Title:	A Man of Some Repute
	Author:	Elizabeth Edmondson
	Published:	2015, Thomas and Mercer
	No. of Pages:	293
	Cover Price:	$15.95 Paperback, $4.99 Kindle

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A Man of Some Repute is the first book in the “A Very English Mystery” series by Elizabeth Edmondson. Hugo Hawksworth, who was injured while on a special and secret assignment undercover, has been relegated to a desk job, and, since the war ended, housing is scarce and his new boss makes arrangements for him and his sister, Georgia, to stay in Selchester Castle, in the small English town of Selchester. The Earl of Selchester disappeared seven years prior on the night he had invited several guests for dinner, and it is believed by town residents that he was lost in a snowstorm. His body has never been found, until now, that is, and although there are only bones remaining, it is evident that he was murdered.

Edmondson’s characters and settings in this book are a cross between a British television comedy and a modern day Jane Austen. The mystery and suspense are there, but it doesn’t include graphic violence or language. It’s set in the 1950s, and Edmondson has obviously thoroughly researched the time period, because not only do the events in the story ring true, but also the style is indicative of the way books were written during that time period. Another fun plus is that Edmondson uses words that were used in that time period, but aren’t used now. It’s a great way to expand vocabularies. There is an advantage to reading this novel on a kindle, since tapping on the word will bring up the definition, and it was necessary numerous times through the story.

The story is charming; the characters are likeable – most, that is, by design – and there are twists, turns, surprises, and an unexpected ending. The novel is a quick, easy read and will appeal to anyone who prefers novels that are upbeat, albeit the fact that there is murder, plotting, deceit, and incompetent law enforcement.

The bottom line is: Fun! Fun! Fun! Readers will be scrambling to start the next book of the series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This book may be purchased at Amazon:
A Man of Some Repute (A Very English Mystery), paperback
A Man of Some Repute (A Very English Mystery Book 1), Kindle