Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Countess of Harleigh Mystery #3
Publication Date: 6/25/19
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 306 (Audiobook 8 Hrs)

I absolutely loved this series from the first book I read – which happens to have been book 3. I was excited to find both a wonderful new-to-me author and a charmingly witty cozy mystery series with likable and interesting characters – and even a delicious romance. I finished reading the books following the third one and now finishing this one brings me up-to-date with the series. I can definitely tell you that each and every book has been a wonderful, funny, interesting, mystery with dialogue and prose that make you feel as if you are right there in the scene with the characters.

Several years ago, young American-born heiress, Frances Wynn, was married to the profligate Earl of Harleigh. Her parents wanted a title and the Earl wanted her plentiful dowry. It seems everyone got something out of the match except Frances. Now, Reggie is deceased and Frances has more freedom than she’s ever known. She and her daughter, Rose, have left the earl’s estate to live in London and she’s found life there very interesting. Her next-door neighbor, George Hazelton is proving to be quite interesting as well.

Frances has just learned that a friend, Mary, has died – actually, she was murdered – and Frances’s cousin, Charles, is under suspicion. Charles is the only one of her in-laws that she finds even remotely tolerable, so she surely doesn’t want to see him accused of murder. Her next-door neighbor, George, does work for the government on occasion and it seems he is involved in some aspects of this case – so – naturally – they team up to solve the murder and save Charles.

Goodness, what a tangled web they uncover. Blackmail? Maybe – or maybe not. Untangling all the threads in the web will be even harder with all of the intrigue and red herrings that are thrown into the mix.

While working hard to solve the mystery, Frances also has to deal with her younger sister’s betrothal. Frances worries that her sister is marrying too young and keeps comparing that situation to her own. She definitely doesn’t want her sister to be in the same situation Frances was in with Reggie. Then, there is also her budding romance with George.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sarah Zimmerman and she did a lovely job. She has a pleasant voice and delivers an excellently paced narrative. Her characters are distinct and the best thing is, you can hear the good-natured humor in her voice as you navigate through the book. Excellently done.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Frances and George navigate the societal strictures of the ton while managing to elicit the clues needed to solve the murder. The villain may surprise you – or not – but all the tangled webs will definitely keep your attention. I hope you’ll read the book to see just how engaging the characters are and how well-plotted and well-paced the mystery is.

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Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5
Series: Countess of Harleigh Mystery #1
Publication Date: 6/28/18
Period: Victorian – 1899 London
Number of Pages: 290

I started this series by reading the 3rd book first – because that is the one I had. I enjoyed it so much that I continued and read each subsequent book in the series as it came out. I’ve enjoyed all of them so much that I decided to go back and read the first two books in the series. I wondered if I would enjoy the first two less because I already knew where things were headed. Well, the answer is – it actually enhanced my enjoyment because of the anticipation and excitement of awaiting what would happen.

Frances Wynn, American-born Countess of Harleigh, finds herself a widow at the ripe old age of twenty-seven. While she had the misfortune to be a bit infatuated with her husband before they married, they weren’t a love match, and what he loved was her money. It now seems her brother-in-law and sister-in-law are just as grasping as Reggie was, and they are determined to keep her underfoot and control her fortune. Now that the year of mourning is over, she is determined to wrench herself, her daughter, and her fortune away from the new earl and his wife.

Almost as soon as she gets settled into her new London home, she receives word her sister and aunt are on their way from America to stay with her during the season. She’s both delighted and dismayed.

Someone has it in for Frances because almost as soon as she gets moved in, a police detective shows up on her doorstep asking questions about the death of her husband. It seems they’ve received an anonymous letter saying that the Earl of Harleigh may not have died by natural causes and they might want to look at his wife for the crime. Who could bear such animosity? Surely not her brother-in-law! Who then?

Frances has her hands full trying to juggle her sister’s three suitors, a police detective, her in-laws, and her new neighbor, George Hazelton. George is one of two other people who know the circumstances of Reggie’s death and it embarrasses Frances to come face-to-face with him. Yet, she needs his friendship and his help.

This was a fun and entertaining read. I loved the wit and humor even when the circumstances were serious. You’ll chuckle when you read the circumstances of Reggie’s death and the aftermath.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I enjoyed the voice of the narrator. Her delivery, however, was a bit choppy on occasion. The voices she used for the different characters were each distinct from the others.

I can definitely recommend this read and, should you choose to read it, I hope you will find it as entertaining as I did.

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