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Lord James Harrington Cozy Mysteries by  Lynn Florkiewicz

#1 on Amazon's UK Cozy Mystery List - Congrats, Lynn!

 "Traditional British cozy mysteries, the kind of novels that require a cup of tea
or a glass of sherry, a warm blanket and friend or two with whom to discuss them.
Great reads for Book Clubs"  ~Sandy Penny

About Lynn Florkiewicz:

"My dream of becoming a writer began when I was six or seven years old back in the mid 1960s. My head was always in an adventure book, especially those by Enid Blyton and Malcolm Saville. I’ve never really left the world of mystery and crime. But, work, marriage and folk music took over and, at the time, I didn’t have the discipline to take writing seriously.

After a particularly debilitating illness later in life, I took a writing course and began to have articles and short stories accepted by national magazines and newspapers. I also entered several writing competitions and was pleased to be placed or highly commended in several; this gave me the confidence to up my game and try my hand at writing a novel. 

With the help of a professional editing company, I finished my first full-length novel; a children’s adventure story called The Quest for the Crystal Skulls. That novel came from my love of Native American prophecies and ancient myths and legends. It received some lovely reviews and I’m extremely proud of it.

My love of cosy crime, however, took over. Having read hundreds of cosies over the years, I decided to create my own series and came up with the character of Lord James Harrington, Lord of the Manor and amateur sleuth. 

I write simply for the fun of it and launched the books on Kindle to see how Lord James would be received. The feedback I’ve had, both through reviews and personal emails, has been overwhelming. I’m thrilled that others enjoy Lord Harrington’s adventures as much as I love writing them."

Meet Lord James Harrington and his delightful wife Beth, residents of the tiny village of Cavendish, deep in the heart of West Sussex in England. They adore hosting seasonal events, running their country hotel, keeping the local folklore alive and listening to the latest murder mystery on the wireless. But mysteries don't always remain on the airwaves. ...

Ensemble Cast of Characters:

Cozy mysteries often have repeating characters as they take place in a limited area. 

Lord James Harrington and Lady Beth have converted their country estate into a country hotel called Harrington's. They live closer to town in a scaled down home, which they prefer. They still function as Lord and Lady in Cavendish, and with that comes hosting duties and neighborly interest in local residents, which sometimes leads them into crime solving. It's amazing how much mischief can happen in a small town.

The Village of Cavendish

The Village of Cavendish . Harringtons

Bert Briggs is a Cockney, born in London's East End. He has a dodgy past, and often gets involved in shady deals, but he provides a lot of information and contacts through his criminal connections to help in the crime solving arena. 

Rev. Stephen Merryweather is the local Vicar. He and his wife Anne are best friends with the Harringtons, and are often drawn into the action when Lord James decides to play detective again. 

Detective Chief Inspector George Lane is both a help and a hindrance to Harrington's amateur sleuthing and sometimes interferes with the best laid plans.  

If you're new to this series, I suggest starting with Number 1 and working your way through them all.


Lord James Harrington and the Christmas Mystery - Book 5

by Lynn Florkiewicz

A. Poisonous Christmas - I've been reading this series since the beginning, and I always feel like I've been on vacation, hanging out at Harrington House, eating good food, dancing to nice music and frowning and gasping at the disconcerting murders. These seasonal cozies are a great break from hectic city life. And now we've been invited to Christmas at Harrington House, what's not to like? Taking place in 1958, this installment addresses the ravages and bad memories of the war. It's very complicated and has several strong suspects. Even the innocent look pretty guilty. Can Lord Harrington sort this one out or will he fall prey to the killer?


Lord James Harrington and The Autumn Mystery - Book 4

By Lynn Florkiewicz

A Harvest of Truth
Review by Sandy Penny, Founder of SweetMysteryBooks.com

This is the fourth in the Lord James Harrington cozy series, and the last of the seasonal mysteries. Lynn has done it again, and created a story and a community of people that make you want to pack up and move there. If they just didn't have so many murders in the village. As always, I hate to see these books end. It's like having to go home after a nice vacation. 

I saw on the author's website that she originally intended to write these four and stop, but the response and reviews have been so encouraging that she is now inspired to write some holiday mysteries. I look forward to them. It will be like welcome family members coming for a Christmas visit. 

The story line in this one involves a very standoffish brother and sister who move into town, and their frosty manner may indicate they are hiding from something or someone. Soon after Lord and Lady Harrington and the Vicar and his wife visit them, the man, Christie Cameron, dies in his locked bedroom. A few days laters, the sister is choked to death after attending the local Harvest Festival. An escaped convict is known to be in the area, and is the primary suspect. But many things are not what they seem, and Lord Harrington's intuition prompts him to once again investigate matters, much to the chagrin of the local constable. Layers of lies and hidden truths are revealed as the story gallops along. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one afternoon. Agatha Christie would be proud. And, there are some recipes for the delectably-described food shared in the book.

I love Lynn's writing style, her deft plotting and likeable characters, and I always love a happy ending. I look forward to more from Lynn and give her another Five Star Review. 


Lord James Harrington and the Summer Mystery - Book 3

Like Visiting a Small Town for Summer Holiday

When jewel thieves threaten the town, Lord James Harrington can't resist following the threads, much to the chagrin of the local law enforcement, and this time he involves his wife in the investigation, which I like. It has the flavor of The Thin Man. If you like a leisurely pace and a cozy mystery, a summer holiday could be a good thing.

It always feels like catching up with old friends and hearing the small town news when I read these novels. I like that they are set in the 1950s which allows us to move back to a more trusting and less complicated and less violent time. I think we need that these days when life is hectic and so electronic.

I lived in Taos, NM for a few years, and all the annual events in these stories remind me of that same small town atmosphere. The excitement of community gatherings, the gossipy neighbors, and the friends who are willing to step up to help each other in a pinch. It's sweet and delightful.

*****Five Stars from Sandy Penny, SweetMysteryBooks.blogspot.com


Lord James Harrington and the Spring Mystery - Book 2

My second read in the Lord James Harrington series was even better than the Winter Mystery. The story moved along more smoothly and introduced some interesting new characters while expanding the knowledge of the ensemble cast of friends and neighbors. 

It seems that festivals in Cavendish repeatedly lend themselves to murder. The elderly mystery woman victim in this one has a checkered past that could present all kinds of troubling secrets. Throw in an amnesia victim, and you have several threads to follow. I read this one straight through and enjoyed it like a meal at Harringtons. I highly recommend it. 

*****Five Stars from Sandy Penny, SweetMysteryBooks.blogspot.com


Lord James Harrington & The Winter Mystery - Book 1

Lynn Florkiewicz has created a cozy little village worth traveling to for the friendly people and the wonderful food, but apparently there's something sinister spoiling the festivities at Halloween and Guy Fawkes Day. Lord James Harrington is intent on getting to the bottom of a murder, even though the police say it was just a heart attack and his wife hates his playing detective. Seems like practically everybody in town had it in for the victim, so why should he care? Well, it's his home town, and he's the Lord of the Manor, so it's kind of his duty to get involved.

The plot unfolds at a leisurely pace and gets quite complicated before it all unravels. Small towns always hold a hoard of secrets, and the Village of Cavendish in West Sussex is no exception. A good story well told, mostly around dinner tables among friends. This is a traditional British cozy mystery, the kind of novel that requires a cup of tea or a glass of sherry, a warm blanket and friend or two to discuss it with. 

*****Five stars from Sandy Penny, SweetMysteryBooks.blogspot.com

I can't wait to read more from Lynn.