I typically really enjoy mysteries in the style of Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie. However, I thought this one was a little dry. It also seemed a little simplistic as the two main detectives had "solved the case" fairly quickly in the story. But then the story had a twist and continued on. I also didn't like the contract in character traits that the detective was smart enough to solve the mystery, but at times came off slow to catch what was going on and even called bumbling.
This is book 3 of the detective series, and I had not read any of his other books, so I don't know if that effected my opinion of the book and characters.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie. There is a lovely element of fun in the book. This is in the relationship of the two main characters, Bella and Marius. Set in a wonderful country house the book twists and turns in its plot in a very gentle way making a gentle but great read. The characters are well drawn and reflect the role of class in England at that time. The plot is well thought out and the ending is satisfying. Highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for gifting me this book!

I love mystery books and this one didn’t disappoint.

The author’s writing was fun and engaging and I couldn’t simply put it down.

The story was interesting and the characters were very likeable and their conversations were full of banter. Not only it was fun to read this but it also made me feel like I was a part of the investigation.

I couldn’t believe the ending. I would have never guessed that the person did it.

Great story!

Although this is the third book in the series, it works as a stand alone book. It is a delightful romp in the world of espionage and international politics. There’s lots of twists and turns, so if you like puzzles in your who did it, you’ll enjoy this. I did especially enjoy the author’s notes, where he explained the historical background and locations, it made it more satisfying. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I enjoyed his writing style. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance copy to review.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC. Really good series, great plots, witty characters and it will keep you guessing to the end.

The Castleton Affair is the third book in the Marius Quin series. I wasn't aware of this initially and I haven't read the first two books, but this one can definitely be read as a standalone. I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful, cosy mystery set in 1928. Marius and his ex sweetheart, Bella, are hired to find a kidnapped British official. After an amusing misunderstanding, they're then asked to do a little spying as well. I really liked Marius and Bella, their personalities work well together. The story is told in a light conversational tone that just makes it so easy to read and there's a bit of humour thrown in for good measure. Curl up with this story and enjoy!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Benedict Brown for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love the subtle humor in this series often revealed in recounting of the protagonist’s inner dialogue. The Castleton Affair was an interesting combination of a cozy mystery and a spy novel. Some moments are quite outrageous but just go along for the ride and the surprising twists .

This was a great read that I fully enjoyed. I like historical fiction and when mixed with mystery it is a must-read. I was happy that I could read this book and it did not disappoint. It's the 3rd book in a series, but I could read it just fine as a stand-alone. The scene setting was absolutely brilliant and I could easily see myself strolling in this 1920’s world. I loved the main characters. The banter, interactions and connection between them were great. The thing that bothered me a little was the amount of side characters. It was hard to keep track of who was who. I think that with fewer side characters, the story would be easier to read. That said I enjoyed the plot and the twists surprised me, which doesn't happen a lot. The story is slow-paced, but that didn't keep me from turning the pages to see what would happen next. A defined recommendation for readers who love history and mystery combined.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, England, banter, situational-humor, sly-humor, friendship, friends, verbal-humor, amateur-sleuth, abduction, cozy-mystery, poisons, secrets, secret-code, espionage, conspiracy, 1928, traitor, British Intelligence Service, book-film-research, codebreakers, writers, Vidoq, witty*****

There is a lot of real history revealed, but the author does state that there is a bit of poetic license about some of the timelines. For me, the very best part was the afterwords which explained all of the serendipitous ways that the novel interacted with real history. Fantastic! Loved it!
The story? Great fun and more interesting than most. Great path of investigation.
I requested and received an EARC from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

I loved this book! The plot became quite complicated, but the author made it possible to follow rather easily and to really get involved. Bella and Marius were likable characters, not flawless people, but I constantly found myself cheering them on. Of course, Marius’ dog Percy provided a bit of welcome comic relief. The dialogue was crisp and full of gentle humor. The main setting was a lord’s fabulous mansion, and the plot concerned intrigue involving French and English government agents, with some historical code-breaking aspects. The repeated plots twists always kept me guessing whom the bad guys were.

A very enjoyable 1920’s mystery that throws your classic ‘who dun it’ into a world of political subtefuge and government cover ups!

I loved our two MCs - they were a delightful balance for each other and I loved seeing them interact. Apart from our little duo the cast isn’t one of the strong points of this novel. For the simple reason that there were a lot of characters to keep track of and I definitely forgot some as I read along. I think if we could have half the cast and spent a little bit more time with each of them this would have been a stronger read as I honestly forgot who some of them were.

This was also definitely a slower paced read. But I quite liked that as this genre is filled with past paced page-turners and I really felt that the slower pace lent itself beautifully this this historical era.

I really did love the plot though and I thought the twists and turns were absolutely brilliant!

This is the third book in the series but this is easily read as a standalone.

Overall, I really enjoyed this but I’m not sure if I’ll be rushing to read the rest of the series as it’s published. It was a good book, with a good plot, good writing, likeable characters but I just didn’t feel particularly invested?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC

I enjoyed this book and may go back and read the previous two. I liked the characters but found the initial plot a little far fetched. Once the got to the castle the story settled in. I was quite surprised at the traitor but the summing up. The teaser at the end was well done and ties into the early part of the book.

Mystery writer and professional sleuth Marius Quin embarks on a perilous journey to locate missing civil servant Ernest Castleton, who has vanished under enigmatic circumstances. Suspected of being a victim of foreign abduction, Ernest's case takes a sinister turn when Marius and his partner, Lady Bella Montague, discover he was taken at gunpoint. A cryptic letter hidden in the British Museum becomes a potential clue to his whereabouts, adding to the suspense and danger of their investigation.
The investigation into Castleton's disappearance leads Marius and Bella to the home of the British Foreign Secretary on the English Coast. Shortly after their arrival, the French diplomat Monsieur Rochefort is pushed to his death, adding a new layer of complexity to the mystery. Now, they must unravel the intricate web of connections between Rochefort's death and Castleton's disappearance, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats.
Marius and Bella have a cast of characters to choose from, ranging from questionable diplomats to bickering aristocrats. All fight amongst one another. Time is on the line. If they don’t act fast, more innocent people may die.
It is an absolute showstopper, with crazy characters, a red herring around every corner, and endless twists and turns. It’s a must-read that will keep you reading until the last page

First for both the author and the series for me. Lots of characters and a bit of a slow burn to start with but helped to learn who was who. Main characters are fun - ex WW1 soldier turned novelist and his former young lady now good friend (but she has the most boring ?fiancé by now). Nice banter between them. Couple of murders eventually but otherwise mostly dark spying deeds between French and British governmental departments - code breaking and all that. Feels very much how I imagine the 1920s would have felt - social divisions and pomposity. Well written and enjoyeable read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Brown has outdone himself with The Castleton Affair. Reminiscent of Dame Agatha Christie's wartime stories and full of twists and double-blinds, we are kept guessing up until the very end who the true 'bad egg' is. A cozy mystery that keeps you mulling it over even while away from the story, The Castleton Affair is an original, entertaining piece of writing. Nicely done, Mr. Brown.

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

Charming? Yes. A little tedious? Yes. A very odd first half that didn’t make much sense? Yes. A unsurprising solution? Yes. All in all not ha great

My Thoughts /

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and author Benedict Brown, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for May 15, 2024.

The author, Benedict Brown, is a British author of cosy mystery novels. He writes the Izzy Palmer series and the Lord Edgington Investigates series, and each series has many stories. What first attracted me to this one, apart from the cover, was the blurb 'a gripping 1920s historical mystery'. I love the 1920s setting and I love a cosy themed book. In writing The Castleton Affair, the author didn't strictly follow the 'usual cosy template', and even acknowledged that point in the Author's Note. "Unlike most of my books, this novel mixes a dash of espionage and intrigue into my usual whodunnit plot. This was the eighth book I wrote in 2023 and I needed to do something a bit different to keep me motivated." Kudos, Mr Brown, I can only but imagine how hard writing one book would be, let alone eight in one year, and I applaud you for writing your story your way. But. Oh, don't look so surprised, you all know there had to be one coming. I didn't think the segue paid off as well as you were hoping; and in my defence, it's only a minor bookish exception. 😐

The Castleton Affair: A gripping 1920s historical mystery is the third book in the Marius Quin Mystery series, and now that I've finished it, I am keen to go back in time to see where it all began. Cue, Murder at Everham Hall and The Hurtwood Village Murders, here. The Castleton Affair might be book #3, but Brown has given the reader enough of the juicy back history as is needed, so that the reader doesn't feel lost in the Manor House.

At the beginning of the story, we learn that Marius Quin (a returned soldier who is now a mystery novelist) and his childhood sweetheart but now best friend, Lady Isabella (Bella) Montague are now partners in the Marius and Co. Detective Agency. The Agency has already handled, and successfully solved, two cases and counting (Murder at Everham Hall and The Hurtwood Village Murders).

One morning, while working at home, Quin was alerted to by knocking to someone at his door -a man in a camel trench coat and tweed Trilby. He was there, he announced, to contract the services of Marius and Co. Detective Agency. It all seemed a bit 'cloak and dagger' to Marius - the man was evading questions on identifying himself, only suggesting that he was merely a 'conduit' for passing on information. He required the investigative duo to find a man named Ernest Castleton, who was last seen leaving work the other evening walking through St James's Park, when he was abducted by a man brandishing a gun. Apparently, Castleton was working on something highly confidential for someone high up in Government circles.

A government aide kidnapped, a French diplomat murdered, a killer to uncover.

Bookish Yays:
🤩 Our protagonists, Marius, and Bella, are antithetical characters. Yet despite their differences, the two share a strong bonding friendship. It's their complementary differences, that make the relationship work - she is the diplomat to his clumsiness; the voice of reason to assuage his roguishness.

🤩 The plot is not your usual roaring 20s theme. Instead of flappers, jazz, and dance halls, you have Government cover-ups, secrets and subterfuge.

🤩 This was the third book in the series but works well as a stand-alone read.

🤩 The witty dialogue and humorous banter between our protagonists made for engaging and entertaining reading:
Marius: Dry? I thought it rich that she could ponder such a question when her own boyfriend was as interesting as a week-long lecture on the different varieties of dust.
Bella: Of all the stupid things you've done in your life, this has to be the stupidest.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 There were a lot of characters to keep track of. I counted at least 25. Keeping track of who's who, was made more bearable by the fact that the author listed them all at the back of the book, but it was still a minor point of contention for this reader.

😐 The pacing of the book is somewhat slow, but I think that might be due to the number of characters taking part. Having said that, the plot points made sense and the author ended the story with a satisfying conclusion.

Overall, it was a refreshing different take on a genre that can sometimes be a little predicable and formulaic.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Storm Publishing for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

#TheCastletonAffair #NetGalley #StormPublishing

This third in the new Marius Quin series is a departure as it is more an espionage plot than a traditional who-dun-it but it was very entertaining and readable. I like the humor that the author employs in this series and the self deprecating humor of the MC. The ongoing side mystery of Marius's father is a wonderful way to keep readers coming back to these books!
I will recommend these to readers of traditional cozy British mysteries.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

This is an entertaining old - fashioned style cozy mystery, including a young aristocrat, Lady Bella, who wishes to be the next Miss Marple and her author friend Marius Quinn. It begins with an obnoxious little man who comes to the Agency to hire the two young people to find a missing man or spy, which is where the convoluted story takes us, in and out of myriad places hunting that elusive clue that will lead them to the missing man. I was entertained, which is always important to me, I liked both protagonist, Marius and Bella, nice people these two, they remind me of Tommy and Tuppence!
I highly recommend it. Thank you #Netgalley #StormPublishing #TheCastletonAffair
carolintallahassee

This is book number three in the Marius Quin series. It’s 1928 and mystery writer Marius Quin and his ex sweetheart Lady Bella Montague are now official detectives with their own agency. They are hired by a mysterious man to find Ernest Castleton, a kidnapped employee of the Foreign Secretary. They learn that Ernest has left a clue at the British Museum, and that leads to other clues, which eventually leads them to Montmore Towers and Lord Darnley, the Foreign Secretary himself and his French counterparts.

This is not just a mystery but also the author’s foray into spy fiction….as he mentions, if it was good enough for Agatha Christie, it’s certainly good enough for him. Those were never my favorite Christie books and this isn’t my favorite of Brown, either (and I prefer Lord Edington to Marius Quin,) but I still liked it just fine. Brown is an always reliable writer and I hope his cozy historical fiction finds more readers.