annieb123's Review of Chaos at Carnegie Hall

by Kelly Oliver

'A fun, mix of whodunnit and thriller set amid American high society ' T. A. Williams

Can Fiona catch a killer and find a decent cup of tea before her mustache wax melts?

1917. New York.

Notorious spy, Fredrick Fredricks, has invited Fiona to Carnegie Hall to hear a famous soprano. It’s an opportunity the War Office can’t turn down. Fiona and Clifford are soon on their way, but not before Fiona is saddled with chaperon duties for Captain Hall’s niece. Is Fiona a spy or a glorified babysitter?

From the minute Fiona meets the soprano aboard the RMS Adriatic it’s treble on the high C’s. Fiona sees something—or someone—thrown overboard, and then she overhears a chemist plotting in German with one of her own countrymen!

And the trouble doesn’t stop when they disembark. Soon Fiona is doing time with a group of suffragettes and investigating America’s most impressive inventor Thomas Edison.

When her number one suspect turns up dead at the opera and Fredrick Fredricks is caught red-handed, it looks like it’s finally curtains for the notorious spy.

But all the evidence points to his innocence. Will Fiona change her tune and clear her nemesis’ name? Or will she do her duty? And just what is she going to do with the pesky Kitty Lane? Not to mention swoon-worthy Archie Somersby . . .

If Fiona’s going to come out on top, she’s going to have to make the most difficult decision of her life: the choice between her head and her heart.

What readers are saying about Kelly Oliver:

"Will keep you turning the pages and laughing all the way!" Dianne Freeman

“A cross between an Agatha Christie and a Sherlock Holmes sleuthing story. Just brilliant!” NetGalley Reviewer

"This historical mystery delivers twists and turns. I can't wait for the next one!" Muddy Rose Reviews

"I love Fiona Figg!" Margaret Mizushima

“Couldn't put it down.” Amazon Reviewer

"A perfect blend of wit, fun, and intrigue." Debra Goldstein

“I am hooked on these amazing characters.” Amazon Reviewer

"A fun diversion with an entertaining female lead." Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of Susan Elia MacNeal will gobble up this series! Highly recommend." L.A. Chandlar

“Diabolical plot twists, interesting red herrings, colorful characters, make this a good whodunit.” NetGalley Reviewer

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Chaos at Carnegie Hall is a fun and engaging historical cozy and the first Fiona Figg & Kitty Lane mystery by Kelly Oliver. Released 15th Nov. 2022 by Boldwood Books, it's 288 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The second book in the series, due out 25th April 2023 will also be available on KU.

This is a lightly humorous historical spy cozy set in WW1 and featuring returning spy (from another series by the same author), Fiona Figg as well as introducing a new adversary-to-sidekick character, young Kitty Lane. It's a fast and engaging read, quite humorous in places, and easy to follow.

The language is clean and the plot is woven around actual historical events fairly skillfully. It's a cozy, and without graphic, on page violence. It's not at all derivative, but it will definitely appeal to fans of Andrea Hicks and Verity Bright.

Four stars. Light entertainment.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

22 April, 2023: Started reading

22 April, 2023: Finished reading

22 April, 2023: Reviewed