| Title | : | A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder: A Brilliant Victorian Historical Mystery (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1496731646 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781496731647 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 |
| Publication | : | First published June 28, 2022 |
On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding. Meanwhile, Frances’s mother has invited Mr. Bainbridge, and Frances fears the nuptials may end up being newspaper-worthy for all the wrong reasons.
On the day itself, Frances is relieved that Madeline’s father is not among the guests at the church. The reason, however, is most Mr. Connor is found murdered in his home. More shocking still, Alonzo is caught at the scene—holding the murder weapon.
Powerful and ruthless, Connor appears to have amassed a wealth of enemies. Frances and George put their wedding trip on hold to try and clear Alonzo’s name. But there are secrets to sift through, not just in the feuding families, but also in their own. With a killer determined to evade discovery—even if it means taking another life—Frances’s newlywed days will be perilous indeed . . .
A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder: A Brilliant Victorian Historical Mystery (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery) Reviews
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This was my second attempt at listening to an audiobook. I’m not sure if I’m a fan yet, but I do appreciate how convenient it is - I can read while doing other things. The problem is, the other things are distracting and you don’t want distraction when investigating murder.
Our dear Frances and George are finally married. The ton must have known about their hobby, because a murder happened during their wedding day and isn’t it just the best wedding gift for the happy couple? That way they can celebrate their wedding night by discussing murder, how romantic 😍
As we all know this series rocks even though I’m a shitty detective and I again didn’t solve the case. But that doesn’t matter because I could read it with Deema and it was a lot of fun, so thanks bestie ❤️
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So happy to be back with Frances, George and Deema! ❤️ -
Well I was wrong about the killer!
You’d think that would make me rate this higher as the twists were good and the mystery tight, but it was just too similar to the rest of the series and didn’t stand out for me. I wanted way more development of the relationship between George and Frances by this point. They are married but still relate to each other only through their investigations. This book was the shortest in the series and I think it could have used a bit of slice of life between them.
Overall it was good though and had everything we’ve come to expect from this series, which is entirely the problem I had with it. I think the author needs to shakes this series up in the next one if she wants it to keep going, or, you know, sometimes it’s ok to end a series and move on to something else.
I’m never getting the arc of the next one after this review 😬.
Update: I got the arc for the next one despite this review! (Or they approved just seconds before I posted this 😛). -
I have read all 5 books in the series and this one was an enjoyable addition It has the couple married at the beginning of the story and the mystery is set right after the wedding. Nothing out of the ordinary type of cozy mystery. Series needs a bit of a kick in the pants if I am going to continue. 3.25*
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This is proving to be a very entertaining series. In book 5 the main characters, Frances, Countess of Harleigh and George Hazelton, are about to be married and they actually do make it to the end of the wedding. However a murder during the reception and the resulting arrest of Frances's brother, Alonzo, stops them from going on their honeymoon.
Frances and George are an excellent team of sleuths, especially when a member of the family is involved, and they work hard at solving the crime. However it takes a lot of time and many false leads and their hope of at least a short honeymoon slowly slips away. I enjoy these two characters with their practical approach to life very much.
This was a fun read as usual in this series and I look forward to the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. -
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder. All opinions and comments are my own.
We have a wedding at last, as Frances, Countess of Harleigh marries her intended, George Hazelton in A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder, the fifth in Diane’s Freeman’s series featuring the enterprising woman as she manages once again to find herself at the center of a murder mystery. At the time of her nuptials, no less. To set the stage: rival businessmen that really, really dislike each other are invited to the happy event. If that wasn’t trouble enough, one of the men is really quite horrible, as Frances discovers. He rudely informs her to tell her brother Alonzo to stay away from his daughter. Will Frances and George be leaving on their honeymoon? Not when the brother’s arrested for the murder of the man right after the ceremony.
What follows is a tale of a lot of unhappy people. Luckily, the brother’s out of it pretty quickly, although he’s not “out of it out of it” – still a suspect until the police actually find the real bad guy. And because of that, Frances needs to uncover the actual culprit. Which she does quite handily, using the skills we’ve come to know from previous books. The society she moves around in plays its part, of course, and Diane Freeman emphasizes that ugly presents itself in every kind of social situation, and we’re not talking just the scenery, folks. She also knows how to use plotting to generate suspicion and legitimate possible murderers all around. There’s a big finish with a gun; and poor George will have to delay his honeymoon for a while longer.
An author’s note explains the real-life inspiration behind the setting of two men that couldn’t help but try to destroy each other. Money certainly doesn’t buy intelligence and good manners, even in 1900. -
Book 3 in this series was a high point when it came to sleuthing and character development. The downhill slide of book 4 continues with this latest installment.
You’d think a murder at the wedding we’ve been waiting for would make for a fantastic setting. Unfortunately, the middle of the book drags as the investigation goes on and on. I almost think you could read this book through the wedding day and then skip to the last 50 pages.
The action in this series is always clipped, which is funny since I just said things lag. It’s that there’s a lot of running to and fro, but then a big moment is over too quickly. There’s a scene with a gun and someone important gets shot. The scene is two pages. The next paragraph says the person recovered. So the one scene that could have been a dramatic moment was rushed through so we could have more mundane drawing room chatter?
I think I’m done with this series. -
Audiobooks review for books 1 to 5
4 very serious stars for the whole audiobooks
I breezed through these five audiobooks in two weeks!
That series is highly entertaining! We follow Frances, an American heiress that her mother married to an English earl.
Only once married, her husband hid her in the countryside while spending her money with his lovers.
The first book opens on Frances being awakened by one of her guests as her husband died of a heart attack in his mistress's room!
Now they have to move his naked body to his room to avoid the scandal.
That will happen thanks to George Hazelton, another guest and Frances best friend's brother.
Now widowed for one year Frances decides to buy a house in London and leave her in laws to live there with her daughter Rose.
Surprise surprise, her neighbor is none other than George Hazelton!
From that moment on, in every book, there will be a crime and Frances will one way or another be linked to said crime.
Thanks to her intelligence, knowledge of human nature and social convention she will solve the crime. Every time she'll be helped by the dashing George who is working for the Crown.
I really loved trying to solve these mysteries alongside our Victorian Miss Marple! Frances has poise, class, an excellent upbringing and is very astute and observant.
From meek wife of a Lord to an adventurous and mischievous young widow dead set on solving crimes, we will see Frances literally blooming!
We will also enjoy Frances family and friends. From her smart aunt Eddie, investor extraordinaire to Frances frightening mother, her father calculating the odds of someone being the killer ..we have great side characters to add many layers to the story and keep it moving at a brisk pace.
I warmly recommend that one if you love cozy mysteries and historical fiction happening in the Victorian era.
Last but not least, the narrators were excellent. -
After reading just one to many horror books I like to dip into a cozy mystery to pick me back up. Dianne Freeman's Countess Harleigh series is a wonder way to do it. Her characters are well written and enjoyable. I'm sorry to see that there is only one more book in the series.
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I am a huge fan of the Countess of Harleigh series in general, and Frances and George in particular! So I was thrilled when they were finally going to walk down the aisle. But, of course, I didn't really expect that it would be a breeze for them to do so, especially when murder disrupts the festivities!
The characters in this series are just wonderful. From Frances' complicated parents, to her brother's arrival, George and Frances themselves, and feuding neighbors, there is much to love--and to keep you off kilter when the murder happens during their nuptials.
Dianne Freeman is a master at plot and story, and I was along for the ride until the very satisfying end! Highly recommend. -
Ms. Freeman has written another entertaining and intriguing historical cozy mystery. I've enjoyed each book in this series and this one did not disappoint.
Frances and George are finally married but the honeymoon trip never happens when a murder is committed next door to the wedding luncheon and one of the prime suspects is Frances' brother, Alonzo. I enjoyed the look into the relationship of Frances' mother and father that was provided in this book especially since her mother has been a secondary character for a long time now in this series. A well-crafted plot with numerous suspects, deft twists and turns, red herrings that led me astray frequently and a dramatic reveal that had me gripping my e-reader.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own. -
A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder is book #5 in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. I was lucky enough to win book #1 in this series as a giveaway back in 2018 and I enjoyed it then and enjoy the series now. Dianne Freeman’s writing continues to get better and better with each story she writes. Cozy mystery lovers will fall in love with this series. It’s an easy, fun and fast read. If you enjoy Cozy’s like I do you need to read this series.
Thank you to #netgalley and #kensingtonbooks for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own. -
Loaded with atmosphere and really fits the bill if you're looking for a cozy Victorian historical mystery. The plot was not complex nor the mystery puzzling, but the joy was in watching the delightful characters solve two murders within the constraints of Victorian society. I loved the touches of humour.
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O wiele za wcześnie pochwaliłam się, że rozgryzłam formułę Freeman. W tym tomie aż do drugiego morderstwa (dwie trzecie powieści) przerzucałam się sama ze sobą teoriami, jeszcze bardziej wymyślnymi niż to, co proponowali bohaterowie, a proponowali fabuły godne Highsmith ("Nieznajomi z pociągu"). Brakuje mi trochę wysokich stawek i zagrożenia wiszącego nad głównymi bohaterami, jak w pierwszych trzech tomach, ale ile osób może chcieć zabić hrabinę Harleigh? (Zadziwiająco dużo, biorąc pod uwagę, jak zręcznie tropi transgresje klasy panującej). Trochę zabawnych uwag o kobietach znoszących brutalność małżonków, jakby Aqua Tofana i jej podobne nie rozwiązywały problemów małżeńskich przez stulecia, zanim rozwój medycyny kryminalnej stał się filarem trwania przemocy domowej. Na pewno jakaś dobra dusza proponowała Frances przepis na pozbycie się poprzedniego męża, w końcu Reggie był tylko utrapieniem i marnował jej pieniądze. A może właśnie dlatego wysłał żonę do wiejskiej posiadłości, że nie miała w mieście przyjaciółek z niestandardowymi książkami kucharskimi? Nie wspominając o tym, że w epoce wiktoriańskiej zatrucie arszenikiem było równie powszechne, co syfilis - każdy trochę miał. Swoją drogą to cud, że Reggie nie sprzedał żonie - i córce przez to - syfa. Wiem, że to nie są realistyczne powieści obyczajowo-historyczne, już miałam załamanie na tym tle, ale podywagować można. Lektura jak zwykle wciągająca, w upały aż miło poczytać o mroźnym lutym w Londynie, a morderstwo w najlepszym stylu Agaty Christie - w jednym miejscu znajduje się zgraja ludzi i trup, a z tej zgrai prawie każdy miał motyw i okazję, aby trupa wyprodukować. I przy okazji, aby ogarnąć listę podejrzanych i ich poczynania w chwili morderstwa, ojciec Frances wynalazł Cluedo. Dowiadujemy się też, że matka Frances ma fetysz rachunku prawdopodobieństwa. Bardzo ciekawa rodzina.
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i would have let my loser brother deal with his murder case while i left on my honeymoon
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The wedding of her dreams has turned into a nightmare and the honeymoon is spent in an investigation to clear her brother of murder. Engaging historical cozy mystery romp from new to me author and series.
A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder is the fifth book in the series and, could be read out of order, as I just proved. That said, I had such a good time and was curious about the backstory so I definitely want to go back and get the earlier books in order.
As I mentioned, A Bride’s Guide offered enough of a background that I had no trouble slipping into the latest story. Frances is a widowed countess. She was an American heiress and her mother arranged her marriage to an English aristocrat to get her a title. That marriage only produced one good thing, her daughter. Now, Frances is marrying George for love- and the fun of solving cases with him.
George Hazelton is a sometimes London lawyer as his front, but his true work is working clandestine cases for the Crown. He and Frances began their relationship solving mysteries, but fell in love. George adores her daughter and her and could care less that she was an heiress- though her original dowry was nearly frittered away by her first husband.
Now, just when their marriage and honeymoon are to happen, her mother has invited the Bainbridges and her brother asked her to invite the Connors because he’s interested in Madeline Connor. And, so they have two rival American business families at the wedding. Naturally, one has to turn up dead, but startlingly Frances’ brother Alonzo is the one found standing over the body holding the murder weapon. Honeymoon postponed; sleuthing begins.
This was right up my alley. I can’t believe what I’ve missed. The author’s writing style is light and entertaining without being fluffy. The characters are colorful and often amusing particularly Frances’ own family. Frances and her mother cracked me up the way they brushed against each other. Frances and George were a sweet couple, but a fun detecting pair.
The victim was hated by many and had a few brands in the fire to give many suspects and motives for them to investigate. I was so taken with the characters and their interactions that I didn’t give much effort to solving it, but I only had a few suspicions that proved right without an ultimate solution.
The time period is 1900 hundred London and I enjoyed the author’s attention to detail so I could picture the historical backdrop and the characters acting accordingly. It was a little different in that several of the characters were American and wealthy business families instead of British aristocracy or gentleman class.
All in all, this was a great dip into the series and I am looking forward to going back to the beginning. It was amusing, entertaining, and a fun cozy-style historical mystery.
I rec’d an eARC from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on Aug 3rd. -
This was the first Diane Freeman book that I read (I know, I know, I should have started with book 1), and I plan to go back and read Diane's other books. I agree with thr others that describe this as a "cozy read". The ending may have seemed predictable, but I very much enjoyed the writing style and became attached to the characters.
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What’s a bride to do when her brother is accused of murdering one of the wedding guests? Well, if you’re Lady Frances Harleigh now Mrs. Frances Hazelton, you postpone the honeymoon while you and your new husband try to solve the mystery. I loved this fifth book in the Countess of Harleigh series! George and Frances make the best team. With subtle humor, an engaging storyline, witty dialogue, a slew of suspects, a hint of romance, and family that according to Frances is “best enjoyed in small portions,” this cozy historical mystery is a must read that’s hard to put down.
The long awaited marriage between Frances and George is finally here! At the last minute, Frances’ mother adds to the guest list. Unfortunately, two of these guests Mr. Connors and Mr. Bainbridge are bitter rivals. Alonzo, Frances’ brother, is infatuated with Connor’s daughter Madeline but she’s being pressured to marry Viscount Fitzwalter. When Mr. Connors is found murdered during the reception, Frances’ brother is implicated. Since George is an attorney, he and Frances regrettably postpone their dreamy wedding trip to the South of France so George can defend Alonzo and clear his name. Finding the real killer proves to be more complicated than they first thought. Will they be able to find the murderer in time to enjoy some of their wedding trip?
I love the relationship between Frances and George. He respects her opinions and has learned to welcome her input in his cases. The two do seem to have the worst luck with bodies turning up at the most inconvenient times. I love the humor and the quirky characters. I especially enjoyed getting to know Frances’ family more. While her mother is interfering, we get to see a different side to her in this book and she becomes a more well rounded secondary character. It was also fun getting to know Frances’ father Frankie.
The mystery definitely kept me guessing. While I had a good idea who the murderer might be, I enjoyed seeing how it all played out. I liked the historical aspects as well such as early photography and the fact that the story was inspired by an actual feud between two wealthy American men who take their rivalry to England.
Highly recommend! Though this is the fifth book in the series, it could be read as a standalone. The author does a fantastic job introducing the characters in a way that quickly catches new readers up to speed, but doesn’t bog down the story. I do recommend reading the delightful previous books in the series. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.
4 1/2 stars out of 5. -
A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder
3.5 Stars
The preparations for the wedding of Frances, Countess of Harleigh, and George Hazelton are in full swing. However, all is not well as Frances soon learns that two feuding American robber barons have both been invited to the nuptials. When the body of one is discovered on the day of the wedding, Frances and George must postpone their honeymoon as the prime suspect is none other than her brother, Alonzo. Who amongst Connor's numerous does decided to do away with him?
A definite improvement over the previous book, but still not of the same caliber as the first, and most of the plot twists were predictable including the identity of the killer.
Frances' family members are an interesting lot. Her father finally puts in an appearance and there are some entertaining developments regarding his marital issues that were hinted at in previous books. In contrast, her brother Alonzo is somewhat immature, and . Other than their wedding, Frances and George get little page time together and when they do, one would think they were an old married couple rather than newlyweds.
In sum, an entertaining read overall but this series needs some shaking up. -
I really grew fond of Frances and George and with them the whole extended family that usually gets involved, more or less in spite of itself, in all the intrigues they are involved in.
Mi sono proprio affezionata a Frances e George e con loro a tutta la famiglia allargata che di solito viene coinvolta, piú o meno suo malgrado, in tutti gli intrighi che li vedono protagonisti. -
This was delightful as I've come to expect with this series.
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3.55 stars
Frances is finally about to wed her beloved George in the wedding of her dreams, or at least her mother's dreams. Frances fears they should have eloped! The guest list keeps growing with everyone wanting to invite someone else. Frances's brother Alonzo wishes to invite the beautiful Miss Madeline Connor, the daughter of a ruthless businessman Mr. Price warns Lon not to become involved with. Miss Connor has another suitor for her hand, a Viscount/future Marqueess her father is pushing her to marry even though she would rather not. Fran was happy to invite the Connors, but not provide love advice. Unfortunately Mrs. Price has invited Mr. Bainbridge, Mr. Connor's bitter enemy. The two have been locked in a feud since before anyone can remember and engage in dirty tricks to ruin the other and their family reputations. Fran fears fireworks but little does she dream that when Mr. Connor fails to come to the wedding it is because he has been murdered and her brother arrested! There goes the wedding trip to Cannes. Perhaps if George can get Lon free of all charges in a few days they can make it to Cannes after all? If only it were that easier. Sure it seems as if Mr. Bainbridge is the culprit but would he really stoop so low as to murder his rival? It's going to take all of Fran's social skills and all of George's lawyerly authority to solve this one.
This is the moment we've all been waiting for and it's ruined by murder! This wasn't my favorite of the series. Fran and George spend very little time alone in spite of being newlyweds and Fran's family drama overshadows the slueths. I prefer the romance end of the story. The murder mystery was fine. I wasn't certain who the murderer was at first but I knew where to look for clues. I figured it out before Fran did and it was kind of obvious. The historical background information is well done, although the explanation of photography wasn't new to me and doesn't interest me that much.
I love the characters in this series. What I love most is Fran and George's relationship. She's growing stronger and more confident every book and he respects her intelligence, her independence and never tries to forbid her from sleuthing. This series is wonderful because it lacks the ubiqutious love triangle and the will they/won't they drama. Fran and George know what they want and don't hesitate to go after it. I love it when they're alone together. He is soooo swoony romantic, even with a moustache LOL! George accepts Fran's overbearing family and possible murder suspect friends without hesitation. He is willing to represent a criminal if he has to because she's a friend of Fran's. George is truly a stand up guy. I would marry him too if I were Fran! Little Rose is still sweet and she's starting to become more important to the story. In this book she's dealing with the apprehension of aquiring a stepfather and what to call him. It came as a surprise that Reggie actually loved Rose and doted on her. I would not have expected that of him.
The extended family are not so great aside from Aunt Hetty. This book suffers from too little Aunt Hetty. Fran's mother, Mrs. Price, is clearly modeled after Alva Vanderbilt. Mother not quite so maniuplative and scary as Alva though. Fran tries to avoid the worst of it but there's a subplot there. I almost feel bad for Mrs. Price- almost. I did guess why she was so keen to speak up about the feud and invite Mr. Bainbridge to the wedding but it wasn't quite what I thought. Or so she says... Fran's brother Lon is nearly as much of a drama queen as Lily. He doesn't even know Madeline Connor very well or whether they would suit. He just wants the chance to get to know her better. Lon is stubborn like his sisters and enjoys a challenge like Fran. He doesn't seem as intelligent or as intuitive as his eldest sister though. It was wonderful to finally meet Fran's father "Frankie." I can see why she's a daddy's girl. They're both really, really smart and need to keep their brains occupied with business or a puzzle. Aunt Hetty is that way too. It must run in the Price family. I was mad at him for missing Lily's wedding and I'm still mad at him for making Frances a higher priority even though this is her second wedding. Parents don't play favorites!
Graham Wynn, Earl of Harleigh is being very nice to Frances and allowing her to use Harleigh House for her wedding breakfast. Fran seems to actually like Graham although she's not under any illusions he's ever smiling or warm. She has happier memories of the house than the family. Now Graham is suddenly happy and smiling? I suspect he has a motive- either he's glad to push Fran out of the family, which I doubt because he needs her money, or he's in love himself. Or at least has a woman in his life again. I hope she's nice and worth it because the Countess was, well you know.
Aunt Hetty's beau, Mr. Gilliam, takes center stage as part of the sleuthing team. He seems nice enough and she seems to really like him which is important. He's sensible and level headed but has a flair for the dramatic sometimes. Perhaps there will be another wedding soon? Fran is expecting she will have more children with George. I'd rather see Aunt Hetty marry than babies added to the story.
The photographer, Mr. Wilson, is very passionate about his work. He is apparently teaching photography to dillitantes like Graham as well. He knows his stuff and the one piece of information I found interesting was how he can paint over a blurry image of a person in the background and turn it into a tree or shrub. 19th-century Photoshop! Inspector Delany is as fair as ever but he isn't the one who is called to the Connor home or else Lon wouldn't have been arrested. Inspector Delaney knows criminals are rarely that stupid.
The new characters are not so appealing. The Connor family is headed up by James Connor, a ruthless businessman who treats everyone like dirt. He's cruel to his wife and not so kind to his only child. How did his first wife die?! He's very scary and his ethics are non-existant. He lacks manners and seems to mock the nobility. Given his ethnicity I'm not surrpised but the rest just makes him horrid. I don't think anyone outside the family was truly shocked when he was killed. Did his wife really not know what a horrible person her husband was? I suppose she didn't given Victorian rules for women not being involved in business and the fact he did have an outside door to his office. Still, it would be unusual for him not to have business contacts for dinner or for men to pop in and pay their respects to the ladies. It sounds like if she does know her husband is up to shady business, she turns a blind eye because a)she needs him and b)he hurts her. I'm pretty sure she could get a divorce if he beats her but then she'd be left with nothing. Willa is friends with Frances and Frances swears Willa is not a muderer. How well does Frances know Willa if Fran doesn't even know Willa's background? Can you ever vouch for someone and say what they might do when pushed to the limit? Her husband was cruel and she could have killed him in self-defense. Madeline is a vapid young lady whose big blue eyes well up with tears and men melt. She sees herself as a damsel in distress and wishing to be rescued. Madeline sees Lon as her rescuer. Her personality undergoes a transplant by the end of the book. It seems this girl has hidden depths. Lon can do better though. He seems a little less intellectual and intelligent than his oldest sister and perhaps he needs a sweet little wife to make him feel better about himself? Ugh. I hope not.
Mr. Bainbridge has been feuding with Mr. Connor for years. His business ethics are pretty low but how low can you go? Mr. Bainbridge leaves the house without giving a statement to the police. He was very eager to leave. Does that mark his guilt? He sounds a little less cruel than Mr. Connor but his wife, Gladys, is a nasty, nosy gossip who delights in spreading salactious tales. She's supposedly away in Paris but I wonder if she came back and perhaps Mr. Connor wanted to posess her too and she killed him in self-defense? That thought never occurs to anyone. Madeline Connor's suitor, Viscount Fitzwalter is the heir to the Marquess of Sudley. He's young and an excellent catch for any title hunter. However, Madeline doesn't seem to like him much. I can see why. He's arrogant and posessive, much like her father. He sulks when he doesn't get his way and refuses to sit down to luncheon with everyone else merely because he was - correctly - seated away from Miss Connor. He doesn't allow Madeline to make up her own mind and tries to thwart Lon at every turn, even claiming the marriage contract is drawn up. Is this guy for real? He does sound like the type Mr. Connor would like his daughter to marry - arrogant, rich, well-connected and young enough to mold in his own image. Yikes! Poor Madeline!
Constable Timmins is young and wet around the ears. At first he seems naive and not very bright but he does appear to be a bit more shrewed than he lets on at first. Parker, the Connor butler is quick to point fingers. I bet he knows who really killed his employer and is protecting them. The Higgins brothers are hilarious and scary at the same time. What have they done for Mr. Connor and what would they do to him for refusing payment?
This was another fun entry in the series but not my favorite. I hope Fran's family goes home SOON and she and George can spend some alone time together solving crimes. -
This is an interesting book in that the case was so convoluted.
Award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries are a witty romp through the high society of Victorian England with a touch of romance, an appealing and independent female lead, and rich historical detail. In this charming fifth installment,
George and Frances are meant to be together.
Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, finds her wedding day overshadowed by murder.
On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding. Meanwhile, Frances’s mother has invited Mr. Bainbridge, and Frances fears the wedding may end up being newspaper-worthy for all the wrong reasons.
This is the second book I have read in this series.
Dianne Freeman writes a witty and interesting novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily. -
I just can’t get over the lack of chemistry between the long awaited marriage of the main characters. I mean he’s cared for her for MANY years and finally gets to marry her…but it didn’t feel like either of them really cared. The love/relationship dynamic was just lacking in this book.
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This is the fifth book following Frances, and as you may have surmised, she is getting married in this one. Luckily this doesn’t take up more space than necessary (of course we have grown attached to her and want her and George to have a lovely day… but we are here for the dead people). And behold, as Frances and George are about to leave for their wedding trip, the neighbour is found murdered and Frances’ brother is arrested. So they cannot possibly leave for France but have to solve the case instead.
This was once again a very entertaining read, although I did miss a bit of something. Maybe that is because I read this one physically, while I listened to the previous books on audiobook. Frances has a very fun, witty and approachable voice that translates very well to audio. That doesn’t mean this was a bad book though, not at all!!
It was a light, cozy and fun read, with some good characters, multiple suspects and a puzzling enough case (but still possible to solve and not some far fetched resolution). Frances’ father also makes his appearance and it is clear to see where she gets some of her traits from. ‘Society’ plays a big role in these stories, and the characters are very privileged (though fail to recognise they are). If you can look through that though, they can be very likeable and relatable, with some great relationships.
It was fairly obvious where one of the final clues was going to come from, but that didn’t spoil the fun at all. The plot does lag a bit in the middle, with a lot of going back and forth between visiting people and very little progress made, whereas the ending feels a bit too rushed.
I would like to thank Netgalley to give me once again an e-book for review. So far they have let me read over half of this series, and I couldn’t be happier. This is definitely a series I would recommend if you are in the mood for a cozy historical mystery story, with a charming and clever main character. -
I really enjoy this series - it is one of my auto-reads. It's a bonus that my library gets these books in audio format, so I can listen to them on my daily walk and while I am doing tasks around the house.
I find Lady Harleigh to be delightful. Although American by birth, she has acclimated very successfully into British high society, and now that the odious Brit she married (following the machinations of her social-climbing mother who wanted a title for her) is dead, Frances can live her life as she wishes. And while routinely getting involved in and solving murders probably isn't precisely how she intends to live her life, she really is quite good at that!
This is book 5 in the series and I don't want to spoil anything for someone who may come across this review before reading the earlier books (this is a series that really should be read in order) so suffice it to say that while Frances is busy living her life, murder once again intrudes into that life and requires her to jump in to save the day. One of the things I love about Lady Harleigh is how smart and resourceful she is. She never panics, and really takes things with the British "stiff upper lip" approach, even though she isn't really British. I love how in the midst of murder and drama, Frances just "keeps calm and carries on" as she investigates and figures things out.
This is a fun, light and easy-reading series, with charming, likable characters and interesting, well-paced plots with a cozy-mystery feel. If you like British society murder mysteries, I recommend this series. -
I really enjoyed this Regency romance/cozy mystery. Frances, an American heiress, is finally getting married into the English aristocracy. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t turn up to the wedding and it turns out he’s been murdered. Frances wants to find the killer before he kills again. 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own. -
The latest installment in the series and by far the best! The antics of the extended family make the plight of the poor bride and groom very relatable. The murder(s) mystery is more twisty than in the previous books and made for an enjoyable yet quick read.
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Fun murder mystery with historical setting but still very much like a traditional cozy.
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4 stars
I love this book series. It's so pleasing, uplifting and heartwarming. And above all it has a good mystery.
Dianne Freeman does an excellent job to keep the reader guessing till the very end.
The dynamic between the characters is nice and genuine. I can hardly wait to read the next instalment.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this great book!
