Article and Interview by Elise Cooper
Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd is a great cozy historical mystery. Set in the 1830s, it features Miss Caroline Morton, daughter of a disgraced Earl, now gainfully employed as a lady’s companion. Lady Caroline is happy to be employed by Mrs. Frogerton, who is interested in spiritualist gatherings at the home of Madam Lavinia and begs Caroline to come along. As Caroline tries to discern whether the spiritualist’s powers are real, a much darker mystery presents itself: Madam Lavinia is found lifeless in her chair, a half-empty glass of port at her elbow. In her desk is a note addressed to Caroline, entreating her to find her murderer.
Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance continues where the previous book left off. The previous story had Miss Caroline receiving an urgent invitation from a London law firm to discuss her late father’s estate. After all, the dishonored Earl of Morton died without a pound sterling to pass on to his two daughters. Caroline meets with a cagey lawyer, Mr. Smith, who shares life-altering news that the Earl composed a second will, leaving behind an undisclosed fortune. Mrs. Frogerton, however, is thoroughly unimpressed with the firm’s conduct and suspicious of their true motives. Her instinct proves right when the two ladies find the office ransacked, staff in turmoil, and Mr. Smith missing. The full weight of the situation doesn’t sink in until Mr. Smith dies following a brutal attack on the street. He had an empty envelope bearing Caroline’s name in his pocket. Further complicating matters is the amorous Mr. DeBloom, who claims his mother goaded the Earl into making bad investments and promises to link Caroline to her inheritance. She also must contend with the disappearance of Susan, her younger sister. As Caroline unwittingly becomes the center of both a criminal case and a sordid love triangle, she must tread with caution while seeking the truth.
These books have an appealing historical mystery with characters that are well-developed, and a plot that keeps readers captivated from start to finish. The historical backdrop is seamlessly woven into the narrative. Readers will anxiously await until the next books come out.
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story regarding Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld?
CL: I do a lot of general reading and somehow got onto hypnotism and celebrated mesmerists in the 19th century. I thought Mrs. Frogerton would be the perfect person to fall for a con and that Caroline would be completely against it, which led to an excellent bit of conflict to add to the mystery from the start.
EC: Does this story show the unfairness of the justice system and how some detectives have tunnel vision?
CL: As a British person I’m always fascinated by the nuances of class, and I always explore the inequalities in my books. Back in the 19th century the lines were drawn even more firmly on how someone was treated by the authorities, which depended very much on their status with the aristocracy. Many times, an aristocrat could literally get away with murder. I also love a detective deciding who has committed the crime and then doggedly pursuing that belief despite all the evidence pointing otherwise. And to be fair, the suspect doesn’t help by refusing to cooperate and generally makes things worse for himself.
EC: How did you get the idea for the story regarding Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance? Was it based on a Pyramid Scheme?
CL: I didn’t think of it as a pyramid scheme. I was more interested in what someone will do to protect sensitive information about themselves coming to light. How much are they prepared to pay, and at what point do they break? I was also interested in the blackmailer’s perspective and how they target their victims. I’m always fascinated by credulous people.
EC: How would you describe Mrs. Frogerton?
CL: Tenacious, caring, protective, uses her wealth toward good. I would also add shrewd right up front because she’s nobody’s fool. She’s very aware of how the world Caroline comes from views her, but refuses to be cowed by their attitude, which I love. I think she’s also a little credulous, loves a good piece of gossip, and is more than willing to lead the way into dangerous waters.
EC: How has the relationship between Mrs. Frogerton and Caroline changed over the years?
CL: It’s become less polite. Mrs. Frogerton treats Caroline like family, and it’s taken Caroline a while to understand it. Caroline has learned to trust that her employer has her back. Caroline’s so used to being let down by those around her that it takes a lot for her to open up about her feelings but she’s beginning to see Mrs. Frogerton as her friend and perhaps as a mentor.
EC: How would you describe Caroline?
CL: She’s definitely loyal to those she cares about. She’s cynical because life has been decidedly unfair to her. I don’t see her as particularly out for justice in the purest sense, but she does have a dogged determination to expose the truth, especially when those that she loves are in danger. I see her as someone who is doing her best to move forward in a world that has changed dramatically for her.
EC: Do you think Caroline has grown as a character since the first book and if so, how?
CL: Yes, she definitely has grown. At first, she could be a little passive aggressive and unwilling to trust others or truly show her feelings. I think Mrs. Frogerton has helped her regain her confidence and shown her that women can be successful in more than one role. She’s definitely learned to put her foot down on occasion and she’s not so internally angry.
EC: How would you describe Dr. Harris?
CL: Honest, direct, arrogant, stubborn, with contempt for society He’s something of a rebel who regularly puts his foot in it especially with Caroline.
EC: What was the role of the father’s will in both books?
CL: It’s one of those themes that drives the action in both books. From learning that her father has left her and Susan, her sister, with nothing. From stealing their doweries and legacies of their mother, to finding out that he might have written a new will with intriguing possibilities is one of the continuing stories woven into the series. Caroline’s very reluctant to get involved with anything regarding her father. Even the thought that he’s reaching out from beyond the grave to possibly humiliate her again is terrifying. She almost can’t bear to hope.
EC: Is there a love triangle or actually a love quadrilateral in the book between Mr. DeBloom, Samuel, Dr. Harris, Inspector Ross?
CL: I don’t see it like that. To me it’s more of a study about how a beautiful woman attracts attention whether she wants it or not. It’s also a commentary on how Caroline is perceived as the lowly paid companion who no longer deserves the respect she was accustomed to when she was Lady Caroline.
EC: What is the relationship between each and Caroline?
CL: Mr. DeBloom sees her as a beautiful trophy and perhaps as a way to annoy his mother rather than as her real self.
Samuel, Mrs. Frogerton’s son, is initially wary of her influence on his mother but comes to realize Caroline is a real person and learns to appreciate more than her beauty.
Dr. Harris doesn’t want to like Caroline as much as he does, and he struggles with how to deal with that. They act more like brother and sister and Caroline likes being able to be herself with him. He also has a terrible tendency to shoot himself in the foot.
Inspector Ross perhaps understands her better than anyone else as he’s taken a similar path outside his own narrow aristocratic world. Even though he is aware that she is beautiful, he also treats her as an equal, which I think Caroline appreciates.
EC: What is the relationship between Caroline and Susan?
CL: Caroline has spent her whole life shielding Susan from the realities of their parents’ bad marriage and their father’s indifference. In her efforts to be independent and provide a home for herself and Susan she’s had to leave Susan with relatives. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Susan doesn’t appreciate this and ends up bonding with her cousin with predictable results. Nothing Caroline does is right in Susan’s eyes, and she is far too amenable to the machinations of her cousin Mabel.
EC: How would you describe Mabel?
CL: Lacks a moral conscious, callous, self-centered, a liar, instigator, and dislikes Caroline. Like most people with personality disorders, she’s supremely comfortable in her own superiority. She’s willing to sacrifice anything and anybody to get what she wants.
EC: Did you try to enhance the plot with the great banter between the characters using their interaction with Caroline?
CL: I just love writing great dialogue. I think it works very well in mysteries to stop the plot getting bogged down AND it’s much easier for readers to miss clues that are cloaked in banter than in narrative text.
EC: Next book(s)
CL: Miss Morton And the Missing Heir 2025
EC: THANK YOU!!
