Murder in Drury Lane is the second Lady Worthing historical mystery by Vanessa Riley. Released 24th Oct 2023 by Kensington Books, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in 3rd quarter 2024 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. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The third book in the series, Murder in Berkeley Square , is due out in 3rd quarter 2024.

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. An unfortunate murder at the theatre sees Lady Worthing again drawn into investigation.

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 from the first book which promise to be overarching multi-book plot elements.

Four stars. A strong and well written series. 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.

This is the second book in the series. I did not read the first book and was able to keep up. THis was a great story with a great mystery. I loved tht Lady Abigail is years above where she would me in this era. It held my interest and was afast read. I look forward to going back to read the first story, and for more to be in the future

I'm deeply invested in Abigail's story but sometimes Riley's writing just doesn't work for me. It tends to be a little rambling and I find myself losing the thread.

A blend of wit, suspense and social commentary. The plot incorporates the pending abolition bill in parliament, adding depth to the story.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lady Abigail Worthing is a young woman of color in 1800s London. Behind the scenes, she works to bring the abolition of slavery within the British Empire to an end. And in public, she doesn’t let prejudice or possible harassment deter her from doing what she does best - investigating crimes and bringing wrongdoers to justice. But when her home is vandalized while away visiting her traveling husband, her sense of safety and security is compromised. And when a murder occurs at her beloved Drury Lane theater, she realizes that the danger spreads to all facets of London life. Murder in Drury Lane by Vanessa Riley is the second installment in the Lady Worthing Mystery Series, in which Abigail works to solve the murder - or else risk her own well-being and of those around her.

Riley wonderfully creates interesting characters and includes thoughtful commentary on the status of women, especially women of color, in this historical fiction murder mystery. While some in the ton expect her to “learn her place,” she and her cousin ruminate about being allowed to not only live her life freely, but also make mistakes like their white male counterparts do. I also appreciated that Riley weaved in the complications of politics and public criticism that often comes with the progress they work towards. And even though I had to get used to the pace and the particular style of speech that comes with the time period and region, I found that I still enjoyed the mystery part, as well as most of the characters. Readers who enjoy murder mysteries set in this time period should definitely add Murder in Drury Lane to their list - but they should probably read Murder in Westminster first to avoid any confusion from missing background.

The Theater At Drury Lane is one of sleuth Abigail’s favorite places in the city.
But things are in uproar at the Drury Lane theatre, an ambitious playwright with a terrible past is murdered there and Abigail is compelled to investigate.
This is the second novel in the Lady Worthing series. I did not read the first book but quickly found my footing in this story, Intriguing characters, and quite a lot of them with an equally intriguing storyline and connection to history. I love a good Lady Sleuth and Lady Abigail Worthing is an exceptional amateur sleuth. Her backstory remains in the shade, it is unclear why her husband stays far away from London or whether she as a married woman is actually interested in romance with her wonderful neighbor but the story is entertainingly told and provides a fabulous background for the mystery at hand.
Regency London - a wonderful setting and well-developed supporting characters this book has it all.
Highly recommended for historical mystery lovers.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

This is the second Lady Worthing regency murder mystery. The husband responsible for her status and wealth is still a cypher, and her somewhat antagonistic relationship with her unmarried neighbour is developing (I did find this peculiar for the time period) - this relationship triangle hits a lot of different romance tropes.
Abigail, who is mixed race, and married to an older man, is drawn into yet another investigation when she's at the theatre on the night of a murder. Trying to untangle the puzzle sends Abigail into many levels of London society and allows the author to examine abolition, racism, sexism and class problems.
I found the writing style to be a bit too rambling to keep my attention, and I kept losing track of what was actually going on. I think, for me, the social commentary, while relevant and interesting in another context, feels more like reporting, and not like part of the story. Abigail's relationship and family dynamics form a big part of the book, but don't seem really related to the mystery plot, so it's almost like there are two different books proceeding at once - a bit confusing.
Probably could be read as a standalone, but reading the prior instalment would provide background. Would recommend to fans of historical mysteries who like complex plots and

I didn't realize this was part of a series going in, and I do think that the reading experience will be enhanced for readers who have read the first book. However, the mystery is tense and interesting, and the politics of the time are perfectly interwoven into the story.

I am a fine a Vanessa Riley and like this series quite a lot. And look forward to the next ones that come up. the Two leads are great and very complicated in a good way!

The theater at Drury Lane is one of Abigail’s favorite places in the city. When an ambitious playwright with a terrible past he’s trying to overcome, is murdered there, Abigail is once again compelled to investigate.
This is the second novel in the Lady Worthing series. I read the first one, Murder at Westminster and loved it. This is a great follow up to an intriguing character with an equally intriguing history. I love a Lady Sleuth and Lady Worthing is an exceptional addition to this historical amateur sleuth category. We get a little more information about Abigail Worthing’s seafaring husband—she saved him from the gallows, but we don’t have the full story. I’m hoping this whole episode will be revealed in a future novel. Meanwhile, I’m loving the developing relationship between Abigail and her good-smelling neighbor Stapleton Henderson.
Immersive setting of Regency London and well-developed supporting characters really pushed my buttons for this story. And where the heck is Dinah, Abigail’s sister? I love this sub-sub plot as it’s set me worrying for the next story.
Highly recommended for historical mystery lovers.

Murder in Drury Lane was an excellent follow up book by Vanessa Riley. Lady Abigail Worthing has many pressing issues in her life. Her husband is still away, her home has been broken into and once again has to team up with her neighbor to solve a mystery. What I loved most about this one was how much feeling the characters had and also that much of the setting is the Drury Lane theater! Loved the meticulous details of the many facets and characters that run a theater. Highly recommend for historical fiction mystery fans!

If you love an independent woman, history, and mysteries, this book will be right up your alley!
Lady Abigail Worthing, despite a marriage of convenience that has brought her many comforts, still has a past that haunts her, as well as visions. But these visions are often a clue of something to come that will help solve the mystery.

Would recommend - 3 stars

What a fun cozy historical mystery! Riley creates characters that feel like they could leap off the page. The mystery moved quickly, and the romance undertones worked well too. I really loved Lady Worthing's willingness to buck norms, and i was surprised by the reveal at the end. The story is also set during political debates about abolishing slavery, and it was interesting to learn more, esp. from the perspective of a Jamaican woman. Really enjoyed this read!

Murder in Drury Lane is a very engaging murder mystery with a cast of characters who are adventurous and daring. Abigail is confident and self-assured and I admired her ability to go from one dangerous situation to another confronting suspects and possible killers. I enjoyed her friendship with her next-door neighbour and I am intrigued to see how things will develop there seeing as she is already married.
It is always interesting to see the political backdrop other than the Napoleonic Wars written into the plot. The abolition of slavery within the British Empire made a new and thought-provoking change.
There are quite a lot of characters and suspects to grapple with but there is a list at the beginning of some of the chapters where the names are crossed off as Abigail makes progress in her investigations.
I haven't read the first book yet but there seems to be quite a lot of backstory that I missed and I found it difficult in the early chapters to connect with well-established characters. They all had long-winded awkward names which added to the confusion. However, the mystery soon took over and I found myself immersed in the theatre world of Drury Lane, the murders that took place there and the subsequent investigation by Abigail and her neighbour, Stapleton Henderson.

Vanessa Riley has Lady Worthing solve The Murder in Drury Lane, Lady Abigail is a mulatto aristocrat in regency London who loves Sheridan's theater but the actors are not what they seem. Bodies start falling. Can Abigail stay alive and find whodunit. All against anti slavery laws being passed. Intriguing.

This book had such an intriguing premise and I love how the characters investigate against the odds and expectations. My heart really breaks for Lady Abigail and her position of neglect and constantly feeling of loss and not being good enough. There are a lot of good suspects and you have no idea who to believe. It deals with serious events and concepts; abolition of slavery, prejudice against women and nonwhite races, and I appreciated how much Abigail was fighting for in addition to the murder. However, the writing just didn't click for me personally and I felt my attention wandering constantly. Also I highly recommend reading the first book before this one as it doesn't give a good overview / recap of the actions and relationships that have formed previously.

I think many historical mystery lovers will enjoy this one. Thanks to the publishers for a free copy!

“Murder in Drury Lane” by author Vanessa Riley is not your typical historical murder mystery. This is book two in the “Lady Worthing Mystery” and I started to read this book without reading book one, “Murder in Westminster”, and I stopped after a few pages and went back to book one. I am glad I did because book one gives a lot of background - however it is totally up to the readers preference.

When it comes to mystery novels, I enjoy a well-thought full of twists & intrigue mystery that keeps me on the edge of my seat. Vanessa Riley’s stories check all my boxes for what makes a good mystery. In this installment Lady Worthing becomes involved in finding out who murdered a playwright as she fears her beloved Drury Lane will finally meet its demise with this unexpected death. This story definitely does not disappoint as the reader is never quite sure who is telling the truth or who is hiding different agendas.

Not only is Lady Worthing investigating murders she is also pondering the extended absence of her husband, vandalism to her home, the abolition bill parliament is set to vote on, and worry over her involvement and secret work with the abolition movement. There is a lot more drama going on behind the scenes than on stage and my advice is to pay close attention to details and read every word!

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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A true thrill to read. Vanessa Riley never disappoints. I quickly was turning pages and couldn't put it down.

I have been reading mystery murders all in fabulous settings and eras. Each story has been so descriptive of their setting that it formed a great deal of the story itself.

This book is one such. The Drury Lane Theatre, the backers, the owners, the actors and actresses formed the plot, the murders that took place and also the detection. There was an unusual addition of mulatto and blackamoors, who had gained a position in society because of their immense wealth, education or by marrying into society. This added another genre to this book.

The murders of two stalwarts in the theatre itself was bad, but when attacks happened to those investigation the murders and a murder by mistake of another happened, it was very close to home for Lady Abigail who was not going to be cowed down by attacks. Unearthing enormous gambling debts, revenge and love triangles, plus betrayal by friends and worse family are all part of the story It added a great deal of drama and made the unraveling a bit complicated.

I missed out on the first but I do hope there is a sequel. I do want to know where the missing husband is. It’s left very much hanging in the air.

OMG this was amazing! I so have to go and get the first book in the series!! I loved this! The victorian setting, the theater, this was absolutely perfect. I loved reading Abigails story and I have to read the first book now! Loved this!!
I just reviewed Murder in Drury Lane by Vanessa Riley. #MurderinDruryLane #NetGalley
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