A Victorian murder/mystery with a great cast of characters. It's a slow burn read and it ticked all the boxes for the perfect read.

It's always exciting to be promised a new series, especially if it is combining two of my favourite genres (Historical Fiction and Crime) in this first Victorian Detective novel "Eliza Mace" by Sarah Burton and Jem Poster. Sadly, it didn't live up to Enola Holmes. I found it quite dull and slow, in fact the first half of the novel seemed to be about a girl wondering if her father was dead or not (I don't know if I actually cared). Things should have kicked in when she started investigating the murder but by that point I wasn't that bothered. This series isn't for me.

At just 16 years old, Eliza hails from a prestigious family in Wales, residing in a dilapidated manor during the 1870s. However, her spirit rebels against the suffocating confines of Victorian society, especially under the disapproving gaze of her mother, who insists on strict adherence to societal norms.

When tragedy strikes and Eliza's father is murdered, a Pandora's box of family and community secrets is opened wide. Taking matters into her own hands, Eliza joins forces with Constable Daffydd Pritchard to unravel the mystery. Despite initial surprise at Daffydd's willingness to share investigative details with her, I soon found myself captivated by the depth of character development it spurred.

Eliza emerges as a captivating protagonist—a beacon of intelligence, intuition, and compassion far beyond her years. Despite her privileged upbringing, she possesses an unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth, displaying a commendable sense of honour. Without hesitation, she accepts the responsibility of visiting the accused in jail, driven by her unwavering dedication to justice.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This Victorian cosy mystery tells the story of Eliza Mace and the mysterious disappearance of her father, who she later finds dead in the woods. His ill temper, debts and poor relationships with family members, friends and neighbours alike mean there are no shortage of suspects for the local police force to choose from. The local constable Dafydd Pritchard is leading the investigation, and soon Eliza is proving herself invaluable to him, much to the dismay of her mother. Even though perhaps not entirely historically accurate, the descriptions of the local countryside are very evocative. I had formed my own conclusions as to who the murderer was, and was delighted to be proven wrong! The story romps along and was very enjoyable, and I would definitely be interested in reading more in the series.

The first book in what appears an entertaining series. Eliza is seventeen, living in the big house. Caught by her mother’s desire for doing the right match for a girl of her standing. Eliza though makes up her mind she has come of age to decide her own future. That here is to use her skills of observation to find a murderer. Her mother is not happy with this, but gumption is something Eliza has in spades! I look forward to more in this series. Thank you to Duckworth Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mi e, freely given.

I'm a huge fan of anything Victorian and can never resist a new murder mystery series set in the Victorian period. Unfortunately, I'm also quite critical when it comes to descriptions of this time period as I know a lot about it and when things do not match it irritates me.
I enjoyed getting to know Eliza, but I also thought that the story was very slow paced at the beginning which made me lose my interest a bit. What bothered me the most was that Eliza sometimes felt very modern. Not all Victorian women were the typical Angel in the House and it's possible to write interesting and even feminist Victorian characters without making them seem so modern. This unfortunately always took me out of the story. I felt similarly about her interactions with Constable Pritchard and what really annoyed me was that most characters addressed each other by their first name. This is just wrong.
There was potential for this novel, but the historical inaccuracies somewhat ruined it for me.

A murder mystery with a young woman investigating the disappearance of her dubious father. I found all the characters rather wooden and unconvincing and the story didn’t grab me. Shame as I was looking forward to reading it.

YA Historical novel for teen fans of the Austan-ian area.
This novel had trouble to really get going. While the first couple of pages are very intriguing, the intro stagnates with nothing really happening for the first 20% of the book. In fact, the whole family dynamic and conversation is about money, or lack thereof and all the subsequent blame and family problems... I really think the point could have been made much faster and in a less heavy way. The characters became rather unpleasant to me, Eliza top of the list, which makes it hard to keep reading.

This one is too character driven for a mystery. It feels like a big, long setup for the future rather than a mystery that can stand on its own. The comparison to Enola Holmes is sadly lacking in execution, the setting didn't seem well-researched, and the slow pace didn't do Eliza Mace any favors.

I wondered at first if I mistook this book as mystery while it was actually a regular historical fiction - the death mentionned in the blurb happens at the 30% mark so it was pretty late and kind of off-puting. We put a lot on Eliza and who she is and how she thinks, the relationships between all caracters and the family's history. I wasn't expecting to go so deep into the caracter's, but it's totally understandable and welcomed when you think this is a series!

I really liked Eliza and her way to think and act, even if sometimes I wanted to make her move, especially when she was hiding something - which was in a way understable as well. The small gossip stories around the mother, father and uncle were really interesting. I really liked Dafydd as well and his way to act and think, even tho I'm a little bit confused on what the author wants to give us between Eliza and him... If there should be anything between us then I expect a very slow burn within all books of the series and waiting until she's 18 to have something happening between them (while I do know it's a totally normal and legal age back then, it's still disturbing as a reader).

The mystery was done well but it felt like the killer reveal was a bit too fast : we get so much to turn us to think of everyone but them and then the moment they're mentioned, they're caught, and the end. I don't know what kind of mysteries we're going to have in the next books, but I do hope for a better way to reveal the culprit with better hint here and there (and not only towards the end) without making it too easy!

Anyway, it was entertaining and I enjoyed it overall, so I would gladly be reading the next books in the series :)

"Enola Holmes meets the novels of Laura Purcell in this Victorian mystery featuring quick-witted would-be detective Eliza Mace.

The Welsh borders, 1870s: on the cusp of adulthood, Eliza Mace is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house on the fringe of a small town, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza's determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.

Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that's no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart..."

Oh yes, I need something to fill the void left by Enola Holmes!

Enola Holmes meets the novels of Laura Purcell in this Victorian mystery featuring quick-witted would-be detective Eliza Mace.

I have to be honest...I picked this book because the main character and I share the last name. HOWEVER - I wasn't disappointed.

Eliza fights against expectations of her class and gender and in turn is an excellent detective. When her father goes missing, things come to a head and the crumbling Mace household is in disarray. Eliza pursues the truth without understanding the cost.

This book was such a quick read because I couldn't put it down! I could relate to Eliza on more than one level. I would describe it as a cozy murder mystery. I did feel the reveal of the murderer's identity was squished and could have been fleshed out more, but overall very enjoyable read.

I managed half the book but gave up I'm afraid.
I was expecting a thriller about investigating her fathers disappearance but Eliza Mace was slow and boring. It had more of a romance flavour than a detective book. I like thrillers to be pacy and gripping. This was neither.
If you like historical romance it will appeal.

This is an historical mystery set in the 1870s. The main character is a sixteen year old girl, Eliza Mace, who lives with her parents in the Welsh countryside. The mystery element of the story relates to the disappearance and death of her father. Eliza's father is a disreputable character and there is no shortage of suspects in the case.
As this is the first book in the series, there was a prolonged setting up of the situation. This made the first third of the book rather slow going. Once the investigation started the pace did pick up. There were a few surprise twists but overall this was a fairly low key mystery with not a great deal of excitement. My biggest disappointment with the book is the characters. They were just so unconvincing. Eliza may be headstrong but her behaviour, attitudes and language were just to modern and informal to be believable. The policeman, who takes great pride in his job and the law, confides details of the case too easily to her, especially in view of the fact they have only just met.
I choose to read this book because of the parallel drawn to the Enola Holmes books. I must say that this book falls a long way short of those lively and entertaining books.
Overall this was a reasonably entertaining light read but nothing special.

Eliza Mace is on the cusp of adulthood and is battling for her independence, but her family feels differently and is trying to keep her in line with the rules of society.

When Elizas father goes missing, she joins forces with Constable Pritchard to solve the case, but it won't be easy, and some dark secrets are to be unravelled along the way.

The first book in a new Victorian Mystery series by Sarah Burton and Jem Poster. Eliza is a great female protagonist who is sure to stand her ground on any views she may have, which I loved about her. The book is well written, and the mystery is strong throughout.

I am really looking forward to reading the second instalment and following Eliza on her journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital copy.

I'd like to start by saying that I am a big fan of Regency/Victorian-era lady detective novels. One of my favorite book series of all time is the Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries by Lynn Messina and I was hoping this book would fall along the same vein for me. It did not.

One aspect of the writing that threw me off was the first-name basis with which the characters, regardless of their station, addressed each other throughout most of the book. It made it difficult to place the story in its intended period. The story felt monotonous despite the intriguing plotline and it could have used longer moments of relief, via comedy, superfluous scenes, etc.

While the Goodreads blurb would like to compare this new literary offering to Enola Holmes, this book does not capture the wittiness and sometimes silliness needed to make these types of books shine.

This is a very well-written book. I loved the characters and ended up becoming quite emotionally invested in many of them. Because of this, I am left feeling sad that the story has ended. There are still questions which are left unanswered, so I hope that there will be a sequel at some point in the near future.
The mystery was intriguing and I was shocked, yet I also realize that the clues were there all along, but I simply didn’t pick up on them.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for a review.

First off, as the start of a new series, I will definitely read the second one when it is released. That said, it was a bit dark and the ending was a bit abrupt, but overall, the book was engrossing and interesting. Eliza is a strong-willed, inquisitive, 16-going-on-30-year-old. She gets involved in solving actually multiple mysteries, really, in this historical mystery. I enjoyed the setting and the apparently realistic portrayal of the situation for women in this period of time. I will be looking forward to another book to see how Eliza grows and the characters progress.

" 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒, 𝐸𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑎. 𝑊𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠. 𝑁𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙, 𝐻𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜.."

Set in a countryside of Wales in 1870's, ' Eliza mace ' is an intriguing murder mystery that follows the FMC who goes by the same name, as she races against time to catch her father's murderer. Being in debt to almost all the people in town and loathed by many, her father's murder was something each person in the town secretly wished for, making it hard for the police to suspect a single person. When newly arrived local constable Daffyd Pritchard seeks Eliza's help, she jumps right in at the opportunity to become the detective she desired to be.

' Eliza mace ' explores young Eliza's struggles to prove herself in front of the people who still considers her as a child. Deeply portraying the difficulties faced by the teenagers through Eliza, the story also discusses the social disparities in the 1870's. The author skilfully depicts it in more than one instance, through the characters of Todd, Fletcher and Morgan.

The blurb is quite captivating with the mention of Enola Holmes, which was the reason I requested the ARC. But the story didn't meet my expectations. Though the first half seemed to move in a slow pace, the second half was fast paced and action packed. Eliza mace is a perfect read for the historical fiction fans who love a cozy murder mystery set in Wales countryside with less action and adventure.

Eliza Mace by Sarah Burton, Jem Poster is described as “The thrilling new Victorian detective series.” Eliza is a sixteen year-old young Welsh woman in 1874. Her parents’ marriage is clearly in difficulties and her father, Robert, is given to outbursts of temper and physical violence. Eliza’s mother, Hannah, cannot accept her daughter’s independent streak and insists that Eliza should obey her in all things. When Robert goes missing, a policeman who is new to the district gets assigned to the case – Dafydd Pritchard. Dafydd is twenty-six and Hannah becomes increasingly concerned about how close to him Eliza becomes.

Ummm…. I’m afraid I wouldn’t use the adjective “thrilling” for this first book in the series. I struggled to empathise with any of the characters. Although we’re presumably meant to see Eliza falling in love with Dafydd, the narrative feels one step removed: she has a “sudden flush of warmth” at one point, when he’s considerate, but that’s as strong as it gets. Eliza’s drive is to uncover the truth about her father’s disappearance at all costs. While that’s understandable in the context of her wanting to become a detective (my words, not hers), how realistic is it that she would be able to put aside her emotions and concerns about her father to the extent depicted? Either she has no longer has any affection for her father (which we’re told is not true) and thus she can be dispassionate; or she still cares (and so her claim to set aside her feelings is implausible).

** Later edit: I’ve realised why I feel at arm’s length from the characters. Although the narration is in the third person, the reader’s view is Eliza’s. We only see what she sees. However, we hear very little of her internal voice. This means we are outsiders, watching her actions. Yes, we do get a little bit of “Eliza was filled with an immense longing to be clear of it all.”, but, in general, the story proceeds through dialogue. It’s very well written dialogue, but it still reinforces that sense of watching actors perform, rather than being one of the participants; and doesn’t make us privy to Eliza’s emotions.

Dafydd admits he wants to impress his superiors and to get promotion. To do that, he takes steps that horrify us in the C21st, e.g. breaking into a suspect’s house to look for evidence. Although I have huge respect for the authors’ research and this may well be how the police operated in the 1870s, I found it distasteful and I thought less of Dafydd for doing this. That’s another reason for my lack of empathy with the main characters.

I was also confused by the way Eliza and Dafydd addressed each other. Initially, Dafydd calls her “Eliza” but, as she correctly points out, that’s an adult addressing a child. He then treats her more respectfully, calling her “Miss Mace” but a few pages later, Eliza says “I preferred it when you called me Eliza.” He then invites her to call him “Dafydd”. Although I can understand how the authors want to use this to further the plot (it feeds Hannah’s view that the two are becoming too friendly; plus it demonstrates Eliza’s desire to be independent and her comfort with being unconventional), I just found it too unrealistic for the 1870s. If Dafydd wants to get on in the police force, I think he would be more careful about the conventions regarding his perceived relationship with a sixteen year-old woman.

Initially, I struggled to engage with the book, but as it progressed, I started to become interested. I shall look out for the second in the series and it may well be that, as I am now familiar with the characters’ motivation, I shall enjoy it much more – I do hope so.
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