Agony in Amethyst may be author Alison Stuart's best entry in her Harriet Gordon historical cozy mystery series. I am hard pressed to determine where it stands against Singapore Sapphire, the first installment of the series. I found it a particularly intellectual read. I had to read each chapter carefully in order to catch all of the clues.
I loved this novel! The past of the new foreign secretary Sir Henry Cunningham is the basis for the three deaths that occur in the story. The first death is the murder of sixteen-year-old Amelia Hardcastle while at a ball celebrating the coronation of King George and the arrival of the Cunninghams. Amelia was thrown off of a balcony while wearing a beautiful amethyst colored dress and it was initially thought to be either a suicide or an accident. However, the position of the body doesn't show suicide. Her autopsy shows injuries to her head which happened before she fell. Sir Henry dies in his sleep a few days later. Again, the position of his body shows he probably was killed and poison becomes the leading reason for his death. Then Lady Cunningham's maid is killed.
If you haven't read this book yet I highly recommend it.
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