This book is a serious historical mystery with little to no 'cozy mystery' vibes. The first hurdle I faced when reading this was the feeling that I was starting something mid-series. This was not the case, as I soon confirmed, but the feeling persisted.
When we meet our lead protagonist, she has a very complex background. She has married into a title, but the colour of her skin follows her everywhere. It was a new aspect that I had not encountered in earlier books of this time period, with a factually accurate representation of people of different origins in British society.
Lady Abigail already has a sort of working relationship with the magistrate, is conflicted about her marriage, is in a fight with her neighbour and is actively(but not openly) participating in the abolition movement. All of this happens before the actual story begins. We get to know about all of these issues as well as the trouble with her sister by the time a murder is discovered. Lady Abigail is also someone who is frequently visited by visions that she cannot control. A few of them have led her to feel responsible for not preventing the murder.
I actually liked the final resolution that occurred. It is a slow-moving book. I had to put it aside and pick it up again after an interval. My second attempt, meaning the second half of the book, moved much faster.
The neighbour's wife has had a notorious life, and there is only mild sympathy for her death. Her estranged husband is emotionally invested in figuring out what happened to her, and Abigail is bent on clearing things up so that her pro-abolition meeting attendance does not come to light.
The investigation is fraught with several challenges, and the final reveal did take me by surprise. It felt mildly disconnected from the rest of the investigation process but made sense overall.
I might make up my mind about the series after reading the next one. I would recommend this book to people who have been missing a more serious take on the historical mystery genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This historical mystery set during England’s Regency period is the start of what appears to be a promising series. Of course, there is a murder; in this case the vicim is the wife of Stapleton Henderson.

Protagonist, Lady Abigail is unable to reveal her whereabouts at the time of the crime. She was secretly at an abolitionist meeting. Lady Abigail, who is of mixed race and had a mother with a racy past, will perhaps be looked at askance. Furthermore, Lady Abigail’s marriage was not a happy one. When her neighbor, Henderson, offers her an alibi who is it meant to benefit?

This is a good read. Pages turn while waiting to see what happened and why.

Reviewers have noted that readers who enjoyed Bridgerton may well like this title. I imagine that could be so. It was enjoyable and I look forward to book number two.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Great research and a fascinating victim. I enjoyed the reveal of the murderer, as well as the historical information.

Murder in Westminster is a Regency-era mystery that includes murder and mayhem along with neighborly enmity and bacon-based dog training. Our protagonist is Abigail Worthing, a lady of Jamaican and Scottish roots who has the privilege of a well-connected marriage at the cost of an absentee husband. As a Blackamoor woman (the historical term used in the book), Abigail is passionate about using her position to bolster the abolition movement, even though the cause is currently flagging in Parliament. At the beginning of the book, we find Abigail and her cousin sneaking out of the theater to attend a secret abolition meeting. Their evening is cut short after a summons home, and Abigail discovers the woman next door, Juliet Henderson, murdered and hanging on the fence between their properties. It's a passive-aggressive fence that Juliet's husband, Stapleton Henderson, was building to separate the two homes' respective dogs (his well-trained greyhounds and Abigail's terror of a terrier). Abigail can't help but be involved given the location of the murder, but she's also interested in the case as a curious mind who has previously aided the magistrate in solving crime and as a woman whose inherited second sight gave her disjointed premonitions of Juliet's death. Throughout the story, Abigail suspects her neighbor, Mr. Henderson, of the crime even as she is sometimes thrown together with him while investigating. The two have many heated exchanges, seemingly paving the way for a future romance plot.

The two things I most enjoyed about the story were the attention to historic detail and the feminist lens on both Abigail and the victim. The story has a strong regency ambiance and feels very lived-in and well-researched. Meanwhile, Abigail's experiences bring up issues of race and gender through the intersectionality of her own identities. Her wealth and status open doors even as the color of her skin closes others. Society pressures her to be a model citizen, and she fears repercussions for all Black people if she becomes a scapegoat in the murder investigation. Our victim, Juliet, is portrayed as an imperfect but loving woman-- a free spirit who loved theatrics and high passion. She was known for her many extramarital affairs, but this doesn't lead to slut-shaming. In fact, the book directly addresses the likelihood of victim-blaming since she didn't behave as society expected she should. The story portrays all the women in its pages as nuanced people with many wants and relationships pulling them in different directions rather than one-dimensional creatures with limited skills and desires.

My biggest issues while reading were the irritating romance plot and my difficulties in unraveling some of the writing. I found the combustible interactions between Abigail and Henderson tiring-- full of barbs, needling, and hot tempers. There's nothing wrong with it; it's just not my cup of tea. In terms of the plot, people and past events are brought up so casually from the very beginning that I wondered on a few occasions if I had accidentally picked up a sequel in a series. There were also sudden shifts in the action that felt disjointed and nonsensical at times. Characters would make decisions that seemed to be about positioning the plot just so, not about having coherence in terms of the character's motivations and past behavior. This was increasingly a problem near the climax of the tale as the investigation uncovers final clues with abandon and Abigail charges in to unmask a killer.

This is a thoughtful historical mystery with a heroine that will charm readers with her bold investigations and insatiable curiosity. Those who enjoy a mystery that feels part of a larger story or who are excited to kick off a new series about an amateur sleuth should pick this one up. Thanks to Kensington for my copy to read and review!

Murder in Westminster is a well written and engaging historical cozy series starter by Vanessa Riley. Released 30th Aug 2022 by Kensington Books, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in 3rd quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The second book in the series, Murder in Drury Lane, is due out in 4th quarter 2023.

Set in regency London, the main protagonist is an extremely intelligent but socially precarious woman of mixed heritage who is in a marriage of advantageous convenience to a baron and as such, with entry to the ton. She soon finds herself mixed up in the violent murder of her neighbour's estranged wife and seeks to solve the crime to keep herself from scandal and prosecution.

There is a moderate subplot revolving around Lady Worthing's precognition and other paranormal aspects, so readers who prefer more realism will want to be aware going in. It's also somewhat more graphic than a light cozy series, with on page descriptions of violence/murder. It wasn't off-putting or egregious, but it was there. As a person of color, especially given the time period, there are also fairly realistic themes of racism, racist violence, and a large subplot about abolitionist movements in Great Britain (and to a lesser degree the colonies) which are interesting and informative. The author has done a superlative job with research and background.

The author skillfully weaves the fiction around a framework of actual historical occurrences and persons. The resolution and denouement for the mystery is self contained in this volume, but there are also background developments between Lady Worthing and her family and associates which promise to be developed in future.

Four stars. Quite a strong series starter. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical mystery such as Anna Lee Huber, C. S. Harris, etc.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really enjoyed this, i've only read her historical fiction/romances so to add in mystry and begin a series, I loved it and cannot wait for the next one!

An engaging plot that has many elements. I was not overly invested in Abigail’ character but I am interested in reading more of the series to see how she develops. She just seemed a little too uncertain of herself. I do like the fact that she is of mixed race and is assisting with abolition.
Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Murder in Westminster is the first in a new historical cozy mystery by Vanessa Riley. We have Lady Abigail Worthington, ( A Blackamoor or woman of color) who takes it upon herself to find out the murderer of her neighbor, Juliet, who was found on her property. Was it her husband, who discovered she was having an affair, or was it someone else in their camp, or someone totally different?

I loved how the story kept me guessing from start to finish. And How it's never who I thought it was. And the way the story unfolded was such a ride. The scandal and the drama made it an even more exciting ride. And the fact that they added abolitionist conversations and meetings ( those that work to abolish the chattle human trafficking trade ) made this book more interesting in my eyes. This book will surely keep this author in my autobuy pile.

Lady Abigail and Henderson are at opposite sides when it comes to their dogs. When out looking for her dog, she discovers Henderson’s ex-wife dead on the fence he is building to keep their dogs separate. Henderson provides Abigail with an alibi that causes her to become his. Abigail sets off to find the real murderer to keep her whereabouts that night safe.
Goodreads

I loved the concept of this one, especially the black woman as the main character in this new mystery series. But there were too many things going on in this story that it was hard for me to focus on the actual main event. Also, too many slow spots. I probably won't continue on in this series.

I w as really bummed because I was super excited about this book. I loved the idea of a black woman in this time. In London asserting herself as a detective of sorts and trying to navigate abolitionism and the inherent racism in the ton. There’s also the little problem of women’s rights, and the role of women, even when your husband is away at sea. The problem was that the book just went on for way too long, and without there feeling like there was much happening or much mystery being solved. The author spent too much time rehashing the same issues, often with almost the exact same freezing, and it just became a monotonous read. Also it kind of strange intervals we got these descriptions of what the character was wearing, which seemed directly in contrast with this idea of a modern woman that she was painting. I had really high hopes for this book, and while I do not hate it, it definitely missed the mark for me.

Lady Abigail Worthing is quite an interesting character. She is intuitive, intelligent, curious, a woman with a strong sense of right and wrong. She has inherited a sense of second sight from both her Jamaican mother and Scottish father. Although she is a baroness, she tends to be ostracized and the subject of ton gossip since she is of mixed blood and has a seafaring husband who is gone more than he is home. Early 1800's England, Blackamoors were free persons, unlike many other parts of the world. Abby has collected witness reports from her husband, James and is working to give them to noted abolitionists in England. This is ths first book from this author that I have read so I feel that Abby's background has been freshed out in previous books.
In this offering, she is embroiled in the murder of her neighbor's estranged wife whose body she finds on her side of a fence her neighbor construed. It is fortunate that Lady Worthing has supporting family and friends to aid her throughout her investigation. Unfortunately, those who are officially investigating the murder (and a couple more) do not want to listen to her and tend to "poo-poo" her views as female musings. It is very satisfying to have her prove them wrong. I am sure this will be the first of many Lady Worthing mysteries. She is too good of a character for only one book.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I love Vanessa Riley's writing, and especially in something like Island Queen which was very nearly perfect, in my opinion. This is the first in a new series set in the early 1800s that shows tremendous promise about a woman, Abbie, whose neighbor's wife is found murdered in Abbie's yard. Abbie has visions, as did her mother, and she also can't reveal her connections to a pro-abolition group, but what she can do is try to solve the murder.

The first half felt really slow and didn't really grab me, but I was definitely more engaged with the second, and there were some seeds planted for future books in the series that are going to flower beautifully, I think. For fans of Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series.

Thank you to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was just ok for me. It was very well reasearched, but it almost seemed like it could be the second book in the series. I felt at times like I was missing something. There were plot points that I really enjoyed, but other things that i found confusing.

I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did.

3.5* upped to 4
There's a lot of potential in this book: an interesting setting and MC, a vivid and well researched historical background.
I enjoyed it even it I was a bit confused at time, I felt I was missing backstories and like I was reading the second book in a series.
That said the MC is likeable and the cast of characters is well developed.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book reads like it’s the second in a series not the first there’s a lot of mention of things from the past. Like the times Abigail helped the magistrate with his investigations. Even the random stuff with her sister seemed to be a continuation from somewhere else. This all made for an odd read.

Anywho... Juliet the unhappy woman next door to Abigail is on her way to leaving her husband who she is constantly unfaithful to. She’s got a plans for her future and they don’t include her soon to be ex husband. Unfortunately for Juliet she’s murdered before she can ride off into the proverbial sunset. Abigail and her cousin Florentina are on their way to a secret abolitionist meeting when she gets a note that has her changing her plans and returning home hoping to find her missing sister waiting for. Instead while retrieving her dog from outside she runs into her neighbor Stapleton Henderson with whom she was having a petty feud with about fences and their yards and their dogs. Together they find his wife Juliet dead in the very yard they are always squabbling about.

Naturally the husband is the main suspect and since technically the body was on her property Abigail is under a suspicion to. Or really it’s just what she thinks nothing actually seems to indicate that anybody believed she was involved. Unless I missed it but I really don’t recall that happening. Because she’s apparently (in a nonexistent prequel) helped solve some mysteries the magistrate appreciates her observational skills. Apparently one of these times her assistance saved the man that would be one her husband from being accused of murder. When Henderson provides an alibi for both himself and Abigail they are tied up in a bit of mutually assured destruction. She can’t reveal that she was planning to go to (was not at) an abolitionist meeting. And he has a reason for keeping a few secrets. After a bunch of irritating back and fourth and another body the two decide to team up to discover the truth.

Abigail was annoying, she’s just a busybody nosey clearly bored woman minding everybody else’s business but in regency time. I suppose she assumes people would be suspicious of her because she a mixed race woman who has married up having married a baron. All the “investigating” she does is actually what makes her seem suspicious. Did her having visions really add anything to the story? Not really it just made her more annoying especially with her going on and on about being a coward because she didn’t fully see the vision at the beginning. To be fair though Henderson is not really all that likable either

The writing is good the research of the period is clearly there and I can’t say no to a Regency/Victorian era book with actual diversity. And you can always count on Vanessa Riley for that. However.... some of the characters she writes are dumb and annoying and full of nonsense.

One thing I always have to wonder when reading historical fiction is if any of this is like how people actually behaved.

After enduring both the book and audio version I am just bored, it was boring and painfully slow.

3 1/2 stars rounded up. Murder in Westminister is book one in a historical mystery series. Enjoyable and kept me interested, although at times I didnt care for all the characters/plot. The story follows Lady Abigail Worthing who discovers the body of her neighbor's wife. She then sets out to determine who among her peers, London's high society, is responsible for the killing. Of course when you are investigating murder, you are potentially putting your own life in danger, which Lady Worthing finds out! As more murders and mysteries continue to happen, this one will keep you guessing and engaged. It wasn't too dark though which fit well for the characters and time period. I look forward to more from this author!

Thank you to Vanessa Riley and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun and well-structured historical mystery that injects some much needed diversity into a genre that sorely lacks for diverse protagonists.

Think Bridgerton but with murder instead of romance and far better writing and you’ve got Death in Westminster, Vanessa Riley’s sharply plotted, caper-y Regency Mystery.

The Regency Era is seriously underused in every genre except romance, as is the idea that the protagonist in a mystery of this era doesn’t need to be a saintly white widow.

The mystery itself is a pretty good one with lots of moving parts that serve to keep us guessing without requiring a convoluted explanation to satisfy the solve of the murder.

But it’s the well-rendered setting and Lady Worthington herself who truly make this book a winner, and one I hope turns into a series in the future.

Lady Abigail Worthing discovers the body of the estranged wife of her neighbor, Stapleton Henderson. Abigail has a Scottish father and Jamaican mother, and her mother’s past makes Abigail fear for her reputation, especially with her husband away.
 Abigail won’t divulge that she was trying to attend an abolitionist meeting at the time of the murder, but Henderson offers her an alibi. Though he and Juliet were estranged he feels a loyalty to his late wife. Perhaps together, he and Abigail can learn the truth.


Well-researched and a good mystery, even if I guessed the culprit immediately. I was surprised that the comeuppance was set in the epilogue. There were many threads of backstory to weave together that slowed some parts for me. It read like this wasn’t the first installment of a new series because of the many hints of previous escapades that took away from getting to the main story. I struggled to even understand Annie’s true feelings toward her sister and her husband, and if her banter with enemy-turned-ally Henderson implies something more.

All that being said, I’ll eagerly give the second one a try.

Riley gives the reader a murder mystery with vivid characters whose interactions both charm and challenge. Captivating from first page to last she brings the people and the period alive. One murderer or several? Accidental death or vicious intention? The baroness teases out who did or didn’t with meddling efficiency and dreams whose vividness are never quite telling enough. A brilliant new detective is born.