After the death of her husband, young Lily Adler returns to London, where she once enjoyed the lifestyle of the upper crust. But now she must also deal with a society that doesn’t necessarily understand or support a woman who wants to create a meaningful and satisfying life for herself.

But first things first. Lily must re-enter society and there is no better way to do so than attend a ball hosted by one of her oldest and dearest friends. Unfortunately, she doesn’t expect to discover a body in the garden just after hearing what sounded like an altercation between two unknown men. When it appears that the police have decided not to investigate the murder, Lily, along with an old friend of her husband’s and a young woman from the West Indies, decides to conduct her own investigation.

The Body in the Garden, a debut novel by Katharine Schellman, is very well done. The mystery is well-plotted, the setting is appealing, and the characters are interesting and varied. It is a well-researched book that will certainly be enjoyed by fans of historical mysteries. I’m looking forward to the next book this new author produces.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I really enjoyed this one! the pace and characters were great, and I really loved the plot twists!! those can be really hit or miss, but this one was great!!

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me access.

The Body in the Garden was a great mystery! It is perfect for those that enjoy the Veronica Speedwell series.

I binged this book and hope that there will be more of Lily Adler in the future. This story really fed my hunger for a great mystery!

This is the first in the Lily Adler Mystery series and I can tell you know that I will definitely be reading the rest of them!

The Body in the Garden is a cozy mystery set in London in 1815. Our leading lady, Lily Adler has just returned to town after the death of her husband. She has some freedoms that a married woman or a younger unmarried woman wouldn’t be afforded at that time and she’s in need of some distraction as she tries to find a new life for herself.

After being dragged along to a ball, at a friend’s house, she overhears an argument in the garden followed by a gunshot. She investigates and finds a body. Being a smart and attentive woman, she takes in and assesses several clues from the scene, and after the police are essentially bought off and told to drop the case she decides to investigate further.

She’s helped by a surly Navy Captain (a friend of her late husband) and a young heiress she meets, who is in town from the West Indies. Together they piece together clues and information and put themselves in all manner of dangerous situations in an effort to find the truth.

I really loved all of the characters as well as the setting. However, the author touched on some themes of sexism and racism in the book that I thought could have been expanded upon, to add further insight into and depth to both the story and the characters.

Overall I thought the pacing was great and I was thoroughly hooked from the start. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series!

The Body in the Garden was an easy-breezy murder mystery that was fun to read and very quick getting through. I enjoyed the main character's wit, determination, and unwillingness to be labeled as weak or unintelligent. The men in this story constantly frustrated me, as they just couldn't help insulting smart intelligent women every chance they got. Aside from that, the story was fairly delightful. I can't say I'll continue the series, but if you're looking for a quick murder mystery to read, I'd suggest reading this one.

A regency era mystery with a female protagonist has my name written all over it and I read a lot them! This one was delightful and I will be reading more in the series for sure.

Ooooh this was so good! Lots of thrills and twists that kept me guessing.

Lily Adler, recently out of mourning the loss of her beloved husband, returns to London to start a new life. All the plans she made to support her husband in his political career have been dashed and Lily is at a loss as to how to employ her brilliant mind without him.

She's welcomed back to London society by her old friend Serena and her husband, Lord Walter and meets one of her husband's old friends, Captain Jack Hartley who take it upon themselves to ensure that Lily is not lonely (albeit a little bored).

Soon Lily has something to occupy herself. While avoiding the advances or an unwanted suitor she stumbles across an argument between a guest at the Walters and an unknown blackmailer. When she and Captain Hartley later stumble across the blackmailer's dead body in the garden, Lily embarks on an investigation to find out who killed him.

She finds out more than she bargained for including the shocking secrets of people she is intimately acquainted with and with the help of her friends and the Bow Street Runners attempts to expose the killer.

It's so much fun and I am already addicted. Can't wait for the next one.

A good start to a fun new series. I look forward to more from Katharine Schellman!!

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I do not mind admitting that when I saw the title and the blurb of the book, I couldn't but help think of Irene Adler. Can you blame me though? A lady with the famous last name in the London society set in the 1800s! I am both happy to report that Lily Adler is a headstrong individual who I loved anyway.

Lily Adler is newly widowed and as she makes her way back into the London society scene, she sees things and people in a new light. The society doesn't have much patience for a stubborn, independent girl and is busy covering up their secrets and scandals. Lucky for Lily though, she has Jack Hartley, her late husband's friend in her corner. As she attends a ball thrown by her friend, she is ready to get back into the thick of things. She finds the expected scandal and gossip, but she also finds a dead body in the garden. When Lily finds out foul play with regards to the case, she decides to take matters in to her own hands. Armed with the knowledge that the victim had been blackmailing someone at the party and a sense of justice, Lily has a uphill battle to fight.

I loved the character of Lily Adler. She is in no way perfect, but I love her stubborn streak, her sense of right and wrong, and she is quite brilliant really. Reading about her little adventure, set in an era when people expected women to be weak and meek little creatures who keep themselves busy with the household is amusing really. The naval officer Jack Hartley makes for a good assistant as someone who is not hindered by society's hypocrisy. But seriously, Jack's character could do with a bit more depth. I hoped to see a sense of equality between these two which was lacking. They share a connection because of Freddy (Lily's late husband) and there are some light and frank moments between them… but they are far from being good friends themselves. Ms.Oswald on the other hand made much more impact on me.

The plot is well laid down and has red herrings sprinkled throughout. The author almost had me on a false trail… almost. With a slow start to the book, the pace does pick up later on and by the time we reach the climax, the book had a hook in me completely. It was a page turner. I liked the way the author handled the subjects of corruption and race in the book. I am pretty sure that I would love to read more in the series though I do hope for a better pace.

**Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Smart, strong female lead? Check.
A regular Sherlock Holmes-esque mystery full of twists and turns? Check.
Banter for days? Double check!

This was such a fun read! I loved the characters and the dynamic between them. Lily Adler is my new hero! She is not afraid of going toe to to with men and calling them on their mess!! The plot and mystery were well fleshed out and managed to keep me on edge the entire time. I can’t wait to solve more mysteries with Mrs. Adler!!

Thank you Netgalley AND Crooked Lane Books for giving me ARC to review.

Absolutely loved this book, great start for Katharine Schellman. Well researched, great characters and a brilliant twist at the end. Looking forward the next book in the series.

I enjoyed this title so much! I thought the plot was so intriguing, and the characterization very strong! The description used by the author was so evocative I felt transported, and I kept turning until the very last page. I think the cover is very cute - I'll be sure to purchase this for my store!

I really enjoyed Lily. She is a strong and spunky character. I appreciate her willingness to keep fighting after the painful loss of her husband. Her friendship with Jack is refreshing. Definitely a delightful romp through Regency London.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

I’m a sucker for a good old historical mystery, and Katherine Schellman’s A Body in the Garden didn’t disappoint. It’s a Regency mystery, set among the upper classes in London with, of course, the obligatory descent into the rougher parts of society along the way. Rich, attractive young widow lily Adler stumbles upon a body during a high society ball and there’s a mystery to solve.

I really enjoyed this book, although it took me a while to get into it. Once i` got going, though, it was a good read. I loved the character of Lily and her determination to maintain her independence, and I also loved her friend and would-be-beau Jack. The banter between them was clever and amusing and I definitely felt theirs is a relationship that has a long way to run.

The plot was fast moving and complicated. Sometimes I got lost a bit but I suspect that was down to reading too late at night — something which is a compliment to the author in its own way! I loved the historical detail and the picture Schellman draws of Regency London and I also liked the way the story included a degree of moral ambiguity and a real dilemma for lily as she suspects her best friend’s husband, a magistrate, may be involved either in the murder itself or in covering it up.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Lady Lilly Adler engages to find the murderer of The Body in the Garden. She is aide by a charming captain and a young lady who had known the deceased young man. Regency mystery romp. Lots of suspects and criminal activities. Read and enjoy.

The Body in the Garden is the first book in a new series by Katharine Schellman. Released 7th April 2020 by Crooked Lane, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a nice historical mystery set in Regency London and introducing a well rounded cast of characters and featuring young widow Lily Adler, recently arrived in London from Hertfordshire and still in semi-mourning for her late husband. The mystery is well written around a framework of real history which gives it some verisimilitude.

The author is adept at her craft and it doesn't read like a debut novel at all. The plotting is well structured, the narrative arc and tension are well engineered with a satisfying denouement. The dialogue isn't ever clunky or cringe-worthy (and for modern Regency fiction, that's saying something). I'm looking forward to the development of this promising series.

Four stars. Highly recommended, especially to fans of the genre.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

This new Regency mystery set in London of 1815 is off to a great start. Lily Adler is a recent widow of two years who loved her husband Freddy very much. After spending those past two years living with his parents, she takes their suggestion and rents number thirteen Half Moon Street in Mayfair. She is alone with a new house staff and her maid but all of that is about to change. She has barely walked through the front door when her long time friend, Lady Serena Walter descends upon her and firmly requests that she join Serena and her husband for dinner and a ball they are hosting that very evening. As Serena is not one to take no for an answer, Lily will be attending. Society rules, however, make it impossible for her to do any dancing but there will be much to keep her attention. Gossip, yes. A visit with some school friends, yes. All normal. What happens next is not at all normal. When Lily retreats to the terrace and back garden for some fresh air she overhears harsh voices and then a gunshot. A young man lies dead, a killer is among the attendees of the ball and somehow Serena's husband is involved. With the help of Captain John Hartley, an old friend of her late husband and the added assistance of a lovely young heiress from the West Indies, Lily pushes past the newly formed Bow Street constabulary when they declare that there is nothing they can or will do about catching the killer and sets out to unmask a killer.
I enjoyed everything about this mystery. The setting, the main characters, the puzzle, it drew me into Lily's world and, by the time I was finished, I knew I had another series to add to my list of must reads. My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good read. A dead body, a mystery a bit of love. Whats not to like? I'll definitely be looking out for the next in the series.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent start for a new series.
It's an entertaining and engrossing read, the historical background is vivid and well researched and the characters are well thought and entertaining.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

London 1815 was a very nice place to be when you were part of the aristocratic and upper crust circle. Lily has been widowed for three years and has been now forced to face upto society. She is no stranger to this world but she finds that years away from them has made her aware of how brittle, insensitive and careless the upper classes are. She is thrust into a ball on her first day in London and all she wants to do is show her face and then escape to the house she has taken for the period of her stay..

What she did not think was that she will overhear a conversation where one man was being blackmailed by the other, and which ended in one person being shot dead. Lily is no shrinking violet and she is determined along with the help of the Captain to uncover who is behind this murder. She did not think however that her friend's husband will be involved and that her getting too close to the real facts of the case would put her in danger.

London society was very well depicted and the manner in which ladies should and must behave if they are to maintain some standing in society even if it looks ridiculous and barbaric. The history and action of the Bow Street runners was detailed as well giving an insight into how society seemed controlled by the rich and everyone including justice had to heed them very carefully.