#countess of harleigh mysteries

[lakecountylibrary]

I have been enjoying A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales. I love a good murder mystery but have surprisingly enjoyed the setting of Regency-era Britain. Would you be able to provide any recommendations for other novels similar to this?

Certainly! We too love a good historical murder mystery, so several of us have recs for you.

Brenna: The Wrexford & Sloane series by Andrea Penrose takes place in Regency London and is murder mystery on a more cozy-ish scale. Audiobook narrator is excellent! I've listened to them all.

Start with Murder on Black Swan Lake

Sarah: There is Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James, which is a sort of sequel to Pride and Prejudice. It was well-received enough to get its own adaptation on BBC.

Chris (who literally just checked out the audiobook for A Most Agreeable Murder): I would suggest the Dianne Freeman series "Countess of Harleigh Mysteries", starting with A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder.

Happy reading!

[mcsquared1313]

Book Recommendation

If you are looking for a mystery book that keeps you on the edge of your seat without keeping you from sleeping at night, look no further! An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder is the latest book in the Countless of Harleigh mystery series, and (like all the others) it is great!

Frances and George are finally able to take their trip to Paris, though not under the circumstances they wished.

When George's aunt requests his help investigating the death of a prominent artist she knows, the couple leaves for France. Once they arrive, secrets about George's private and independent aunt are revealed. Frances and George must solve the murder before the killer comes after their family.

I have no idea why this series is not more popular because every book in it is wonderful. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries. If you are new to the series, I would begin with the first book, A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder. This read is well worth your time, and I can not recommend this series enough!

[its-suanneschafer-author]

ICYMI BOOK REVIEW: #AnArtLoversGuideTo ParisAndMurder by #DianneFreeman. Book #7 in the Countess of Harleigh cozy mystery series set at the Paris World’s Fair of 1900.

[cartograffiti]

August '23 reading diary

I finished 9 books in August, and unfortunately several of them were disappointments. I'm looking forward to doing some rereads in September, one with friends of Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic series (which, actually, will include books I never got my hands on the first time), and one solo canon review of a favorite KJ Charles novel to edit a fic for an exchange. No fear of a reading slump being set off, is what I'm saying.

I continued reading the Whyborne & Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk, this time getting through Necropolis, which was a very enjoyable Egyptology adventure jaunt introducing new characters, and Bloodline, which had lower lows (very frustrating argument and lying plot thread between the main couple) and higher highs (great developments in the ongoing storylines of Whyborne's family and the colony of fish people off the coast of Massachusetts.) I continue to enjoy these books, and it's fun to see both the characters and Hawk's writing develop, but sometimes I am awfully glad they're short, so issues get resolved or at least "parked" quickly.

Snow Place Like LA is the #1.5 novella in the Christmas Notch romance series by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy, the first of which (A Merry Little Meet Cute) I absolutely adored. This was merely fine. I like Angel and Luca, and animator and costumer who do work for Angel's dad's porn-and-movies-for-a-spoof-of-the-Hallmark-Channel studio; they're lively characters who contribute a lot of humor and charm. But this novella had much less going on than the first novel did, and I kept feeling like I wasn't learning anything about them or their relationship that couldn't have been incorporated into the main series entries. It was a bit like reading a pleasant, well-done fanfiction, not because it felt inauthentic, but just because it felt...extra.

I did read another of Agatha Christie's books, which always stick the landing. Sleeping Murder is a Miss Marple case about a young woman who has bought a house for herself and her new husband, only to be plagued by a sense that she's been in this house before, and seen someone killed there. This has a really wonderful portrait of what we understood about childhood memories and the unconscious in the mid-70s (as I've said before, it's a shame to strip Christie's social commentary by resetting her late works in the interwar period), and a thrilling finale moment of Miss Marple saving a life via gardening equipment.

One really fabulous nonfiction book this month was Zaria Ware's Blk Art, an image-heavy exploration of historical black artists and models working in the West. Many of the works featured are very striking and completely new to me, and the text is succinct and clear enough to be recommended to friends without a lot of art history background. When possible, Ware also gives bio sketches, which provide peeks into the lives of black professionals from businessmen to trapeze artists. Broad rather than deep, and excellent.

I always look forward to new installments of the Countess of Harleigh mysteries by Dianne Freeman, but A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder wasn't her tightest case. I finished the book still not clear on the culprit's motive. Still, I like the detective Frances, who is a widowed dollar princess (one of the wealthy Americans who married into English nobility). This series deals to an unusual degree with the realities of money and the law. Frances's cases usually come into her lap not through seeking out mysteries, but through assisting debutantes in a low-key pursuit of income, and the differences between consequences for her snooping, compared to what her friends in the secret service and police force can do, are very marked. I'm sure I'll enjoy the next more.

A new-to-me author in romance, TJ Alexander, put out a book this year that Smart Bitches, Trashy Books noted has two transgender mains, so I grabbed it without having read the first in the series. That was fine, Chef's Choice mostly stands alone, and I had a lot of fun with it! Luna has suddenly lost her job, and wealthy restaurateur Jean-Pierre has, in the process of arranging a culinary test to prove a point to his unsupportive relatives, lied about a nonexistent girlfriend, so he offers her a deal. I love fake dating plots, and this features a lot of my favorite things about them. Luna and Jean-Pierre have had very different experiences in their transitions, which means they sometimes argue about how to handle things, but I found it a refreshing change from more abundant plots where one trans person explains how things are to their cis partner. I was also delighted to see bespoke genitals eroticized; I think bottom surgery is somewhat under-represented in trans sex writing. I had some quibbles with the book as a novel, because the pacing was funky and sometimes the plot keeping Luna and Jean-Pierre interacting didn't really gel, but it's unusual and charming, and I was happy every time I opened it. I think cis readers with an interest should grab it, and trans readers will have the most fun if they can choose a time it won't be frustrating if they run into a pet peeve--the issues raised are varied and sometimes written in a way assuming cis readers need them spelled out. It is, after all, traditionally published.

My least favorite read this month was the nonfiction lifestyle guide Goblin Mode. This is about the Tumblr-popular goblincore aesthetic, and while author McKayla Coyle features inspired crafting ideas and engaging nature writing, they also had some real problems writing about the political values of the scene. In some cases, their attempt at brevity left out key information (like...why they were even bringing up subjects that I knew were important only because I'm already familiar with goblincore), and in particular, passages that touched on matters of race, ethnicity, and religion were objectionably awkward, and needed more revision (if I'm being generous).

But fortunately, I finished August with my favorite read of the month, Baking Yesteryear! This is the new cookbook by B. Dylan Hollis, whom you've probably seen making vintage recipes of highly variable quality in videos originally posted to TikTok. This book compiles many of his favorites from the 1900s through the 1980s, and just a few of the very worst. I found many recipes I'm interested in trying, and I am impressed by the clarity of Dylan's directions and the specificity of his tips to ensure they work. I'm particularly excited by how many of the recipes included are based on unusual techniques or flavors, like no-flour macaroons, which means I'll probably want to own a copy. Although it's not as comedy-dense as the videos, there's a lot of humor and joy in the text, and a it's great showcase of Dylan's ability to inspire.

[tudorblogger]

‘A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder’ by Dianne Freeman

‘A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder’ by Dianne Freeman

Genre: Adult Fiction – Historical Mystery Published: 2018 Format: Paperback Rating: ★★★★ I was recommended this book by a very good friend, and I’m so glad! I really enjoyed this mixture of a Regency novel and a murder mystery. The two melded really well together and I am excited to read the others in the series. Frances Wynn was a very interesting character who seems to be breaking away…

[sheilajsn]

Serie Countess of Harleigh Mystery de Dianne Freeman

Serie Countess of Harleigh Mystery de Dianne Freeman

La serie Countess of Harleigh Mystery de Dianne Freeman es una serie de cozy mysteries que se desarrollan en el Londres de finales de los 1800s. Esta es una serie que empecé a leer el año pasado y estoy completamente enamorada de los personajes. La serie tiene cinco libros, el último de los cuales, se publicó en junio de este año. De hecho, ese libro estaba al tope de mi lista de libros más…

[rockislandadultreads]

Perfectly Purple Book Covers: Romance & Mysteries

Find these books on Hoopla with your library card!

Fortune's Flower by Anthea Lawson

Miss Lily Strathmore has made a desperate bargain. One last adventure abroad with her botanist uncle and his family, and then she will do as her parents bid and wed the proper (and boring) viscount her mother has selected as Lily's ideal husband. James Huntington is on a mission. Retrieve his grandfather's lost journals from the wilds of Tunisia, and win the estate and fortune he so desperately needs. This quest will be the making of him--or his ruin. Thrown together on a botanical expedition, James and Lily's attraction is immediate, and impossible. Despite every reason to keep their distance, the two find themselves inexorably drawn together as they race to reach a hidden valley before their enemies can bring all their dreams crashing down.    

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman

In this exciting historical mystery debut set in Victorian England, a wealthy young widow encounters the pleasures—and scandalous pitfalls—of a London social season . . . Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as a widow than she did as a wife. After an obligatory year spent mourning her philandering husband, Reggie, she puts aside her drab black gowns, leaving the countryside and her money-grubbing in-laws behind. With her young daughter in tow, Frances rents a home in Belgravia and prepares to welcome her sister, Lily, arriving from New York—for her first London season. No sooner has Frances begun her new life than the ghosts of her old one make an unwelcome appearance. The Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter implicating Frances in her husband’s death. Frances assures Inspector Delaney of her innocence, but she’s also keen to keep him from learning the scandalous circumstances of Reggie’s demise. As fate would have it, her dashing new neighbor, George Hazelton, is one of only two other people aware of the full story. While busy with social engagements on Lily’s behalf, and worrying if Reggie really was murdered, Frances learns of mysterious burglaries plaguing London’s elite. The investigation brings death to her doorstep, and Frances rallies her wits, a circle of gossips, and the ever-chivalrous Mr. Hazelton to uncover the truth. A killer is in their midst, perhaps even among her sister’s suitors. And Frances must unmask the villain before Lily’s season—and their lives—come to a most unseemly end . . .

Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Josie Way loved working among the Library of Congress’s leather-scented stacks—until she uncovered corruption and made herself a target. As Wilfred, Oregon’s new librarian, Josie can stay undercover until the case goes to court. But life in this little town isn’t as subdued as she expected. The library, housed in a a Victorian mansion, is slated to be bulldozed. Still digesting the news that her safe haven is about to become scrap lumber, Josie discovers a body in the woods . . . Almost as shocking, Josie learns that she’s descended from a long line of witches—and her powers have suddenly sprung to life. With help from a spoiled alley cat who just may be her familiar, Josie’s thumbing through a catalog of suspects, hoping she can conjure a way to save her library—and her life. . .

Who's That Earl by Susanna Craig

Miss Jane Quayle excels at invention. How else could the sheltered daughter of an English gentleman create lurid gothic novels so infamous someone wants their author silenced forever? Fortunately, Jane has taken steps to protect herself, first by assuming a pen name, and second, by taking up residence at remote Dunnock Castle, surrounded by rugged scenery that might have been ripped from the pages of one of her books. Her true identity remains a secret, until one dark and stormy night... After years of spying for the British army, Thomas Sutherland doubts the Highlands will ever feel like home again. Nevertheless, thanks to a quirk of Scottish inheritance law, he's now the Earl of Magnus, complete with a crumbling castle currently inhabited by a notorious novelist. When the writer turns out to be the woman Thomas once wooed, suspicions rise even as mutual sparks reignite. As danger closes in, can Jane and Thomas overcome their pasts to forge a future together?

[my-52-weeks-with-christie]

Historical Mystery Review: A Fiancee's Guide to First Wives and Murder - Dianne Freeman

Historical Mystery Review: A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder – Dianne Freeman

The Countess of Harleigh is back! And this time, she only needs to go as far as her front door to find a brand new mystery: in the form of a French woman who claims she’s Mrs. George Hazelton…which is awkward as Frances (i.e., the Countess) is engaged to the aforementioned gentleman. On top of this ludicrous claim, Frances finds herself contending with one nosey butler, a moralizing neighbor, a…

[caitlynlynch]

This is the fourth in a late-Victorian era cozy mystery series centred on Frances, widowed Countess of Harleigh. I didn’t realise it was the fourth in the series when I picked it up for review; it stands pretty well alone though a few characters could perhaps have done with a little more introduction. Frances is a widow with a young daughter (who is off the page for most of this book visiting Paris with Frances’ mother). From context, it’s obvious that Frances is American and married her Earl with the aid of a healthy dowry, which the earl promptly spent the majority of before he died, leaving Frances not exactly impoverished but not wealthy either. Now engaged to her next door neighbour George Hazleton, Frances finds herself drawn into a completely insane series of events when a police inspector brings a young woman to her doorstep who claims to be, in turn, an illegitimate relation of the czar of Russia, an actress, George Hazelton’s wife, and in fear of her life.

Frances is quite understandably thrown, but she also can’t allow Irena to run around London making wild claims like that. Being engaged to an already married man would destroy Frances’ reputation. George insists he’s not married to Irena, and in fact another man comes forward to claim he is… but when Irena is found strangled in Frances’ back garden, Frances and George are both suspects with obvious motive and opportunity.

I really liked this. It felt really authentic to the period (1899) and Frances is a fabulous heroine, strong and determined. I’m probably going to go looking for the rest of the series because I want more of her backstory and I definitely want more of her and George’s romance. I even want more of her utterly impossible mother. It’s always a disadvantage to step into a series part way through, but this was good enough to overcome that, with some real historical personages and happenings sprinkled in among the fictional ones making it a fascinating read. Five stars for a great Victorian cozy mystery full of charm, and I will definitely be looking for more by this author.

A Fiancee's Guide to First Wives and Murder is available now. Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.

[mcsquared1313]

Book Recommendation:

I just read The Countess of Harleigh series, and they were so good! The series reminds me a little bit of the few Aurora Teagarden moves I have seen since both involve a main character who happens to have people she knows well/has interacted with die, and she has to help solve the case.

If you are interested in turn of the century mysteries that also includes some romance, you will probably enjoy The Countess of Harleigh Mysteries. The first book is A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder.

[its-suanneschafer-author]

BOOK REVIEW: #AnArtLoversGuideTo ParisAndMurder by #DianneFreeman. Book #7 in the Countess of Harleigh cozy mystery series set at the Paris World’s Fair of 1900.

[the-bookmark]

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder

A Countess of Harleigh Mystery Book 1

by Dianne Freeman

This cozy mystery is set in 1899 Victorian London and revolves around widowed American heiress Lady Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, and the intrigues she encounters while introducing her younger sister, Lily, to London society.

After the appropriate period of mourning, Frances has decided to strike out on her own, purchasing a small cottage for herself, her young daughter Rose, and a small household staff.  When her sister and aunt arrive unexpectedly with funds and instructions from her mother to arrange for Lily's London Season, her small home is suddenly quite crowded, and as Lily entertains a trio of suitors, mysterious 'accidents' occur with increasing frequency.

This is a short, fast-paced, humorous little book.  I enjoyed it, but it's not, in my opinion, a 'keeper'.

[unprettyextra]

Just read: A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery #1)

[sheilajsn]

Serie Countess of Harleigh Mystery de Dianne Freeman

Serie Countess of Harleigh Mystery de Dianne Freeman

La serie Countess of Harleigh Mystery de Dianne Freeman es una serie de cozy mysteries que se desarrollan en el Londres de finales de los 1800s. Esta es una serie que empecé a leer el año pasado y estoy completamente enamorada de los personajes. La serie tiene cuatro libros, de los cuales ya he leído los primeros tres, y un quinto que se espera que se publique en junio de este año. Cabe…