Ugh! Families can be such a trial! Particularly when they are more obsessed with themselves than with how they are impacting other people. Dianne Freeman certainly brings those annoying family members to life – and makes me envy the patience demonstrated by Lady Harleigh.

As with the other books in this series, Freeman weaves a fun tale of murder and mysteries. The reliance on actual historical occurrences is a nice touch. No previous knowledge of the characters or the events of previous books in the series are needed to enjoy the story, although, I do recommend reading the earlier installments.

I knew I was going to love this book because I’ve loved all the others so far!

Fifth in the series, this opens on the eve of Frances’ wedding. She’s keen for her family to move on (her overbearing mother in particular), and she’s looking forward to a fancy honeymoon in particular. But when a dead body is found following the wedding and someone close to her is arrested for murder, it’s up to her to clear their name and find the real killer!

This follows a similar formula to the previous four books (and cozies in general) which is absolutely not a bad thing! The pacing was good, and the action and reveals were well spaced. I must have guessed the baddie two or three times and still didn’t quite manage to figure it all out until close to the end. I also really enjoyed the attention to late Victorian detail, and the little bits of info about life in the upper echelons of London society.

This series is an auto-read for me now, and perfect for people who are looking for a light historical cozy read with no on page violence or sex. I’ve been made my mother read them and she can’t wait for more!

A Brides Guide To Marriage And Murder is the fifth book in A Countess Of Harleigh Mystery series by Dianne Freeman.

Lady Francis Harleigh and George Hazelton’s wedding is just days away, and Francis thinks it can’t come soon enough. She loves her mother, but her mother has taken over the wedding. Francis soon learns that Mr. Connor and Mr. Bainbridge have been added to the wedding list. Connor and Bainbridge had been partners years ago but had a falling and since have been trying to outdo the other. The Connors were invited to the wedding as Francis’ brother Alonzo is fascinated with their daughter Madeline. But Bainbridge wants Madeline to marry the Viscount Fitzwalter, and Mr. Connor is willing to go along with the marriage as he will be gaining a titled son-in-law.

The wedding party has returned to Francis’ aunts for the reception. As Francis and George are about to depart on their honeymoon, Detective Delaney informs them that Alonzo has been arrested for the murder of Mr. Connor after being found holding the bloodied knife used to kill Connor. The police have postponed the Hazelton’s honeymoon until the murder has been solved, allowing Francis to investigate and clear Alonzo’s name. Meanwhile, a lawyer, George, will try to get Alonzo released on bail. They will find many possible suspects, including some that have business dealings with him; even his wife or daughter will become possible suspects.

The story is well-written, plotted, and historically accurate. The characters are all interesting and well-developed. Francis and George work well together. George doesn't tell Francis what to do or not to do.

I am looking forward to the next book in this interesting series.

The relationships in this book were very interesting and created multiple murder suspects. The twists and turns made this a very entertaining read.

I’m exhausted after finishing this book! Frances’s family was all over the place, leaving me with whiplash. I can only imagine how Frances and George feel. Small doses of family, indeed. That said, this is a great story. A good mystery, and I adore the genuine love Frances has for her closest family and friends. Cozy and delightful.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

What’s a bride to do when her brother is accused of murdering one of the wedding guests? Well, if you’re Lady Frances Harleigh now Mrs. Frances Hazelton, you postpone the honeymoon while you and your new husband try to solve the mystery. I loved this fifth book in the Countess of Harleigh series! George and Frances make the best team. With subtle humor, an engaging storyline, witty dialogue, a slew of suspects, a hint of romance, and family that according to Frances is “best enjoyed in small portions,” this cozy historical mystery is a must read that’s hard to put down.

The long awaited marriage between Frances and George is finally here! At the last minute, Frances’ mother adds to the guest list. Unfortunately, two of these guests Mr. Connors and Mr. Bainbridge are bitter rivals. Alonzo, Frances’ brother, is infatuated with Connor’s daughter Madeline but she’s being pressured to marry Viscount Fitzwalter. When Mr. Connors is found murdered during the reception, Frances’ brother is implicated. Since George is an attorney, he and Frances regrettably postpone their dreamy wedding trip to the South of France so George can defend Alonzo and clear his name. Finding the real killer proves to be more complicated than they first thought. Will they be able to find the murderer in time to enjoy some of their wedding trip?

I love the relationship between Frances and George. He respects her opinions and has learned to welcome her input in his cases. The two do seem to have the worst luck with bodies turning up at the most inconvenient times. I love the humor and the quirky characters. I especially enjoyed getting to know Frances’ family more. While her mother is interfering, we get to see a different side to her in this book and she becomes a more well rounded secondary character. It was also fun getting to know Frances’ father Frankie.

The mystery definitely kept me guessing. While I had a good idea who the murderer might be, I enjoyed seeing how it all played out. I liked the historical aspects as well such as early photography and the fact that the story was inspired by an actual feud between two wealthy American men who take their rivalry to England.

Highly recommend! Though this is the fifth book in the series, it could be read as a standalone. The author does a fantastic job introducing the characters in a way that quickly catches new readers up to speed, but doesn’t bog down the story. I do recommend reading the delightful previous books in the series. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

4 1/2 stars out of 5.

A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianna Freeman is the newest of the Countess of Harliegh Mystery (5th in the series). Frances Wynn is finally marrying her love George. They have been planning the day for a while, but Frances’s mom was working on taking over the day and thanks to the family’s invitations, suddenly the wedding was going to have two famous people who hate each other coming. Frances can’t let that get in the way of the wedding. It was a wonderful wedding and reception, until there was a death, right next door. Suddenly, she and George are pulled into the mystery when her brother is arrested for the murder.

I like the series, because they are more like cozy mysteries. The stories always involve Frances and George and they are pulled into solving a mystery. They are often dashing round society asking questions and coming up with theories on who and what might have happened. They work with Inspector Delaney to help solve the murders. Fances is an interesting character as she is American born but has been part of the British aristocracy for many years. The novels are fun, flirty ‘who dun it’ with lots of characters. A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianna Freeman is a good read.

A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman is the fifth, and a few new entry, in the Countess of Harleigh historical cozy mystery series. The week of Frances’ and George’s wedding has finally arrived, and the household is buzzing with excitement and activity. The only worry seems to be the fact that two warring tycoons have both been invited to the wedding. But even that can’t put a damper on the festivities. As Frances and George are posing for photos after the ceremony, they notice a number of people heading toward the house next door. When the body of one of the tycoons is discovered in that house shortly thereafter and Frances’ brother is accused of the murder, the wedding trip is delayed while George and Frances work to solve the mystery.
I love the fact that Frances is a strong and independent woman and that George totally supports and includes her in his investigations at every step along the way. The dialogue is engaging and the narrative is visually descriptive. The characters are quirky but intelligent and true-to-life. The mystery is well-plotted and full of twists and turns.
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) I always look forward with eager anticipation to new installments in this fun and engaging series.

This Victorian series is great fun. The widow Frances, the American born Countess of Harleigh, has finally married her sweetheart George Hazelton. But before they can even embark on their wedding trip, a dead body is discovered next door and Frances' brother Alonzo is detained. The murder victim was a rich scoundrel named Connor and Alonzo was courting his daughter.

George is acting as solicitor for Alonzo so he and Frances start investigating to clear her brother. But the water is very muddied - the victim was so unpleasant that it's plausible to think his wife, his daughter, his neighbors or anyone who had any business dealings with him could have killed him. And before the crime is solved, another murder takes place -- this time the father of Alonzo's rival suitor.

Meanwhile, Frances has had several months of her irascible mother and work-obsessed father and various other relatives living with her and is more than anxious to have a normal life resume. The idyllic two weeks in Cannes that the newlyweds had planned keeps retreating further into the distance.

This lively series has a lot of humor and Frances' family is affectionately portrayed. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wedding bells are finally ringing for Frances Wynn and George Hazelton but before they can make their escape on their honeymoon trip, the need to catch a killer must be dealt with. Two families are at loggerheads - The Connors and the Doyles. Members of both families get invites to the wedding but Mr. Connor fails to put in an appearance. He has a very good excuse - he's been murdered. That leads to the reason Frances and George put their honeymoon on the back burner. It turns out that, while Mr. Connor had loads of enemies along with his loads of money, the person found with the murder weapon in his hand happens to be none other than Frances's brother, Alonzo. Poor Alonzo - he is smitten with Madeline Connor and being accused of killing her father won't help his courtship one little bit.
This is one series that I'm always eager to read. Frances is a great character, the Victorian period comes alive in great detail and the mystery presented to the wonderful pair of sleuths, Frances and George, is satisfying to the final line. For me it's the perfect escape read.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I went barging into this with absolutely no thoughts just vibes and didn't realise it was the fifth book in a series until I was ready to start reading. I was worried about this at first, but never felt lost in any way; the various characters and their relation to each other was gently peppered in without bugging down the narrative, and I felt as though I'd been on board since the beginning of book one.

This was just a really well-written, highly entertaining cozy murder mystery with some fun sleuthing and some great characters and relationships, and I enjoyed every single moment of reading it. Frances is a delight and her relationship with George was just *chef's kiss*.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have four books I need to read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is proving to be a very entertaining series. In book 5 the main characters, Frances, Countess of Harleigh and George Hazelton, are about to be married and they actually do make it to the end of the wedding. However a murder during the reception and the resulting arrest of Frances's brother, Alonzo, stops them from going on their honeymoon.

Frances and George are an excellent team of sleuths, especially when a member of the family is involved, and they work hard at solving the crime. However it takes a lot of time and many false leads and their hope of at least a short honeymoon slowly slips away. I enjoy these two characters with their practical approach to life very much.

This was a fun read as usual in this series and I look forward to the next one.

Frances and George are finally getting married and the wedding is right around the corner. Her Mother has been staying with her since her sister's wedding several months ago and is driving her crazy. Now her father and her brother have arrived, but they don't seem to be helping matters. Frances can't wait to go on her honeymoon and then move in to George's house with Rose. But things don't go as planned and they must stay in London to help her brother Alonzo out of some trouble. Frances and George are wonderful characters in this well written series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing an ARC to review.

A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder is the first book I have read of Dianne Freeman's, and it was enjoyable. The plot was fast paced, and the story didn't settle and become monotonous. Watching Frances deal with an unexpected murder while also battling with strong-willed family members and friends was surprisingly entertaining. I recommend this book to anyone that wants a fun cozy mystery. I give this book 3.5/5 stars.

A cozy and fun read!

I wasn't aware that this was part of a series but it was not hard to follow.

I liked Frances and George and the investigation was paced well. Would definitely read the previous books in the series and definitely looking forward to more.

Another great read. After reading so many cozy mysteries that leave me giving up halfway through the book, it is such a pleasure to read a book that grabs you from the first page and has you guessing till the last page. I love the mystery and humor. This series is very well written without a lot of fillers. This book also proves you can have a good book without pages of sex since this book is about a newly married couple. A wonderful read and hope there are going to be many more.

A good mystery to keep you on your toes! Who would not enjoy getting married and going off on your honeymoon?! Well not for this couple as they need to stay home and figure out who has committed a murder! The brother of the groom is found dead and that is where the mystery begins! If you enjoy reading mystery thrillers this book is for you!

Frances and George have finally reached their wedding date. Which is grand because Frances is beyond ready to not have her mother underfoot. Sure, two families that are invited the wedding are close to mortal enemies but one of the gentleman can't come anyway. And Frances wants her brother Alonzo ("Lon") to have the chance to court Madeline Connor, the daughter of one of the men and the stepdaughter of Frances's good friend Willa.
During the reception, Frances and George have photographs taken and, while posing by a window, see many people cross from their house to Mr. Connor's. It's just bad luck that Lon is the one founds standing over Mr. Connor's dead body. And, oops, he's holding the murder weapon
Putting off their wedding trip, Frances and George work swiftly to see if they can uncover the real killer before Lon is put away for murder. Complicating matters is Frances's mother who seems to have some secrets of her own.
A good addition to the series. You can jump in here but I do recommend going back to the beginning and getting to know the characters.

Four stars
This book comes out June 28, 2022
Follows A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

As good as the previous adventures. The pace of the story kept me reading. More focused on Frances and George the mystery does involve Frances’ family. I especially liked the mother-father-daughter scenes. It’s a fun, fast paced historical cozy. I liked the winks to classical noir plots.

Frances and George have finally made it down the aisle (yay!) but they can't enjoy their honeymoon until they solve the murder of Mr. Connor because Frances' brother Alonso was found with his body and the murder weapon. Whew. It's London in 1900 and Connor is in town from the US with his daughter Madeline, who caught Alonso's eye. So are the Bainbridges. These two families have feuded for years and now this argument has come to London and to Frances' wedding because both are invited. Everyone knows Alonso didn't do it but who did? This is a different sort of cozy given the setting but the basics are there (as are the red herrings). I've liked this series - and this latest will be fine as a standalone- for the characters and cross cultural aspects of Frances, the widowed Countess of Harleigh, born American, and just about everyone else, including George. Love George. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.