If there is one type of novel of which there is no shortage, it is stories set in the Victorian era. This one, written by an Australian author and featuring a horrible cover, is one of many. However, it is not without merit. First of all, it is not the classic sappy romance, especially since, somehow, the two main protagonists seem to be an evolution of the famous Lizzy and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. The second merit is due to the excellent job of reconstructing the condition of women in the period, both in terms of aristocratic women and those of the lower classes, and the presentation of the supposed male superiority for what it really is: the perverse and stubborn protraction of an unrestricted adolescence.
From a 'detective story' point of view (after all, the title suggests such a component), the 'culprit' is so farcical that he practically walks around with a target on him and only the 'lady detective' and associates seem not to realise this.
Overall, an undemanding but very enjoyable read.

Lady Theodosia investigates a stolen necklace from the Royal family. Theodosia is a fun and sassy protagonist. She is very independent, strong, and intelligent. I thought the romance was a bit forced. The love interest to be the same typical hero, which was dark, mysterious, and dashing. He was given no character development at all. Therefore, I found him bland. The mystery itself was very predictable. The story moves at a fast-paced, and the book is pretty short. The writing itself felt stilted, and there was some awkward dialogue. Thus, this was a light and very short mystery that can keep you entertained for a few hours. I recommend this fans of The Last Tiara!

Thanks to Escape publishing, Netgalley and the author for an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this book was so much fun to read! There was a plucky heroine and a swoon-worthy hero, plenty of witty dialogue and a couple of crimes to solve. This book is a stand-out in the genre and I am sure we will hear more from this author.

Theodosia is just the breath of fresh air that I needed.

Just a minor thing, but I don't think the cover reflects the humour and quality of the story.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. They s was a historical fiction/mystery set in the recency era. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The banter, tension and relationship build of Theodosia and William was so well done. I appreciated the fact that there was no sex I this book but enough simmer in it. I hope there are future stories with these characters. Very very well done!

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Somewhat clunky and the dialogue did not flow.

This was a very entertaining quick read. Love the characters, some were quite funny. It was nice to read a story with a strong willed heroine. I am hoping there will be more to follow.

I really enjoyed this story, it is the first that I have read from this author and I will be looking forward to more from her, she has combined a mystery and a romance that is filled with witty banter as we meet Lady Theodosia Fortescue-Brown, Lady Detective in the 1890’s in London her journey to finding love is one that will have you smiling throughout the story.

Lady Theodosia keeps herself hidden in London behind clothes and glasses that she does not need, her husband Hugo has been missing for two years now and she still searches for him, but being alone also gives her the chance to investigate prospective grooms from the ton for would be brides and now a very valuable necklace has gone missing, if she can solve this mystery then she may be able to stay in London.

Lord Montague, William heir to a dukedom is a notorious rake and is back in London to find himself a wife, when a priceless necklace goes missing from a friends place he instantly is there to help, he then meets Lady Theodosia and he is keen to work with her to discover the thief and return the necklace, this starts some fiery get togethers in their search she is so stubborn, but he is losing his heart to this strong courageous woman.

Looking for a new husband and love was not what Theodosia had in mind but the more that her and William work together the closer she was getting. Theodosia is a caring heroine and her staff will have you grinning they are quirky. There were many humorous, amusing and very entertaining moments throughout this story between the hero and heroine, I did thoroughly enjoy this story and I do recommend it, I loved the cover, it was what drew me to the book in the beginning.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review

What a fascinating historical romance this has been. Set in 1894 London, the story stars Lady Theodosia Fortescue Brown, Teddy to her close friends, has been searching for her missing husband Hugo for two years when the story opens. She’s also facing eviction from her London home as Hugo’s younger brother is keen to move in. Desperate to stay in London, Theodosia has fashioned herself as a detective to the upper echelons of female society. Finding a necklace belonging to the British royal family will not only help her best friend Lavinia save face but also establish her reputation. She hasn’t bargained on falling in love in the process and definitely not with notorious rake William, Lord Montague.
I loved both the mystery and the romance in this story as wellas thEquirky characters that populated Theodosia’s household. The story engaged my curiosity early on and would have held it throughout had I not been twitching with the urge to get out the red pen and correct the grammar, which really detracted from my enjoyment.

Lady Theodosia Fortescue-Brown has a problem. With her husband missing, presumed dead the past few years she has reached the end of the life she has grown accustomed to. Her brother in law has graciously allowed her to stay in her London home with no changes but with a wife of his own and an heir on the way it’s time for her to accept that things are changing. He’s set to send her off to the country and she has no intention of leaving London. I mean she does after all have her own business as a Lady Detective.

Unfortunately while she’s trying to plot a way to keep herself in London a friend is in desperate need of her services. Through an extreme bit of carelessness a priceless royal heirloom has gone missing. While it is an exciting case she still has other things to worry over. Avoiding being shuttled off to the country, maybe finding out extractor what happened to her missing husband in the first place and oh right avoiding remarriage and the attention of all men. Nothing apparently can go right for her including the arrival of the much admired Lord Montague, a dashing rogue with a bad reputation reputation and unfortunate amount of charm, and is heir to a Dukedom. Of course he has been involved in the case as another friend of the family. They will have to work together to get to the bottom of this theft. And she had to succeed it may be her only chance to hold on to her independence and remain. So can she achieve these goals? And is Lord Montague really the man everybody thinks he is? Who stole the necklace?

I do love a fun historical romance with mystery and humor and all kinds of shenanigans. Teddy was a great character. The story was very well written and I look forward to reading more of the author’s work in the future.

The plot had me chuckling out loud and so many times my husband asked what was keeping me in such good humor! Lady Theodosia is a Lady Detective. and the society ladies loved that they were taken serious fir once instead of being ignored by male detectives. Granted not all the cases were high profile, but they were important to the people asking for help.

The biggest case of the century fell into her lap, but she could be thwarted by Lord Montague the most incredibly handsome man of England. The two have laughs, sparks, and more.

The book is a fun Lighthearted Read that will keep you turning the pages just to discover the next twist or laugh!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Smart, confident but conflicted

I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky historical romance /mystery. To some degree, I found that the author was writing a bit tongue in cheek. The heroine was worried about her future, since her husband had been missing for several years and, if and when he was declared dead, his brother would take over the heroine's house and send her away to live in a small dower house. So the heroine needed to make her reputation as a detective in the extremely male centered Society. As time passed, she found herself at the same time attracted and repulsed by the hero.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time limited e-arc via netgalley with no obligation. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Wow-what a read. I found this hard to put down. It is the first by this author that I have read and found it a very refreshing and exciting read. I had me turning the page to see what was going to happen next. I found all the characters perfect for this story that had twists and turn, mystery adventure humor and romance. All their characters were brought to life through their humour and were nicely explained facial expressions. There was no sex in this book but a lot of sexual tension which went well with the story. It would have been nice to have an epilogue to finish the story off but I would not reduce my star rating over that. I will definitely be reading more by this author. I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and freely give my review.

The Lady Detective by Ava January is an excellent historical cozy mystery.

It features Lady Theodosia Fortescue-Brown, a bold, smart and courageous heroine who is trying to live her life to the best of her abilities which is very difficult considering she lives in a society where women are seen as propriety. As her husband has been missing for years she is trying to earn her living and establish herself as a ladies' detective. She also cherishes her position as a widow as it gives her as much freedom as possible in the society and to ensure that she is not swamped with marriage proposals she wears horrendous dresses and glasses, all of which are seen as very unladylike. Her situation is even grimmer as she is about to be evicted from her home and sent to country by her husband relatives.

When she get an invitation from an old friend to help find the most famous necklace she jumps to the chance, as it will help her to continue her life as she wants it. She has to work among others, with an infamous Lord Montague, widely known for his scandalous and daring way of life.
Throughout the case they start to appreciate each other's intellect and something resembling love interest starts to happen.

The mysterious case of missing national heirloom needs to be solved quickly as time is of essence and people's lives and position in society are at stake. There are several red herringsthroughout the book to mislead the readerand to keep things more challenging.
Story reads easily and smoothly. It is steady paced and there is never a dull moment. Romance and mystery are well blended together into a perfect mix.
Characters are realistic and believable and easy to get attached to. There are many humorous moments and funny banter between the main protagonists. They simply invite the reader to root for them.

Great story with an amazing heroine and dashing and brave hero, and one which I sincerely hope will continue as a series. I would love to read more of their adventures together.

Theodosia and William are on the hunt for a priceless necklace in this diverting story. The Lady Detective is a well written and thought out book, that leaves you looking for the next book (Jack, please!). I just love it when reality  smacks a character in the face and then realizing what is important and even what they've been missing in life. Ava January does a wonderful job of guiding a reader through all of the emotional twists and turns, let's not forget the plots twists and turns too! It's definitely worth a read!

The Lady Detective by Ava January

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
_________________________________________________________________________________
Story Notes

Ava January brings readers her first full length story that is hilarious and sharp witted but is a bit dulled by it's inclusion of coarse language and innuendo.

I love stories with strong female leads with a sharp tongue and brilliant brain. They make up some of my favorite genres and story recommendations and I try to purchase as many of those as I can to reread again. This story really was a very good one with plenty of spice going on between the characters and a wonderfully written mystery to keep readers guessing. Theodosia is a smart lady with an eye for investigation and a mind bent towards solving puzzles. She is fiercely independent and determined to discover a solution to whatever is presented her in any situation. I loved that she was a fighter for justice and willing to ask for help when the need arose - even if she still tagged along in the plan. And William was a fantastic hero, looking out for his friends and others who needed help and putting up with Theodosia's crazy plans. His protection of Theodosia, both physically and emotionally, might have earned him her glares but it didn't keep him from striving to keep her safe. I just wish there had been less cussing and sexual innuendo going on. I don't mind a little description of the admiration a character has for the physicality of another characters but I do not what to read about anything hinting or outright suggesting the description of a characters private regions. It's not tasteful or necessary in a story that has so much else going for it like a good plot, excellent characters and sharp wit - and this book as all three in abundance. So perhaps Ms. January can write those out of her next story and earn the five stars this book surely deserves otherwise. I will recommend this story as one that entertains but might be offensive to some readers for it's inclusions. I will keep Ms. January on my list of new authors to read for the moment and hope that her future works are those I can recommend without any hesitations.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Escape Publishing via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Escape Publishing for the chance to read an advance copy of The lady detective by Ava January. This was a fun and easy read for me. A sassy main character Lady Theodosia Fortescue-Brown (lets just call her Teddy) wants to remain a widow so hides behind glasses and hideous clothes so she can become a Lady Detective. When a priceless necklace from the Royal family goes missing Teddy must work with Lord Montague to recover it. For those who are into the Bridgertons series, they will enjoy this book. 31/2 stars rounded up.

The Lady Detective by Ava January is a slightly different kind of Victorian romance, laced with a crime and the skills needed to solve it. Theodosia Fortesque-Brown has been given notice by her brother-in-law that she has until the end of the month to remove herself to the dower house in Carlisle as he and his wife will be moving in to her home, well, her husband's home. It is his responsibility as the head of the family to care for her, but her gets to choose how. It has been two years since her husband disappeared and she is not ready to give up hope, despite the fact that her life has been incredibly easier those years as she has some independence with no husband to answer to. Her detective business is growing but will not yet supply her with the income she needs to survive. Lord Montague is never mentioned without the adjective "scandalous" attached to his name. Now he has returned to London, purportedly to find a bride. When she is summoned to her friend, Clementine's home on and emergency, she rushes to her friend's side, only to find the mysterious Lord Montague and a priceless necklace belonging to the royal family missing.

This was an absorbing and entertaining novel of a woman's struggle for independence in a time where that was nearly impossible. Teddy is bright and resourceful, if a little foolhardy on occasion. She wants to find this necklace. She needs to find this necklace so she can help her friend and increase her reputation so she can make a living. Montague is little more than a thorn in her side, although he swears he will find it first. It is fun and the mystery is not wholly transparent. Teddy gets herself in and out of jams and keeps everyone paying attention. It is a rocky ride, full of bumps and twists and turns. I enjoyed the journey I made in this eye-opening and staggering rendition of an unlikely duo solving a serious crime. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Lady Detective by Netgalley. All thought and opinions are my own. #netgalley #theladydetective

After the disappearance of her husband, Lady Theodosia Fortescue-Brown found away to keep her freedom. She hides her beauty and uses her intelligence to find all sorts of things. The latest item she is tasked to find could be the most dangerous yet.

Lord William Montague has a scandalous reputation, but is still one of the most desirable bachelors in the ton. There is a lot more to our hero than first appears.

Our heroine will go to the lowest dens of iniquity to the highest houses to find who or what she needs.

An exciting historical romance that keeps us intrigued from the first to the last page.

Great fun.

Will she be able to offer an alternative to her all mapped out future...

I must say this book was a surprise. It is was the cover first that drew my attention.
Such a daring heroine.
Plus it is told from her point of view. I do like when I have the main characters thoughts open to me, but with a mystery to solve, it would have spoiled part of the storyline.
Theodosia has been let down by every men I her life, why she learned one thing, to count and rely only on herself.
Yet now with an ultimatum, she has only few weeks to demonstrate her knack at being a lady detective and then maybe earn the means to open her business.
She is a kind and caring woman, in her own way, she fights for all the women, to give them a bit of control upon their life when they have none. She is witty, with repartee and a bunch of unusual employees.
What I was not fond was to see her change from a clever woman to a jelly puddle when in the vicinity of the male interest of the plot. I so dislike knees weak women.
Yet I loved following her in her quest for the culprit ( easily found) and looking for others answers, she demonstrates her strength and weakness, her doubts to measure up to the task and what it would mean if she fails.
She has to reevaluate what she wants and takes her chances by putting her future in the hands of another being. Will she be able to let her past scars to rest.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 some kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion

The Lady Detective is a fun book with protagonists Lady Theodosia and Lord William working to find a stolen royal necklace. The story moves well and the mystery was enjoyable. Some of the story was a little forced but overall I would recommend. A fun, light story. Feels like this will be part of a series and I would read the next installment.