A reluctant lady sleuth finds she’s investigating her own family. Step into Lady Helena Whitcombe’s world with the first novel in a series that will blend family saga and mystery-driven action with a slow-burn romance in seven unputdownable investigations.1881, Sussex. Lady Helena Scott-De Quincy’s marriage to Sir Justin Whitcombe, three years before, gave new purpose to a life almost destroyed … gave new purpose to a life almost destroyed by the death of Lady Helena’s first love. After all, shouldn’t the preoccupations of a wife and hostess be sufficient to fulfill any aristocratic female’s dreams? Such a shame their union wasn’t blessed by children . . . but Lady Helena is content with her quiet country life until Sir Justin is found dead in the river overlooked by their grand baroque mansion.
The intrusion of attractive, mysterious French physician Armand Fortier, with his meddling theory of murder, into Lady Helena’s first weeks of mourning is bad enough. But with her initial ineffective efforts at investigation and her attempts to revive her long-abandoned interest in herbalism comes the realization that she may have been mistaken about her own family’s past. Every family has its secrets—but as this absorbing series will reveal, the Scott-De Quincy family has more than most.
Can Lady Helena survive bereavement the second time around? Can she stand up to her six siblings’ assumption of the right to control her new life as a widow? And what role will Fortier—who, as a physician, is a most unsuitable companion for an earl’s daughter—play in her investigations?
A new series by Jane Steen, author of the House of Closed Doors series that has delighted thousands of fans (over 300 5-star reviews on Amazon and over 700 5-star ratings on Goodreads.) If you’re looking for an unputdownable Victorian mystery saga, here’s where you start!
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Enjoyed the setting and the characterization of women as strong and driving to be self-sufficient. Great depiction of the class structure during the Elizabethan Period.
Jane Steen is a new to me author, so when I won a copy of Lady Helena Investigates, I really had no expectations for it. It seemed like something I might like, and as it turns out, I did like it quite a lot.
The Scott-De Quincy family is an old, aristocratic family. Helena, regrettably called “Baby” by her older sisters, is the sixth daughter in a rather spread out family of seven siblings, older only than her brother Michael, the much anticipated male heir. Because of the huge gaps in their age and because of her arrival later in her parent’s life, Helena was quite doted upon as a child. In adulthood, this translates to everyone thinking they know best for her and a few even thinking they can control her life for her. Despite being a married, and now widowed woman, her family is very slow to realize that Helena is her own person. Added to this tension are the questions about her husband’s untimely death and the suspicion raised by a local doctor that it may not have been accidental. Several secondary figures play a key role in the mystery, but it’s unclear on the outset how everything adds up.
I do admit that the story started out a bit slow for me. Though now I know exactly who everyone is, there are a lot of siblings and because they are so much older, many nieces and nephews as well. I think a cast of characters before the novel starts would be helpful especially at the beginning of the novel. However, now having “met” everyone through the pages of this book, I feel quite familiar, and don’t think I’d have trouble remembering everyone in a second book. The siblings themselves all have varying and unique characteristics. I especially loved her artistic sister, Ophelia, and her younger brother, Michael, who has trouble socializing and communicating with others, but as the only son, feels utterly responsible for them all.
The mystery is also a bit of a slow burn, however, it ends up being very layered, and it turns out, there is more than just the suspicion surrounding her husband’s death. As a mystery, the novel is good, but as a study of the times as well as the dynamics of a family with big and varied personalities, and where Helena fits into it all is probably what kept me reading. Helena herself even admits that the mystery was solved with very little action on her part, but rather out of circumstances and her own curiosities that happened to coincide with it. Although one could argue, acting at all was out of character for a woman in Victorian times, so in that way, it felt realistic. As this is the first in what the author says will be a series with several books, perhaps her more investigative side will come out later. As it is, Lady Helena is an easy character to support, and despite finding this one to start out slow, it won me over easily with the lovely characterization and the hints of romance (and even a bit of mystery in that regard as well).
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway. I was not required to post a review; this review is my honest opinion.
Lady Helena is a realistic, albeit modern for her era, woman of means in southern England. She is abruptly widowed, and gradually a mystery unfolds surrounding the circumstances of her husband’s death. The mystery deepens organically, and the story unfolds naturally – the plot felt realistic and linear without obviously deliberate or forced circumstance carrying it along.
This was an enjoyable read and I am interested to see how Lady Helena’s life develops as her story progresses.
This cover drew me in. The title hooked me. Story kept me in. Good book.
Recently, I downloaded the Kindle version of Jane Steen’s Lady Helena Investigates simply because I was in need of some light reading for adults. As you may know, I read a lot of middle grade and YA fiction. I enjoy historical fiction, especially when combined with a good mystery, and when the characters are well written. Steen not only created a good mystery, the death of Lady Helena’s husband, she also created characters—a bunch of them—that seemed to jump off the page. I found myself squeezing reading time into my already busy schedule, just to see what happened next! The mystery continues up to the last pages, with only a few clues as to the real culprit. In the meantime, you meet Helena Scott-De Quincy’s large family and handsome Dr. Armand Fortier. As the first book in new series, Steen captured my interest and made me anxious for the next one. I discovered Steen also wrote “The House of Closed Doors” which I read a year or so ago. I enjoyed it immensely, but not enough to go and look for a sequel—there are two! However, I’ll be anxiously looking for the next Lady Helena mystery.
I’m hooked. Before I finished reading Lady Helena InvestIgates I started looking for more books by this author. I was pleased to find more books by Jane Steen although none in this particular series. I really enjoy historical fiction especially mysteries with lots of action and a little romance. Lady Helena‘s husband has just died and she has lead a sheltered life typical of this era. I loved seeing her grow, becoming more forward, adventurous and able to make decisions for herself and others in her care. No boredom with this novel, it’s fast paced with twists and turns. Great well developed characters that keep you guessing to the end.. Excellent medically accurate details, well researched and knowledgeable in historical medical practice. My thanks to the author, the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. Looking forward to all the books in this new series.
Great “origins” read set in Victorian England – I call it origins, as you bear witness to the birth of a feminist, albeit an aristocrat with all the social and financial benefits – but a lovely unfolding of not only a family murder mystery but the growing awareness within a young woman of her inner power manifesting itself through her desires to be of use, to have purpose, to use her brain at a time when women were pressured to do just the opposite. Thanks Jane Steen for a wonderful read!
I so enjoyed this novel which is engaging, captivating as the characters develop, and very well written.
Wonderfully written with engrossing characters. There is, of course, a mystery or two, but they are almost secondary to the familial bonds and personalities. Helena is a force to be reckoned with in the future.
I’m a fan of the historical family saga type books from way back and adding some mystery into the mix kept me turning the pages. I’d love to read more about Helena’s many siblings.
Well written with a surprising plot. Left us hanging at the end.
Grabbed my interest and didn’t let go. Hoping there are more in the series.
I immediately looked on line for more in this series. Apparently this is the 1st in the series. I will read more about these characters
Exceptional story, it kept me up all night reading. I would have given it five stars except it left you hanging in the end and the sequel isn’t available for my nook.
Not really a mystery, but I did enjoy the story. The characters are very likable.
I have read it rather long ago, I admit, but I do remember I have liked it. I liked the main heroine and her relationships. The book was well-written and well-edited. I only regret it is not a series. I believe another Lady Helen book was promised but never materialized.
This story has the feel of a gothic novel, but gentle and with deliberate pacing. Still, I read through easily and enjoyed it. There isn’t much investigation, but the clues come along regularly. The main reason to read is the evocation of an interesting and flawed family and the heroine’s gradual blooming. Nice twist on the gothic trope of the insane wife in the attic.
Lady Helena, the youngest girl of the Scott-De Quincy family, has had her life shattered by the death of her beloved husband. She knows she ought to stand up to the more managing members of her family, but cannot quite seem to do so. When the mysterious French Physician, Armand Fortier tells her his doubts about the “accidental” nature of her husband’s death, Lady Helena is lead to the dark secrets lurking in her family’s past.
This book kept me glued to the page from start to finish. I really liked Helena’s personality. She was reserved, used to being “guided” by her family, but longing to stand up for herself nonetheless. She grows as a character through the story in a way that is believable.
We see the story through her eyes, so we are right in her shoes the whole way. My one point of contention is that she doesn’t really investigate, in my mind. She asks questions, and even the author tries to explain it through Fortier in the story by saying “Oh, you investigated in your own way by being kind, so people told you the truth.”
The plot moves at a good pace and the writing was enjoyable. I look forward to reading the second book whenever it is released.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is truly about history and especially about real women everywhere and all times. But not as much the tradional mystery or romance. It is much better
I liked this introduction to the Lady Helena series. To be honest, I was disappointed when I finished this book because I discovered that the next book in the series hadn’t been completed yet.
Lady Helena is a recent widow in the 1880’s, and this book recounts her first year+ of her widowhood as she makes her way through traditional mourning and rediscovers more about herself. I’m looking forward to future adventures with her.