and mystery galore!

A first class read from the new queen of crime fiction, Fatal Masquerade is another keeper by Vivian Conroy!

This was a truly cozy mystery, part of a series, but with well developed and likeable characters. The action moved along, not too swiftly, but quick enough to not get bored or bogged down with overly elaborate narrative. The plot also fit well with the time period. It is definitely a stand alone book, although references do indicate that Lady Alkmene and Jake have had previous adventures. There is a real equality between the two of them, neither "rescuing" the other or getting in dangerous situations that seriously risk life and limb. The other characters in the book were nicely fleshed out, again without overly descriptive or boring discussion. I definitely was in a relaxed mood while reading this, anticipating the action, but not having to really think or question the mystery. The author is a true fan of Agatha Christie and I did see a similarity to her writing. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Conroy. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the advance reader's copy to enjoy and provide this review.

If you enjoy the Miss Fisher Mysteries you will enjoy Vivian Conroy’s charming series featuring Lady Alkmene and reporter Jake Dubois. Set against the glittering backdrop of England in the 1920’s these stories have murder, suspense and just a hint of romance.

In Fatal Masquerade, Lady Alkmene accompanies her friend Denise to a grand party at her father’s estate. No expense is spared in preparing for the event, and a who’s who of business and aristocracy is expected to attend. Lady Alkmene’s first surprise is finding her friend Jake Dubois in attendance. Her second is finding yet another body - that of an insolent footman with an eye for the finer things in life and a taste for blackmail.

Vivian Conroy is a good writer of cosy mysteries, but I have to say her Lady Alkmene Demysteries are the best I’ve read so far. The plots are complex without being over complicated, and the settings and characters have an authentic 1920s feel. If you like light historical mysteries with just a dash of romance, you will enjoy Fatal Masquerade.

4 / 5

I received a copy of Fatal Masquerade from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Fatal Masquerade is the fourth book in the series that features Lady Alkmene and Jake Dubois. I read the first book recently and even though this book could be read as a standalone novel I am glad that I had already ‘met’ them. I was aware of how they met and the relationship between them. This novel was a lot more sinister to read. The death of a servant, another servant accused of their murder and only two people willing to help. These being Alkmene and Jake.
Jake is witholding information from Alkmene which doesn’t please her and whilst more of his character is revealed, mainly that he won’t betray a trust, you still don’t find out why he was a convict. I would like to read more from his point of view but that may come in time.
Whilst I liked the two main characters, I struggled to warm to anybody else. The wealthy were portayed as dismissive and uncaring towards the wrongly accused servant. Better that she would be found guilty and hanged rather than have their lives turned upside down by a lacklustre police force. Two of the group were intimidating, and not people I would like to spend any time with.
Very much ‘cosy crime’, the murder isn’t the main focus in the storyline, it’s more an analysis of character and how people are perceived and controlled by others.
I would have liked to read the earlier two books I hadnt read. Some of the storyline does seem to carry on through the series. It was easy enough to follow though, I’m just curious. It is a series that I will eventually catch up on, and follow in the future.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.

I was in the mood for a good cozy mystery and I adored this one! It is #4 in the series, but I read it as a stand-alone and it was great! Loved the 1920's setting and the character of Lady Alkmene.

Lady Alkmene has been invited to party with the rich and famous at the beautiful estate of her best friend Denise's father. It is a masked ball and everyone arrives in costume to have a good time, but one masked guest is up to no good. A dead body has been found in the boathouse and Lady Alkmene will not stand for an innocent maid to take the blame and she will need her partner Jake to help her comb through all the clues.

Like the game of clue, many rooms and many clues will need to be investigated and suspects will need to be questioned. Why was a murder committed? Who had a motive?

Enjoyable light mystery with interesting characters and a fabulous cast of characters!

Lovely read, I enjoyed this book very much.

When you take a set of wonderful and witty characters, glamorous masquerade ball, and devious murder - you've got yourself a perfect detective story. And speaking of a detective - what a charming, smart, goodhearted and sassy little investigator we found in a face of Lady Alkmene! This is a 4th book featuring Lady Alkmene and Jake Dubois "partnership". However, this is the first book of the series that I've read. The first 3 books are already on my to-read list.

So, back to the story. Great and twisted plot. Lady Alkmene and Jake are reunited at the masquerade ball that is taking place at Alkmene's friend Denise's family house outside of London. At midnight Lady Alkmene come across a breathless body of the servant in the bathhouse. A young maid is arrested. Lady Alkmene is convinced in young girl's innocence and has set her mind to resolve the murder mystery to free harmless maid. Lady Alkmene and Jake work as a team, following clues and uncovering Hargrove family secrets in order to find a real murderer.

I'm not sure about other readers, but I really want to know what happened to Denise at the end? Has Jake succeeded and prevented her and count's marriage? I need answers.

Nothing should disrupt the masquerade ball which Lady Alkmene Callender is attending with her best friend Denise Hargrove, but that wouldn’t be much of a story, would it? Get ready for blackmail, family arguments, mystery and murder in this brilliant read, the fourth Lady Alkmene mystery.

Set in 1920s England, members of the nobility enthusiastically congregate to participate in the Masquerade ball hosted by Franklin Hargrove, the wealthy oil magnate who is also the father of Denise. From the very start, Lady Alkmene senses the unease and rifts which permeate the Hargrove home - some of the arguments are loud and vociferous, so she could hardly miss them. When she also discovers the murdered body of one of their servants, the party atmosphere is definitely ruined! The police are led to believe the perpetrator is a quiet maid but Alkmene doesn’t agree and sets out to clear the young lady’s name - with the help of her journalist investigating partner, Jake Dubois, though he is keeping secrets from her, too.

This is another superb cosy mystery, with brilliant characters and a plot full of twists and turns. Hints and clues are slowly revealed, misdirection frequently occurs until the dangerous face off at the end endangers Lady Alkmene, too! Can they discover who the murder is? What was their motivation? Who else is involved? So many questions waiting to be answered as the story progresses and danger lurks for all concerned.

This is the fourth book in the series but it is so well written that I believe it would also work well as a standalone. Having said that, it is such a great read that readers who haven’t read the earlier books may well be tempted to read them, too. I know I’ll definitely be looking out for more in this series or by this author in future. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this to anyone looking for a high class murder mystery to read.

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.