Title:	Murder at Chateau sur Mer
	Author:	Alyssa Maxwell
	Published:	July 25, 2017, Kensington Books
	No. of Pages:	205
	Cover Price:	$11.89 Paperback $9.99 Kindle

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One of the best things about historical novels is that even though they are fiction, and the characters are fictional, the good authors have done their research and readers learn factual information about the time. Alyssa Maxwell is one such author that has done her research, and her Gilded Newport Mysteries are excellent. Murder at Chateau sur Mer is the fifth installment in the series. Emma Cross, a poor relative to the Vanderbilts, a powerful society family in Newport, is a reporter for a newspaper and is covering a polo match. At the match, a woman, Lilah Buford, who is a prostitute, tries to force her way in to speak to Senator Wetmore’s wife. She is thrown out, and later that evening is found dead at the bottom of the staircase in the Wetmore’s home. Emma investigates, along with her friend, Detective Jesse Whyte and Derrick Andrews, Emma’s previous love interest, always with societal rules in mind.

Maxwell has a knack for creating an environment in her novels where readers feel they are living in the time and place of the novel. She does an excellent job of developing the characters, and they are believable and seem like real people. The historical aspects of the novel ring true, and there are scenarios that help build suspense. Emma is a likeable protagonist, is perfect for the time period.

All told, this cozy is a good, fast read. It has no sex, profanity, or blatant violence, so it is a good novel for all ages. This is an excellent series, and this novel is also excellent.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.