In this unusual novel, sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell are the investigators a series of murders on and around an archeological dig near their country homes. Full of quirky local (presumably fictional) characters, and members of Woolf and Bell's Bloomsbury set, the mystery seemed to take second place to the historical story.

While I enjoyed the book, I found the attention paid to Woolf and Bell's thoughts and feelings somewhat distracting as I wondered about the blurring of fact and fiction.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed how fast paced this book was and that’s what makes me really want to binge books like these! The characters were super easy to connect with and I loved their quirky and awkward sides. As a history major, I loved the sort of historical mystery in this and the love triangle, it’s the perfect mix of history, academia, and romance!

Overall, I would recommend this book to friends and family.

This ARC has been on my Net Galley bookshelf for months. I'm so glad I got around to reading it before it was archived.

Hours after discovering an ancient tablet near Lewes Castle, East Sussex, charming local archaeologist Gideon Rivers is found dead. Who would want to kill such a dashing young man? Could be his jealous best friend, a disgruntled colleague, the ambitious French-Syrian heiress Jasmine, with whom he returned from a dig in Syria, or anyone in the trail of men and women Gideon left with broken hearts. The man was a cad 🤣

While the bumbling Chief Inspector chases false leads, two unlikely sleuths make inquiries of their own: famous writer Virginia Woolf and her older sister, the painter Vanessa Bell.

I like that Byrne balances the darkness of the murder with glimpses into the two protagonists' complicated lives. Ginny's husband and sister are worried about how the murder is affecting her mental health, which she's struggled with all her life. Nessa has already resigned herself to a sexless life at almost 50, while her partner, Scottish painter Duncan Grant, sleeps with men. She isn't happy, but she'd rather be in this situationship than live without his companionship. Solving this murder seems a necessary distraction for these two women.

History buffs would enjoy reading about Woolf's and Bell's acquaintances and lovers, as well as the link between England and Syria during the Crusades. Something Jasmine is passionate about as she tries to prove herself a serious archeologist. But is she ruthless enough to kill her fiance over that tablet?

If you enjoy slow burns told from multiple perspectives, I recommend this read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. I can't wait for book 2 of the Woolf & Bell mysteries.

A new to me author and first book in a series. I love historical mysteries and was anxious to read this one.

When an archaeologist returns from Syria having discovered a priceless artifact, he is soon found dead.

Step in Ginny Woolf, author and sister Vanessa to try to find the killer. Follow the leads until the end!

The description of the book really attracted me, but I'm afraid I did not finish. I found the writing style too dry and struggled with the numerous characters and their places in the story/lives of Virginia and Vanessa. Maybe if I had been more familiar with the life of Virginia Woolfe it would have been clearer, but I kept forgetting who the people were in relation to the story itself and found the chapter headers in the sisters full name confusing as their names are shortened in the actual chapters themselves. It was a very cosy mystery and has been thoroughly enjoyed by many of the reviewers, so I am sure I am in the minority here. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me access to an early release copy.

I got 10% in to the story. I had tobput it down for 24 hrs to take care of kids/do life and when I came back I was so confused by who was who and what was happening. I tried for 10 minutes to figure it all out and continue reading but was too utterly confused to even go on. If a book is confusing this early on...nope.

If you like Virginia Woolf and historical mysteries, this book might appeal to you. The writing style reminded me of Virginia Woolf, including the flat affect. I had trouble connecting to the characters.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

DNF @ 12%

The premise of the book was good, but if I am going to be completely honest I have just lost the motivation to read, especially as I go back to uni in three days…

I received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.

I DNF'd this one at about 3%

This was one of those books I started and knew right away it wasn't for me. The writing style just didn't work for me and after skimming through the first chapter or two and it just wasn't keeping my attention so I decided to DNF it.

A Deadly Discovery is a delightful cosy mystery that wraps you in the warmth of its charming characters and simple yet satisfying plot. While there aren't any huge surprises, the mystery unfolds neatly, making it a comforting read from start to finish.

The story also weaves in subtle LGBT-friendly themes, adding a modern touch to this golden-age style mystery. If you're looking for a light, charming whodunnit with a lovely sense of resolution, A Deadly Discovery is the perfect cosy read!

I thank NetGalley and Headline Accent for an advance reader copy of “A Deadly Discovery.” All opinions and comments are my own.

After that fairly long beginning which is almost a prologue, readers learn the identity of the victim, a young man involved in an archeological dig in East Sussex. But that extended opening introduces readers to our protagonists, Virginia (or Ginny, as she is called by her near and dear in the book) Woolf and Vanessa Bell, sisters, Virginia Woolf the more famous of the two. And when “A Deadly Discovery” involves them in the murder, it is Mrs. Woolf who decides that the two of them can do a much better job than the local constabulary in solving the crime and finding the culprit. And she is right, of course.

The dead man left a lot of broken hearts -- male and female -- behind. Soon another ex-lover, a male musician, is also dead. He’d once been a suspect, so Ginny and Nessa can take him off the list. But there’s plenty of others to keep an eye on, including the disgruntled archeologist who’s jealous over the dig, a couple of ex-fiancés, including a Hollywood starlet and the latest, a lovely French lass, and there’s the old school friend who’s hovering around. Ginny wastes no time going to London, and even Paris (and what vivid scenes these are!), speaking to those who knew Gideon Rivers and determining who may have wanted him dead. The author includes a lot of twists and turns for readers to deal with; can the two sift through all the clues and alibis and solve this puzzle? With several marvelous reveals at the finish, they will.

And within the pages of the book are the author’s forays into revealing the personal struggles of the sisters, the mental illness that will eventually drive Virginia Woolf to suicide, and the maneuvers that Vanessa Bell carried out to keep Duncan Grant in her life. Both portraits are finely drawn.

We finish, as we (almost) began, with Alice Dudeney, who has settled her differences with Mrs. Woolf and must now make sure that peace has been restored to the top of Brack Mound. “A Deadly Discovery,” containing a wealth of character studies and word pictures, is a wonderful start to a new historical mystery series.

"Book 1 in a gripping new bookish cosy crime series - perfect for fans of The Three Dahlias, The Mitford Murders and golden age crime.

In the shadow of Lewes castle lies buried an ancient tablet. Hours after discovering it, dashing local archaeologist Gideon Rivers is dead.

Writer Virginia Woolf and her artist sister, Vanessa, both know firsthand that it doesn't take much to cause a stir in town. And when Gideon returned home from a dig in Syria with a glamourous Parisian heiress on his arm, all eyes were on him.

But who would have conspired to murder such a charming young man? There are more suspects in his circle than it first seems: an ambitious fiancée, a jealous best friend, and a string of scorned former lovers.

With the police chasing false leads and the murderer hunting down a second victim - one far closer to home - Ginny and Nessa are forced to take investigations into their own hands.

Solving this mystery calls for a little creativity..."

The Stephen sisters are on the case! Damn how I love writers becoming sleuths!

Virginia Woolf and her sister, artist Vanessa Bell, live quietly in the Sussex Downs, far from the noise and bustle of London. But life is anything but boring. When a young man is murdered the sisters are compelled to investigate - if only to clear the innocent. The glamorous set they socialise with bring their own secrets and the women soon realise that everything is not as simple as it seems. Can they uncover the killer before anyone else dies?

I love real life characters in novels, and these particular women really appealed to me. The Bloomsbury set, of which they were the most famous members, was renowned in Sussex. Using this as the basis of a story was ingenious. Name dropping real people, and imagining their lives embroiled in a murder mystery worked perfectly.

The setting was equally fascinating, as was the time period - at the height of the Golden Age of Detection. The author caught the mood of the time and kept me enthralled throughout. The story was fascinating and well written with engaging characters. I loved it.

A cosy mystery that feels very much like watching a British cosy crime show (like Father Brown!).
I definitely enjoyed reading this mystery and loved getting wrapped up in the details of trying to figure out who did it.
However, as much as I enjoyed it, I did think it dragged in some parts, but it didn't take away from the reading experience!

The story kicks off when Gideon Rivers, a charismatic archaeologist, unearths an ancient tablet near Lewes Castle. Hours later, Gideon is found dead, and what seemed like a historical discovery quickly turns into a deadly affair. The novel expertly weaves together the world of academia, art, and society gossip, drawing readers into a narrative that feels both familiar and refreshingly original.

Byrne's portrayal of Virginia and Vanessa is delightful, capturing their unique personalities and sibling dynamics. Virginia, with her sharp intellect and keen observational skills, contrasts nicely with Vanessa's creative flair and emotional insight. Together, they form a formidable team, navigating through a web of suspects that includes Gideon’s ambitious fiancée, a jealous friend, and a string of jilted lovers.

The novel's pacing is steady, with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. Byrne balances the suspense with moments of wit and insight, making the book as much a character study as it is a mystery.

I'm very picky about my Golden Age fiction, or rather Golden Age inspired fiction but was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was an authentic, well drawn read with a decent mystery at its heart. My only quibble is that I think it would have survived with fictional detectives, rather than drawing on real life characters but other than that it was an enjoyable read.

Historical Mystery set in England 1928 following writer Virginia Woolf and her artist sister, Vanessa Bell, turn sleuth when an archaeologist's murdered after finding a priceless artifact.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Byrne's Woolf & Bell Mysteries series which is a Historical Mystery set in 1928 England featuring writer Virginia Woolf and her artist sister, Vanessa Bell, as they turn sleuth after an archaeologist's murdered following the discovery of a priceless ancient tablet. With plenty of twists and turns, Byrne has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. I really appreciate how Byrne's plot unfolds and the way the investigation's resolved. Additionally, Byrne's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Told in multiple POV: Virginia (Ginny), Vanessa (Nessa) and Alice, who's neighbor and “rival” writer, she writes romantic novels. Ginny and Nessa are the main MCs but Alice does add significantly to the plot and I enjoyed how Byrne brought the three ladies together in the end. Byrne touches on some sensitive topics, so take care and the CWs. Overall, this is an interesting start to a new series and I look forward to reading more.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and ARC provided by Headline | Headline Accent in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

A Deadly Discovery by Ciar Byrne is the first in the new Woolf & Bell Mysteries series. I was a little hesitant about starting it because I don't read a ton of historical fiction, but I really enjoyed it. I didn't know I needed a mystery series with Virginia Wolff as the protagonist, but I guess I did.

Probably a 3.5 star rating as the writing was good and the characters interesting but I kept getting distracted by the introduction of sudden jaw-dropping types of information/”facts?” regarding the characters. I did not know much about Virginia Woolf before reading the book so I think there were some mentions of things that a more knowledgeable person on her history would have understood but I did not. I kept stopping and going to Wikipedia to read up on characters to find out if they were real or made up and what information was true. Some tidbits of things were left to later in the book that may have been better to be upfront about in the beginning, such as Nessa’s children and their parentage. When suddenly 2 small children appeared ⅓ of the way into the book, I thought maybe I was reading a flashback because they had not been mentioned at all prior and there was a whole murder situation going on. I would have thought that someone might be worried for the children’s safety. I do enjoy books about historical figures that veer into fantasy to create interesting storylines but I struggled with this one though it may have been partially due to my lack of background regarding Virginia Woolf and her family.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Who was responsible for the death of the archaeologist – or was it part of a curse?
Was Virginia Woolf an amateur sleuth in real life?
I’ve no idea but I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy murder mystery and would highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading more Woolf and Bell Mysteries.