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Beatrice Steele #1
A Most Agreeable Murder
When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.
Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township--she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters-- beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she'd be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.
For her family's sake, she's vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If not, Martin Grub, their disgusting cousin, will inherit the family's estate, and they will be ruined or, even worse, forced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior . . . which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.
Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire's infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires--before anyone else is murdered.
Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township--she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters-- beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she'd be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.
For her family's sake, she's vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If not, Martin Grub, their disgusting cousin, will inherit the family's estate, and they will be ruined or, even worse, forced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior . . . which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.
Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire's infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires--before anyone else is murdered.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,961 reviews
July 24, 2023
Pride and Prejudice meets Clue meets Shrek with werewolves, gags, gothic elements but also a parody…? 😵💫
Needless to say, this book didn’t really seem to know what exactly it wanted to be. It suffered from debut author syndrome, where the author was chock full of ideas and decided to use them all in this first book. This was…. a bit of a mess.
It had way too many characters to keep track of, included annotations, lists and side information galore, but all that being said this wasn’t without its charm. It had a goofiness and absurdity that I enjoyed, and its ott commentary on the restrictive nature of society for women at the time was both ridiculous and hilarious. This author has talent with satire, she just needs to tone it down, A LOT. I felt a mite beat over the head with all the ‘jokes’. I love farce and I liked some of this but this was over-long and its quirkiness was overdone and tiresome. There was a character that spoke in rhyme and another in sailing metaphors and glow in the dark frogs that had no significance to anything. This would really benefit from strict editing, more focus and a solid foothold in ONE genre. The mystery itself was mostly decent until the end when it kept going and going with more twists than a bag of liquorice. The Clue-like atmosphere was nostalgic - as that was an excellent mystery parody - this, however, was not. Rounded up to three stars because this author seems like a cute person and the cover is very pretty.
Update: I hear this has been optioned for a movie, so best of luck to the screenwriter who takes this on. 🥴
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Needless to say, this book didn’t really seem to know what exactly it wanted to be. It suffered from debut author syndrome, where the author was chock full of ideas and decided to use them all in this first book. This was…. a bit of a mess.
It had way too many characters to keep track of, included annotations, lists and side information galore, but all that being said this wasn’t without its charm. It had a goofiness and absurdity that I enjoyed, and its ott commentary on the restrictive nature of society for women at the time was both ridiculous and hilarious. This author has talent with satire, she just needs to tone it down, A LOT. I felt a mite beat over the head with all the ‘jokes’. I love farce and I liked some of this but this was over-long and its quirkiness was overdone and tiresome. There was a character that spoke in rhyme and another in sailing metaphors and glow in the dark frogs that had no significance to anything. This would really benefit from strict editing, more focus and a solid foothold in ONE genre. The mystery itself was mostly decent until the end when it kept going and going with more twists than a bag of liquorice. The Clue-like atmosphere was nostalgic - as that was an excellent mystery parody - this, however, was not. Rounded up to three stars because this author seems like a cute person and the cover is very pretty.
Update: I hear this has been optioned for a movie, so best of luck to the screenwriter who takes this on. 🥴
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 1, 2023
In a Nutshell: A mostly agreeable parody of Regency-era dramatic mysteries, combining elements from historical fiction, Regency romance, cosy mystery, satire, and humour. A good debut work, but it tries too hard and hence stumbles a bit. Nevertheless, a fun experience. To be read with all logic kept firmly aside and with your wacky hats on.
Story Synopsis:
Bookish Yays:
😍 Jane Austen fans will be mostly happy to see the number of Easter eggs scattered in this Austen pastiche. Right from plot elements such as “taking a turn around the room to show off our figures to advantage”, to some of the character names and personalities that are directly or indirectly inspired by Austen’s novels, to places like Gretna Green and Bath, to the mention of minor Austen elements such as “Fordyce’s Sermons” – we Austenites will find plenty of inside jokes. Of course, some purists might end up offended at some of the content. But I read the plot in the spirit of “laughing with Austen” rather than “laughing at Austen” (the latter being something I would never do), so I had a merry time. Moreover, Austen herself was quite satirical in her works, and a similar tone persists in this work, though at a more burlesque level.
😍 The book doesn’t poke fun only at Regency tropes but also at Brit tropes. Whether it’s their tendency to talk about the weather or their (historical) disdain for all things French, the plot incorporates these English quirks with great finesse.
😍 Beatrice makes for an outstanding lead character, a part of which is because she is not perfect unlike so many Regency heroines. Her passion for crime solving, her lack of talent in anything creative, and her determined personality turn her into a MC we can root for despite her flaws.
😍 A majority of the secondary characters also have their own charms (and harms.) Most of these characters fit some or the other clichéd Regency role, but in a farcical way. Some characters are given distinct characteristics such as Captain Peña's propensity for sailing metaphors, Daniel's tendency to rhyme his maxims, Mr. Steele’s love for pranks and Mr. Ashford’s obsession with tonics. All this adds to the fun.
😍 I like how the characters come from a variety of backgrounds in a Bridgerton-series kind of way, but their ethnicity isn’t used as an excuse for exoticism. Vivek Drake was my favourite, for obvious reasons.
😍 The mystery aspect of the book is fairly satisfying. As a locked room mystery, it uses the setting of Stabmort Park (which seems to be aptly named, just as Swampshire is!) quite well, right from its turrets to its marshy grounds. The author does a good job of keeping multiple characters on the radar of suspense. Though the final section gets a tad too convoluted, it is still fairly gripping. I admit, I am not a big fan of cosy mysteries, and I hate extended info-dumps. But the reveal scene in this book was pretty decent and I made it through without rolling my eyes.
😍 Though there is a repeated mention of “tingling sensations during arm brushes", there is no “romantic romance” in the plot. I always like books that don’t force their lead characters into a romantic relationship.
😍 An added Yay for that gorgeous cover art!
Bookish If Onlys:
😐 The youngest Steele sister, Mary, had a lot of potential in her arc. But both on the page and off, her character remains mostly behind the scenes. I wish her character had received as much prominence as the other two Steele sisters, and also that her unusual physical characteristic had been elaborated upon. (I have my suspicions about the reason, but the book should have tackled this rather than leaving it dangling.)
Bookish Nays:
😣 Right from the first page, the book is quite tongue-in-cheek. Though I am a fan of Austen’s timeless classics, I still chortled at how the author used the same lines in a hilarious fashion to poke fun at the common tropes. But humour is best served in moderation. When physical grossness such as snot and spittle is used to elicit laughs, it isn’t funny anymore, and is not even true to Austen’s voice. A character named Grub, who seems to be modelled on Mr. Collins, has the most disgusting portrayal that goes much over the top and kills the enjoyment. Toning down Grub’s grubby personality would have helped.
Bookish Doubt:
👀 What was with all the frogs? Did anyone get the literary significance of that? Or was it poking fun at some other trope? Or am I simply trying to assign a meaning where there is none, à la most English teachers?
All in all, this is a book that doesn’t take itself seriously, and thus, it will work best when you too don’t take it seriously. Go in with the right expectations and laugh along with it to enjoy the ride better. For a debut work, it does pretty well without shoving in a bucket-load of themes. I will certainly look forward to more books by this author.
My heart says that this is being planned as a series. If so, Mary’s character needs and deserves more attention in the subsequent books.
Recommended to Regency mystery lovers who have a quirky sense of humour and can read parodies in the right spirit.
3.75 stars. (Would have gone a bit higher had I enjoyed cosy mysteries more.)
My thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Most Agreeable Murder”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Regency-Era England. (The year is left to our imagination.)
Swampshire is a swampy little township that no one has heard about, with its key features being swamps, frogs, and hail. Nevertheless, it has its set of loyal residents who follow the set of rules laid down by the founding father Baron Ashbrook a long time ago.
One such family is the Steele family, whose eldest daughter Beatrice Steele is burdened with the responsibility of having to marry well. Sadly, she has no talent that could make her a good wife, with her needlework, artwork, and music being equally bad. The only interest that she has is an unhealthy passion for true crime cases, which she reads on the sly in newspapers, quite against the guiding rules about acceptable behaviour for ladies.
When a person drops dead at a ball the Steele family is attending at Stabmort Park, Beatrice sees it as a great opportunity to employ her detective skills.
The story comes to us mostly in the limited third person perspective of Beatrice, with the rest of the details being supplied by letters, newspaper articles, and other media.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Jane Austen fans will be mostly happy to see the number of Easter eggs scattered in this Austen pastiche. Right from plot elements such as “taking a turn around the room to show off our figures to advantage”, to some of the character names and personalities that are directly or indirectly inspired by Austen’s novels, to places like Gretna Green and Bath, to the mention of minor Austen elements such as “Fordyce’s Sermons” – we Austenites will find plenty of inside jokes. Of course, some purists might end up offended at some of the content. But I read the plot in the spirit of “laughing with Austen” rather than “laughing at Austen” (the latter being something I would never do), so I had a merry time. Moreover, Austen herself was quite satirical in her works, and a similar tone persists in this work, though at a more burlesque level.
😍 The book doesn’t poke fun only at Regency tropes but also at Brit tropes. Whether it’s their tendency to talk about the weather or their (historical) disdain for all things French, the plot incorporates these English quirks with great finesse.
😍 Beatrice makes for an outstanding lead character, a part of which is because she is not perfect unlike so many Regency heroines. Her passion for crime solving, her lack of talent in anything creative, and her determined personality turn her into a MC we can root for despite her flaws.
😍 A majority of the secondary characters also have their own charms (and harms.) Most of these characters fit some or the other clichéd Regency role, but in a farcical way. Some characters are given distinct characteristics such as Captain Peña's propensity for sailing metaphors, Daniel's tendency to rhyme his maxims, Mr. Steele’s love for pranks and Mr. Ashford’s obsession with tonics. All this adds to the fun.
😍 I like how the characters come from a variety of backgrounds in a Bridgerton-series kind of way, but their ethnicity isn’t used as an excuse for exoticism. Vivek Drake was my favourite, for obvious reasons.
😍 The mystery aspect of the book is fairly satisfying. As a locked room mystery, it uses the setting of Stabmort Park (which seems to be aptly named, just as Swampshire is!) quite well, right from its turrets to its marshy grounds. The author does a good job of keeping multiple characters on the radar of suspense. Though the final section gets a tad too convoluted, it is still fairly gripping. I admit, I am not a big fan of cosy mysteries, and I hate extended info-dumps. But the reveal scene in this book was pretty decent and I made it through without rolling my eyes.
😍 Though there is a repeated mention of “tingling sensations during arm brushes", there is no “romantic romance” in the plot. I always like books that don’t force their lead characters into a romantic relationship.
😍 An added Yay for that gorgeous cover art!
Bookish If Onlys:
😐 The youngest Steele sister, Mary, had a lot of potential in her arc. But both on the page and off, her character remains mostly behind the scenes. I wish her character had received as much prominence as the other two Steele sisters, and also that her unusual physical characteristic had been elaborated upon. (I have my suspicions about the reason, but the book should have tackled this rather than leaving it dangling.)
Bookish Nays:
😣 Right from the first page, the book is quite tongue-in-cheek. Though I am a fan of Austen’s timeless classics, I still chortled at how the author used the same lines in a hilarious fashion to poke fun at the common tropes. But humour is best served in moderation. When physical grossness such as snot and spittle is used to elicit laughs, it isn’t funny anymore, and is not even true to Austen’s voice. A character named Grub, who seems to be modelled on Mr. Collins, has the most disgusting portrayal that goes much over the top and kills the enjoyment. Toning down Grub’s grubby personality would have helped.
Bookish Doubt:
👀 What was with all the frogs? Did anyone get the literary significance of that? Or was it poking fun at some other trope? Or am I simply trying to assign a meaning where there is none, à la most English teachers?
All in all, this is a book that doesn’t take itself seriously, and thus, it will work best when you too don’t take it seriously. Go in with the right expectations and laugh along with it to enjoy the ride better. For a debut work, it does pretty well without shoving in a bucket-load of themes. I will certainly look forward to more books by this author.
My heart says that this is being planned as a series. If so, Mary’s character needs and deserves more attention in the subsequent books.
Recommended to Regency mystery lovers who have a quirky sense of humour and can read parodies in the right spirit.
3.75 stars. (Would have gone a bit higher had I enjoyed cosy mysteries more.)
My thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Most Agreeable Murder”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
July 1, 2023
Happy Publication Day!
June 27, 2023
3.75⭐️
Satirical, humorous, a tad silly yet twisty A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales is a locked room mystery set in Regency-era England. A spoof of Regency-era romances and tropes and Agatha Christie-ish mysteries, the story revolves around twenty-five-year-old Beatrice Steele of Swampshire, England (known for its squelch holes). Beatrice is the eldest of three daughters. Her mother is eager to find her daughters suitable matches given that in the absence of a male heir their assets would be inherited by a distant cousin (the utterly revolting Mr. Martin Grub, who seems quite taken with Beatrice) upon Mr. Steele’s demise. The annual Autumnal Ball at Stabmort Park, hosted by the Ashwoods, one of Swampshire’s most influential families, with a particularly affluent and eligible bachelor in attendance has Mrs. Steele hopeful to make a match for one of her daughters. When a murder takes place at the venue, Beatrice finds herself assisting Inspector Vivek Drake (the former assistant of renowned London detective Sir Huxley of whom Beatrice is a huge fan and whose exploits she secretly follows). The strict code of conduct for Swampshire ladies (as explicitly stated in The Lady’s Guide to Swampshire) forbids them to show any interest in such morbid matters along with other norms failing which might result in being banished or exiled to France. Beatrice is thrilled at the opportunity to try her hand at solving an actual mystery, though she’s not particularly happy about having to work with Inspector Drake. Trapped at the venue due to inclement weather and without any external assistance, Beatrice and Drake leave no stone unturned as they try to find the culprit who is clearly one of the attendees – among whom are Beatrice’s friends and family.
Evenly paced and well-written, I found this to be a fun read with several laugh-out-loud moments, an interesting cast of characters and an endearing protagonist. I enjoyed the dynamic between Drake and Beatrice and liked how the plot is structured. While the final reveal wasn’t completely unpredictable, I did like how we got there and was surprised several times along the way. There are quite a few sub-plots incorporated into the murder mystery and though all of them weren’t resolved adequately (the plot does get a bit convoluted toward the end), I was satisfied with how the author chose to end this story. However, I would have liked Beatrice’s youngest sister Mary’s storyline to have been explored in more depth beyond the comic (and OTT) element. I appreciated the humor and the twists (a tad OTT but not so much that detracts from the overall reading experience). Multiple suspects and red-herrings and some truly wacky characters (some with rather telling names) make for an engaging read.
You’ll be entertained, provided you don’t overthink it and choose to enjoy the ride!
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 27, 2023
3.75⭐️
Satirical, humorous, a tad silly yet twisty A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales is a locked room mystery set in Regency-era England. A spoof of Regency-era romances and tropes and Agatha Christie-ish mysteries, the story revolves around twenty-five-year-old Beatrice Steele of Swampshire, England (known for its squelch holes). Beatrice is the eldest of three daughters. Her mother is eager to find her daughters suitable matches given that in the absence of a male heir their assets would be inherited by a distant cousin (the utterly revolting Mr. Martin Grub, who seems quite taken with Beatrice) upon Mr. Steele’s demise. The annual Autumnal Ball at Stabmort Park, hosted by the Ashwoods, one of Swampshire’s most influential families, with a particularly affluent and eligible bachelor in attendance has Mrs. Steele hopeful to make a match for one of her daughters. When a murder takes place at the venue, Beatrice finds herself assisting Inspector Vivek Drake (the former assistant of renowned London detective Sir Huxley of whom Beatrice is a huge fan and whose exploits she secretly follows). The strict code of conduct for Swampshire ladies (as explicitly stated in The Lady’s Guide to Swampshire) forbids them to show any interest in such morbid matters along with other norms failing which might result in being banished or exiled to France. Beatrice is thrilled at the opportunity to try her hand at solving an actual mystery, though she’s not particularly happy about having to work with Inspector Drake. Trapped at the venue due to inclement weather and without any external assistance, Beatrice and Drake leave no stone unturned as they try to find the culprit who is clearly one of the attendees – among whom are Beatrice’s friends and family.
Evenly paced and well-written, I found this to be a fun read with several laugh-out-loud moments, an interesting cast of characters and an endearing protagonist. I enjoyed the dynamic between Drake and Beatrice and liked how the plot is structured. While the final reveal wasn’t completely unpredictable, I did like how we got there and was surprised several times along the way. There are quite a few sub-plots incorporated into the murder mystery and though all of them weren’t resolved adequately (the plot does get a bit convoluted toward the end), I was satisfied with how the author chose to end this story. However, I would have liked Beatrice’s youngest sister Mary’s storyline to have been explored in more depth beyond the comic (and OTT) element. I appreciated the humor and the twists (a tad OTT but not so much that detracts from the overall reading experience). Multiple suspects and red-herrings and some truly wacky characters (some with rather telling names) make for an engaging read.
You’ll be entertained, provided you don’t overthink it and choose to enjoy the ride!
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 28, 2023
#Random House
You asked for my honest opinion, and I am sorry, I found this to be insulting to Jane Austen, who is witty, and can make you laugh out loud at her very astute observations of human nature, but she is never cruel and this author is cruel. I find poor Mr. Steele a buffoon, crass, and not a funny prankster. I find Mrs. Steele a very poor form of plagiarism almost, in the form of Mrs. Steele, it's obviously based on Mrs. Bennett from Pride & Prejudice. The rhyming drove me nuts, not funny in the least, the gentle observations by Jane Austen are heavy handed and cruel in this book. I understand satire, this goes beyond to an ugly trope of Agatha Christie, who in my opinion, in the no Google age, a genius of her craft, she herself made Poirot's little mannerisms make you smile, not take a hammer out to her creations. I cannot recommend it. I appreciate your kindness in allowing me to read it, but trust me, it was hard going.
Thank you,
carolintallahassee
You asked for my honest opinion, and I am sorry, I found this to be insulting to Jane Austen, who is witty, and can make you laugh out loud at her very astute observations of human nature, but she is never cruel and this author is cruel. I find poor Mr. Steele a buffoon, crass, and not a funny prankster. I find Mrs. Steele a very poor form of plagiarism almost, in the form of Mrs. Steele, it's obviously based on Mrs. Bennett from Pride & Prejudice. The rhyming drove me nuts, not funny in the least, the gentle observations by Jane Austen are heavy handed and cruel in this book. I understand satire, this goes beyond to an ugly trope of Agatha Christie, who in my opinion, in the no Google age, a genius of her craft, she herself made Poirot's little mannerisms make you smile, not take a hammer out to her creations. I cannot recommend it. I appreciate your kindness in allowing me to read it, but trust me, it was hard going.
Thank you,
carolintallahassee
December 9, 2022
If you thought you were starting a traditional, historical mystery/romance set in a bucolic English village, that notion was knocked on its ear in the second paragraph. The humor permeates every scene in this book and while that has it solidly in "caper" territory, we still get some striking comments about the role of women and societal norms in 1800s England.
The story follows Beatrice Steele, the oldest of three daughters in her family, as she goes to an autumn ball at nearby Stabmort Park. Though she halfheartedly thinks about marriage like the other young women, Beatrice's passion is reading about crime and sending suggestions to a London-based detective whose cases are described in the press. When there's a murder at the ball, she teams up with the detective's former partner to solve the crime.
The relationship between Beatrice and the detective is the strongest of the many romantic subplots in the story. In a delightful conclusion, her future looks bright, but her story does not end in the expected, settled way. There's a hint of wonderful possibilities for Beatrice, though. We do get a wedding in the epilogue...it's just not the one that's expected.
This was a delightful romp that played with the historical romance/mystery genre. There are some aspects of the village and society there that are absurd, but also hilarious and entertaining. There were moments of modern language, but they don't detract for the fun story and interesting characters.
The story follows Beatrice Steele, the oldest of three daughters in her family, as she goes to an autumn ball at nearby Stabmort Park. Though she halfheartedly thinks about marriage like the other young women, Beatrice's passion is reading about crime and sending suggestions to a London-based detective whose cases are described in the press. When there's a murder at the ball, she teams up with the detective's former partner to solve the crime.
The relationship between Beatrice and the detective is the strongest of the many romantic subplots in the story. In a delightful conclusion, her future looks bright, but her story does not end in the expected, settled way. There's a hint of wonderful possibilities for Beatrice, though. We do get a wedding in the epilogue...it's just not the one that's expected.
This was a delightful romp that played with the historical romance/mystery genre. There are some aspects of the village and society there that are absurd, but also hilarious and entertaining. There were moments of modern language, but they don't detract for the fun story and interesting characters.
June 3, 2023
Provided by netgalley for a free and honest review.
Um...I have mixed feelings about this one. Before starting it I thought I would fall in love with it. After starting it I thought I was going to hate it. Upon finishing it, I liked it well enough?
I'll get to the good things first: Beatrice was a great main character. The thing that made this book was the banter between Beatrice and Inspector Drake. I loved the mystery solving aspect and I always love when an unlikely duo has to work together to solve a crime. This was also a locked house mystery as it all takes place over one night. Drake was probably the most interesting character in this book. An illegitmate son of a gentleman and an indian woman, exiled from polite society, also happens to have lost an eye at some point due to circumstances that aren't really explained. I would have read a 'non comedy' book about him. He was clever and a really fun love interest.
But the thing I didn't like about the book is very hard to actually seperate from the rest of it. The comedy elements did NOT work for me unfortunately. They were ridiculous. I understand that's the point, that they're extremely exaggerated on purpose, but I don't think they added anything to the story. In fact I think this would have been funnier if it had been more of a dry sense of humour, sarcasm, etc. That would have felt more in keeping with the Jane Austen inspiration.
I get that this was a parody and some times it was funny. But I'm not a 12 year old boy so I don't find whoopee cushions funny. The apparent paranormal elements of werewolves were just stupid and came out of nowhere. It was all just too on the nose. One of the antagonists, Mr Grub - aka our pride and prejudice Mr Colins insert - was so over the top disgusting that at one point I found it almost difficult to read about (think snot, drool and feces.) Like, the author didn't need to do this. I can tell she is a talented writer, these elements I think actually eclipsed that and took things into the absurd. Perhaps the comedy will work for some people but it wasn't for me. I also don't feel that the blurb truley represents the tone of this book. It makes it sound like a lot of similar period mysteries which is what drew me too this in the first place. It doesn't tell you that it's essentially a slapstick comedy. The house the murder takes place in is called 'Stabmort' and I just kept thinking of that bit in Jessica Jones when she's like "Killgrave? Was Murdercorpse already taken?"
The ending makes me wonder if this is going to be a series as there is a certain element that didn't get resolved in this book which disappointed me. Overall it was a fun and enjoyable read, but the comedy elements let it down. I would read more from the author if they wrote something a little less surreal. But again I think this will work for some people, and perhaps sometimes we have to admit a certain style just isn't for everyone.
Um...I have mixed feelings about this one. Before starting it I thought I would fall in love with it. After starting it I thought I was going to hate it. Upon finishing it, I liked it well enough?
I'll get to the good things first: Beatrice was a great main character. The thing that made this book was the banter between Beatrice and Inspector Drake. I loved the mystery solving aspect and I always love when an unlikely duo has to work together to solve a crime. This was also a locked house mystery as it all takes place over one night. Drake was probably the most interesting character in this book. An illegitmate son of a gentleman and an indian woman, exiled from polite society, also happens to have lost an eye at some point due to circumstances that aren't really explained. I would have read a 'non comedy' book about him. He was clever and a really fun love interest.
But the thing I didn't like about the book is very hard to actually seperate from the rest of it. The comedy elements did NOT work for me unfortunately. They were ridiculous. I understand that's the point, that they're extremely exaggerated on purpose, but I don't think they added anything to the story. In fact I think this would have been funnier if it had been more of a dry sense of humour, sarcasm, etc. That would have felt more in keeping with the Jane Austen inspiration.
I get that this was a parody and some times it was funny. But I'm not a 12 year old boy so I don't find whoopee cushions funny. The apparent paranormal elements of werewolves were just stupid and came out of nowhere. It was all just too on the nose. One of the antagonists, Mr Grub - aka our pride and prejudice Mr Colins insert - was so over the top disgusting that at one point I found it almost difficult to read about (think snot, drool and feces.) Like, the author didn't need to do this. I can tell she is a talented writer, these elements I think actually eclipsed that and took things into the absurd. Perhaps the comedy will work for some people but it wasn't for me. I also don't feel that the blurb truley represents the tone of this book. It makes it sound like a lot of similar period mysteries which is what drew me too this in the first place. It doesn't tell you that it's essentially a slapstick comedy. The house the murder takes place in is called 'Stabmort' and I just kept thinking of that bit in Jessica Jones when she's like "Killgrave? Was Murdercorpse already taken?"
The ending makes me wonder if this is going to be a series as there is a certain element that didn't get resolved in this book which disappointed me. Overall it was a fun and enjoyable read, but the comedy elements let it down. I would read more from the author if they wrote something a little less surreal. But again I think this will work for some people, and perhaps sometimes we have to admit a certain style just isn't for everyone.
July 7, 2023
I cannot believe that I am only at the 10% mark in this book and have already laughed several times, hard enough to nearly wet myself.
This book reminds me very much of one of my beloved historical romances
but with a little more whimsy!
This was a read that was well worth my time. There are a lot of giggles, a tiny bit of romance, and a very, very complicated murder with many red herrings.
I don't know how to describe this book. It sure wasn't your typical historical. Instead, it was a delightful mix of Regency historical, comedy, and mystery.
All I can say is do yourself a favor and try this book. You can't go wrong. There is something in it for every type of reader.
I hope there will be more stories set in Swampshire (even the name of the town gives me a fit of giggles), and I would love to know more about Mary. If you read this, you too will be curious about just how the author will treat Mary. Is she what I think she is, or is there another explanation? Only one way to find out!!!
*ARC supplied by the publisher Random House, the author, and NetGalley.
This book reminds me very much of one of my beloved historical romances
but with a little more whimsy!This was a read that was well worth my time. There are a lot of giggles, a tiny bit of romance, and a very, very complicated murder with many red herrings.
I don't know how to describe this book. It sure wasn't your typical historical. Instead, it was a delightful mix of Regency historical, comedy, and mystery.
All I can say is do yourself a favor and try this book. You can't go wrong. There is something in it for every type of reader.
I hope there will be more stories set in Swampshire (even the name of the town gives me a fit of giggles), and I would love to know more about Mary. If you read this, you too will be curious about just how the author will treat Mary. Is she what I think she is, or is there another explanation? Only one way to find out!!!
*ARC supplied by the publisher Random House, the author, and NetGalley.
December 22, 2024
But as I always say, a single man in possession of a good fortune sometimes is actually not single. He's often a total liar.
A great parody understands the genre perfectly, and A Most Agreeable Murder understands both the regency romance and the whodunit so well. There's so much genuine care for the regency novel put into this parody! The characters feel like wonderful commentaries on Pride and Prejudice, giggling at its quirks not out of mockery but out of love.
Beatrice Steele is an unmarried lady of marriageable age. So it's too bad she seems so preoccupied with murder, rather than finding a husband. Her secret could probably stay secret, were it not for a fiasco at a ball: When Edmund Croaksworth, well, croaks.
Our intrepid cast consists of Beatrice Steele; sisters Mary and Louisa, and her Bennett-parent-parody parents; childhood best friend Daniel Ashbrook, his complicated sister Arabella, and their judgmental father; superstitious Miss Bolton; “orphaned” Caroline Wynn; and disreputable Francois Fan. And rounding them all out is Inspector Vivek Drake, ready to investigate the murder — but why ever was he here in the first place?
While I'm not sure I found it terribly surprising per se, the solution was very fun. Beatrice's character arc is compelling, and the relationship between her and Inspector Drake builds well. Overall, this will just be a very fun romp for anyone who loves the more humorous aspects of a good Jane Austen and a good Agatha Christie. Those with less familiarity with either probably won't get much from this, but that's what I like about it.
"If you think any of this is funny, you are sorely mistaken," Mr. Steele told Frank.
"Of course I don't think it's funny!" Frank insisted.
"Even worse! You have no sense of humor!"
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February 8, 2024
Несподівано – сильно сподобалося! Дуже смішна, захоплива й добра книжка. Кажу, як затята шанувальниця і Джейн Остін, і Аґати Крісті. Хочу продовження!
April 14, 2023
This was a delightful read. It’s a tongue in cheek story, so read it for what it is. It’s not going to be historically accurate or anything like that. It’s a parody….and I loved it. I laughed, smiled, & it definitely put me in a great mood. The humor & snarky remarks were great. The characters were wonderful, the mystery was fun, and I absolutely cannot wait for, hopefully, another book.
October 13, 2024
'A Most Agreeable Murder' is a light-hearted and fun read following Beatrice Steele as she struggles to hide her fascination with solving murders in a Regency Era society with many rules about propriety. Julia Seals is clearly inspired by Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and Agatha Christie in the creation of her characters and story, but she introduces a lot more humor into her writing and world-building to give this comedic romance in a mystery setting.
At the beginning of the book, Beatrice Steele finds herself in a locked room mystery (or a locked mansion in a hailstorm mystery) and has to put aside her prejudices to solve it, all while trying to save her family estate from entailment. As the story unfolds, she finds that many of the people around her are also hiding something from the rest of the world. The story arcs well until the end which seems a little cluttered. The characters are interesting and it is good to see some diversity in stories of that era. The main characters see some development and some of the others are also fleshed out as the story progresses, but a few are not believable and seemed to be sacrificed to have comedy/ red herrings in the plot. The writing and the world- building go hand in hand to provide a lot of laughs in this read even though some of the humor is on the nose. It is not clear if the setting is indeed Regency Era with regards to some of the propriety rules the women have to follow like having to be very strong and baking scones themselves, but it's definitely funny.
🌟🌟1/2
The rating which is 2 1/2 stars is rounded up to an integer 3 as the book delivers what it promises.
[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the characters; Half a star for the story arc; Half a star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building - Two and a half stars on the whole.]
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
At the beginning of the book, Beatrice Steele finds herself in a locked room mystery (or a locked mansion in a hailstorm mystery) and has to put aside her prejudices to solve it, all while trying to save her family estate from entailment. As the story unfolds, she finds that many of the people around her are also hiding something from the rest of the world. The story arcs well until the end which seems a little cluttered. The characters are interesting and it is good to see some diversity in stories of that era. The main characters see some development and some of the others are also fleshed out as the story progresses, but a few are not believable and seemed to be sacrificed to have comedy/ red herrings in the plot. The writing and the world- building go hand in hand to provide a lot of laughs in this read even though some of the humor is on the nose. It is not clear if the setting is indeed Regency Era with regards to some of the propriety rules the women have to follow like having to be very strong and baking scones themselves, but it's definitely funny.
🌟🌟1/2
The rating which is 2 1/2 stars is rounded up to an integer 3 as the book delivers what it promises.
[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the characters; Half a star for the story arc; Half a star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building - Two and a half stars on the whole.]
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2023
Why was this so freaking funny and delightful? Jane Austen meets Murder mystery and add a big splash of hilarious commentary on the silliness of the rules of lady etiquette in the regency period. The perfect Rachel book. 🥰
July 5, 2023
very surreal to read a book written by your college friend! congrats julia on this fun, twisty, cozy mystery romp that i finished in basically one sitting
January 24, 2023
This is goofy, fun, and not what I expected at all. But there isn't a murder until almost 30% in, and we spend most of the time leading up to it being introduced to all the guests..
There are a ton.
Too many zany details (her sister is a werewolf?) not enough actual story.
full review on spinebreaker
There are a ton.
Too many zany details (her sister is a werewolf?) not enough actual story.
full review on spinebreaker
December 26, 2022
thank you netgalley, random house, and julia seales for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! it’s a unique and fun novel that mixes historical fiction, comedy, and mystery into one book. it includes great social commentary on the time period and would be great for fans of quirky historical novels, for example, like the wisteria society for lady scoundrels. some parts were a little *too* odd for my taste, such as the suggestion that the main character’s sister is a werewolf/supernatural being? however, i did enjoy it, and really like the main character beatrice. i couldn’t solve the mystery but was continuously guessing who could have done it. if you like these genres, i recommend picking it up!
August 22, 2023
La familia Steele al completo es invitada al baile de otoño de los Ashbrook, el clan más pudiente y respetado de Swampshire. ¿Será esta una buena ocasión para comprometer a una de sus hijas y acabar así con el problema de sucesión en el que se encuentran? Sin embargo, pronto el evento se tiñe de sangre con la muerte, con pinta de asesinato, de uno de los invitados… Suerte que un detective llegado desde Londres estuviera allí, pero… su presencia no deja de ser sospechosa porque no había sido invitado. Aunque está feo, porque bueno, alguien ha muerto, el suceso también resulta interesante para Beatrice Steele, nuestra protagonista, quien en secreto es una gran aficionada a la resolución de crímenes sobre los que lee en el periódico.
¿Qué por qué lo hace en secreto? Bueno, pues si los códigos de conducta del Reino Unido de la época de Regencia ya eran estrictos para las mujeres, lo son aún más en Swampshire donde imperan las normas constrictoras recogidas en la ‘Guía de conductas para damas’, escrita por supuesto por un hombre, y que marca prácticamente el exilio para quien las incumpla.
‘Un crimen con clase’ confirma mi amor por el cozy crime, un género que he empezado a leer hace poco (al principio con muchas dudas) pero que poco a poco ha ido consolidándose como lectura confort para mi cuando quiero entretenerme, reírme y no pensar demasiado. Esta es una de esas novelas donde te das cuenta que la autora se divirtió muchísimo escribiéndola, y eso se contagia a quién la lee.
Un misterio de época escrito con mucho humor, rozando lo absurdo en ocasiones. No se trata de una historia que busque verosimilitud, tienes que dejarte llevar por lo que pasa, por loco que resulte en alguna ocasión (especialmente tirando al final). Como todo lo que conlleva humor y risas, hay que conectar, y yo lo hice de lleno, leí esta novela con palomitas en mano, sin poder despegarme de ella.
Una historia que se desarrolla principalmente a base de conversaciones e interrogatorios, que me hicieron sentir que estaba leyendo una partida de Cluedo e, inevitablemente, te vienen a la cabeza las historias de asesinato de habitación cerrada de Agatha Christie. Pero… las referencias y guiños no acaban ahí: Orgullo y Prejuicio, Jane Eyre y Sherlock Holmes entre otros son claras fuentes de inspiración a las que Julia Seales busca rendir homenaje en esta historia cómica.
Una novela que utiliza ese ambiente que nos es tan familiar de las novelas de Austen de familias con problemas económicos, con prisas por casar a sus hijas para no quedarse en la calle en caso de fallecimiento del patriarca, que visitan a menudo a sus vecinos, para contarnos una historia de misterio con la que es difícil no pasárselo bien. Una novela para leer con ganas de divertirse, cuando no busques algo serio y que no deja pasar la oportunidad de hacer una crítica afilada a los valores de un tiempo pasado pero… que a veces, no están tan distantes de los nuestros.
Una novela que siento que deja la puerta abierta a convertirse en serie, que cierra perfectamente el misterio, pero deja con la miel en los labios de conocer más sobre algunos personajes secundarios.
Aunque creo que se le pueden encontrar fallos o algunos detalles sin respuesta, es una novela que me tuvo con una sonrisa toda la lectura. Un libro con el que me lo pasé genial, fresco y ligero, poco más le pido yo a un cozy crime.
¿Qué por qué lo hace en secreto? Bueno, pues si los códigos de conducta del Reino Unido de la época de Regencia ya eran estrictos para las mujeres, lo son aún más en Swampshire donde imperan las normas constrictoras recogidas en la ‘Guía de conductas para damas’, escrita por supuesto por un hombre, y que marca prácticamente el exilio para quien las incumpla.
‘Un crimen con clase’ confirma mi amor por el cozy crime, un género que he empezado a leer hace poco (al principio con muchas dudas) pero que poco a poco ha ido consolidándose como lectura confort para mi cuando quiero entretenerme, reírme y no pensar demasiado. Esta es una de esas novelas donde te das cuenta que la autora se divirtió muchísimo escribiéndola, y eso se contagia a quién la lee.
Un misterio de época escrito con mucho humor, rozando lo absurdo en ocasiones. No se trata de una historia que busque verosimilitud, tienes que dejarte llevar por lo que pasa, por loco que resulte en alguna ocasión (especialmente tirando al final). Como todo lo que conlleva humor y risas, hay que conectar, y yo lo hice de lleno, leí esta novela con palomitas en mano, sin poder despegarme de ella.
Una historia que se desarrolla principalmente a base de conversaciones e interrogatorios, que me hicieron sentir que estaba leyendo una partida de Cluedo e, inevitablemente, te vienen a la cabeza las historias de asesinato de habitación cerrada de Agatha Christie. Pero… las referencias y guiños no acaban ahí: Orgullo y Prejuicio, Jane Eyre y Sherlock Holmes entre otros son claras fuentes de inspiración a las que Julia Seales busca rendir homenaje en esta historia cómica.
Una novela que utiliza ese ambiente que nos es tan familiar de las novelas de Austen de familias con problemas económicos, con prisas por casar a sus hijas para no quedarse en la calle en caso de fallecimiento del patriarca, que visitan a menudo a sus vecinos, para contarnos una historia de misterio con la que es difícil no pasárselo bien. Una novela para leer con ganas de divertirse, cuando no busques algo serio y que no deja pasar la oportunidad de hacer una crítica afilada a los valores de un tiempo pasado pero… que a veces, no están tan distantes de los nuestros.
Una novela que siento que deja la puerta abierta a convertirse en serie, que cierra perfectamente el misterio, pero deja con la miel en los labios de conocer más sobre algunos personajes secundarios.
Aunque creo que se le pueden encontrar fallos o algunos detalles sin respuesta, es una novela que me tuvo con una sonrisa toda la lectura. Un libro con el que me lo pasé genial, fresco y ligero, poco más le pido yo a un cozy crime.
December 10, 2023
Я дуже здивована, що КСД видали цю книгу. На мій погляд, це не зовсім їх жанр, але я їм дуже вдячна, бо роман 🔥
Прошу КСД видавати більше книг в цьому піджанрі 🥰
Це детективна історія в сеттінгу Рідженсі ера, де головна героїня не звичайна дівчина того часу - вона не любить вишивати та малювати, вона полюбляє розвʼязувати справи про вбивства.
Вона з сімʼєю приїжджає на бал до друзів дитинства, і там, як по закону жанра, стається вбивство. Допомагатиме їй один із гостей балу, який виявляється помічником відомого на всю Англію детектива.
Не дивлячись на швидкість подій, бо все відбувається за одну добу, роман читався дуже легко та цікаво.
Головні герої дуже різні та по-своєму цікаві. Рекомендую всім поціновувачам обох жанрів ✨
Прошу КСД видавати більше книг в цьому піджанрі 🥰
Це детективна історія в сеттінгу Рідженсі ера, де головна героїня не звичайна дівчина того часу - вона не любить вишивати та малювати, вона полюбляє розвʼязувати справи про вбивства.
Вона з сімʼєю приїжджає на бал до друзів дитинства, і там, як по закону жанра, стається вбивство. Допомагатиме їй один із гостей балу, який виявляється помічником відомого на всю Англію детектива.
Не дивлячись на швидкість подій, бо все відбувається за одну добу, роман читався дуже легко та цікаво.
Головні герої дуже різні та по-своєму цікаві. Рекомендую всім поціновувачам обох жанрів ✨
May 18, 2024
Well that was really fun, and I did this one on audio......
Add a huge cup of Victorian with a dollop of satire/poking fun. Throw in a murder, a sassy heroine (within the confines of proper breeding of course), and a haunted mansion and estate. Season well with secrets and mayhem, and throw in a turret or two.
This truly was just fun. I enjoyed it. Thank you to the Crime Tag of the Month that gave me an excuse to read it.
Add a huge cup of Victorian with a dollop of satire/poking fun. Throw in a murder, a sassy heroine (within the confines of proper breeding of course), and a haunted mansion and estate. Season well with secrets and mayhem, and throw in a turret or two.
This truly was just fun. I enjoyed it. Thank you to the Crime Tag of the Month that gave me an excuse to read it.
October 12, 2023
Mary: Im not like other girls
Beatrice: .......We know
Mary: ...in fact, im not even a girl at all......
Beatrice: ...?
Mary: Im a pterdodactyl 🦖
Beatrice: 👁👄👁
Beatrice: Mother! you were right................
Mary: Ill go wonder about the mysteries of the world now........
(it wouldnt let me add it to my status update 😔)
EDIT: ok i just have to say that I loved this book so so much......
I think I'll write a review later or smth so yeah..........
EDIT: OK now the review....
The plot:
So basically this is set in like the 1900's? I think? so basically it is about this family the Steeles'. Mrs. Steele has only really ever wanted one thing; for her daughters to get married to wealthy and good men. She has three daughters, Mary, Lousia, and Beatrice. (the order is youngest to oldest) Uh so none of them really like Mary cuz like shes pretty sketchy..........🫣
But yeah so they kind of always forget about her..... Lousia is the favorite, the golden child. Everyone loves her and she is everything a proper lady should be. Beatrice is just kinda there..... Mrs. Steele doesnt pay too much attention to her but yeah......
So basically they live in a town called Swampshire and yes it is a very swampy town....cant forget the glowing frogs!!! 🐸
But anyways, Swampshire was discovered by this guy................uh.......................... something Ashbrook (guys dont blame me.... his name was only in there like 2 times) So then yeah the Ashbrooks are the most wealthiest family. The dude who discovered Swampshire also wrote A Lady's Guide to Swampshire volumes 1 AND 2 like bruh are you serious rn? so basically, all women have these guides and have to use them........ Oh wait.. there is a Travel Guide with the Lady's Guide too.......
But anyways back to the Steeles....
Beatrice didnt really have any skills but one day she stumbled upon the newspaper and was intrigued by the crime section. she read it and immediately was hooked. The investigator in these crimes was Sir Huxley and his "partner" Investigator Drake....... (Drake fans, dont go crazy) (I put partner in "" because Huxley treated him more like an assisstant) But anyways, the two were in England, i think, and they solved a bunch of cases together. Beatrice loved reading these and went in her turret? (if you didnt know, a turret is like an attic) but yeah so she told her mom that she was daydreaming about a guy.... like who does that? if only it was like that so I could tell my parents i was in love and read all day in my room 👍 time to get out the time travel machine........ (that was kinda cringey.. dont come for me) But anyways she was so invested in her crime that she took notes and sent her theories to Sir Huxley. In the end, we find out that he was using her information to solve the case....... is she really that smart? I think not...... (im sorry Beatrice but its hard to avoid the truth) So basically, Sir Huxley and Drake were working on this one case with missing jewels and stuff from this one guy. Drake knew that the guy's wife was the one who stole them but Huxley was in love with her, Verity Swan (CoHo??) Verity blamed it on the innocent butler and Huxley believed her. Drake was so annoyed with him that he left. Huxley told everyone that it was the butler and never revealed the truth. So moral of the story, Huxley is a lovesick liar 💔
Back to the actual story.......
So basically the Ashbrook family is Hugh Ashbrook, the father. ....Susan?........ Ashbrook, the mother but she died. Arabella, the daughter and Daniel, the son. So Hugh was this guy who actually went to a fortune teller and wasted billions of dollars on tonics and creams (guys not that kind of cream.... no dirty minds allowed 🤭) but anyways, he kind of told himself that he had illnesses even though I guess it was just grief after his wife's death. He really loved her I guess and when she died, all of this medicine stuff started happening. but anyways... It was a really haily and rainy day when the Ashbrooks hosted a ball. The Steele women (besides Mary kind of) were listening to Lousia about some news that Arabella told her; there was going to be a special guest, Mr. Croaksworth. yes a very random name but we'll roll with it. He came from France. Everyone was surprised. Swampshire hated France and really anyone who came from there.
Ok guys sorry a break from that but there is some stuff I missed..... So Mr. Grub is Mrs. Steele's cousin. He said that Mr. Steele was unfit to be a father and that he shouldnt be able to keep his fortune so he tried to steal the little fortune the Steeles had. they got the mail before they were meant to leave. so that was a panicking moment. Mr. Grub was like digusting, absolutely disgusting. I hated him but honestly i think the reader is supposed to hate him. but anyways,
So Mr. Croaksworth was from France and there was this whole thing that happened. Arabella and Mr. Croaksworth were engaged like what? 2 years or something before. The Croaksworths thought that the Ashbrooks weren't good enough (they were going broke because of Hugh's little addiction with medicine and stuff.... it wasnt explained till like the end) so then yeah Mr. Croaksworth broke off the engagement since his parents wanted him to and eventually Arabella did too. Hugh was pretty mad but he told everyone that the broken engagement was a mutual agreement even though it wasnt....
So Hugh's goal for the ball was that they would get back together again (spoiler alert, they dont)
Mrs. Steele got Lousia ready the most because she thought that Lousia would catch Mr. Croaksworth's eye and hopefully get engaged. Mr. Croaksworth's parents died so he was able to pick who he wanted to marry... and he also had his family's entire fortune which was a lot im guessing. but yeah so he sees Lousia and immediately falls in love. so yeah... ok another part I missed.... im sorry guys there's a lot to this........ so when the Steele's were coming to the ball in their carriage, Beatrice saw someone walking in the hail. When she got a better look, she saw it was INSPECTOR DRAKE. Beatrice really had a grudge against him and then decided to leave him but it was too late. Her father had already asked him and Drake was walking towards the carriage. Drake turned out to be Mr. Croaksworth's guest. So yeah.... Daniel and Beatrice were "friends" (Beatrice thought but Daniel never liked her.....) so they walked together and stuff. I really liked him 🥹
But anyways....... they are just dancing after a break and stuff when Mr. Croaksoworth goes "the angel isnt really the angel!" and guess what... he dies
so thats the mystery.....
Beatrice and Drake go to try and solve this case....
There is a lot of finger pointing and Beatrice made me really mad sometimes............
In the end Hugh and Daniel also died......
they thought Hugh was the killer but Daniel told Beatrice everything and was trying to get her to marry him so they could do things together........... but yeah im not really getting into any more details (ok just one, Daniel tried to kill Beatrice by strangling her and drowning her but Drake and Lousia saved her) (she was getting too close to the truth so he wanted to end her) and oh yeah, Mr. Croaksworth was poisoned
The characters:
Beatrice- she was okay, just got me really mad sometimes
Lousia- she was okay too, i felt kinda bad for her since she didnt have a choice in a lot of stuff in her life but couldnt do anything since she was an obedient child
Mary- uh... we never got to find out her true form 🤔
Mr. Steele- he was so amazing. He was a trickster and was always scaring people and doing pranks. that s why Mr. Grub said he was not fit to be a parent; he was too immature but like no
Mrs. Steele- i think she really did love the girls but she really wanted to see them get married
Miss Bolton- I didnt mention her at all but I loved her so much! the part on the roof was too much I love her. such a sweetie (she was kinda giving Effie Trinket vibes idk why)
Mr. Grub- Absolutely disgusting. I hate him. Gross. Rude. Ugly as heck 😬
Daniel- I loved him too. (he had a Jacks look too i think so yeah) His sayings and stuff was kinda cringe but still.......... RIP
Arabella- Beatrice described her as a snob but like i didnt think that. she was okay...
Hugh-Like he wasted the Ashbrooks' fortune but I feel bad for him... he lost his wife and didnt know how to cope with her death 😭
Carolyn- can i just say that she is a great liar? i would never suspected that
Captain Pena- I think he really loved Carolyn (or Verity) but idk maybe it was part of the act
Overall, 5/5 i loved it and def recommend
This is like the longest review I have ever written 😅 and its really out of the place so forgive me
Bye loves 🥰
Beatrice: .......We know
Mary: ...in fact, im not even a girl at all......
Beatrice: ...?
Mary: Im a pterdodactyl 🦖
Beatrice: 👁👄👁
Beatrice: Mother! you were right................
Mary: Ill go wonder about the mysteries of the world now........
(it wouldnt let me add it to my status update 😔)
EDIT: ok i just have to say that I loved this book so so much......
I think I'll write a review later or smth so yeah..........
EDIT: OK now the review....
The plot:
So basically this is set in like the 1900's? I think? so basically it is about this family the Steeles'. Mrs. Steele has only really ever wanted one thing; for her daughters to get married to wealthy and good men. She has three daughters, Mary, Lousia, and Beatrice. (the order is youngest to oldest) Uh so none of them really like Mary cuz like shes pretty sketchy..........🫣
But yeah so they kind of always forget about her..... Lousia is the favorite, the golden child. Everyone loves her and she is everything a proper lady should be. Beatrice is just kinda there..... Mrs. Steele doesnt pay too much attention to her but yeah......
So basically they live in a town called Swampshire and yes it is a very swampy town....cant forget the glowing frogs!!! 🐸
But anyways, Swampshire was discovered by this guy................uh.......................... something Ashbrook (guys dont blame me.... his name was only in there like 2 times) So then yeah the Ashbrooks are the most wealthiest family. The dude who discovered Swampshire also wrote A Lady's Guide to Swampshire volumes 1 AND 2 like bruh are you serious rn? so basically, all women have these guides and have to use them........ Oh wait.. there is a Travel Guide with the Lady's Guide too.......
But anyways back to the Steeles....
Beatrice didnt really have any skills but one day she stumbled upon the newspaper and was intrigued by the crime section. she read it and immediately was hooked. The investigator in these crimes was Sir Huxley and his "partner" Investigator Drake....... (Drake fans, dont go crazy) (I put partner in "" because Huxley treated him more like an assisstant) But anyways, the two were in England, i think, and they solved a bunch of cases together. Beatrice loved reading these and went in her turret? (if you didnt know, a turret is like an attic) but yeah so she told her mom that she was daydreaming about a guy.... like who does that? if only it was like that so I could tell my parents i was in love and read all day in my room 👍 time to get out the time travel machine........ (that was kinda cringey.. dont come for me) But anyways she was so invested in her crime that she took notes and sent her theories to Sir Huxley. In the end, we find out that he was using her information to solve the case....... is she really that smart? I think not...... (im sorry Beatrice but its hard to avoid the truth) So basically, Sir Huxley and Drake were working on this one case with missing jewels and stuff from this one guy. Drake knew that the guy's wife was the one who stole them but Huxley was in love with her, Verity Swan (CoHo??) Verity blamed it on the innocent butler and Huxley believed her. Drake was so annoyed with him that he left. Huxley told everyone that it was the butler and never revealed the truth. So moral of the story, Huxley is a lovesick liar 💔
Back to the actual story.......
So basically the Ashbrook family is Hugh Ashbrook, the father. ....Susan?........ Ashbrook, the mother but she died. Arabella, the daughter and Daniel, the son. So Hugh was this guy who actually went to a fortune teller and wasted billions of dollars on tonics and creams (guys not that kind of cream.... no dirty minds allowed 🤭) but anyways, he kind of told himself that he had illnesses even though I guess it was just grief after his wife's death. He really loved her I guess and when she died, all of this medicine stuff started happening. but anyways... It was a really haily and rainy day when the Ashbrooks hosted a ball. The Steele women (besides Mary kind of) were listening to Lousia about some news that Arabella told her; there was going to be a special guest, Mr. Croaksworth. yes a very random name but we'll roll with it. He came from France. Everyone was surprised. Swampshire hated France and really anyone who came from there.
Ok guys sorry a break from that but there is some stuff I missed..... So Mr. Grub is Mrs. Steele's cousin. He said that Mr. Steele was unfit to be a father and that he shouldnt be able to keep his fortune so he tried to steal the little fortune the Steeles had. they got the mail before they were meant to leave. so that was a panicking moment. Mr. Grub was like digusting, absolutely disgusting. I hated him but honestly i think the reader is supposed to hate him. but anyways,
So Mr. Croaksworth was from France and there was this whole thing that happened. Arabella and Mr. Croaksworth were engaged like what? 2 years or something before. The Croaksworths thought that the Ashbrooks weren't good enough (they were going broke because of Hugh's little addiction with medicine and stuff.... it wasnt explained till like the end) so then yeah Mr. Croaksworth broke off the engagement since his parents wanted him to and eventually Arabella did too. Hugh was pretty mad but he told everyone that the broken engagement was a mutual agreement even though it wasnt....
So Hugh's goal for the ball was that they would get back together again (spoiler alert, they dont)
Mrs. Steele got Lousia ready the most because she thought that Lousia would catch Mr. Croaksworth's eye and hopefully get engaged. Mr. Croaksworth's parents died so he was able to pick who he wanted to marry... and he also had his family's entire fortune which was a lot im guessing. but yeah so he sees Lousia and immediately falls in love. so yeah... ok another part I missed.... im sorry guys there's a lot to this........ so when the Steele's were coming to the ball in their carriage, Beatrice saw someone walking in the hail. When she got a better look, she saw it was INSPECTOR DRAKE. Beatrice really had a grudge against him and then decided to leave him but it was too late. Her father had already asked him and Drake was walking towards the carriage. Drake turned out to be Mr. Croaksworth's guest. So yeah.... Daniel and Beatrice were "friends" (Beatrice thought but Daniel never liked her.....) so they walked together and stuff. I really liked him 🥹
But anyways....... they are just dancing after a break and stuff when Mr. Croaksoworth goes "the angel isnt really the angel!" and guess what... he dies
so thats the mystery.....
Beatrice and Drake go to try and solve this case....
There is a lot of finger pointing and Beatrice made me really mad sometimes............
In the end Hugh and Daniel also died......
they thought Hugh was the killer but Daniel told Beatrice everything and was trying to get her to marry him so they could do things together........... but yeah im not really getting into any more details (ok just one, Daniel tried to kill Beatrice by strangling her and drowning her but Drake and Lousia saved her) (she was getting too close to the truth so he wanted to end her) and oh yeah, Mr. Croaksworth was poisoned
The characters:
Beatrice- she was okay, just got me really mad sometimes
Lousia- she was okay too, i felt kinda bad for her since she didnt have a choice in a lot of stuff in her life but couldnt do anything since she was an obedient child
Mary- uh... we never got to find out her true form 🤔
Mr. Steele- he was so amazing. He was a trickster and was always scaring people and doing pranks. that s why Mr. Grub said he was not fit to be a parent; he was too immature but like no
Mrs. Steele- i think she really did love the girls but she really wanted to see them get married
Miss Bolton- I didnt mention her at all but I loved her so much! the part on the roof was too much I love her. such a sweetie (she was kinda giving Effie Trinket vibes idk why)
Mr. Grub- Absolutely disgusting. I hate him. Gross. Rude. Ugly as heck 😬
Daniel- I loved him too. (he had a Jacks look too i think so yeah) His sayings and stuff was kinda cringe but still.......... RIP
Arabella- Beatrice described her as a snob but like i didnt think that. she was okay...
Hugh-Like he wasted the Ashbrooks' fortune but I feel bad for him... he lost his wife and didnt know how to cope with her death 😭
Carolyn- can i just say that she is a great liar? i would never suspected that
Captain Pena- I think he really loved Carolyn (or Verity) but idk maybe it was part of the act
Overall, 5/5 i loved it and def recommend
This is like the longest review I have ever written 😅 and its really out of the place so forgive me
Bye loves 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2024
3.5/5
Ідеальне поєднання детективів Агати Крісті з вайбом Бріджертонів
Місцями було трохи нудновато, а місцями смішно від абсурдності ситуації.
Щоденник Кроуксворта і його "насичений день" мене знатно повеселив. Я такі записи робила в свої 8-9 років і то в мене подій за день було більше😂 Прокинувся, поїв, одягнувся, погуляв, переодівся, неправильно переодівся, покликав лакея, щоб його одів, повечеряв і так втомився, що ледве пише. Бідненький.
Сюжетні повороти для мене були неочікуваними, вбивцю я не вгадала, хоча в якийсь момент вирішила, що я ще той Шерлок і все з'ясувала, тільки з мотивом прогадала. Але ні, авторка все перекрутила по своєму.
Герої на початку видаються такими пристойними аристократами, але в кінці виявиться, що кожен має свою брудну таємницю.
Велика увага приділяється етикету, правилам і нормам поведінки. А також гарно показано становище жінки в ті часи.
В книзі присутня любовна лінія. Але вона майже непомітна. Стосунки героїв мені нагадували містера Дарсі і Елізабет - спрощена версія. Він похмурий і буркотливий, вона весела і життєрадісна. Невинні, випадкові дотики, від яких в кожного подих перехоплює і обмін шпильками. Ніякого флірту, чи поцілунків. Але це не заважало мені вболівати за їхню пару.
Загалом, це було непогано, але не прям вау
Ідеальне поєднання детективів Агати Крісті з вайбом Бріджертонів
Місцями було трохи нудновато, а місцями смішно від абсурдності ситуації.
Щоденник Кроуксворта і його "насичений день" мене знатно повеселив. Я такі записи робила в свої 8-9 років і то в мене подій за день було більше😂 Прокинувся, поїв, одягнувся, погуляв, переодівся, неправильно переодівся, покликав лакея, щоб його одів, повечеряв і так втомився, що ледве пише. Бідненький.
Сюжетні повороти для мене були неочікуваними, вбивцю я не вгадала, хоча в якийсь момент вирішила, що я ще той Шерлок і все з'ясувала, тільки з мотивом прогадала. Але ні, авторка все перекрутила по своєму.
Герої на початку видаються такими пристойними аристократами, але в кінці виявиться, що кожен має свою брудну таємницю.
Велика увага приділяється етикету, правилам і нормам поведінки. А також гарно показано становище жінки в ті часи.
В книзі присутня любовна лінія. Але вона майже непомітна. Стосунки героїв мені нагадували містера Дарсі і Елізабет - спрощена версія. Він похмурий і буркотливий, вона весела і життєрадісна. Невинні, випадкові дотики, від яких в кожного подих перехоплює і обмін шпильками. Ніякого флірту, чи поцілунків. Але це не заважало мені вболівати за їхню пару.
Загалом, це було непогано, але не прям вау
February 24, 2024
3,5 estrellas
Curiosa mezcla entre una novela con un toque Jane Austen y meticulosa resolución de un asesinato en habitación cerrada al estilo Agatha Christie.
La dinámica de la trama funciona, aderezada por los secretos y trapicheos familiares y la resolución del caso policial me ha resultado sorprendentemente sólida, como único punto negativo he de señalar lo irritante que me ha parecido la protagonista, pero queda compensado por el detective…
Os la recomiendo, policial ligero y optimista (de esos que ahora se clasifican como cozy crime) que aunque yo no soy muy cozy si es verdad que de vez en cuando se agradece un poco de optimismo y cuquez…
Recomendable para curarse de lecturas amargas, o para una lectura ligera.
Curiosa mezcla entre una novela con un toque Jane Austen y meticulosa resolución de un asesinato en habitación cerrada al estilo Agatha Christie.
La dinámica de la trama funciona, aderezada por los secretos y trapicheos familiares y la resolución del caso policial me ha resultado sorprendentemente sólida, como único punto negativo he de señalar lo irritante que me ha parecido la protagonista, pero queda compensado por el detective…
Os la recomiendo, policial ligero y optimista (de esos que ahora se clasifican como cozy crime) que aunque yo no soy muy cozy si es verdad que de vez en cuando se agradece un poco de optimismo y cuquez…
Recomendable para curarse de lecturas amargas, o para una lectura ligera.
December 10, 2022
A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales was such a fun and easy read. I loved the combination of historical fiction, mystery and comedy. When I first saw the premise for this book I was intrigued to see how it would play out and I loved it. The regency vibes with the detective work truly made this an entertaining book. This book had me guessing all the time and I did not know what was going to happen next. Overall it was a very enjoyable book with intelligent, witty, and funny characters.
P.S. I also want to see more of Mary. I was very intrigued by her the entire book.
Thank you to Random House publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this e-arc!
P.S. I also want to see more of Mary. I was very intrigued by her the entire book.
Thank you to Random House publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this e-arc!
August 22, 2023
’How could one be content with an afternoon spent playing the pianoforte when a killer was on the loose?’
From the very first page, I knew this was going to be 5 stars. Wow did Julia Seales just look into my brain and write me a book? I think she did because A Most Agreeable Murder was an absolute delight and just satisfied me in every way.
What an amazing debut for Julia Seales. I can feel a lot of potential from this author and I’m really excited to see what she writes next. Perhaps a sequel exploring Beatrice and Inspector Drake’s first case together in London?? I would certainly love to see that.
This was an incredibly witty book, a level of humour I really love especially in historical books (like India Holton)It was fun and yet within all the silliness, there was actual social commentary about how the regency era treated and viewed women. As a lover of Jane Austen, I thought this book was genius. The way Julia Seales took archetypes and tropes from the classics and implemented them in her book was brilliant - it was refreshing too to follow Beatrice Steele, a heroine who was courageous, wished for more and took it, and felt very realistic. She was a wonderful mixture of Emma Woodhouse and Catherine Moorland. She had her flaws and her flaws messed things up but I liked that. It felt very Jane Austen because a lot of her heroines tend to make mistakes, misconceptions and errors.
I loved how ridiculous and flamboyant the characters were. Every character stood out - it was fantastic. Julia Seales did well controlling scenes where all the characters were there and gave all equal page time so the reader got a sense of all of them. It made trying to figure out the mystery much more fun. I was SO far off though once it was revealed who did it- it was a VERY good twist!! It felt like a Agatha Christie indeed.
I really loved, as well as everything else, that Beatrice and Drake had chemistry INSTANTLY but they also initially disliked each other. And obviously as they worked together to figure out who murdered Mr. Croaksworth, they came to rely on each other. They improved each other which I loved, very much like Pride and Prejudice in that sense.
Just a fabulous book I very much enjoyed and loved!
From the very first page, I knew this was going to be 5 stars. Wow did Julia Seales just look into my brain and write me a book? I think she did because A Most Agreeable Murder was an absolute delight and just satisfied me in every way.
What an amazing debut for Julia Seales. I can feel a lot of potential from this author and I’m really excited to see what she writes next. Perhaps a sequel exploring Beatrice and Inspector Drake’s first case together in London?? I would certainly love to see that.
This was an incredibly witty book, a level of humour I really love especially in historical books (like India Holton)It was fun and yet within all the silliness, there was actual social commentary about how the regency era treated and viewed women. As a lover of Jane Austen, I thought this book was genius. The way Julia Seales took archetypes and tropes from the classics and implemented them in her book was brilliant - it was refreshing too to follow Beatrice Steele, a heroine who was courageous, wished for more and took it, and felt very realistic. She was a wonderful mixture of Emma Woodhouse and Catherine Moorland. She had her flaws and her flaws messed things up but I liked that. It felt very Jane Austen because a lot of her heroines tend to make mistakes, misconceptions and errors.
I loved how ridiculous and flamboyant the characters were. Every character stood out - it was fantastic. Julia Seales did well controlling scenes where all the characters were there and gave all equal page time so the reader got a sense of all of them. It made trying to figure out the mystery much more fun. I was SO far off though once it was revealed who did it- it was a VERY good twist!! It felt like a Agatha Christie indeed.
I really loved, as well as everything else, that Beatrice and Drake had chemistry INSTANTLY but they also initially disliked each other. And obviously as they worked together to figure out who murdered Mr. Croaksworth, they came to rely on each other. They improved each other which I loved, very much like Pride and Prejudice in that sense.
Just a fabulous book I very much enjoyed and loved!
May 16, 2023
I loved this book so much! Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The narration was funny and entertaining. You can definitely tell the author was inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Agatha Christie’s mysteries. The cast of characters was probably one of the best aspects of the book for me. Each of them had their own individual character quirks.
The book follows the perspective of Beatrice Steele, who is fascinated with true crime cases reported in the newspaper, specifically the ones that get solved by a well known detective whom she is a huge admirer of. She attends a ball where a wealthy bachelor drops dead, and she is thrown in the middle of a murder investigation, at which point the book turns into a classic whodunit murder mystery.
The writing was great and the story included some cool things in between chapters like newspaper articles and letters, which gave insight on some of the characters. This was a 5 star read for me because I enjoyed my reading experience.
With that being said, it wasn’t a thrilling book. It is more classified in the cozy mystery genre. The actual solving of the mystery did go all over the place at times and I wasn’t surprised when everything was revealed, but I did love the ending and how it opened itself up to becoming a series, and I definitely would read a sequel to this book.
The narration was funny and entertaining. You can definitely tell the author was inspired by Pride and Prejudice and Agatha Christie’s mysteries. The cast of characters was probably one of the best aspects of the book for me. Each of them had their own individual character quirks.
The book follows the perspective of Beatrice Steele, who is fascinated with true crime cases reported in the newspaper, specifically the ones that get solved by a well known detective whom she is a huge admirer of. She attends a ball where a wealthy bachelor drops dead, and she is thrown in the middle of a murder investigation, at which point the book turns into a classic whodunit murder mystery.
The writing was great and the story included some cool things in between chapters like newspaper articles and letters, which gave insight on some of the characters. This was a 5 star read for me because I enjoyed my reading experience.
With that being said, it wasn’t a thrilling book. It is more classified in the cozy mystery genre. The actual solving of the mystery did go all over the place at times and I wasn’t surprised when everything was revealed, but I did love the ending and how it opened itself up to becoming a series, and I definitely would read a sequel to this book.
August 16, 2023
The best thing about this book is its cover. No good as a murder mystery, romance, or historical fiction. If someone found the Parasol Protectorate books too logically consistent, historically accurate, and subtly written, this might be the book for them.
September 22, 2023
It took me forever to read this. The premise seemed right up my alley but I thought the writing was clunky and awkward. I think the author was attempting sarcasm and wit, but it didn’t land for me.
January 26, 2025
I received this book as a Christmas gift (thank you 😘). It was beautifully and creatively wrapped as a blind date with a book, mystery genre! I was so excited to open the package and read this book, and it didn’t disappoint! I enjoyed the mystery and comedy throughout and the Agatha Christie and Jane Austen vibes. Obviously not to their caliber, but it was a fun and entertaining cozy mystery, especially as a debut novel. I look forward to the next installment in this series, set to be released in June 2025.
The characters were interesting, and I hope we learn more about Mary in future books. I loved all the informative and fun extras at the beginning and end of the book, and also the letters, etc. between the chapters. The cover is beautiful and nicely done to represent the story.
Thanks for the great read! 🩷📚
The characters were interesting, and I hope we learn more about Mary in future books. I loved all the informative and fun extras at the beginning and end of the book, and also the letters, etc. between the chapters. The cover is beautiful and nicely done to represent the story.
Thanks for the great read! 🩷📚
November 24, 2023
Un libro ligero y entretenido.
October 22, 2023
Для мене тут все було ідеально. У авторки чудове почуття гумору, легкий стиль написання, драми та таємниць тут накрутили стільки, що ні на секунду не було нудно і все потім дуже гарно розклали по поличках. Особа вбивці та ще дехто виявилися досить моторошно-кривавими, мені це дуже сподобалося, бо думала, що розв'язка може бути теж такою легенькою та кумедною, але ні - тут трохи психопатів додали.
Дуже сподіваюся, що авторка зробить з цього серію і ми ще почитаємо про пригоди Беатріс та Вівека.
P.S. The Murder of Mr. Wickham хотіло бути цією книжкою, але провалилося по всіх пунктах (знання персонажів Джейн Остін, детективна складова, любовна лінія), тоді як ця історія показала, як легко і невимушено можна все це об'єднати ❤️
Дуже сподіваюся, що авторка зробить з цього серію і ми ще почитаємо про пригоди Беатріс та Вівека.
P.S. The Murder of Mr. Wickham хотіло бути цією книжкою, але провалилося по всіх пунктах (знання персонажів Джейн Остін, детективна складова, любовна лінія), тоді як ця історія показала, як легко і невимушено можна все це об'єднати ❤️
June 29, 2023
This debut novel is a riot…literally. With hints of Jane Austen and Agatha Christie, it is a parody of satire at its best…and most over-the-top.
Beatrice Steele is a young woman who yearns to break free of the strict code of conduct for ladies (and yes, there is a large guidebook for this) in her Swampshire village (where luminescent frogs, squelch holes and violent hailstorms abound). She finds herself obsessed with the true crime stories she secretly/scandalously reads in the London newspapers.
When she, her younger (often literally forgotten) sister Mary, her beautiful (and key to financially saving the family) sister Louisa, her marriage-obsessed mother and prankster father are invited to their neighbor’s ball, mayhem ensues as the murder of a wealthy gentleman pulls her and a young, disgraced London inspector into an investigation. While secrets and improper behavior (oh dear!) come to light, Beatrice begins to gain confidence and respect in her abilities as she unravels (often convoluted) treacherous plots. With her own life at risk and quite a few suspects in the wings, will the culprit ever be brought to justice?
While yes, some may grow a bit tired of the eye-rolling antics/dialogue, I found it quite hilarious and different from anything I’ve read before. Beatrice is a wonderful, forward-thinking heroine, the supporting cast are well-fleshed out and entertaining, and the hint of future installments is something I’m keeping my fingers crossed for.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Random House for providing the free early arc of A Most Agreeable Murder for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
Beatrice Steele is a young woman who yearns to break free of the strict code of conduct for ladies (and yes, there is a large guidebook for this) in her Swampshire village (where luminescent frogs, squelch holes and violent hailstorms abound). She finds herself obsessed with the true crime stories she secretly/scandalously reads in the London newspapers.
When she, her younger (often literally forgotten) sister Mary, her beautiful (and key to financially saving the family) sister Louisa, her marriage-obsessed mother and prankster father are invited to their neighbor’s ball, mayhem ensues as the murder of a wealthy gentleman pulls her and a young, disgraced London inspector into an investigation. While secrets and improper behavior (oh dear!) come to light, Beatrice begins to gain confidence and respect in her abilities as she unravels (often convoluted) treacherous plots. With her own life at risk and quite a few suspects in the wings, will the culprit ever be brought to justice?
While yes, some may grow a bit tired of the eye-rolling antics/dialogue, I found it quite hilarious and different from anything I’ve read before. Beatrice is a wonderful, forward-thinking heroine, the supporting cast are well-fleshed out and entertaining, and the hint of future installments is something I’m keeping my fingers crossed for.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Random House for providing the free early arc of A Most Agreeable Murder for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
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