Category: Historical Mystery

The Cursed Divination by Lana Williams

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Cursed Divination (Field & Greystone, #5)Barbara’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Field and Greystone #5
Publication Date: 11/25/25
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 321

Murder and mayhem hit a bit too close to home in this fifth addition to the excellently written Field and Greystone series. Inspector Henry Field wonders whether he should hand the investigation over to another detective, yet he can’t bring himself to step aside when the victim is a family friend and justice feels personal.

Neither Henry nor Mrs. Amelia Greystone is certain what to believe about mediums, spirit communication, or any form of after-death messages. So when a medium contacts Amelia claiming to know the location of a body, Amelia feels compelled to reach out to Henry. Is this woman chasing publicity and hoping Amelia will write about her—or is she truly gifted? When the body appears exactly where the medium predicted, they’re forced to consider a darker possibility: is she communing with the dead, or is she involved in murder?

While the investigation stalls, Henry is summoned by the Tisdales, long-time friends whose daughter has gone missing. He agrees to take the case, only to find himself with yet another mystery that leads nowhere. Then Mrs. Nettle, the medium, resurfaces. The spirits, she claims, have revealed the location of another body—again in the same place as before. Her eerie revelations ignite two grisly murder inquiries and raise one pressing question: is she genuine, or a dangerous fraud?

Henry and Amelia find themselves stumped for much of the book. No clues, no connections between victims—only the medium linking the crimes. Both Henry and Amelia have suspicions about the culprit, but without evidence, their instincts aren’t enough.

This is an excellently written mystery with strong pacing, relatable characters, and an engaging investigation. I especially loved watching the relationship between Henry and Amelia deepen, as well as the developing camaraderie between Henry, the medical examiner, and Sergeant Fletcher.
Suspense, twists, red herrings, and atmospheric tension make this a gripping read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Murder at Donwell Abbey by Vanessa Kelly

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Murder at Donwell Abbey (Emma Knightley Mysteries Book 2)Murder at Donwell Abbey by Vanessa Kelly

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Emma Knightley Mysteries #2

Release Date: November 25, 2025

Things have finally settled down after the excitement of last year’s murder and now that her father is preparing to marry Miss Bates, Emma Knightley is tasked with throwing the happy couple a betrothal ball. She is wondering how to accommodate all the guests that Miss Bates wants to invite at Hartfield when her brother-in-law John suggests that she host the event at her husband’s estate – Donwell Abbey. Since her father is to remarry, it means that she and George can finally move to his estate, and throwing a party is a perfect way to determine what needs to be done at the manor before they relocate.

But things don’t go as planned and the night ends with the death of Donwell Abbey’s chambermaid Prudence Parr. At first glance, it appears her death is a tragic accident, but on closer examination it is clear that she was murdered. Emma is horrified by the murder and can’t trust either the village’s inept constable or their coroner to catch the real killer, so once again, she investigates the crime and soon realizes Prudence’s murder may be linked to other criminal activities in Highbury. Together with her husband George, her father’s betrothed Miss Bates and her nephew Henry, Emma will follow the clues and find justice for Prudence.

What a great installment of the Emma Knightley Mysteries! This book starts about 6 months after the last book and Emma getting ready to turn over the reins of Hartfield and become the mistress of Donwell Abbey, but a murder shakes up everything! The story has a tragic murder, wonderful secondary characters, smuggling, lots of suspects, twists and turns, before coming to a nail-biting ending! This book had me absolutely sure I knew who the murderer was but then had me second guessing myself more than once, only to be surprised that in the end, I was both right and wrong! Overall, this was a great read and one I highly recommend to lovers of a good mystery. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *