Although I had never read a book by this author, the unique title captured me. The characters turned out to be just as unique and slightly quirky as the title. In a time (Victorian England) when women had few choices for employment, Florrie Gubbins, formerly of the Follies has transformed herself into Madame Flora Flowerdew. Along with her slightly physic Pomeranian, and maid, she has set herself up as a successful spirit medium. During a routine seance, a real ghost makes an appearance demanding they find his missing diamonds. Flora teams up with the ghost's grandson, Benedict to search for missing diamonds. A delightful mystery follows. There are suspects aplenty, but none too obvious so although an astute reader may make a correct guess, others may not. Flora is such a lovely character, you can't help but like her. Hopefully, we have not seen the last of her or Benedict. Their story is rather incomplete at story's end.

A Fantastic start to the first in Flora Flowerdew Victoria Mysteries series and it does not disappoint. Flora Flowerdew & the Mystery of the Duke's Diamond's grab you right from the start and takes you on a rollercoaster ride that brims with twist and turns. As a web is woven in this who done it. Just when you think you know you find yourself changing your mind.
Amanda Carmack has with unforgettable characters that are well thought out and each and everyone comes across clearly as their individual personalities become more than just part of the tale, a clean romance, seances with one irate ghost, murder and mystery. With setting descriptions and action sequences are wonderfully vivid which brings this read together perfectly and will keep you reading to the end.

It’s the first book I’ve read by this author and looking forward to more good ones!

I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

Take a touch of paranormal, a smidgen of romance, the fate of some missing jewels, some family secrets, and a murder and combine. Viola! Flora Flowerdew is born. This charming, frothy mystery is great fun!

Former music hall dancer Flora is now making here way in the respectable world of 1888 London as a medium with a plucky Pomeranian who really does see ghosts. The wealthy Petrie family comes to Flora seeking some other- worldly approval for their daughter to wed an impoverished duke. Flora’s world is turned upside down when the belligerent ghost of the duke’s grandfather appears during a séance ranting about stolen diamonds. In order to save her reputation, ensuring her continued livelihood, Flora takes it upon herself to investigate. With the current duke Benedict and her journalist friend Evie’s help, Flora sets out to solve a mystery that goes much deeper than theft.

I really enjoyed this first Flora Flowerdew Victorian Mystery. The characters are lively and well drawn. Through the investigation, author Amanda McCabe reveals layer upon layer of these characters who are more complicated than they first appear. I think Flora and I could be fast friends. I admire her level-headed fortitude, shrewd ability to “read” people, and curious nature. Duke Benedict turned out to be a delightful surprise, proving himself to be a thoughtful, somewhat lonely, kind man instead of an upper-crust snob whose only objective is to fill the family coffers. The supporting cast brings their own voices to the tale adding color and interest. Initially, the story seems straightforward, but it quickly becomes much more as characters’ pasts become pertinent and murder, possible mistaken identity, love, and greed come into play.

FLORA FLOWERDEW AND THE MYSTERY OF THE DUKE’S DIAMONDS sets a firm foundation on which to build a quality historical mystery series upon. I cannot wait to see what shenanigans Flora and crew get up to next. Highly recommended!

A great start to a new Victorian cozy mystery series. We meet Medium Flora Flowerdew and her pet Pomeranian, Chou-Chou. The pair are drawn into the mystery of the Duke's missing diamonds after a seance goes awry.
This was an intriguing mystery with a touch of romance. I love the characters and am looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for review.

I received a copy from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This was a sweet, funny story that made me laugh and it had dogs... so I kind of love it!

Flora Flowerdew is an independently living woman making her way through the world as a medium, after retiring as a chorus girl. She holds seances in her flat, with her trusty Pom, Chou Chou, who apparently is the real medium of the two as the dog can see ghosts.

However, Flora is pulled into a mystery one day when she is holding a seance for a family of a wealthy merchant who are looking for some otherworldly approval of their daughter's pending betrothal to an impoverished young duke. What nobody expected, including Flora, was that the actual ghost of the current duke's grandfather would crash the party and lay a mystery at their feet.

Apparently a fabulous set of diamonds owned by that duke are missing, and thought to be stolen by his son, the father of the current duke. Ghost duke implies curses and mayhem if the diamonds are not found. Current duke, having to manage an impoverished dukedom is interested in finding the diamonds and finding out some of his own family history, as his father disappeared when he was a child and was presumed to have died, considering they found a corpse in his clothes in a cave in Cornwall. Flora, thanks to the bellicose, berating ghost of the dead grandfather, is drawn into working with the current duke to solve the mystery.

So we have a commoner former dance hall girl, who is working as a medium, who actually manages to bring forth a ghost, who charges her to work with his grandson to solve the mystery of the missing diamonds. In the meantime, the merchant family parents want to marry their daughter to the duke, gaining a wonderful title and social cache for them - though the threat of a curse and otherworldly hauntings do put a damper on things. The daughter, it turns out, is not so enamored about being sold off by her commoner parents, to a title. The current duke is wanting the marriage - not so much out of any finer feelings for the daughter... but for the moneybags the merchant father would heap on him, so he can make some needed improvements to his estates. For that matter, the search for the diamonds widens into a bigger mystery about the Duke's father, how he lived, what he did... and finally how he died. As they travel together here and about, Flora sees beyond the title and finds out that Benedict, the duke, is a lonely, likeable man with a lot on his shoulders, and she is rather inconveniently falling for him.

This was a mish mash of convoluted, enjoyable silly fun.

4.25 stars out of 5.

FANTASTIC!!! Flora Flowerdew & the Mystery of the Duke’s Diamonds by Amanda McCabe is the first in a new series Flora Flowerdew Victorian Mysteries. I have to admit that this is the first book I have read of Amanda’s but it certainly will not be the last. I love finding new authors that write incredible books! What I loved about this book was the regency mystery behind it and it was so good I could not put it down. I found this book to be very well written, easy to read, original, had the real feel of the regency era, wonderful characters and just a delight to read. The imagination of Amanda astounds me. This story had a women with a sad past, a duke needing to marry for money, mediums, seances, a ghost, lost diamonds, not wanting to marry the duke, schemes, murder, so many suspects, wanting to marry a vicar, a circus, being detectives, a newspaper writer and so much more. I am highly recommending you read this book, as I said I thought it was Fantastic!!

***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.

Flora Flowerdew is a renowned medium, and during one of her seances for the wealthy Petrie family whose daughter is about to marry a handsome young duke, goes horribly wrong. The duke's grandfather makes an appearance and demands she find his families diamonds. The Duke's grandson shows up to her doorstep and they set off to find the diamonds. During their journey for the diamonds they encounter murder and sparks of a romancetic nature. I have to say that the romance was not passionate but was there and sweet. This is my honest review, I received an advance copy from NetGalley. I did enjoy this story.

A charming Victorian mystery with unexpected and quirky characters that may have your believing at first it is a romance but really is a mystery with probably a slow-burn romance in the future. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the characters and the mystery had more substance that I was expecting. There were a lot of plot twists and a gradual revelation of the facets of the characters. There were humorous moments--after all a medium with a name like Flora Flowerdew is bound to have a few moments that bring a smile to your face--and an adorable dog. There was a paranormal touch of this story, but not in the solving of the mystery. In fact you can ignore it and imagine it is a human behind it if you want. So don't let that deter you from reading this fun mystery.

I received an ARC in return for an honest review. Thanks you Netgalley and the publisher.

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Flora Flowerdew Victorian Mysteries #1
Publication Date: 8/16/22
Period: Victorian London
Number of Pages: 189

I wanted to read this book because, with a name like Flora Flowerdew, I just knew it was going to be humorous. While it didn’t turn out to be really laugh-out-loud humorous, it was still entertaining and I enjoyed the read. How could you not find a former showgirl who decides to be a ‘medium’, a Pomeranian who really does sense ghosts, a girl who wants to get out of a betrothal to a duke, and a duke whose family diamonds are missing – to be totally entertaining?

Flora Flowerdew, formerly chorus girl Florrie Gubbins, has made a good life for herself as a medium. She makes enough money to afford a nice flat in a good neighborhood and she genuinely helps her clients. Her Pomeranian, Chou Chou sometimes gets a hair-raising when a real ghost might be present, but Flora hasn’t seen one – yet. That all changes when she agrees to do a séance for the Petrie family – A baron, his wife, his pretty daughter, and his spinster sister. The baron wants some assurance that his daughter will have a happy life if she marries the duke who has been courting her.

The séance goes well – until – a REAL ghost makes an appearance. It is the very angry ghost of the duke’s grandfather. He is whirling around the room upsetting tables, candles, glassware, etc., and shouting that his family is cursed and the diamonds must be found. Then – whoosh – he’s gone and the room is quiet again.

Flora realizes she is going to have to solve the mystery if she wants to save her reputation and continue to make a good living as a medium. After all, what client would want to do a séance with a medium who can’t control her ghosts?

The duke and Flora begin visiting anyone who knows any of the duke’s family history. The more they learn, the more confused they become. Is the duke’s father really dead? Then, there is a murder and they know things have to speed up. There are hints dropped throughout the book that will tell you who the villain is – if you follow them and put them together.

There is a nice supporting cast of characters in the book, and I would hope they will continue throughout the series. There is the duke, of course, and I really liked him; Mary, Flora’s maid started on the East End streets just as Flora did; and Evie a reporter who is a whiz at digging up information from old newspaper files. It will be interesting to see if a romance develops between Flora and the duke because they seem attracted to each other despite the differences in their stations in life.

I certainly enjoyed this nicely written story and will be looking forward to the next one in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced e-Reader Copy (eARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Flora is making a name for herself as a medium when an angry ghost appears at her séance demanding she find the diamonds. She then decides to try to solve the mystery and in doing so finds she spends a lot of time with Benedict. I look forward to the next books in this series. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for my honest review.

This book was a humorous read. It was a well-written, light hearted mystery with twists and turns and lots of fun. Flora is a likeable character who has had lots of trials and tribulations who has found a way to be independent without resorting having to resort to the usual routes. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a fabulous mystery. With a ghost, a psychic dog, a semi psychic lady and a murderer of multiple people.
Flora Flowerdew has a secret. The former Florrie Gubbins, music hall dancer, is now Madame Flowerdew, one of London’s most renowned spirit mediums. But it’s actually her beloved Pomeranian dog, Chou-Chou, who can see the ghosts.
One of her most lucrative seances, for the wealthy Petrie family whose daughter is about to marry a handsome young duke, goes chaotically awry. The duke’s late, and very irate, grandfather demands Flora and his grandson Benedict find the long-missing family diamonds—even the search becomes littered with mayhem and murder! Can Flora discover the jewels before she loses her career, her sanity—and her heart?
Sparks fly as Flora, Benedict, and Chou-Chou pursue the truth of the diamonds’ disappearance in this lighthearted, cozy historical mystery set in foggy, gas-lit London.
I have never read a book by this author before but I will be on the lookout for more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

What a heart warming romance with touch of mystery. Once again the story was exciting full of love and choices in life, I liked how they managed to overcome all the difficulties that surrounded them. I am glad it ended as it did.

“ Flora Flowerdew & the Mystery of the Duke’s Diamonds” by Amanda McCabe

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for this Arc.

Madame Flowerdew, also known as Flora Flowerdew, also known as Florrie Gubbins is a well-known medium in Victorian London. Only, she isn’t the one that can see ghosts…her dog is!
After an unusual seance for a wealthy family, Flora gets drawn into a deadly mystery surrounding a dead duke’s family diamonds. She teams up with her faithful helper, Mary, her dog, Chou-Chou, and the late duke’s handsome and already betrothed grandson, Benedict, to solve the mystery. Many truths are uncovered on this journey, and Flora finds her mask that she wears so often beginning to slip as she finds companionship with others.

This book was a short and delightful read! It was a well-written, light-hearted mystery with twists and turns and steady humor. You can’t help but like this bold and sweet main character as she navigates life as an independent woman while trying to heal from strains of her past!

I highly recommend this fun read, and I look forward to more books in the series!