Euphemia Martins Mystery
6 primary works • 14 total works
Book 8
When Euphemia Martins accompanies her employer Richenda Muller to London, she envisages a pleasant few days spent taking tea and visiting the shops. Her hopes are dashed when Richenda gets her involved in a suffragettes’ march which soon turns nasty. Euphemia finds herself getting quite physical in the defence of her fellow marchers when the police turn on them, and she is imprisoned for her pains.
Euphemia soon realises this is no ordinary imprisonment when her old acquaintance Fitzroy enrols her in the latest of his schemes for King and Country. An important civil servant has been murdered, and Fitzroy believes one of the women imprisoned with Euphemia knows the reason why. Euphemia must work out who it is… a task made more complicated when one of her fellow prisoners is also murdered. It’s up to Euphemia, with help from Richenda and Richenda’s brother Bertram, to trap the guilty party – and fast!
Book 9
'A sparkling and witty crime debut with a female protagonist to challenge Miss Marple' LIN ANDERSON, Award winning Scottish crime author
A Death by Arson - the nineth edition of the gripping and twisty Euphemia Martins Mysteries!
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Blushing Brides.
Ghost tales.
And faces from an unforgettable Past.
Following an eventful Christmas, Euphemia Martins, like her employer Richenda Muller, is looking forward to a quiet start to 1913. Their hopes are dashed when Richenda's husband Hans announces that they are to visit the home of Sir Richard Stapleford, Richenda's nefarious twin.
Sir Richard is holding a grand party at his Scottish estate, to celebrate the New Year, and Hans is looking to seal a business deal or two. The Muller household, plus Richenda's brother Bertram, soon discover that Richard has rather a big surprise up his sleeve...
Against her better judgement, Euphemia becomes mixed up with blushing brides and tales of ghosts - and faces from the past serve to complicate things further. When a body is found, Euphemia investigates - and finds herself under suspicion.
Meanwhile, Richenda is decidedly (and calamitously) off cake - and Bertram is overjoyed at the technological progress of the motor car...
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Readers LOVE Caroline Dunford's compelling crime novels!
'The characters are very well written and quickly become old friends' ***** Reader review
'The latest instalment of the Euphemia Martins Mysteries is as gripping as ever...' ***** Reader review
'l thoroughly enjoy these books' ***** Reader review
Book 10
When Euphemia Martins accepts an invitation to the Exposition Universelle in Ghent, Belgium, she imagines she will enjoy a few days basking in the latest developments the worlds of science and art have to offer. However - this being Euphemia - things don't quite go as planned...
As her employer, Richenda Muller, is suffering the effects of her first pregnancy, Euphemia must travel with a chaperone - the redoubtable Mrs Brown - and Richenda's brother Bertram. But Mrs Brown has her own plans for attending the Expo - and she's not the only one.
With dastardly deeds done in the name of science, and Bertram and Richenda's nefarious brother Richard in the mix, the trip proves far from dull! Euphemia, Bertram, and Bertram's valet Rory must soon deal with not one but two deaths - and a series of clues which lead to Euphemia herself.
The latest in the popular mystery series by Caroline Dunford.
Book 11
A Death at Crystal Palace (Euphemia Martins Mystery 11)
by Caroline Dunford
'A sparkling and witty crime debut with a female protagonist to challenge Miss Marple' LIN ANDERSON, Award winning Scottish crime author
A Death at Crystal Palace - the eleventh edition of the gripping and twisty Euphemia Martins Mysteries!
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An olive branch?
Or a pile of poison ivy?
With the world hanging on the precipice of war, Euphemia learns that threats also lurk on a far more personal level...
When Richenda Stapleford accepts what she believes to be an olive branch from her dangerous and scheming brother, Richard, Euphemia can't help but feel that it's just another act of treachery waiting to unfold.
Buying into this uncommon act of kindness, Richenda goes against the wishes of her husband and takes their children to an event at the Crystal Palace, along with Euphemia, Bertram and Rory. As Euphemia learns that the British spymaster Fitzroy is also there, along with an important German delegation, the pieces fall into place and she realises that the implications are dire, both for the future of the Stapleford line and the world at large.
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Readers LOVE Caroline Dunford's nail-biting mysteries!
'... an enjoyable romp which kept me gripped until the end. Well worth 5*' ***** Reader review
'They're so well written that they're hard to put down! I can't wait for the next one!' ***** Reader review
'This has got to be one of the best writers of mystery books' ***** Author review
Book 12
In the run up to Christmas 1913, Euphemia’s stepfather, the Bishop, proposes a family lunch at his club. Bertram, who is staying with the Mullers, runs her up to town in his car. He decides to let Euphemia confront her family alone before introducing himself as her fiancé. He retreats to the Billiard Room only to be summoned when a murder occurs. The members are very reluctant to call the police and Bertram is asked to sort out what actually happened before the police arrive. He enlists Euphemia’s help, to her mother’s shock and, to everyone’s surprise, the Bishop’s approval.
Book 13
Euphemia’s wedding day has finally dawned. Her little brother, mother and step father are present. There’s even a rumour that her grandfather might turn up. This is especially awkward as she would finally have to confess to Bertram that she is not merely a chambermaid going up in the world but actually the granddaughter of one of the foremost Earls in the country. However, such worries are quickly cast into the shade as a death occurs while the congregation are waiting at the church for the bride. Rory McLeod, now a member of His Majesty’s Police Force, is despatched to investigate and quickly concludes that it is murder. Will Euphemia get married? Will Euphemia’s old nemesis, Richard Stapleford, deprive her of her future happiness? Will old scores finally be settled?
"A sparkling and witty crime debut with a female protagonist to challenge Miss Marple." Lin Anderson, Award winning Scottish crime author
A Death in the Family - Book One of the Euphemia Martin Mysteries
In December 1909 the Very Rev Joshia Martins expires in a dish of mutton and onions leaving his family on the brink of destitution.
Abandoned by her noble grandfather, Joshia's daughter, the eighteen year old Euphemia, takes it on herself to provide for her mother and little brother by entering service. She's young, fit, intelligent, a little naive and assumes the life of a maid won't be too demanding. However, on her first day at the unhappy home of Lord Stapleford she discovers a dead body.
Euphemia's innate sense of justice has her prying where no servant should look and uncovering some Stapleford secrets...
During a Christmas party, Euphemia Martins – together with Bertram Stapleford and manservant Rory McLeod – is tasked by the slippery government agent Fitzroy with doing a little snooping at the Staplefords’ Highland Lodge.
When Euphemia discovers the purposes of the charade for which she has been demoted back to a maid, she is furious. There are plans afoot – plans which involve signing the Official Secrets Act …
Meanwhile, Rory still isn't speaking to her and Bertram is more interested in growing his awful new beard. The arrival at the Lodge of four mysterious 'Mr Smiths' – and some outrageous proposals for Scotland’s future – raises tensions to boiling point, and that's not even mentioning the German spy lurking in the woods, or the accident with some hot soup …
But when the inevitable dead body turns up, they must all work together or find themselves jailed for murder.
Accompanying her employer, the new married Richenda Stapleford and her husband Hans Muller, on what is supposed to be a luxurious tour of the United States and Europe, Euphemia is returning from a visit to New York on April 12th on the RMS Carpathia, when an emergency signal sends the ship rushing to the aid of the sinking RMS Titanic.
By the time the Carpathia arrives the Titanic has sink beneath the waves. Euphemia and Richenda give up their cabins and do what they can to aid the survivors who are pulled from the few lifeboats. Not long after their arrival a personal wire is sent to Euphemia from a government department asking her to confirm whether or not the enigmatic spy Fitzroy is among the survivors. He is not.
Deeply troubled by what they have seen both women ask Hans to curtail the tour until a later date and return to the Mullers' home. Euphemia, still haunted by dreams of the grief stricken survivors, believes that her links with the Fitzroy's secretive department are now cut. Then a letter arrives from the man himself headed In the Event of My Death. It sends Euphemia off on a whirlwind of adventures and reveals secrets about Fitzroy that she could never have imagined.
Euphemia Martins, the estranged granddaughter of an Earl, entered service incognito with the Stapleford family to save her family from destitution and from that moment on she acquired the bothersome reputation of finding dead bodies.
Now promoted to the role of paid companion to the deplorable Richenda Stapleford she is staying at the country estate of Hans Muller upon whom Richenda has matrimonial designs. Mere weeks after their arrival Richenda's twin brother, Richard, dispatches a servant bearing news of shocking accusations concerning Muller.
Euphemia finds herself unravelling an old murder with Richenda as her unlikely ally but delving into the past sets off a dangerous series of events in the present and it's not long before Richenda, her step-brother Bertram and Euphemia find themselves in dire peril (again!).
Could it be that Hans Muller is not the charming man he appears but capable of the most terrible crimes? As usual it is up to Euphemia to solve the mystery using her quick wits and her unswerving sense of justice.
1911. Love is in the air. Despite an unfortunate resemblance to her horse, Lady Richenda Stapleford has accepted an offer of marriage. Unbeknownst to those above stairs, Euphemia Martins too has accepted one of her swains.
But the course of true love does not run true for upstairs or downstairs...
Euphemia, the estranged granddaughter of an Earl who launched her career as a maid in the household of the corrupt MP Lord Stapleford, has now risen to the rank of housekeeper. She is still hoping to find proof of Stapleford's misdeeds so that justice can overtake him. But when a senior member of the wedding party is murdered, it falls to Euphemia to solve that crime instead. As usual, she only has her quick wits, her virtue, and her ever-ready scream to defend herself in what is to become an increasingly diabolical situation...
“A sparkling and witty crime debut with a female protagonist to challenge Miss Marple." Lin Anderson, Award winning Scottish crime author
A Death in the Asylum – Book Three of the Euphemia Martin Mysteries
Euphemia’s working unhappily as a housekeeper for Bertram Stapleford at his ill advised new property, when the dramatic collapse of the kitchen floor sends her back to where it all began, Stapleford House.
A visiting mystic disrupts the Staplefords unleasing old family rumours. Euphemia finds herself playing second fiddle to Bertram's new love, Beatrice Wilton, as she launches a project to investigate the new aslyums.
It is not long before Euphemia realizes that not only does Beatrice have her unscrupulous sights set on Bertram, but that her enterprises may be about to put them all in very great danger.
“A sparkling and witty crime debut with a female protagonist to challenge Miss Marple." Lin Anderson, Award winning Scottish crime author
A Death in the Highlands – Books Two of the Euphemia Martin Mysteries
After dodging criminal charges, Richard returns as head of the household at Stapleford Hall. Changing fortunes find Euphemia temporarily promoted to housekeeper for the first trip to the family's new hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands, where she is meets Rory Macleod, the new butler.
Taking on her new role, she encounters angry locals with a grudge against the Staplefords and thwarts what she believes to be an attempt on Bertram Stapleford's life.
A strange group of house guests arrive for the Glorious Twelfth, but with disastrous consequences. Euphemia finds herself caught in the midst of bitter rivalries, and evidence pointing to several murder suspects. Will she unravel the mystery?
The Mistletoe Mystery opens with the revelation that Euphemia is writing for her daughter! It's Christmas tide and Euphemia is again working for Bertram at his ill-fated estate in the Fens, White Orchards. Bertram's sudden desire for a big Christmas house party creates a huge task for Euphemia and one in which her normally excellent staff are reluctant to take part. As she struggles with her responsibilities Euphemia learns that White Orchards is built on the site of Hadwell House, a manor that suffered a terrible fate one Christmas Eve. As Christmas draws closer, people start behaving strangely, Euphemia is having nightmares and there is a palpable sense in the air that something is very wrong. Forming an unlikely alliance with Bertram's step-sister Richenda, Euphemia tries to prevent disaster befalling the entire household and faces her most terrifying mystery as she sets herself against seeming supernatural forces.