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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Read for the 52 Book Club Challenge-prompt #26: a hybrid genre
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was a lot of fun. A humorous cozy mystery that is an ode to Jane Austen and regency manners. Her recipe directions at the end had me laughing out loud. I hope there is a series to follow, because the author did leave the door open for that.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
Loveable characters:
Yes
Great book!!! Idk what was up with Mary tho lol!
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing
A delightfully madcap Regency mystery. It's Jane Austen meets Clue (the movie) or Airplane. I went into this thinking it was a straightforward Regency mystery and it became apparent immediately that it is not.
Beatrice Steele lives in the etiquette-obsessed town of Swampshire. She has a secret: she adores reading true crime stories in the newspaper. Such a morbid interest is unbecoming in a lady, so Beatrice must pretend that she spends all her time in her room mooning over a beau. When a single man in possession of a good fortune comes to visit his old school friend at the nearby estate, the Steele family is determined to make him fall in love with their beautiful and sweet middle daughter, Louisa.
Unfortunately, the eligible bachelor, Mr. Croaksworth, is poisoned at his welcome ball. Beatrice teams up with disgraced detective Vivek Drake, who had been traveling with Mr. Croaksworth. She is allegedly with him to make sure that the disagreeable Drake adheres to the proper Swampshire decorum. But really Beatrice puts her detection skills to use to help Drake solve the crime.
This book never takes itself too seriously which makes it silly fun. Mr. Croaksworth's parents perished when their terrible sense of direction lead them to wander around their enormous new house until they starved to death. Beatrice and her sister have the following exchange about this information:
"How awful," Beatrice said, leaning forward. "Do the inspectors suspect foul play?"
"No birds were involved. The Croaksworths were simply terrible with directions," Louisa replied.
My absolutely favorite part of the book is that it is hinted at - mostly in footnotes - that youngest and often forgotten sister Mary is a werewolf. It's never explicitly stated and it has no real impact on the plot; it's just a bit of silliness that for me never gets old.
The mystery itself had plenty of red herrings and kept me hooked. I also quite enjoyed the budding romance between Beatrice and Drake.
I was thoroughly amused and I hope this becomes a series - I would love more ridiculous Regency mysteries featuring Beatrice and Drake.
Beatrice Steele lives in the etiquette-obsessed town of Swampshire. She has a secret: she adores reading true crime stories in the newspaper. Such a morbid interest is unbecoming in a lady, so Beatrice must pretend that she spends all her time in her room mooning over a beau. When a single man in possession of a good fortune comes to visit his old school friend at the nearby estate, the Steele family is determined to make him fall in love with their beautiful and sweet middle daughter, Louisa.
Unfortunately, the eligible bachelor, Mr. Croaksworth, is poisoned at his welcome ball. Beatrice teams up with disgraced detective Vivek Drake, who had been traveling with Mr. Croaksworth. She is allegedly with him to make sure that the disagreeable Drake adheres to the proper Swampshire decorum. But really Beatrice puts her detection skills to use to help Drake solve the crime.
This book never takes itself too seriously which makes it silly fun. Mr. Croaksworth's parents perished when their terrible sense of direction lead them to wander around their enormous new house until they starved to death. Beatrice and her sister have the following exchange about this information:
"How awful," Beatrice said, leaning forward. "Do the inspectors suspect foul play?"
"No birds were involved. The Croaksworths were simply terrible with directions," Louisa replied.
My absolutely favorite part of the book is that it is hinted at - mostly in footnotes - that youngest and often forgotten sister Mary is a werewolf. It's never explicitly stated and it has no real impact on the plot; it's just a bit of silliness that for me never gets old.
The mystery itself had plenty of red herrings and kept me hooked. I also quite enjoyed the budding romance between Beatrice and Drake.
I was thoroughly amused and I hope this becomes a series - I would love more ridiculous Regency mysteries featuring Beatrice and Drake.
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly, I don't know why this wasn't rated higher. This was the most delightfully chaotic book I've read in a while. I laughed out loud at so many parts. It was absolutely wonderful, chaotic, manic... and it made my soul happy. What more can you ask for in a book?
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No