The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin (2025) Alison Goodman (The Ill-Mannered Ladies #2)

Set in England in 1812

This is set soon after the events of the previous book. Gus and Julia are hiding Lady Hester and Miss Ponsonby from Lord Deele while Gus tries to learn more about the death that led to his transportation and current fugitive status.

And their brother is still awful.

“Do not be ridiculous, Augusta,” Duffy said. “Whitmore is an Oxford man and a trusted member of Liverpool’s government. You cannot fling around preposterous accusations about men of good standing.”

Although like the first book, there story goes to dark places, it is not without humor.

“I am not leaving,” I protested.

“Nor am I,” Julia said.

“I would like to leave,” Miss Grant said. “Please, let me leave.”

Apparently, it was important to have symmetrical hair when one was confronting a furious adversary.

I also appreciated that despite being in her 40s and curious, there were things Gus didn’t quite know.

My friend Charlotte, Countess Davenport, had on my request described the mechanics of it, but I had never thought it to be so naked, so vigorous, so… loud.

I don’t think you can read this book without having read the first book, but as ebooks have made it easy to collect all the books in a series (instead of prowling the shelves of bookstores for that missing book in the collection) that shouldn’t be a burden.

Characters: Augusta Colebrook, Julia Colebrook, Weatherly, Lord Evan Belford, Mr. Kent, John Driver, Lord Duffield, Lord Thomas Milroy, Lady Eleanor, George Brummell, Lord Alvanley, Mary Berry, Agnes Berry, Mrs. Anne Damer, Charlotte Lady Davenport, Porty Lord Davenport, Edward Harley, Mrs. Ellis-Brant, Mr. Charles Rampling, Miss Ponsonby, Lady Hester Belford, Lord Deele, Mr. Charles Rampling, Colonel Drysan, Captain William Morland, Lieutenant Henry Powers, Hanford, George Whitmore, Charles Whitmore, Reed, Gibbon, Thomas Hatchard, Samuel, Lord Cholton, James Mulholland, Reginald Drake, Dorothy Martindale

Cover illustration by Sveta Dorosheva

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

Rating: 8/10

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