Thank you NetGalley and SAGA Egmont for the audiobook ARC! In this new mystery series from M.R.C. Kasasian, Lady Violet Thorn, a writer of thriller/crime novels, is recovering after a seeming break up (being dismissed in a letter). Violet is asked to look into an odd situation where a woman is said to be being held prisoner by her husband and when murders begin happening throughout towns, Violet believes they could all be tied into the imprisonment and the secrets of Haglin House. Violet is aided in the solving of the strange happenings by her fictional characters, in particular the main character of her crime series, Ruby Gibson. This makes for an interesting narration and adds humor to the book. Emma Gregory gives voice to this audiobook and fits well with the character of Lady Violet and the wild imaginings of her writer's mind.

I absolutely love the March Middleton novels so I was really excited to get my 👂🏻👂🏻on this. It did take me a little while to grasp that some of the characters were imaginary, even within the fictional universe (I know, how meta, right?!) but once I had that sorted I was fine.

The storyline is a little bit histrionic and more than a little bit unlikely but still enjoyable and full of trademark Kasasian humour. Credit to the narrator for suitably deadpan delivery of all of the dastardly plot.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Saga Egmont Audio for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

After being left at the alter, Lady Violet Thorn takes refuge in the thrillers she writes and lives vicariously through her protagonist, Ruby Gibson. But Violet’s quiet life is shattered when death and destruction land on her doorstep and she will need Ruby’s help, along with a coterie of unusual and extraordinary servants to save the day. This book is SO entertaining, Mary Stewart by way of Mel Brooks, and Gregory has to be the best narrator I have ever heard. Her voice brings this delightfully ridiculous Victorian mystery to full and vivid life