A quick, fun read. Not a great deal of character development. Recommended for those who have enjoyed the previous titles in the series.

I have enjoyed the previous three books in this series and was looking forward to more of the interaction between Lady Anne and Darkefell. This fourth book lost a star because he isn't really in it. Still, Lady Anne holds her own and the mystery was well done.
She has come to Bath to stay with her mother and grandmother and visit her best friend, Lydia who is married to Darkefell's brother, John. Darkefell and Lady Anne are engaged but she is hesitant to make that fact public. It soon becomes apparent that Lydia has fallen under the spell of a mystic and while they are attending one of the woman's performances, murder strikes.
I'll say no more for fear of committing spoilers. The setting of Bath and the upper classes living there are well developed, the mystery kept me engaged even after a bit of a slow start. Lady Anne has a mind of her own and knows what she wants in life even if the current norms of society say otherwise.
I will definitely hold a spot on my TBR list for the next entry in this series.
My thanks to the publisher Beyond the Page and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The new movement of authors writing contemporary books that they strive to make you believe was " the norm " in the late 1700's is getting old! A truly good author who should know better, apparently doesn't. To write hot political topics is not why I read, I read for escapism, not to have my blood pressure shoot through the roof. Homosexuality is not a commentary on political correctness, but a mortal sin, the Bible is clear, GOD says it is an abomination for a man to lie with a man! It is straight forward, no bones about it! An abomination means, HATE, therefore, GOD HATES homosexuality, not the sinner, but the sin! You can't dress it up, normalize it, make it acceptable, when it isn't. Please leave your beliefs to a newspaper, or contemporary fiction, not this drivel.
Thank you Netgalley
carolintallahassee.com

The first book was fun, but somehow each succeeding book has lacked the same interest, and this one was the slowest of all.

Lady Anne has come to Bath to be with her mother and friends to prepare for her marriage to Lord Darkefell. Her friend Lydia is to have a baby so to cheer her up she takes her to a Mystic the talk of the town. All this innocent pass time will turn dark upon the death of a young Vicar by poison at the house of her friends the Birkenhead’s. Her investigation will lead to the notorious Sacred Theban Club and put her very life at risk. Anne is a character caught between two worlds wanting to be independent but still in a world where women must lean on a man for everything. She is a lady who has a habit of digging too deep and not holding her tongue. Not easy for her investigation and comes to rely on Osei Boatin an African who is Darkefell’s secretary. There is good pace to this story and Anne and her friends are characters you would like to revisit.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Another in the Lady Anne series, which I have enjoyed immensely. Lady Anne has gone home to her mother’s as she awaits the Marquess Darkefell, her fiancé, she is adamant not to mention the engagement to her friends and townsfolk, lest they think she is looking above her station in life. Meanwhile, the hot topic in town is the fortune-teller in town, a mystic that seems to know more about people than she should. Lady Anne decides to get to the bottom of things and figure out what is going on. Will she uncover the mystery or is the mystic really able to get messages from the other side?

A great summer read, this author is books are enjoyable and I really enjoy this characters, cannot wait to read the next one.

What a delightful read! I haven't read any of the previous books in the series and found that didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, characters, and certainly not the mystery.

Set in the Georgian period in Bath, England, we find Lady Anne Addison visiting her mother (and grandmother) as she prepares to announce her engagement to Lord Darkfell. When a young man, Alfred is found dead, Anne feels compelled to find out why. After all, she was present when he was found. And he's the nephew of her mother's best friend.

We are given a good look into English society and how easily things can be swept under the rug while gossiped about. To add a bit of a twist, we meet a fortune teller who has become quite "fashionable" for the society folks to visit with. But where does she get her information?

If you enjoy period pieces, character studies, and mysteries this is one for you. As for me, it's time to read the rest of the books in the series as I enjoyed Anne and her friends.

Thanks to Net Galley and Victoria Hamilton for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I did enjoy this story. It really reflected the way of life in Bath for the wealthier inhabitants. The gossip in the Pump Rooms while taking the waters, the Assembly entertainments and visiting friends. There are a number of crimes being committed and Lady Ann is determined to solve them. There is also her forthcoming engagement to the Marquis of Darkefell. Ann is keen to marry but she hesitates to give up her independence, such as it is for a lady at this time. Ann is very aware of the restrictions placed on women and being an intelligent person she is aware of her lack of freedom. There are a number of events that cause concern to Lady Ann and being the type of person she is, she has to investigate further to find out the truth. This was the first book I’ve read by this author but I will be looking for more books in this series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mystics, marriage and menace!

Lady Anne Addison is in Bath staying with her mother, Lady Barbara, Countess of Harecross. Anne is preparing for her marriage to the Marquess, Lord Darkefell. Although she's reluctant to make her engagement known because she doesn't want to become the focus of Bath society' much to her mother's disgust. There's enough gossip circulating around town with unsuspected people suddenly becoming engaged. Anne doesn't want to join the list. And there seems to be a lingering thought that marriage will mean surrendering her freedom, that she might become something less. Despite Darkefell's reassurance.
The presence of a mystic, whose become society's latest fad, comes to Anne's notice. Her dearest friend Lydia Bestwick, wife of Lord John, Darkefell’s younger brother. Lydia appears to have fallen under her sway. Lady Anne is determined to expose the woman as a charlatan. However she does seem to know some disturbing information about Anne.
As always Anne is headstrong, focused sometimes blind to people's reactions. She charges in, sometimes to her own detriment. Lady Anne without Darkefell ... mmm I admit to missing the cut and thrust of their relationship. Still! Fortunately the redoubtable Mr. Boatin, Darkefell's secretary has come to town to attend to business for the Marquess, to look into renting a house that will become Darkefell and Anne's Bath base, and to attend to some business of his own.
There's complex issues behind story. Anne has quite a time sorting through things. These are dark times and scandalous secrets are in danger of being exposed. The plot wound down a tortuous track, but once on the path all the rest fell into place.
A solid Gothic read that thoroughly intrigued me, even if Darkeville, whom I adore, is mostly out of the picture.

A Beyond the Page ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Historical drama with a difference.How does the mystic get her information?
A tangled web is unravelled by our heroine and the hero only makes a brief appearance. An enjoyable read.

This novel starts slowly, then builds up to a crescendo of activity, and I could not put it down at that point.
Lady Anne discovers a plot and is determined to get to the bottom of it. I will not say too much for fear of spoilers, but for remarking that it is exceedingly good, and based on accurate historical research. Twists and turns abound in the plot, and it was an enjoyable read. Especially the song at the end of the book, that amused me, It is true that sexual activity was less strictly enforced in those days than is popularly supposed. The author has explored this aspect of the mystery facing Lady Anne, as she has explored all her historical research, that is to say impeccably.

I loved the first three books in the Lady Anne series; but this one fell short for me. The story line was good, and the mystery was interesting but it was missing the dynamic between Lady Anne and Darkefell. I really enjoyed their relationship and prior interactions in the book as they worked together to solve the mystery. However, this book was solely Lady Anne with Darkefell not making an entrance until the last few pages. I'd rate it a 3.5 for that aspect; but I am sure for others that may not detract from the overall novel.

Love this series!! I feel this is one of the best historical mystery series out there. I binge read the others in the series and was disappointed there weren't more, so I was really happy to see this one. I've added this author to my always TBR pile. I enjoy the mystery, the setting and the characters. I'm hoping for many more.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic by Victoria Hamilton is my first experience with Lady Anne Addison and what at experience it was. A Georgian romantic mystery... what could be better? All the pomp of 1786 and a highborn lady to solve the crime. A young man is dead, for no apparent reason. Lady Anne keeps her head and allows the physician to take the body, since there is no family member available to make the decision. In what passed as an autopsy at the time, it was determined that ingesting yew poisoned him, as a single small needle was found in his stomach. The question now is: self-inflicted or murder?

Lady Anne is as independent as a lady of means at this time can be. She has agreed to marry Lord Darkefell despite the fact he seems to live up to his name with a somewhat unpleasant demeanor. She is five and twenty and thought to be past marriageable age by many, but they have developed a tendre for one another and she is quite looking forward to the marriage. What she is not looking forward to is all of society's loud and personal amazement that she has captured this alluring man. She is already not popular for her forward manner and insatiable curiosity, which she displays in her search for the answer to her friend's death. There are plenty of subplots and red herrings as well as a dearth of interesting characters in this fourth entry into the series. I loved it. How did it take me so long to discover the compelling world of Lady Anne? I recommend it.

I was invited to read an ARC of Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #ladyanneandthemenacingmystic

'While in Bath preparing for her upcoming marriage to Lord Darkefell, Lady Anne learns of a profoundly accurate mystic working in town whose uncanny predictions have stunned the gullible and the skeptical alike. Certain there’s a harmless rational explanation for the medium’s supposed otherworldly abilities, Anne’s tolerance turns to defiance when the seer’s dark pronouncements begin having a decidedly harmful affect on her friends—and a troubled local vicar takes his own life.

Convinced that the woman is orchestrating a devious scheme, Anne begins to suspect that she’s working in league with a shrewd newcomer who’s attached himself to many of the town’s wealthy widowers. As she navigates the swirling rumors of Bath society to confirm her suspicions and unmask the charlatans for what they are, she discovers that the treacherous conspirators are plotting to make her own future very dark—and very short-lived . . .'
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3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic is the fourth book in Victoria Hamilton's Lady Anne Addison Mysteries series and is a historical gothic mystery set in Georgian England.

I read the first three books in this series early last year and fell in love with this series which always deliver on having some form of paranormal scheme in the plot. I had NO idea that the author was continuing this series and had assumed it was only intended to be trilogy, therefore I was over the moon when I saw Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic while browsing through titles on NetGalley. I will also be purchasing my own physical copy of the book to reread the series at some point.

There was a simmering tension throughout the book as Anne gradually works to unravel the mystery, but there was a bit of a lag in the middle. A good portion of the book is Anne accumulating information through simply gossiping and conversing with a great many people, which is what dragged on for me a bit. Everything really starts to come together very close to the end of the book, t which everything falls into place quite rapidly. The shot of danger really seemed to bring the book together for me and increased my enjoyment of the plot.

Anne and Darkefell were quite the team in the previous books and so I wish we had been able to see more of Darkefell, although his entrance to the book was quite amusing. Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic has not been my favorite from the series, as I found that it was clear where things were headed for much of the book, but getting there was quite drawn out. So I knew quite early on who our villians were, but still quite enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more mysteries with Lady Anne, hopefully soon.

I recommend Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic and the series as a whole to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries. I would recommend reading the books in this series in order as many characters from this book were introduced in previous books, although it isn't strictly necessary to do so if you're simply looking for a mystery to read.
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I would like to thank NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for sharing an eARC of Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic by Victoria Hamilton with me. This is my honest review.

This was an okay historical romance/mystery. I found the characters to be a little one dimensional and the storyline a bit boring at times. I just felt like the author could’ve gotten to the point a bit quicker. I did like the spunkiness of the heroine and think that if I had started the series with book one I might have enjoyed this installment a bit more.

Lady Anne Addison is still hiding her engagement to Lord Darkefell as “Lady Anne and the Menacing Mystic” begins, and her mother is railing about it, but that’s not going to stop her from delving into the truth behind a revolting scam that’s causing trouble for her near and dear. Mother Macree, the so called “Mystic of Bath,” is claiming to be able to divine all sorts of things for those gullible enough to believe her. How does the woman know all these things? Lady Anne wants to keep her from doing harm.

You’ll find several plot lines going here, involving the marriage-minded, fraud, and eventually, things that can’t be spoken of between the good people of Bath or anywhere, for that matter. Speaking of the town, we’re among the rich and famous of society, in languid times, and the narrative supports that. This is no thriller, but rather plotting and characterization that builds in complexity. During all this Anne worries about what she’ll be giving up when she marries – that trope of the unmarried woman in historical fiction. However, they all keep calm and carry on, don’t they?

A young man dies – and she determines to find justice for his death. In so doing, she might cause all sorts of trouble. The young man had a big secret – and others that are well known to Anne have such secrets as well.

The language is elegant and refined, in keeping with the historical era, which isn’t defined until you read the About the Book at the end, which details the research that went into the plot and more about the customs of the time – but don’t until you’ve finished the book, to avoid spoilers. However, as Victoria Hamilton does like to mention what Lady Anne and her contemporaries wear, if you have any idea of when a robe a’ la polonaise was worn, you’ll have an idea of the time frame as you read along. It should have been mentioned, though.

The series has been going on for a while, and characters appear from earlier books, like Osei Boatin, who is Lord Darkefell’s secretary. He’s a fully-realized character, who helps Lady Anne in the course of her “investigation,” and his backstory is heartbreaking to read.

Gossip is bread and butter to those that have time to hear it, and these folks have lots of time; unfortunately, if the truth comes out, it’s going to bring ruin and loss of one’s place in society, which was basically worse than death to some. The author has our heroine trusting her feelings as a human being, one perhaps that many “real” members of her class would not have recognized. We are lucky in that fictional people are allowed to have lives that may not mirror the tenor of their own times. Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not. In this case, it works very well.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

cosy-mystery, England, murder-investigation, 19th-century, historical-fiction

The characters are realistic and engaging (for the most part) but the pace of this well plotted cozy seems excruciatingly slow. I confess that the stilted behavior and attitudes of the "old guard" of Bath society holds little appeal for me but the storyline predictably needs that kind of background filler to make better sense of the story to come. The sleuthing is good, too. The publisher's blurb is good at providing the hook that we need to be attracted to a new book. Bottom line is that I liked it more than average but no dancing in the streets.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

There are many story lines in this work, probably too many. It's as if the author was trying to juggle one too many balls all at once. Trying to get too much into a story is just as bad as too little.

A fun read, rich in historical atmosphere but the pace seemed slower than the other books in the series and the culprit wasn't as much as a surprise.

I enjoyed the setting of Bath and the workings of the people taking the waters, socializing, etc. It was nice to see Lady Anne make mistakes and upset people; it made her more real. Her independence and impatience with the expected role of women in society made her appear unfeeling and rude at times to people. Not everyone wanted to answer her questions because they were intrusive. I get annoyed how amateur detectives get away with asking all sorts of personal and rude questions and people answer them. If someone who wasn't the police asked me for my alibi during a time a crime was committed that I might have ties to, I wouldn't answer them. I would be insulted that you would think I did the crime. What right do you have to ask these questions? It would seem to me the person was just a gossip and busybody. That's how many people would react to an amateur detective. For once that was expressed in a book.

Some of the recurring secondary characters showed unexpected depths in this book. (I loved the character growth). Lolly, the old spinster, was much more down to earth and knowledgeable about the facts of life even though she never married. Readers sometimes don't realize that not all times were as restrictive as the Victorian age about knowledge of sex outside of marriage. The historical note as the end was very interesting.

I enjoyed the book and want to read more of series. I received a free copy of this book thanks to Netgalley.com in return for a fair and impartial review.



I received a free copy of this book thanks to Netgalley.com in return for a fair and impartial review.