Designing for Death: A Clara Callaway Mystery by Lillian Dore

Journey back to 1920s England, and join young Lady Clara Callaway and her lady’s maid, Alice Hart, as they go detecting together!

When a fashion show turns fatal, it’s once again up to Clara, Alice and Giles to solve the case. The promising young fashion designer Grizelda Marston has died suddenly during the biggest show of the year, and the competition for prime suspect is fierce!

At the request of Inspector Thorpe, Clara and her friends set out to find the killer. But is this a crime of passion, greed—or something else? And as they did deeper into the case, Clara learns just how far a person will go for fame.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Designing for Death by Lillian Dore is my favorite Clara Callaway Mystery series book so far !!  Maybe it is because I am familiar with the characters and love Clara and Alice or it could be that they are set in the 1920's and in England or the storylines of the murders.

In Designing for Death Clara and her personal maid Alice leave Innestead Abbey to go to a fashion show in Oxford.  Family friend Giles goes along as well as Lord Burnham's driver, Sam.

Clara is very excited to attend the fashion show as she recently met one of the designers, Grizelda Marston at a party.  Grizelda and her partner Jeremy Tate have designs in the show along with 3 other designers.

In the middle of the show however Grizelda drops .... dead !!!  Of course Clara and Giles run to her aid only to realize that she is indeed dead.  While trying to preserve the crime scene they try to notice anything they can that will solve the case.  But when the local police arrive on the scene it it quite clear that they have no idea what they are doing.  Clara has Sam contact Detective Inspector Thorpe in hopes that he can take over the case.  Thorpe arrives alone so he asks Clara and friends to help with the investigation.  Obviously they jump at the chance to help !!

After interviewing the other designers it becomes clear that this case is different than the others that Clara has been involved in.  Can she still crack the case ?  

The lengthens that people will go to in order to success is amazing.....but deadly ?  

Lillian Dore is an author to follow !!  You cannot help but fall in love with this series and Clara.  

Review by Missi S.