Lady Anne Addison, the spinster daughter of an Earl, receives a letter from her newlywed friend Lydia that contains a desperate plea for immediate help. Lydia is very afraid. Lady Anne wastes no time she takes a mail coach, traveling with a motley mix of people. Her coach, servants, and trunks will follow in a few days time. When Lady Anne arrives at the final mail stop, no one from Ivy Cottage is there to meet her. The Royal Mail employee is no help and leaves Anne out in the cold. She must walk in the dark all the way to her destination! Oh the horrible treatment of a guest.
During the long trek Anne hear howling and noises in the brush. It spooks her but when she hears a woman scream, Lady Anne rushes to help. Leaving the path to aid the young woman, Anne trips and falls into some brush. Trying to disentangle herself she discovers the body of the young woman who screamed. Anne rushes on to Ivy Cottage for help.
Arriving at the house, it seems her friend Lydia forgot to tell anyone she was coming so at first they don't believe Anne. Once the Marquess of Darkefell, Lydia's brother-in-law, send a search party the girl is found to be Lydia's lady's maid. Anne is determined to find out what happened to the poor girl. She does not believe the rumors of a werewolf prowling the surrounding land. The Marquess is determined to find the truth but to fend off Anne. He is afraid she will find out some family secrets.
Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is the first book in the Lady Anne Addison series. If Nancy Drew met Elizabeth Bennet and took place in the 1700's it would be this series. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery with some romance. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Lady Anne Addison receives a strange letter from her friend that a werewolf is haunting her town. Hearing this news, Anne rushes to her friend’s house to see if the rumors are true. When she arrives, she meets the lord of the estate, Darkfell. Anne finds him to be very haughty and dislikes him immediately. As she investigates the werewolf case, Anne finds herself slowly falling in love with Lord Darkfell.

This novel reminds me of Pride and Prejudice but adds a mysterious twist to the tale. I find Anne to be a very likable character. She is a highly intelligent woman that relies on her wits to solve a case. She is also very unconventional and spirited. She breaks many stereotypes of a typical Regency woman. I love her relationship with Lord Darkfell. Lord Darkfell is dark, brooding, and mysterious. He admires Anne’s audacious spirit and cannot help falling in love with her. I find their interactions to be very humorous, and I could not stop rooting for them.

Overall, Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark was a fun novel that had an enemies to lovers plot line set in a creepy atmosphere. The characters seem very realistic. The story kept me guessing. However, the only downfall was that it ended in a cliffhanger and the mystery was not resolved forcing the reader to read the next novel. Still, I do not mind because I am pleasantly content to dig into the sequel to learn what happens with the characters. Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is a cozy mystery that is best to be enjoyed on a dark night under a full moon!

My thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an eARC copy of this to read and review.

This just didn't work for me. There are many reviews that state the MC Anne is their favorite character and she is strong and feisty, etc. I didn't see that at all. I saw a rude woman who, while allegedly knowing the rules of polite society, completely ignored them to do what she wanted to do. Depending on what she was doing when she said "I don't give a hoot about rules," it might not have been so bad. But she was just downright RUDE.

I gave the book three chances and it failed 10% of the way in. Life is too short for books that don't work for the reader and thus, this is a DNF for me.

Since I have to give a star rating on NetGalley, this is going to get 1 star from me. I really didn't like it and am glad I only requested the first in this series, rather than be greedy, request all and be disappointed in them. I have learned my lesson in that regard at least.

As many readers did like the MC, I may have just read this wrong. And that's ok, not every book is for every reader.

I love adult mysteries about women who solve the mysteries. Especially when they're set in regency times. I really liked this book which also happened to have supernatural elements!

I read All three books in this series written so delightfully by Victoria Hamilton.
I have to say, all three books grabbed my attention and made me fell in love with this author.
The plot is interesting and intriguing. The characters are lovable and even those who are not won't go on your nerves too much.
If I had to recommend the series I would advise to read them in order because each and every one of them grows in you mire and more and more.
Highly recommended!

Title: Lady Anne and The Howl in the Dark

Series:Anne Addison Mystery

Author: Victoria Hamilton

Description
Fans of the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries will love these Georgian historical mysteries.

After receiving a distressing letter from a friend, Lady Anne Addison wastes no time in traveling to Yorkshire to offer whatever help she can. She has no idea what she’ll find there, but she certainly wasn’t expecting to be met by tales of a werewolf terrorizing the area—nor the dead body she discovers upon arriving. Driven by curiosity and a keen intelligence, Lady Anne dismisses the notion of such a beast, but she’s nonetheless drawn into the mysteries by the secrecy surrounding her friend and the infuriating yet enticing Lord Darkefell.

With a murderer on the loose and the supposed werewolf ravaging livestock and terrifying the locals, Lady Anne puts her reservations aside and joins forces with the seductive Darkefell to get to the bottom of things. And though his nearness is a tempting distraction, Lady Anne manages to uncover one clue after another, unraveling the mysteries and drawing ever closer to the killer, even while her true feelings for the enigmatic marquess elude her . . .



My thoughts

Rating: 4.5

it took me a while to get into the story and a while to get into the story but after reading it for a while I began to actually like the story and the two main characters , in a why it kind of reminded me of Sherlock Homes and the Hound of Baskervilles in the way it a gothic feel to it , and while it does have a touch of romance to it , its more about the mystery then anything else . After reading this I can't wait to read the next 2 books which I have . thank Netgalley for letting me read and review it exchange for my honest opinion.

This is everything a slightly paranormal mystery novel should be. Light, entertaining, peopled with interesting characters and an engaging heroine. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Though I do wonder why Yorkshire is always the setting for werewolf mythology in Yorkshire… (American Werewolf in London perhaps?) A good read and a lot of fun.

Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark (Lady Anne Addison Mysteries #1)
Author: Victoria Hamilton
Publisher: Beyond the Page Publishing
Publication Date: April 23, 2019 (Originally published 2009)
4 Stars

Lady Anne heads to Yorkshire at the request of her friend Lydia who seems gravely frightened. When Lady Anne arrives in town, she is dismayed to find that no one is there to pick her up. She is appalled, but finds she has no choice but to walk to Darkefell Estate. Upon reaching the estate, she hears a loud howl and then a scream. Lady Anne traces the scream and discovers a newly deceased girl. Lady Anne finds out that the girl is Cecilia Wainright, Lydia’s maid. No one in the household seems concerned about finding her killer, but Lady Anne feels determined to get to the bottom of things. The mystery deepens when she finds out that two other young girls have died on the estate. Add to this tales of a wandering werewolf, and Lady Anne has quite the troubling and terrifying puzzle to unravel.

Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is an engaging and unique mystery. I truly appreciate the sophisticated dialogue, great characterizations, and well written story. The story progresses nicely, and the suspense builds as the plot unfolds. The story ends far different than I guessed, but seems faithful to the characters and clues.

Embroiled in this mystery is a complicated, intriguing, and romantic relationship between two of the main characters, Lady Anne and the Marquess of Darkefell. Their contrasting personalities cause them to clash constantly, but both find they cannot deny the strong attraction they feel towards each other. The tension between these two adds a great intensity to the overall story.

I think fans of gothic and historical mysteries will enjoy this book.

Thanks to Net Galley and Beyond the Page Publishing for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #BeyondThePagePublishing #LadyAnneAndTheHowlInTheDark

Lady Anne Addison travels to Yorkshire to help out an old friend (that old friend is annoying by the way) who asked for her assistance. When she arrives she stumbles upon a dead body and is told about a werewolf that roams the area. Lady Anne is determined to figure out who committed the murder and who is behind the werewolf. She will go on a hunt to solve the mystery but will she discover more than she planned and is romance in her future?

A historical romance mystery book with a strong female lead character. She is plain look and very smart. An entertaining book which is the 1st one in a 3 book series. Not my top favorite but an ok book in my view.

Lady Anne, in my book, is a bit too opinionated, too self-righteous, but I have to say this, she is a bold and fearless, she believes she is infallible, For an intelligent woman, she sometimes places herself in danger without conscious thought of her circumstances, all too eager and careless in her inquisitiveness to solving a murder mystery. She is somewhat naive in somethings, such as love and ran away from one who is truly interesting in her, From an early onset, her lack of classical beauty was grounded into her by none other than her mother. So she strives very hard to turn her back at such tender offerings, deciding such temptations are not meant for her. An intriguing and captivating read, with a gist of impending romance.

When I read the synopsis, it gave me a Hound of the Baskervilles vibe, and tha being my favourite Holmes mystery, I thought I would give this a try.

This author is new to me, which is a good opportunity to try and find new authors to read, and being listed as Historical, well , i thought why not!

It is clear that the main charector, Lady Anne, is written in such a way, as to appear, strong and of her own mind, but sometimes can come across as arrogant and rude, however, the story did bounce along quite well and the interaction between all the charecters was a fascinating one.

Anne is summoned to the aid of her friend to untangle the mysteries that surround her friend and an apparant werewolf.
On her arrival to Yorkshire, which I hasten to add, is the county that many dark and gothic horror / mystery books are set, to find herself unwelcomed and set at night down the driveway, with curdling screams and a dead body on arrival, and this sets off the story to which I enjoyed to a degree.
I guess I should not have gone in with the thought of Sherlock Holmes, but alas I did and perhaps spoilt it for me?

I am glad that I read this book with this cover, the previous cover and under another pseudonym of Donna Lea Simpson, I would have run a mile.

This is not excatly my 'cup of tea' but I do like to try my hand at different books and I am glad that i had the chance with this one, there are two other books in this series and for now, I will not be continuing, but you never know!

With cosy type mysteries and especially those with a supernatural twist, it really depends on whether it falls into the right category of cosy for me. I think, this will be a fabulous mystery series for a lot of people but for me, it was just not the right kind of cosy.

I received a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

This novel introduces us to Anne, a self described sensible but plain woman who is lucky enough to have a fortune and may do as she wish. She comes to Darkfell at the request of a friend and almost relative to investigate a werewolf of all things ( as well as her friends recent marriage.) during the investigation, she meets the older brother of Lydia’s husband, who reminds me of Darcy. He’s snobbish, self assured, and a complete prat at times, but treats her with respect and admiration at others.

In all, I found this to be a fun read, and I liked that she stood her ground in the end, not only as it allows for a next book, but that she’s not just going to give in to pressure. The plot was fun and the investigation was sensible and didn’t seem outlandish or jump too far into something this book didn’t set out to be.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based on my honest opinion.

A true gothic novel, I loved it. When Lady Anne Addison is called to Darkefell estate by her dear friend, Lydia who has not long been married to the younger son of the family, she takes things seriously and arrives in the middle of the night and unwittingly ends up in the middle of a murder mystery, when she falls (quite literally) upon a maid from the estate who recently has been murdered. There was a werewolf mystery to be solved and a murderer to be found, the estate is dark and ominous, a handsome marquess and a cast of untrustworthy characters. I quite enjoyed Lady Anne, she is unlike women of her time and that makes her all the more enticing to the Marquess of Darkefell, which is quite surprising to him as as well as her. As Anne delves into the mystery she and the Marquess end up working together to outwit a murderer and solve a few other crimes as well. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

I do enjoy historical mysteries with strong female characters so this three book series was one I didn't want to miss. Lady Anne Addison is not going to follow the conventional rules society writes for a proper Georgian lady. In this, the first of three books, she travels to Yorkshire and the new home of her friend, Lydia, Darkefell Castle. Lydia needs her help and that's all Lady Anne requires to make the long carriage trip. She expects to be met at the coach house by somebody from the castle. Things don't go as planned and the conversation between the man at the coach house and Lady Anne about her luggage and further transportation had me laughing and eager to find out what would come next. Being the curious and head strong lady that she is, she sets off on foot with only a slim idea of where she is going and just how far it might be. In the darkness danger lurks and soon she stumbles over a body - was it killed by a werewolf? The unnerving howl she heard leads some to believe just that. By the time she arrives at a house, Ivy Lodge, she is ready for some answers and a strong cup of tea. Lydia is there and says she forgot to tell anyone that Lady Anne was coming. And so the mystery begins and I found it to be a good balance of mystery, humor and romance.
Once I was finished with this book, I jumped right into the second one. Her relationship with the dark, handsome and brooding Marquess of Darkefell is interesting to say the least. I wanted to find out what she was attracted to as I found him to be more than a bit of a jerk. I'm very glad these three books have been repackaged for the mystery readers. I would have missed them otherwise. They are perfect for readers of Deanna Raybourn and Christine Trent.

Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark by Victoria Hamilton (Donna Lea Simpson). Lady Anne Addison Mysteries, Book 1. Beyond the Page Publishing, 2019.
Set in the late 1700s, this book is both a gothic mystery and the first in a three-part historical romance. Loyal, independent Lady Anne is called by a distraught friend to her new husband’s family estate where she stumbles on a murder that might possibly involve a werewolf. When Anne meets her friend’s brother-in-law, the Marquess, sparks fly.

This is a fun rather than a dark read. The writing is very good, the characters are well developed and appealing, there are identical twins to add some confusion, and nothing is quite what it seems. I was very happy to move right along and read the second in the series.

I greatly enjoyed this book, and warmly recommend it.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very entertaining gothic mystery/romance. I enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Overall a pretty good start to a historical mystery series. The mystery itself was mostly well written, I feel it dragged a bit in spots. Lady Anne was an intelligent character. It had a bit of a gothic feel to it. I'll be taking a look at the next books in the series to see how that characters continue to develop.

Originally published with the same title, but under the name Donna Lea Simpson, Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is the first historical mystery in a series of three.

Lady Anne has been called to her friend's side in Yorkshire, where a werewolf is reportedly stirring up trouble. Things begin to go wrong from her very first step. She must find her own way to the estate through the foggy, dark night, but stumbles her way into a murder on her way across the lawn. Everyone around her seems to be holding back information, so she takes it upon herself to solve this mystery and find the murderer.

Lady Anne is a great character, mostly because she's not perfect. She firece and independent with more daring than most. If I had to think of one thing to encapsulate the whole of her character it would be "curiousity killed the cat." She will throw herself into any situation, no matter how risky or how nervous she is, solely because she must find the answers she is persuing.

I don't dislike Lord Darkefell, but I also didn't care for him overly much. He's very broody and arrogant, plus he seems to think that his wants and needs are more important than hers. He just assumes she'll want him and simply be thankful that the handsome, mysterious Lord Darkefell would ever take interest in a plain spinster like her.

That being said, they still make a great investigative pair. Even though half the time they spend working together on the investigstion is not exactly by choice.

The story starts out great and ends great with story progression, but there is a bit in the middle where the pacing seems to slow down a bit due to additional minor plotlines thrown in that distract from our main mystery. Here the story isn't quite as engaging, but then everything picks back up again and we're back on track. The plot isn't the most believable. It plays out a bit like a game of Clue, including a gathering at the house where we have the narrowing down of suspects and a big reveal. But it is still very enjoyable and pretty entertaining. Besides, who doesn't like a good game of Clue?

I look forward to reading the remaining two books in the series and would recommend this book to fans of historical mysteries and the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn. The book is primarily a mystery with the addition of a romantic pairing for our lead character. If you're wondering about the romance aspect of this book, I would say that it is a clean romance.

I requested and received a copy of this book from NetGalley through Beyond the Page Publishing. This is my honest review.

Wonderful start to a new series. If you enjoy Sherry Thomas or Deanna Raybourn you will love this series. Great mix of gothic mystery and romance. Can't wait to jump into the next book!