Fiction Review: The Tomb of the Honey Bee

The Tomb of the Honey Bee: A Posie Parker Mystery, by L. B. Hathaway is the second book in this series. Posie Parker is a detective who lives in London in the 1920s. Lady Violet hires Posie to find her brother, Alaric.

First, Posie goes to Boynton Hall to meet the family. What a nasty bunch of people! It’s obvious that husbands, wives, brothers, and sisters don’t get along, and the atmosphere is absolutely evil. So, Posie leaves as soon as she can—after a writer is murdered in the house. She stays in touch with Scotland Yard, and continues her search for Alaric.

It leads her to France, where she’s in for a surprise, and then to Sicily. She knows someone is following her, but she’s not sure who it is. She's successful in finding Alaric in Sicily, but she tries to keep it a secret while she unravels the rest of the mystery.

Before she knows it, she and Alaric flee danger and go to Egypt, where an amazing archeological find is made in the Valley of the Kings. Disaster and death follow, and Posie finds a clue that leads her back home to London and to Stowe in the Cotswolds to solve the mystery.

There’s more to the story, of course. What does the coin with the honeybee mean? Why did Alaric leave his home? Where is his sanctuary, and why does he need to go to Egypt? What is the golden find? And, who murdered Ianthe and the archaeologist? Most important, why is the murderer trying to kill Alaric?

L. B. Hathaway is an authentic Englishwoman who writes wonderful period drama. I love the British speech, references to places I’ve actually visited, and the distinctly British feel to her books. Even though this novel takes place in varying points on the globe, the reader feels rooted in England and British customs. I also love her book covers, fittingly illustrated in Art Deco style.

I am not sure this is considered a “Christian book,” but it's absolutely clean. There are no ugly words, no sexual innuendo, and no negative moral tone. It's perfectly suitable for teens and adults.

It’s a delightful read, and I can assure you I’ll be reading more of Mrs. Hathaway’s books. (In fact, I already have several lined up on my Kindle!)