Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave, married and two months pregnant, found that her husband, Damien, is lying to her but before she can ask, his former mistress, Mrs. Penelope Taylor arrives at their home, unannounced. She needs Bea's help to find out who killed her friend, Millicent Lloyd, because she is accused of the murder but she thinks that she was the intended victim. Bea graciously agrees and is presented with a list of all the men that might want Mrs. Taylor dead. As the investigations of the suspects begins, it seems that they all have alibis. In between these interrogations, Kesgrave finally tells Bea why he lied, which was a revelation to him and he needed to sort through it.
An entertaining and delightful adventure in this series in which Beatrice get to the bottom of the mystery while at the same time is introduced to some very quirky suspects along the way.
Thank you NetGalley and Potatoworks Press for this e-galley of "A Murderous Tryst".

A Murderous Tryst by Lynn Messina was a fun, light read. The story is about the Duchess Bea who is a murder investigator. Her husband the Duke had a mistress, Penelope Taylor, quite a number of years ago before their marriage. Miss Taylor is found covered in blood with a dead friend in her bed, and the supposed murder weapon in her hand. She appears at the Duke and Duchess’s home to ask Bea for her help to prove her innocence.

Bea sets out to solve the mystery. She draws up a list of potential murderers and leads us through her investigation of each. There was several instances where Bea put herself in danger and considering she was carrying hers and the Duke’s child, had you holding your breath. She did however, prove Penny’s innocence and catch the murderer.

I have to say I was not crazy about the writing. There were plenty of times where I had no idea what was going on. I think this was caused by a lot of background information but I found it very confusing and distracting.

I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced release.

This was a Beatrice Hyde-Clare mystery. I really liked the way this author wrote - it was sophisticated, but also lighthearted. I warmed to Beatrice, and I felt that some of the other characters had quirks and eccentricities that were appealing. I curled up with a cup of tea to read this, and I found it very satisfying and entertaining, exactly the kind of book that suited my mood. I would like to read some more of these.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

The adventure continues with this wonderfully entertaining twelfth entry in the Beatrice Hyde-Care Mystery series. Often times a series with this many books begins to falter a bit and lose some of its edge, but not this one. There is full-on entertainment on every page and a murder to solve as well. As always, the pages are filled with lively banter between Bea and Kesgrave and the antics of other recurring characters. We make a delightful discovery – Kesgrave has a half-sister -- and we are treated to the most delightfully improbable murder suspect you could ever want to meet. That suspect just happens to be Kesgrave’s former mistress, Penelope, and she is outrageous, entertaining, and over-the-top, but not vulgar. You are going to get a kick out of her!

This book begins just as A Lark’s Flight is ending. In case you didn’t know (I didn’t) there is a spin-off series, A Verity Lark Mystery, that features Kesgrave’s illegitimate half-sister. I was so excited to find out about the spinoff series that I went right out and bought both books in the series – and I’m hoping for many more of those as well. Should you think this is extraneous information and not pertinent to this book – you are incorrect, but you’ll need to read the book to see how.

Bea is in quite a pique! Kesgrave has lied to her and in typical insecure Bea fashion she has stewed, overanalyzed, and blown it into what she calls The Great Fabrication. Not only did he lie, he didn’t come to their bed. She’s up, dressed, and looking for a confrontation with him when she sees him in their entryway embracing a woman! Not just any woman either – it is his former mistress. Oops – now you’ve done it Kesgrave. Except – the woman is there to see Bea and not Kesgrave. Hmmmmm.

Mrs. Penelope Taylor, a breathtakingly beautiful, highly sought-after courtesan who happens to have been Kesgrave’s first mistress, is begging Bea to help her. Mrs. Taylor’s best frenemy was murdered – in Penelope’s own bed – and the magistrate is bound and determined to see Penelope convicted and hung. He may be Penelope’s dear friend, but he’ll see justice done. Only Bea can help her.

Did the murderer get the right victim or did he mean to kill Penelope instead – after all, it was her bed? With a number of suspects to sift through, very few clues, and the magistrate hot on their heels, can they solve the murder and keep Penelope from New Gate? You’ll just have to read the book to find out.

When you mix an indecorous, detecting duchess with an indulgent, helpful duke and then add an outrageous, entertaining, and over-the-top former mistress along with a determined magistrate, you have all the ingredients for a wonderfully entertaining tale. I have loved this series since the beginning and each new entry seems to be better than the last. I highly recommend this book – and this series. I love the characters, the banter, the irreverence, the humor, and the agility of Bea’s mind. I hope you will love it as much as I did.

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

Things aren’t as they seem!

Oh my! Bea certainly has a lot to contend with. Bea’s rattled! The Duke has been missing from their bed for a night. When a distraught Bea come downstairs the next morning she finds her beloved husband Damien clasped in the arms of a glamorous female. A female who turns out to be Kesgrave’s first mistress, Mrs. Penelope Taylor!
What?! Of course Bea’s heart sinks and she falls back on her painful memories of Aunt Vera’s responses to such a situation. Bea is both shaken and traumatised, but determined not to show it.
It seems Penny has been accused of murder. Actually Penny’s desperately trying to avoid Newgate. As a former mistress Penny does the unthinkable thing in society’s eyes. She asks for help from Bea. Bea’s response is just as shocking. She says yes. Kesgrave is as usual inscrutable.
Of course this is the beginning of a harebrained chase, complications between Bea and Amien, and an investigation of the various protectors who’ve all vying for Penny’s favors. That chase will turn out to be most dangerous and complicated.
Penny, Bea and Kesgrave! A scandalous puzzle for society, but in the end perfectly reasonable to Bea.
Once again Bea and Kesgrave rattle society.
Another enjoyable and surprising read featuring this most unusual regency couple, Beatrice Hyde-Clare, Duchess of Kesgrave and Damien, Duke of Kesgrave.

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

Duchess Bea is up to her old tricks….solving murders. But this time her husbands first mistress has been accused of murder, swears she’s innocent and asks for Bea’s help….awkward! Bea believes this woman…Penny…and despite the odd connection, she wants to find the real killer. To add to the drama, Bea is pregnant and Damian her husband isn’t keen on the flying around town chasing killers. Of further interest. Damian meets his long unknown half sister Verity Lark (tie into that series) and is working through the implications. A great edition to this series…. can’t wait for more

If you haven't read any book in the series, this review is for you! :)
I discovered Bea in this book, and realized too late that it was part of a series. It could definitely be read as a standalone; I didn't feel the urge to go back and read all the books before this one. However, if you are yourself an amateur sleuth and like to figure out who did it as you read, there are a few instances where it spoils one or two previous stories in the series. So, if you love mystery in a Regency era, go back and read from the first one. I am sure you won't be disappointed.
I enjoyed the main couple, Bea and Kesgrave. The romantic subplot is strong, but not overwhelming. I love Romance, so this was a plus for me. I love the dialogues; the characters are all funny in their own way. It's very well written, witty and entertaining. The pace was fast; I wanted to read on, and I am proud to say I figured out a few things before they were revealed. I'll definitely be reading another adventure with Bea and her duke!

Another fun installment in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare mystery series! I love the inclusion of the Verity Lark story line, and hope the same expansion continues for Flora. Can't wait for them to partner on cases! The banter and love between Bea and Damien is so sweet and their relationship is natural. The final scenes had a lot of great humor with some new characters shining. My only small gripe is Bea's continued low self esteem, her anxieties are consistent with the ones from the earlier books and I do hope to see progress away from that in any future additions.

I continue to enjoy this series from Lynn Messina and am in constant awe of the level of detail she puts into the books, especially as they usually only take place over a few days. Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave and her husband certainly know how to get an investigation underway and wrapped up quickly!

I find I have to really focus on the books in the series when I read them. I can't let my mind wander or else I'll miss some details. This can make it hard for me to get through, sometimes, unless I'm in the right mood.
I also find that there is a lot of 'inner monologue' text; we really get to know what Beatrice is thinking about, but sometimes, I feel it comes at the expense of moving things along. I also can't help but wonder how quickly Beatrice's mind works because some of the inner monologue can be a few paragraphs before she speaks to another character; if it all takes place within mere seconds, that is a really fast mind! As a result, it comes across a bit unrealistic.

Increasingly in this series, I find it becomes more and more important to have read not only the previous books of Beatrice's investigations, but also the spin-off series for Verity Lark. There are pertinent details raised that may make it challenging for the books to be a standalone.

In this book, I enjoyed the mystery at hand and the unusual situation it puts Beatrice in, essentially forced to investigate a murder for which her husband's former mistress is the main suspect. We meet some new characters, some smart, some are entertaining idiots, as well as revisit some characters introduced in earlier books. I was pleased that we barely spend time with Beatrice's family as her aunt (who is in it briefly) and her uncle (who is mentioned but not present) are very annoying (they are meant to be annoying, so well done to the author for succeeding on this front!).

I felt that there were good clues planted along the way that when the murderer is identified, it makes sense. There are also some red herrings, which any good mystery will have.

I also like the ongoing relationship growth between Beatrice and Damien, especially as they move closer to becoming parents (the pregnancy reveal was in the previous book, so no spoilers here!).

I look forward to reading more in the series!

I am a huge fan of Lynn Messina’s and have loved the Beatrice Hyde-Clare stories.

I enjoy reading books that are intelligent and clever. I have a tendency to skim but Messina makes me read every word.

Start at the beginning of the series and read through! You won’t regret it!

I think I have read all of her regency stories. I look forward to finding out where things go next for the family.

I just reviewed A Murderous Tryst by Lynn Messina. #AMurderousTryst #NetGalley

EEEEE!!! SO excited to be back investigating with Bea! As usual this story is funny and sweet at the same time. The investigation kept me guessing and I never once considered the murderer to be THAT person! I missed the clues Bea eventually remembered. Very clever! It was fabulously fun to have Kesgrave's former mistress along for the ride. It added some extra humor to the story and the planning and catch the killer scenes are so farcical they belong to a screwball comedy film of the Great Depression. As always, the dialogue shines brightly, far more than the narration. Some of the language sounds a little too modern and I would prefer it if Bea kept using euphemisms. "The cherub" is cute but then she should also use increasing or the more vulgar breeding and not pregnant.

It was great to read Damien's reaction to learning about Verity and his feelings about the matter. He hasn't had time to consider why he likes her and why he was attracted to Bea in the first place. I do believe he is attracted to intelligent, tenacious women because they embody the best qualities his mother had (and used for her own selfish purposes). While the former Duchess was a horrible person, Verity has used her intellectual prowess for good, just as Bea has. I hope the two women team up to investigate a murder together soon!

I appreciate the complex layers to the story, incorporating the characters' back stories and ruminating on the plight of women in the early 19th-century. While Bea's mother had enough social status to write about women's rights, not all women enjoy that privilege or are treated like human beings. At first glance, being a courtesan sounds more fun and glam than being a wife ("The purpose of a wife is for procreation.") Then, once the story gets going and Bea and Kesgrave dig deeper, it shows that all that glitters is not gold. The life of a courtesan like Penny is not a good one. Even though she seems to have wealth and status, she is little more than a commodity to be bought and sold. Her word is not to be believed and the men she once entertained would turn their backs on her if they thought she was a murderer. (murderess?) Because this is fiction, that doesn't quite happen, but the darker undercurrents are there in the story if you read the narration carefully.

As always, the Duke and Duchess are the cutest couple! They're so sweet. At first I was a bit worried because there was trouble in paradise but because Damien knows Bea so well, he knows what she's thinking and knows how to calm down her racing mind. Like mature married couples should, they talk about their problems and work it out. They're so cute together! He worries about her safety and doesn't LIKE her investigating. He WANTS to forbid her but knows he shouldn't and can't so he won't. He tags along to help keep her safe but I think the self-defense lessons are coming along nicely. He truly loves Bea so much and now his own past is coming back to haunt him and he's in HIS head about it. He tries to protect Bea even though he knows she's strong and tough, she's still a little insecure. Bea should know and would know if she had more self-esteem, that he would NEVER NEVER do anything to hurt her. The past is in the past where it belongs.

Poor Bea! She's still reeling from the visit to the orphanage and is still psychologically damaged from the emotional abuse she suffered from her relatives. She's only recently married and can't see herself the way her husband sees her just yet. Her past as an insignificant nobody comes back to haunt her and she's in her head about it, as always. She's trying to move past it and when she's investigating, she exudes confidence and doesn't take no for an answer. That is the real Bea. I hope she can move on from her past trauma and come to value herself for who she is now. Her family's attempts to make it up to her are too funny, especially Flora. Flora's silly at times but she does love Bea like a sister and truly wants to be useful herself. While Flora was treated better than Bea, she was still subjected to her mother's teachings! Aunt Vera really needs to learn to be confident and strong herself. Bea's mother would be so proud of how far Bea - and Flora- have come in terms of being equal partners to men who love them for their intelligence.

Penelope is hilarious. On the surface anyway. She's over-the-top but not vulgar, showy and supremely confident. Everyone claims she's trying to get the duke back but is she really? Her rivalry with Millie sounds more like they were frenemies than enemies. I think Penelope would have found a way to bump off the other woman discreetly or accidentally kill her frenemy in the heat of the moment. This crime was planned. Both women were greedy and tried to sleep their way to the top. Penny, being more voluptuous and having a better start to her career, has money. She's a wealthy courtesan who can choose her next "protector." She's not showy in a vulgar way but she likes to show off. It helps her image and keeps her on the tip of every man's brain. She has to stand out in a crowded field. was jealous and wanted to have what Penny had. Her life is sad and pathetic. She started in a brothel so it's no wonder she wants Penny's life. I don't blame her. Is it true what they say- imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? I'm not sure. It sounds very annoying for Penny to constantly have someone else copying her and trying to steal her lovers. However, in this instance, I believe is right to be upset. Penny deliberately set out to get Waltham once he came into the inheritance. She had rejected him previously so he went to instead. That was a low blow, Penny. Really.

Millie came over to Penny's early one morning, drunk on brandy and making a scene. Being drunk, especially that early, was unusual for Millie. It was mentioned several times that Millie's breath smelled of brandy and Pomfret Cakes (a licorice lozenge used both as a candy and cough drop). I'm wondering if someone poisoned Millie's candy and it made her act drunk or more unhinged than she would normally be drunk? It has to be a clue.

While Penny doesn't seem too broken up about Millie's death, she's brash and confident enough to believe it will work out in her favor. There's a discussion about how Penny has had to hide her emotions and compartmentalize because of her chosen profession and because of societal expectations. She's maybe a little too confident. She firmly believes she was the intended victim and not Millie. Someone killed Millie by mistake. Several ex-lovers and would-be lovers have reason to want to get rid of Penny. Which one killed Millie?

The Marquess of Waltham is new to his title and Society. He was the cause of Millie's disturbing the peace early in the morning. He's a cad and not too bright either. He seems genuinely shocked and broken up by the murder even if he did use Millie badly. Waltham really, really wants to be with Penny and settled for Millie as second best. Millie should have kicked him to the curb instead of taking him to her bed. And really, he behaved badly and if he ended up dead, I'd suspect Millie did it.

Baron Debenham keeps sending Penny threatening letters because she jilted him. He's the possessive, jealous type and it's no wonder she ditched him. Julian Barlow hates Penny because he believes she corrupted his brother, causing his brother to be killed in a duel. The dude was 22, old enough to be responsible for his own behavior and make his own choices. I don't trust Barlow at all. He's a sexist pig and teaming up with ultra Conservative MP, Lord Liverpool to enact a law to punish "scheming" women, like Penny, for "corrupting" "helpless" youth. (Sure let's blame the woman why don't we.) Debenham is truly vindictive and he wants to see Penny publicly humiliated, held up as an example of all that is corrupt and evil in the world and expose her "crimes" in the papers. Yikes! I guess that leaves him off the list of suspects? Or maybe he did target Millie as a clone of Penny. Maybe he thought it was easier to get rid of Millie because she wasn't well known enough to bother with a public trial? This guy is an arrogant arse and I hope he is the murderer!

The Earl of Audenshaw owes Penny money, or so she says. He gave her a bad parting gift and she is planning to get a hit out on him if he doesn't cough up the jewels. Yikes! That makes Audenshaw a prime suspect for murderer. The investigation at his house is too funny. He's another one who is sexist yet married to a formidable, intelligent woman. I suspect LADY Audenshaw was the murderer. After all, a woman could plan a discreet murder and would be familiar with hat pins and how to use them to protect herself.

Dudley St. Ives, another former lover, is young, only 23. He's whiny and throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his own way. Not even his father can control him but not for lack of trying. This kid behaved badly towards his family and towards Penny but he still seems to want her back. Another callow youth is Nettleby, a boy of 20, He is Penny's most stalwart defender. He wants to be with her so badly, he believes she's innocent. He's sweet but kind of annoying. Nettleby is not wise in the ways of the world yet, his frontal lobe hasn't developed to give him common sense and he's a typical young man lusting after the most famous courtesan. He believes he has a chance with Penny, as long as he courts her. Nettleby is a fool and oh so funny. There's no way he's the killer. He couldn't figure it out even if he tried. I don't even know if he would know what to do if he did have a woman like Penny! He's trying desperately hard to be a man though and escape his uncle's strict behavior.

Sylvester Nettleby is the nephew of Lord Hartlepool, one of Kesgrave's oldest friends. I don't see how they can be friends. Hartlepool is sexist, misogynistic and snobby - the exact opposite of Kesgrave. A ha! I think Kesgrave is wrong, totally wrong, to tread lightly in dealing with his friend's nephew. I think his friend is the killer! How far would Lord Hartlepool go to protect his family name and reputation? He's supposed to be looking out for his cawker of a nephew. How much "looking out" is necessary? How much is too much? I believe, given his opinions about women, he would totally murder a courtesan without a second thought and feel no remorse. He would probably say something like "taking out the trash" (or "binning the rubbish")!

The dark horse candidate is Mrs. Marshall, Penny's neighbor, who is always complaining about Penny bringing down the character of the neighborhood. Mrs. Marshall is fussy about appearances and about noise. She sounds like a stuffy prude to me and probably did slip in unnoticed and murdered Millie for making a scene and framed Penny, thus "killing two ladybirds with one stone." Yuck.

I can't get enough of this series and I am sure I need to read this again, along with all the others and Verity's stories. Names and fragments of information kept coming back to me but there was so much going on and so many books, I forget all the details. Read this if you like swoony Regency romances, funny romances and cozy mysteries.
Penny's relationship with Sir John Piddlehinton is hilarious. He's the only man who doesn't want to bed her. She's comfortable enough with him to entrust him with her finances and they exchange a lot of witty banter. When push comes to shove, however, he's not a loyal friend. He's not very bright or imaginative. Sir John acts officious and pompous, like he's just humoring Penny but believes she is responsible for the murder of her frenemy. That's low. He's sexist and thinks all women are incapable of being rational and are ruled by our emotions. He thinks of Penny as nothing more than a prostitute, a thing, not worthy of consideration due to a fellow human being. That's not right. I was beginning to think HE was the murderer, especially at the end.

I was overjoyed to read more about one of my favorite couples: Bea and Kesgrave. I was excited to read more about the birth of their first child, even though Bea was still in her first trimester. Of course and per usual, murder finds our heroine. This time in the unusual form of one of Kesgrave's former mistresses, Mrs. Taylor,, who believes she was the missed target of the killer, who killed a drunken frenemy asleep in her bed.

Basically while beautiful and alluring, she is really a courtesan or high class golddigger to the rich men of the ton. This was a relationship from Kesgraves' youth and he is mortified that she is nervy enough to seek Bea's help.

This book was good up til about 3/4 the way, then it began to drag for me, I love that Kesgraves is by Bea's side through it all, and Bea is her usual sharp self, I wish the author would cease with all the musings in her head and give some insight into Kesgraves' thinking. Bea also kind of shocked me with her physicality considering her condition. The ending seemed rushed and I wanted more about their marriage after the case ended, but I will continue to read as long as the author puts out content,
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A delightful read as always! it’s full of the analytical musings of Bea, and the witty banter between her and Kesgrave. This is the eleventh Beatrice Hyde Clare Mystery (12th if you count A Boldly Daring Scheme). If you want to do yourself a favor, go back and read all of them, they’re on Kindle Unlimited. I listened to the first 10 on Audible, and the narration was excellent. Anyway..

This one opens on Bea discovering that the Duke of Kesgrave has lied about his whereabouts, and then he proceeds to get home after she goes to sleep and eschews their bedroom for his own. By this time, Bea has built up the lie into the Great Fabrication, and has devolved into her insecurities. When she wakes the next morning, he’s embracing his former LOVER, Mrs. Penelope Taylor, in their entryway, (WTH Kesgrave??)

It follows that Penny has been falsely(?) accused of a murder and is seeking Bea’s help to resolve it. Even as this woman continues to flirt with Kesgrave right in front of her, Bea is relentless in solving the case with the help of Kesgrave and their coterie of friends.

I have to admit that my heart beat a little faster when Bea put herself in perilous situations while she was with child. Having been pregnant, I know she’s not infirm, but TAKE CARE, BEA, I HAVE GOT TO SEE THAT CHERUB ONE OF THESE DAYS.

Overall, a winner from Lynn Messina. I didn’t guess the ending, and this book had everything I want from a cozy mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the advanced copy of this book. It was my pleasure to provide a review. :)

This book is full of witty banter and hilarity as usual. The investigation is fast paced although does take a little longer than the usual couple of days which I was surprised about as I suspected the villain from quite early on and was surprised he didn't seem to be on Bea's radar. However I guess some allowance has to be made for her situation that might be affecting her hormones. This story happens a few days after the last Bea book and starts on the same day that Damien and his sister Verity meet in Verity's second book. You don't need to have read the other books to appreciate the mystery, but it really does add to the story so I would recommend doing so.

Buckle up! The roller coaster takes off immediately in this twelfth installment of the delightful Beatrice Hyde-Clare series. The sensitive part of me always feels for Bea when she's put in difficult situations and when her insecurities pop up. This time, she believes Damien has lied to her and possibly lost interest in her. On top of that, his first mistress shows up asking for help, as her friend has been murdered. In classic Bea fashion, she's less bothered by the mistress' presence than by the lie, which she calls The Great Fabrication. Hilarity and a fast-paced investigation ensues.

I love how tight the timeline of these books is. This story is happening a few days after the last Bea book and starts on the same day that Damien and his sister Verity meet in Verity's second book. You don't need to have read the other books to appreciate the mystery, but it sure is more fun if you have because each story feels like a continuation of the adventure.

I really enjoy this writer. Characters are mostly appealing, except when they purposefully are not. If you have read her other series, Verity Lark, be warned the events from those books are regurgitated in detail here. They had to be as Kesgrave had to get Bea up to date. It is almost a story about Bea’s reactions to things you already know, at least as a strong secondary thread. The courtesan entitlement is unrealistic even for these two. This is probably her weakest book, but albeit quite enjoyable. There are times it makes me laugh so hard. Fun.

The latest in the long running Beatrice Hyde-Claire mystery series is as enjoyable as ever. In this outing, Bea has to decide if her love of solving murders outweighs all the challenges of helping her husband’s former mistress. It does, of course, and Bea shows her usual intelligence and humor while working with the usual cast of characters to solve the case. A character from another weird makes an appearance of sorts which I suspect may develop further in future books. Well-written, witty, and well-plotted as ever. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lynn Messina always delivers!

I have read all the books in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series as well as in the Verity Lark series and I am never disappointed!

I love the wit and sarcasm of the characters, their precise depictions and quirks.

Bea never fails to amaze me and her investigation is well thought out as always. Up until the very end I could not say with certainty who the culprit was. All the more to make me keep on readying and finish the book in just one sitting!

Can't wait to see what the future has in store for Bea, Kesgrave and the little cherub!

I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.