4.5 🌟
This was such a captivating adventure!
Lady Petra is a very strong and intelligent woman, she is kind and caring and very vexing to a number of the male population.
She has discovered some atrocious things and is trying to find answers, as inconspicuously as possible.

This was a thrilling adventure full of mystery, friendship, adventure, & frustration. I was sucked into this story right away and was hooked through til the very end.

There was amazing banter, a hint of romance and excitement.
I can’t wait to read Petra’s next adventure.

I enjoyed this book on the whole but there were just a few things that weren’t for me in this novel. But it was enjoyable despite the feminism throughout that really took me out of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is the first book in the Lady Petra Inquires series set in 1815. Women were supposed to get married, have children and let their husbands do whatever they wanted. when her fiancé and soulmate dies just weeks ahead of their wedding, Lady Petra vows never to get married, in many eyes, becoming a spinster is unacceptable. She lives with her wonderful father, her mother having passed away. Her mother's brother, is incensed that she is besmirching the family name. When friends of hers begin to die and/or be declared ill with melancholia and hysteria, she becomes worried. The physician that runs the home/hospital is a smarmy, questionable man and Lady Petra decides she needs to investigate, but things get dangerous for her. Will she find out what is going on between the doctor and the husbands of her friends before more than one of them dies?

I enjoyed this book and meeting Lady Petra Forsythe and her friends. I liked the setting and the activities during this time period. Petra a a smart, independent, determined young woman and is lucky to have people around her that are okay with that. She is loyal and that is what sends her on her search for her friends and answers to the mystery/puzzle. The plot where men have their wives and daughters locked away in private asylums is uncomfortable, but true to the times. I am so glad that this is not happening today. I enjoyed meeting the various secondary characters and seeing their friendships. The were well developed and I look forward to seeing more of them in future books. The ending of this one was satisfying, but I would have liked to see the culprits get more punishment after all they had done. I enjoyed the first book in this series and hope to see more of Lady Petra. I listened to this audiobook narrated by Eilidh Beaton. She is a voice that I enjoy and love what she adds to my listening. If you enjoy a fun historical cozy mystery, I recommend Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord.

I wanted to love this sooooo much. I love historical mysteries. They are so fun, especially in a Regency setting. Yet, I struggled so much with the character development. It felt so flat. I could hardly tell who anyone was, which for a mystery is a real struggle. By the end, I just didn't care.

This is a nice period piece mystery. I love the addition of including some diversity when it comes to sexuality and feminism in a way that makes it plausible and true to the times. I also liked that other aspects—such as how women were treated and how some walked the line of being socially what was expected but hating it and wanting better but others just stuck with societal expectations. It felt real and true to what I imagine being alive at this time would be while also giving me a mystery I could get lost in.

Narration was good, but for some reason in order for me to keep up with the story I had to slow down the pace from my normal (1.75-2.0) to 1.25. Even when I put it on 1.0 while it was too slow for me it seemed faster than normal. The voice was very pleasing, I think it may be that when I think of period pieces—especially those in high society—everything is slowed down, they don’t have the hustle and always on the go like we do now so the pace just wasn’t fitting what I’ve come to expect.

This book was everything. I love the drama set against a regency-era plot. It was so fun to read! It was giving Bridgerton and the drama that comes with it. I would thoroughly recommend to fans of historical romance with humour and heart. I could tell immediately upon finishing this would be a book I'd reread and recommend to 8 friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled to get into the storyline and found myself wandering instead of focusing on the story. Unfortunately, it was one I didn't finish. There were a number of characters to keep track of and since I wasn't 100% into it, was losing track of who was who and finally turned off the recording.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Interesting read, I enjoyed the setting and thought the characters were well developed. I think I would have maybe liked it a little more as a physical book as I wasn't fully involved with the audio book, although the narrator was fine!

I love this book as a hard copy book, and I really like this book as an audiobook- the narrator, Elihdah Beaton does such a great job with the material! The subtle injection of emotions was great! The inflection of the narration, excellent.
This is a great book (& best title and cover), any historical fiction and reader who appreciates a little unique suspense will like his one. My preference with audio books is when I listening to fiction audio books, I like to read the hard copy first, and then the audio I will catch different things. The narrator and their mode of reading really helped with this and made my second reading/listening even greater!

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord is the first Lady Petra historical mystery by Celeste Connally. Released 14th Nov 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in 3rd quarter 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a very well written engagingly constructed mystery with an intelligent female protagonist set in the Regency era. There's a fair bit of period-accurate misogyny, skullduggery, and the disposal of "inconvenient women" which will raise any modern reader's hackles. Protagonist Petra is a woman of means who has eschewed marriage after the loss of her fiancé, so she has time and resources to investigate when her friend goes missing.

Most of the positive portrayals in the book are female, and there are precious few redeeming qualities in most of the men in the book. There's also a slow-burn romance angle, so readers who enjoy some romance with their historical mysteries will enjoy that aspect.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours 15 minutes and is capably narrated by Eilidh Beaton. She has a clear, light, upbeat voice - not RP English, and quite modern sounding, but not distractingly so. She does a good job delineating the characters and it's not difficult to keep them straight during the read. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

The first of a continuing series, the sequel is due to be released by Minotaur in 4th quarter 2024.

Four stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, gifting, home library, as well as a solid recommendation for a mystery bookclub discussion.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

While I think the story at the heart of this book is incredibly compelling, I don't think it was done in the best way to balance its humor with its darker, more serious subject matter. It felt like so much of the story was building for it to be a historical cozy mystery, but it also wanted to tackle the topic of the forced institutionalization of women. I felt like I was getting whiplash with how quickly the book went from the torturing of confined women to jokes about dogs biting bad men in the butt. I wanted to like this more than I did, but I can't see myself continuing with this series.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

This audio kept glitching on me and I was only able to listen to about 60% but I plan to check it out from library to finish because I enjoyed what I read

I listened to the audio version of Celeste Connally's Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord. In a nutshell, I'd describe it as having a strong concept, woeful plot and character development, and excellent narration. At the end of the day, Eilidh Beaton's outstanding performance, which was well-paced and nuanced, elevated this book from a two- to a three-star read for me.

The novel follows wealthy Lady Petra, who, after the death of her betrothed, is determined to remain unmarried. She soon stumbles into a mystery when she hears first that her dear friend has died suddenly and then that that same friend has just been seen in unusual circumstances. As Petra gossips her way toward the truth, she uncovers a misogynistic plot, faces danger at the hands of a dastardly physician, and skits the edges of a lukewarm romantic subplot.

Honestly, this story felt like it took forever to really get started. Had I been reading it, I very likely would have abandoned it at the 20% mark. Only Beaton's stellar narration kept me listening, although I frequently wondered if I had misread the book summary. In the end, I suspect this single volume is simply trying to set up too much. It is clearly the first of an intended series, and instead of exploring one theme very well and saving others for future installments, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord tries to cram them all in from the get-go. By trying to take on what seems like every social ill at once—from misogyny to classism, sexism, racisim, homophobia, and more—this novel does a disservice to them all.

I can only hope that the next book in this series is more worthy of the narrator's skills.

"Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord" promises an intriguing blend of Regency-era mystery and a feminist perspective. The novel introduces Lady Petra Forsyth, a woman of independent means who boldly declares her intent never to marry after the devastating loss of her fiancé. Her determination to maintain her freedom and wealth in a society that expects women to yield both upon marriage sets the stage for an engaging exploration of societal norms and gender roles in the Regency era.

The narrative takes its time to set the stage, delving into Lady Petra's world and her defiance of societal expectations. While this slow buildup might aim to establish the characters and their motivations, it appears to elongate the story, testing the reader's patience. However, the book gains traction in its final sections, where the pace quickens and the plot thickens, offering a compelling resolution that ties together the earlier threads.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its thematic elements, particularly in highlighting the injustices faced by women in that era. Lady Petra's quest to uncover the truth behind a friend's suspicious death leads her to unveil a disturbing reality—an asylum where women are confined against their will. This exploration of societal issues through the lens of a historical mystery adds depth to the narrative, infusing it with relevance beyond mere entertainment.

Despite the slower parts, the last portion of the book delivers a satisfying payoff, weaving together the threads of mystery and social commentary into a compelling climax. Lady Petra's headstrong actions, while serving her investigative pursuits, also endanger her own freedom—a compelling irony that adds tension to the narrative.

I wasn't sure what this would be but it was very good and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

I was ultimately disappointed with this novel. I wanted to like it. I tried several times to engage with it. It just does nothing to make me care. We've got all the elements of a classic lady's mystery: Era. Meddling Family. Kind Benevolent Figure. A Ton Death. Guilt to Make the Protagonist Engage. Enough Suspicion to Get Her Involved. History With an Eligible Man. But they just didn't come together cohesively for me. I love several similar series, but this just isn't drawing me in. I care about the general plight of Lady Petra. I just find it tedious every time I pick it up. I've tried the ebook and audiobook, but the story just isn't enough to keep me engaged. I forced myself to make it to 30% before DNFing. Perhaps with more editing this could be a winner. I certainly wish the author the best in developing her craft and succeeding. But there are too many other books I'd rather be reading.

This story was hard to listen to because of all the trigger topics. Mental health, pregnancy loss, abuse, and more. A good book but lots of hard topics.

This book has been pitched as Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie, and I think that that is fairly accurate. It is not solely a romance or a mystery but a blending of the two and it pays off in the best way, as it feels like a very complete story.

The mystery was so well-developed. Oftentimes these cross-genre novels feel lacking in one genre (or both) but I think that neither the mystery nor the romance was sacrificed. This is not a simple mystery easily solved when the heroine has a bit of time away from her suitor but rather a full-blown mystery with several twists and turns that I was not expecting.

I will say, Petra is absolutely a modern feminist in her takes. In that way, it is not period accurate but I think that the book would have felt severely lacking had she had Regency-accurate views on women. (There most definitely were rare women with what we would now call modern views on feminism, but the emphasis is on rare.) All in all, Petra had me rooting for her from start to finish!

Eilidh Beaton’s narration was sublime from start to finish!

If you like a strong female main character and a regency setting surrounded by mystery and political intrigue, you'll enjoy "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord."

Lady Petra Forsyth, daughter of the Earl of Holbrook, has announced that, after losing the love her life shortly before their wedding, she intends to remain single.

Some applaud her courage and resolve, while others perceive her behaviour as madness.

Either way, it puts her distinctly in the spotlight as she comes to realize that women are mysteriously disappearing; especially women who appear too emotional or headstrong. And she begins to hear rumors that she's soon to be next.

As she tries to work out the mystery behind what's happening to these women, she's also trying to decide whether her childhood best friend, Duncan, can be trusted or is simply an impediment to her success.

A bit of mystery. A bit of romance. This is distinctly a character-driven story with Lady Petra at the reins.

Some may find her brand of strength offputting, but I found it immensely enjoyable. And the end left us with just enough of a hint at a new mystery to make me look forward to the next installment in the series.

Thank you to Celeste Connally, the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I really wanted to like this one but it took me over a month to finish it when I typically finish an audiobook in a couple of days. The main character is Lady Petra - a member of the who has decided not to marry after her fiancée unexpectedly passed away before their wedding. Lady Petra starts out very likable but after not too long she’ll remind you of Emma Woodhouse before she came to her senses. The mystery is a bit thin but that’s usually the case in a debut with a new detective - not every introduction can be the Mysterious Affair at Styles.

I’d give this series a second chance because there is real promise - I just found this first book over stuffed with unimportant characters and details and Lady Petra a bit too unlikable.

I’m grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.