A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder

A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (2019) Dianne Freeman (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery)

Set in London in 1899.

I have officially decided this series is delightful.

I leaned toward her as we walked out. “Very well done, dear. But a ranch in Brooklyn? What were you thinking?”

She released a merry laugh. “That he’d never trouble himself to discover the truth.”

Frances may still be in half mourning for her sister-in-law, but when Graham decides it would be best for his sons if they didn’t observe full mourning, Frances easily agrees (especially considering the events of the previous book). But when her acquaintance–and the woman her cousin Charles was wooing–is murdered, Frances is drawn into another mystery.

Now, there are some issues with the story.

“Do women really keep secrets that well?” Delaney spoke as if he were wondering aloud. “She must have confided in someone, and that person let it slip to someone else, and so on, and so on. Wouldn’t all of society know by now?”

My spine stiffened at this. “Women most certainly do keep secrets.”

OK. But, when asked to work on a secret project that she can’t tell anyone else about, she ends up bringing her ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD into it. So I’m not sure that she has any right to be offended. And to be honest, that’s not an issue with the story as much as with how Frances views her actions.

Aside from that, the mystery was interesting, and once again, there was no Hollywood ending! She does NOT save the day!

You have NO IDEA how happy this makes me.

Publisher : Kensington Books
Rating: 8.5/10

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