A very enjoyable book by an other whose writing I appreciate Catherine Lloyd. Caroline Morton has become one of my favorite characters that this author has shared with me.

It SEEMS that there will be a sequel to this book also - competing male friends of Caroline perhaps? If her father's issues were cleared up would a third gentleman be in the running? The former fiancé who she has admitted to being in love with.? not sure that would no necessitate returning to a less happy existence?.

I think I'd like to see Caroline remain with Mrs. Frogerton and her irrepressible daughter at least for the next book that hopefully is well into it's existance.

Very enjoyable cozi historical mystery! Lady Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton are once again in the middle of a murder mystery where their friend Dr. Harris is the #1 suspect of the murder of spiritualist Madam Lavinia. On the quest to discover who did murder Madam and prove Dr. Harris innocence leads to many questions but no proof of whodunnit.
It definitely kept my interest and trying to figure out who the murderer was. Great twist in the end! I love it when I didn’t guess who was the villain. I rated it 4.5 ⭐️. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #MissMortonandtheSpiritsoftheUnderworld

This is the second book in the historical A Miss Morton Mystery Book series. I really enjoyed the first book. The characters are wonderful and quirky. The pace of this book I thought was better than the first one. They mystery is what does it for me in these books, as I don’t figure out who done it until the author reveals the culprit. A wonderful mystery. I can’t wait for the next installment.

4.25 Stars
Lady Caroline is happy to be back amid the swirl of London society, guiding her employer’s daughter, Dorothy Frogerton, through her first Season. Dorothy has been declared “an original” by a patron of the exclusive social club, Almack’s, and is sifting through potential suitors. Mrs. Frogerton, meanwhile, finds her own diversions, including spiritualist gatherings at the home of Madam Lavinia, and begs Caroline to come along. Caroline is skeptical of Madam’s antics and faux French accent—until she slips a note into Caroline’s hand, which contains intimate family knowledge. Even as Caroline tries to discern whether the spiritualist’s powers are real, a much darker mystery presents itself. Madam Lavinia is found lifeless in her chair, a half-empty glass of port at her elbow. In her desk is a note addressed to Caroline, entreating her to find her murderer.
The second book in the series & another well written page turner. I loved both Caroline & Mrs Frogerton & how they ere determined to find the murderer & clear Dr Harris. There are twists turns & of course red herrings. I didn’t guess the villain, which is always a bonus. The characters have depth & were well portrayed. I look forward to more books in the series
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the second book in the Miss Morton Mystery series. The story is set in London in 1838. Miss Caroline Morton is charged with guiding her employer's daughter, Dorothy Frogerton, through her first Season. Unlike her congenial and affable mother, Mrs. Matilda Frogerton; Dorothy is a little bit headstrong, but Caroline endeavors to work with her and keep her on the right track.

Mrs. Frogerton has been going to spiritualist gatherings at the home of Madame Lavinia to connect with her late husband. She convinces Caroline to accompany her on one occasion to get her opinion. Caroline comes away being somewhat skeptical, but also intrigued by some information that Madame Lavinia knew about her. Caroline wants the opinion of her friend, Dr. Harris, who also comes away from a session with many questions and wants Caroline to go with him to speak to Madame Lavinia. When they arrive at her house, they discover that she is dead and Dr. Harris is arrested for her murder.

Mrs. Frogerton and Caroline know that Dr. Harris couldn't possibly have killed her, but Sergeant Dawson of Scotland Yard seems determined to pin the crime on him. Miss Morton and her employer take it upon themselves to seek out the truth and find the real culprit. In the meantime, the son of one of Madame Lavinia's clients is found dead floating in the Thames.

The book has a wonderful cast of characters. Between all the drama of Dorothy's first Season and the mystery surrounding the dead bodies, this whodunnit kept me guessing till the very end. I look forward to the next book in the series, because there were some implications at the end as to what is to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for a fair and honest review.

1838 Lady Caroline Morton due to a perilous financial situation is the companion to trade woman Mrs Frogerton and is guiding her daughter Dorothy through her first season in town. When spritualist Lavinua Dubois is killed, Mrs Frogerton and Caroline investigate to prove the innocence of their friend Dr. Harris.
An entertaining cozy historical mystery with its likeable main characters. A good addition to this series set in early Victorian England.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a well written mystery. I love historical fiction stories and this story immediately became one of my favorites.
The excellent author's writing style, the dialogues and the atmosphere of London in 1938 compose this excellent story which is enriched with mystery and suspense as a murder with many suspects comes to disrupt high society. It's a clever and mysterious story that kept my interest until the end. I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Lady Caroline Morton -- but she won’t use her title -- is still penniless, still working as a paid companion to Mrs. Frogerton and still assisting with seeing that the Frogerton daughter Dorothy makes her proper entrance into Regency society. And although the Frogertons were in “trade,” that won’t really matter -- because the Frogerton money will ensure a good marriage.

Mrs. Frogerton has decided to visit a popular medium, Madame Lavinia, for news of her late husband. Carolina thinks there is a very bad idea. So does Dr. Harris (a comrade-in-arms from the first book, (“Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder”). And so does a Professor Brown, who is there making a study of such things. But the séance reveals “facts known only to a few,” and Mrs. Frogerton wants to go back the next day. That won’t be easy - for Madame Lavinia is soon murdered, gone to the great crystal ball in the sky.

What do the letters found in Madame’s desk mean? Madame knew she would be killed and wants Caroline to find the culprit? And then, there’s this: “When you accomplish this task, you will discover the riches you deserve.” Oh, no pressure, then.

There’s a myriad of suspects in this one, and lots of reasons that Madame had to die, when secrets are involved. Lots of secrets. Blackmail, anyone? Who is hiding the truth? And of course, as often happens, the police investigation is no investigation at all, which means Caroline has to keep up her dogged pursuit of what’s really going on. And she proves quite good at it, by coming up with a plan that draws a bad’un out, whereby the police can arrest the culprit and all will be revealed.

In reading the book, one mustn’t forget the other stories unfolding on the pages. Author Catherine Lloyd reminds us of the disparity between “old money” and the world that Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter represent. But a pretty girl with a huge dowry sets aside a lot of objections.

From the grave, Madame offers up some curious words for Caroline’s future. More fodder for future story lines, always a good thing. “Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld” is a fast-paced, enjoyable mystery with likeable characters (well, Dorothy -- “Dotty” - may test your patience, but she’s memorable for all that) that has its setting and language down pat. Speaking of characters; Mrs. Frogerton is definitely a strong one, a real help for Caroline, “… secure in her sense of self,” as the book has it. It’s a pleasure to read about her.

I found this second installment to be another excellent installment in the Ms. Morton series. The characters have been further developed, their relationships are more in depth and I loved the subject matter. The author has made sure to include red herrings and twists and turns with a satisfying ending. I really enjoy the relationship between Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton. I enjoy how they involve themselves, quite like Holmes and Watson, into attempting to solve the mystery at hand and save Dr. Harris from being accused. This was a wonderfully entertaining read and I look forward to book three in the series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Catherine Lloyd for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld, coming out August 22, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Lady Caroline is happy to be back amid the hustle and bustle of London society, guiding her employer’s daughter, Dorothy Frogerton, through her first Season. Dorothy has been declared “an original” by a patron of the exclusive social club, Almack’s, and is going through potential suitors. Mrs. Frogerton finds her own social happenings, including spiritualist gatherings at the home of Madam Lavinia, and asks Caroline to come along.

Caroline is skeptical of Madam’s antics and faux French accent—until she secretly gives Caroline a note that contains intimate family information. Even as Caroline tries to discern whether the spiritualist’s powers are real, a much darker mystery comes about. Madam Lavinia is found lifeless in her chair, a half-full glass of port near her. In her desk is a note addressed to Caroline, asking her to find her killer.

Caroline needs no psychic abilities to realize the motive, for it seems that Madam was blackmailing some of her clients. But as Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton investigate further, they find new suspects, and a lot of deceptions, some very close to them. Now Caroline will need to keep her wits about her if she is to stop others from joining Madam Lavinia in the life beyond.

I love this series! I received the first book from NetGalley and definitely wanted to check out the second one. Regency mysteries are one of my favorite genres. Caroline is an awesome character and I love reading about her journey. One thing I would’ve liked was for the mystery to be solved a little sooner with more time for a wrap up. It all seemed to go down in the last two chapters so it felt slightly rushed. But I definitely love the topic of spiritualism and connecting with ghosts. I also loved that things might be changing for Caroline’s status. Hopefully there are more books in the series.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy historical mysteries!

I did not realize that Spirits of the Underworld was the second book in the Miss Morton series. Nevertheless, I had no trouble following the plot and just some minor questions about characters' backstories. Caroline Morton, the daughter of a disgraced earl who committed suicide, works for Mrs. Frogerton and is guiding that lady's daughter through the London social season (Daughter Dorothy is a brat.). Caroline and her employer become amateur detectives who investigate the murder of a medium. This is the era of fascination with spiritualism, seances and more and I enjoy reading books that focus on that fascination. Mrs. Frogerton is especially a fun character and took a primary role in solving the mystery -- so much so that I wondered about the title of "Miss Morton...". I don't know if her character was that strong in the first book. I also don't know the backstory of Dr. Harris, a potential love interest who is accused of the medium's murder. Catherine Lloyd has given us likeable characters and a good plot. I plan to read the first book in the series and look forward to future installments.

“There are more things in heaven and earth!” (Hamlet)

Once again Caroline Morton finds herself involved in a death. This time a medium, Madame Lavina is murdered, and strangely she’s left a note for Caroline.
Caroline’s kindly employer Mrs. Frogerton had wanted Caroline to accompany her to a séance.
It’s 1838, the beginnings of Victoria’s reign. Spiritualism and mannerism are all the rage during these times
Interestingly, Dr. Harris is present, as is Madame L’s brother, Professor Douglas Brown, who we are told is conducting a scientific study of spiritualism. Caroline is impressed by his serious undertaking. There’s noises, electric currents and smoke involved, but Caroline detects something else.
The last thing Caroline wants is to be investigating another murder, but it seems she is!
Meanwhile her charge, Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter Dorothea, is looking beyond a plain mister (no matter how charming and wealthy) and has fixed her sights on the Viscount Augustus Lingard. (Although, if a Duke happened along she’d be thrilled, even if they’re quite old.)
Ah, the charms of youth!
The mystery of how Madam L. was killed and by whom is complicated. The ‘after the event’ revelation brings more mystery.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All opinions are my own, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Mystery, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Historical Fiction, Regency Fiction
Gore Level: Surprisingly low. ;)

I read MISS MORTON AND THE SPIRITS OF THE UNDERWORLD in one day. It was honestly so enjoyable, and I kept trying to puzzle out whodunnit so I had to keep reading.

Miss Morton is fabulous! She is unruffled, has depth, and carries on with tea and biscuits in the face of murder. Somehow, I missed the first in this new series and will go back to read *Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder* because I loved #2 so much.

Mrs. Frogerton is so fun because she doesn't care about society snubbing her while wanting her fortune through her daughter, Dorothy. And Dorothy is shallow and entitled—I can't wait to see if she grows and changes in the next book.

Why did I love it?
- Regency era
- Out-of-sorts peeler (policeman)
- Miss Morton
- I didn't guess the identity of the murderer until one page before the reveal! (That's a big deal!)
- The spiritualist
- So many potential suspects!
- Letty, the servant
- Mrs. Frogerton (say her name 3x as quickly as possible)
- Suitors and balls during the season
- Potential romance
- London

Rush out to get this one! I highly recommend it!

Happy sleuthing!

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, British, cozy-mystery, medium, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, fraud, spiritism, local-law-enforcement, poisons, false-information, false-conclusions, reduced-circumstances, paid-companion, extortion, seance, secrets, series*****

Impoverished Lady Caroline Morton is helping her employer Dorothy Frogerton by being her lady's companion and also with some amateur sleuthing. It appears that an alleged medium in town has an interesting sideline and is also apparently poisoned just before Miss Morton visits, and things get more interesting rather rapidly. The publisher's blurb is a good one so I won't repeat it. Loved it and hope for more in series.
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

The second book in this series and one I was really looking forward to as I really enjoyed the first. I was not disappointed.

It is now 1838 in London and Lady Caroline is helping Dorothy Frogerton navigate the hazardous waters of the London Season. Dorothy has her heart set on marrying a Duke and she appears to be determined enough to do so. Caroline also attends to the day-to-day affairs of Dorothy's mother, Mrs. Frogerton, a wealthy widow.

Mrs. Frogerton becomes interested in a spiritualist, Madam Lavinia, and hopes to make contact with her dead husband. Instead another murder occurs, a friend is the accused, and Caroline and Mrs F. are off and away in their own investigation.

The mystery is involved, the suspects many and varied, and the actual murderer is a clever surprise.
Beautifully written, with an excellent Regency atmosphere, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys the genre.

Another great addition in this series. There are lots of twist, turns and red herrings that keep you guessing who the murderer is. There are also lots of fun moments to be found while Caroline and Mrs Frogerton get stuck in to solve the mystery and save Dr Harris from being accused. Another entertaining read from the author can't wait for more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

While this is the second book in this series this is the first one I've read and had no trouble jumping in. I had a lot of fun following along as Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton dive into the case of who killed Madam Lavinia, the psychic medium whom Mrs. Frogerton has visited in the past.
There were plenty of twists and turns and red herrings that kept me guessing who the killer could be, while also having some humorous moments that had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed the characters of Mrs. Frogerton and Dr. Harris with Caroline becoming more likable as the story went on. I would definitely go back and read the first book, and any others that come out in the series.

It is 1838 and Miss Caroline Morton along with her employer Mrs. Frogerton and Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter Dorothy have settled into their rented London home to attend Dorothy’s first season. Dealing with the ton will be a cakewalk compared to the harrowing times they lived through in Miss Morton and the English Houseparty Murder, the first book in the series.

Dorothy is busy setting the ton on its ear with her forthright, headstrong, and very engaging manner. Yes, they sit up and take notice even though her wealth comes from – gulp - gasp – trade. Meanwhile, Mrs. Frogerton has taken an interest in spiritualism and has attended a few sessions with Madam Lavinia. She even takes Caroline with her to a session to see what she thinks about it. Very doubtful and very skeptical, Caroline wants to bring Dr. Harris to one of the sessions for his opinion. Why? Well, Madam Lavinia passed along something that no one else could have known – and she did the same with Dr. Harris. Could she genuinely have a gift? We’ll never know because Caroline and Dr. Harris found her body – and Dr. Harris was soon charged with murder.

It was so much fun watching Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton set Scotland Yard on its ear with their staunch belief in Dr. Harris and their flat-out refusal to let him be railroaded. Since Sergeant Dawson wasn’t really interested in finding the real murderer – he only wanted to close the case as quickly as possible – Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton decided they’d solve it to save their friend.

I think you’ll be genuinely surprised by the identity of the villain. You will probably wonder – what if – but you won’t be sure. There are plenty of red herrings to keep you and our erstwhile sleuths off on tangents and plenty of wit to keep you smiling and shaking your head.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can recommend it. The characters are delightful – especially Mrs. Frogerton, because, for me, she steals the show. So far, there isn’t a romance of any sort – and I really need one of those to totally enjoy the series. There is, of course, Dr. Harris from the last book. I never warmed to him in that book and the same was true of this one. Then, there is a new character, Mr. DeBloom, who is a bit intriguing. Not only could he be an excellent romantic interest, but there are some other hints of things to come for Caroline’s future as well. Cool – mystery within a mystery.

So, if you decide to read this book – I hope you love it as much as I did! Happy Reading!

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

There was something about Madam Lavinia that didn't sit right with Lady Caroline - or obviously with the person who murdered her! Now, Caroline and Mrs Frogerton are sorting through suspects to find which of them was the villain. Oh, and Caroline is also taking Dorothy Frogerton through the London season, which is a trial of sorts for Caroline because of her deceased father. There's a potential love interest in the form of Dr. Harris. Set in 1838 London, this has all the elements of a historical cozy. As with first in the series (and this will be fine as a standalone) I enjoyed the characters more than the puzzle. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I enjoyed the first in series and was looking forward to reading this second installment. I was not disappointed. Lady Caroline has had to become a companion to brazen, outspoken Mrs. Fogerston, who is in business and not exactly accepted in polite society, since her father, after squandering the family's fortune commits suicide, leaving a legacy of scandal behind him. Shunned by the ton and now going by the name Miss Morton, Lady Caroline is helping guide Mrs. Fogerston's s somewhat spoiled daughter thru her first London season. Along the way they get caught up in yet another murder investigation when the body of the spiritualist that Mrs. Fogerston has been seeing is discovered and their old friend Dr. Harris is arrested.
After being introduced to the main characters in the first book it was nice to see them all again and see how they have developed from one storyline to the other. I am glad to see Dr. Harris back in the mix, as it adds a touch of romance in the air for Miss Morton for sure. Even though the mystery is not a very complex one and the culprit was pretty easily guessed right off, the storyline is delivered with just the right amount of intrigue, interest and some humor, making it an enjoyable, attention-holding story. I would recommend and give 5 stars. I am now looking forward to see what is in store for our feisty friends in the next in the series.
Thank you to Kensington Books and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.