Historical cozy mystery, maybe? But regardless a good read. Miss Morton has had her share of heartbreaks and disappointments, going from Lady to a paid companion, called off engagement. Always keeping her chin up, ignoring the Ton and gossips. Making plans to collect her younger sister from her aunt’s care and make a life together. When her aunt invites her to her cousin’s birthday house party, she convinces her to invite her employer and her daughter. The manor holds many memories, some good, the most bad and then the butler goes missing and is later found dead….murdered. Within in 24 hours Miss Morton great aunt is founded dead…..murdered. Plus there are old mysteries and secrets, which a curious Miss Morton, along with help from her employer and mentor need to solve.
The ending is not what one expects, but for that time period in history it is believable.
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #MissMortonandtheEnglishHousePartyMurder

Families that play together?______3.5

A family reunion of a sort, a dead body, seemingly troubled staff, plus an unforgiving ex fiancé makes for a satisfying read. After her father’s untimely death revealed habits unbecoming a member of the ton, Lady Caroline Morton and her sister Susan had been living with their aunt, Lady Eleanor Greenwood. Treated more as an unpaid servant, rather than a family member, Caroline left to charter her own course. As Miss Morton she steps out and become a paid companion. Caroline returns to Greenwood Hall for her cousin Mabel’s birthday party and ball, and to see her young sister. Her employer a wealthy widow, Mrs Matilda (Marry) Frogerton and her daughter Dorothy will accompany Caroline. Matty sees this a chance for Dorothy to rub shoulders with loftier members of society. Caroline’s former fiancé’s presence, Lord Francis Chatham’s is disturbing, as is that of Dr. Harris for entirely different reasons.
When death strikes Caroline and Matty begin investigating. They discover a troubled household with a thinly veiled atmosphere of turbulence. And that’s just the beginning.
Quite a complex mystery, ending on a strange note even if the mystery was reconciled. I will be interested in seeing how this series progresses.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

The first book in the A Miss Morton Mystery series. Lady Caroline Morton's story of suspense, drama, murder, danger, twists, turns, villains, and a mystery. The story is well written and kept me turning pages. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a historical mystery! I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I did I had a hard time putting it down. The mystery is exactly what I like about mysteries, as in I wasn’t sure who the culprit was until the author raveled it to me. The characters are spot on and the pace though slow at the beginning, picks up and makes the book an excellent read. I hope there will be more in the series.

London - 1837

Caroline Morton and her younger sister, Susan, were left penniless after their father’s death leaving them to live with their aunt, Lady Eleanor Greenwood. The sister’s father spent their dowry money left for them by their mother. Now, Caroline works as a companion for Mrs. Frogerton.

When Caroline receives an invitation at attend a house party at her aunt’s for her cousin, Mabel’s 17th birthday, her aunt also invites Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter Dorothy to attend as well.

Upon arrival at the party, Lady Greenwood is not feeling well which leaves Caroline to greet the guests and get them settled. One attendee is Lord Francis Chatham to whom Caroline had once been engaged but she called it off.

The weather is very bad so people are unable to get outside. The elderly butler falls in the cellar injuring his head. Dr. Harris is called to attend to him. At the same time, Caroline’s great aunt is found murdered. Lady Greenwood chooses to keep this information secret from the guests. Lady Frogerton is intrigued by the mysteries and wants to solve them with Caroline’s help. When another person is killed, no one feels safe. What is happening? Is someone getting revenge for some reason?

These two ladies are strong characters that I admired. They are intelligent and now afraid of trying to solve this mystery. I felt that the story was slow and needed to be moved along at times. However, the pace of life in a Regency house party is slow so I’m sure that the author wanted to stay with that time period and paced the story that way. If you like to solve whodunits, this is a book you will like.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was an interesting story. I loved how clues were being left. Caroline and her employer, Mrs. Frogerton, worked well together. They made a cute solving duo. The case kept me guessing who the killer was. I felt the story was strengthened with Caroline's history and those around her, and the ending was worth the read.

I received an ARC of this story, and this is my unsolicited review.

Lady Caroline Moreton doesn’t have many options as the penniless daughter of a deceased earl who died in suspicious circumstances, so she takes a post as a lady’s companion to the wealthy widow Frogerton. Just as Caroline is getting accustomed to her new position, her aunt, Lady Eleanor Greenwood, invites her and her employer to a house party in the countryside to celebrate her youngest daughter’s birthday. Mrs. Matilda (Matty) Frogerton sees this as an opportunity to introduce her own rather wild daughter, Dorothy, to the ton, and Caroline is eager to see her sister, who as a child lives with their aunt. But all is not well at the Greenwood estate. For one thing, Lady Caroline’s former fiancé, Lord Francis Chatham, is a guest and refuses to speak to her. Far worse, after a series of troubling harassments of the staff, an elderly family member is found stabbed by a knitting needle. As Caroline and an unexpected ally—Mrs. Frogerton—attempt to solve the chilling crime, they discover the culprit may be leaving bizarre clues as to who will be next in the nursery.
This is the start of a new series & I thoroughly enjoyed it but I didn’t really like Caroline she was a bit too much in peoples' faces & her way of investigating grated on me. So saying it was a good read & the characters were well fleshed some I liked & some I really disliked. I will read more of the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

London 1837, after Caroline's father’s unfortunate death, she is employed to be by Mrs. Frogerton's side and to help ease her daughter Dorothy’s way in society.
Her aunt Lady Eleanor Greenwood didn't agree to this job but accepted to invite Caroline, Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter to a house party at Greenwood Hall, a huge house that was built in Tudor times.
This is a house where we face murder, secrets and unpleasant people!

“I have been to several such parties in my life, ma’am, and I can assure you that murder has never been on the agenda. The most scandalous thing I’ve ever seen is some gentleman being caught in the wrong lady’s bedchamber, ..."

I love the cover and I think this was an entertaining cozy historical mystery, easy to read, I always enjoyed murder stories in a castle, overall this was a good book, I liked the story, but unfortunately, this book has many unpleasant characters for me, they are mostly selfish and rude, probably was supposed to be funny!

Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder is a new start for the historical mystery, I hope the next one be more pleasant.

Thanks to Kensington Books via Netgalley for ARC, I have given my honest review, publication date 31 May 2022.

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The options for the penniless daughter of a deceased earl are few indeed in Regency England. So, following the suspicious death of her father, the Earl of Morton, and the discovery that she and her much younger sister have been left without income or home, Lady Caroline takes a post as a lady’s companion to the wealthy widow Frogerton.

Just as Caroline is getting accustomed to her new position, her aunt, Lady Eleanor Greenwood, invites her and her employer to a house party in the countryside to celebrate her youngest daughter’s birthday. Mrs. Matilda (Matty) Frogerton sees this as an opportunity to introduce her own rather wild daughter, Dorothy, to the ton, and Caroline is eager to see her sister, who as a child lives with their aunt.

But all is not well at the Greenwood estate. For one thing, Lady Caroline’s former fiancé, Lord Francis Chatham, is a guest and refuses to speak to her. Far worse, after a series of troubling harassments of the staff, an elderly family member is found stabbed by a knitting needle.

As Caroline and an unexpected ally—Mrs. Frogerton—attempt to solve the chilling crime, they discover the culprit may be leaving bizarre clues as to who will be next in the nursery. But they must make haste, for this heartless killer is engaged in anything but child’s play… (Goodreads Synopsis)

I have not read anything by Catherine Lloyd before.

It was a well written story and the plot was well thought out. We know there are still snobs in the world as well as people who use children in horrible ways. We also know that some families are more dysfunctional and complicated than others. This novel combined all of those things and gave a great mystery.

While I could not connect with Caroline, or understand why her sister Susan ended up angry with her, I would like to see what happens with her and the Frogertons. I thought Mrs. Frogerton reminded me of Sherry Thomas’s Mrs. Watson in her Lady Sherlock series, who was my favorite character. I would also like to see Doctor Harris again, but will not be disappointed if he is a one-time character.

Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Group for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Penniless Caroline Morton, a peer’s daughter encounters more than a good time at her aunt’s garden party in this new book by Catherine Lloyd (author of the popular “Kurland St. Mary” mystery series). She’s taken a job as a paid companion so that she can get her younger sister out of the clutches of her disagreeable aunt. The aunt, meanwhile, thinks she’s doing her a going turn by inviting Caroline’s employer, Mrs. Frogerton and her employer’s daughter Dorothy to Greenwood Hall, and her cousin’s 17th birthday party. It’s a way for the daughter to be among the ton; who wouldn’t want that?

Caroline has been turned out of society because her nobleman father ruined the family. His suicide capped the matter. So, no good marriage for her. But she’s supposed to help find Dorothy Frogerton some likely prospects. Hopefully she’ll meet someone at the ball, and everything will turn out fine for all concerned. Does anyone expect this to be smooth sailing? Not if you’re a fan of mystery stories!

We meet quite the cast of characters in the book, from “upstairs” to “downstairs.” Readers find that Mabel, Caroline’s cousin, has invited people to her birthday ball that she’s grown up around and is used to, which includes what would be considered the “lower classes.” The upper class is represented by Caroline’s ex-fiancé and his family, who rejected her when society turned against her. You will get a sense of what that society was like; our author makes it quite clear what Caroline has had to endure. She is a strong character, and readers will learn much about her. But she is not a super-woman; the author knows to write within the confines of the time and society (1837, first year of Victoria’s reign) that the book is set in.

It soon becomes apparent that someone has a diabolic plan in mind for mayhem, and then, murder. As we’re told, “someone is enjoying inflicting pain on members of the household.” And beyond that, more crimes are discovered, via our assiduous sleuth Caroline and her new “assistant,” the village doctor. Poison pen letters, dead bodies, dolls arranged in gruesome displays -- and this is considered a cozy mystery! Well, the crimes are all “off stage,’ as it were, there is that. You’ll find a whole lot going on in “Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder.”

Caroline finally works it all out, and it’s a rather sordid story. There is revenge of sorts, but will there be justice? At least she is still settled with Mrs. Frogerton, and will be able to send for her sister soon. It appears that Ms. Lloyd has plans for a series. I would like to know if Miss Morton can continue to find her way in London. Something mysterious will probably turn up.

The end of this book made me glad that I stuck with it until the end, but I have to say, up until about the 65% mark I contemplated not finishing it several times. It reads very Victorian and there is supposed to be suspense as the title would suggest. The suspense up until the 65% mark was very vague and underwhelming. The writing style is nice and the voice of Caroline is clear and engaging. The characters were fun and unusual. The plot, however, seemed incomplete for the majority of the book until the end. What was being delivered as suspenseful wasn't. The sleuths were far too willing to believe every new clue at face value. As a reader, I am less likely to respect the sleuth who can't form their own opinion. The subtle romantic undertone of Dr. Harris and Caroline, and Francis and Caroline too for that matter, was incomplete. Maybe that was what the author was going for? I understand the need to show us a strong Victorian female who refuses to "need" a man, which would be great had it. not been dangled in front of us. She doesn't say, "I don't need a man" or "I don't want a man." She says, "no man will have me." The writing leads us to believe there is a future possibility there but the ending in that regard was incomplete. The plot does come together though and I am glad I finished it. The ending and the writing voice and the individual characters are what I give 3 stars.

Having been a fan of Catherine Lloyd's previous mystery series I was eager to read her new one. It now has a place on my must be read list. Set in 1837 Caroline and her sister have had to step way down, in London society. Their late father lost not only the family fortunes but also his daughters' dowries. She can join her sister and live with a not so pleasant bunch of family members or set off on her own path. That leads her to becoming a lady's companion to Mrs. Matilda Frogerton, a widow who's husband had made his fortune "in trade" - so very common. Caroline is invited to the relative's country house to celebrate the 17th birthday of her cousin. With Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter, Dorothy accompanying her, they arrive at Greenwood for the country house weekend. Fans of the country house genre know all too well - it will not be smooth sailing. In short order two deaths occur and Caroline, Mrs. Frogerton and the local doctor set out to unmask a killer. To do that, a lot of family secrets will be revealed.
As a fan of historical cozy mysteries and of locked room settings, this was an easy choice and it didn't disappoint me. The characters of Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton were wonderful and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a great country house weekend party style mystery with a few good twists. I enjoyed reading it.

Lady Caroline Morton is just starting to get accustomed to her work as a lady’s maid for Mrs. Frogerton. She has little choice since her father died under suspicious circumstances after sinking the family into financial ruin. An invitation to her cousin, Matilda’s birthday and a stay at her Aunt Greenwood’s country estate unceremoniously thrusts her back into the world of the ton’ and among the very people who rejected and reviled her after her father’s downfall. When her elderly great aunt is heinously murdered and the Greenwood’s refuse to investigate, Caroline suspects there’s more going on at the great house than she realized. If things couldn’t get any more uncomfortable, her former fiancée, the man who jilted her after learning of her downfall, is also staying at the estate. When another guest is murdered while a storm has everyone stranded at the estate, Caroline realizes that she must dig up long-buried secrets before the murderer strikes again.

As a whole, I enjoyed this mystery set in the English countryside. The regency time period is depicted accurately although Caroline, her employer, Mrs. Frogerton, and Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter have much more modern sensibilities which most reader’s will appreciate. Caroline is a compelling character but she acts almost too mature for her age. She insists that she still has a lot of deep feelings for her fiancée but their interactions lacked any heat or urgency. Public slights and insults from her regency peers seemingly elicit some emotion but that is not conveyed in many of her actions. There is a lot of telling in the text but not a lot of showing. Even her potential romance with the with another man falls completely flat and their interactions are stilted and devoid of chemistry. I enjoyed the mystery enough to keep reading and the eventual revolution satisfying. I would definitely read another novel about Caroline Morton but I would certainly hope for a little more depth of emotion and personality to the story to go along with the excellent mystery aspect.

Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder by Catherine Lloyd (Miss Morton Mystery #1) 4 stars

Introducing Miss Catherine Morton, an earl’s daughter, now paid companion. Her current situation is due to her father’s profligacy and suicide. She and her sister, Susan are now penniless and living on the kindness of relatives. Instead of being a unpaid servant in her aunt’s home, she has taken a position with Mrs. Frogerton, a wealthy widow from northern England involved with “trade”. Her sister, Susan still resides in their uncle’s home until Catherine can find the means to remove her. Her aunt, Lady Eleanor Greenwood, orders Catherine to attend her cousin Mabel’s birthday party. To sweeten the order, she invites Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter, Dorothy to the house party. However, after their arrival, things start to happen. The butler is missing and then found in the basement, a victim of assault (??). Great-Aunt Inez is found dead in a parlor with yarn wrapped around her neck and a knitting needle through her throat. The bodies keep piling up and the suspects multiply. What did the dead have in common and what dark secrets are still hiding at the Greenwood estate. Catherine, along with her employer, Mrs. Frogerton work to solve this mystery and maybe right and old wrong.

This is the first book in a series and therefore has a lot of world building to set up. The recurring characters are introduced and the main characters are fleshed out. I especially like Mrs. Frogerton for her practical worldview and street smarts. I think the author is setting up a future relationship for Catherine and another character. The author kept the readers guessing by providing a slew of suspects that had motive, means and opportunity. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

This was my first experience with Lloyd, although she apparently has another series that is quite well received. This book was labelled as a cozy mystery, but I can't say I completely agree, as there was a bit more gore in the description of some of the killings than I would've expected. I'm glad I didn't let that turn me away, because for the most part this was a fun romp through a 19th century house party turned deadly.

The story is pretty straightforward, disgraced young woman has taken employment rather than stay with her relatives as a charity case. She is invited back for the birthday of her cousin before said cousin makes her debut, and goes against her better judgement, on the agreement that she brings her employer and her employer's daughter. All hell breaks loose at the party and it's up to our plucky heroine to work it all out before the party breaks up. Not a terribly new premise, but for the most part well done. It does get a bit chaotic and unrealistic for the time, and as mentioned before, a little too gory for my taste a few times, but overall an easy and enjoyable read. Very much enjoyed the character of Mrs. Frogerton as the spunky elderly employer. I would definitely give this series another look when the next book comes out, and also will check out Lloyd's other series.

My thanks to Kensington Books, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Caroline Morton is trying to reinvent her life after her father's death. She has gone into service as a companion to Mrs. Frogerton. They are invited to a house party at her aunt and uncle's house, and malicious pranks start. When those pranks turn to murder, Caroline is shocked and wants to help solve them. Only Dr. Harris and Mrs. Frogerton are willing to ehlp Caroline. I did not figure out what was going on until the end, so that was pretty good.

The perfect book to hand to a reader who enjoys Regency-era romances, but also loves a good, traditional English house party murder mystery. Miss Morton's father lost all the family money, and on his death, she and her younger sister are left penniless. Rather than become a dependent in the home of her cold relatives, she chooses independence and takes a job as a companion to Mrs. Frogerton. When Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton are invited to a house party at the home of Miss Morton's relatives, they stumble on a murder -- then another one. It's something of a "locked room" feeling, as the house is cut off from civilization due to a huge rainstorm that has washed out the bridge and left the roads unpassable. Trapped in the manor, they need to find the murderer before they are next. I am looking forward to recommending this book.

1837 and English society was very hard in their judgements. The penniless daughter of an Earl should have had
some standing but with a series of bad debts and a suicide both daughters are ostracized by society which befriended
them earlier, and Miss Morton's friends now give her the cut direct and talk behind her back.

To add to the disgrace, rather than be under the protection of her Aunt Caroline has sought employment with the amiable
and kind Mrs. Frogton whose origins in trade add to Caroline's disgrace. Now invited for Mabel's birthday party (Caroline's
young cousin) the invitation is extended to Mrs Frogton and her daughter Dot as well.

Caroline knows that the path to the party is not going to be smooth but she did not envisage murder being part of the
events leading upto the birthday. With her aunt and uncle both ignoring the fact that their long standing butler and
their elderly Aunt have been murdered, not wanting to bring the police into the investigation and ignoring the Doctor
who keeps saying that both were murdered the event of the birthday continues regardless with a callous regard for
both employee and relation.

Unraveling a story that has to be kept hidden at any cost - involving white slave trade, abducted children being sent
to homes the whole family seems to be holding on to secrets that they do not want told.

So many strands of the story had to be woven into the whole, it got a bit distracting towards the end but it was a good
indication of society at the time and how aristocracy closed ranks and everything sordid was hidden.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for a complimentary ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A cracking mystery set in an English Country House where old secrets come to light in the most grizzly way. This story is very well-written, beautifully paced and riveting to the last page. I loved the characters - they all seemed to have hidden depths. Even the most despicable ones had understandable motivations.

I really hope there's more - hopefully featuring a bit more of Dr Harris?

if so, I am truly looking forward to it.