Phoebe Renshaw first appeared in Murder Most Malicious and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Phoebe.

What is your name?
Greetings, I’m Phoebe Renshaw

How old are you?
I’m twenty-one, but I assure you, what I lack in chronological age I more than make up for in experience – which has been harrowing at times. Just ask my lady’s maid, Eva Huntford. I believe there have been times when she has despaired of me surviving to see my twenty-second year. But between the two of us, things always come out all right in the end.

What is your profession?
I don’t have one, actually. You see, I’m the granddaughter of the Earl and Countess of Wroxly, and as such I’m neither expected nor encouraged to seek employment in a traditional way—not to mention that since the Great War ended, women in general are being pressured to leave their positions, so vital to the economy during the war years, and return to their homes (I say pish to that!). What I am expected to do is marry well, meaning latching on to a rich man who can help keep our ancestral estate, Foxwood Hall, afloat in these changing and financially uncertain times. I do, however, involve myself in philanthropy, as do many women in my position, and currently I head up an organization here in the Cotswolds for The Relief and Comfort of Veterans and their Families, or the RCVF, if you will. It keeps me busy, does a great deal of good, and has its rewards. But I admit to wanting more. It would shock my grandmother, but I’d like to attend university and study something, perhaps law, that will allow me to become a useful member of our society and continue to help others.

Do you have a significant other?
That’s rather personal, don’t you think? But all right, yes, I do. But I’ll thank you not to go telling tales to the scandal sheets!

What is his name and profession?
His name is Owen Seabright and he is a textile manufacturer. His mills supplied blankets and uniforms during the Great War, while he himself served on the Continent. He quite distinguished himself and managed to emerge from the fighting relatively unscathed. He was lucky. These days he’s dealing with labor unions and trying to fairly meet the demands of his workers while keeping his mills up and running. Owen is also his father’s heir, a circumstance that came about when his elder brother died on a battlefield in France. But he’s not your typical aristocrat. True, he wears his confidence like an expertly-tailored suit, but of all the young noblemen I have ever met, he alone derives his self-worth from his accomplishments—his mills, his service in the war—rather than his family’s pedigree.

Any children?
Goodness no! I love children, but Owen and I aren’t married. I’m not ready to settle down yet, and I’m certainly not ready to become a mother.

Do you have any siblings?
I do indeed. I have a delightful younger sister, Amelia, who is an angel and loved by everyone. My youngest sibling is Fletcher, whom we all call Fox after our father’s title, Viscount Foxwood. Let me tell you, life with Fox can be trying at best and a cause to tear out one’s hair at worst. True, he’s finally showing signs of growing up, but until quite lately he’s been trouble personified: eavesdropping, taunting his sisters, and insisting we all hurry up and marry so he won’t have to worry about supporting us when he inherits the estate. And then there is my eldest sister, Julia. She’s the beautiful one, popular, admired, and sought after. We used to get on splendidly, but after Papa died, Julia changed. She retreated into herself and erected walls of ice around her, at least where I’m concerned. Some days we can barely look at each other without squabbling. But I keep trying. She’s my sister, after all.

Do your parents live near you?
Both my parents are deceased, Mama when I was quite young, and Papa during the war.

Who is your best friend?
Without hesitation I consider my best friend to be my lady’s maid, Eva. Though convention dictates we maintain distance between us, I say pooh to that. It was hard at first for Eva merely to sit down in my presence, but working together to bring murderers to justice has broken down the barriers and shown us both how very alike people are, no matter their wealth or circumstances. Eva knows me better than anyone and I trust her with my very life.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
Dear me. Before the war we had horses and dogs aplenty at Foxwood Hall. They’re all gone now, given to the military to serve in the war. In the early days, many of our soldiers were mounted and horses were needed for the troops. Dogs were also in high demand in the foxholes to carry messages from one command center to another. It broke our hearts to let them go, but how could we not support the war effort? And though the war has been over these two years, darling Grampapa simply hasn’t the heart to bring new dogs to Foxwood Hall. Perhaps, in time . . .

What town do you live in?
I live in the village of Little Barlow, Gloucestershire, England.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
Foxwood Hall is a grand estate, on many acres that comprise gardens, tracts of forest, and farmland. It’s been in our family for many generations, but now that agricultural prices have dropped, many of the ancestral estates no longer produce enough income to keep themselves afloat. Though we continue to live relatively well, the extravagance of the pre-war years has ended, and the future of Foxwood Hall, and our family’s ownership of it, has come under question. Though I sympathize with my grandparents and others like them, I can envision much more useful purposes for houses like Foxwood Hall—a school perhaps.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Why, the library, of course. The scent of leather wafting from the books, the cozy furnishings, the cheery fireplace. I could spend all day there, happily curled up in one of the wingback chairs poring through favorite old volumes as well as discovering new ones. There are so many books in our library it would take a lifetime to get through them all. Also, this is Grampapa’s favorite room as well, which endears it to me all the more.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Dare I admit that a hearty Shepherd’s Pie followed by a rich, sticky bread pudding are my favorites? Yes, I know, there’s nothing fancy about either, and I’ve dined on the finest French fare imaginable, but simple, traditional English recipes are so satisfying and comforting, especially on chilly winter days.

Favorite hobby?
Sleuthing! But don’t tell Chief Inspector Perkins I said that, or he’ll give me no end of grief for it. He’s forever telling me to mind my own business. Of course, that would be easier if the command wasn’t accompanied by a waft of brandy. Really, the man would do a much better job if he’d occasionally put down the bottle.

Favorite color?
Burgundy. It’s regal yet warm, and the color of my favorite gemstone, garnet.

Favorite author?
Jane Austen. Or maybe Shakespeare. Oh wait–Charlotte Bronte. And there’s a brand new author—perhaps you’ve heard of her? Agatha Christie. I recently read her debut book, a mystery called The Mysterious Affair at Styles. It was wickedly clever and the sleuth, a Belgian detective named Hercule Poirot, is delightfully witty. I’m looking forward to more from Miss Christie!

Favorite vacation spot?
At one time I might have said the Isle of Wight, for the boating, the fresh air, and the breathtaking scenery. But after what happened there last April, when my sister Julia was married . . . well. Let me just say I have no desire to set foot there, especially in Cowes, for some time to come. Perhaps a nice trip to the Cornish coast is in order instead.

Favorite sports team?
Why, the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, of course.

Movies or live theater?
Both! The stage is always exciting, but silent films are so miraculous. Some people say that in time, we’ll be able to hear the actors speak as well, but I don’t know . . . perhaps.

Are you a morning or a night person?
Hmm . . . I’ve never heard of this concept. We at Foxwood hall don’t sleep in unless we’re ill. And we are up late only when the occasion calls for it, such as a ball. Not that we attend many of those these days. Since the war, entertainments have become rather more subdued than previously. I’m glad for that. Balls are simply excuses for ambitious mothers to find spouses for their grown children.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Oh, I’m quite the amateur, and in fact I’ve been threatened a time or two with incarceration for interfering with police business. But if Eva and I didn’t investigate, I shudder to think how justice would not have been served and the wrong people would have suffered for crimes they didn’t commit—including my own sister! Confidentially, our local chief inspector likes his brandy, and as you can well imagine, it tends to affect his judgment.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
As I said, we tend to rise early. Eva typically awakens me with a cup of tea and helps me dress for my day. Then it’s breakfast downstairs with my grandparents and siblings, although with Julia pregnant she often eats in her room in the mornings. Then I like a brisk walk through the gardens. There’s nothing quite like the English countryside, especially here in our beautiful Cotswolds Hills in the early morning when the light slants golden across the hillsides, burning off the silvery fog. I then spend time reviewing requests for assistance from the RCVF, arrange for donations and deliveries, and more recently, I’ve been serving on the board of directors at the Haverleigh School for Young Ladies, where I, my sisters, grandmother, and many other Renshaw women were educated. There was quite a to-do there a year ago last spring, involving a school charity luncheon and an unfortunate dose of poison.

It’s been lovely meeting you all! Thank you, Dru Ann, for having me to tea today and introducing me to your delightful friends. If they’d like to pay a reciprocal visit, I’d be more than happy to receive them at alyssamaxwell.com, and from there they can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win one (1) print copy of A Silent Stabbing, limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends February 26, 2020. Good luck everyone!

A Silent Stabbing is the fifth book in the “Lady and Lady’s Maid” historical mystery series, coming February 25, 2020.

As England recovers from its costly involvement in the Great War, Lady Phoebe Renshaw and her lady’s maid, Eva Huntford, find the steady comforts of their lives unsettled by a local case of murder . . .

Eva is excited for a visit from her sister Alice, who lives in Suffolk with her husband and three children. But when Alice arrives alone, desiring a break from her family, Eva becomes concerned. Her dismay deepens as Alice starts spending time with a former beau, Keenan Ripley, who owns the nearby pear orchard. At the same time, Phoebe’s sister Julia, now a widow and pregnant, is in a fretful state, and Phoebe struggles to be helpful to her.

When Keenan’s brother Stephen, the new head gardener at the Renshaw estate, Foxwood Hall, is found impaled by a pair of hedge clippers, the police—including Eva’s beau, Constable Miles Brannock—suspect his closest kin. Stephen had been eager to sell their orchard to an American developer, but Keenan had fiercely resisted. A table set with two teacups and scones suggests Keenan had company the morning of the murder—and Eva fears her sister was with him.

If Alice were to provide Keenan with an alibi, her reputation and marriage would be ruined. She denies being there but is clearly withholding secrets, much to Eva’s consternation. Now, to protect her sister, Eva and Phoebe set off to expose the gardener’s real killer, putting their own lives at risk . . .

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About the author
Alyssa Maxwell knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles drew her to the mystery genre. She is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries and A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mysteries. She and her husband reside in Florida, where she is a member of the Mystery Writers of America-Florida Chapter and the Florida Romance Writers.

All comments are welcomed.