Upon receiving some unexpected news, Lady Harleigh (Frances Wynn) is faced with the challenge of simplifying and moving her sister's wedding party to the country, eight weeks earlier than originally planned. George Hazelton is already hosting a hunting party on his brother's estate and offers to host the wedding, as well. After several accidents occur, injuring -- and even killing -- numerous guests and employees of the estate, Frances begins to suspect that the "accidents" may actually be intentional attempts on someone's life. Convinced that she knows who the target is, she becomes suspicious of nearly everyone. Could the culprit be a member of their small party of close friends and family?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OVERALL
Diane Freeman once again provides a thrilling chase in this historical mystery. The ending was at once indisputable and unpredictable -- all the facts are plainly stated, making the reveal even more shocking!

This series is light-hearted, despite the murder-driven plots. A blend of humor, danger, mild romantic undertones, undercover investigations, and complex relationships hold the reader's attention. It's hard to put these books down, and even harder to wait for the next book in the series to be published!


Language: mild, infrequent profanity
Romance: extremely mild
Adult themes include: implicit extramarital intimacy and infidelity; investigating murder; mild to moderate peril


I received a free copy of #ALadysGuidetoMischiefandMurder from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder is the 3rd book in the Countess of Harleigh Cozy Mystery Series.
I have been lucky enough to have read all the books in the series and this book continues the witty, clever and entertaining vibe of the 1st 2 books in the series. It’s a great murder mystery, has some romance, great characters and it takes place in an interesting time period, England 1899.
I hope the author decides to write another book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman is the third book in her A Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. I didn’t feel I was missing anything having not read the first two books yet, but I quite enjoyed this one, so I am going to go back and read them. The story is a Victorian-era cozy mystery with romantic elements. Frances Wynn Countess of Harleigh’s sister Lily and her fiancé Leo need to get married sooner than the planned eight weeks in the future. Her beloved, George Hazelton offers up his family estate in Hampshire for the nuptials, and a house party is formed, they travel to the estate to celebrate the wedding and, indulge in country pursuits such as hunting, horseback riding, archery contests, and kissing in secluded arbours. Mysterious accidents start happening, and several of the guests are injured, leaving Frances to wonder if someone is trying to stop the wedding and can she and George solve the mystery before someone ends up dead?
Steam Level: Very Light. Publishing Date: July 28, 2020. #ALadysGuideToMischiefAndMurder #DianneFreeman #KensingtonBooks #VictorianMystery #HistoricalFiction #bookstagram

This is the third book I've read by Ms. Freeman and I've been enchanted by each one of them. The characters continue to grow in each book and love the witty interactions. I honestly can see these books in my minds eye when I read them, they are so vivid.

Loved both the mystery and the journey getting to the solution. Can't wait for book four!

Miss Frances Price, lately known as Frances, Countess of Harleigh, is after the death of her “feckless and philandering” husband living an almost idyllic life. Bear in mind is it the fall of 1899 and the definition of idyllic for a woman was equivalent to constrained and confining. Ah well, there is an immediate wedding to be planned, a mother to be avoided, and a romance to be encouraged. With tongue in cheek, pluck and verve, Lady Frances is up to all these tasks and more. She takes us on a fun romp in the English country where unexplained accidents take their toll, bodies, alive and dead pile up and the hunt for a murderer is proving a disaster a minute.

I spent a few hours chuckling and being amused in the company of Lady Harleigh and her entourage. I look forward to future installments in this series. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for a copy.

This is one of my favorite Historical Fiction Cozy Mystery series! Frances Wynn, an American whose overbearing mother pushed her into a miserable marriage for a title in the British aristocracy, has been a widow for a while now. Living in London with her daughter and now her sister Lily who has fallen head over heels in love with Leo. 

George and Frances are keeping their engagement secret until after Lily is wed. Unfortunately, Leo and Lily jumped the gun and are now in a position of having to move the wedding forward quickly.

George comes to the rescue by having everyone to his family estate in the country and the entire party is transported to Hampshire for some hunting, riding and you just know there will be drama when the parents of the couple arrive.

But drama begins almost as soon as they arrive. Deaths, accidents, and sketchy guests are all on the menu. 

Frances isn't about to be left out of the investigation, especially when her own George may be in danger.

There is a killer on the grounds and as they set a trap for the suspect they may find themselves caught in it!

I love these characters. They are funny and strong and get themselves into the most dangerous of predicaments. 

Always a pleasure!

NetGalley/July 28th, 2020 by Kensington Books

A new author for me, and I thouraghly enjoyed the characters in the book. Love Frances, Lady Harleigh, soon to be Mrs. George Hazelton, and adore George! Lady Harleigh's best friend, Lady Fiona, her sister Lily, her social climbing mother, all are a great, people you could be friends with. Lily, and her fiancee must get married and soon, off the small wedding party travels to Risings, the childhood home of George, and his sister Fiona, only to be hosting a murderer! Mayhem erupts, death comes to visit, will the young couple we'd, or will there be a funeral? Love murder mysteries, this one is full of twist and turns, very well done.
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
Carolintallahassee.com

A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder is the third book in the Countess of Harleigh series by Dianne Freeman. The novels are cozy mysteries that include elements of the life of high society in London. Frances, the main character, is obsessed with mysteries. She is determined and intelligent, traits not often desired in London high society. Frances has to find a new location for a quick wedding for her sister, Lily and her fiancé, Leo. Fortunately, George Hazelton has a wonderful solution and everyone heads to Risings, his family estate in Hampshire. They plan to host a wonderful house party and a wedding that is perfect, while still keeping the bride and groom's parents in the loop. Unfortunately, a couple of accidents occur that Frances feels are suspicious. As sister of the bride, Frances tries to stay focused on Lily's wedding and not let odd happenings spoil this joyous occasion.

I really enjoyed the third novel in this series. I found that I really enjoyed this unexpected ending ending with Frances and George. I continue to enjoy the character developments and the plot, and am thrilled to see the further progression of their relationships. This was a excellent read.

I would like to thank Dianne Freeman, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for fair and honest review.

This may have been my favourite book of the series thus far, though these books are written in such a way that you won't be missing too too much if you haven't read the first two. In this book we find Francis off to George Hazelton's estate for her sisters (sped up) wedding celebrations. When they arrive accidents start to befall on both the staff and guests and Francis starts to suspect that they may not be accidents after all.

This book is fun, fast-paced and I really enjoyed trying to solve the mystery alongside Francis.

I love these characters, but the mystery here was not too strong. It was pretty easy to figure out, and I expect better thinking from George.

A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder is the third book in the Countess of Harleigh series by Dianne Freeman. The novels are mysteries, more along the lines of a cozy mystery with elements of the life of high society in London. Frances is the main character and is obsessed with mysteries. She is determined and intelligent, not necessarily good traits during this time in society.

Frances has to find a new location for a quick wedding for her sister, Lily and her fiance, Leo. Luckily, George has a wonderful solution and everyone heads to Risings, George Hazleton’s family estate in Hampshire. A wonderful house party leading to a wedding is perfect, even knowing they still have to tell Leo and Lily’s parents what is going on. However, there are a couple of accidents that Frances feels were suspicious, too bad no one else does. Frances tries to stay focused on the wedding and good outcomes for the family, but there are some odd happenings.

I enjoyed the third novel in this series. This particular book had a much more shocking ending with Frances and George. I continue to enjoy the characters of Frances and George and am glad their relationship is moving forward. A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman is a good read.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. This title is the third in the series, and may work as a stand-alone for some readers. Lady Frances finds herself having to put together her sister's wedding on an accelerated timeline after learning that her sister is pregnant and the original wedding date is too far away. Luckily, her fiancé George (it is a secret betrothal) is keeping an eye on his brother's estate and offers it up on short notice. Shortly after arriving at the estate, a series of accidents occurs - a runaway luggage cart, the death of a servant, and shooting mishap. Frances suspects the servant didn't die of bad food, but instead was poisoned. But who is doing it and why is her sister's fiancé the target?

The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me happy and guessing, but like many cozy mysteries, the characters are just as much of the draw as the mystery itself. This one is no exception. Frances continues to come into her own and demands George see her as an equal in their investigations and not just a lady in need of protection; this in turn helps their relationship evolve and grow following their engagement at the end of the previous title. It was interesting to finally meet Frances mother after hearing about her. She was interesting and had developments I wasn't expecting - I hope we continue to see more of her. I'm looking forward to future titles in this series.

It's 1899 and Frances, who married well but regrettably, is now a widow and happily in love with George, who is a very good guy compared to her dead husband. She, btw, is an American with money and he had the title. Now, her little sister Lily wants to marry her own true love Leo and Frances has arranged for them to do it at George's family estate. Unfortunately, their mother, a truly snotty woman, has arrived for the wedding. Lily, at 18, is somewhat immature and while she might be too young to marry, why on earth would someone create havoc for the wedding party- and try to kill Leo?! George and Frances, who make such a good pair, work their way through the assembled friends and family- and servants- to get answers. I adore Frances, who suffered mightily to get where she is with George. This is a wonderful series (and you'd be fine with it as a standalone) in part because Freeman never forgets the "downstairs" side of things AND she has a subtle sense of humor. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me. This is perfect for fans of the historical cozy.

London is known for its bustle and intrigues, but the sedate English countryside can host—or hide—any number of secrets. Frances, the widowed Countess of Harleigh, needs a venue for her sister Lily’s imminent wedding, away from prying eyes. Risings, George Hazleton’s family estate in Hampshire, is a perfect choice, and soon Frances, her beloved George, and other guests have gathered to enjoy the usual country pursuits but the bucolic setting harbours a menace, and it’s not simply the arrival of Frances’s socially ambitious mother. Above and below stairs, mysterious accidents befall guests and staff alike. Before long, Frances suspects these “accidents” are deliberate, and fears that the intended victim is Lily’s fiancé, Leo. As Frances and George search for the culprit among the assembled family, friends, and servants, more victims fall prey to the mayhem. Mishaps become full-blooded murder, and it seems that no one is safe.
This is the third book of this fun series, it could easily be read on its own but the whole series is very good. A well written novel which flows extremely well. The characters have plenty of depth & are very likeable. I love Frances & George who are the perfect partners. I love romance & also murder mysteries so this book (& series) ticks all the boxes for me. I was totally drawn into it & read in two sittings, I look forward to more Lady Hadleigh stories
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I highly recommend this brilliant book to everyone. The atmospheric scene and victorian vibes is such on fleek. I wish i had known this series before. I super love this book for its historical mysteries and vibes. 5-star to the heroine that I really adore. The sweet taste of the mystery in this book is the most interesting part for me. Every details on this story is so accurate and I don't know, this is my favorite now.

This series is so much fun! I loved the first book and this one too. If you like cozy mysteries with a strong female lead, this is for you.
I also find the writing very engaging and the plot always comes together nicely without any plot holes.

Very lovely series, more people should read.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Series: Countess of Harleigh Mystery #3
Publication Date: 7/28/20
Number of Pages: 304

This new-to-me author was a delightful find. The story was very well written, the historical sights, sounds, language, etc. were period correct, the plot moved along at the perfect pace – and best of all there was romance. My favorite genre is historical mysteries, but I have to have a romance in those – and this one had TWO!

This is the third book in the series, but I have not read the first two books and don’t feel I really missed anything in this story by not having read them. However, since this book was so much fun, I’ll go back and catch those first two!

The characters are delightful – both main and supporting. There is a scene toward the end between Frances and her mother that will have you rolling on the floor laughing. It is absolutely perfect to see that side of Frances’ mother. When you get there, you’ll recognize it because you can’t miss it - think buckets of water, horse dung, and pitchforks.

Frances and George are secretly betrothed. Not because they are hiding anything, but because they don’t want to tread on Frances’s sister Lily’s big moment – her own wedding. George isn’t thrilled with keeping it a secret, but he’ll honor Frances’s wishes. When the need arises to move Lily’s wedding up by several weeks, George is more than happy to offer his brother’s estate, Risings, as the perfect venue. There is a perfect small church and the house will accommodate the close family and friends. Perfect solution.

Strange occurrences begin – accidents surely – but are they? The first couple of ‘accidents’ are viewed as just that, but as more accidents happen – and a death – Frances and George suspect there is a villain loose among them. Who is the intended victim? Is it Leo, Lily’s betrothed, or is it George himself? They both seem to always be at the scene of the accident and could have easily been the victim. Who could want Leo dead or injured? His brother-in-law? His best friend who might hold a romantic interest in Lily? What about George? Could someone from one of his past Home Office cases be coming back to seek revenge?

With suspects and victims galore, George and Frances will have their work cut out for them. They’ll definitely need all of their skills to prevent more injuries or deaths and to catch the villain.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and surely hope you will also.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love is definitely in the air! Not only is Frances’ sister, Lily, about to get married to Leo, but the romance between Frances and George is moving along as well! While sometimes Frances is a bit distracted with solving crimes, George is very patient with her and doesn’t expect her to change.

But while there’s lots of love flying around, there’s a lot of mischief too. After a series of accidents (one resulting in the death of a footman), Frances starts to believe that someone is trying to kill Leo and vows to stop the would-be killer.

Speaking of mischief, Frances and Lily’s mother, Daisy – WOW. What can I say? She is a social-ladder climber of the first degree. With Lily and Frances both *technically* single, Daisy is on a mission to make sure they both find rich, titled husbands. She doesn’t seem to care that Lily is on the verge of marrying Leo or that Frances cares for George. Yes, this woman is still trying to set Lily up with single nobles on her wedding weekend! Yeesh.

This is the third book in the Countess of Harleigh series and, while it reads very well as a standalone, it’s much more fun if you’ve read the first two books in the series.

The setting is a new one (moving from urban London to the English countryside) and there are lots of new characters introduced. It’s a fun “country house murder” where all the suspects are in the same place and there’s a lot of suspicion flying around. Of all the new characters, I think Daisy will be the one that we see the most of in future stories. Her growth throughout this book is really nice to see and she makes for an interesting addition.

Of course, the important characters are all back. Along with Frances, George, Lily and Leo, we also see the adorably klutzy Lottie and the competent Aunt Hetty (although not enough, if you ask me). It’s great to see a lot of character development of the main characters and I hope this carries on to the next book.

With all the character development, plus two romantic storylines, the story zips along at a great pace. Plus, all the “accidents” ensures that there is never really a dull moment. It was a super fun and quick read and I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Books, and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for a review!

Four Stars! (I really liked it)

I really can’t resist a good cover, and A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder has quite a fun one. I went into the reading of this hoping for a lighthearted and enjoyable mystery novel, and that’s exactly what I got. I suppose lately the current state of the world has me feeling somewhat down, and I was looking for something that I was sure would have a happy ending. Freeman delivered on this!

This is the third book in the series, but I was able to jump into this having only read the first without feeling too lost. It only took a chapter or so to reacquaint myself with the characters and get my bearings. I found myself caught up in the mystery very quickly, looking for clues and suspecting everyone – there are multiple suspects acting just the right amount of guilty. There were a few moments I found myself thinking “oohhh, that’s going to come up later!”.

You’ll like this one if you enjoy a good mystery novel that doesn’t get too dark or serious - there are some dark moments, but this novel never feels bleak or hopeless. The main characters are all the upper crust of British society, so it doesn’t really delve into any issues of wealth equality or all the things that might have been going on with lower classes at the time. This could be considered a flaw, but it depends what you’re hoping for!

There are a lot of characters in the novel that are all important to the story-line. Quite a few are new to this series and figuring out who each of them was ended up being challenging near the beginning. I almost needed a character guide at points!

A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder was a lot of fun! I loved the main characters, found myself wrapped in the mystery, and the last half of the book passed in a flash. It was easy to pick up, hard to put down, and exactly what I wanted to read when I read it.

This book provides some nice escapism.  The protagonist is an American, widowed Countess who lives in England in the early 1900s.  In this third entry in the series,  Frances (our countess), is trying to plan her sister's wedding.  Mayhem ensues among the country house party, both upstairs and down. Readers of course know that all will be resolved but they will enjoy observing the detection along the way.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.