Book Review: Murder by Syllabub by Kathleen Delaney

Teaser Tuesdays  is hosted by MizB; choose sentences from your current read and identify author and title for readers

Title: Murder By Syllabub: An Ellen McKenzie Mystery by Kathleen Delaney
Published July 1, 2013; Camel Press
Genre: cozy mystery

I found out that syllabub has nothing to do with education and lesson plans (as in syllabus) but is an old fashioned British dessert, made with cream, sugar, white wine or sherry, and an infusion of lemon. In the case of this mystery murder, poison is administered by means of this sweet dessert.

It's a drink. A sweet dessert drink. The colonials loved it." (p. 45)

Ellen McKenzie and her Aunt Mary travel from California to an old plantation house in Virginia owned by Aunt Mary's friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth thinks the house is haunted by a ghost in colonial costume and feels threatened when a crate falls and narrowly misses her. She is so distraught that Ellen and Aunt Mary fly to console her and to find out what the mystery is. The plot thickens when Elizabeth's stepson is found dead in the house, poisoned by a glass of syllabub.

Those who love colonial history will enjoy the references to that period of time, its costumes, way of life, and food. While the mystery plot is standard fare, the novel is made unique by the setting and the historical research done by the author.

Kathleen Delaney has written four previous Ellen McKenzie Real Estate mysteries, but has never before transported her characters out of California. She visited Colonial Williamsburg several times and Murder by Syllabub came into being. Kathleen lived most of her life in California but now resides in Georgia. You can find her at http://delaney.camelpress.com

For more reviews of Murder by Syllabub, visit the tour schedule at Partners in Crime Tours.
Thanks to Partners in Crime Tours and the author/publisher for a review copy of this book.