Drew and Madeline Farthering are attending a Regency Party at Winteroak House, the home of Sterling Cummins. Tal Cummins, Sterling's son, has been a lifelong friend of Drew's. Tal, Drew, and Nick Dennison all grew up together and attended Oxford University at the same time. Nick is Drew's Estate Manager and is attending the gala event with Carrie Holland and her brother Will. Carrie and Nick met when Madeline and Drew married six months ago and have a budding romance that both hope will blossom into a permanent relationship.

The Regency Party lasts a week, with everyone dressing in Regency period clothing for all events. Everything goes extremely well until the Gala Ball at the end of the week. Tal's fiancée, Alice Henley, begins to act very strange, clinging to Drew and demanding he dance with her. She becomes hysterical, begins convulsing and drops to the ground. When they get her into bed, she no longer has a pulse. Alice is dead. The local doctor and constable are called, but inspectors from Scotland Yard show up first. Sterling Cummins is arrested for trafficking in cocaine and contributing to Alice's death. Everyone is completely shocked. Sterling has been an upstanding member of this community all his life.

Drew cannot resist the temptation to once again dive into the case. He feels it is his calling, and thus the investigation begins. But when two more people at Winteroak House are murdered, while Sterling Cummins is locked up, more questions begin to surface as to who is really behind all these murders.

Julianna Deering paints a romantic picture of yesteryear in DRESSED FOR DEATH, a 1932 inspirational cozy mystery. Her detailed descriptions give us a vivid portrait of English estates, gardens and the countryside. Ms. Deering captures the Regency period costumes beautifully with her pen, and you can just see each one of them in your mind's eye. This is my fourth visit to England with the Fartherings. Drew fancies himself an amateur sleuth and has been instrumental in helping the local police inspector solve several cases. There are several major and minor characters in DRESSED FOR DEATH, and each plays a role in bringing the plot to a climax. Old characters are returned and new characters are born to create a charming story in this Drew Farthering Mystery series. Inspirational thoughts are woven throughout the pages, echoing scripture. Do not miss any of these very unique stories from Ms. Deering.

Book Summary

A Regency-Era Costume Party Should Have Been an Amusing Diversion, But it Seems Wherever Drew Farthering Goes, Mystery-- and Murder--Are on the Guest List

Drew and Madeline Farthering arrive at a Regency-era house party at Winteroak House, excited to be reunited with old friends, including Drew's former Oxford classmate Talbot Cummins. Tal is there with his fiancée, Alice Henley, and though many present seem worried about the couple, nobody is prepared when Alice dies from an apparent overdose. Tal refuses to believe she'd taken the drugs intentionally, and a dark question arises of whether the death is an accident or murder.

The police have their own information though, and Drew is shocked when they arrest someone he's trusted and admired since his childhood--someone who's been smuggling drugs into the country for years. Stunned by what has happened, Tal begs Drew to get to the bottom of everything, but Drew has never felt more unsettled. Questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, Drew doesn't know whom to trust, and he's not ready for the secrets he's about to uncover--or the danger he'll bring down on everyone he holds dear.

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