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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Good read, will be ready to read any others the author produces.
predictable
Good book! A few elements were a little unusual, but overall a good story and a writer and characters that I’d like to read again.
I truly loved this book! Lady Helena was a great heroine!
This was such a good mystery that I want to follow this author. I am looking forward to reading more!
Very well written and honest about a woman’s place in society. Also an interesting treatment of diseases and conditions like Alzheimer’s and autism and how they would have been viewed in that era. Good! I’m looking forward to the next book!
Enjoyed this book very much. Would read more, at a better price.
I truly enjoyed this book. The writing style was well done. While there was a bit of a mystery it was more informational regarding the way women were treated as secondary citizens. The main character started as a little more meek than I usually prefer, but she got stronger as the story progressed. I also liked that the author introduced a couple of characters with physical and mental disabilities. All in all I’m looking forward to the next story in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this well-researched first book in a new series and look forward to future episodes. Lady Helena is an interesting character – recently widowed at the beginning of the book – and very comfortably off – but she chooses to resurrect her early interest in herbalism. The book is a whodunnit around the death of her husband – which, once solved, gives way to some surprising discoveries in Helena’s own large family. There is also a romance to spice up the proceedings.
What I particularly enjoyed was the author’s vivid portrayal of the Sussex countryside which really jumped off the page. She has also done her homework on Victorian customs and practices and we get some delightful insights into everyday life for both the landed gentry and the lower orders.
Recommended!
4.5
Loved this beginning of a seven book series featuring a young, widowed aristocrat in 1881 Sussex. Lady Helena, who has been sheltered her entire life, begins to stand on her own and up for herself within her family of 6 siblings. As she navigates widowhood, she must confront the possibility of her husband’s murder as well as uncovering startling buried family secrets. A bit long, but well-written mystery with a teaser of romance. Will definitely read more from this author!
Ms. Steen writes under her own publishing imprint, and in viewing her website, obviously writes from a great love for and interest in historical fiction….it definitely shows.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #AspidistraPress for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
Lady Helena is not a likeable character.
Great characters and plot line. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
Not a typical who-dunnit. Characters are well developed and cause the reader to continue to read to learn how the main character overcomes her challenges. Well drawn Victorian life.
The characters were great. The ending was a surprise. This provides a nice insight into life in the 1800’s.
I enjoyed reading this because of its detailed historical/social settings.
I enjoyed the book immensely although it contained few surprises that were not easy to surmise before the end.
A good story well written. The author creates vivid characters in an interesting setting; looking forward to number two in the series, which I hope is coming soon.
Fun and light. Kept me intrigued.
There was growth in the main character. There was honesty in how she was to how she became stronger.
Good plot, well drawn characters, ending with a promise. I am looking for more to come.