Lily is a wonderful addition to the Victorian-style female detective. A slight difference from some other novels, Lily is a widower who was able to marry for love and then lost her husband from illness, so if you are someone who only reads your cozy mysteries with romance you might be disappointed. That being said, I really thoroughly enjoyed not having romance mix in with this excellent story telling..

I took a really long time to read this one. I'm not too sure what went wrong with this, but it barely kept my interest up. Still, I believe this to be a pretty good read, with realistic characters and a strong plot.

Lily Adler, recently widowed, finds herself back in the midst of London society. She hardly misses any of it, except to be back in the companionship of her friend, Lady Walter. But things take a turn when, in the very garden of Lady Walter's household, a young man is shot dead. Lily heard discussions of blackmail before the murder happened, and is happy to leave it to the constables to solve the mystery, until Lord Walter decides to bribe the constables to drop the case. She then decides to take it upon herself to bring the murderer to justice with the help of a navy captain and a West Indies heiress. Secrets are revealed one by one, and this book takes us on a gripping chase as Lily tries her hardest to find the murderer before she becomes their next target.

I really like the author's writing style. Other than the fact that she repeats 'she lifted her chin' one too many times, it reads and flows easily. There is obvious planning in the plot, and readers will be sure to be left with multiple red herrings and twists. My suspicions were all wrong, to be honest, and to be able to find out who it really was at the end took me by surprise.

Characters included in here are also realistic. Lily may be smart and independent, but she is not perfect and the author makes sure she showcases her flaws for all to see with wonderful descriptions. Our heiress, Ofelia, too, is strong and determined, but she also has her insecurities, afraid of losing the one she loves most. And dear Jack, the navy captain, finds himself at war between his heart and mind as he is forced to accept that there are other ways to support a friend. How their friendship tie together really makes it a heart-warming read, and, inevitably, they grew on me.

As much as I'd like not to do so, I unconsciously compared this to the Lizzie Hardwicke series by Georgina Clarke. The more I did that, the more I find that the overall storyline is pretty... dull for this one. This might be the reason why I took almost three weeks to finish reading, but it doesn't mean this book isn't any good. I actually do look forward to reading about subsequent cases Lily will solve. It would also be very interesting to see how Lily and Jack's relationship will develop (or not).

This was a really great historical mystery, and it was refreshing to have an independent female character who wasn’t interested in finding a husband (maybe in the 2nd, 3rd book?) I look forward to reading more books in the is series.

I love books with strong female leads. Please turn this book into a series! I’m sad that it ended. The story line was interesting.

Thank you for the ARC of this wonderful historical mystery. I adored Lily and the setting of high-society London. I hope this is a series. Trying to puzzle out the mystery kept me turning pages until the very end.

An absolutely compelling mystery! I was delighted to read this Regency murder mystery. Lily Adler is a widow in search of a purpose, who trips into one when someone gets himself inconveniently murdered at her friend's society event. Lily has to use her wits and assemble unlikely allies in order to solve the case -- while also battling the assumptions of a world that has little interest in seeing true justice done. I found this book utterly compelling. It kept me awake late into the night with its twists and turns -- especially in the second half, where the case grows ever-more complicated and Lily's world all the more entangled. Schellman's Regency world is excellently drawn and well-realized, balancing the lovely aesthetic charms of the era with its difficulties of race, class, and gender. THE BODY IN THE GARDEN is a wonderfully smart novel, and I can't wait to read the next Lily Adler Mystery.

Recommended for fans of Sherry Thomas's Lady Sherlock series, or readers who enjoy a Regency romance but are ready for a new genre spin.

The Body in the Garden is a well-written, intriguing historical murder mystery with unexpected twists. Admittedly, I was nearly halfway through the book before I actually started caring much about the story or the characters. The plot development moved slowly, and the characters were introduced in a way that felt unnatural somehow...like pawns strategically placed on a chess board. I had to suspend my disbelief more than I expected because some of the coincidences were just a little too convenient. The characters needed to be fleshed out more in the beginning for readers to connect with them; they felt superficial and behaved inconsistently at first. I had difficulty grasping how the gently bred heroine knew to look for clues and interrogate potential witnesses. There was no backstory to suggest she'd read books or had any life experience that would educate her on the topic. I felt like I was reading mid-series, not the first book, and that I was missing important facts. I certainly appreciate a female protagonist with an inquisitive and observant nature, but there was no explanation for how she developed such unique investigative skills that seemingly go against the generally accepted traits of a lady of quality in that time period. It was challenging to immerse myself in this story because so many little things kept pushing my implausibility button. Honestly, if I hadn't committed to read an ARC of this book, I might have put it aside in my "couldn't finish" pile. What is most irksome about that is that the writing is structurally excellent, hence my four-star rating, and I really wanted to love this book. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I'd belatedly developed an attachment to the characters, and I look forward to reading more books in this new series. I was rewarded for my perseverance, and I'm glad I didn't give up on what turned out to be a good story.

The Body in the Garden is a fantastic historical mystery that has great characters. It is well written and has well developed characters.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an exciting historical mystery with a great lead. I really liked Lily and her determination.
The mystery is really interesting!

Oh, how I love a strong female lead, and Lily Adler's quick wit, charm, intellect and ability to adapt made this novel an absolute joy to read.

Lily had returned to London after being widowed, an unfortunately short marriage to a man she truly loved. She was thrust back into the London scene with it's parties and gossip. The night of her first party, she almost witnesses a murder. With money worth more than justice, it is quickly swept under the rug. With the help of her friends Jack and Ofelia, she sets out to solve a murder, but, as one can imagine, in 1815 London, it is hard to be taken seriously as a woman. Their adventures in the quest for answers are exciting, interesting and keep you on the edge of your seat.

For lovers of historical fiction, The Body in the Garden does not disappoint as it delves into the East India Company, Indian integration into English society, and the Bow Street Runners.

All around it was an enjoyable, interesting, surprising and well researched novel. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery and historical fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC of this novel.

An enjoyable read with some very memorable characters.

Lily is a widow who is still grieving the loss of her husband, and with him the loss of her carefully planned out future. When she stumbles upon a dead body and realises that no one is going to be investigating this, her penchant for justice and fairness leads to her dong her own investigation.

Now, this could have been a fun read, but Schellman taps into social and racial issues of the era. There is the question of briberies and drawing your own line in the moral sands. The book also touches on the plight of the half-british, half-PoCs, who are betwixt and between as one character puts it.

Those touches took it from a three to a four star for me.

What a lovely start to a new series. Victorian England and well developed characters made this a great murder mystery. The storyline was interesting and I certainly had several suspects. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!

Victorian England? Check! Independent, intelligent female main character? Check! Delightful supporting cast? Check! Fun, twisty mystery? Check!

The Body in the Garden was an absolute delight to read! As a big fan of Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series and Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily series, I was immediately interested in this book upon reading the description. The setting, mystery, characters, and pacing were spot-on and really satisfied my desire for a fun, engaging, Victorian mystery novel. I highly recommend giving this book a read if you're a fan of the genre...you won't be disappointed!

Can't wait to read the next installment! 4.5/5 stars

Very gripping and the mystery seemed to never come to a resolution. I was suspicious of a BIG number of the characters but the ending was so not expected. The writing was at times dense but overall, I think it has to do with the fact that the book tells a story after the second world war. I absolutely loved the representation of the female protagonist in here, a strong and clever one. Definitely one of my favorite things about this book.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. The Body in the Garden is the first in a new Regency mystery series featuring Lily Adler, a recent widow returning to London after her mourning period has ended. Lily is trying to figure out what she is going to do with the rest of her life after her husband died unexpectedly leaving her widowed in her mid-20s; the life they planned around his political career is over and she is at lose ends. Upon arriving at the town house she rented for the Season, her friend Lady Serena Walter appears and insists Lily must begin to move about in Society and that Serena's ball that night is the perfect opportunity. Captain Hartley, Jack, her husband's childhood friend arrives unexpectedly at her new home, and Lily agrees to allow him to escort her.

Finding re-entering society to be even more difficult than she expected at the ball, Lily finds herself alone in the garden and over hears an argument. Before she can re-enter the house, there is a gunshot and a dead body. Jack comes to her aid and helps her enter the house and alert Serena and her husband to the death. When the authorities drop the investigation into the death, Lily, Jack, and Lily's new acquaintance Miss Ofelia Oswald team up to undercover not only who the body is, but why he was killed and by who.

Jack, Lily, and Ofelia are very engaging characters that I wanted to keep learning more about throughout the story. The mystery is well done with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing about who the killer is and why it happened. There is beginnings of a romance between Jack and Lily that I look forward to watching develop in future books. Overall, this is a very good first entry into what is a very promising new series. I will be on the lookout for future books in this series.

The Body in the Garden is a very enjoyable historical mystery in the vein of Tasha Alexander and Victoria Thompson. The book is a wonderful start to the new Lily Adler Mystery series.

The story follows a young widow as she tries to reestablish herself into the London social scene of 1815 after two years of mourning her beloved late husband. Lily is fiercely independent and practical, with an exceptionally sharp mind, and quick wit. She is reintroduced to London society by her dearest friend, Serena, on her first day back in town, during a ball that Serena is throwing. Unfortunately, Lily overhears an argument in the garden and subsequently stumbles upon a dead body. Justice is not forthcoming, so Lily decides to investigate the crime herself, with the help of her late husband’s best friend, naval captain Jack Hartley and new friend, heiress Ofelia Oswald.

This was a fast read for me and an enjoyable one. The characters have some depth and their interactions are authentic and often amusing. The author keeps the plot moving forward, and adds a few subplots in to tie everything together nicely.

This book has murder, deception, secrets, humor, historical ambiance, romance, and romantic tension. As a fan of historical mysteries, I can see this becoming a well liked multi-book series.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing a preview copy.
This was a lovely read. The characters of the book are well crafted and I love the witty Lily Adler. Katherine Schellman's writing is beautiful. This Mystery is as if Jane Austin and Arthur Conan Doyle met and collaborated for a novel. I am looking forward to more Lily Adler books.

With her year of mourning her husband almost up, Lily Adler moves to London in 1815, at the suggestion of her in-laws. Lily & Freddy (her late husband) were very much in love and his death has been very hard on her. Becoming a widow does allow her a bit more freedom in movement in London Society she still struggles with the rules women must follow. She soon meets up with her long time friend Lady Serena Walter and her late husbands school buddy, Navy Captain Jack Hartley. While attend a party, Lily stumbles across a murder yet must discover the who & why. With the help of Jack, an unexpected young heiress, an officer from the newly formed Bow Street and her household staff, Lily will get to the bottom of this murder.
I so enjoyed this debut novel from Katharine Schellman! Mrs. Schellman’s attention to detail is apparent in this well researched book. The character development was great and I look forward to reading more from this new series.

Strong debut novel and start to a new series.

When widow Lily Adler overhears a blackmail attempt that ends in murder, she is understandably shocked. When she overhears a respected friend bribe someone from Bow Street to drop the investigation of that murder she is appalled. Her sense of justice won’t let her drop the matter, so she decides to start her own investigation.

While at times the tone and dialog didn’t feel quite right for the historical setting, it wasn’t enough to lessen my overall enjoyment of the story. The mystery was interesting, and the characters were well developed. I especially liked the relationship between Lily and Jack. Their interactions were funny and at times very sweet, without the usual contrived pendulum between ‘stare longingly into each other’s eyes’ and ‘sulky over some misunderstanding’. I’m interested to see how the author further develops their friendship/possible romance as the series continues.

Content-wise: Mild language, reference to affairs, no bedroom content within the events of the story, non-graphic description of murder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me an ARC!

I enjoyed this novel from the first page to the last.

The leading lady, Lilly Adler, is just lovely.

I enjoyed her depth and the author's skill in communicating what she is feeling on the inside, which is times is in sharp contrast to what is happening on the outside.

Victorian England, and London society, are not the easiest to traverse as a younger widow. Especially one with an outstanding brain and a strong value system (as well as a tight and supportive group of friends) to guide her. The reparte amongst them is delightful and solving this cosy mystery requires the use of their combined talents.

The outcome a little surprising and I loved that.

I hope I have the privilege of reading more in the series.

My thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane publishers and the author for my advance reader copy. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.