This third book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series provides a delightful romp through the English countryside and back.Anxious to be married, Henrietta and Clive push forward with their wedding plans despite their family differences, made worse now by Oldrich Exley’s attempts to control the Von Harmons. When the long-awaited wedding day arrives, there is more unfolding than just Clive … just Clive and Henrietta’s vows of love. Stanley and Elsie’s relationship is sorely tested by the presence of the dashing Lieutenant Harrison Barnes-Smith and by Henrietta’s friend Rose—a situation that grows increasingly dark and confused as time goes on.
As Clive and Henrietta begin their honeymoon at Castle Linley, the Howards’ ancestral estate in England, they encounter a whole new host of characters, including the eccentric Lord and Lady Linley and Clive’s mysterious cousin, Wallace. When a man is murdered in the village on the night of a house party at the Castle, Wallace comes under suspicion—and Clive and Henrietta are reluctantly drawn into the case, despite Clive’s anxiety at involving his new bride and Henrietta’s distracting news from home.
Delicately attempting to work together for the first time, Clive and Henrietta set out to prove Wallace’s innocence, uncovering as they do so some rather shocking truths that will shake the Linley name and estate forever.
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The inspector Howard series is delightful. The characters this author has created are multi-dimensional and endearing. By volume three, I feel like they have become old friends who have dropped by for a visit. The scenery in the setting in this book are exceptional! This series is just getting better and better! I highly recommend it as a five-star read.
I feel like Alice in Wonderland, who just reemerged from a 1930s rabbit hole where I gleefully binge-read all five of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard novels: A Girl Like You, A Ring of Truth, A Promise Given, A Veil Removed, and A Child Lost. My multi-week foray included a delicious and colorful palette of emotion—passion, intrigue, joy, sorrow, and fear. The historical detail is impeccable as the captivating storyline takes the reader from poverty to the glitz and glamor that only wealth can bring. I highly recommend this series!
Interesting style – it’s set in the early 1900s but the style is sort of a sweet 1800s. The main characters are generally winsome, the villains not too stereotypical. Enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing.
The country romp was so beautiful alongside this tale of mystery and romance! I cannot get enough of Henrietta & Clive!
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
5 Stars.
While there is a murder and mystery in the 2nd half of this book, the first half falls solidly in the genre of historical romance. Early on we learn about Henrietta’s mother elite lineage and how she came to bitterly walk away and leave it behind. Now that family is stepping in forcefully to take charge of the family – house, servants, education for the kids and an allowance. While not welcomed by her mother, there is no choice, and it takes some of the burden off of Henrietta’s shoulders.
Back at the family estate, we continue follow the intricacies of daily life with servants and social demands as all the plans for the wedding day are finalized. We celebrate with the happy couple at their beautiful wedding while seeing the hint of trouble brewing behind the scenes. These hints will continue to bubble up as the story moves between Henrietta and Clive on their honeymoon, and Stanley and Elsie’s problems back home. There is their first night together and the beautiful surprise Clive had waiting, as well as the lovely voyage to England where the happy couple finally have some time alone, with nothing to distract them.
England takes the couple back into the world of societal expectations. Much is demanded of them. Then a murder happens in the village. Clive, missing his work in the force, is drawn into the case. Henrietta wants to be by his side but is thwarted at every turn, creating a great wedge between them. When a Wallace, one of their relatives becomes the main suspect, the stakes become high. And he’s hiding something? What is it? And why won’t he tell them to clear his name?
Note – There are two sexual scenes included in this book, one positive and one not, but both are written with a lighter hand.
I enjoy this series but was a bit disappointed with this one. Too much wedding and family drama and not enough mystery. But I already have the next on my Kindle.
A Promise Given continues the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series by Michelle Cox. This third installment brings readers back to the characters of Henrietta and Clive. I have enjoyed this couple from the first book, A Girl Like You, as well as, book two, A Ring of Truth. The two books were entertaining but this one is by far my favorite of the series to date. I thought it was great catching up with Henrietta and Clive and finding out where they are currently. I love being able to witness their wedding finally. And, of course, I was quickly immersed in the mystery and suspense. This one is not one I could have predicted. It was so very good.
I had the pleasure to listening the audio version of A Promise Given. Jayne Entwistle’s performance was once again superb. Her voice was perfect bringing this story to life. I loved hearing her all throughout the book. I had no problem listening to the whole book in one day. I could not find myself to push pause and chose to continue to listen.
I am giving A Promise Given five stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy suspenseful mysteries. I look forward to seeing what will happen next in the fourth book from Henrietta and Inspector Howard series, A Veil Removed. I can not wait to catch up with Henrietta and Clive again.
I received A Promise Given from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
A little Downton Abbey, a LOT of Jane Austen, and a bit of Nick and Nora Charles
This third book in a series featuring a couple that was destined to be together in a variety of adventures and family intrigue is a fun ditty that mixes up several genres (romance, mystery, historical fiction) with liberal nods to the archetype works on which it’s based. Though readers will benefit from reading the first two books, the many references will just make you want to go back and delve deeper. This episode in the life of Henrietta and Inspector Howard is clearly designed to take these beloved characters into a new era, just as possibly into English country house territory as into the tradition of married sleuths who hang out a shingle. Each time you’re certain you know which way this is headed, Cox throws in another ringer. It’s a stay-tuned novel that will make the news that a fourth is coming soon very welcome.
Enjoyed it immensely
I love this series. A new book is coming out in April 2019!
Just wish I had discovered books #1 and #2 before I read this one. First time I’ve read this author.
Book 3 and I enjoyed just as much as the first two in this series. Loved loved loved them all and book 4 comes out April 2019
I LOVED A Ring of Truth. But for those of you who, like me, appreciated the modest characters and their commitment to chastity in the previous book, be prepared. Apparently once they’re married, the author has no qualms about giving all the details. The first half of the book was focused mostly on the lead-up to the wedding, with beautiful detail. I wish the wedding night had been left a little more “just between the bride and groom”…
I still love Henrietta and Howard’s sweet relationship. They defy the standards of the day by being kind and mutually respectful of each other. I get that because of their varied backgrounds and family expectations, defying convention is a struggle for them at times, but I thought in this book they both got very petulant almost to the point of childish in some of their contentions with each other.
The ending is a cliffhanger, but not really a suspenseful one. Definitely outlines the direction for Book 4 though. It makes me think there is serious drama and trouble to come in book 4.
Great series. Can’t wait for the 4th!
Not as good as the previous one. Very little excitement. Mostly a novel about the side characters (yawn!) and not the protagonists, Clive and Henrietta. And definitely not a murder mystery. The murder doesn’t happen until 3/4 through the book and even then is just a side story. Well written but basically a boring romance novel — and not even a very interesting one.
I found very little appeal in this book. I had not read the previous books, so perhaps my view of the book is unfair.
It was a very boring book, I didn’t care about a single character or what happened to them. It was a drudgery to read.
As a history teacher, I did try to find a glimmer of hope in the historical setting, but nothing popped up. Obviously the author was setting up for World War 2, harking back on World War 1, but really just boring.
I enjoyed the book. I did think it was too obviously part of a series, however. This book seemed to be a “bridge” book from the first into the rest of the series. As a result, the book meandered, referred to action in a previous book, but there was an unsatisfying lack of action in this one. They got married. They went on a long honeymoon. They solved a not so exciting mystery. That said, I still enjoyed the writing and the characters.
I should say that this passage may be deceiving. There is indeed a mystery inside the story, which is the focus of the second part of the novel, but the story as a whole is a romance and be prepared to read a lot of it in the first part.
I didn’t read the first novel in the series (A Girl Like You), but I read the second (A Ring of Truth), and I have to say that I don’t find this third installment as strong as the second. The first part of the story is totally devoted to Henrietta and Clive’s wedding and there is little else going on (but it may b my less then romancy hear speaking!), while the second part is so full of events that it’s almost crammed. But if taken on the whole, the story is an eventful one. There is a lot of character development, the overarching plot of the series is clearly moving in a dramatic way and the novel ends on a stack cliffhanger.
I liked the depiction of 1930s England, where Clive and Henrietta travel for their honeymoon. The social and historical environment of this part is very reminiscent of Downton Abby, but is also very vividly depicted. The difference between the British social environment and the American environment (though it’s the countryside in England and a big city in America) come to the fore and I think this enriches the diversity of the story. I found particularly interesting that the European historical events filtered in in the English section of the novel. I don’t remember the same thing happening in the American part of the story so far.
Overall, it’s a positive experience. Next novel in the series must be a blast.