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Alice Chetwynd Ley
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A Reputation Dies: A thrilling combination of detective fiction and romance (The Rutherford Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Alice Chetwynd Ley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 491 ratings
A heart-stopping blend of mystery and romance! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.

When his friend is accused of murder, scholar Justin Rutherford vows to solve the deadly puzzle…

London, 1816

At a fashionable London ball, the unpopular but entertaining Society gossip Marmaduke Yarnton is found dead in the cloakroom — strangled with his own cravat.

Having argued with him shortly before, Lord Velmond finds himself the prime murder suspect.

Determined to clear his name, Velmond’s scholarly friend Justin Rutherford teams up with his niece, Anthea, and the Bow Street police to find the murderer.

But Justin soon finds that everyone has something to hide – even Velmond’s seemingly virtuous new wife, Lucy.

And as he delves deeper into the mystery, Justin uncovers a web of deceit, buried scandals and blackmail…

A REPUTATION DIES is the first book in The Rutherford Trilogy, an intriguing set of historical romance murder mysteries set in Georgian England.

THE RUTHERFORD TRILOGY SERIES:
Book One: A Reputation Dies
Book Two: A Fatal Assignation
Book Three: Masquerade of Vengeance
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    The Rutherford Trilogy
  2. Print length
    150 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 3, 2019
  6. File size
    3.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07YQ8RRRS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 3, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 150 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913335724
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ The Rutherford Trilogy
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 491 ratings

About the author

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Alice Chetwynd Ley

Alice Chetwynd Ley

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
491 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • JNH
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and easy to read historical fiction mystery.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2019
    While the solution to the mystery was fairly easy to work out, that did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. A very likable main character and several interesting side characters have left me looking forward to reading the two other books in the series.

    On a side note, despite what the cover and book description says, this is not a romance novel at all.
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  • sarah kellum
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This was a new author to me but I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to start the next one.
    A scholar who agrees to help the Bow Street Runners. I think one of the things I enjoyed most was the majority of characters were very intelligent and it was so refreshing.
    You are given many blind alley's to keep you guessing and then it all comes together at the end.
    Very well written and I highly recommend it to you.
    One person found this helpful
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  • alicyn
    4.0 out of 5 stars A surprise for me!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I was totally unobservant, and expected this to be a regency romance like all the other Alice Chetwyn Lee novels I’d read. Not so! Instead it is a mystery regency detective novel. Quite well done, and I’m glad I tricked myself into reading it (vainly looking for the first few chapters to find the romance). So I received a break from relentless romance that I would never have sought, but still got my sustaining dose of regency.
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  • marianne gillmore
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Well written.
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  • eyes.2c
    4.0 out of 5 stars Charming Regency whodunit!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2019
    I've read quite a few of Chetwynd Ley's works in the past, so when the chance came to revisit her writings, I took it and wasn't disappointed.
    A spiteful ton member, Mr Marmaduke Yarnton , of the mellifluous voice (I love that!), who holds his place with gossip, innuendo and malicious hints, has, it seems has finally gone too far. He is found strangled at the fashionable Lady Windlesham's soirée. Admittedly, the Lady wanted her event to be of note, but not quite in this tenor.
    The thing is just before he is found dead, the newlywed Lord Velmond had taken exception to some of Yarnton's baiting and threatened him. Ergo, Velmond is suspect no. 1.
    A chance meeting with his friend Justin Rutherford has Velmond requesting his assistance to help clear his name.
    The Honorable Justin is rather an interesting character. I do like his humor and his self deprecating manner. He's just so very British. As his godmother, Lady Quainton describes him, he's a scholar who "every now and then feels an urge to take himself out of his books and plunge into some adventure or other ... he acted as an intelligence officer for Wellington during the Peninsular campaign ... [and seems to suffer] from a consuming curiosity which now and then breaks out in unexpected directions."
    Justin undertakes to see what he can discover for Velmond, helped of by the irrepressible niece Anthea, his godmother Lady Quainton, and as it turns out his contacts with the Bow Street Runners.
    What Justin uncovers is so much more than expected, and that ripple keeps enlarging.
    First published in 1984, this ebook edition brings a well loved author's works back into the spotlight. I quite enjoyed Richard Ley's Afterward where he talks about his "mum" the writer (1913-2004).
    A rather elegant and clean period mystery with two delightful leading characters. There's currently no romance that I could detect but who knows what the future holds?

    A Sapere Books ARC via NetGalley
    (Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Alison10
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Murder Mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The advent of e-books has enabled us to access authors who have been long out of print, but who are well worth reading. Ms Chetwynd Ley is one of these authors. Being of an older generation, there are no grammatical errors, and on top of that she write fluently and clearly. We are also not jerked back into reality by words and phrases more suited to America than to the early 19th century England.

    I enjoyed this book very much. The hero is a quiet but charming young aristocrat who spends most of his time delving into classics and travelling in Europe. He loves to solve puzzles, and is delighted to have the opportunity to undertake an investigation into the death of a gossiping gentleman (who appears to have hinted that one of a group of noblemen at a 'ton' party has been guilty of an offence) since it is a delicate matter interviewing these gentlemen. With the help of a Bow Street Runner and his lively young niece, he unpicks the scandals and works out the complicated events.

    There are two other books in this 'Rutherford' series, and I look forward to meeting up with Justin Rutherford again.
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  • Dallass
    2.0 out of 5 stars Just not my cup of tea
    Reviewed in Australia on November 18, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Although the premise sounded interesting- and it would have to as I bought this - it failed to live up to expectation. I found the characters rather dull, and quite interchangeable, with the exception of Justin Rutherford, and his niece, Anthea.

    Of the murder mystery, it was okay. Nothing truly attention grabbing, but not the worst plot. I think if the characters were more distinct the plot would have benefited.

    Will I go on to the second book in the trilogy? Eh, probably not (unless it ends up as a freebie).

    2 stars ⭐️
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  • KAC
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good mystery book
    Reviewed in Canada on March 18, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great book to read. You are introduced to the main character and the rest of her community. Mystery follows and there is a problem to solve.
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  • Carol
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    As tangled and convoluted as an Agatha Christie novel. I kept chopping and changing my decision on who the culprit was. Superb reading. Lost a star as it is very light on the romance. Indeed, so light as to be not there! Still...it’s a great story and I highly recommend it.
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  • tighe53
    4.0 out of 5 stars A well placed regency who dunnit
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This was a very nicely written detective story, a bit like the lavender mysteries. Nothing too gory but interesting and absorbing.
    The period detail appears well researched and placed without any of the usual virginal romance that a lot of Regency novels has.
    Recommended as a fun, light read.
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