Death at Villa De Lacey
(2026)(The first book in the Lake District Murders series)
A novel by Aviva Orr
An idyllic inn on the shores of Lake Windermere turns deadly…
When Bridget De Lacey’s distraught father takes his own life after losing his estate in a card game, Bridget and her aunt are faced with the prospect of being forced out of their beloved home. That is until the clever and sprightly Bridget convinces the new owner to transform Villa De Lacey into an exclusive inn for the wealthy, who have been flocking to the Lake District since the publication of Wordsworth's sensational guidebook to the lakes.
Nate Squires, the wayward second son of an earl, finds himself banished from London after he refuses to do his brother’s bidding. Arriving in the Lake District, Nate’s only goal is to outwit his brother and return to London. And when he meets the beautiful and bright Bridget De Lacey, she provides him with the perfect solution to his troubles—‘to bring London to the Lake District.’
Together they turn Bridget's ancestral home, which sits on the shores of Lake Windermere, into an exclusive inn. All goes well until the first guests arrive, and murder and mayhem quickly follow. Secrets and lies abound, and everyone becomes a suspect. If Nate and Bridget want to save their inn, they must turn to sleuthing and solve an impossible puzzle.
Tropes you'll love:
When Bridget De Lacey’s distraught father takes his own life after losing his estate in a card game, Bridget and her aunt are faced with the prospect of being forced out of their beloved home. That is until the clever and sprightly Bridget convinces the new owner to transform Villa De Lacey into an exclusive inn for the wealthy, who have been flocking to the Lake District since the publication of Wordsworth's sensational guidebook to the lakes.
Nate Squires, the wayward second son of an earl, finds himself banished from London after he refuses to do his brother’s bidding. Arriving in the Lake District, Nate’s only goal is to outwit his brother and return to London. And when he meets the beautiful and bright Bridget De Lacey, she provides him with the perfect solution to his troubles—‘to bring London to the Lake District.’
Together they turn Bridget's ancestral home, which sits on the shores of Lake Windermere, into an exclusive inn. All goes well until the first guests arrive, and murder and mayhem quickly follow. Secrets and lies abound, and everyone becomes a suspect. If Nate and Bridget want to save their inn, they must turn to sleuthing and solve an impossible puzzle.
Tropes you'll love:
- Strangers to partners
Opposites attract
Reluctant allies-to-lovers
Slow burn romance
Amateur sleuths
Secrets and lies among the guests
High-society scandal
Regency/Georgian Lake District setting
Country estate turned business
Financial ruin / estate lost in a card game
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The Lake District Murders Series
Book 1 - Death at Villa De Lacey
Book 2 - Death Amongst the Daffodils
Book 3 - Death of a Nobleman
Genre: Historical Romance