After a long tedious slog, I finished the series of Pennyfoots that I have purchased. Kingsbury writes drivel. There is no complexity to it. There is no historical context or feel to it. You can pick up all you need from two hours of BBC America and you will know as much as the author seems to give you.

I have pointed out before how a large estate transformed into a turn of the last century hotel, would not be run like a modern hotel. All of sudden now there are rooms for more than 50 guests. Our heroine and her dead discarded husband must have had a great deal of money indeed to buy one of the largest homes in all of england.

Houses just weren't built like hotels are now. But the writer has no concept. Again with staffing, trying to make it a plot device. There are always enough staff for the ever large amount of guests. We find there is a Bartender, who we have never seen. Then the stableman is also the man who is the groomsman always on errands for the boss. Well what if a guest wants to ride, who saddles their horse?

When the old maid shows up looking for her job, (married to a farmer, I am so sure that they will be able to maintain the same hours) it is used as a plot device and takes days and many chapters to resolve.

For everything has to fit into Kingsbury 20 chapter, 12 pages to each, formula. Whether it makes sense or not. Whether there is anything to say or not. Whether we have another large group of pages of the dancing girls arguing over nothing or not, or the drunk Colonel with the one clue the heroine needs everytime.

I wasted my money. I've recouped what I could be reading the trash. I hope I can save you from wasting yours. ( )

This book, set during St. Bartholomew's Week in Edwardian England is a fast moving little story. Cecily and her hotel are very busy with celebration preparations, and the hotel is full of guests when strange murders happen. That combined with the theft of a priceless chalice have Cecily working overtime with her ex-manager Baxter trying to get things sorted. These little books are enjoyable cozies with wonderful and warm characters. I enjoy each one. ( )