Death at Villa De Lacey

 Death at Villa De Lacey

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       January 20, 2026

 

Author  Aviva Orr

Distributor:      Amazon
ISBN:                 979-8278535997
Publisher:         Dragonblade Publishing
Release Date:   January 2026  

   Website:   https://www.amazon.com/Death-Villa-Lacey-Historical-Mysteries

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Aviva Orr brings a new series of Murder Mysteries to life in Death at Villa De Lacy set in 1820, with Bridget De Lacy and Nate Squires, two young people at odds with the pathway they are forced to travel in life, as they realise that together than can save themselves but divided is a pathway to disaster.

Bridget is in shock at the news her beloved father is dead at his own hand, Nate is being told by his brother the Earl of Westerly, that he is to be sent to the Lakes District to change is philandering and gambling lifestyle or be cut off from his allowance.

As Nate reaches his destination on a wet and foul night, Bridget and her Aunt are plunged into despair as they realise the enormity of what her father’s death means to them. Nate is the epitome of their worst imagination; he is none too happy to find them in residence!

Where to from here is the question. It is not long before Bridget comes up with a possible solution to their problems, but can she convince Nate this is a good, if not great idea.

William Wadsworth has just released ‘A Guide through the District of the Lakes in the North of England’ which has seen the Ton in London desperate to travel to the Lakes District extolled by Wadsworth, which to Bridget is an opportunity to open the charming Villa De Lacy as an exclusive Inn designed to appeal to the elite of Society.

Despite some early set backs they work tirelessly to get the Villa ready to open, which does not go as planned. When one of the guests is found dead at the bottom of the grand staircase, Bridget and Nate realise it is up to them to discover who did it and why as the Local Magistrate has decided it was death by misadventure. But was it!

Can they succeed or will this be the end of their plans to begin again in a different life, despite those who would see them both fail, as it would seem there is a murderer amongst the guests, who is hiding in plain sight.

Death at Villa De Lacy is a most entertaining read and a great beginning to a new series with a very different twist.

Fiction, General, Historical, Mystery