Downloaded on a whim thanks to an email inviting me to do so. A historical/romance/mystery type story. Lady Petra has gumption & the story line moves along. Infuriating how women were treated/thought of in the time period. A quick read, drama in all the right parts. Thanks to NetGalley, Ms Connally, & St Martin's Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This Regency-era mystery, presumably the first in a series, follows some of the basic lines of the Regency romance formula. It is set in 1815, mostly taking place in London and its immediate environs.

The protagonist, 24-year-old Lady Petra Forsyth, daughter of the Earl of Holbrook, is extremely liberal-minded for the time. In addition, family circumstances provided her with her own financial resources. This situation enabled her not only to live independently of a man but to contemplate other freedoms denied to so many women - even among the wealthy - in Regency society.

Petra grew up in the company of Duncan Shawcross, grandson of the Duchess of Hillmorton. Petra and Duncan had a close bond, and when Petra was 20, Duncan introduced her to Emerson, Viscount Ingersoll, Duncan’s most trusted friend from Oxford. The introduction swiftly turned into a love match. Just weeks before the wedding however, Emerson died from a broken neck after a tragic fall down a set of stairs in Duncan’s London town house. Then, only a day after the funeral, Duncan left for the Continent in his new role as the Duke’s agent. Petra was bereft at the double loss, and she and Duncan quarreled bitterly. They hadn’t communicated since.

Meanwhile, Petra, beset by marriage proposals, announced to society she would not marry. She was widely scorned for this by both men and women, although her true friends stuck by her and even admired her.

As the story opens, Petra attends a ball given by Duncan’s grandmother. Duncan returns at last, also in attendance, and she needs to deal with her feelings about him. In addition, she receives news at the ball that two weeks earlier her friend Gwen, Lady Milford, had died. A footman confides to Petra he saw Gwen just two days previously. Petra arranges to meet the footman later in a park to hear more about what he has to say, but she was overhead and accused of planning a romantic assignation with an underling. Nevertheless, she goes to the park, only to find out the footman has been murdered. And more women have gone missing.

Petra is determined to discover what is actually happening, even though she almost loses her life in the process. And there is a whopper of a twist at the very end of the book.

Evaluation: Beneath the predictable Regency elements of this crime mystery/romance, there are darker aspects to the story not usually found in the genre. The Epilogue promises more to come from Petra’s exposure to and exploration of the hidden underside of Regency life.

Thank you Minotaur Books for this ARC.

I love Sherry Thomas’s lady Sherlock series and Regency romance so I said yes when given a chance to read this early.

It wasn’t for me. It has slow pacing until the last act and then it speeds up. It didn’t hook me.

Petra while forthright and feminist, wasn’t a compelling heroine to me. She was a very cerebral character, and I couldn’t connect with her. However, the author does create a rich world with Jane Austen worthy dialogue at times. And the villain is truly terrible, so you root for Petra.

My thanks to Katie Holt and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC written by Celeste Connally. This books offers all the scenery and depth of the Bridgerton era of England with all the mystery and stealth of Sherlock Homes. The main character, Lady Petra, declares that she will wed no one after the loss of her first love. At an all night ball held in London at a family friend’s, events take a turn and soon Lady Petra is on the trail of odd doings when a woman who originally died is reported alive, Along with a cast of friends and loyal help, she tracks the possibility that Lady Milford is still alive. The action and pace are great and the characters themselves are amazing (those you love to love and those you love to hate). Looking forward to more stories about Lady Petra in the future

Novels like this are so important to read. This novel is fiction but events like what took place in this novel absolutely happened in the past. This is a novel for anyone who likes a good historical mystery. It is also a novel that points out just how difficult life has been for women in the past.

Petra, is a spinster. She had been engaged to be married but her fiance died a tragic death. Petra considered him the love of her life and has not wanted to remarry. Due to her desire not to remarry, Petra is seen as unusual and there are several men who want to put her in her place. There are disappearing women and a murder that Petra is determined to find out what is really happening. There was lots of action and even a hint of romance. A good read for anyone who wants to get sent back in the past with a strong heroine.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for this ARC.

The heroine of this story is a woman out of her time. After the death of her beloved, Lady Petra announces her intention to stay single and independent in a society that does not accept women who live thus. The mystery revolves around the sudden death and then sighting of Petra's friend, Gwen. This book is charmingly written and full of wonderful detail. There is romantic tension and gripping mystery. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the wonderful combination of historical fiction, mystery and romance.

Enjoyed this very much ! I would of had a hard time with all the no no's of this time period also ! I like how she decided to do life as she wanted but there are always RULES to be broken. Mem have always tried to control any female who was different!

Regency era mystery where the heroine asks all the questions one would expect a modern feminist to ask. Lady Petra is a protagonist you will find yourself rooting for from the word go, surrounded by a supporting cast of characters whose own stories make you want to know more.

Found it hard to put down, and already can not wait for the series to continue. This book will have you eagerly reading every word to get to the end!

A great start to a new series. I like regency with a bit of feminism in it. I look forward to reading more of this series.

Act like a lady, Think Like a Lord
Celeste Connally
St. Martins (minatourbooks.com)
November 2023

First off, I must admit this is a new genre for me. If a regency period novel includes Jane Austen and her contemporaries, that’s the extent of my exposure. But this book looked like an entertaining read and I was not disappointed. Promoted as Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie, it combined the societal restraints of the period, a spirited heroine, a malevolent villain in the company of truly dark characters, murder and mayhem, and of course, romance. What could be better than that?

Lady Petra Forsyth, that rare woman of independent means who has her own inheritance, suffers a terrible tragedy. Her fiancé, whom she truly loves, dies shortly before their wedding. Petra then announces, perhaps unadvisedly, that she will never marry. As a woman of independent means, she sees no reason to turn her wealth, or her freedom, over to a man. Rather than do that, she intends to use her title for good and enjoy her life in society without expectation. This is, of course, is received by society as scandalous and she is reviled by many for her moxie.

At the same time, she hears that her fragile friend, Gwen has died from her melancholy while in the care of a questionable social climber named Drysdale. He has come on the societal scene and runs a mental asylum. He also is ingratiating himself to a number of lords of questionable character and behavior.

This is where the Agatha Christie portion of the story comes in. No spoilers here but murder is on the rise and Lady Petra, who doesn’t think her friend is dead, takes extreme risks to find out what is happening. Of course, in any respectable tale of this nature, there is a love interest in the wings who is smart, handsome, and devoted.

What Lady Petra found and experienced in the asylum turns the book from a story of societal norms to a heroic quest. It has a modern feminist twist that you might really have to suspend belief in, given the times. But as a fully engaged reader, I was with her the entire time.

Hopefully, this will be the first of a series featuring Lady Petra. She’s a character all of us modern feminists could aspire to be!

My only negative comment is the awful title. Petra deserves more credit than that! Thinking like a man, I mean lord, in this sense, is nothing to aspire to.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins ( Minotaur) for this advanced reading copy.

Not a romance. It's an historical fiction suspense with a few sprinkles of romance.

Lady Petra makes for a compelling main character while she tries to unravel the conspiracy and murders that keep happening. The narrative kept me engaged until the end.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I was very excited to receive a copy for an honest review, thank you to the publisher and NetGallery!

I am of mixed opinion...I enjoyed the story but found it too wordy. So many people to keep track of. Petra, was lovely, an excellent leading lady. But there was too much around her. It has such potential to be an excellent series with some refinement!

I was provided the book by Net Galley in exchange for a review.
I like books of this genre, this one was only average. Petra , the heroine, delighted in declaring herself a spinster while holding a long term grudge against Duncan for being away for three years without a word. Pretty easy to see where this was headed. The abduction and mistreatment of "uncomfortable" women was just a little too obvious. The final teaser for a potential next was heavy handed and did not make me add it to my list.

Two hundred years ago, a woman's life was not her own. But Lady Petra with a fortune of her own, makes her way in society. Because her fiance died three weeks before their wedding, she decides she will never marry. Of course this does not sit well with the men in society. Lady Petra soon learns there are women who have been locked away in an asylum at the whim of their husbands - for their money, just to be rid of them or much worse. When one of her friends is reported dead, Petra discovers the woman has been seen after her so-called death. This leads her on a devastating trail of cruelty and abuse. Using all her wits, Petra uncovers the unscrupulous doctor and his secret, cruel work. The end of this book screams sequel.

Another book that takes place in Regency England.
A 3-yr-old argument between two old friends provides the sexual tension.
There are a lot of lords and ladies, and an earl and duke and duchess.
Women of the "ton" are disappearing. Our heroine, Lady Petra, investigates.
She is, of course, brought up to believe that she is as good as any man. And that gets her into trouble.

The characters are not so well-defined. I confused one lady for another, and one lord for another.
The time period was defined by lots of horse rides, promenades and parties.
The villain was really vile!

If you liked Bridgerton, you'll like this. I give it 3-1/2 stars.

Stolid storyline which details the struggle of women in the early 20th century. I'd never read a book by Celeste Connelly and I enjoyed her style of storytelling. The action moved well and kept the reader entertained. The book also sets up a new story without creating a terrible cliffhanger that can't be resolved. Very enjoyable read with villains around every corner.

This was a quick, fun read with an interesting main character, Petra. Her quest to uncover foul play and then rescue the victims was a bit far fetched, especially for the time period, but interesting nonetheless.

Lady Petra Forsyth has decided to remain unmarried. After all, no one can replace her beloved fiance who died under mysterious circumstances. Speaking of mysterious circumstances, Lady Petra soon realizes that an alarming number of her friends and acquaintances have died under mysterious circumstances. What’s worse is that in the days prior to their disappearance, the ladies had displayed signs of emotional distress. Lady Petra is determined to get to the bottom of the story and enlists an eclectic group of friends to help. She soon realizes that she is the next target. Will she get to the truth before she becomes the next victim?

“Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Lord” is the first entry in a new Regency era series that has a “feminist twist.” The story features strong and talented women who move at the highest levels of Society with relative ease. The women are outspoken, but are still accepted. The characters move freely between social classes with little repercussion. Once the reader accepts this reality, this is a great start to a new series.

There are plenty of opportunities for additional stories, including several stories that take place before this one. This is a great book for those who like historical mysteries.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Historical Mysteries, I own thousands of them, no joke, so before I tell you what's irritating, I will tell you what I enjoyed, I liked Lady Petra, she is a good daughter, a kind mistress, and she's good to animals, still she manages to come across as full of herself, she comes and goes as she pleases, something unheard of during her lifetime, in her position in the aristocracy, She is a feminist, in a non feminist world, she is born ahead of her time, the number one issue is that to be a true feminist, you have to hate all men, sorry, I don't agree with that, all of these horrid men are contemptible people, in this book, all homosexuals are good guys, and the heterosexuals are not to be trusted! Really? There are evil people in every segment of society, this is my biggest complaint, the second is not having a good loving relationship between Duncan, and Lady Petra, he comes to rescue her, but wait, it takes three quarters of the book for her to realize her feelings for him, this makes her in my humble opinion, to not be the sharpest tool in the shed. I would have liked the premise of the story if it hadn't been so many men committing their wives and daughters by the droves. A few men maybe, but not the whole ton. I would have appreciated it if one or two men had resorted to this horrendous tactic, where we meet the ladies, and connect with them, I know that I would have cared more, been truly concerned with their being rescued. This was a new author for me, and I appreciate your allowing me to read this Arc #Netgalley #StMartinsPress

This is a wild ride through the year 1815 in England when Lady Petra declares she will. not wed and is content to remain a spinster. While others are gasping at this outrage, Petra is busy riding horses (not sidesaddle like a lady should), but with men's pants and boots, furthering indignation by all around her! There is whispered talk of a Mr. Drysdale but no one seems to really know him or what he does...until the courageous Petra makes some gruesome discoveries of her own and finds herself in a no-win situation! It's a crazy romp that left me breathless in a good way and I was so glad I can act like a lady OR a lord...hopefully with no repercussions!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!