I absolutely love this series! Frances, Lady Harleigh and the Honorable George Hazelton are the 1899 version of Nick and Nora Charles. George offers the use of his brother's country estate when Frances needs a site for her sister's wedding, pronto. He is already hosting a hunting party, so the more the merrier. A series of suspicious accidents sets off Frances' radar and she convinces George that something is seriously wrong. Our fabulous duo have to figure out who is the villain, who is the target, and why? I can't wait to read the next installment!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my oxn

A lady's guide to mischief and murder is the third book in a historical fiction serie following Frances Wynn in her adventures in society. I haven't read the previous books so i was a bit lost at first with all the characters and their relations to one other but the writing is very simple to follow along.
I really enjoyed Frances and her lover/fiance George I thought their relationship was very sweet. I'll admit that i didn't fell in love with this book but i think i was hoping for a historical romance and this one is a bit more of a mystery type story which was intriguing but not really what i enjoy the most. I don't think i'll read any more books in this serie but i do recommend it to people who like historical fiction and murder mystery book with a nice gentle romance mixed in.

tags: cluedo type of situation, the culprit is amongst them, independent great heroine, sweet romance
content warning: murder, poisoning, a bit of shaming towards a woman in relation to pre-marital sex

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman was another engaging and entertaining book in this historical cozy series.

Frances Wynn and George Hazelton are such a perfect couple as they work together again to find answers regarding mysterious accidents that seem to be happening repeatedly. The plot is filled with excellent twists, turns, deceptive red herrings but only a few viable suspects. It was almost a delight to meet Frances and Lily's mother, Daisy. She seems to be more concerned with title and prestige than her daughters' happiness; but she did finally show her support of Frances. However, I missed not seeing Aunt Hetty more in this book as she is a favorite character of mine.

Lived this novel... it brought together romance and mystery perfectly. There are many characters introduced so you have to keep track of them but they only add to a great story.

Oh this is one of my favorite new mystery series. A this is the third book, I have grown accustomed to the characters and enjoy reading about Frances and her escapades. It reminds me of Elizabeth Peters style writing via Amelia Peabody series.

Another winning addition to this delightful series! It is time for the Countess of Harleigh’s younger sister to wed, but will everyone attending the intimate wedding in the countryside still be alive to witness the ceremony?

This book is a fun read with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. As a huge lover of historical mysteries, this book met my expectations set by the first two books in the series. The characters and setting are wonderful and provide an enjoyable escape.

If you like historical mysteries, this series is a must-read, starting with book one. I’ve been reading since the beginning and this series has only been getting better the more we get to know these characters and relationships and friendships are developed.

The whodunit was well done and in this, the mystery plot starts after a series of incidents including a poisoning occur which leads you right into trying to find out who’s behind all this and why. However, my favorite aspect of these books are likeable, well written, multidimensional characters. Frances is a great “lead” and George is the perfect partner in all ways for her.

I hope there’s a fourth book!

As a fan of both historical fiction and cozy mysteries, I loved this series. I started book 1 and couldn't put it, or the next two down until I had finished all three books in the span of a week. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I turned the page and was surprised!

A bit of Downton Abbey meets Nancy Drew, this book features like-able characters who can't seem to stop running into trouble. And by trouble, I of course mean murder.

Having read the first two books before starting this one will help with understanding the characters but it definitely isn't a must.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Kensington Books.

This is the 3rd book in the series of what is a delightful heroine. With each book the series gets better and the characters better defined. Although you don’t need to read them in order , it helps define the characters for you. I love George and I must say at the end of this book I came to love Mrs Price. (Frances mother). It’s a nice who dunnit or who’s doing it and I love how all the pieces come together.

I can def see myself reading more about this dynamic family - not just Frances and George I love how everyone plays a part

Definitely enjoyable

Frances Wynn, the widowed Countess of Harleigh, needs a venue for her sister’s imminent wedding. When Frances’ secret fiancé, George Hazleton, offers his brother’s country estate for the wedding, Frances and her sister, Lily, happily accept. Frances, Lily, and the rest of the wedding party have only just arrived in the countryside when a series of unfortunate—and sometimes deadly—events befalls the group. At first, the incidents appear to just be accidents. But, when a footman dies of poison and a guest is injured in an archery-related incident, Frances begins to suspect that someone is trying to kill Lily’s groom before the wedding. And, as if a killer in their midst isn’t scary enough, Frances’s and Lily’s mother is on a tear. If the killer doesn’t take Leo out first, Daisy seems determined to do whatever it takes to prevent her youngest daughter from marrying him.

I am a huge fan of Frances Wynn, and I was very excited to find out what she was up to in A LADY’S GUIDE TO MISCHIEF AND MURDER. And I was not disappointed. Freeman provides the reader with a whole new setting when she takes her characters out of London and transports them to the English countryside. Lottie the lovable disaster is back. And Frances’ and Lily’s mother makes a great addition to the cast. She is so unlikable at first, but she proves her worth. I hoping to see more of Daisy, as Frances’s and Lily’s brother. My only complaint was that Aunt Hetty wasn’t in it enough.

A LADY’S GUIDE TO MISCHIEF AND MURDER is a classic country house murder (also known as closed circle of suspects). Aside from the suspicious neighbor, all of the suspects are staying at the estate. And there are a number of worthy suspects. The fact that they are all staying in the same house—although it is a massive country estate—adds to the drama. The killer could strike at any time—and he does. Multiple innocent people are injured in the killers quest for revenge. Frances’s and George’s romance provides a great secondary storyline that keeps the story moving.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman is the third book I this wonderful series that is part historical fiction part cozy mystery. I have now read all three books in this series and I have to say that this truly just keeps getting better and better.

I love Frances Wynn and also George Hazelton. Their chemistry, banter, and couple-dom is just perfect. I also have always liked France's younger sister Lily and her aunt Hetty.

I enjoyed the plot, the intricate murder/mysteries, and the dialogue is witty, humorous, inventive, and just perfect in every way. The characters are written in such a way that they easily play off of each other, however not in a forced way. The result is an excellent novel with a great female protagonist (she is smart, sassy, independent, and likeable... what is not to like!), great cast of characters, and an excellent installment into what I hope is a long-standing series.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder sees the return of Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, in her third exciting adventure set against the background of aristocratic society. For once in a very long while everything seems to be going so well and Frances is perfectly content with her life. Her sister Lily soon to marry Leo Kendrick, the man she loves…what could go wrong? Apparently a lot! First comes Lily’s shocking news that she is “expecting”, leading to an earlier wedding and a change of venue. Risings, the ancestral home of George Hazelton, Frances partner in detection and love, is the perfect place. Beautiful, calm, and quiet, with just the closest family and friends to see Lily and Leo wed. When a string of accidents occur it is first thought to be merely coincidence—until Frances realizes that the thread that ties them all together is Leo. Determined to get to the truth, and save the wedding, Frances and George investigate, and soon learns there are any number of suspects, both family and friends.

I have been waiting since the end of A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder for this book to come out. And I was not disappointed. Loved it from the opening page. It was cleverly written with an inventive plot and a great mystery. There is just enough misdirection to keep you guessing up until the end…almost. And even though romance is a significant part of the plot, the mystery never takes a backseat.

All of the characters are appealing. But I love Frances. She is who is intelligent, shrewd, personable…just all around interesting. She continues on her path of independence, and determines her own future, in a society where women were often treated as less than.

Once again I am looking forward to the next in this series.

This was such a good read. As I have not read the first two volumes, I was not introduced to the characters or any of those stories. I was confused at the relationships between people and even at the main character, who was narrating. But that didn't stop the story from being appealing. The prose was interesting and fits the genre quite well. The author was able to lay out their story in a fairly logical way. There was a little too much 'telling' and not enough 'showing' but otherwise, it was quite enjoyable.

Love this author and this series. It was extremely well written and flowed nicely from chapter to chapter. Both the characters and storyline were fun, entertaining, and comical. A great addition to my fave genre of historical mysteries. I highly recommend both this author and this novel. Run, don’t walk to pick up this novel.

cosy-mystery, turn-of-20th-century, England, landed-gentry, amateur-sleuth

What a charming and complex delight! Frances' first marriage was awful except for her now eight year old daughter, but she now has a man she shares love with and hopes to marry as soon as her younger sister's hurried wedding is accomplished. For which reason they are out in the country, both to have Lily's wedding away from the gossips and to minimize their mother's histrionics. All would have been well, but then arranged mishaps began happening and escalating. Time for Frances and George to get sleuthing in earnest. Great characters well drawn and plenty of misdirections and red herrings to keep me reading straight through to the end. Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I just adore this series! In the third installment, Frances and George take their investigations to the countryside for her sister’s wedding!

This is my favorite cozy series by far. Cozy mysteries and historical fiction are my favorite genres, and this series combines them perfectly. The writing is wonderful. The descriptions of the setting makes me feel like I am there without them being a main focus of the story. The suspense builds slowly, keeping my interest through out the story without detracting from the secondary storylines. The characters stay true to their personalities that have been built from the beginning of the series. Although Frances would be considered outspoken in her time, the author makes small additions to the story that let you k ow those without making her seem out of place. I love the way all of these characters interact with one another even though they are all so different. It is just one more thing that makes this my favorite series!

Five Outstanding Stars! If you've spent this quarantine binging Miss Fischer or Frankie Drake, then you have found the perfect new series! A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder is uproarious, beautiful, compelling, and unputdownable. I want to buy a copy for everyone I know!