A Fatal Footnote

A Fatal Footnote by Margaret Loudon has Penelope Parish attending the wedding of American author Charlotte Davenport and Arthur Worthington, the Duke of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. It is a lavish weekend that ends with a bang when Cissie Emmoth, the Duke’s former girlfriend, is found dead just as the fireworks are about to begin. Charlotte asks Penelope to investigate when her new husband becomes the prime suspect. Penelope asks questions, observes, obtains local gossip, and digs up clues in her quest for the truth. A Fatal Footnote is the 2nd book in The Open Book Mystery series. I recommend reading this series in order. I have not had the opportunity to indulge in Murder in the Margins, and I felt it when I started A Fatal Footnote. There are some entertaining, quirky characters in this series. They go with the quaint town of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. The author captured the setting with her vivid descriptions. The whodunit has a variety of suspects along with misdirection. I enjoyed solving this fun mystery. I liked that it was a lively mystery and that Detective Maguire got one up on the stoic Met detective. I would have preferred a better wrap up because at the end of A Fatal Footnote, I was left with a couple of unanswered questions. When not writing or investigating, Penelope must deal with her sister who arrived unexpectedly. Beryl King is going through a rough time and needed to escape. Penelope is a little surprised (and dismayed) Beryl chose to visit her since they are not close sisters. A Fatal Footnote is a cute cozy mystery an American romance author, an anxious sister, a desperate duchess, a riot of rumors, and tons of tea.