[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Following her sister Lily’s advice, Frances has invited one of Lily’s friends from America to come to London for the end of the Season to meet some of the eligible young men. She’s also tried her matchmaking skills on her cousin-by-marriage. After all, she did help Lily find her intended.
In fact, Lily’s match almost went too well. Lilly and Leo are eager to have an engagement party and start planning their wedding. Frances would love to see them wait. She remembers only too well how her own haste bound her in an unhappy marriage. But she knows Lily and Leo are much better suited than she was with her late husband.
Cousin Charles’ match didn’t go so well. Mrs. Mary Archer, a widow, seemed like such a good choice, but Charles said they “didn’t suit.” Frances appreciates Charles’ efforts to be discrete for Mary’s sake, but when she’s found dead, Frances will need all the details she can dig up to keep Charles from being arrested for murder.
Review
I have adored the Countess of Harleigh mystery series! I don’t generally like historic fiction, but this one is perfect for me. The characters are outstanding. Frances is a treat, living within the boundaries of her culture while maintaining her independence. And she has terrific friends and family who support her. I loved the entire cast! I missed Fiona in this book as she was out of town for much of the novel, but the new additions to the group were great.
Terrific mystery in this one, too. While the sheer volume of paperwork that had to be dealt with to solve the mystery got old sometimes, there was a real puzzle to figure out, which I enjoyed. Lots of layers to dig through to get to the truth.
This is a must-read series for me. I recently re-read A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder which solidified that fact. It holds up well to re-reading. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and/or historical mysteries, do not miss this series!