I am a little on the fence with this one. On one hand the last part was good and left me feeling quite satisfied. On the other hand I remember that I speed read whole chunks of the early book where nothing happened at all.

The story is about Cassie Gwynne who comes to visit her estranged Aunt Flora after the distressing events which led to her father's death. There is a lot of drama in this book. Many of Cassie's relatives seem to have died untimely deaths in dramatic ways. Cassie herself is an heiress so she buys lots of new clothes and sets off for Florida to visit her aunt.

Shortly after her arrival her aunt is accused of murdering someone who she thought had stolen her pig and this was where I started to skim. I like quirky books but this one got a bit out of hand. Eventually things settled down and I had a good guess at who the murderer was and all was well. Except for the scene with the donkey.

So three stars for a reasonably good read and I may well try book two. Cassie was very likeable as were several other characters and I think the author has it in her to produce a very good book once she settles into it.

The first book in a new series it's always the one where we meet the characters, visit the setting, and read about the first mystery being solved.
This is the first book in a new series, and I enjoyed it, loved the fleshed-out characters and the descriptions of the setting.
Cassie is a young woman who is recently lost her father and travelled to Fernandina to meet her aunt, the only living member of her family.
She's a complex character, I found her attempts to be a lady quite funny and appreciated the evolution of her character and how she investigates.
We meet a lot of characters in this story, and I liked how they were developed. I was a bit confused at times due to the high number, but I keep names and characters straight after a bit.
The historical background is well researched and realistic, the characters don't seem contemporary people in an old setting. They feel like they belong to their time.
The mystery is solid, and I was surprised by the solution. My only note is that it sometimes took the backseat, and it was a bit slow at the beginning.
I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading the next instalment. This one, even with some issues, was a pleasant and entertaining story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

As she was looking for a new beginning, her future is threatened…

There is nothing more enjoyable than a first book in a historical mystery series as it introduces the characters we are to follow along the cases.
Yet the beginning of this one was filled with many protagonists, a bit too many, lot of descriptions and details, so I quite struggled to enter the story, jingling with the names, places and links between them all.
Plus the action really began only near half mark.
Still, I liked the heroine’s past and secrets are all revealed here, clearing the air, like a new dawn, a clean slate for any further story.
Cassie is a young woman who after a traumatic event and a dramatic loss is rebuilding herself, new clothes, new place, new relationships.
Yet as her newly discovered aunt’s future is threatened, she has to revisit her family history and finds clues to exempt her of any suspicions.

Sure, assisting her late father in his business helped her to be able to see past first appearance and to look for hints. So here she is always a step ahead, untangling the many ramifications between the victim and the long list of possible suspects.

I do like my history mysteries with a dash of romance, but I do not know if there will be something in the next books, but here she closes a page of her life, so it might open her to something else later (Hughes?).
3.5 stars rounded up as it has premises for a good series.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none

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

Deception Most Deadly is the first in a new historical cozy mystery series with a quirky heroine. Now, quirky heroines are nothing new to the genre. In fact, it sometimes seems as if that’s a requisite of the genre.
But for me, Cassie Gwynne checks a lot of other boxes.
There are cute animals, interesting characters, and it is set in Florida.
Honestly, what’s not to like?
The mystery that Cassie finds herself involved in is accurate (if murders can be historically accurate). I thought it was an interesting choice to make the police so inept. That part did seem like a bit of a reach.
I mean, Cassie figuring everything out and giving the police the clues and almost telling them what to do next? That was the only part that did not ring true to me.
The author does a great job of capturing the language, manners, and overall feeling of the time period (1883!). I think this might actually be a problem for some readers, because it is a “wordier” time. The author reflects that in how the characters speak to each other.
I thought it was terrific, but I could see where some readers might find it challenging. Too bad for them; the era is accurately represented.
That being said, there were times that it seemed to bog down the narrative. Perhaps there is too much of a good thing? I don’t know. I will have to read the next installment to see if it gets to be too much.
For now, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am adding Cassie Gwynne to my historical cozy list!

Apologies but I’ve really struggled to get into this book. The style of writing and the American phrases just didn’t work for me.
I was due to be on the blog tour but I’ve now asked if I can share an extract.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Bookouture, in return for an honest review. This cozy mystery is set in 1883 Florida. Cassie Gwynne has come to her deceased mother’s hometown after her father’s death to live with her Aunt Flora. While she’s in her early 20s, Cassie is a product of that era and her father kept lots of practical life information from her. She’s fun, ‘spunky’ and kind. Aunt Flora is wonderful. She’s an independent businesswoman and animal protector, although she has her own past issues that return to haunt her.
There are lots of characters in the book to track – obnoxious Officer Hughes, Jake Gordon, Charles Hillard, Major Drury, Peanut Runkles, Miss Porter and Mrs. Keene, two children, several animals and that’s not all of them. This both allows lots of red herrings but also requires upfront story building in order to set the stage. That causes the book to drag in the first few chapters after Cassie’s arrival, although I loved her introduction to the town.
This series has great potential and Cassie’s growth will enable it to continue strongly.

Set in 1883, A Deception Most Deadly is Genevieve Essig's introductory novel in the Cassie Gwynne Mystery Series. This book opens as Cassie is arriving on Amelia Island, Florida from New York to visit her Aunt Flora. As the book evolves, the reader discovers that Cassie had never known about her aunt until she discovered a batch of letters amongst her father's papers after his death about a year before.

The author does an excellent job of developing the characters in this book, including Cassie's deceased father making each very credible and human. The details regarding the town and surrounding area allow the reader to accurately visualize the setting and truly get involved within the plot to solve the case alongside Cassie. Although there are several twists and red herrings thrown into the mix, none are such that they would be unrealistic or forced. Each of the suspects that were investigated along the way could easily have committed the crime but when the killer was finally revealed, it was not only a surprise but also a statement as to how anyone can take a wrong turn by making the wrong choices in life. A significant positive note within this book is the intertwined message of making choices and then living with the consequences and results of those choices and their effect on both the one who made the choice and the people who surround them in their everyday life.

I look forward to future installments in this series to see how these characters continue their lives in Post-Civil War America.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wonderful clever start to a new series. Looking forward to reading more and getting to know the characters more.

The cover grabbed me ... the book? Not so much, which is horribly unfortunate. I love a good historical mystery and was looking forward to a new series of interesting characters but here the characters were more like caricatures if that makes any sense. It probably doesn't, but neither did most of what I read. I'm sure there are a lot of readers who will get a kick out of the stereotypes and absurdities and will be looking forward to future installments of the series. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be one of them.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Deception Most Deadly’ by Genevieve Essig in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first in the Cassie Gwynne series of historical mysteries set in late nineteenth century Florida.

It’s 1883 and following the death of her father, Cassie Gwynne is looking for a fresh start. She has travelled by steamboat from New York to Amelia Island, Florida where her Aunt Flora lives and runs a perfumery business. Cassie has hardly started settling in when she and Flora come across a body!Then Flora is arrested and the local police appear to consider it an open and shut case. So, in order to clear Flora’s name Cassie decides to undertake her own investigation.

It’s always fun to start a new series of historical cosy mysteries. I found Cassie an engaging lead and appreciated the theme of animal welfare. Plus, as the cover indicates, Cassie soon acquires her own feline companion.

There are quite a few characters introduced and a number of subplots. This led to my feeling that there was a bit too much going on; though I can appreciate that the author may have been overly enthusiastic about launching her plucky heroine into the world.

I felt that the historical setting was well realised. The author provided historical details of Fernandina, which had been a haven for outsiders of all kinds. It seems likely to provide a rich environment for future books in the series.

Overall, I felt that this was a promising start and will be looking forward to news of further Cassie Gwynne mysteries.

Cassie travels from her home in New York to meet her Aunt Flora in the town of Fernandina, Florida.
Aunt Flora is truly modern woman of 1883 - never married, no children, owns her own business - a perfumery recently ruined a fire. Though she has many friends, and pets - Aunt Flora also has a few enemies , such as Peanut Runkles, her next door neighbor.
On an evening walk, Cassie finds his body; Aunt Flora is charged with his murder and Flora is determined to prove her innocence.
In the course of the investigation, Cassie learns about her father, recently deceased, as well as many family secrets.
This is a slow build cozy mystery - twists were good as well as family secrets. But the story lagged - could be cut down to allow for a quicker and more interesting read.

A historical crime thriller set in the 1800s, this book had lots of promise. I enjoyed the idea of a strong female protagonist that was set up in the first chapter, and the idea of a type of 'locked door' small town mystery. Unfortunately I found the exposition very slow and the narrative voice false and distracting. I wouldn't recommend this book, but might try the next in the series if it's much shorter!

This book is LONG and there's a lot of exposition to get through before the fun starts. I got a little bored with it and kept moving on to look at other stuff. I thought I figured out who the murderer was right away but it turns out I was wrong about that guess. I did guess who it was halfway through and felt frustrated Cassie couldn't figure it out. The clues were a little obvious. Usually, this is the type of cozy mystery I enjoy where the victim was someone so nasty that everyone has a motive for murder. In this book, however, it drags the story out too long because there are SO many characters to introduce. There's also a lot of info dumping about the history of Fernandina. It ties into the mystery but again it makes the story feel a little too long and dragged out. The story picks up in the second half and I wasn't bored with it anymore.

Cassie is a likable enough character if you like flawed heroines. She's young- early 20s, and sheltered. She's a LOT naive even after the death of her father at the hands of some would-be robbers. As soon as she revealed her story I knew exactly what had happened. At first as she teases her backstory with little dribbles of information, it seems as if her father died a natural death. Her father bears some of the blame for treating her like a child and not explaining why. I understand completely he didn't want to risk losing her after all he had been through. Cassie is clumsy and awkward around her childhood crush. I like that about her even though it makes me cringe to read it. It makes Cassie more human and relatable. She also clashes with a hot-tempered, obtuse policeman. Cassie is kind to animals and children and very perceptive. She notices things other people don't and knows a bit about how the law works because she used to help her father with his work. I think she knew a lot more about what happened to Peanut than she realized, especially after I figured it out. Her dramatic and comedic confrontation with the murderer is true classic cozy mystery style!

Aunt Flora is fabulous! I want her for my aunt or sister, since she's younger than I am now. I adore her for her passionate animal rights defense. She's not PETA passionate, she doesn't eat animals but she doesn't mind if her friends eat animals around her. She puts a tie on a pig and keeps animals as pets. Aunt Flora loves each and every member of her menagerie as if they were her children and like any mother, she reacts badly when one of her children is threatened or harmed. Aunt Flora is kind and welcoming to everyone she meets. Most people, aside from the sexist men, adore her. She's a talent parfumier (I'm allergic so no visits to Aunt Flora for me) and carries on as if her precious composition book has not just burned in a fire. She does turn out to be a flawed character, though. I forgive her for her past mistake and give her a lot of credit for trying to make amends. Was it even her fault? Esme Cole is Aunt Flora's devoted apprentice. Talented in her own right, she is eager to help Aunt Flora recreate the recipes lost in the devastating commercial block fire. I get the sense Aunt Flora likes Esme but often overlooks the other woman or Esme sometimes feels that way. Aunt Flora is carelessly kind to Esme, I think. She gets consumed by her passion for making perfume she forgets the human element.

Officer Hughes is an ineffective policeman. He's hot-tempered and rude to Cassie and anyone who stands in his way. I sense he's going to be a love interest if this becomes a series. He does eventually improve and sucks it up to investigate the murder-after Cassie has done most of the work. Jake Gordan is a much more pleasant and agreeable man. He's devoted to Flora and is a devoted father with his little girl Metta. Jake is calm and sensible in the face of adversity, except when he fears his daughter is missing. Metta is precocious and I find her a little annoying. Her pal, Paddy is funny and enterprising. The animals are cute but aside from the bird, I kept forgetting which was which. Roger, the pig, is the cutest of all the pets but Cassie's kitten almost makes me like cats.

Flora's closest allies are Miss. Porter and Mrs Keene. They seem to be of the so-called bluestocking variety of women. Nosy but only to the point of wanting to help a friend, they're eager to hear when the coroner's jury has to say and pitch in to save Flora. They're very funny. I enjoyed them and wanted more. Mrs. Kenne is a strong woman. She's kind of domineering in a way. Her son-in-law Mr. Charles Hillard, can't stand up to her and seems afraid of her. Mr. Hillard is a merchant, isnurance agent and lawyer. He's overworked and underpaid and I don't think he's all that bright. It's Cassie who figures out connections in Mr. Hillard's papers. Major Drury, the town drunk, pops up for comic relief and sometimes for misdirection in the investigation. Occassionally it seems like he may know what he's talking about after all. Mrs. Rydell at the post office is the biggest gossip in town. She's lively and fun and seems to be on Flora's side. She wants to hear what Jake and Cassie have to say so she can tell everyone else. This could be valuable in getting the people on Flora's side.

Peanut, the nasty neighbor who ends up murdered, is truly an awful person. He's fueding with Flora over property rights. He's an angry, ill-tempered man and hasn't been remotely pleasant to anyone since his wife died years ago. He threatens to shoot anyone who sets foot (or hoof, or paw) on his property. Peanut will shoot to kill too. SO, who among the townspeople wanted him dead the most?

I don't understand why the coroner is the one to handle investigating the crime and why the conquest has a jury meeting privately with the suspect and witnesses behind closed doors? Why is the coroner an elected official? He threatens the police to stay out of HIS investigation. What the heck? Mr. Shaw is horrid. He's stupid, small-minded, has a giant ego and seems to be on a big power trip. I admit that some of the clues DO point to Aunt Flora but would the woman who can't bring herself to kill an ANIMAL, not even for food, kill a human being? Yes animals are better than people but still, in 1883, killing animals is normal behavior. Plus, she's a woman and most men wouldn't believe a woman could do such a thing. Is Mr. Shaw covering up for someone, like say himself? Or what about his wife who seems to be the only one mourning Peanut! Her brother, Mr. Meeks, keeps following her around town. What does he suspect her of doing? Was she having an affair with Peanut? EW! Could Mr. Meeks have killed his sister's lover to protect her reputation? He seems to have a temper and has no problems laying a hand on a woman so why not a man?

Mr. Ambrose Smalls had a run-in with Peanut that caused him to lose valuable cargo, therefore a lot of money. His alibi is super weak and sounds fishy to me. What was he really up to Tuesday night? William Marsden runs the Three Star Saloon in town, a place Peanut frequently visited. Cassie thinks there may be a motive there but how can she find out? Mr. Downing lives next to Peanut and owed Peanut money, yet they were last seen getting along great. Did Mr. Downing stab Peanut in the back (or front in this case) to avoid paying what he owed? That was a HUGE risk he took and not a good one. His family would be devastated and destitute if Peanut called in that debt. Peanut had an ongoing argument with Captain Beale. That gives Capt. Beale a motive for murder. Who is the man with the large nostrils people have seen around town and can't identify? Hopefully he's the murderer and not a local.

Sam, an old friend from New York, turns up on Amelia Island. Cassie hasn't seem him since they were children getting into mischief together. Her heart thumps wildly when she sees him and she becomes an awkward, clumsy girl. I don't like Sam or trust him. He's CLEARLY broke and after her money. He's rude, mean and has a bad temper. I don't like the way he treats his sister Lily. It is not his JOB to know what's best for her. She's an adult with a brain in her head. She may be a mean girl and a total stereotype of a southern belle but she knows what she wants. Sam is not her father. I'm sure they have enough money for a divorce if Lily's husband proves to be a wastrel or get him arrested on some charge. Sam would consider it an embarassment and they'd have to leave Savannah AGAIN probably never to return until their family name is forgotten. With Brooks, Lily's chosen one, that wouldn't be hard to do. The man is often drunk and spends money like there's no tomorrow. Rumor has it all is not what it seems witb him and Cassie aims to find out if it's true. Is he connected to Peanut's murder? There are so many suspects and so many motives! Who killed Peanut?

I liked this book but I'm not sure I'd want to read another. Maybe I'd give it a try if it's a little shorter.

A very special book, a girl in an adventure she doesn't want but she must to be able to save her only family member alive.

The main character I believe has to deal with more than a normal person in her situation and time will be able to handle but she does her best and clears up the problems.

I had, unfortunately, struggle to read this book. I feel very sad about it since my expectations were very high. I believe it was not the book for me but hey, it could be the one for you.

📑This ARC was granted to me through NetGalley and approved by Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

This is the first in a new cozy mystery series set in the 1880’s and starts with our heroine, Cassie Glynne, move from her home to meet her aunt and only surviving relative, following the death of her father. Her father was a well known successful lawyer and investigator who lost his life defending Cassie in a fight.

Meeting her aunt Flora and immediately becoming involved with the death of a local man she makes investigating the crime her business and reignites friendships from her childhood.

The story is good but I felt it was too lengthy, there were too many characters to meet and understand. There were good descriptions also of the settings but again maybe too many. I skipped some as I wanted to find out what was happening with the mystery and solving of the crime.

I would be interested in reading the next to see if the characters grow into themselves and if they develop more.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first book in the cosy/historical mystery series (set in the 1880s) with Cassie Gwynne, who, after her father´s death, moves from New York to her aunt Flora in Florida, only to find her in jail. The mystery happens soon, and her aunt is a suspect. As Flora is an animals´ activist, we meet a lot of animals she saved, but also people around her. After the quick beginning the book drags, and the mystery isn´t necessarily solved by detection or thinking. I loved aunt Flora, and there are other nice characters, but they are too many. Several men will probably put the series forward.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The year is 1883 and Cassie Gynne has just arrived in Florida from New York after her father's death and is about to meet her aunt Flora. Not quite prepared to find the dead body of Peanut Runkles, Cassie is further shocked to find that due to previous quarrels between Flora and Peanut, not only is Flora a prime suspect, she is immediately jailed. Cassie may not know her aunt, but she depends on her gut feeling that her aunt is innocent, and vows to do whatever she can to prove that.

Cassie sticks her nose in whenever and wherever she can, even to the point of sneaking about Peanut's residence. Upon so doing, she finds a curious note in a hidden drawer of his. Could this be the clue she needs to prove her aunt's innocence and be the one to solve the crime? At the same time, how will Cassie avoid the dangerous pitfalls of asking one too many questions? Then considering that the victim had run-ins with more than a few people keep Cassie quite busy, even if it means clashing with those responsible for solving this case at hand.

All while Cassie is working on this, she is also trying to fit into the role of a lady, donning appropriate fashion. This makes this cozy mystery all that more enjoyable. There was a very light flow to this enjoyable story, especially considering how Cassie met her aunt for the very first time.

What an engaging read to what promises to be quite an enjoyable new series. Meeting Cassie definitely made it easy for me. She is more than likeable, as is her aunt Flora. The fact that they both loved animals and that there was an adorable kitten along for the ride only added to the delightful charm this book had.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

It's 1883, Cassie's father has been killed and she's moved to Florida. Wow is it different-the heat,, the humidity, the people. And then,, just as she's settling in, her aunt Flora becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her neighbor Peanut, a man no one liked. Cassie of course must work to clear her aunt's name. This is classic cozy territory but transplanted to a different time and place. Unfortunately, for me at least, the time period wasn't respected with Cassie acting more like a modern protagonist (chewing gum and so on) than a woman of the period, I suspect this is the first in a planned series, which would account for the lengthy scene setting and numerous characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Meh for me but I'm interested in where this goes next.

Cassie Gwynne is an heiress and discovered upon her dad’s death an aunt she never knew existed. So off she goes, to Fernandina, an island city to hook up with Aunt Flora.

Aunt Flora is highly unusual in that she is an independent perfume entrepreneur who is an animal lover. It’s her pig that first lands her in the pokey when he goes rooting around the neighbor’s garden. Peanut Runkles is the pending victim and though no love is lost to anyone in the town, all points turn to Cassie’s aunt.

I enjoyed: (1) The sense of humor, and (2) The animals.

What I did not: (1) The length of the narrative. (2) The characters. (Incomplete fleshing or engagement.). (3) Historical questions: LOTS of gum chewing. Other little details that I questioned being common (or at all) in that time period. (4) Cassie found the body fairly quickly and provided the inept local police the clues.

Descriptive scenes at the beginning were good, but heavy dialogue dispensing innocuous minutiae seriously slowed the narrative. Sorry, but this obviously is not a book for me. I started skip-reading pages and still the mystery was no further along. At that point, I didn’t care. 2.5 stars

The author has put a great deal of detail in to this story - to build up the setting and characters. Cassie and her Aunt are definitely two peas in a pod and their strong willed nature is something that seems to get them in to trouble.

This is the first in the series and it will be interesting to see how the characters pan out in future books.