Review - - Murder at Donwell Abbey

Murder at Donwell Abbey

by Vanessa Kelly

Emma Knightley Mysteries - Book 2

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: November 25, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Emma’s spirits are elevated after she and husband George Knightley host a joyful holiday celebration at the Hartfield estate. But it’s instantly a bitter January when her father makes an unexpected announcement—he and Miss Hetty Bates have decided to marry. Not only must Emma relinquish her role as mistress of the household, but also accept the reality that the excitable Miss Bates will become her stepmother . . .

More unwanted news arrives during an extravagant betrothal ball at Donwell Abbey, the grand Knightley estate where Emma and George will soon permanently reside. Nearly every villager in Highbury revels in the dazzling affair—except Emma’s hardworking lady’s maid, Prudence Parr. To Emma’s horror, Prudence is found dead, sprawled across the stones of the library terrace . . .

The woman’s tragic fall is quickly ruled a terrible accident and whispers circulate around personal troubles leading up to her untimely demise. But Emma’s instincts tell her that something far more sinister is at play. Now, Highbury’s matchmaker-turned-sleuth vows to outwit a cunning criminal before an innocent man loses his freedom—or Donwell Abbey plunges into a darker mystery . . .

PJ's Thoughts:

Have you discovered Vanessa Kelly's Emma Knightley Mysteries yet? I have to say, I'm thoroughly enjoying this new direction in which Kelly has taken her writing. 

In this second book in the series, we return to Highbury with another murder mystery that captures our amateur sleuth Emma's attention. Not only is Emma's personal life turned upside down with her father's surprising engagement announcement to Miss Hetty Bates but it's thrown into total chaos with a death (is it an unfortunate accident or something more sinister?) at the betrothal ball hosted by Emma and her husband. Will Emma figure things out before she finds herself in the villain's sights? Will the local constable muck it up? And what about the spinster, soon to be Emma's stepmother, Miss Bates? Will she turn out to be a complication or a delightfully unexpected ally?

There are so many things I enjoyed about this book. Set in a cozy, English village with intriguing characters, a tightly crafted mystery, charm, humor, witty dialogue, an indulgent, protective husband, and twists and turns that kept me guessing right up until the action-packed reveal, it kept me happily turning pages from beginning to end. And bonus, I didn't figure out the final twist! 

If any of these are your reading jam, I recommend picking up a copy of Murder at Donwell Abbey as well as book one in the series, Murder in Highbury. I'm already excited to discover what sort of tangle Emma will get herself in the middle of next.