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Page & Sommers #2
The Missing Page
England, 1948: Semi-retired spy Leo Page and country doctor James Sommers team up to solve a decades-old mystery.
When James learns that an uncle he hasn’t heard from in ages has left him something in his will, he figures that the least he can do is head down to Cornwall for a weekend to honor the old man’s parting wishes. He finds the family home filled with half-remembered guests and unwanted memories, but more troubling is that his uncle has tasked his heirs with uncovering the truth behind a woman’s disappearance twenty years earlier.
Leo doesn’t like any of it. He’s just returned from one of his less pleasant missions and maybe he’s slightly paranoid about James’s safety, but he’s of the opinion that rich people aren’t to be trusted where wills are concerned. So he does what any sensible spy would do and infiltrates the house party.
Together they unravel a mystery that exposes long-standing family secrets and threatens to involve James more than either of them would like.
When James learns that an uncle he hasn’t heard from in ages has left him something in his will, he figures that the least he can do is head down to Cornwall for a weekend to honor the old man’s parting wishes. He finds the family home filled with half-remembered guests and unwanted memories, but more troubling is that his uncle has tasked his heirs with uncovering the truth behind a woman’s disappearance twenty years earlier.
Leo doesn’t like any of it. He’s just returned from one of his less pleasant missions and maybe he’s slightly paranoid about James’s safety, but he’s of the opinion that rich people aren’t to be trusted where wills are concerned. So he does what any sensible spy would do and infiltrates the house party.
Together they unravel a mystery that exposes long-standing family secrets and threatens to involve James more than either of them would like.
236 pages, ebook
First published January 11, 2022
About the author
Cat Sebastian
27 books4,362 followersCat Sebastian has written sixteen queer historical romances. Cat’s books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 509 reviews
January 20, 2022
4.5 🌟 "The tagline on the book says cozy mystery like Agatha Cristie but make it gay".
Well!!! I certainly approve of the tagline and I actually enjoyed it so much that I am almost tempted to forgive Cat Sebastian for nearly 3 years of wait for this book and a hoax-release date in Dec.
So, It's 1948 and Leo Page and James Sommers are in Cornwell. Did I say, they are back after 3 years?🤭🤭🤭 Forget it, but they are back, this time with a kinda locked-room mystery at a gothic mansion where they have to solve a cold case in 48 hours. The mystery is pretty well done and I adored the relationship development between the couple. Leo was such a sweetheart that he has reserved a place in my 'best book boyfriend list'.
Although the The Ruin of a Rake is my fav book by the author, I am enjoying her books set after 1900 more than those set before it. And, I would love to read more of them if the authors decide to write a few new ones in this series or the Tommy Cabot Was Here series.
This one can definitely be read as a standalone. But I enjoyed it more since I reread the 1st book in December when I had nothing else to do but wait.😂😂
Highly recommended to everyone who loves their MM romances with a heavy dose of mystery.
P.S-I am going to haunt Cat Sebastian forever if I have to wait another 3 years for the release of the 3rd book, How??? I don't know... I still have to figure out the details.🤣🤣
Well!!! I certainly approve of the tagline and I actually enjoyed it so much that I am almost tempted to forgive Cat Sebastian for nearly 3 years of wait for this book and a hoax-release date in Dec.
So, It's 1948 and Leo Page and James Sommers are in Cornwell. Did I say, they are back after 3 years?🤭🤭🤭 Forget it, but they are back, this time with a kinda locked-room mystery at a gothic mansion where they have to solve a cold case in 48 hours. The mystery is pretty well done and I adored the relationship development between the couple. Leo was such a sweetheart that he has reserved a place in my 'best book boyfriend list'.
Although the The Ruin of a Rake is my fav book by the author, I am enjoying her books set after 1900 more than those set before it. And, I would love to read more of them if the authors decide to write a few new ones in this series or the Tommy Cabot Was Here series.
This one can definitely be read as a standalone. But I enjoyed it more since I reread the 1st book in December when I had nothing else to do but wait.😂😂
Highly recommended to everyone who loves their MM romances with a heavy dose of mystery.
P.S-I am going to haunt Cat Sebastian forever if I have to wait another 3 years for the release of the 3rd book, How??? I don't know... I still have to figure out the details.🤣🤣
December 18, 2021
Ohhh. I finished this book feeling like a warm glow was emanating from my chest and filling my whole body. It was just the BEST cozy Agatha-Christie-style mystery (with additional romance), and the best cozy wintertime read. I loved the first book in this story (where the series couple first met - Hither, Page), but I loved this one even more, and I loved watching their romance develop in the sweetest, most natural and compelling and yet wonderfully stress-free way.
Cat Sebastian writes really wonderful characters, always, and this time it was all set at a dramatic houseparty where an estranged family has been gathered together for the first time in decades for the reading of a will - and the mystery of one missing family member has been echoing through that big, Gothic house for twenty-seven years. Now it has to be resolved within about 48 hours if anyone's going to claim a big inheritance - but there are still people determined to leave that mystery unsolved. Luckily, James Sommers is one of those gathered relatives, he truly loved the cousin who went missing, and he's determined to do the right thing. Even more luckily, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, he has a loving partner who's also a spy, determined to keep James safe, and VERY good at ferreting out deeply-buried secrets.
The whole thing is delicious from beginning to end, and while it could very easily stand alone (and you could certainly leap into the series with this book!), I'm now going to go back and re-read Book 1 (Hither, Page) for the sheer pleasure of spending more time with James and Leo (and I may very well re-read this book again directly afterwards, to enjoy both stories in tight succession). I have no idea whether Cat Sebastian is planning any more books in this series, but every one of them has felt like a real gift, and I'd happily read about James and Leo solving mysteries and taking care of each other forever.
Cat Sebastian writes really wonderful characters, always, and this time it was all set at a dramatic houseparty where an estranged family has been gathered together for the first time in decades for the reading of a will - and the mystery of one missing family member has been echoing through that big, Gothic house for twenty-seven years. Now it has to be resolved within about 48 hours if anyone's going to claim a big inheritance - but there are still people determined to leave that mystery unsolved. Luckily, James Sommers is one of those gathered relatives, he truly loved the cousin who went missing, and he's determined to do the right thing. Even more luckily, unbeknownst to the rest of the family, he has a loving partner who's also a spy, determined to keep James safe, and VERY good at ferreting out deeply-buried secrets.
The whole thing is delicious from beginning to end, and while it could very easily stand alone (and you could certainly leap into the series with this book!), I'm now going to go back and re-read Book 1 (Hither, Page) for the sheer pleasure of spending more time with James and Leo (and I may very well re-read this book again directly afterwards, to enjoy both stories in tight succession). I have no idea whether Cat Sebastian is planning any more books in this series, but every one of them has felt like a real gift, and I'd happily read about James and Leo solving mysteries and taking care of each other forever.
January 22, 2022
4.25 stars
This book makes feel nostalgic and content at the same time. I used to consume Agatha Christie's books when I was younger. The vibe of The Missing Page brought me to those days. As James and Leo trying to uncover the mystery of James' cousin who went missing two decades prior. The mystery is engaging - and just like Agatha Christie's, it also involves family secrets.
But the romance... GAH... it's so sweet and tender and OMG James and Leo are definitely my favorite Cat Sebastian's couple! Each think that the other may be their better halves... and their longing but rather tentative desire to be together forever under the same roof. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!
This is a winner from Sebastian, for sure!
This book makes feel nostalgic and content at the same time. I used to consume Agatha Christie's books when I was younger. The vibe of The Missing Page brought me to those days. As James and Leo trying to uncover the mystery of James' cousin who went missing two decades prior. The mystery is engaging - and just like Agatha Christie's, it also involves family secrets.
But the romance... GAH... it's so sweet and tender and OMG James and Leo are definitely my favorite Cat Sebastian's couple! Each think that the other may be their better halves... and their longing but rather tentative desire to be together forever under the same roof. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!
This is a winner from Sebastian, for sure!
February 2, 2022
This second book in the series gives me what I'd hoped to see, for James, the lonely country doctor, and Leo, the increasingly reluctant spy. James is called back to the home of an uncle he hasn't seen in over a decade, for the reading of the old man's will. Since Leo is out of the country on a mission, and James has a mild curiosity (layered over old pain) about his once-family, he decides to go.
At the old mansion, he encounters people who were once important to him. And discovers that the reason the dead man brought them together was to bequeath his estate to the person who can solve the disappearance of James's cousin Rose, who vanished the last summer he spent there. It's likely that one or more of the folk assembled have knowledge of what happened to Rose, and since she was the person kindest to him in that painful year of his childhood, he wants to know too.
Leo returns and immediately follows James because "family gathered in an old country house" is a traditional recipe for blackmail and murder. And he's not letting James wade into that, or into the emotional morass it might turn out to be, without him. Between them, with Leo's skills and experience, they might also solve the mystery of Rose.
The mystery turned out to be interesting, and the solution unexpected. But the pleasure of this book is watching James find his strength against the insinuations of a man he once respected and identify his love for Leo. And even more, of watching Leo come to the realization that what he has with James isn't a moment in time, isn't too good to be true, and that whether or not he deserves it is immaterial to whether it's being offered. The men are lovely together, reticent and careful, and yet deeply bonded, if they can only recognize and accept that.
The first book's tentative HFN urgently needed this book to solidify the romance. This could serve as their HEA, but I would be delighted to see more of Leo and Jamie, diving into another cozy mystery together.
At the old mansion, he encounters people who were once important to him. And discovers that the reason the dead man brought them together was to bequeath his estate to the person who can solve the disappearance of James's cousin Rose, who vanished the last summer he spent there. It's likely that one or more of the folk assembled have knowledge of what happened to Rose, and since she was the person kindest to him in that painful year of his childhood, he wants to know too.
Leo returns and immediately follows James because "family gathered in an old country house" is a traditional recipe for blackmail and murder. And he's not letting James wade into that, or into the emotional morass it might turn out to be, without him. Between them, with Leo's skills and experience, they might also solve the mystery of Rose.
The mystery turned out to be interesting, and the solution unexpected. But the pleasure of this book is watching James find his strength against the insinuations of a man he once respected and identify his love for Leo. And even more, of watching Leo come to the realization that what he has with James isn't a moment in time, isn't too good to be true, and that whether or not he deserves it is immaterial to whether it's being offered. The men are lovely together, reticent and careful, and yet deeply bonded, if they can only recognize and accept that.
The first book's tentative HFN urgently needed this book to solidify the romance. This could serve as their HEA, but I would be delighted to see more of Leo and Jamie, diving into another cozy mystery together.
February 1, 2022
Cat Sebastian + Joel Leslie = Perfection
This was just what I needed today. I didn't stop listening until it was done because it is that good.
1. Historical
2. Mystery #Whodunnit
3. Secret relationship and secret touches
4. Romance
5. Sexy scenes
6. Strong HFN
And I didn't even have an inkling what the solution of the mystery is.
Not to mention Joel's performance which is always a gift. ❤
This was just what I needed today. I didn't stop listening until it was done because it is that good.
1. Historical
2. Mystery #Whodunnit
3. Secret relationship and secret touches
4. Romance
5. Sexy scenes
6. Strong HFN
And I didn't even have an inkling what the solution of the mystery is.
Not to mention Joel's performance which is always a gift. ❤
January 16, 2024
5 loved it stars!! ❤️❤️ I’m a huge fan of Cat Sebastian and love her exceptional writing ability. This book is no different. It has just the right mix of mystery and romance.
We first met the two MCs in a post WWII world in Hither, Page (book 1);Leo Page is an international spy and Dr James Sommers is the village doctor. It ended with them solving the case and also embarking on a tentative relationship. This book picks up a couple months since that conclusion with James visiting his long lost relatives for the reading of the will of an estranged uncle he hasn’t seen or heard from in two decades. That will and its pre-conditions unfolds a chain events that can expose secrets from 20 years ago. Leo manages to join James as they follow a trail of childhood memories, odd clues and mysterious events from a different era. Will they be able to solve the case of the girl who disappeared, as they race against time? Will Leo find the courage to own up to his growing feelings towards James? 🥰What does an HEA look like for them? 😍
Overall, this was a marvelous sequel to the first book in the series. I hope CS writes a follow-up to this soon.
Highly recommended!! 👍🏻👍🏻
We first met the two MCs in a post WWII world in Hither, Page (book 1);Leo Page is an international spy and Dr James Sommers is the village doctor. It ended with them solving the case and also embarking on a tentative relationship. This book picks up a couple months since that conclusion with James visiting his long lost relatives for the reading of the will of an estranged uncle he hasn’t seen or heard from in two decades. That will and its pre-conditions unfolds a chain events that can expose secrets from 20 years ago. Leo manages to join James as they follow a trail of childhood memories, odd clues and mysterious events from a different era. Will they be able to solve the case of the girl who disappeared, as they race against time? Will Leo find the courage to own up to his growing feelings towards James? 🥰What does an HEA look like for them? 😍
Overall, this was a marvelous sequel to the first book in the series. I hope CS writes a follow-up to this soon.
Highly recommended!! 👍🏻👍🏻
March 30, 2024
I love this book. I loved the first one too, but this one is special. The romance is like a warm blanket. I think I highlighted nearly every interaction between the two Mcs. I couldn't adore it more.
I love the setting; a cold case, one dysfunctional family and one house. It is very reminiscent of the cozy mysteries by Agatha Christie, which is the biggest compliment I can give.
There is no relationship drama, just them realizing that not only they do get to have their HEA, they deserve it too.
I love the setting; a cold case, one dysfunctional family and one house. It is very reminiscent of the cozy mysteries by Agatha Christie, which is the biggest compliment I can give.
There is no relationship drama, just them realizing that not only they do get to have their HEA, they deserve it too.
April 7, 2024
I've loved every book I've read from this author and this is no exception. Possibly my favourite even. Page and Sommers are 💙💙💙 and I would love to read more books with them. If that's not happening I'm totally happy with this HEA
February 27, 2022
There's a date, it's available for pre-order. Clickety-click 😁😁
-- -- --
I loved this as much as the first; the classic mystery setup of a will reading yet there's a gentle humour at it, openly acknowledging the absurdity, but without mocking. There's a gothic building for atmosphere and a mixed selection of characters adding colour without too much impolite drama.
Leo and James are great characters. The first greeting and intimacy between them in this was so them, said so much of their relationship and characters.
James facing his family shows his strength, how he's accepted how life has changed his goals but is content not hiding in the village life he has now. He really is a good decent man, smart but gentle where as Leo can be sharp behind his charm. Leo so clever and capable but slow to see how James' people are now his people too. The book ends in a good place but I'd love another book to see his next steps. To see more of their village.
Audio is good too, though possibly partly accent, he tends to sound overwrought to me.
-- -- --
I loved this as much as the first; the classic mystery setup of a will reading yet there's a gentle humour at it, openly acknowledging the absurdity, but without mocking. There's a gothic building for atmosphere and a mixed selection of characters adding colour without too much impolite drama.
Leo and James are great characters. The first greeting and intimacy between them in this was so them, said so much of their relationship and characters.
James facing his family shows his strength, how he's accepted how life has changed his goals but is content not hiding in the village life he has now. He really is a good decent man, smart but gentle where as Leo can be sharp behind his charm. Leo so clever and capable but slow to see how James' people are now his people too. The book ends in a good place but I'd love another book to see his next steps. To see more of their village.
Audio is good too, though possibly partly accent, he tends to sound overwrought to me.
August 9, 2024
Goodness but this was a lovely story: a mystery at heart but a quiet one and not unhappy.
James's estranged family is keeping secrets, and the biggest one of all is what happened to James's cousin Rose during the summer of 1927. If Rose died, was it a drowning accident, a suicide, or a murder? And why was her body never recovered?
A web of lies lurks in every corner, and who better to untangle them than a professional spy?
I was surprised but not shocked by the unveiling. Not everything was tied up neatly in a bow, perhaps by design.
The Missing Page takes place just two months after the first book. James and Leo aren't fully settled into their relationship. James wants to keep Leo more than anything, but Leo feels like an imposter.
The ending is hopeful, but this series doesn't feel finished.
James's estranged family is keeping secrets, and the biggest one of all is what happened to James's cousin Rose during the summer of 1927. If Rose died, was it a drowning accident, a suicide, or a murder? And why was her body never recovered?
A web of lies lurks in every corner, and who better to untangle them than a professional spy?
I was surprised but not shocked by the unveiling. Not everything was tied up neatly in a bow, perhaps by design.
The Missing Page takes place just two months after the first book. James and Leo aren't fully settled into their relationship. James wants to keep Leo more than anything, but Leo feels like an imposter.
The trouble is that I love you ... And it's ruined me for gainful employment.
The ending is hopeful, but this series doesn't feel finished.
June 30, 2022
Why are there no more!
No review cuz it's book two. You read the first one, you either want another or you don't.
No review cuz it's book two. You read the first one, you either want another or you don't.
January 25, 2022
This author has such a way with words.. I’ m in love with James and Leo. This book is a perfect blend of mystery and romance. And if the mystery is very good , the romance part is fantastic … *swoon* and the writing- the writing is marvelous!
June 19, 2024
Clever mystery, lovely romance, wonderfully historic. Perfect blend. I wish there was a book 3 waiting for me.
January 16, 2022
several things:
1) leo's angst about how he is simply TOO violent, TOO dark, TOO twisted to be with james is actually hilarious when we never see him doing anything worse than asking mildly uncomfortable questions. I'm sure his off-page exploits are very exciting.
2) this is a nitpick, but I do not believe that a gay man (or anyone else) in 1948 would refer to "queer people" as a group. that's just not how the word was used at the time. on a similar note, referring to someone as "a lesbian" was also not really how people talked back then. the word was known, but they would have been more likely to use a euphemism.
3) I get the concept of cozy mysteries, but this is seriously a mystery novel where the worst things that happen are for the love of god, can we have some stakes here!
4) this is a minor nitpick but it's something I've seen in multiple romance novels: if you're writing characters of colour, go to the effort of actually writing them. having a one-off character who appears only by phone call and exists purely to provide one of the heroes with information isn't diversity. neither is a character whose attributes are entirely informed (she . . . paints?) and who, again, is offered zero interiority. it's wishy-washy; either commit, or don't bother.
1) leo's angst about how he is simply TOO violent, TOO dark, TOO twisted to be with james is actually hilarious when we never see him doing anything worse than asking mildly uncomfortable questions. I'm sure his off-page exploits are very exciting.
2) this is a nitpick, but I do not believe that a gay man (or anyone else) in 1948 would refer to "queer people" as a group. that's just not how the word was used at the time. on a similar note, referring to someone as "a lesbian" was also not really how people talked back then. the word was known, but they would have been more likely to use a euphemism.
3) I get the concept of cozy mysteries, but this is seriously a mystery novel where the worst things that happen are for the love of god, can we have some stakes here!
4) this is a minor nitpick but it's something I've seen in multiple romance novels: if you're writing characters of colour, go to the effort of actually writing them. having a one-off character who appears only by phone call and exists purely to provide one of the heroes with information isn't diversity. neither is a character whose attributes are entirely informed (she . . . paints?) and who, again, is offered zero interiority. it's wishy-washy; either commit, or don't bother.
January 5, 2024
Perfectly aligned.
Each others' sexy, safe home.
(Queer) Christie homage.
Even better the second time--so swoony
Each others' sexy, safe home.
(Queer) Christie homage.
Even better the second time--so swoony
February 21, 2022
I've given this a B at AAR.
The Missing Page is the second book to feature country doctor James Sommers and spy Leo Page, whom we first met in Hither, Page, a cosy mystery (sort of – true cosies aren’t supposed to include sex or swearing and there’s a little bit of both here!) set in a sleepy English village a few years after the end of World War II. That book came out in 2019, so we’ve had a bit of a wait for this sequel, but it was worth it; The Missing Page is a charming, clever and none-too serious riff on the classic Country House Mystery in which we learn more about James’ past when he visits the childhood home to which he hasn’t returned in twenty years.
By the time the book begins, Leo has been ‘lodging’ in James’ house in Wychcomb St. Mary for over a year, and they’ve settled into a kind of domesticity neither had ever thought to have, although Leo’s job as a government agent takes him away fairly often. James is eagerly awaiting Leo’s return from his most recent mission – but shortly before he’s due back, James receives a letter advising him of the death of his uncle, Rupert Bellamy, and asking him to be present at the reading of the will at the family home in Cornwall. James spent many summers at Blackthorn as a child following the death of his parents, but was whisked away following a family tragedy in 1927 and was never invited back.
James is greeted by his cousin Martha, who had kept house for their uncle for as long as James can remember, and finds Rupert’s surviving daughter, James’ cousin Camilla, her husband Sir Anthony – a Harley Street doctor – and their daughter Lilah, whom he’s surprised to recognise as a famous actress, already gathered together, as well as a woman he doesn’t know at all, who is introduced as Madame Fournier. The bequests are surprisingly small, until the very end, when the family solicitor reads the final appendix stating that the bulk of the estate will go to whoever can discover what really happened to Rupert’s other daughter Rose on 1st August 1927. Rose is widely believed to have drowned that day, although there were lots of other rumours in circulation – she took her own life, she ran off with the chauffeur or the vicar, she was murdered – among them, but Rose’s body was never found and nothing conclusive was ever discovered.
When Leo – exhausted after a very long journey – returns to Wychcomb St. Mary to find James gone, he pays a visit to their friends, former spies Cora and Edith, hoping that perhaps he’ll find James there. When the ladies tell him where James has gone and why, Leo becomes concerned, especially at learning James had been present on the day that Rose Bellamy is thought to have died, worried at what memories being back there might stir up. Leo wastes no time in following James to Cornwall, determined to do whatever he can to help.
Cat Sebastian has crafted an intriguing story full of difficult family dynamics and long-held secrets, and she sustains the mystery right up until the last moment; I certainly didn’t work out the truth until just before the reveal. There’s a strongly defined set of secondary characters, from Martha the drab poor-relation, to Sir Anthony, the know-it-all who clearly looks down on James, and the mysterious Madame Fournier – and James and Leo themselves continue to be easy to enjoy and root for. James is a genuinely good man, quiet and easy-going, happy with his quiet country life after the horrors of war and with Leo, while Leo operates more in shades of grey than in black and white and has been struggling more and more to reconcile the life he has with the life he wants. Leo still finds it difficult to credit that a man as good as James could actually want to be with someone with such a murky past as his, but the obvious care and affection they have for each other permeates every page, and I loved watching them working together on the investigation, their different approaches and outlooks complementing each other. The author cleverly explores James’ past through his interactions with his family members, and I particularly enjoyed Leo’s typical cynicism and the way he’s so protective of James. As far as their relationship goes, they’re at that awkward stage where both of them want more but aren’t sure what the other is willing or able to give, but thankfully, there are no silly misunderstandings and they both realise that although they still have issues to work on, they want to work through them together.
The Missing Page is one of those books that’s easy to sink into and feels almost like a warm hug, but I do have a few niggles. It’s generally on the slow side and doesn’t have the same kind of forward momentum as Hither, Page and while I did like the mystery, it’s not very high-stakes, especially not for our heroes. As with the last book, the author has done a very good job with the English setting, but the odd Americanism still creeps in (“muffler” instead of “scarf” for example). Finally, I was confused as to the timeline; Hither Page takes place in 1946 and the date for this is given as 1948, but then I read James thinking of Leo: “They had only met a little over two months ago”. To be fair, I did have an ARC, so I’m hoping this will have been corrected/clarified in the finished version, but it did make me scratch my head.
All in all, however, The Missing Page is an easy, enjoyable read featuring two engaging leads, and I’m pleased to recommend it to anyone who likes their mystery with a side of romance. I hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Mr. Page and Dr. Sommers.
The Missing Page is the second book to feature country doctor James Sommers and spy Leo Page, whom we first met in Hither, Page, a cosy mystery (sort of – true cosies aren’t supposed to include sex or swearing and there’s a little bit of both here!) set in a sleepy English village a few years after the end of World War II. That book came out in 2019, so we’ve had a bit of a wait for this sequel, but it was worth it; The Missing Page is a charming, clever and none-too serious riff on the classic Country House Mystery in which we learn more about James’ past when he visits the childhood home to which he hasn’t returned in twenty years.
By the time the book begins, Leo has been ‘lodging’ in James’ house in Wychcomb St. Mary for over a year, and they’ve settled into a kind of domesticity neither had ever thought to have, although Leo’s job as a government agent takes him away fairly often. James is eagerly awaiting Leo’s return from his most recent mission – but shortly before he’s due back, James receives a letter advising him of the death of his uncle, Rupert Bellamy, and asking him to be present at the reading of the will at the family home in Cornwall. James spent many summers at Blackthorn as a child following the death of his parents, but was whisked away following a family tragedy in 1927 and was never invited back.
James is greeted by his cousin Martha, who had kept house for their uncle for as long as James can remember, and finds Rupert’s surviving daughter, James’ cousin Camilla, her husband Sir Anthony – a Harley Street doctor – and their daughter Lilah, whom he’s surprised to recognise as a famous actress, already gathered together, as well as a woman he doesn’t know at all, who is introduced as Madame Fournier. The bequests are surprisingly small, until the very end, when the family solicitor reads the final appendix stating that the bulk of the estate will go to whoever can discover what really happened to Rupert’s other daughter Rose on 1st August 1927. Rose is widely believed to have drowned that day, although there were lots of other rumours in circulation – she took her own life, she ran off with the chauffeur or the vicar, she was murdered – among them, but Rose’s body was never found and nothing conclusive was ever discovered.
When Leo – exhausted after a very long journey – returns to Wychcomb St. Mary to find James gone, he pays a visit to their friends, former spies Cora and Edith, hoping that perhaps he’ll find James there. When the ladies tell him where James has gone and why, Leo becomes concerned, especially at learning James had been present on the day that Rose Bellamy is thought to have died, worried at what memories being back there might stir up. Leo wastes no time in following James to Cornwall, determined to do whatever he can to help.
Cat Sebastian has crafted an intriguing story full of difficult family dynamics and long-held secrets, and she sustains the mystery right up until the last moment; I certainly didn’t work out the truth until just before the reveal. There’s a strongly defined set of secondary characters, from Martha the drab poor-relation, to Sir Anthony, the know-it-all who clearly looks down on James, and the mysterious Madame Fournier – and James and Leo themselves continue to be easy to enjoy and root for. James is a genuinely good man, quiet and easy-going, happy with his quiet country life after the horrors of war and with Leo, while Leo operates more in shades of grey than in black and white and has been struggling more and more to reconcile the life he has with the life he wants. Leo still finds it difficult to credit that a man as good as James could actually want to be with someone with such a murky past as his, but the obvious care and affection they have for each other permeates every page, and I loved watching them working together on the investigation, their different approaches and outlooks complementing each other. The author cleverly explores James’ past through his interactions with his family members, and I particularly enjoyed Leo’s typical cynicism and the way he’s so protective of James. As far as their relationship goes, they’re at that awkward stage where both of them want more but aren’t sure what the other is willing or able to give, but thankfully, there are no silly misunderstandings and they both realise that although they still have issues to work on, they want to work through them together.
The Missing Page is one of those books that’s easy to sink into and feels almost like a warm hug, but I do have a few niggles. It’s generally on the slow side and doesn’t have the same kind of forward momentum as Hither, Page and while I did like the mystery, it’s not very high-stakes, especially not for our heroes. As with the last book, the author has done a very good job with the English setting, but the odd Americanism still creeps in (“muffler” instead of “scarf” for example). Finally, I was confused as to the timeline; Hither Page takes place in 1946 and the date for this is given as 1948, but then I read James thinking of Leo: “They had only met a little over two months ago”. To be fair, I did have an ARC, so I’m hoping this will have been corrected/clarified in the finished version, but it did make me scratch my head.
All in all, however, The Missing Page is an easy, enjoyable read featuring two engaging leads, and I’m pleased to recommend it to anyone who likes their mystery with a side of romance. I hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Mr. Page and Dr. Sommers.
March 25, 2022
5 starry-eyed Stars
I love these stories so much!
I did notice some repetition, but that was the only flaw in this otherwise flawless, warm, heartfelt story. May there be a million more stories of Leo and James teaming up and generally being perfect for each other. Also, this was one of those rare times I was actually intrigued and invested in the mystery. And it was satisfying too!
So this author has managed to write a historical romantic mystery, two in fact, that are among my top favorites for the year - ME, who is usually nonplussed by mysteries, and is a certified Romance Grump™.
Highly highly recommended for sterling quality romance, mental health rep, queer rep, and endless cups of perfectly brewed tea. And sometimes, piglets.
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
I love these stories so much!
I did notice some repetition, but that was the only flaw in this otherwise flawless, warm, heartfelt story. May there be a million more stories of Leo and James teaming up and generally being perfect for each other. Also, this was one of those rare times I was actually intrigued and invested in the mystery. And it was satisfying too!
So this author has managed to write a historical romantic mystery, two in fact, that are among my top favorites for the year - ME, who is usually nonplussed by mysteries, and is a certified Romance Grump™.
Highly highly recommended for sterling quality romance, mental health rep, queer rep, and endless cups of perfectly brewed tea. And sometimes, piglets.
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
February 10, 2022
*4.5 Stars*
* MM-romance, Historical, Mystery, Low Heat *
I enjoyed the second book in Page & Sommers series, especially the relationship growth.
There is something special and precious about a deadly spy who frets about being worthy of love and melts at tender looks and the idea of home.
"I like you so much that I feel certain you shouldn't allow it. Somebody, at least, ought to stop me."
I could possibly read endless continuations of Page and Sommers' lives and what they'll do with their future together.
* MM-romance, Historical, Mystery, Low Heat *
I enjoyed the second book in Page & Sommers series, especially the relationship growth.
There is something special and precious about a deadly spy who frets about being worthy of love and melts at tender looks and the idea of home.
"I like you so much that I feel certain you shouldn't allow it. Somebody, at least, ought to stop me."
I could possibly read endless continuations of Page and Sommers' lives and what they'll do with their future together.
July 12, 2023
This was very entertaining. I enjoyed reading about James and Leo again and discovering the mystery behind James's cousin dissapaerance was fun. Some of the things that were going on were a bit obvious, but I enjoyed that final twist about I wouldn't mind to read another book about these two characters despite this one ending in a good place for them.
January 20, 2022
Great mystery sequel
I continue to adore James & Leo! 😍
This time they find themselves at an big old house gone slightly to seed and full of fractious relations, investigating an old disappearance. It's a well-worn mystery trope but for good reason, and Sebastian uses it to great effect here. The mystery moves along at a steady pace with new revelations and clues, and leads to a satisfying conclusion.
A highlight of this book for me was seeing James and Leo's relationship develop further. On the surface they might not make much sense as a couple, but on page they work in a way that feels realistic but also delightful, and I adored getting to see that exploded further.
There's a focus particularly on Leo's doubts about whether he deserves a relationship - especially with James - and though at times you want to shake him and shout 'he adores you, you idiot!', it also feels like a response that makes sense for a character of his personality and background.
Overall, a great read for fans of queer historical mysteries!
I continue to adore James & Leo! 😍
This time they find themselves at an big old house gone slightly to seed and full of fractious relations, investigating an old disappearance. It's a well-worn mystery trope but for good reason, and Sebastian uses it to great effect here. The mystery moves along at a steady pace with new revelations and clues, and leads to a satisfying conclusion.
A highlight of this book for me was seeing James and Leo's relationship develop further. On the surface they might not make much sense as a couple, but on page they work in a way that feels realistic but also delightful, and I adored getting to see that exploded further.
There's a focus particularly on Leo's doubts about whether he deserves a relationship - especially with James - and though at times you want to shake him and shout 'he adores you, you idiot!', it also feels like a response that makes sense for a character of his personality and background.
Overall, a great read for fans of queer historical mysteries!
March 10, 2022
FTB MM detective romance. 3.5 stars
This book has had a few mixed reviews - but I had just DNFed a book that was really not me, so it was lovely to read something soothing and understated. I went in with low expectations - I couldn't remember anything about Hither, Page except that I got a bit bored reading it - so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Sommers and Page were so soft and I loved how the care they had for each other was depicted.
The Missing Page was a very bittersweet read, and like all good mysteries, used the central whodunit to explore deeper themes - what it means to have a family that isn't really all that great and queer identity in an unaccepting society. Running alongside the mystery plot were Page and Sommers' efforts to define who they were to each other - It is very much a book about that stage in a relationship where you are both deciding whether to move in together. I think this was the part I enjoyed most, seeing both of them struggle to articulate what they wanted and what they were afraid of, whilst still caring deeply for each other, before finally getting to the point of committing to each other. It was all very gently romantic.
This book has had a few mixed reviews - but I had just DNFed a book that was really not me, so it was lovely to read something soothing and understated. I went in with low expectations - I couldn't remember anything about Hither, Page except that I got a bit bored reading it - so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Sommers and Page were so soft and I loved how the care they had for each other was depicted.
The Missing Page was a very bittersweet read, and like all good mysteries, used the central whodunit to explore deeper themes - what it means to have a family that isn't really all that great and queer identity in an unaccepting society. Running alongside the mystery plot were Page and Sommers' efforts to define who they were to each other - It is very much a book about that stage in a relationship where you are both deciding whether to move in together. I think this was the part I enjoyed most, seeing both of them struggle to articulate what they wanted and what they were afraid of, whilst still caring deeply for each other, before finally getting to the point of committing to each other. It was all very gently romantic.
October 11, 2022
Be gay, SOLVE crime
July 15, 2024
I liked this one a bit less than book 1 I think for several reasons. The mystery was nice and the sleuthing well done but I wasn't a fan of the denouement and felt that some threads and twists unnecessary . As for the relationship, it was moving forward, but after a while it felt like they were rehashing the same things over and over while nothing really changed. Don't get me wrong, they are kind of perfect for each other and really support each other. I hope there is a book 3!
Read
June 5, 2024sebastian's way of writing begrudging, fondly insulting declarations of love continues to be a balm to my emotionally constipated soul
January 25, 2022
4.5
Absolutely lovely.
I think "Hither, Page" will always be my favourite out of two (you just can't beat village murder mystery with a dash of romance and will-they-won't-they and lots of quirky and endearing characters), but "The Missing Page" was definitely a solid read.
It's more thoughtful than the previous one, more introspective: James and Leo have been together for a few months now, but Leo's job and hi insecurities about his own worth and his right to a home with James are standing in the way of them fully commiting to forever kind of relationship. So in some ways, this one is much more satisfying in romance terms: now that they both know one another better, now that they more or less live together, James and Leo need to have some very deep and necessary conversations about what they should expect and want in the future and it was glorious to witness their love story developing in such a way. This book is less about the mystery (even though it IS a mystery) and more about two people, two very neurotic, very insecure people (so 100% relatable) slowly understanding their worth, slowly coming to terms with the fact that they have been chosen freely and fully by the other, flaws and all. I think I highlighted half of the book because some passages really resonated with me: Cat Sebastian is so good at portraying deeply insecure, anxiety-riddled, deeply human people and I absolutely loved both James and Leo, possibly even more than the first book. Leo showed a surprisingly protective side and the way he was always trying to keep James safe and sane? God, I might have swooned. He's a flawed, morally compromised character but he's also sweet and shy and lovely and ruthlessly and cheerfully commited to doing whatever it takes to keep James and keep him happy. James, on the other hand, I think he might be my favourite: he's absolutely lovely and nice and decent and I too, if I was in Leo's shoes, would cheerfully do anything to keep him happy and safe. Gah, he's just so lovely.
So why not a full 5 star rating? I think I missed Wychcomb St. Mary and the usual village shenanigans. And I definitely missed Cora and Edith and Wendy. I'm always a fan of a good ol' dinner party murder mystery in a creepy mansion, but I missed the village setting and I missed seing James in his competent-country-doctor element. It was a twisty mystery though, one with lots of loose threads and lots of suspects and lots of discoveries and secrets, and I definitely gasped a few times (as usual I was completely hopeless at guessing the truth!), but I think something was missing. I'm not sure what though. But nevermind, I still loved it.
All in all, it was a very lovely, romantically satisfying novel: we, finally, get a full-blown HEA and even though I'll be joining the chorus of readers clamoring for a summer holiday epilogue, I'm very happy with how things turned out for James and Leo. I'm not sure if Cat Sebastian has any plans to revisit, but in the meantime I'll be happy to re-read these two books time and time again.
Absolutely lovely.
I think "Hither, Page" will always be my favourite out of two (you just can't beat village murder mystery with a dash of romance and will-they-won't-they and lots of quirky and endearing characters), but "The Missing Page" was definitely a solid read.
It's more thoughtful than the previous one, more introspective: James and Leo have been together for a few months now, but Leo's job and hi insecurities about his own worth and his right to a home with James are standing in the way of them fully commiting to forever kind of relationship. So in some ways, this one is much more satisfying in romance terms: now that they both know one another better, now that they more or less live together, James and Leo need to have some very deep and necessary conversations about what they should expect and want in the future and it was glorious to witness their love story developing in such a way. This book is less about the mystery (even though it IS a mystery) and more about two people, two very neurotic, very insecure people (so 100% relatable) slowly understanding their worth, slowly coming to terms with the fact that they have been chosen freely and fully by the other, flaws and all. I think I highlighted half of the book because some passages really resonated with me: Cat Sebastian is so good at portraying deeply insecure, anxiety-riddled, deeply human people and I absolutely loved both James and Leo, possibly even more than the first book. Leo showed a surprisingly protective side and the way he was always trying to keep James safe and sane? God, I might have swooned. He's a flawed, morally compromised character but he's also sweet and shy and lovely and ruthlessly and cheerfully commited to doing whatever it takes to keep James and keep him happy. James, on the other hand, I think he might be my favourite: he's absolutely lovely and nice and decent and I too, if I was in Leo's shoes, would cheerfully do anything to keep him happy and safe. Gah, he's just so lovely.
So why not a full 5 star rating? I think I missed Wychcomb St. Mary and the usual village shenanigans. And I definitely missed Cora and Edith and Wendy. I'm always a fan of a good ol' dinner party murder mystery in a creepy mansion, but I missed the village setting and I missed seing James in his competent-country-doctor element. It was a twisty mystery though, one with lots of loose threads and lots of suspects and lots of discoveries and secrets, and I definitely gasped a few times (as usual I was completely hopeless at guessing the truth!), but I think something was missing. I'm not sure what though. But nevermind, I still loved it.
All in all, it was a very lovely, romantically satisfying novel: we, finally, get a full-blown HEA and even though I'll be joining the chorus of readers clamoring for a summer holiday epilogue, I'm very happy with how things turned out for James and Leo. I'm not sure if Cat Sebastian has any plans to revisit, but in the meantime I'll be happy to re-read these two books time and time again.
January 18, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
The Missing Page is the follow up to Cat Sebastian’s Hither, Page in her Page & Sommers series and I absolutely adored this book. I’m talking a couldn’t put it down, swooning over these characters kind of book. We pick up with Leo and James a few months after they met and they are still sort of feeling their way along together. The men have admitted that they want to be together and now Leo lives with James when he is not on assignment. I loved this set up right from the start as Leo returns home to learn the circumstances of James’ trip and his senses immediately start tingling about this absurd drama of the will reading. It all sounds like the makings of some house party craziness with relatives killing off one another to get their hands on the money. So Leo sets off to work his way into the house so he can keep an eye on James. Not to mention that Leo misses James desperately and definitely doesn’t want to have to wait for him to return. It is just such a perfect picture of Leo, the suspicious career spy who is not going to let anything happen to James on his watch.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
The Missing Page is the follow up to Cat Sebastian’s Hither, Page in her Page & Sommers series and I absolutely adored this book. I’m talking a couldn’t put it down, swooning over these characters kind of book. We pick up with Leo and James a few months after they met and they are still sort of feeling their way along together. The men have admitted that they want to be together and now Leo lives with James when he is not on assignment. I loved this set up right from the start as Leo returns home to learn the circumstances of James’ trip and his senses immediately start tingling about this absurd drama of the will reading. It all sounds like the makings of some house party craziness with relatives killing off one another to get their hands on the money. So Leo sets off to work his way into the house so he can keep an eye on James. Not to mention that Leo misses James desperately and definitely doesn’t want to have to wait for him to return. It is just such a perfect picture of Leo, the suspicious career spy who is not going to let anything happen to James on his watch.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
January 29, 2022
A cryptic bequests sends Jamie back to a troubling place (and time) of his childhood, full of unspoken secrets, suspect longings and a mysterious disappearance/death of a woman. Leo is back from his latest MI6 mission feeling rather out of sorts and upon learning where Jamie has disappeared to, sets off to ensure no harm befalls his lover at the rural weekend will reading ... especially when he is of the opinion that when "heirs gather together, they immediately started putting exotic poisons into one another’s tea. They simply couldn’t help themselves."
This is largely a cozy mystery ... there's no gore, lots of tea and long walks, awkward teatime conversations and slightly more tension-ridden dinners, a suspiciously planted tree and barely two M-M action scenes of the 'tamer' variety. Readers are given substantially more background info to Jamie's past and heritage which broadens our understanding of the man. Jamie and Leo are adorably engaged in working out their relationship/living arrangements whilst attempting to pry open the vault of family secrets. All observations, clues and revelations were nicely sewn together by the ending - with a positive and hopeful opening of horizons for our MCs. A lovely engaging read that warrants 4.5 stars.
This is largely a cozy mystery ... there's no gore, lots of tea and long walks, awkward teatime conversations and slightly more tension-ridden dinners, a suspiciously planted tree and barely two M-M action scenes of the 'tamer' variety. Readers are given substantially more background info to Jamie's past and heritage which broadens our understanding of the man. Jamie and Leo are adorably engaged in working out their relationship/living arrangements whilst attempting to pry open the vault of family secrets. All observations, clues and revelations were nicely sewn together by the ending - with a positive and hopeful opening of horizons for our MCs. A lovely engaging read that warrants 4.5 stars.
January 1, 2024
Here's what I texted to a friend partway through:
"No spoilers, but one of the things that makes James and Leo so lovely is that Leo thinks he's twelve ducks in a trench coat with no real identity or personality at all, and meanwhile James could spot him in any disguise at a hundred yards and go, 'Oh, of course that's Leo' "
anyway, somehow this is a cozy murder mystery that is EVEN MORE WHOLESOME than the first one in the series, which I adore! It doesn't have quite the same narrative momentum, but it's still Very Good and the resolution is even more satisfying than the first book. And watching James and Leo together is, as always, a joy and a pleasure. Love this.
"No spoilers, but one of the things that makes James and Leo so lovely is that Leo thinks he's twelve ducks in a trench coat with no real identity or personality at all, and meanwhile James could spot him in any disguise at a hundred yards and go, 'Oh, of course that's Leo' "
anyway, somehow this is a cozy murder mystery that is EVEN MORE WHOLESOME than the first one in the series, which I adore! It doesn't have quite the same narrative momentum, but it's still Very Good and the resolution is even more satisfying than the first book. And watching James and Leo together is, as always, a joy and a pleasure. Love this.
March 7, 2023
A country house, a will reading and a mystery decades old.
James is called back to Blackthorn his Uncles estate and a place he once spent happy summers, but this time something is amiss luckily Leo is soon on hand to help...
I do enjoy these M/M mystery romances and the period and pace is perfect.
James is called back to Blackthorn his Uncles estate and a place he once spent happy summers, but this time something is amiss luckily Leo is soon on hand to help...
I do enjoy these M/M mystery romances and the period and pace is perfect.
February 4, 2022
This is so cute and cozy, with interesting historical social commentary.
ETA 10/18/21: THANK GOODNESS, WE HAVE A TITLE AND A VAGUE PUBLICATION DATE! (I will take that vague publication date with glee!)
ETA 10/18/21: THANK GOODNESS, WE HAVE A TITLE AND A VAGUE PUBLICATION DATE! (I will take that vague publication date with glee!)
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