Bodies and battlements

The Asquiths--descendants of the family that founded Yorkshire's Ravensea Castle in 1138--have decided to transform their ancestral home into a small hotel. Lethal complications ensue. After overcoming bureaucratic hurdles and securing permission over the objections of meddlesome neighbor Hilda Dibble, the hotel opens amid heightened tensions, all narrated by herbalist Nora Asquith. Nora's father serves as the official historian and greeter, while her older sister, gifted actress Tamsyn, joins the team to assist. Her brother, Will, endeavoring to establish his mead-making business, comps the stay of Lorna and Gavin Cargill, who own a string of wine shops. The guest list also includes the charming birdwatcher Brian Taylor and the equally alluring Finlay Cole, accompanied by Lady, his French bulldog. The initial stages of the hotel's operation are tranquil enough, until Nora's early-morning foray into the garden reveals a gruesome discovery: Hilda Dibble's lifeless body. Finlay promptly assumes control, announcing that he's a detective inspector newly assigned to the area and staying at the castle until his rental is ready. Ironically, Hilda's demise may inadvertently fulfill her aspirations of scuppering the hotel. The case becomes intricately woven, involving a possible murder that was previously dismissed as an accident. A friend of the Cargills offers to purchase the castle and incorporate it into his hotel chain. Rumors of smuggling and other illicit activities persist, and the sisters stumble upon cases of wine concealed in a sea cave. As potential suspects, the Asquiths employ every resource, even the castle ghost, to unravel the mystery. Nobody is entirely what they seem in this series kickoff, leaving plenty of scope to suss out the killer. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.