Publishers Weekly
04/22/2024
Freeman’s superbly plotted seventh Victorian cozy (after A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder) finds Frances Hazelton and her husband, George, tracking down a killer in the City of Light. The action kicks off when George’s aunt Julia requests that he and Frances come to Paris from England to investigate the suspicious death of her former lover and fellow artist, Paul Ducasse. After they arrive during the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, Frances learns that George has kept several secrets for his aunt, including the existence of Julia and Paul’s illegitimate daughter, Lissette. When Julia dies in an apparent accident at the fair, George inherits her estate. Overwhelmed, he and Frances head to Julia’s farm outside the city, where they meet Lissette and launch an investigation into Paul’s death. As the couple digs, they uncover tensions between Julia and Paul and two artists they shared a studio with in Montmartre. Paul’s icy wife, Gabrielle, also comes under suspicion. Freeman keeps the pace brisk and the suspects plentiful, giving even seasoned armchair sleuths a run for their money. Historical mystery fans are in for a treat. Agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong. (July)
From the Publisher
Praise for the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series
“Numerous plot twists, well-drawn characters, and immersive details of the life and times in turn-of-the-century Victorian England distinguish this historical cozy.” —Booklist on A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder
"Fans of witty, lighthearted Victorian mysteries will be enthralled." —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW on A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder
"This delightful debut historical mystery introduces an appealing and smart female lead who relishes her newfound independence. The supporting cast of equally captivating characters further complement this atmospheric historical, set in the ballrooms and breakfast rooms of Victorian London. Fans of Georgette Heyer will appreciate the hints of romance, while aficionados of Deanna Raybourn or D.M. Quincy will delight in the banter-filled dialogue and period details." —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder
“The Victorian backdrop perfectly sets off this amusing and challenging romantic mystery.” —Kirkus Reviews on A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder
“The Agatha Award–winning author of A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder is adept at misdirection. Witty British conversation and social history as viewed by an American will continue to appeal to fans of Victorian mysteries.” —Library Journal on A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder
“Zesty…Clever plotting matches appealing characterizations. Freeman continues to delight.” —Publishers Weekly on A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder
“Will appeal to fans of Regency and Victorian cozies that are heavy on romance, as well as to followers of Elizabeth Peters and Deanna Raybourn.” —Booklist on A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder
“Danger, drama, and intrigue combine in this whodunit.” —Woman’s World Book Club Pick on A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder
“The American-born countess’s skills in maneuvering as an amateur sleuth in Victorian society are on full display in this charming historical mystery. New readers can easily pick up this fourth in the series, and fans will delight in the dramatic conclusion." —Library Journey, (STARRED REVIEW) for A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder
"The plot gallops along, with an engaging supporting cast helping to lead both the couple and readers through a merry path of false leads and ever-shifting suspects, all enhanced by the neatly drawn Victorian setting. Fans of Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell novels will enjoy this latest entry in Freeman's engaging series." —Booklist on A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder
"Freeman delivers it all: clever plotting, charming characters, plausible suspects, and red herrings galore. This historical is pure unadulterated fun." —Publisher’s Weekly on A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder
"Amusing social mores in Victorian England make for a highly entertaining mystery." —Kirkus Reivew on A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder
“Delightful…Frances will do whatever she needs to get to the bottom of Irena’s murder and ensure her own happily ever after.” —Mystery Scene Magazine on A Fiancee’s Guide to First Wives and Murder
“Set against the background of a luxurious English country house, peopled by the titled upper class and their (frequently more interesting) downstairs counterparts, A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon (preferably with tea and scones).” —Historical Novel Society on A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder
“Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Murder on the Orient Express will delight over this tale.” —Woman’s World Book Club Pick for A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder
“A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder is a thoroughly enjoyable closed-circle-of-suspects mystery, and the shooting-party atmosphere adds to the ambiance.” —Criminal Element
"If practiced well, the oft-maligned art of gossip can unearth as much evidence as a CSI team...Dianne Freeman handles class disparity with care and has created a world that readers will want to explore in more depth as the series continues." —BookPage on A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
"Engrossing...Freeman takes a witty look at Victorian polite society. Historical mystery fans will be delighted." —Publishers Weekly on A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
"A charming period mystery with enough sexual tension and credible suspects to keep the reader guessing." —Kirkus Reviews on A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
"The full cast of talkative aristocrats, the lighthearted tone, and the fast pace will keep readers actively engaged. This would make a wonderful introduction to cozy mysteries for fans of Regency or Victorian romance, and it will also hit the mark for followers of Elizabeth Peters and Deanna Raybourn." —Booklist on A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
"Wide-ranging and absorbing and includes some clever surprises." —Mystery Scene on A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
"Lovers of acrostics and word-puzzles will find much to enjoy in A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder and will undoubtedly look forward to Lady Frances's next Lady's Guide adventure." —Criminal Element
"A delightful tale of shenanigans among the British aristocracy. Lady Frances feels very real—not too smart and spunky but no shrinking violet either." —Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Royal Spyness and Molly Murphy mysteries
Library Journal
04/01/2024
In Freeman's seventh Countess of Harleigh mystery (following A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder), Frances Wynn, once the Countess of Harleigh and now married to George Hazelton, has several reasons to visit Paris in 1900. She would like to see the World Exposition. She also knows that George has received a letter from France, and she doesn't think it relates to his work for the Home Office. It turns out that George's Aunt Julia is in Paris and would like to consult him about a suspicious death. Paul Ducasse, an artist who was once Julia's lover, recently drowned in the Seine, but Julia believes he was murdered. When Frances and George arrive in Paris, however, Julia is reluctant to share information. She brushes off her troubles and accompanies the Hazeltons to the World Exposition. That day, a footbridge collapses, and the trio is caught in the chaos. In the aftermath, Frances and George think that the collapse killed Julia, but then the police reveal that someone took advantage of the tragedy to stab her to death. Frances and George link Ducasse's murder to Julia's and interview some of Ducasse's artist friends. However, it's their trip to Julia's farm in Chartres that reveals what might be the greatest clue. VERDICT Art, murder, and the Parisian atmosphere combine in a delightful, detailed mystery for Francophile fans of Rhys Bowen or Betty Webb.—Lesa Holstine
Kirkus Reviews
2024-04-20
A request for help from a relative sends Frances, the former Countess of Harleigh, and her second husband, George Hazleton, to Paris, where they encounter a series of mysteries.
Since she hasn’t yet had a honeymoon, Frances thinks a trip to the 1900 World Exposition in Paris would be perfect. Plus George has received a letter from his aunt Julia, who lives in Paris, requesting some help. George is hesitant to involve Frances because Julia’s been lying to the family about her life for years. Julia wants George to look into the death of the famous artist Paul Ducasse, which she’s convinced was murder. At a show of his work, Frances and George see a portrait of Julia that leaves them wondering about her relationship to the painter. At dinner with the couple, Julia is happy to talk about her home and perfumery in Chartres and the studio she shares with several other artists but insists they wait till the following day to discuss business. She’s clearly hiding many secrets, so when she dies in a footbridge collapse at the exposition and later turns out to have been stabbed, the sleuthing duo have much to discover, beginning with the fact that Julia had a child by Ducasse. After an interview with the police, they travel to Chartres, where Julia’s daughter, Lissette, and her companion, Christine Granger, express both suspicions of them and an eagerness to join in the hunt for Julia’s killer. The four of them return together to Paris, where much more will be revealed.
A charming period background adds verisimilitude to a mystery awash in red herrings.
