Jamaican, abolitionist, prescient-dreams, scandal, amateur-sleuth, investigations, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-figures, historical-research, class-consciousness, elitism, unpleasant-victims, unpleasant-host, snow-season, murders****

Lady Abigail Worthing is stuck in a demoralizing marriage to a rather despicable man. Everything is stacked against her because her husband is so visibly absent, she is female and is of mixed parentage with her roots in the Caribbean. She has been ordered to attend Lord Duncan's Night of Regret where she finds the first bloody body on a bench out in the snow near that residence. If this seems a low point, be sure that everything goes downhill from there. The whole tale is rather grim and show the most negative aspects of the era. The characters are well done, the investigation unusual, and the plot twists ingenious.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I enjoyed this murder mystery with its subtle layers of meaning. The plot was absorbing and built the tension towards its conclusion well. In exploring the identity of the killer the book finds a few skeletons in the closet which give an insight into world politics at the time it was set. People feel guilty as they became wealthy from a plantation in the Americas using slavery for instance. The book uncovers the incipient racism and sexism that was hidden beneath a layer of respectability. This types of themes make this a thoughtful, interesting read

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Vanessa Riley for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder in Berkeley Square coming out September 24, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love this series and this author! It definitely felt like a Regency Era And Then There Were None. I read the author’s note that she loves Agatha Christie. I’m also obsessed with Christie, so I really loved that homage to her. I really love dinner murder mysteries. There’s a lot going on with Lady Abigail Worthing in this book. I love the character development. This book offers a lot of diversity. As a mixed race person, I love to see other mixed race characters in books. If there are more books in the series, I’ll definitely check them out!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys regency murder mysteries!

An unusual protagonist (for a Regency novel) in the mixed race Lady Abagail makes this a better read than it might otherwise be. It's a locked house party mystery where the guests are being murdered- and each had received a snippet of a rhyme. It's a familiar plot but she livens it up. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read even as a standalone.

First book I have read in this series.
Whilst clever, my advance reader copy of this book sorely needed a good editor, the typos and changes in tense were annoying and I hope have been corrected in the final draft. I found the ending, where two supposedly good men acted as judge and jury, disappointing and depressing. I doubt I will read more in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another fantastic Lady Worthing mystery. I loved this take on a Christie classic, revenge at a secluded house party (here, a snow storm at Christmas), taking out one at a time until there were none. Fans of this series will appreciate not only more backstory, but much forward movement in Lady Worthing’s personal life. Thanks to Kensington for the ARC.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
It appears Vanessa Riley has disappointed me for the second time this year, although with this one, Murder in Berkeley Square, it wasn’t as unexpected, given that I did take time to warm to this series initially. This was a classic case of things I didn’t like about the first book coming back, plus it not being my favorite style of mystery.
Riley continues to do a great job with the historical research into Black people in the 19th century. I particularly liked the mention of the assassination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, which she previously wrote about in one of her historical fiction books. I also caught onto the homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, and while it feeds into some of my complaints plot-wise, I like how she reimagines the concept (with its checkered, racist history) in a way that is much more inclusive of Black people, just as she has in her books in general.
Abigail was all right, but I didn’t feel invested in her as a protagonist this time around. I keep expecting something deeply personal to happen for her, particularly where her husband is concerned, and I just never get that satisfaction.
As for the mystery, one thing about this setup is that it involves a bunch of very privileged, often unlikable people trapped together as they’re picked off, and I find I rarely care about them for that reason, and that’s the case here. And the murder investigation “notes” included felt incredibly repetitive, reminding me of what I knew already, along with the new developments…trust your readers to remember who’s dead and who’s a suspect!
As much as I like Vanessa Riley as an author, I’m contemplating giving up on this series, given my general apathy towards historical mysteries, doubly so when they lean on the cozier end of the spectrum. But I do like what she offers the genre, as with the others she writes in, as historical mysteries with Black leads are still comparatively rare. If that sounds interesting to you, I’d recommend checking out the series for yourself and seeing how you feel.

I received a free copy of, Murder in Berkeley Square, by Vanessa Riley, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 3 of 3 in The Lady Worthing Mysteries. Lady Abigail Worthing is not happy in her marriage of convenience, her husband is never around. A winter storm hits London, she goes with her neighbor Stapelton Henderson to the country. This was an interesting period piece.

I started reading this series because it is one of the few historical mysteries that feature a POC character. Unfortunately, the characters (with the exception of Miss Bellows) as the series progresses leave much to be desired. In this novel, the mystery was intriguing, but a lot of tension was lost due to what seemed to be repetitious and stilted conversations. By the middle of the book, I just wanted people to say what they mean and cease with all the allusions and vague references. The character of Abigail seems to have stagnated, somewhat, in regard to solving mysteries and learning from past cases and experiences. I will say, however, that I think the atmosphere of the book was spot on, so I really appreciated that aspect of the novel. At times, it felt claustrophobic and stifling - the tension was there. There were also some editing issues that will hopefully be resolved before mass release. Overall, it was a good edition to the series. I hope as it continues that we see the characters actually grow and that the dialogue becomes a bit more realistic.

Oh, how I do love a locked-room style mystery with a winter setting. This is the third book I’ve read recently with these characteristics. Such a great, hard to put down read. I highly recommend.

BIPOC Paranormal Historical Mystery set in 1806 England that follows a psychic mixed-race lady and her neighbor as they turn sleuths after a blizzard strands them at a dinner party and someone starts killing off guests.

4/5 stars: This is the third entry in Riley's Lady Worthing Mysteries series which is a Paranormal Historical Mystery set in 1806 England featuring a mixed-race noblewoman who has psychic visions and her retired military man neighbor as they team up after they're stranded by a a blizzard during a dinner party and someone starts killing off guests. With plenty of twists and turns, Riley has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Oh and Riley hit all the right notes with this Agatha Christie And Then There Were None homage. The paranormal elements are minimal; Abbie has visions/feelings that she's learning to decipher. Additionally, Riley's writing and character work are stellar; the main characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable and the secondary cast members are well crafted and uniquely voiced. Abbie's life's complicated but she's tough and remains determined and I look forward to seeing her navigate her circumstances. Also, It's great to catch up with her mathematician cousin Florentina (Flo) and see the friendship with her neighbor Stapleton become more easy. The paranormal elements are minimal; Abbie has visions/feelings that she's learning to decipher. Riley doesn't skimp on the historical research and it shows, neither does she hold back on touching on some very tough topics, so take care and the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Murder in Westminster.

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

Not Again
A few years ago, Regency was not the read for me, stepping out of my comfort zone I read one of Ms. Riley's earlier books.
Murder in Berkeley Square deserves ten (1) stars. It was a witty, informative, mystery you didn't see coming. To top it off Ms. Riley added in a bit of my favorite genre, romance. With each book in the Lady Worthing series Ms. Riley proves we can do it all.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vanessa Riley, and Kensington for an Advance Reader's copy of Murder in Berkeley Square This is my honest review.
#Netgalley #murder #Ladyworthing #Pinkparlor #Berkeleysquare

An advance reader copy of the book was provided to me by Netgalley but this review represents my honest opinion.

This was a new author and series for me, but I love period mysteries so I decided to give it a try. And I'm very glad I did. First of all, I hadn't realized before that the main character was a woman of Caribbean ancestry, which was fascinating. It's a view of Regency England that I haven't seen before and I'm grateful to learn about it.

Second, there's an ongoing background discussion of Hayti (Haiti) that I loved. It made me sad because I work on a program with Haitian youth and it's both wholly depressing and incredibly inspiring, and one feels that here too. Haiti carried the hope of a lot of people, and seeing that hope take a beating, seeing the grief of the Female Main Character (FMC), hurt a bit. But it gave the book an added element.

The mystery itself has a delightful throwback to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Given the disturbing racist origins of the title, it seemed an apt choice for a series with a FMC who is Black. Despite Christie's unfortunate original title choice, and some of the racism in her work, the book is a masterclass in classic mystery writing, and I love seeing modern writers pay homage to it.

There is also a romantic subplot, but this is not a romance. There is no happily ever after, and I wouldn't even say there is a happy for now as much as an underlying current. We get the FMC's views of what's going on and I think I get some of what isn't being said on the page, but the situation is by no means resolved.

There was a lot to enjoy but I have two small issues. First, the mystery fell short for me with the revelation of the main villain. It was almost convincing but not all the way there. I felt like there needed to be more clues to their identity in in the text. The second is that the FMC can't seem to decide between damsel in distress or can do anything. But maybe that's not fair- aren't we all ricocheting between those two states of being?

Overall I just discovered a new series and I can't wait to read more! I appreciate learning about a new segment of Regency society and the homage to one of my favorite classic mysteries. And I very much want to know what happens next for Abigail.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Oh, this was a fun and creepy Lady Worthing mysery! Locked room, winter setting, and an interesting connection for the victims. This was a different vibe to the previous two books but I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. I recommend this to mystery readers who enjoy a locked room-style story.

Vanessa Riley takes And Then There Were None, but sets it at a Regency-era dinner party where guests are stranded for days by a blizzard. On top of a murder mystery worthy of Agatha Christie, we get incredibly satisfying developments in our characters, great relationship development, a look at how Haiti's revolution was viewed in England, and a stunning twist at the very end. This is an absolute banger and my favorite book in the series so far.

As the story opens, our main character, Abigail Carrington Monroe, aka Lady Worthing, and her cousin have accepted a ride from their neighbor to Cheapside, where they'll spend the holidays with family. The neighbor, Captain Stapleton Henderson, has been invited by Lord Duncan, the magistrate, for dinner and will be dropped off along the way. A blizzard makes them all stop at the magistrate's house, as traveling to Cheapside has become impossible. The dinner party is an annual "Night of Regrets" affair with men who live around Berkley Square and the presence of Abbie, her cousin, and their maid delays the dinner. As guests start turning up dead, Abbie and Henderson team up once again to investigate.

Riley has a way of revealing the backstories of her characters slowly and this installment in the Lady Worthing series reveals more of Abigail's and Lord Duncan's past. We knew the basics of Abbie's rise to Lady Worthing, but the full picture becomes clearer in this story.

The most delightful scene comes after Henderson's drink is laced with belladonna and he becomes affectionate with a very sober Abbie. Of course, this comes during a murder investigation, so they are interrupted by the task at hand. The big twist leaves us with a cliffhanger of sorts.

Abigail's involvement in the abolitionist movement runs through this series and the new from Haiti and details connected to Martinique solidify the timing of this Regency-era story. Many books set in this period use Napoleon as a reference point and pass over the West Indies.

The start of this story would seem to suggest a Christmas themed story and yet! Who knew that accepting a lift with a neighbour would have such unexpected consequences.

Once again Lady Worthing and Stapleton Henderson work together looking to identify the murderer as soon as they can. So many things are not what they seem and that certainly keeps it interesting. There are plenty of twists and turns and some quite unexpected revelations.

We certainly get to hear a little more about Lord Worthing in this one and so I'm expecting the next book to move this personal storyline forward. It should make for interesting read.

I found this particular storyline just a little on the dark side for me so it became a three out of five

With thanks for #Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for my Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Riley does Regency so well. I was truly transported through time. The cast of characters were interesting and the dialogue crisp. Lady Worthing's investigations and peril are always worth the ride.

Another strong murder mystery for Abbie to solve with Stapleton. A houseparty gone wrong and a whodunit with twists and turns.

Exciting, fast paced while still adressing the underlying issues of an abandoned wife of color who is smart, independent but looking for more.

#netgalley #murderinberkeleysquare

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Accepting a ride out of London, Lady Worthing becomes an excuse for her escort not to attend a dinner party. But a sudden blizzard has them stranded at the dinner party where women are not really wanted at an official magistrate home. Death soon turns up with a nursery rhyme quote as tension mount among the guests. Rill justice be served in this case or is something more is going on? A compelling read that will keep you guessing.