Inherited mansion to die for in cosy mystery debut
Non-fiction author and former academic Brandy Schillace breaks into novel writing with The Framed Women of Ardemore House, a cosy mystery which draws heavily on Gothic and Victorian literature.
There are a number of crime and mystery novels, series and films which feature neurodivergence as a possible advantage in solving mysteries: Stephen King has Holly Gibney, first featured in the Mr. Mercedes series, the reimagined Sherlock Holmes played by Benedict Cumberbatch and the soon-to-be-rebooted Monk, played by Tony Shalhoub. Schillace notes in her author bio that she is autistic and with her first novel she adds her own character to the pack of neurodivergent detectives.
Jo Jones is in the midst of a messy divorce and has just suffered the loss of her mother. Her neurodivergence served her well in her job as a book editor, but it has made her off-putting to some, including her ex-husband. She is shocked to learn that she not only had family in England, but that she has inherited a mansion and large estate in the English countryside. With the divorce leaving her life in New York a shambles, Jo opts to leave everything behind and try for a fresh start in the U.K.
The Framed Women of Ardemore House
Upon arrival, the situation is less than promising. The mansion she has inherited, Ardemore House, is a dilapidated near-ruin with little value, not to mention the back taxes owed to the British government. Additionally, the caretaker of the property, Sid Randles, is reluctant to give up his post.
The day after her arrival, Jo discovers Sid’s body, shot in the back in the little cottage on the property beside the main house. The bizarre circumstances of her arrival, coupled with the fact that she is awkward in her interactions with the locals, make Jo the prime suspect.
Jo tends to experience a lot through the lens of literature. She is hyperlexic and can remember huge sections of writing word for word. This allows Schillace an organic way to insert literary references from classics such as Jane Eyre, Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and other staples of Gothic literature. The basic premise is drawn straight out of a standard list of Gothic trappings: inheriting a strange and spooky old house, a mysterious woman, a buried family history, a murder.
In fact, the many conventions hint at a darker undertone than actually appears. The Framed Women of Ardemore House is indeed a cosy mystery — the Gothic elements keep the reader invested in possible risks, even if the narrative never quite dips into the darker territory being hinted at.
As is the case in many mystery series, The Framed Women of Ardemore House walks a tightrope between creating a self-contained story while also allowing enough loose ends for the series to continue. The murder plot is well constructed and has enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing, though the plot does effectively split into two main branches. While Jo does indeed begin by looking into the murder, she is drawn in a different direction that ultimately leads her away from the death of Sid Randles — but that certainly lays the groundwork for her to continue into several more novels. Which is not to say either thread is unsatisfying — both Sid Randles’ murder and Jo’s investigation into her family and Ardemore House are engaging mysteries in and of themselves, and there is plenty for readers to enjoy.
The Framed Women of Ardemore House is a promising first entry for any mystery fans looking to get hooked into a what will surely be a new series of cosy detective stories inflected with notes of classic literature. The continuing adventures of Jo Jones hold real promise.
Keith Cadieux is a Winnipeg writer and editor. Most recently he co-edited the horror anthology What Draws Us Near, published by Little Ghosts Books.
