Miss Aldridge Regrets (A Canary Club Mystery)

This book will leave you wanting to read just 1 more page before bed… only for you to end up an additional 5 chapters in later…Louise does an amazing job introducing the characters without dragging on and on. The book is extremely fast yet steady pace so that the reader can enjoy the journey. The chapters are not too long yet detailed. There are soooooo many twists and turns of this whodunnit. By midbook there are so many motives and possibilities that will prevent you from putting this book down. Buy it, grab a snack, and enjoy the ride! A real thriller.

Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare is told in alternating people, one is an unknown until the end and the other is Lena Aldridge. It is told in two-time frames, one in the current year of 1936 and the other two weeks prior.

In the two weeks prior, Lena is singing at a sleazy club run by Tommy the husband, of her best friend. One night Tommy is killed, and all eyes look toward Lena, see she did not like him, he was a pretty sleazy man and treated her friend horribly by cheating in her.

Lena is mixed race, raised primarily by her father who has recently passed away from tuberculosis. She is offered a role on Broadway, she thinks that this is too good to be true, but she does not want to stick around so the police can pin the murder on her.

The other chapters have Lena on the Queen Mary, headed to New York, she is traveling with Charlie, the man who said he could get her on Broadway.

On the ship she makes the acquaintance of the Abernathy family a very rich and dysfunctional family. When the elderly patriarch, Frances Parker, of the family dies, there is a lot of suspicion as to who did it, because it definitely was murder. Then there is Jack Abernathy who is cheating on his wife with Mr. Parkers caregiver. Jacks' wife, Eliza, rich and pampered but also neglected by her husband. Then there is Carrie, the youngest child of Jack and Eliza. This is a family that has lots of secrets.

When there is another murder, Lena starts to think that she is also in danger. The narrator that at this point the reader is not told who it is, appears to be the murderer, of Tommy and also the murders on ship. Can Lena stay safe and not be accused of the crimes.

Lena also meets Will, a musician on board the ship who performs above and below decks. He is black but Lena who can pass for white end up having a shipboard romance. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and who they are in relationship to others.

I found the mystery on board ship to be interesting, the intrigue and danger you could feel as you read. The ending kind of threw me off a bit, never saw that coming! The reader learns quite a bit of Lena's backstory and who she is and what she inspires to be.

I think that if you enjoy a good shipboard story, you should give this one a try! I give it 4 stars.

I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.

If you are looking for an enjoyable murder mystery, Louise Hare's Miss Alderidge Regrets is just the ticket. I love historical mysteries and to have this novel set in 1939 aboard the luxurious ocean liner the Queen Mary was a huge delight. Expertly penned, endearing characters, a sexy heroine jazz singer that reminded me of Lena Horne, and a creative plot that kept me riveted and guessing until the last few pages. This is book One in the Canary Club series and I am eagerly awaiting the next book that should arrive any day now. 4 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a wonderfully fast paced mystery that is set on the high seas voyage between London and New York. Where anything can happen if you are lucky enough. Lena has been feeling a bit low and down on her luck lately. Her father Alfie, who was her everything has just passed from tuberculosis. She is working for her best friend Maggie's husband, who owns a basement bar. Where sticky floors are the best thing going for it. She wonders if she should continue singing or try a new gig. All of these thoughts and emotions are swirling around her mind when her boss dies right before her eyes while she is onstage. Was it a heart attack, or was he involved in something he should not have been? Before the truth comes out Charlie Bacon approaches her and says he has a job of a lifetime waiting for her in NYC, a Broadway show no less. Lena jumps at the chance and boards the Queen Mary to her new destiny.

What Lena encounters is anything but what she imagined. Her and Charlie begin dining with a wealthy family who are shrouded in mystery and drama. When Lena finds herself becoming entangled and bodies begin to pile up around her. She is left to her own devices to discover who is behind all of this madness. Louise Hare does an amazing job of having a cast full of characters who all have their own mysteries and issues. Which left my mind spinning and constantly changing who was responsible. I was left with my mouth hanging open when the killer finally reveals themselves.

This is a fun read, given its content. I enjoyed stepping back to 1936, when ocean travel was a delight and all of the wealthy took part. The contrasts between the rich and the poor are extremely vivid. Lena struggling to fit in not only with the first-class passengers, but with her own race and identity. Being of mixed race and the ability to pass off as either has left Lena in limbo. Not really fitting in on either side and leaving her to question her own identity. Thank you to Louise Hare, Berkley Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this head spinning mystery.