"Murder in Season" is a very well written and captivating book from author Mary Winters! The historical setting is described with a vividness that brings the story and its characters to life. The characters feel three-dimensional and like real people along with personalities, thoughts, and emotions of their own. The speed of the plot is just right, the story is mysterious and captivating, and the romance is sweet and swoony with the perfect level of slow burn! I enjoyed reading this book so much and I cannot recommend it highly enough! Such a fun read! Love this book. Wonderful storytelling!

Thank you very much to the author Mary Winters, Austenprose PR, Severn House Publishers, and NetGalley for the great opportunity of being a part of this book tour and for providing me with both physical and digital copies to read and review honestly.

Thank you to @marywintersauthor @severnhouseimprint @austenprose for the #gifted e-book.

This is the third installment of the captivating A Lady of Letters Mystery series, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this cozy mystery!

The enchanting setting of Victorian England truly brings the story to life—the vivid descriptions of parks, grand balls, and social events immerse readers in that era. The characters are wonderfully entertaining, with Lady Amelia showcasing remarkable fierceness and tenacity. Her sister Madge adds a delightful touch of feistiness, while Simon, her partner in both crime and romance, is simply the sweetest. As Lady Amelia delves into the investigation, we witness her unwavering determination not only to solve the murder but also to unravel the mystery of the jewel theft.

I particularly loved the humorous letters to Lady Agony at the start of each chapter—they added a delightful twist. I enjoyed this book so much that I’m eager to revisit the first two installments!

If you have a passion for historical mysteries and Regency romance, this book is an absolute must-read!

This is a fantastic addition to the Lady of Letters mystery series. It’s a cozy, historical mystery with a dash of romance. The series is one of my favorites and this book might be my favorite one so far. I mean, Simon…finally! I hope there are many more books to come. This one releases 12/3/24. It can also be read as a standalone.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Murder in Season by author Mary Winters is the third book in The Lady of Letters historical mystery series. The series follows the exploits of widowed countess and secret advice columnist Lady Amelia Amesbury. In this addition, we are introduced to Amelia’s family members. Her mother makes a brief appearance, as she brings younger sister Madge to London leaving her in Amelia’s care for the season. Marge was part of a small scandal back home involving an overzealous suitor and a broken arm. Their mother was convinced that a season in London is the perfect solution to the problem.

To launch Madge into society, Amelia hosted a coming-out ball which also signals the conclusion of her mourning. Sadly, the gala is spoiled by the premature death of a guest with whom Madge had words. His death was later confirmed a murder. On top of that, there were a series of jewel robberies that preyed on Mayfair’s wealthy families. Unfortunately, Amelia’s household was the newest casualty. In Murder in Season, Amelia has a lot going on. She was not only investigating the murder of the guest at the debutante ball, with suspicion focused on her sister Madge, but was also attempting to solve the neighborhood robberies.

It was lovely to revisit these immensely likable characters. There is strong character development, and the introduction of Amelia’s family adds depth to the story. The mystery is skillfully written with plenty of clues and misdirection sprinkled throughout to keep the reader guesting until the very end. I particularly enjoy watching Amelia and Simon move in a more romantic direction. This is a quick entertaining read, and I highly recommend it to lovers of historical mysteries. Although this book stands on its own, reading the other books in this series will give greater background and insight into the characters and overall story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

It was wonderful to have another visit with Amelia and Simon in this entertaining third book in the series. Amelia, Countess Amesbury, has a secret life as an Agony Aunt (advice columnist) and each chapter begins with the content of one of the letters and Amelia's pithy reply. The book would be entertaining if it contained nothing but the letters and answers, but when you add a couple of engrossing mysteries along with likable and relatable characters, you have a sure winner.

Amelia is delighting in her life as it is at the moment. Although she is widowed, her husband left her with a title, plenty of money, a ward that she adores, and an aunt-in-law who is both formidable and lovable. Her life could hardly get better! Then, to add to her delight, her mother and sister (Madge) come for a visit.

Madge is in London because she caused a tad-bit of a scandal at home. Not the lascivious kind of scandal, but – still. . . Madge is irrepressible! You will love her and despair of her. She has no filter and whatever she thinks seems to come out of her mouth and that isn’t a good way to endear one’s self to the ton. Therefore, when the would-be baron she had loud words with ends up dead, who is the logical suspect? Madge, of course. Proving Madge’s innocence won’t be easy – especially when the policeman investigating the murder has a grudge against the Amesbury’s.

There are hundreds of suspects since the murder happened at a ball. How will they narrow the list? Everyone speaks highly of the deceased, but Madge thinks he was a cad. Amelia and Simon have to scrape away at the layers of veneer on the deceased to get down to the real man. It seems Madge is correct and he wasn’t who he seemed to be. Now that they know his true nature, how will they find the real murderer and clear Madge’s name?

I enjoyed reading this story and getting to see further developments in Amelia and Simon’s relationship. The Epilogue is great! There were also two mysteries, but I have mentioned only one because the secondary mystery is more superfluous and easily solved for Amelia. If you are looking for a quick, entertaining mystery with delightful characters and a nice mystery, then you should give this book (and series) a try.

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

I thank NetGalley and Severn House for an advance reader copy of “Murder in Season.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Lady Agony takes a back seat to family problems when Amelia, Lady Amesbury’s little sister comes to town in “Murder in Season,” the third in the “A Lady of Letters Mystery” series by Mary Winters. Margaret -- Madge -- Scott is no shrinking violet, and when she becomes “a victim of unwanted attention” from a dubious gentleman and he later dies from poison, well, how the exasperating Detective Collings would like to march over to Amelia’s household and haul off the young woman. (Author Mary Winters knows how to create memorable characters and situations, and the sisterly duo is a terrific combination.)

The family reputation is obviously at stake, so what’s an aspiring amateur detective to do? Solve the case (actually, cases – she’s learned to be quite good at finding things out and giving very good advice), in between getting the handsome Simon Bainbridge to understand that he and she are truly made for each other. That’s been proving to be more work than solving murders for three books now. Luckily, there's light at the end of the proverbial tunnel in “Murder in Season” for fans of the series. Readers will just have to see how that impacts the future for Lady Amelia, and Lady Agony.

This was a mixture of dashing romance and some exciting scenes of investigation by our amateur sleuth, Amelia. Each of the chapters began with a letter addressed to Lady Agony, the ball scenes etc all felt Bridgetonesque. The letters were sometimes connected to the plot and on theme with the chapters. I thought at times they interrupted the plot.

Whilst the romance between Simon and Amelia began to get hotter, the murder investigation slowed down. However, there were some some dramatic and enjoyable scenes involving the thefts. In the last third of the novel, the plot really picked up pace and kept me on my toes, guessing as to what would happen next and to who the killer was. The red herrings were good, and the suspects really came into focus here. The conclusion was really shocking but believable. This book is released on the 3rd of December.

We're in London in 1860. Widowed Lady Amelia Amesbury lives with her late husband Edgar's aunt Tabitha and niece Winifred, and answers letters as Lady Agony for a local newspaper. Her more or less comfortable life is disturbed when her mother brings Amelia's sister Madge to London and leaves her for Amelia to supervise during the London Season. Madge is a handful.

Amelia hosts a ball to introduce Madge, a guest is murdered, Madge is accused. At the same time, a piece of Tabitha's jewelry is stolen during the ball, apparently the latest in a series of such thefts.

Amelia sets out to solve both mysteries. She is helped by her late husband's good friend Simon Bainbridge and develops feelings for him. Unlike many mysteries I had no idea where this was headed until the end. I recommend the book, and suggest that reading the two earlier books in the series, while not necessary, would help in understand Ameia and her life.

This is book 3 in a series best read in order. I haven’t read the first two books, and I couldn’t make sense of this one.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This book gave off the vibe of Bridgerton and my lady Jane! I was so invested in this story and was hoping the FMC would be able to crack the case! I haven’t read the first two books in this series but I’m not sure that it is necessary because this book was easy to follow

Murder in Season is the third installment in the delightfully charming Lady of Letters Mystery Series. You can enjoy this novel as a standalone since the author does a wonderful job of giving the background of the series without it seeming like she's doing so. It just fits into the story naturally.

With each book, I come to love the characters even more. The addition of Amelia's sister added a lot to the story. Madge, like Amelia, wasn't raised in London or as a lady. She's not afraid to speak her mind and doesn't bother hiding her feelings. This gets her into trouble when a man is murdered at her debut ball since she made it perfectly clear she couldn't stand him.

This Regency Cozy Mystery (with some swoony romance) is a must read for lovers of this genre! I loved it and hope that there will be many more Lady of Letters novels! 5 huge stars!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Historical Mystery set in London 1860 that finds a widowed countess and secret advice columnist as she looks into an infamous gentleman's murder and a jewelry thief targeting the ton.

4/5 stars: This is the third entry in Winters' Lady of Letters Mystery series which is a Historical Mystery set in 1860 London featuring a widowed countess and secret Agony Aunt advice columnist who's life is thrown askew when her sister shows up under a blanket of scandal and she's catapulted out of mourning and into the Ton's unforgiving Season. However her sister's debut marred when her sister has cross words with an infamous gentleman who then takes ill at dinner and is later confirmed dead by poisoning. Adding to the Ton's troubles is a jewelry thief targeting the most lavish of Society's houses. Is the murderer and the thief one in the same? With all eye's looking to pin the murder on her sister, she'll have to work fast to uncover the Ton's buried secrets if she's going to save her sister. With plenty of twists and turns, Winters 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. Winters' writing and character work are stellar; the main characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's great to catch up with Amelia and her family and friends. I especially like seeing how her relationship with Simon's progressing. I also really like the inclusion of Amelia's Agony Aunt advice column. 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 Postscript.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I’m going to start this by saying that when I requested this on NetGalley, I did not realize that it was third in a series. And I did not read the other two before starting this one. So it’s possible that there are some questions I have that were answered in other books. But overall, I felt like you could read this without needing to read the others.

This book gives more “murder for comedy” rather than a serious mystery novel, but I like it. It’s fun.

The letters at the beginning of each chapter were cute, and supported the storyline of Amelia being Lady Agony. But they felt disconnected from the story at large happening within the book.

I loved the relationship between the sisters. It showed how they can simultaneously be your biggest annoyance and best friend.

The ending did seem to come together a little quickly but was not given away too early and was enjoyable enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for my review.

Amelia Amesbury, a countess by day and a secret advice columnist by night, has carefully balanced her life—until her sister Margaret, known as Madge, arrives in London embroiled in scandal. Suddenly thrust back into the spotlight, Amelia is pulled from her quiet mourning and into the cutthroat social whirl of London’s Season.

Things take a darker turn when a dinner party turns deadly: the infamous Mr. Radcliffe falls ill and is later confirmed to have been poisoned. With Madge being the last to argue with him, she quickly becomes the prime suspect, attracting the attention of both the gossip-hungry ton and the police. Amelia must navigate the social minefield while uncovering the truth behind the murder to clear her sister’s name.

LOVED IT!

This book was an entertaining, quick, fun read. I look forward to reading more by this author. It was fairly quick paced and it kept me guessing.

Amelia Amesbury is a countess by day and advice columnist by night. After her sister unexpectedly joins her for the season, under dubious circumstances, things start to go very wrong. So wrong, in fact, that someone ends up dead.

This was a cute little historical mystery. The characters were likeable and the plot was interesting. Overall, I enjoyed it. It was predictable, but that's sort of the appeal of these type of mysteries.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries.

"Murder in Season" is a light period detective novel from Mary Winters in the Lady of Letters series. Amelia Amesbury is an advice columnist who becomes a dabbler in the art of inquiry due to an unfortunate poisoning and some jewel thievery. The plot is a bit predictable but fun, and the characters are engaging. If you enjoy bits of wit and lighter fare with your historical mysteries, this is a good series to try. It flowed well and I read it in a day.

A lovely installment of what has been a pleasant series, character growth, impeccable research, fairly straightforward mystery, and the continued hook of starting each chapter with the character’s agony aunt column. If you liked the first two you will be pleased with this installment.

Third in the "Lady of Letters" series, Murder in Season finds Amelia Amesbury's burgeoning romance with Simon Bainbridge waylaid by the arrival of her sister Margaret, determined to do as she pleases, despite the dictates of society. While not quite as compelling as the first two titles in the series, this was a satisfying read as Amelia grapples with managing her sister, trying to come to terms with where her relationship is headed, solving a murder, identifying a jewel thief, and more. Simon has a less central role in this book but promises to remain an important part of Amelia's future. I look forward to the next title in the series as Amelia continues to emerge from mourning and find her place in society.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #SevernHouse for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Murder in Season.

Lady Amelia Amesbury's sister, Madge, has come to London to spend the season with her because of an incident at home that needed some time and space to settle. Amelia had a ball to introduce her sister but one of the guests was taken ill and later died. A friend of the deceased came to accuse Madge of poisoning him. And then a detective, who had issues with the Amesburys, was only to happy to find evidence to charge Madge with murder. So it was up to Amelia, with the help of her friend, Lord Simon Bainbridge, to find the culprit. Also, at the same time, jewelry was being stolen from prominent house in the area and Amelia needed to look into this situation.
A light, enjoyable historical cozy mystery that has a young widow with her household. an outspoken sister, a friend who knows her secret and a love interest that might come to fruition.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read this e-galley of "Murder in Season".