Bea and Kesgrave are at it again
When Kesgrave’s cousin is found murdered in his secret art studio, he and Bea are called on to find the murderer by Hawes, the head of a criminal organization. As they proceed in their investigation layer upon layer of deceit and secrets. How high in society and how high in Hawes’ organization will they find themselves going in pursuit of justice? And what is their motivation? An entertaining read. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

I adore this series and I've found that despite the twisty, outrageous mysteries, I crave the little moments when Beatrice and Damien are together or with families because they are so sweet and charming.

In this installment, Damien's cousin is murdered and a crime boss asks them to investigate. The cousin is an artist who turned to work on forgeries after years of rejection from the Royal Academy. The forgery business involves a web of people, described as a tree because the branches don't all know each other, so Bea and Damien have to trek around London to interview several suspects. The highlight is the denouement, which has Bea saving the day, but also taking a huge risk. There is also a beautiful scene with Damien's grandmother when he has to tell her that her grandson is dead. It's short, but emotional.

Beatrice continues to evolve as a character, becoming more comfortable in her role as Duchess with each book. In this installment, we see a big leap forward. It's almost as if a new phase could be coming.

I always look forward to the next installment of Lynn Messina's Lady Beatrice Hyde-Clare books, and this one was as welcome as each one before it. Ms. Messina had such a identifiable way of writing of the thoughts and thought processes of her main character -- with humor, irony, and insight -- so it is fun to go along with the storyline while following the whys and wherefores of Bea's internal deliberations. Again, there is a convoluted mystery for Bea to solve, with the delighted and admiring assistance of the duke. Personally, I generally get lost in the details of the twists and turns of the mystery itself, but it hardly matters to me when I am so entertained by Bea and her endeavors and adventures. Another recommendation from this happy reader. I voluntarily leave this review. #APerniciousFabrication #NetGalley

This series never ceases to amaze me!

I love the Bea and Kesgrave's universe and never miss a book.

This time we are catapulted into the investigation of Kesgrave's cousin murder, prompt by Hell and Fury Hawes' request.

As always the characters are marvelously crafted, the story well thought out and the dialogues wonderfully entertaining.

Can't wait for the next book!

I have received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

3.5 stars rounded up.

EEEEE Bea is back! You must read A Lark's Release first. I was hoping Verity and Bea would team up for this investigation as it was Verity who uncovered the forgery in the first place and began to investigate the identity of the master forger when she got sidetracked with her own murder investigation. Without Verity and Twaddle Thumb, I felt this story was lacking something. It was a lot harder to solve and more convoluted than I expected. There were many layers to the scam. A few minor historical inaccuracies took me out of the story briefly sending me off to do some research but they didn't affect the overall plot and weren't too out there. I just wanted to check on binoculars (modern ones not invented yet) and reading of the zodiac sign. Did you know Bea's birthday is July 10th and she's a Cancer?

There are a couple of swoony moments when the tables are turned and Bea has to joke Kesgrave out of his grim mood but not as many personal moments as in previous books. I actually liked them better before they were married when Bea was sneaking around and Kesgrave couldn't stay away from her. Bea is less neurotic in this story, less in her head. She's still anxious about managing a huge estate and team of servants but then Bea comes to a realization about herself at the end of the book (with some help from a friend) and is ready to turn a corner. I hope this doesn't mean the end of her adventures! I like her and identify with her because she's in her head all the time and so filled with self-doubt. Her beloved Damien has helped and she now knows he truly loves her. She's still a little shy about telling him important truths but I'm sure he's aware of Bea's anxiety anyway. He's trying to help. I think Kesgrave is more affected by his cousin's death than he realizes. Certainly he's worried about his grandmother and the family reputation. He's at his most ducal (but not pedantic ducal) here.

My heart breaks for the Dowager. Both her sons were horrible scoundrels but her grandsons both seem like kind and decent people. She loved them both and supported whatever it was they wanted to do, which is very much NOT a 19th century noble attitude but for the purposes of the story, we have a woman who has lost her entire family aside from one grandson, and her younger son was killed only weeks ago. She's still in mourning for him even though he was rotten and horrible. The Dowager loses her customary poise for a few moments and acts out of character, showing by her actions she's hurting and doesn't want to deal with it. I really liked her in previous adventures and she likes and accepts Bea for who Bea is without trying to make Bea into an august Duchess. Myles was cruel to his son who wanted nothing more than to be recognized for his artistic talent. Mortimer seemed to be, on the surface, a kind and decent man but thanks to a lifetime of horrible abuse from his father, he was unable to reach out and defend Damien or be friends with his cousin. I think if circumstances had been different, Mortimer would not have been murdered. The investigation reveals he was a scoundrel too and the one who introduced his father to Hell and Fury Hawes and not the other way around! Mortimer was in up to his neck in bad deeds all because of the horrible treatment from his father and the Royal Academy, which may have been in the pay of his father. His death is a real tragedy.

Hell and Fury Hawes is clever and cunning. At first he's charming and considers Bea a celebrity he admires but his motive soon becomes clear. He wants to entrap the Duke and Duchess of Kesgrave and make them do his bidding. He leaves hints to hook them, tries to goad Kesgrave who is too well bred to respond, and could threaten or force the couple to be a part of his network. Bea, as a mousy spinster, learned to read people. She's a good judge of character. She notices things others don't and sees through Hawes. Kesgrave only hears the words and the intent behind them. Bea wonders whether the simplest explanation, that Hawes killed Mortimer, is the right one. I think she might be right. This guy is so corrupt he has the entire neighborhood in his pay, including the magistrates. He can and does literally get away with Mortimer. Yet, he did come and risk everything to ask the Duke and Duchess to investigate. Is their investigation a distraction from something else? Did he not expect them to solve the crime or did he pin it on someone else, leading the Duke and Duchess there on purpose? I think if he killed an associate, he would want it known the associate had crossed him. That would ensure compliance from the rest of the network. Why doesn't he claim the death as his own doing anyway? Can't he get word out to his criminal enterprise without anyone else knowing? I'm very confused as to what his game is here. Perhaps just to get the Murder Duchess to work for him instead of against him?

The first witness, Joseph Foster, is amusing. He's supposedly an ornithologist but I think he enjoys spying on the neighbors for his journal contains detailed notes on the comings and goings in Mortimer's (aka Louis Rousseau) studio. He's just lazy when it comes to doing actual work and his poor daughter is like a servant in her own home. He names Susannah Brewer as one of the most frequent visitors and assumes the worst about her. She's a young woman, still a girl really, who served as Mortimer's model - excuse me - muse! Susie was his MUSE! She excelled at musing! Susie is very young, vain and shallow but the job was a godsend for her family. It was a ticket to a better life for her (probably a fast track to the demi monde). She claims Mortimer was kind and caring. He gave her little siblings a ready supply of lemon drops to keep them happy and enough money to support her mother. I don't think Susie would have murdered her meal ticket and the man who was going to make her famous. His death is a terrible blow to this family.

At the Royal Antiquaries Society we meet "Addle the Paddle." Mr. Addleton is the resident mansplainer. He misses nothing and makes no secret he believes he knows more than the rest and is eager to explain every minute detail to everyone. Mr. Kerrich, a member of the Royal Antiquaries Society, was the one to verify the Assyrian reliefs. Was he in on the scam or just ignorant? He was spotted arguing with Mortimer the night before Mortimer died. Mr. Kerrich is a nervous sort of man, vain and self-important. He tries to lie to cover his tracks and was angry with Mortimer for good reason. Mr. Kerrich is the selfish, whiny sort but I don't peg him for a murderer. He's too middle class to stab someone in the stomach with a chisel even if he is about to be on the hook for defrauding the British government.

Rennie Rumpus is Hawes's second in command. He rules the rookery with an iron fist - quite literally as the man was once a boxer. Now he is capable of murder but stabbing isn't in his usual style. He may be a villain but he's such a charming villain! By all appearances, he's a gentleman. A gentleman with a fondness for objects d'art. He has a grand plan for the Duchess- a pastry shop chain known as Her Outrageousness's Rout Cake House! Yes please! His scheme is presented so convincingly and the scene is absolutely hilarious. I can't believe Bea wouldn't want to go along with it! Rennie blames it on the nobility's ghastly fear of being in trade but he would handle all the operations and make all the profit. I love the idea! Of course his true purpose is to distract from the murder investigation. Edmund Renfield aka Rennie seems to be innocent but his only real alibi is his maid, Martha. She's suspicious of the quality and doesn't trust Bea and Kesgrave at all. Would she lie for her employer? Absolutely if she knows what kind of man he is. She sees him as a hero figure and would protect him if she had to.

Higgins, an antiquities dealer, is a slimy weasel but also am amusing villain. Amelia Peabody would love him while her dear Emerson would go bananas with rage. Higgins is a fool. He's well aware he's selling fakes but Hawes has convinced everyone they're like Robin Hood, doing a good deed for those who can't afford to (steal/loot?) purchase authentic antiquities. Higgins's fatal mistake is arranging antique artifacts in a way that makes it obvious they're fake. Otherwise people will ask questions and wonder where the hoard was and why no one had heard of it. Higgins has a ready story to tell Bea and Kesgrave but it's so obviously a whopper, he must know his goose is cooked. Did he murder Mortimer? Does he know who killed Mortimer? He must know he led the killer directly to the forger!

Sir Thomas Soame is the wealthy collector who sold a forgery to the British government. Verity already established this and bamboozled him. He's a very silly man and easily discomfited by our highly intelligent female sleuths. Verity ran circles around him and Bea can too. Sir Thomas makes himself look guilty by faking an injury and pretending to be ill. IIRC he ran from Verity too. His fight or flight response seems to be flight. (While he's absent, Bea and Kesgrave have a brief makeout session in the gallery!). Bea picks up on the same detail that alerted Verity to the forgery and Bea goes one step farther and puts the clues together as to why Mortimer would risk his position to deliberately put a modern bridle on an antique relief. (Or did he just forget because he was so consumed by his painting?) Sir Thomas is looking food for the murderer in terms of motive. He wants to be respected by society and considers it his due. To be exposed as a fraud would bring about his ruin. I don't see Sir Thomas actually literally killing someone with his own two hands but surely he has the money to PAY someone to do it. Is that why he's so nervous? He claims he's on edge waiting to be exposed as a fraud by the government which would make him a laughingstock in Society.

Sir Thomas claims he doesn't know the collier, Oliver Eckhart. Oliver Eckhart is Renfield's representative. Ollie served as the go-between, bringing Mortimer everything he needed and picking up finished works. Perhaps he discovered the scheme was about to come crashing down and feared Mortimer was a weak link who needed to be eliminated. Sir Thomas does name Samson Kirks who brings the shipments of reliefs to Sir Thomas.

Mr. Goddard, the chief librarian (curator) of the British Museum is a pompous fool. He doesn't like women and thinks they lack the brains to be true scholars. Yet he falls all over himself to please Kesgrave and Sir Thomas. He was eager to please Sir Thomas and ingratiate himself with this new patron that he didn't look too closely at the relief. Moron! Just wait until Bea and Verity expose him for a fool who can't tell a forgery from an authentic antiquity! He deserves to be made a fool in the press. Mr. Twaddle Thumb AND Mr. Robert Lark can both report on this story, from different angles. Oh Twaddle Thumb will have fun exposing this sycophantic ninny!

Samuel Sandby-Smith, oresident of the Royal Academy, is the one who refused Mortimer's paintings over the years. He surely was accepting bribes from Lord Myles to block Mortimer's ambition. What a louse! Even if he wasn't taking bribes, he is an idiot who wouldn't know quality art if it hit him over the head. Did HE kill Mortimer? Did Mortimer threaten to expose Sandby-Smith if S-S refused Mortimer one more time? Now Lord Myles is dead and Mortimer was painting his most exquisite work of art yet, would Mortimer still be blackballed? How much did Lord Myles pay this guy? I like Sandby-Smith for the murderer. It has nothing to do with the forged antiquities scam, just the Royal Academy scam! If that's the case, how tragic and horrible for poor Mortimer. However, S-S isn't just a painter, he's been known to buy and sell antiques. He denies any wrongdoing of course and tries to distract Bea with his enthusiasm for the artwork in the Kesgrave townhouse but she's too smart to be bamboozled. Her questioning method is ingenious and she gets the answers she was hoping for without the victim realizing he's being tricked!

Which one is the actual murderer and can Bea and Kesgrave figure it out and spare the Dowager the pain of a public trial?

Flora Hyde-Clare is funny. She's trying hard to behave like an adult and practice at her noblesse oblige. She gives Bea lessons on how to treat the servants but also has a lot of questions on how she should do so. Then Flora regresses and argues with her brother non-stop, which, for some reason, amuses the Dowager Duchess of Kesgrave. Aunt Vera shows surprising depths when confronted with unexpected death. Too bad she couldn't have been so kind and helpful to little Bea all those years ago but she's good to the Dowager and the Dowager seems to appreciate Vera's assistance. Go figure!

Viscount Nuneaton has a cameo to announce the Cheapside Advertiser has a new gossip columnist, Mrs. Flimmer-Flam, who devotes her columns to the exploits of the Murder Duchess! Gasp! I don't see the harm in it but she better be careful because I expect the Duke could have that one nipped in the bud ASAP if he wanted to. This Flimmer-Flam person seeks to take the place of Twaddle Thumb, obviously. Verity better break her promise because this Murder Duchess business makes Bea look bad, whereas Twaddle Thumb just poked fun at Bea's bizarre preoccupation with murder.

The footmen are a hoot and eager to help the Duchess with her investigation. Bea's new friend, Mrs. Palmer, plays a crucial role in spite of being only in one scene. She didn't know the shy first season Bea or the mousy spinster Bea. She only knows Her Outrageousness Bea and likes that person very much. I like Mrs. Palmer. She's a Society hostess and a political hostess. Her aim is women's suffrage which sadly won't happen for more than 100 years. She has all sorts of ingenious excuses to get out of an unwanted house party but in the end, she's more or less Bea's therapist and helps our heroine find the confidence she needs to succeed at normal Duchess things.

Anyone who’s read my reviews on the Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries knows this series is my ride or die when it comes to cozy mysteries. The writing? Chef’s kiss. Bea and the Duke of Kesgrave? My fictional besties.

That said, the last book left me feeling mildly concerned—Bea was a little off her game, a little indecisive, and I wasn’t fully in love with it. So, when I picked up book 13 (yes, 13! We are deep in this series), I had a tiny moment of trepidation.

I should not have worried.

This time, Bea and her adoring husband, Damien, find themselves entangled in two mysteries:

1. A murder in the family – Damien’s cousin has been killed in cold blood.

2. An art crime ring – Because why stop at one scandal when you can expose an entire network?

Technically, they’re acting on orders from Hawley—yes, that Hawley, the criminal overlord of London—but let’s be real. Bea has never been one for taking orders. Justice will be served.

Bea is BACK. The indecisiveness from the last book? Gone. She’s sharper, more confident, and—while she hasn’t fully realised just how much she’s grown since book one—she’s getting there. There’s a quiet shift in how she sees herself, and it’s incredibly satisfying to watch unfold. All hail Queen Bea. The writing is as brilliant as ever. Messina’s signature wit and perfectly paced storytelling are in full force.

The relationship between Bea and Damien continues to be one of my favourites in the genre. Smart, supportive, full of teasing banter—I could read about these two forever.

This series continues to be one of my absolute favourites, and A Pernicious Fabrication just solidified that even further. Messina delivers another sharp, engaging, and delightfully twisty mystery, and I am already counting down to the next one.

Long live Bea. Long live this series.
Final Verdict: 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


(ARC provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)

The storyline is interesting, there are a lot of different secondary characters/suspects. some sweet moments between Bea and Kesgrave and a bit of humor, that had me laughing out loud and made for a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I love the interaction between Bea and her husband Kesgrave as they interview all the suspects in the case.

I enjoyed this more than I thought when I started it. The premise was a bit insane to me - a criminal overlord comes to Bea and Kesgrave when his forgerer is murdered. This one deals with the very lucrative world of antiquities and what happens when a fabulously talented artist - the duke's cousin no less - is denied access to the Royal Academy. There's one scene in this where Bea is presented with a rout cake business venture that had me in absolute stitches. I had to suspend my disbelief when our favourite couple rub shoulders with criminal masterminds in their own neighbourhood and escape unscatched but I thought the plot was riveting and I loved their romance very very much.

What a great series.

My endless thanks to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for this ARC!

This was an intense whodunnit that drew you into its plot the more you read. I found it hard to identify with characters to start, but the book grew on me and ended up being a thoroughly enjoyable read. There are some well established characters as this is the latest in a series of books focusing on a duchess nicknamed ‘her outrageousness’ as she bucks social trends to satisfy her urge to investigate a crime. The plot is intricate and well worked with a few red herrings thrown in, making this an absorbing novel.

A new Bea installment! I must say, I was unprepared to receive an arc, but I did! And although I am an excellent reader who reads readily, everyone says so, I had to prepare myself to start this reading feast and it was oh so worth the effort!
The mystery was excellent. The pace of the investigation was similar to the “Murderous Tryst”, so a lot of door-to-door information collection, but being experienced blitz-investigators, the two graces completed the task within few days. The final chapter had me on the edge of my seat. Althoug, I have to side with Dazzling Damien on this one: his concern was warranted, since it wasn’t a harmless stunt to throw.
Nevertheless, at this rate their extended group of acquaintances will be extinguished before the house party can even start (and I am not talking about the corpses of the Incomparables!). Of course, someone has to die for the mystery to be solved, but what about unassuming neighbors or their staff? (chefs excluded, because not again, obviously)
This installment glitters with linguistic delights, a gripping mystery, unexpected fan fodder, drop-ins from some of the characters that were missed in the previous books and genius business ideas. Also, a plot thread from the last Verity book. An enticing gobelin of stories, thoughts and developments!
I am already queuing at the first ever “Her Outrageousness’s Rout Cake House”, which (in my mind) naturally will open on July 10th, the international rout cake day, and the entrance will only be granted upon the utterance of the right code word (“lemon drop”). Although, I am more interested in those asparagus tartelettes (in March no less! This hothouse is good for more than pineapples) which will be available for members only, obviously.
Just to put it out there, because those are so delightful! :
Muses will muse, brawlers will brawl and overlords of the underworlds will manage (but probably without keeping in mind the fundamental humanity of their subjects). And now I have to think about a way to causally drop “I am such an excellent muse” into conversations.
Thanks to netgally for the arc. The opinions are my own, some of the linguistic gems are borrowed from “A Pernicious Fabrication”, because they are so good, they need to be in constant use.

Part of a series featuring the Duke and Duchess Kesgrave who solve murders together. A bit slow to get started but soon perked up. A good read.