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What a delight this was! I was enthralled from the very first page and had to stay up to finish the book!!

Overall a great start to a new series. The setting was fun. The ending was well written, but I wasn't a fan of how it ended. I can't wait to read the next book.

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder is the first book in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series and is set in Victorian England. Tight story, great characters and gives the reader the impression that this is only the beginning of a great series.

I don't read many historical mysteries, but was intrigued by the title of this book so I picked it up. Lady Frances Harleigh, an American who married a British Count is now a widow and after a year of mourning has decided to move to the city with her young daughter Rose. Her in-laws are against her move from the country as this will not allow them access to her money to help fix up the estate where they live. But Lady Frances has made up her mind and makes the move. Shortly there after she gets a letter from mother asking her to introduce her sister to London society for the upcoming season, hoping her sister will find a suitable husband. This book was full of interesting characters and mystery when valuable items are discovered missing after society events are held in private homes. Lady Frances becomes involved when her maid discovers a missing item in her handbag from the evening before. Is someone trying to frame her for the theft, and if so why? Lady Frances is a wonderful character full of spirit and tenacity and I look forward to her next adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Kensington through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Frances Wynn is finally able to stop wearing mourning clothes and get on with her life. She moves to town with her daughter, but her past and her relatives follow her, trying to get her to invest money into the family home.
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I found this to be slight, and somewhat fun, although I was more interested in Frances’s newfound independence and her family/friends than I was in the mystery, which I found lackluster. I don’t think I’ll read the next one in this series.

A solid, if not super exciting, first novel in what should be an enjoyable series. The plot is a bit obvious and the dialogue can be stilted but I think that the ground work is laid for what could be a lively series - I definitely could see this as a delightful Masterpiece Mystery period piece and that, to me, is a good thing. A recommend, but a soft one.

Frances Wynn, the widowed Countess of Harleigh, is nearing the end of her period of mourning. American-born and wed for her family fortune, Frances has decided that she will move away from her country estate and live in London, where she will not be as "controlled" by the family who want only her money. Her father, however, had arranged for her to have money of her own, and when her husband's heir discovers he hasn't full control, tempers flare. At the same time, Frances younger sister, Lily, arrives from America with their Aunt for a Season in London. Lily's suitors bring romance and mystery into their lives.

Can Frances handle the gentleman callers and the issues that come with them while maintaining her standing in society?

Fun, entertaining, characters were well-developed and story was interesting.

Loved this cosy mystery set at the turn of the 20th Century. Lady Harleigh has lost her husband under suspicious circumstances and her grasping in-laws are after her money. She has to help her sister find a husband but one of them may be trying to,kill her. To top it all off, jewels are going missing and there is a gorgeous man living next door who knows too much about her disasterous marriage. Murder, mayhem and plenty of humour make this an entertaining read. Looking forward to more from Lady Frances.

A lovely Victorian cosy mystery, perfect to cuddle with enjoying a sunny evening. The first book of the series, A Countess of Harleigh Mystery promises.

American Countess of Harleigh Frances Wynn was married into the British aristocracy. Until her philandering husband dies of a heart attack while in bed with another. After spending a year mourning for him, Frances leaves the countryside and her parents-in-law behind to start anew as an independent woman. Enjoying her freedom as a widow, the Countess rents a house in Belgravia with her young 7-year old daughter. She waits for her sister Lily to arrive from New York for her first London session. When she starts investigating a series of robberies of houses nearby, a man is found dead in her back garden and someone tries to kill her in the busy streets of London. Can she prove her innocence?

The perfect building of suspense with enough twists to leave you guessing and an unexpected finale that will keep you glued to the pages. A fierce main female lead and a charming neighbour will make you fall in love with the plot and its characters. While the style of writing is simple and easy to follow, Freeman navigates through the Victorian society with grace and addictive and colourful descriptions. They make want to join Frances in her adventure and meet all the other characters that complete the novel perfectly. Every piece fits together in this novel.

This series is a bit different from your usual cosy mysteries. It takes place in English Victorian age but the story has the smoothness of a cosy mystery. Dianne Freeman adds the cosy to the historical in a mesmerising, funny way.

The main female character is a witty, feisty, mouthy heroine that fights for her freedom despite her world falling apart. Frances discovers her own strength and finds a purpose to her life after her husband’s death. She leaves his house after a long year, away from his money-thirsty family and fights to her freedom in a society that condemns her at every turn. This doesn’t bother her a bit though. She is far from being an innocent, defenceless damsel in distress.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Kensington Publishing Corp.and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

In this exciting historical mystery debut set in Victorian England, a wealthy young widow encounters the pleasures—and scandalous pitfalls—of a London social season . . .

Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as a widow than she did as a wife. After an obligatory year spent mourning her philandering husband, Reggie, she puts aside her drab black gowns, leaving the countryside and her money-grubbing in-laws behind. With her young daughter in tow, Frances rents a home in Belgravia and prepares to welcome her sister, Lily, arriving from New York—for her first London season.

No sooner has Frances begun her new life than the ghosts of her old one make an unwelcome appearance. The Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter implicating Frances in her husband’s death. Frances assures Inspector Delaney of her innocence, but she’s also keen to keep him from learning the scandalous circumstances of Reggie’s demise. As fate would have it, her dashing new neighbor, George Hazelton, is one of only two other people aware of the full story.

While busy with social engagements on Lily’s behalf, and worrying if Reggie really was murdered, Frances learns of mysterious burglaries plaguing London’s elite. The investigation brings death to her doorstep, and Frances rallies her wits, a circle of gossips, and the ever-chivalrous Mr. Hazelton to uncover the truth. A killer is in their midst, perhaps even among her sister’s suitors. And Frances must unmask the villain before Lily’s season—and their lives—come to a most unseemly end . . .
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Dianne Freeman’s debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder, caught my attention from the beginning. Her main character, Frances Wynn, who, in the first paragraph, compares her marriage to mourning, evoked my sympathy.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to read stories set during the Victorian era because women so often are treated as chattel. But even though Frances’s mother traded her daughter and money for an English-title marriage, Frances doesn’t act like a victim and that may be why, after her husband is dead more than a year, she’s suspected in his murder. Murder? She didn’t even know he’d been murdered.

With a little help from her friends, Frances conquers all.

Please welcome author Dianne Freeman to WWK. E. B. Davis

Did American gentry often buy titles for their daughters by marrying them off to titled foreigners with a large monetary payment made to the husband?

During the last quarter of the 19th century and the first few years of the 20th, there were enough transatlantic marriages between American heiresses and cash-strapped British peers to consider it a phenomenon. The brides came from some of the wealthiest nouveau riche families who didn’t have the status to break into New York society. An aristocratic son-in-law could provide enough status to raise the family’s social standing on both sides of the Atlantic. But aristocrats don’t come cheap. When Anita Murphy of San Francisco married Sir Charles Michael Wolseley, 9th Baronet in 1883, it’s reported her father provided a dowry of two million dollars. But when May Goelet became the Duchess of Roxburgh in 1903, the price of the title was two million pounds! At that time a pound was worth about five U.S. dollars.

Was the story set during the end of the Victorian era?

Yes, the Victorian era ended in January of 1901 with Queen Victoria’s death.

Was the mourning period one year? During that time, did they not have company or callers?

By this point in the Victorian era people were becoming impatient with their queen’s constant seclusion while she mourned her husband’s death. This could be why mourning practices began to relax and strict observance became a matter of choice, particularly if the mourner was young. For a spouse, however, a year of mourning was considered the minimum. The mourner could still pay and receive calls, but it was not acceptable to attend large entertainments or wear bright colors.

You mentioned Frances’s sister-in-law, power/money hungry Delia, wasn’t wealthy enough to marry the oldest, titled son—so this was the custom—not just something tacky Americans did?

Britain’s primogeniture laws were still in place in 1899 so the eldest son inherited not only the title but any property and wealth that went with it. He also inherited the upkeep of any property, which could be extensive and expensive, and he might be expected to provide a living for various family members. If you are a member of that family and you hope to receive an allowance of some sort, you want the heir to find the wealthiest bride he can.

Why didn’t Frances think about returning to the US when she became a widow? Her entire family was there.

Frances’ life to this point revolved around duty—first to her mother, then her husband, and finally her in-laws. If she returned to the states, she’d be back under her mother’s rule and she didn’t relish the prospect of living out that cycle again. If there was a chance she could make it on her own, she wanted to give it a go.

Luckily, Frances’s father set up a household account for her exclusive use to help raise daughter, Rose. Was he progressive or did he have reservations about Reggie?

Mr. Price was not all that progressive. The property laws had changed in the 1880s and married women did have the right to hold property in their own names. However, this was far too progressive for the Wynn family, who were used to the head of the family controlling all the funds. When the families started negotiating marriage settlements, he knew he’d better establish an account solely for Frances.



Reggie’s death occurred during their hosting a house party in which bed-hopping was one of the primary entertainments. If adultery was common, why isn’t it more accepted? One married for money, not love.

This is a little tricky. Aristocrats tended to follow the example of their monarch but this royal family set two opposite examples for how one should behave. Queen Victoria was all about family and propriety while her son, the Prince of Wales was something of a wild child. Because he was the royal out mixing in society, his example was what more people followed—it was also much more fun. But since they still wanted to please the queen, outwardly they were prim and proper. Cheating on one’s spouse was accepted, but it should never become public knowledge. This is what makes the Victorian era so interesting; everyone is hiding something.

Frances seems philosophical about her marriage, but not about her money or her freedom. Does the lawsuit brought about by brother-in-law Graham have any merit?

The lawsuit has no merit, but because it must be answered, and her account is frozen, it becomes a nuisance. Graham hopes for a settlement from Frances. He’ll drop the suit and Frances can access her funds again.

Although Frances must tighten her budget, she still has six people working in her employ even without a butler or footmen. How can she afford them?

Frances is a creature of her environment. She’s never done without servants and definitely considers them a necessity. Fortunately for her, service does not pay well. Frances will spend about 125 pounds per year for her entire staff. That’s about 20 – 25% of what she can expect to earn in interest.

Fiona Nash, Frances’s English best friend, has a brother, George Hazelton, who turns out to be Frances’s new next-door neighbor. Why does she seem so reluctant to befriend him?

Pure embarrassment? When her husband died, Frances had to ask George to render a service that was unseemly at best. She would have preferred never to lay eyes on him again.

What does George Hazelton do for a living?

He worked as an assistant to the Home Secretary, H.H. Asquith. It’s similar to what we would call Homeland Security. What he does now, is a bit of a secret.



I loved Frances’s brandy-imbibing Aunt Hetty? Please describe her for our readers.

Aunt Hetty is one of my favorite characters. She’s Frances’ aunt on her father’s side and knows a good business deal when she sees one. She married the love of her life, who passed away from influenza far too young. After that she moved in with Frances’ family and became a loving fixture in her life. Hetty is fifty years old, has her own income, and does whatever she wants.

Frances’s sterling character shines through when she returns a stolen bracelet that was planted on her to Reggie’s last lover, Alicia. Honesty really is the best policy and the best defense, too, isn’t it? Why?

Frances would never consider keeping someone else’s property but in this case, she doesn’t want to be caught with it either. Someone might think she’s the mysterious burglar.

Your plot was complex combining murder, marriage, courtship, robbery, trust, distrust, and friendship. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a pantser turned plotter. The first draft of this book was all pantser—then I found all the plot holes! I belatedly wrote a scene-by-scene outline before revising and I’ve been outlining ever since.

You leave Frances contemplating going into the sponsorship of other wealthy young women who want to experience the debutante season in London. Is this why you titled your book as such?

Frances suffered through her mother’s version of finishing school, so Frances’ manners and her understanding of what is and isn’t done in society is second to none. If there were a guide to etiquette, Frances could write it. Her sister, Lily balked at this training and as a result, needed help in navigating the social world. Their roles as sponsor and debutante helped to create the title.

What’s next for Frances?

Frances will have another chance to investigate when an acquaintance is found murdered in her own home. She can’t image who would want to harm the poor dear until she learns the woman had countless notes hidden away in her home, detailing the private indiscretions of society’s elite. Now Frances has to wonder who wouldn’t kill her to keep their secrets safe? A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder will be out in June of 2019.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which has not altered my opinion of the book.

This book was a bit underwhelming, but I was pretty hooked by it. While the story itself was something that I wasn't surprised by, I really enjoyed the fact that it kept the reality of the time period with the story. Marriages weren't for love most of the time and widows were expected to mourn for a certain amount of time as well as to follow certain rules. I really enjoyed the wit and the sass that came through this story and I'm deciding if I want to continue with the series in the future.

A new debut in the cozy history mystery vein is an enjoyable read from page 1. Meet Frances Wynn, Lady Harleigh, a women who steps out on her own. Due to the recent demise of her husband, France moves to London much to the dismay of her cash poor relations. There she takes a home near her best friends brother, George. A large cast of characters is introduced, and the death of her husband is deemed suspicious, and a series of thefts of jewelry takes place as Frances introduces her sister to Society during the London season.
The discovery of the murderer of a footman; the thefts and her husband's death make for a muddy mystery waiting to be solved. France and George team up to put the pieces together, with Frances taking on some very unladylike assignments to discover the killer. The Victorian setting makes for a very charming background.
The pacing was good, and the characters interesting. This is the first book in the series, and with a promising debut like this, I'll look forward to the next in the series. This book was provided to me in return for an unbiased review by NetGalley.

4★

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder is the first book in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. With the lack of period dramas in my life, this title helped fill the void and is certainly a series I will continue to read as titles are published. Drama, murder and deceit are all mixed together in this delightful Victorian-era mystery.

I thought this was an adorable little read and I could imagine picking up another in the series. I found the main character very interesting as a sort of detective figure and fun to follow. I would definitely recommend this to fans of authors like Rhys Bowen and those who like strong female characters in lighter historical mysteries.

A great who done it!

I loved this quick easy read and can't wait until the second book in the series comes out!

Frances, the daughter of a wealthy American family, didn't marry Reggie for love, but because he was a minor aristocrat.  He loved spending her money and having other women spend time in his bed.  Just a year ago, Alicia Stoke-Whitney came to Frances' room during a house party to announce that Reggie was dead in her room. Frances recruited another guest, George Hazelton, brother of her best friend, to move the body to avoid scandal and gossip.  One year of mourning is up and Frances is determined to move on and maintain her independence, despite the fact that her brother-in-law and his wife need her money to keep up the family estate.  She rents a house in London discovering her neighbor is George Hazelton.  A visit from Inspector Delaney of the Metropolitan Police reveals a rumor that her husband did not, after all, die of a heart attack. The arrival of her sister Lily with her Aunt Hetty are a welcome distraction as Frances helps Lily make her debut.  Frances' group speculates about a series of robberies occurring at parties and balls in some of the best houses. Frances finds the latest stolen jewelry in her evening bag after the Stoke-Whitney ball and asks Hazelton for help. With the investigation into her late husband's death, staying on top of Lily's suitors (one of whom might be the thief) and fighting her brother-in-law in court for the money that she brought into her marriage (her accounts are frozen during the trial) she realizes she is attracted to Hazelton but fights the attraction.  What good would it do to gain her independence to have to yield it up so quickly?

Whew!  Writing that summary I realize how much was going on in this story.  And yet the tone is light and witty and lovely.  Freeman, here in her debut novel, makes it all work and flow and what the reader gains is an appreciation for Frances and her spirit and fortitude.  The Victorian setting and historical details, the trappings of society and parties and clothes and coming out make the story even more fun, and the many happenings move the story along at a quick pace.  To the point that when I got to the end, I was sad that there was not more to read about Frances.  I am glad this is the first in the series, and the ending gives a way for Frances to have many more adventures whether she has a man in her life or not.

Reading this book, I realize I have lately come to really enjoy these lighter historical mysteries that feature women.  Here are a few more I've enjoyed:

The Deadly Series by Kate Parker features a widow in 1930s London who is sure her husband didn't commit suicide and is determined to prove it.  Will she uncover secrets she might wish she could forget along the way?

The Kate Shackleton Series by Frances Brody  tells the tales of a postwar widow who capitalizes on her skills to find people and items lost or stolen.  She is an independent business woman in a time where many are not accepting of that role for women.

The Laetitia Rodd Series by Kate Saunders Laetitia Rodd is also a widow in Victorian times but much older than the characters in the series above.  She could be them 20 or 25 years in the future.  She makes a living assisting her lawyer brother with discreet inquiries on behalf of his often monied clients.

Review Excerpts:

"In April 1899, American-born Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, the narrator of Freeman’s dazzling debut and series launch, completes her yearlong mourning for her late husband, Reggie, a man she freely admits she didn’t marry for love....Fans of witty, lighthearted Victorian mysteries will be enthralled."―Publishers Weekly

"A Victorian lady's sense of self-worth is much improved when she takes control of her life....Despite its heroine's many problems, this lighthearted debut tale of mystery, love, and a delightful sleuth will leave you wanting more—which is presumably just what Freeman has in mind."―Kirkus Reviews

"This delightful debut historical mystery introduces an appealing and smart female lead who relishes her new found independence. The supporting cast of equally captivating characters further complement this atmospheric historical, set in the ballrooms and breakfast rooms of Victorian London."―Library Journal

This story was bey different in the sense that it didn’t follow the normal cozy mystery pattern you come to expect. It reminded me of Masie dobbs myserty. I really liked and hope to see more of this series

A LADY’S GUIDE TO ETIQUETTE AND MERDER is fantastic and will definitely go on my list of best reads of the year.

Readers are introduced to Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, who, at age twenty-seven, has become a widow. Finally finished with her required one year of mourning, she cannot wait to move to her own home with her daughter Rose and leave the moldering family estate and brother and sister-in-law behind. There is not much time to get settled since Frances’s younger sister Lilly and Aunt Hetty arrive just in time for the Season to begin. Frances’s mother hopes that Frances will find a suitable husband for Lilly. However, things get off to a rocky start when brother-in-law Graham sues her, claiming her money should be Harleigh money, the police receive a letter questioning Frances’s husband’s cause of death, and her next door neighbor happens to be one of two people who know a scandalous secret. There have been a rash of thefts, and when Frances’s questions about a potential suitor lead to murder, Frances finds herself looking for answers.

I tend to like books set in the Victorian era so A LADY’S GUIDE fit the bill. I absolutely adore Frances. She is strong and independent yet no too terribly uncharacteristic for London in 1899. All of the characters are well drawn, and I particularly enjoy Aunt Hetty and neighbor George, whom I have no doubt is much more than he seems.

The well paced mystery begins with the theft of some trinkets and jewelry, which is compelling on its own, but when the murder occurs, the pace picks up and the excitement level rises. I relished unearthing clues and figuring out the puzzle alongside Frances. The guilty party came as somewhat of a surprise.

A LADY’S GUIDE TO ETIQUETTE AND MURDER is an entertaining, delightful historical cozy mystery. Highly recommended.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.