I’m slammed this week. I have books to finish for Library Journal‘s Day of Dialogue so I can send the questions to the four debut authors on the panel. I’m also on deadline for book reviews for them. That means I really appreciate the reviews from Sandie Herron for Have You Heard? Here’s Sandie’s review of an audiobook she listened to recently.
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder
Written By: Dianne Freeman
Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
Series: Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books (6/26/2018)
Listening Length: 8 hours 4 minutes
Mary Higgins Clark Award Nominee, Agatha Award for Best First Novel
Frances Price, American born and bred, became Countess of Harleigh when she married Reggie Wynn and discovered that her life was very much ruled by her husband. Not long into the marriage, Frances learns that Reggie has been having affairs when he dies in the arms of his lover under his own roof. To avoid scandal, Frances and the mistress enlist the aid of George Hazelton, a gentleman they consider beyond reproach, to assist them in moving Reggie’s body back to his own bed so a pronouncement of a heart attack can be made.
After a year in mourning, Frances gleefully puts away her black gowns and escapes Reggie’s family home and his family and moves with her young daughter to Belgravia. Coincidentally, she moves next door to George Hazelton. Frances happens to be best friends with his sister Fiona. Within days of settling into her new home, Frances is joined by her sister Lily and Aunty Heady from America so that Frances may introduce Lily to society for her first season. Social engagements fill their calendars quickly. However, this also exposes them to the knowledge of some burglaries occurring during the balls about town. Frances returns home one afternoon to find her own bed chambers ransacked. When Reggie’s former mistress’s footsman requests to visit her with a secret agenda, he is killed in her garden.
While checking out three men who have begun to court Lily, Frances receives word from the police that an inquiry of her possible murderous intent toward her husband Reggie has been made anonymously. Frances continues to go deeper into investigating Lily’s suitors, trying to discover who is accusing her of murder, and trying to solve the burglaries and footman’s murder. She is helped in much of this by the discreet Mr. Hazelton, who while flirting with Frances, has an interest in solving these cases as well.
England of 1899 seemed to be a whirlwind of balls and dinners and afternoon strolls. The intrigue in this corner of London caught me with each step Lady Frances took toward solving the burglaries, the murder, and investigating those suitors. As the solution presented itself, there was still the matter of catching the thief and keeping Lily’s virtue intact. A murderous twist quite unexpectedly livened the end of this tale. Everything began to make so much more sense. With the proper narration by Sarah Zimmerman, seemingly the soul of discretion, she brings us this delightful romantic comedy. Read it for the gossip, the romance, the intrigue, the fun.
