The Bath Conspiracy

May 1, 2019
American Dorothy Martin, now living in England with her husband, Alan, have been invited to a traditional baptism for the son of a childhood friend of Alan's. After a long drive through the English countryside, they arrive at Montcalm manor, only to find a family heirloom has been stolen. Without the heirloom, the baby cannot be baptized or be in position to inherit. Luckily for the Montcalm family, Dorothy and Alan planned to remain for the christening, and so are able to lend their inquisitive natures to uncovering the culprit. Anglophiles and history buffs alike will enjoy the cozy mystery merged with travelogue details. The strong sense of place, of both the quaint English countryside and frenetic urban London, is enriched by Dams' descriptions of the somewhat archaic English traditions paramount to the plot. The leisurely pacing of the novel is perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen and Alexander McCall Smith.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2021
Not a lot of mystery series run into the double digits without losing at least a little steam. Fewer still rack up more than 20 installments. This is the twenty-fourth Dorothy Martin mystery, and it's as fresh and satisfying as the earliest books in the series. Dorothy, the retired American schoolteacher and amateur sleuth, is on vacation in Bath, England, with her husband, Alan Nesbit, a retired police officer. Bath is an ancient city, and Dorothy is looking forward to exploring its rich history. In addition to history, she gets mystery: Who put an assortment of objects, stolen from a variety of historical sites, in the trunk of their car? And why? As usual, the book's supporting characters are as interesting and robust as the two series leads (Dams really is a fine character builder), and the story is thoroughly engaging, with plenty of twists and a solid dark streak running through it.

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April 19, 2021
Dams’s pleasant 24th outing for retired American schoolteacher Dorothy Martin (after 2020’s Death Comes to Durham) takes Dorothy and her British husband, Alan Nesbit, a retired police officer, from their home in Sherebury to Bath as part of her birthday celebration. The couple visit cathedrals, abbeys, museums, Stonehenge, and the Roman baths. At each stop, they hit the gift shop and inventory the geegaws and expensive reproductions of historic artifacts on display. This comes in handy when the police find a box in their car containing an odd assortment of items—from postcards to gold jewelry—stolen from the various gift shops. Fortunately, a friendly police inspector recognizes their innocence and welcomes their assistance in tracking down the real culprit. Dorothy, with her two artificial knees, is often in need of naps and long sit-downs, but is still able to ferret out clues. Readers should be prepared for a slight plot with minimal detection. Anglophiles, especially those like Dorothy and Alan “who are no longer young,” will have fun. Agent: Kimberley Cameron, Kimberley Cameron Assoc.

April 15, 2021
A duo of doughty detectives visit Bath and find yet another mystery to solve. As a birthday treat for American expat Dorothy Martin, her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, splurges on a trip from their home in Sherebury to Bath. The city offers a plethora of things to do, and they thoroughly enjoy themselves on a visit to nearby Stonehenge until they try to put some purchases in the boot of their car only to find it filled with boxes that aren't theirs. A security guard notices a chunk of bluestone and immediately calls Inspector Cedric Roberts, who soon satisfies himself that the couple isn't trying to steal a hunk of Stonehenge. When the police go through the contents of the boxes, it turns out to be "the oddest assortment of riches and rubbish": mostly souvenirs from museum shops but a few more valuable things, including one of Jane Austen's gloves. Dorothy spends a lot of time on her trip indulging her penchant for museum gift shops, where she meets Sammy, a friendly young man with Down syndrome, who works part time at the Jane Austen Center and a number of other places, and she becomes concerned that he may be set up as a scapegoat by the real thief. It's obvious to the police that something fishy is going on at the hotel's valet parking lot but much less obvious who put the items in the boot or later tried to pry it open while attempting to retrieve them. Once the stakes are raised by more thefts and physical attacks, Dorothy and Alan team up with the inspector, but it's Sammy who helps solve the crimes. Another travelogue more notable for its charming protagonists and historical detail than any great mystery.

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