The Fourth in Dianne Freeman's series set in Victorian England follows Frances, widow to the late Earl of Harleigh, and her fiancee George Hazleton as they try to solve the murder of a mysterious French woman. She not only claimed to be Russian royalty, but also wife to Hazleton and that her life has been threatened. Frances trusts her fiancee and does not believe any bit of that is truth... until her body is found on her property and she and George become prime suspects.

A thoroughly charming Victorian whodunit featuring a VERY convoluted case: the victim claimed to be a member of the Russian royal family *AND* the wife of heroine Frances' fiance George, and it's difficult to untangle the surprising truth from the outlandish fabrications.

I've been enjoying Freeman's frothy series, which nicely balances on the edge of cozy while still carrying enough bite and substance to satisfy me, and I found this installment even more fun than the previous book. The historical details and setting are convincingly authentic. Frances is still a heroine worth rooting for and George remains dashing, but their relationship is not entirely idyllic or saccharine, thankfully, which allows Freeman to weave in commentary on how constricting society's rules are and the awful double standards/restrictions that have always been applied to women.

It's fun to watch Frances and George cut through the knot of the mystery together, and the ending is plenty dramatic. All in all, a solid way to spend an afternoon, though newcomers to the series should probably start with book one and work their way forward, as this would be an awkward intro (and not nearly so fun without knowing all of the Previously On... bits).

I find Frances and George so delightful, I doubt I’ll ever tire of them. Their newly engaged status is put to the test when a woman arrives in London claiming to be George’s wife, is subsequently murdered, and leaves total chaos in her wake. How Frances remains to keep herself together through all this remains the biggest mystery. The mystery was well paced, and I was relatively surprised when the identity of the murderer was revealed. I hope to see more of Aunt Hetty and her new… friend Gilliam - he seems fun. Can’t wait for the next book! We must see Frances and George married!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Earlier this year I read the second and third book in this series, and absolutely fell in love with Frances. So of course I requested the fourth book from Netgalley.

I have to say I was quite nervous to start it though. I hate when the ‘stop the wedding, he is already married’ trope is thrown in. Especially when I actually like the romance, which is rare. Thankfully George resolved the issue very switfly, so I could actually enjoy the presence of his ‘wife’. She was incredibly annoying, but supposed to be so making it quite entertaining.

Frances was superb as always. There is something about her ‘voice’ that I thoroughly enjoy. She cares somewhat about what society thinks about her, but not enough to let it hinder her in what she wants to do. She is cunning, effective, forceful, clever and witty. I also really appreciated the adventure aunt Hetty was sent on. I’m so happy for her.

I suggested that Aunt Hetty and I check Miss Teskey’s room.

“But wouldn’t the police have locked the door?

“Oh, good thinking. I’ll get the key from Mrs. Thomspon first.”

“Don’t you suppose Delaney locked the door to keep us out?”

“I’m certain of it, but if you want to investigate a crime, you can’t allow such trifling matters stop you.”

The writing is very easy to get into, and I finished this book in a single day. It was just fun and lighthearted, whilst also incredibly intriguing with interesting plot lines and a fascinating mystery. I was genuinly quite surprised by the ending, but it worked really well.

Overall, a great addition to a wonderful series. I loved it, and already cannot wait for the next book. It looks like we will be getting a wedding soon!

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read A FIANCEE'S GUIDE TO FIRST WIVES AND MURDER by Dianne Freeman.

Frances, the Countess of Harleigh, meets a woman who claims to be married to her fiance, George Hazelton, then Irena Trezby is murdered.

Frances and her fiance are accused of murder and they find the killer.

I thought this was well crafted mystery. I liked how there was closure at the end of the story.

I’m already looking forward to the next instalment in the series. Yes, it was that good. I have read the others in the series and enjoy the characters, the plot twists and the reparte that are evident.

The main character's understanding of the constraints of society she is forced to live by, the way she still manages to build the relationships she values, clear reputations of those close to her and solve the murders that are challenging the police make for an engaging read. It's quite a surprise to see Alicia (Frances's husband's lover) and Frances working together, in fact agreeing on just what the best way forward could be.. Where will this story go next? I think I hear wedding bells?

I highly recommend this cosy, murder mystery novel.

With thanks to #NetGalley, Kensington Books and the author for my free advanced reader copy to review in exchange for an honest opinion

A mystery that is witty, poignant and. awesome.
The American-born Countess of Harleigh uncovers more deadly intrigue among the upper crust.
Frances and George are too funny in this novel of intriguing details and a love that is not meant to be.
This madcap story is amazing.
I am new to this author who has me in stitches.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Is it bad when you are glad the person murdered in the book brings you joy? When a woman show's up claiming to be George's wife, you know that life is about to get interesting for Frances. Despite how annoying the imposter wife is, this was still an enjoyable read. Though I am curious how many people are going to be found dead on Frances' property? These are light and enjoyable reads and they will continue to be part of my to-read list as Freeman continues this series.

Irena is irritating in a way that makes things interesting. She shows up declaring that she's the wife of George, something that Frances believes is a lie. In order for society not to find out and ruin George, Frances houses Irena. When Irena is found dead, Frances has to figure out who wants her dead beside herself.

I was sad when Irena died. It was fun figuring out the truth and lies that Irena told about her life. Surprisingly, there were a lot of truths.

George and Frances make a cute detective couple.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

The Countess of Harleigh mysteries just keep getting better and better!! This one kept me on the edge of my seat! I never saw that ending coming!! I CANNOT wait for the next book!!!!!! This is, by far, my favorite series! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️


DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Frances, Countess of Harleigh, and George Hazelton have hit a little snag in their marriage plans. A very beautiful younger woman has popped up claiming to be Mrs. George Hazelton. She threw a rock at one of the Romanovs visiting London, which did not endear her to the police, and dropped George's name to get out of jail. George vehemently denies the marriage but does indeed know the woman. What is Frances to think? The London rumour mill goes into full production as Frances and George try to resolve the situation. One of the things I love about this series is how much George appreciates her intelligence and thought processes. He actually enjoys working with her on investigations and Frances relishes his regard. Plus they love each other to the moon and back!

The Countess of Harleigh books just get better and better as the series goes on. A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder is the fourth in the series and every book has been so much fun to read. Each book always has a great cast of characters with our beloved Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, and George Hazelton as the central characters of each story. This time round a woman shows up claiming to be George's first wife as they are planning their engagement party. Just when things seem like they can't get any worse, the woman ends up murdered in Frances' garden and they find themselves the primary suspects.

I already mentioned the great characters in the book, but it also has an intriguing mystery with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing. One of my very favorite things about the entire series is the humor and witty dialogue. I always find myself laughing out loud while reading these books. They are just so much fun to read!

Thanks so much to Kensington and Netgalley for the digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

This was the first book of the series that I read and I loved it. I felt that I could understand all the different characters and I enjoyed the plot immensely. The best part is that I thought I knew who dunnit, but there was just the right twist and turns that kept me guessing and wondering. I really hope the series continues as I would love to read more about Frances and George. I need to go back and read this series from the beginning!

Dianne's Freeman's novels are entertaining, intriguing, and just plain fun. This one doesn't disappoint. Lady Harleigh finds herself in another situation where she and her fiancee must solve a murder. This time it's of a young woman who might or might not have been her fiancee's first wife. We learn more about the British aristocracy and its penchant for snubbing anyone who has a hint of scandal around them. It's great fun, and I didn't guess who the murderer was until just before Lady Harleigh did. Keep 'em coming, because I love this series.

1899 Irena Hazelton has turned up at the home of her husband George, fiance to Frances, Countess of Harleigh stating that she is of Russian royalty, and that her life is in danger. Soon she is found dead in Frances's garden. How many suspects can there be for someone recently arrived in town, or what motive is there to kill this annoying female. Inspector Delaney, with amateurs Frances and George investigate.
Overall an enjoyable cosy historical mystery
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth book in Ms. Freeman's Countess of Harleigh mystery series and the best one yet. I was quickly drawn into the story from the first chapter when "Mrs. George Hazelton" showed up on Frances' doorstep with Inspector Delaney.

The story moves swiftly and becomes complex as not only is "Mrs. George Hazelton"/Irena a drama queen but her stories are a combination of some truth and lots of fantasy which Frances and George need to sort out before they can begin to get to the truth. Ms. Freeman's descriptive writing includes visiting Russian royals, Irena's real husband, a diverse group of suspects and a huge plot twist that I never saw coming. I also loved that Frances' Aunt Hetty got to shine in this one with her own new relationship as well as her business acumen. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in one day.

There’s nothing like meeting a woman who introduces herself as your fiancés wife. Even stranger is finding her dead in your garden and then having to investigate to prove said fiancé’s innocence.
Frances has her work cut out for her in this investigation as the deceased woman is also an illegitimate daughter of Russian royalty and it’s unclear if she was murdered for that or by one of the many people who disliked her. It also brings readers into the world of the theatre, as she had a partnership in a local one. Lily is on her honeymoon, and Rose is with Frances’ mother in Paris, so the family drama is not entwined with this story and it focusses on clearing George’s name as a potential bigamist and murderer. There were a nice number of red herrings and further insight into the politics and society of London. I hope there’s more to come in this enjoyable series.

Well, I didn’t see that coming! That is what I love when I start reading a book and this one had me at the very beginning of the story and it continued through the whole book. This is the second book in this series that I have read and loved it just as much as the last one. Ms. Freeman has a way of bringing humor and fun into a cozy murder mystery. The characters were wonderfully written, you felt you could engage with each of them and the storyline kept you guessing to the end. I found this book very hard to put down. A great read and I now look forward to the next in the series. There was no sex in this book. I received this as an ARC and freely give my review.

Another successful book in this series. Nothing earth shattering but just a good story and easy, fun read. Lots of the regular characters with some new ones added in makes this interesting and a little mystery makes it readable. This was not my favorite in the series but still a good read.

This was a really cute and fun read. I hadn’t read the others in the series but I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything pertinent to this story.

The mystery was good, the characters engaging and the setting was enticing. I will definitely be reading the rest of these books.

Thanks you netgalley and Kensington books for this arc in exchange for my honest review.