December 2023

I first read Gilly Macmillan when she wrote THE NANNY and have looked forward to each of her books since then. With THE MANOR HOUSE, she once again does not disappoint. Here we have a young couple who has won the lottery; I know many of us have dreamed of this. Nicole and Tom move into The Glass Barn, with state-of-the-art features and a design that is the envy of a lot of people. They have cool cars, and we know that their lives feel very grand.

This is set up very early. But by page five, Tom is found dead in their swimming pool. As Nicole grieves, there are questions. Was this an accident or a murder? Their neighbors, Olly and Sasha, quickly come to her aid, but in many ways they are suspects. As is their very strange housekeeper, Kitty. Oh, and what about Tom’s old friend, Patrick, the one who came with his hand out as soon as they collected their winnings? He shows up to help Nicole through the tough days right after Tom dies.

The story is told day by day over the course of a week from the perspectives of Nicole, Sasha, a policeman named Hal, Olly and others, along with a timeline of the day Tom died. There are twists and turns right up until the end, and I do not want to spoil any of them. But as you read, do keep in mind the moment that the lottery numbers were announced and when Nicole saw them on the ticket. Give that a moment. It’s brisk and fun, if figuring out a murder can be called fun! And after you finish it, you can ponder the consequences as well as the joys of winning the lottery.