Frances is set to marry George Hazelton, but amidst the wedding preparations, rival American families, the Connors & Doyles, arrive in London. Both families end up with invitations to the wedding, but Mr. Connor ends up dead with Frances' brother holding the murder weapon. Thus begins the mystery of what happened and who is responsible. I didn't realize that this was book 5 in a series by the author. Not sure if reading the other 4 first would have helped me understand and become more invested in the story. I thought it was good with lots of twist and turns as you would want in any good mystery, but I wasn't quite blown away. For those who loved the other books in the series, then you would definitely want to check this one out. Just not sure that it read as well as a standalone. Thanks so much to Dianne Freeman, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc.

I loved this wonderful entry to the Countess of Harleigh mystery series!
Frances and George are finally married but murder trips up the honyemoon! Gorgeously plotted and lots to keep readers on the edges of their seats here.

This is another book that isn’t necessarily bad, it just wasn’t meant for me. In the hands of the right person who enjoys this sub-genre, it might be quite enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this Regency romance/cozy mystery. Frances, an American heiress, is finally getting married into the English aristocracy. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t turn up to the wedding and it turns out he’s been murdered. Frances wants to find the killer before he kills again. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This was a great addition to the series. The character development and storyline has progressed steadily throughout the series. There are no point that drag. The author also did a great job keeping the readers guessing as to who could be the murderer. The double murder made the plot even more intriguing. I had a hard time putting this book down. I can't wait for the next installment, especially with the characters going abroad! I am glad the next story may include more of George's work. I am fascinated with his character. Would love an installment where upon George has to call on Frances to help him.

3.5

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Kensingtons Books for the gifted e-book ❤️

Firstly, I haven't read the rest of the series. Maybe it would be different had I read the previous ones. It was good. It had good twists. I just didn't get super attached to the characters and storyline. I definitely didn't predict the killer. I do think I would read the previous ones. I recommend it!

As always, I adored this instalment in Frances' story! I was thrilled to finally see Frances and George's wedding, but of course it is not without its difficulties (ahem, murder). This is absolutely one of my favourite series, and always a summer reading highlight!

I would not recommend this book to be the first you read in the series. I myself started from the second book, and that only left me a little out of the loop, but much has happened since then, and is the foundation that much of this installment is based upon. The central murder mystery can be read on its own, but overall, with books like this, that is usually not the whole point.
After a lot of hurdles, the wedding day is finally here. Our lead pair are getting married and have a honeymoon planned. Unfortunately (but expectedly), there is a murder next door to the event. The foundation is laid out for the case with multiple people being introduced and the repulsive behaviour of the future victim being showcased.
The honeymoon is pushed a few days to help clear the case because the prime suspect is to be saved from being taken into custody.
I guessed the final culprit, but the pieces were placed in sequential order taking the readers through the thinking process. I did not like the previous plot much but felt that with this outing, the story was back on track.
There is a particular style and format in the presentation of the people and the way things unfold. I liked the narrative voice from the first book in the series that I had the opportunity to read, and been satisfied with every subsequent book. I am not sure if there's going to be another following this, but I would read it if I had the chance.
I recommend this book (and series) to readers of this genre. The people are interesting, the mysteries play out well, and the writing makes it an easy read.
I originally received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and the previous works in this series.

I enjoyed traveling along with the investigative duo of Frances and George. This was a well written installment to the series.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I feel like I have never quite enjoyed this series as much as I told myself I did. I realized with this book that I was continuing to read mainly because of secondary characters and plot lines that I liked or felt had potential, and they were all virtually absent here. I just cannot connect with the heroine, who strikes me as rather bland and conventional, and often not very bright. Even the hero, while objectively more interesting, bores me.

The series concept had potential, and the writing is good, but I think this just is not a series for me.

Will Frances and George ever get married? (Yes) Will Frances and George ever have a quiet few days without a murder? Unlikely. It's finally their wedding day and while the day is of course full of drama (how did two warring American Families both get invited?) George and Frances enjoy a lovely day, until someone from these bitter families is found murdered. It's chaotic and comedic as usual with too many cooks and too many questions as to who actually did the murder. Frances's brother is framed, there are more suspects than now, and George and Frances have a honey moon to travel to. If you've gone along for the series so far, you know what to expect, the mystery is a bit more tightened up in this one, but something doesn't feel quite the same as before in this series. In all honesty though, will these two ever have a moment of peace without it being interrupted by a murder?

*I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review*
This is always a good series to read. The countess is such a lively eccentric character and I adore everything about her!

Amazing as usual. I love the narrator and the growth of the characters. I am so looking forward to more from this series.

I'm obsessed with this series and the characters. Since reading the second book here I have read the whole series and it never gets old.
The mysteries are new and fresh and completely different every time. Francis is the queen at figuring out these mysteries - she has the men walking all around her to catch up with her

In this one, we see Francis finally getting married and her interactions with her whole family.

I devoured this and I was happy with the whole thing

The Countess of Harleigh series is so much fun. Dianne Freeman blends light mystery with a long-standing romantic friendship. George and Frances are finally headed for the altar, but as soon as they are ready to leave for a well-earned honeymoon, they are sidelined by a murder and the subsequent arrest of Frances' brother.

The newlyweds make a great investigative duo, and the twists and turns in their love and friendship makes for a fun read. If this is your first book in the series, you are lucky to have the backlist still to read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman was fun! I loved getting to see Frances have a happy ending wedding to the man of her dreams. But things are not quite so simple when her beloved brother is accused of murder! Will the newlyweds make it on their honeymoon or will murder keep them busy?

A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder is the fifth book in the Countess of Harleigh mystery series written by Dianne Freeman.

It’s a fun read, one anticipated since the first book in which main character Frances’s first husband was murdered. It wasn’t a good marriage anyway, and her future second husband helps her solve the crime. They’ve been partners in more than one way ever since.



Even though there was no way they could travel to Cannes for their honeymoon, I felt sorry for them for the entire case. Not only due to the lack of a honeymoon, but also for Frances’s family being so obtuse after their wedding. Due to living next door, they see no problem with dropping in on them at every hour of the day. No honeymoon and at the beck and call of their concerns. Even if a second marriage for her, they needed some time for romance!



Before I forget—did I mention that all of the previous books in this series are now available on Kindle Unlimited. You bet it is worth the monthly price of $10.66. Stock up on these beach reads before the summer is over.



Please welcome Dianne Freeman back to WWK. E. B. Davis


Since Frances and her daughter, Rose, are moving to George’s house next door, Aunt Hetty has purchased the lease on her house. I thought Frances bought the house. Is the house leased from an absent owner?

You could say that. At the time the majority of Frances’ neighborhood of Belgravia, along with Mayfairand other sections of London, 300 acres in total, was owned by the Grosvenor family—the Dukes of Westminster. Lessees would pay for the construction of a building, its upkeep, and any taxes for a contracted period of 99 years. Leases were often extended 30 years at a time, but at the end of the lease, everything on that property reverted to the Grosvenor family, who would then resell the leasehold. That’s what Frances bought. The British government changed the leasehold/freehold laws in 1967, but that only made a small dent in the family’s holdings. Even the US embassy sits on land leased from the Grosvenors. (If anyone is interested in following Frances’ lead, the current duke is single and only 32 years old.)



Frances calls her father, Frankie. Why not, Dad?

Frances’ father’s name is Franklin. Frances is his firstborn and namesake. They call each other Frankie as a sort of endearment.


Were the Bonanza Barons real? What was the source of this wealth?

They were real, but were actually called the Bonanza Kings. John Mackay, James Fair, James Flood & William O’Brien formed an alliance and took control of the “Consolidate Virginia” and “California” silver mines. Many considered those mines to be barren, but in 1873 they hit the greatest mining strike in the history of the American West—the Big Bonanza. The four partners became millionaires many times over.



You based two characters, feuding American business men, on real characters. Tell our readers about them, please.

The feud between John MacKay and Charles Bonynge was fascinating, but for the sake of space, I’ll only hit the highlights. As noted above, John MacKay was one of the Bonanza Kings. Charles Bonynge made his fortune in mining related businesses. Both men came from humble beginnings, immigrated to the US, made their fortunes from silver, and for a time, Bonynge was MacKay’s stockbroker. Upon retiring, Bonynge made a critical comment about MacKay’s business ethics to a reporter. MacKay took exception and the feud began.



Both families had homes in London and they all showed up for the social season. The evening before the Bonynge family were to be presented to Queen Victoria, one of the newspapers revealed that Mrs. Bonynge had been divorced and therefore was ineligible to meet the queen. The Bonynges fired back and gave a reporter the story of Mrs. MacKay’s humble past as a washer woman. This back and forth continued, much to the delight of the gossip columnists, for four years. It ended in a fist fight between the two men in the office of a San Francisco bank.



Both feuding men and their families are invited to Frances and George’s wedding. How did that happen? Too many wedding managers in addition to the bride?

Exactly. Frances invited the Connors as a favor to her brother, Alonzo, who had developed an interest in the daughter of the family, Madeline. Meanwhile, Frances’ mother, who had commandeered all the wedding plans, invited Mr. Bainbridge without letting Frances know. Oops.



I didn’t understand the early photographic process. What’s with the glass blocks?

They are actually thin glass plates and they are the film base, very much like the polyester screen that is used in an X-ray machine. The emulsion-coated plate fits in a slot in the camera and when exposed to light, it captures the image on the other side of the camera lens. Glass plates were replaced by a celluloid film base, which was itself replaced in the 1950s with polyester or mylar film base. These are the negatives from which a photograph is made.



What was lumbago?

It was a catch-all term for lower back pain.



Why did the Victorians make so many collections, especially of gross stuff such as impaled insects and taxidermy?

I’m sure their reasons were as varied as the collectors, but I think it’s safe to assume their collections and cabinets of curiosities were conversation starters. Victorians entertained a lot. Each item in a collection came with a story, even in a collection of insects. The collectors hoped to enthrall their guests with those stories. (“Can you believe a single bite from this spider could fell a full-grown man?”) The collections were tangible proof of their travels to exotic places or even of their intellectual curiosity.



When Frances’s brother, Alonzo, is arrested for one of the feuding men’s murder, father Frankie tries to bribe the police to release Alonzo. They are not amused. Was this common practice in the US?

The New York City Police Department was notoriously corrupt at the time. Theodore Roosevelt became police commissioner in 1895 and by 1897 he gave up all hope of reforming the department. It was not uncommon to offer a reward or bribe to the police to urge them to investigate a crime, or turn a blind eye.



Did homes have a system of bells to alert staff that they were being summoned and where?

Yes, although electric bells were often installed in newer homes, most homes that employed a staff still relied on sprung bells. This device, worked by a complex system of wires, allowed for a member of the household to pull a lever, thereby ringing a bell located in the service areas. The bells would be mounted on a board and labeled with the name of the room where the wire originated so the servant would know who rang or where they were needed.

I’m surprised Americans were so enamored of British titles that they threw money and their daughters at titled ne’er-do-wells. What was the big deal? Were they pawning their daughters?

These marriages were something of a business transaction. Most of the families who followed this practice were treated as outsiders in the cities where they lived. New York, Boston, Philadelphia, even San Francisco all kept their social circles exclusive. It didn’t matter how well-educated, well-traveled, and well-polished their daughters were. No new money families and no robber barons were allowed. However, once the family included an aristocrat, the became more acceptable. It was also a good way to find husbands who were intellectual equals for their daughters. Since polite society was closed to them, they were unlikely to find one at home. As far as the ne’er-do-well men—there were plenty of them to be found in America too.



What were hair “rats?”

Rats were small netted bags filled with one’s own hair and used to provide volume or a base for the elaborate hairstyles of the day.


Frances and her mother have two very different versions of reality. Frances feels controlled and over managed by her mother. Her second wedding shouldn’t be the big deal her mother is making of it. Her mother feels neglected by her husband and has connected to Hetty, Frances, and Rose during her stay. Which has a truer version of reality?

This feels like an existential question! Both realities are true depending on whose shoes you’re standing in.



Is claret still made? Was it like a Merlot? Cabernet sauvignon?

“Claret” is simply the name the British gave to the light red wines that came from Bordeaux back in the 12th century when Bordeaux was part of Aquitaine. It was enormously popular in Britain and remained favored among British gentlemen well after France won the territory back and until the 20th century. There are still some labels that sell claret and because the name is protected by the EU, it would still be made with grapes from Bordeaux.



Frances and George are not assisting Detective Delany. They’re on opposite sides. Does this affect their relationship?

Though it’s uncomfortable for all of them in the moment, Frances and George understand Delaney has to do his job. He understands their need to investigate. In the end, they all want the guilty party apprehended.



What is a tantalus?

It can be a cabinet or just a stand for decanters of liquor. What makes it tantalizing, is that while the decanters are visible, you need a key to access them.



What’s next for Frances and George?

With George on a mission for the British Museum, Frances agrees to sponsor Lady Wingate’s niece, Kate, for a presentation to Queen Victoria. Since her husband’s death, Lady Wingate has been so lethargic, she hasn’t left the house for months. Her friend, Lady Esther, is convinced one of the woman’s step-children is drugging her and tapping into her fortune. Kate isn’t above suspicion either. She’s about to enter high society and stands to gain an inheritance upon her aunt’s death. Hundreds of young ladies would kill to be in her shoes. Frances has to wonder if that’s exactly what’s happening. She, George, and Lady Esther join forces to flush out the villain and keep Lady Wingate from following in her husband’s footsteps—directly to the grave.

The wedding of her dreams has turned into a nightmare and the honeymoon is spent in an investigation to clear her brother of murder. Engaging historical cozy mystery romp from new to me author and series.

A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder is the fifth book in the series and, could be read out of order, as I just proved. That said, I had such a good time and was curious about the backstory so I definitely want to go back and get the earlier books in order.

As I mentioned, A Bride’s Guide offered enough of a background that I had no trouble slipping into the latest story. Frances is a widowed countess. She was an American heiress and her mother arranged her marriage to an English aristocrat to get her a title. That marriage only produced one good thing, her daughter. Now, Frances is marrying George for love- and the fun of solving cases with him.
George Hazelton is a sometimes London lawyer as his front, but his true work is working clandestine cases for the Crown. He and Frances began their relationship solving mysteries, but fell in love. George adores her daughter and her and could care less that she was an heiress- though her original dowry was nearly frittered away by her first husband.
Now, just when their marriage and honeymoon are to happen, her mother has invited the Bainbridges and her brother asked her to invite the Connors because he’s interested in Madeline Connor. And, so they have two rival American business families at the wedding. Naturally, one has to turn up dead, but startlingly Frances’ brother Alonzo is the one found standing over the body holding the murder weapon. Honeymoon postponed; sleuthing begins.

This was right up my alley. I can’t believe what I’ve missed. The author’s writing style is light and entertaining without being fluffy. The characters are colorful and often amusing particularly Frances’ own family. Frances and her mother cracked me up the way they brushed against each other. Frances and George were a sweet couple, but a fun detecting pair.

The victim was hated by many and had a few brands in the fire to give many suspects and motives for them to investigate. I was so taken with the characters and their interactions that I didn’t give much effort to solving it, but I only had a few suspicions that proved right without an ultimate solution.

The time period is 1900 hundred London and I enjoyed the author’s attention to detail so I could picture the historical backdrop and the characters acting accordingly. It was a little different in that several of the characters were American and wealthy business families instead of British aristocracy or gentleman class.

All in all, this was a great dip into the series and I am looking forward to going back to the beginning. It was amusing, entertaining, and a fun cozy-style historical mystery.

Once again the Countess of Harleigh is engaged in a murder investigation, this time at her own wedding in A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Mayhem. Dianne Freeman has a deft hand at social intrigue in Victorian England. Frances Wynne, the Countess, has just married George Hazleton, when Mr. Connor is found murdered and her brother Alonzo is arrested for the murder as he is caught with a knife over the body of the victim. Family trumps a honeymoon trip as she and her husband try to sleuth whodunit. Lots of family intrigues and high society rules. The reader's hopes for twists and turns is upheld along with a little romance. Enjoy.

This is the fifth book following Frances, and as you may have surmised, she is getting married in this one. Luckily this doesn’t take up more space than necessary (of course we have grown attached to her and want her and George to have a lovely day… but we are here for the dead people). And behold, as Frances and George are about to leave for their wedding trip, the neighbour is found murdered and Frances’ brother is arrested. So they cannot possibly leave for France but have to solve the case instead.

This was once again a very entertaining read, although I did miss a bit of something. Maybe that is because I read this one physically, while I listened to the previous books on audiobook. Frances has a very fun, witty and approachable voice that translates very well to audio. That doesn’t mean this was a bad book though, not at all!!

It was a light, cozy and fun read, with some good characters, multiple suspects and a puzzling enough case (but still possible to solve and not some far fetched resolution). Frances’ father also makes his appearance and it is clear to see where she gets some of her traits from. ‘Society’ plays a big role in these stories, and the characters are very privileged (though fail to recognise they are). If you can look through that though, they can be very likeable and relatable, with some great relationships.

It was fairly obvious where one of the final clues was going to come from, but that didn’t spoil the fun at all. The plot does lag a bit in the middle, with a lot of going back and forth between visiting people and very little progress made, whereas the ending feels a bit too rushed.

I would like to thank Netgalley to give me once again an e-book for review. So far they have let me read over half of this series, and I couldn’t be happier. This is definitely a series I would recommend if you are in the mood for a cozy historical mystery story, with a charming and clever main character.