"Mystery and Romance abound, Our Regency Mary Poppins is at it again."
She's back! MISS TIBBLES INTERFERES is not what one
might have come to expect from a traditional regency
romance. Lovers of mysteries, romantic suspense, and fans
of Miss Tibbles' previous adventures
will no doubt find it satisfying. The Cast of Characters: Mr. Hawthorne - Curator of the British Museum,
assigned to
catalogue Wellington's Peninsular War memorabilia.
He contacts his old friend Colonel Merriweather on the
pretext of needing his expert assistance, however he has
another reason for requiring his friend's aid. There has
been a rash of thefts at the museum, but unfortunately
Hawthorne is murdered before he can reveal any details. Ariel Hawthorne - Only child of the museum curator.
Ariel
had spent her years assisting her widowed father catalogue
artifacts rather than attending balls and entertaining
suitors. In point of fact she adored her work, and is as
distraught by the thought of losing her situation as she is
by her father's death. The murder has left her with no
family and no useful occupation. She and her father had
lived a frugal existence and she has no idea if he's even
left her anything on which to live. She'd never thought to
marry. A visit to the solicitor reveals that she's been
left quite well off. Colonel Merriweather - Old friend of murder victim
and
loving husband of Marian. He stays to see to the
investigation of his friend's murder while attempting to
keep his infamous spouse out of trouble. Marian Merriweather - The former Miss Tibbles.
Marian had
suffered a similar tragedy as a girl, and had been forced
to make a living as a governess to recalcitrant young
ladies. Marriage has not changed Marian one bit. Naturally
she would never have entered into the arrangement if the
Colonel had expected it to. When he is called upon to help
his old friend catalogue Wellington's artifacts, Marian
accompanies
him to London fully expecting to be of assistance. The
murder provides her with an unexpected opportunity. Since
Ariel's father had been
strictly against mourning, Marian, the Regency Mary
Poppins and infamous matchmaker, decides that there is no
reason why Arial can't have pretty clothes and attend some
social functions. And of course it would make a wonderful
opportunity to listen to the gossip of the ton and perhaps
find some clues that would help them solve the crimes. Captain William Stanfield - a young Peninsular war
veteran
rounds out the cast of characters. William claims to have
been sent to help identify artifacts and explain their
uses. Stanfield, however, is not at all what he seems, and
he too is determined to stay on after the murder. Stanton
finds himself quite distracted from his real by the
transformed young woman who he'd already begun to admire
for her intelligence and determination. Tom - heavily muscled young man of simple mind, he
had helped Arial's father to move the heavier artifacts.
When he is
found dead a day later, Ariel agrees to call in a Bow
Street runner. The group concludes that Tom had stumbled
upon an incriminating activity and the fact that Ariel's
home has been ransacked as well indicates that there is
more to the past thefts than petty crime. While the runner agrees to investigate Hawthorne's murder,
he doesn't feel poor Tom's is worth investigating, as he
had been poor and without family. Marian takes this quite
personally. Ariel feels the same, and soon the two ladies
are doing some investigating on their own,
much to the gentlemen's chagrin. Both men want the ladies
to stay of the investigation, though they make no such
promises themselves. As usual Marian's amateur sleuthing lands her in hot water.
The who-done-it concludes, as one would expect, in the
museum with all secrets revealed and the villain in
custody. While the romance is clearly between Ariel and William, the
focus of the tale seems to be on Marian who is after all a
recurring character in Ms. Kilhstrom's regencies. Copyright © 2002
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted August 25, 2002
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