Quite an enjoyable cosy mystery. I like the characters. Anything with cats gets my vote. I listened to the first of this series as an audiobook and I think I preferred that to reading it.

This was a fun installment in the Cassie Gwynn’s Mystery series. Cassie is a spunky and intelligent heroine! I love how her is depicted in the mysteries. The mystery itself is very clever, and I was interested in learning about the Pirates of Penzance. I found it difficult to keep up with the many characters in the story which detracted me from the plot. Thus, I recommend this for fans of Murder at Mallowen Hall, A Deadly Legacy, and Lady Odelia’s Secret!

Not for me, I have not seen the play that this references so often. Thank you for the review copy, but this should ultimately resonate with other audiences.

So this was one that I decided to read because the plot sounded really good. What I did not know was that this was a second book in a series. So because of that it was a little harder for me to feel a connection with the characters. But I really enjoyed this one. It was a cozy mystery which I liked. It was way less dark than the normal mystery's I read. Over all a really good read.

I am a sucker for a cozy mystery. This is the second book in the series and I hadn’t read the first so I’m definitely buying that one to read now. Really enjoyed

2nd in the series and this time Cassie is visiting family in Florida, as well as discovering more family members ,and solving a case there is also a romantic interest

However good this book is i felt it was slightly drawn out and padded out with too many characters

America 1883 and Cassie feels that she is finally home with her Aunt and beloved cat. A travelling
theater comes into town and Cassie takes on a role there as well. She loves the theater life and is
in her element but then death strikes a blow.

Lots of clues, accidents that just happen and Cassie is all out to solve the mystery as she feels the
police are not really doing very much. Whether she will be able to solve it all before the show goes
on the boards is the question. And will someone try to prevent her from doing so.

The confusion comes in the form of too many characters to follow so that one can get a mixed up.
The cozy part of the mystery is fine though.

I already love Cassie & was so excited to read a new book in her series! Just as the description says, there’s lots of murder mystery and a lovable cast of characters to add to ones from book one.

This is the second Cassie Gwynne mystery,
Set in Florida back in 1883
Orphaned, Cassie is staying with her Aunt for a while
Being with her helps her to smile!

They're given the chance to take part in a show
The Pirates of Penzance - which you'll probably know.
However the show is fraught with disasters so
Maybe this is one she really shouldn't give a go!

Along with the locals and the cast of the show
There are lots of characters - and pets - to get to know.
However, the disasters could happen to anyone there
So all of them really need to take great care!

Just what is happening and why?
Carrie is determined to discover, or at least try.
However, will that put her into danger, too?
When a murder strikes, what should she do?

Get ready for theatricals galore as this story unfolds
With mystery, mayhem and secrets untold.
As Cassie endeavours to discover
Who is guilty - the one confessing or some other?

With family drama to add to the mix
A good one to use for your historical cosy crime fix!
For my copy of this book, I say thank you,
An intriguing read and this is my honest review.

I loved this. The characters are well established having been introduced to them in book 1. The plot is very quick-paced. I loved the comedy that actors in the travelling troupe provided. They were an eccentric, flamboyant and superstitious lot, just what you would imagine a group of actors to be.
The mystery had me stumped and guessing right up to the last moment. There is an unexpected twist at the end and I'm looking forward to reading more in relation to it in the next book.
Cassie has yet to delve into the puzzle surrounding her father's death. It is all very mysterious and it has really piqued my interest. I want to find out what happened but at the same time I don't want the author to reveal too much too soon as I want the series to continue for a lot more books.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. I have been reading a lot of historical murder mysteries and thought this one had a lot of potential but sadly for this reviewer I was lost after the first page and although I tried to continue, as I got further into the book, for me it didn’t improve. I found that there were too many characters ( some with unusual names) and too much going on for me to relax and just enjoy the read. I found myself spending too much time going back trying to work out who was who and what was going on. I just got lost ☹ I know that a lot of people enjoy a lot of detail and this book was well written with a lot of good detail. I received this as an ARC through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

I really enjoyed Deception Most Deadly (the first Cassie Gwynn historical mystery from Genevieve Essig) so I was eagerly looking forward to A Plot Most Perilous.
It didn’t hurt that this time, the crime occurs in conjunction with the arrival of a traveling theater company.
I mean, historical mystery, feisty heroine, theater, Florida…seriously, what’s not to like?
It also doesn’t hurt that Pirates of Penzance is my favorite Gilbert & Sullivan. (Isn’t it everybody’s?)
I like the attention the author gives to what some might consider minutiae. I, for one, found the ins and outs of 1880s theater to be fascinating. Others might feel that the level of detail gets in the way of the plot. I can see both sides of that.
I will say that this is a “thinking person’s” type of historical mystery. If you are looking for lighthearted and mindless, this might not be for you.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and the author likes to go into extensive detail. Again, I appreciate it, because it feels like the author is mimicking the writing style of the time as well as the social mores, language etc.
In fact, in some ways, the secondary and “extra” characters are more entertaining than Cassie herself.
Regardless, it is all a ball of fun, and reading Genevieve Essig’s books make me feel like I am watching a penny newsreel in an old Nickelodeon.
(No, I’m not that old, but I remember them at amusement parks as “novelties.”)
You don’t need to read the first one to enjoy A Plot Most Perilous, but you will enjoy this one more if you do – if only to be able to understand who at least some of the standard characters are.
Another enjoyable read!

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Plot Most Perilous’ by Genevieve Essig in exchange for an honest review. I was also invited to take part in their publication week blog tour.

This is Book 2 in the Cassie Gwynne series of historical cosy mysteries set on Amelia Island Florida in the late 19th-Century.

December 1883 and Cassie Gwynne is settling into her new life in Florida with her aunt Flora and Esy, her playful kitten. When a flamboyant traveling theater troupe arrives in town Cassie can’t resist signing up to be part of the chorus. They are planning to do a production of The Pirates of Penzance. Yet the production goes awry from the start. One actor is convinced they are cursed because she had inadvertently spoken the name of the Scottish play. Everyone feels that she’s overreacting though then there is a death …..

No further details to avoid spoilers. Aside from the theatre plot, more details about the recent death of Cassie’s father and a secret from her past comes to light.

I found this great fun and a well plotted whodunnit. I really liked the theatrical plot line with its emphasis upon this popular comic opera. There are tropes that one would expect to encounter in such an environment including temperamental actors, backstage rivalries, and of course theatrical superstitions.

There was one down-to-Earth scene that was both amusing and unusual as it seems such everyday functions rarely find their way into fiction. While Cassie is dodging the advances of an amorous actor, she is gripped by food cramps and takes refuge in a public outhouse, where she has to wrestle with her voluminous gown while trying to retain Victorian-era decorum. Then there comes a knock at the door asking after her and she realises with horror that it’s Officer Hughes, the deputy that she fancies… she wonders how long he was standing there? I felt that Essig managed to capture Cassie’s acute embarrassment perfectly.

In her Letter to Readers, Genevieve Essig includes more details about the history of Fernandina and the buildings that appear in the novel; including the Lyceum on Centre Street that served as a community building, hosting events such as plays and balls. I always appreciate when an author anchors their narrative in reality as it provides a strong sense of place.

The only addition that I would wish for is a cast of characters as there are quite a few. I will also note the appealing cover design for both novels.

I had enjoyed the first in this series, ‘A Deception Most Deadly’, and now with ‘A Plot Most Perilous’ proving an lively and engaging read the Cassie Gwynne Mysteries is confirmed as a series that I will be adding to my list of ‘must read’ historical cosies.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This continuation in a series by Genevieve Essig is terrific! Set in the late nineteenth century on the fictional island of Fernandina, Florida, I really like Cassie Gwynne who I find to be likeable, curious and logical; she’s an animal lover, too, having a kitten named "Hesychia" (shortened to Esy). In this instalment, a travelling theatre is in town who are putting on a production of The Pirates of Penzance and Cassie is thrilled. She is persuaded to join the chorus but there is a tragedy in the troupe so Cassie gets involved.

Other fantastic characters in this series and tale include Aunt Flora and Cassie's romantic interest, Hughes. I did not foresee the outcome of the tale and I'm eagerly anticipating book three. 🙂🐈

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased

This was a thoroughly delightful read! Cassie is staying in Florida with her aunt Flora, at least for now. She is persuaded to join the chorus of a traveling theater troupe that promotes itself as donating all their profits to needy children. But when the star of the production meets an untimely end upon the stage, Cassie can’t help but do some digging. Is the troupe as altruistic as Mr. Gage made them out to be? Who, really, is Prince Richard Montgomery, and why doesn’t Flora seem to like him? So many questions!

A Plot Most Perilous is a quick read, set in the 1880s in Florida. (I love that it’s set in Fernandina, as I have a friend that lives there.) It’s clean, with hints of possible extramarital shenanigans but no overt adult content, and no strong language. It was just fun to read.

Cassie is smart and generous and kind. She and Hughes are adorable, as they both seem to be trying to figure out what the other feels about them. I hope to see their relationship develop in future books. And I absolutely love Flora and Jake! Once they move to a more official “relationship” status, they both struggle with communication and expectations of how they “should” act instead of how they’re accustomed to interacting with each other. Flora has to sort out how to maintain both her relationship and the independence she’s developed and nurtured for so long. Very believably written, as all of the characters seem to be.

And the end of this book, y’all. It made me smile, and made me want to read the next one RIGHT NOW.

If you’re looking for a clean, well plotted cozy mystery to take along on vacation or to curl up with on a Saturday afternoon, I highly recommend A Plot Most Perilous.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

I thoroughly enjoyed the second Cassie Gwynne mystery! A traveling acting troupe is in town and all the ladies are vying for parts in the ensemble. But tragedy strikes the troupe and it is up to Cassie to find the culprit. There are plenty of suspects both in the company and amongst the locals, with plenty of secrets that make finding the murderer challenging. While untangling this mystery, Cassie is considering what she now knows about her father's murder and that there is more to it than she may have originally thought. No spoilers, but a big surprise at the end makes me very anxious to read the next book!

I like the characters in this series and the setting. As a theater mom, I enjoyed the lesson in copyright laws in the late 19th century and the murder on the set of Pirates of Penzance. Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of #APlotMostPerilous.

There's a lot of potential in this book and it's the best one in this series as it's more gripping and fast paced.
It was a light and entertaining read that that made me smile and try to guess the culprit.
I was glad to meet again the very large cast of characters, both human and pets, and Cassie is growing on me as she shows her softer side.
These mysteries are also a good way to learn something new on the historical side.
The author did a lot of research and the historical background is well structured and vivid.
The mystery is complex and full of twists. I couldn't guess them and the end came as a surprise.
One note: even if I enjoyed this story I think that there's too many characters and sometimes I found hard to keep track of who-is-who.
Even if this is the second in a series it can be read as a stand alone.
I look forward to reading the next instalment, recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Hello! I liked this book and was pleased to have been granted an advance copy from NetGalley to read. I think a Plot Most Perilous had a great deal of potential, and I admit I did not read the first book in the series. I figured I would not have to have started with the first book, and that is, indeed, true and fortunate. A Plot Most Perilous is a cute murder mystery that is just fun and a break from the everyday...both in terms of real life and in terms of other mysteries out there. And anything that incorporates Gilbert and Sullivan is always clever! I quite like Cassie and Mr Hughes and their respective characters. However, overall, from the outset, I was lost in the plethora of characters and so many thrust upon the reader all at once. I love detail in books, but I think there was far too much of it all at once. That all said, if you want something fun, as an historical mystery, I would recommend a Plot Most Perilous. Thank you! :)

The second book in this series about Cassie Gwynne, heiress and orphan, who is visiting her family in Florida in 1883.

There is good plot in this book but unfortunately it struggles to survive under the sheer weight of characters! I thought there were a lot in the first book with Cassie's family, friends, animals, police officers and local residents. In this one we add a whole troupe of actors and their hangers on and I gave up trying to remember who everyone was.

Anyway Cassie makes a fool of herself, solves a crime, maybe furthers her relationship with a police officer and discovers another member of her family. We learn an awful lot about The Pirates of Penzance and early copyright law which was very interesting.

A murder mystery told with humour and interesting characters. I found elements of the plot a bit outlandish but it was still an enjoyable read! Good for those who want a light read as there wasn’t much character depth.