An Invitation to Murder (Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker, #1) by Leighann Dobbs

An Invitation to Murder (Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker, #1) Reviews

• 
  Brenda

  Lady Katherine took the matchmaking job under sufferance – but knew it would make a good cover story while she caught the Pink Ribbon Killer. Two young women had died during the season; with one last party for debutants to find husbands, Katherine knew it would be the perfect place for the killer to strike again. But not if she could help it…
  
  Katherine’s father had stipulated she was to prove her ability by her birthday or lose her dowry – with only one week to do it in, she knew it would be tight. Her friend Lyle was one of the Bow Street Runners – she anticipated his help would be invaluable. As long as her father didn’t find out.
  
  With very little to go on, and many whom she could call suspects, Katherine knew time was running out. She needed to dig more deeply as well as keep any prospective victims safe. Could she do it? Or was she putting herself in danger, along with other young women at the party?
  
  An Invitation to Murder by Leighann Dobbs is the first in the Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker series and a thoroughly entertaining beginning. With plenty of action, swooning ladies and arrogant lords and dukes in the mix, plus Emma, Katherine’s adorable pug, this historical cosy set in the Regency period has a lot to offer fans of the genre. Highly recommended.
  
• 
  Tony Hisgett

  At first glance Katherine is a really interesting character, she wants to be an amateur sleuth and would like to use her dowry to achieve this ambition rather than finding a suitable husband.
  I hoped she would be a bit of a rebel and be willing to stand up to the useless aristocrats, but it turned out she was actually quite conventional.
  
  As for her detective skills, they weren’t great, at times it was almost ‘farcical’, running in and out of bedrooms and dodging people on the stairs. Then when she gets her hands on a piece of evidence she allows it to be taken from her. However, my main irritation is that the more obvious the perpetrator was, the more she appeared to ignore them. It seemed like the author was just finding ways to drag out the story.
  When the final confrontation came, Katherine was again a bit of a disappointment, I really prefer my heroines to have a bit more fight in them.
  
  It wasn’t a bad book, but Katherine didn’t turn out to be the heroine I hoped for.
• 
  Janet

  I am really starting to hate the anachronistic trend to imbue characters from another historical time period with modern values, mores and opinions. Here we have another "plucky" pre-Feminist, rebellious woman who wants to be "free" of society's rules and regulations. She wants to be a Bow Street Runner or a detective and ends up making a deal with her father that if she solves the "pink ribbon murders" he will give her control of her money and she can then go off and be even more of a lonely spinster than she already is. Ok. It might be a good deal if the heroine is actually smart or observant or good at solving clues. But no, she goes haring off in all directions and bounces like a ball from one suspect to another to another. I was getting a little dizzy there even though the actual list of suspects wasn't that great (English country house party). In the end, I knew who the murderer was mostly by the fact that it was the ONE person the main character DIDN'T suspect! Oh and let's not forget the innumerable words the author wastes on her unpleasant dog...innumerable-wasted-words! Will not be reading any more of this series.
• 
  Mary

  Sadly I didn't find Lady Catherine much of a detective.
• 
  Cheryl (Takin' It Easy This Year!)

  My first finished book of 2022!
  
  Another great read; you always get that with a Leighann Dobbs book. 😊
• 
  Christina/ The Blog for Teachers, Readers, & Life!

  I loved this first book in the series! Mystery, history, high society, humor, a cute a friendly dog...
  There were quite a few characters. I would have loved a list of characters at the beginning with a brief description to refer back to.
• 
  Mara

  4.5 stars for the first in a new series by Leighann Dobbs (along with Harmony Williams). It's a cozy mystery/suspense set in the Regency period. Two young debutante's have been strangled with pink ribbons at recent parties. Lady Katherine wants to be a detective like her father, but she also wants her dowry on her 25th birthday so she can be self-sufficient. Her father gives her 10 days to find the "Pink Ribbon Killer" without any help, if she's so receive her dowry on her birthday. She successfully found matches for her older sisters, so she's getting an unwanted reputation for being a matchmaker, which isn't something she wants to do, but if it gets her invited to an end of season event where she can find out who the Pink Ribbon Killer is she'll do it. With her pug Emma, her lady's maid Harriet, and her extremely shy debutante charge, Annie Pickering, she's off to the Earl of Northbrook's.
  There are too many suspects to mention. It could've been any of the men, and even a few of the women fell under suspicion. At one point I suspected a couple of the women because they seemed so desperate to marry off their daughters. Lady Katherine does receive a little help from her friend Lyle, a Bow Street Runner and inventor, and in a roundabout way Emma helped too. In the end she figures out who the murderer is and Annie receives a proposal of marriage.
  This is a little different than the usual cozy mysteries and Regency stories because it combines the two genres. There were a few hilarious moments involving a moth and butterflies. I liked that Annie found a love match with an unlikely fellow, and it looks like Lady Katherine may have an assistant detective to help her, but I won't spill the beans about who it is.
  I pre-ordered this book from Amazon, but received a copy from the author for additional edits and review. All opinions are own. I look forward to Lady Katherine's future adventures.
• 
  JoAn

  I enjoyed reading this historical mystery and Ms. Dobbs did an excellent job of introducing and developing the characters as the story moved forward. Although I didn't completely connect with Lady Katherine throughout the story, I am intrigued to see how she will continue to pursue her investigations in the future.
• 
  Lois

  4 solid stars
  This was adorable. Set in Regency England at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
  A delightful cast of cozy mystery characters.
• 
  Violet In Bookland

  Oh god, it's such an amazing book. Loved it!!
• 
  Kymm

  It's been a while since I read a good who done it mystery and this was a really good one. Set in the early 1800's a female detective, Lady Katherine needs to solve this series of high society murders by herself by her 25th birthday to receive her dowry from her father thus ensuring her financial future. It's full of great characters and takes place in a Lord's manor, with beautiful gardens. This is the first in a series of 4, I believe. I enjoyed it so much and found it so entertaining I may go on to number 2 right away. I never do that.
• 
  Nola Arganbright

  Excellent
  
  From the pen of prolific writer Leighann Dobbs a fun and saucy Recency cozy mystery. With the formation of the Bow Street Runners Katherine, the daughter of London's best detective, has her heart set on becoming a lady detective. Her father supports her goal and offers a great prize of she can solve a murder mystery he cannot.
  Katherine is quite a sassy investigator when a certain gentleman tries to join forces with her.
  A humorous tale with great characters and a very strong plot. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
• 
  Lise

  Lady Katherine Irvine has wagered her father that she can solve a crime before her 25th birthday. Alas, time is running short and, should she fail, he will retain control of her dowry. In order to gain her independence, she must find the murderer who uses pink ribbons to strangle his victims.
  
  I've never been terribly fond of the Regency era so it's to the authors' credit that I remained as invested in this story as I did. Dobbs & Williams have brought an interesting heroine to life, imbued her with an intriguing backstory, and granted her accomplices who enhance her character by being unusual themselves. As a detective, Katherine is a neophyte who scrambles around desperately looking for a clue to the murderer's identity. She allowed many distractions to draw her away from her target, but in the end, she did succeed - a feat surely worthy of praise.
  
  Recommended.
• 
  Mo

  I found everything to be completely implausible.
  
  Audiobook
  Narrated by Beverly A. Crick
  Duration: 06:17:46
  
  Abandoned after Chapter 1; 21 minutes.
• 
  Joanne

  An Invitation to Murder is the first book in a delightful new series, the Lady Katherine Regency Mysteries by Leighann Dobbs and Harmony Williams. This is the first book I have read set during the Regency period. Combined with the classic cozy mystery features I found the book enthralling and it fully held my attention. The protagonist, Lady Katherine Irvine is determined to follow in her father’s footsteps as a private detective. The “Pink Ribbon Murders” of two debutantes in London remain unsolved and Lady Katherine is determined to find the perpetrator. Every great protagonist has a great cover story or activities. Lady Katherine’s claim to fame is that of a successful matchmaker for young women within the aristocracy. The characters are developed and portray their roles in the way of that period in history. The plot is well crafted with multiple twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. Scattered throughout the book There were words, phrases and regional terms which added to the historical setting and relevance within the plot. If you’ve never read a book of the Regency genre and love cozy mysteries, this is a perfect introduction to that combination. Filled with humor, suspense and intrigue, this is a book you don’t want to miss! I’m looking forward to further adventures of Lady Katherine. 5 stars for this first in a new series book.
  Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the author and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
  
• 
  Amarie

  So this book ranged from okay to terrible. As far as characters go it had an interesting set with variance and Katherine for all her anachronism was interesting, at first. The book is anachronistic and upfront about it. So I was ready for that and accepted my lot and would be happy if the mystery was good.
  
  The thing is though, Katherine is a terrible investigator. Like she is absolutely terrible. She makes early assumptions with little evidence, gets caught constantly snooping. The worst part is though she ignores potential avenues of investigation as well as suspects for little to no reason. If someone talks about a past event of one of the victims you'd ask what happened, who was there and how everyone behaved. She asks only what is relevant to her assumptions. She is supposedly not new at this and learned from her dad. I'd say either her dad is also terrible or she learned nothing.
  
  Also the killer is fairly obvious from mid-point and she ignores the clues, that informed be fairly easily who the killer was, for no reason. She has the same clues after all and she is supposed to be the investigator. Yet she misses everything relevant. This is frustrating at best.
  
  While I don't need my detective character to be perfect or right all the time I'd like them to be good at their work and thus worth reading about. Katherine is not worth reading about.
• 
  L.J. Evans

  This was a really fun little romp through Regency England. A unique take on female in society trying to do more than "get married". Plus, the dog, Emma, was just too adorable. I can't wait for the next in the series.
• 
  Selah

  Meh. The detectives are blind, and there is almost nothing very Regency about it. 2.5 stars
• 
  Kathy

  Daughter of an Earl who is also a detective, Katherine is determined to follow in her father's footsteps. To do so, she is determined to gain ontrol of her dowry, minus a husband. A a financially independent single woman she can pursue all the cases she wants. There's just one catch, she had to solve a difficult case before her 25th birthday, just a couple weeks away. . . This was a delightful period mystery and I look forward to more.
• 
  Mary Lynch

  I love period pieces! Author Dobbs has done a great job of creating interesting characters in a fascinating setting. My only request would be for a greater detail on clothing, furnishings, etc. It sounds odd but even the shoes. I had trouble picturing Lady Katherine running because her dress and shoes were not described very well. There is plenty of character content. Even though I felt that the plt slowed down from time to time, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and moved right on to book #2.
• 
  Nicole

  Historical characters given modern traits. A detective who bumbles her way through the mystery.
• 
  Emmalynn

  Ehh it was okay, there’s way better out there. Lady Katherine couldn’t find the killer until he was literally strangling her, so there’s that. Not sure why she wants to be a Det 🙄🙄😒😒
• 
  Sue Fitz

  I skimmed the last half.
• 
  Laurel

  I love Leighann Dobbs, but did not enjoy reading this book. To this reader, the story dragged on and on. The small attempts at humor, were absolutely not amusing. I saw there were more in the series & I have no interest in reading them.
• 
  Kristen

  This was okay. Hence the two stars. Not great, not bad, but okay.
  
  I liked the spunk of the main character Katherine, and her determination to have a life lived by her own rules and decisions. She was smart and competent and capable. But she didn't have anything unique enough for me to really connect to her and deeply care about what happened to her.
  
  The supporting characters all felt like they came straight out of central casting. There was nobody especially unique or interesting or engaging. They all felt interchangeable.
  
  Honestly, the character in this book I liked the best was the pug dog, Emma. She was the only character whose antics and behaviour made me smile or laugh. When the dog is the most interesting part of the book, well, it isn't likely to be a story that encourages you to continue with the series, and I doubt I will read others in this series. Again, not bad, just nothing particularly unique or interesting.
• 
  Marita

  This is the first cozy mystery book I have read that didn’t take place in modern times, and I loved it! Katherine, the heroine, captured my heart from the start, with her determination to gain her independence and ferocious refusal to conform to societal rules, yet work within them to achieve her goals. The story takes place in the Victorian Era, a time when young women of class were expected to reach for no higher goals than a favorable marriage. In contrast, Katherine is determined to make her way as an investigator, like her father, despite the stigma that carries.
  
  As we follow Katherine through out her investigation, we not only experience her determination, but also her intelligence and forward thinking. The introduction of investigative technologies through her investigator friend, Lyle, gives us the feeling of what it must have been like at the dawn of criminal science. As a science major and buff, I truly enjoyed this area of the story line. While the sub-plot, the matchmaking challenge Katherine faced, was predictable, the umbrella mystery of the Pink Ribbon Killer was captivating and intriguing.
  
  Not to toot my own horn, but with many cozy mystery books, I often figure out who the perpetrator is long before the story reveals it. However, in An Invitation To Murder, while I had my suspects, like Katherine did, I truly did not know who it was until they ultimately, and dangerously, revealed themselves to our investigator. For the life of me, I can’t remember how I came across this book for it to end up in my reading list, but so glad that it did.
  
  This is the first book by Leighann Dobbs in the Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker series, and I have already purchased a copy of book 2, The Baffling Burglaries of Bath. This will be one series that I will definitely follow closely.
• 
  Betty

  What a different time and life in Regency England. What an interesting story within the time of Regency! What a surprise that the main character is the daughter of an Earl and her heart's desire is to become a detective! I enjoyed reading this unique story with so much historical accuracy of the life and times. No wonder Lady Katherine wishes to escape the norm and become a detective like her father.
  
  It is a time of invisibility of females as persons, a time of seeking "approved" marriages for young maidens and of course that means seeking a high society and rich suitor to marry them. Mothers pushing their daughters to marry well, often calling on matchmakers to arrange a perfect match, as in seeking title and wealth, never mind compatibility.
  
  I loved the blossoming of Annie, as well as the compatibility of this particular pairing. Annie is the downtrodden believed by everyone to be the one no one would want for a wife yet she alone will marry well. I also found it hilarious how the system worked in those days! Matchmakers, mothers, daughters, Lords, Earls, Dukes, everybody wants to be part of the aristocracy, I would say mostly mothers for their daughters with no thought to what these men might really be like. Even more, they seem to switch around. Who is with who? Who would rather be with someone else? Love certainly doesn't seem to be a part of the picture. But what is the picture? Murder seems to play a pretty big part in all this. Why? Can Katherine find the murderer before anyone else is attacked? Or will she be the next victim. Lots of red herrings in this search for a murderer. For that matter, it's pretty "fishy" trying to find out who is where with maidens all changing partners.
  
  Will Lady Katherine get her wish?
• 
  Lisa Millett

  I was provided this book free for a true and honest review. I read it in one day and couldn't put it down. The setting is 1816 and Lady Katherine has 10 days to solve the pink ribbon murders. Two young debutante have been strangled with pink ribbons at 2 different parties during the season. Lady Katherine wants to collect on a wager with her father which would allow her to get her dowry on her 25th birthday and live on her own. In order to investigate she accepts a job as a matchmaker for young Annie at a party being held where all of the possible suspects will be. She brings along her maid and her adorable dog who adds some comic relief to the story as she is a thief. Lady Katherine begins to investigate and she is set on 2 gentleman as her main suspects so she tries to figure out which one it is. Another attack occurs but this time Lady Katherine and her friend, Lyle are able to save the young lady. With the house on lockdown, Lady Katherine and Lyle question everyone but they don't seem to be getting anywhere. Just when she thinks she has it figured out, Lady Katherine puts herself in danger. The book has an awesome and surprising ending that keeps the reader enthralled to the end. Another winner by author Leighann Dobbs. I highly recommend this book to all mystery readers and especially those that like the recency genre.
• 
  Thomas

  In a desperate attempt to acquire her dowry and independence. Lady Katherine must solve a crime on her own before her father can, by her 25th birthday. With the Pink Ribbon murderer still on the loose, Katherine achieves admission to the last party being held as a match maker for a young lady that has lots of difficulties about her personality, along with not being wealthy.
  
  After one of the guest is violently attacked, Katherine, while avoiding the attentions of Captain Wayland, another investigator who does everything he can to help Katherine, whether she wants it or not, calls for help from a friend who is also a Bow Street Runner. Knowing this will probably destroy any chance of winning her bet with her father. As she closes in on the killer, she herself is attacked and barely makes it out alive herself.
  
  Lee Dobbs wrote another fun mystery, this one set in the (Ton), during the early 1800's Regency period. the book has well defined characters, lots of twists, with plenty of humor, and even though the ending is not as surprising as it could be, the person who saves Katherine at the end is.