Béatrice Steele is back; this time in London during Season.

When a murder in high society happens at the beginning of Season, Beatrice and Viveck are eager to solve they mystery —-Viveck because he hates the fanfare of the Rose, and Beatrice because this is her chance to be taken seriously as an Inspector.

While trying to find out who is behind the murders, we meet a host of new characters (and cameos from characters in Book 1), who try to help or deter the pair from solving the case. Flying squirrels and Ms. Boltons’ avant garde fashion almost steal the show.

It is a humorous, face paced, and cozy mystery that is perfect to read while you wait for the next installment of Bridgerton. I highly recommend!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun take on the Jane Austen period! I did not realize it was a sequel once I began, but definitely look forward to more from this author!

Ah! Here we go again with lovely intuitive Beatrice Steele and her new partner (in solving crime) Vivek Drake. I definitely enjoyed the first book in this series so was pleased to receive an advanced copy to review.

Beatrice has escaped Swampshire (phew!) and made it to London where she opens up a business solving mysteries. Of course, she still carries her obligations from her loving and mercenary mama to find a rich husband to support the family. Hopefully her new career will bring in enough money to remain unmarried instead? The only problem is their clientele is sparse.

Fortunately, a desperate and popular thespian hires them to prove his innocence in a recent aristocrat murder. Beatrice must think quickly on her feet to secure an invitation to the most coveted of social gatherings to investigate further.

Dusted with a fine layer of humor and fun, Beatrice and Vivek traipse their way through a myriad of suspicious characters and intriguing secrets. I felt this story was better than the first! And if you’re waiting to see if romance is in the air for our dear Beatrice, you’ll definitely want to read on. Thanks so much Netgalley and Random House publishing for the advanced copy! All opinions are of course, my own.

I didn't get to enjoy this book because it was actually a sequel/follow up to another book/series. It was pretty decent overall, but definitely more enjoyable if you've read the first ones.
My only complaint is that it isn't very easy to realize that it's a sequel, so it could be confusing to readers (like me).

A Terribly Nasty Business takes readers to London to follow Beatrice Steele as she navigates a season among London’s elites while simultaneously trying to make a name for herself as a distinguished investigator, with her business partner Inspector Drake.

Julia Seales’s writing is funny, clever, and absolutely captivating. I enjoyed following Beatrice as she made new friends and asserted her independence away from Swampshire. We reunite with quirky Miss Bolton and brooding Vivek Drake and meet the eccentric residents of Sweetbriar. This novel had me riveted from the beginning and kept me intrigued (and laughing) throughout!

I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, witty banter, and fantastic satire.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for my e-ARC!

In this irresistibly witty and wonderfully twisted follow-up to A Most Agreeable Murder, Beatrice Steele returns with all her lovable eccentricity and unshakable determination—this time in the bustling heart of London. Having left behind the tea-sipping tedium of Swampshire, Beatrice is ready to make her mark as a real detective, co-running DS Investigations with the infuriatingly logical Inspector Drake. But despite her grand ambitions and impeccable instincts, she quickly finds that London society isn’t as welcoming to a lady sleuth as she’d hoped—especially when her cases involve more missing cats than murderers.

Julia Seales once again delivers a brilliant blend of humor, heart, and high-society sleuthing. From the theater district’s artistic underbelly to ballroom scandals and squirrel-infested gardens, A Most Inconvenient Murder thrives on deliciously absurd settings and sharply drawn characters. Beatrice’s spirited voice and flair for the dramatic are perfectly counterbalanced by Drake’s dry pragmatism, making their reluctant partnership as delightful as it is effective. As tensions rise with a string of high-profile murders and the city’s elite begin to tremble, the stakes turn real—and personal.

Equal parts parody and page-turner, this novel is a sparkling tribute to the golden age of mystery, complete with clever twists, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and a heroine who’s as endearing as she is unconventional. Whether navigating society’s expectations or the slipperier truths of a criminal case, Beatrice proves once again that decorum and deduction are not mutually exclusive. Fans of historical mysteries with a comedic bite will find this installment every bit as delightful—and deadly—as its predecessor.

I enjoyed this follow-up to A Most Agreeable Murder so much! I find Beatrice to be such a compelling protagonist, and the move from the small village of Swampshire to London was an excellent choice because it kind of inherently toned down some of the quirkiness that was getting close to being over the top in the first book in the series. For fans of the quirkiness of A Most Agreeable Murder (like myself), there's still plenty of it in this follow-up, but it feels a little more subdued than what I recall from the first book. Beatrice and her chaperone Miss Bolton have relocated from Beatrice's family home in Swampshire to the Sweetbriar neighborhood of London, which has a reputation for welcoming artists (and for flying squirrels). Beatrice has joined Vivek Drake to form an investigative agency, and they've been hired by a local opera singer who claims to have been framed for the murder of a prominent Sweetbriarian and member of a local society which aims to rid the neighborhood of anything it deems improper. Beatrice and Vivek manage to get on the list for the most selective club in Sweetbriar so that they can investigate the crime, but at their debut they run into trouble - first in the form of Sir Huxley, Drake's former partner, and then in discovering another murder. I found this charming and funny (despite all the murders) and I really hope there's more of Beatrice and Drake to come.

I really enjoy the idea behind this series. I liked the first book but found it borderline a bit too weird but I thought I would give the second book a try and I've just decided the silliness just doesn't work for me.

A cozy mystery with sass, secrets, and just the right amount of scandal! Think: witty banter, quirky characters, and plot twists that’ll keep you flipping pages with a smirk.

If you love your mysteries clever, charming, and a little chaotic—this one’s calling your name.

Rating: 4.5/5
Vibe: Murder, but make it fun.

Would I recommend? Absolutely—preferably with tea and a scone.

After cracking her first case in A Most Agreeable Murder, Beatrice Steele is now taking on London—both as a debutante and as a “lady detective”—in A Terribly Nasty Business.

While she’s supposed to be husband-hunting and maintaining propriety, she’s a little preoccupied with murders, attacking squirrels, art censorship, and the small matter of a killer on the loose in the posh Sweetbriar neighborhood.

This book is delightfully unhinged. Squirrel attacks, eccentric artists, over-the-top socialites, and sharp satire all swirl together in this story. The cast of characters—new and returning—has been expanded, both in breadth of additional characters and depth of existing ones. richer this time around. Detective Vivek Drake and Miss Bolton (and her hats!) have a larger role to play. I am so here for the slow-burn romantic subplot between Beatrice and Vivek—they are friends, partners, and most importantly, equals in Regency society—a reality that is even further emphasized when contrasted against the actions of the Neighborhood Association of Gentlemen Sweetbriarians (NAGS), one of the story’s primary antagonists.

The mystery itself kept me guessing the whole time. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Seales tossed in another twist that had me second-guessing everyone.

A Terribly Nasty Business will be published June 24, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Random House, and Julie Seales for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

As hilarious and interesting as the first!

It was such fun to return to this silly, alternative regency London with it's flying squirrel epidemic (can't wait for a British narrator to say squirrel over and over in the audiobook) and over-the-top hats. The social commentary is nestled into hilarious dialogue, so you sometimes pause to reread what you just laughed at. There's a larger comment about the vilification of the arts that is very interesting in this second book of the Beatrice Steele series.

The overall plot has Beatrice infiltrating an exclusive club during the London season along with her sleuthing partner, Vivek Drake. There are some characters from the first book who reappear in person and by letter, plus the addition of Sir Huxley, the detective who Beatrice helped from afar by solving his mysteries in her fan letters. The bodies keep dropping throughout the investigation and it turns out there are multiple villains in this story.

The romantic subplot between Beatrice and Vivek is a delightful, slow burn one. They are on the cusp of confessing their feelings for each other, but retreat to their safe corners every time.

The writing is witty and funny, but the pace is fast. This is definitely one I'll reread, as I did with the first book in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for blessing me with this eARC. This series is so comforting to me. The way Seales writes is such a lovely balance of sarcasm, emotion, suspense, and wit. I loved the plot in this second installment even more than the first and was so happy to see that the sequel continued to be just as riveting. I will continue to read anything Seales puts out, as it is a genuinely great time. I only wish my sweet miscommunicating lovebirds had more time together. Hopefully that means more books in store!

This series continues to be so much fun to read! Although the story moves from Swampshire to London (the alternate-universe London of this series), it still features the same tongue-in-cheek humor and absurd but entertaning predicaments. After their success in solving a murder in book 1, Beatrice and Drake have launched their own investigation business, which Beatrice hides from her family and chaperone while pretending to be hunting for a husband. Beatrice has to go undercover at an exclusive social club to get to the bottom of a conspiracy surrounding a group of aristocratic (men mostly) trying to censor all art in the surrounding neighborhood. As the founders of the group are murdered one at a time, Beatrice and Drake are forced to stay one step ahead of their sort-of nemesis Sir Huxley to avoid an innocent man being executed for the crimes.

Similar to book 1, this will appeal to fans of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series and lighthearted, semi-fantasy historical mysteries. Although there is a hint of romance, it looks like Beatrice and Drake may have a ways to go before fully opening up to each other (promising ending though!). Miss Bolton is an entertainingly quirky, if absentminded, chaperone to Beatrice here. The inter-chapter excerpts from local newspapers, Beatrice's mother's melodramatic letters to her, and general commentary add a fun extra layer to the story, as well.

Thank you to Random House for providing an ARC for review!

I adore this series! I had so hoped it would continue after the first book, & was thrilled to receive an ARC. This time Beatrice is adventuring in London away from her family, with only a couple of characters from the first novel making appearances (minus letters from home). She is still obsessed with murder & the writing is still delightful. This series pokes fun at cozy mystery tropes in the best way (meaning you can tell it is not mean-spirited, it is done by someone who loves the genre) & is delightfully zany. I really do feel like it is a cozy mystery Jane Austen would have written if such a thing had existed when she was alive. I look forward to more adventures with Beatrice & crew!

(I am really stingy with 5 star ratings, so 4 stars for me means I had a really good time! 5 stars are reserved for life-changers/books that leave a lasting impression)

Huge thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fictional England, maybe late Victorian / early Edwardian period where Manners Are Most Important: Beatrice Steele, after finding a killer in ‘A Most Agreeable Murder’, has moved to London to open a detective agency along with Inspector Drake (also from her previous case). Her mother, it should be noted, thinks Beatrice is in London to find a wealthy husband. Things are slow for DS Investigations until a new client walks - an actor who’s the prime suspect in a recent murder in an exclusive club. They immediately take the case even though it will be challenge just getting past the doors into the elite Rose Club. Also standing in the way is Sir Huxley; not only is he Drake’s former partner (and thus some bad blood between the two), he’s convinced DS Investigations’s client is guilty. He also appears interested in Beatrice which appears to raise some jealousy in Drake!

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it - I love Beatrice! - but sometimes the humor…got to be too much? For me, this would be the perfect read for the beach where you’d read a few chapters, go for a stroll along the water, then read a few more chapters. Having said that, I look forward to the next book - this one ends in the perfect set up for the next book.

Recommended. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.com which I voluntarily reviewed.

ARC Review ~ A Terribly Nasty Business~

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After reading the first in the series, A Murder Most Agreeable, I was excited to see what happens next for the main characters. I enjoyed seeing our Ms. Steele escape her small town and venture into London to be a detective. It was great to see her interact with high society and attempt to find her place in the world and with her partnership with Inspector Drake. The mystery was fun, the banter with the characters was always enjoyable and had me chuckling along. I’m excited to see what happens next for the lovable but awkward duo!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC!

A good historical mystery. A mystery to solve is much better than finding a husband. There is some mild humor. A little suspense and a little romance. It made for a quick, easy, fun read. Looking forward to more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love that it combines mystery and romance. Very well written and easy to follow along. Did not know this was part of a series, but was OK to read alone.

A Terribly Nasty Business is the second book by Julia Seales about wannabe investigator Beatrice Steele, set in Regency England. Beatrice has moved to London to open a detective agency with Inspector Drake but is also tasked with locating a husband by her mother, with the assistance of her chaperone Miss Bolton. The season starts off with a gruesome murder of one of the leaders of a local social club, and Beatrice and Inspector Drake find themselves tasked with locating the murderer by the lead suspect.
For readers who read the first book about Beatrice, there will be several familiar characters, as well as further development of Beatrice's work as a detective. There is also a touch of the same humor, that borders on satire and hyperbole. This is not an England that ever really existed, and if the reader can make peace with that, this book is as enjoyable as the previous novel. The murderer is caught, but how they did the crime and why is carefully plotted and revealed. And for those who want more from Beatrice and Inspector Drake, there is a cliffhanger at the end.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Goofy Regency era murder mystery with a side of romance!

This is a kooky mystery, and there were definitely confounding (and, at times, convoluted) twists and turns. The murder mystery plot doesn't take itself too seriously, which helped the humor shine through. The romance between the MMC and FMC was also an entertaining subplot, and this story left plenty of relationship development for the next book in the series. The FMC is absolutely the star, and I appreciate that she is an investigator in her own right who does not need to wait for a man to help her. The MMC comes off a little cold fish, but, to be fair, their relationship and his character development are not part of the primary plot line. I also appreciate that all of the supporting friendships are with ladies who help support the investigators.

The writing is easy to get through, which makes this feel like a quick read. There were a few too many letter asides sprinkled throughout the book, in my opinion. You don't need to read the first to enjoy this series. I read the first but it's been so long I didn't remember much and I was quite fine in the second. I will certainly read the next in the series!

Thank you, Random House, for the arc!