{"id":19880,"date":"2022-03-17T15:45:11","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T19:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=19880"},"modified":"2025-10-01T19:03:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T23:03:37","slug":"19880","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/19880","title":{"rendered":"Lady Odelia’s Secret"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lady Odelia’s Secret<\/a><\/em> (2022) Jane Steen<\/a> (Lady Helena Investigates)<\/p>\n

\"Lady<\/a>Set in England in 1882.<\/p>\n

I read the first book, Lady Helena Investigates<\/em>, soon after it came out, and was disgruntled when there wasn’t a sequel.<\/p>\n

Until a couple weeks ago I stumbled across the second book in the series. HUZZAH!<\/p>\n

Lady Helena is a widow, yet she is still often called her childhood nickname by her family (Baby), and sometimes still feels like she is treated as a child.<\/p>\n

Loyalty had prevented my sisters telling me about my father\u2019s affairs and their effect on Mama.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is as much an historical novel as it is an historical mystery. Helena is finishing her first full year of mourning, and trying to determine what she might want to do with the long future she has ahead of her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m torn, O. I want to be Justin\u2019s wife forever\u2014 but how can I be if I become someone else\u2019s? And yet, if I remain loyal to Justin, I\u2019ll be alone forever. And I don\u2019t want that.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“(N)ow I must be alone until I can be sure who I am and what I want. I feel as if I was born as a new person the day my husband died, and until I know who that person is, I can\u2019t know whether she wishes to bestow her hand on anyone in particular.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I also really loved the little bits of life.<\/p>\n

The second Sunday service at St. Michael and All Angels saw us neatly arrayed in our gated section of pews, which were decorated with our coat of arms lest some impertinent stranger should entertain the idea that all seats in God\u2019s house were equal.
\n…
\nOur pews were at right angles to the rest of the congregation so that we could both see and be seen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It isn’t until 30% in that we get the first hints of mystery.<\/p>\n

I took the paper from her. \u201c\u2018 How long will you get away with it, you\u2014\u2019\u201d I stopped reading. \u201cGood heavens, I\u2019ve never actually seen that word written down.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I actually enjoyed this slow unwinding, but it might not be the best for someone who wants to jump right into action and adventure.<\/p>\n

I particularly like that although her family members have their own quirks, they (for the most part) stand behind and with each other, fully accepting each other. This was particularly evident with Helena’s older brother Michael.<\/p>\n

I felt Michael\u2014 who hated to touch, or be touched by, other people\u2014 flinch as I rested my fingertips as lightly as possible on his arm.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Especially this bit, how offhand she is.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll get into the newspapers. Lord Broadmere won\u2019t like it. Yes, I know he can\u2019t read the papers, but my sisters read the gossip columns and they\u2019ll make sure he knows about it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For a mystery, it’s surprisingly calming and cozy, and hopefully I don’t have to wait for years for another installment.<\/p>\n

Publisher: Aspidistra Press<\/p>\n

Rating: 8\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lady Odelia’s Secret (2022) Jane Steen (Lady Helena Investigates) Set in England in 1882. I read the first book, Lady Helena Investigates, soon after it came out, and was disgruntled when there wasn’t a sequel. Until a couple weeks ago I stumbled across the second book in the series. HUZZAH! Lady Helena is a widow, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,30,190,292,48,204,33,8,608],"tags":[530,597,628,750,557],"class_list":["post-19880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-8-10","category-british","category-cozy","category-ebook","category-female","category-good","category-historical","category-mystery","category-neurodiversity","tag-disability","tag-dyslexia","tag-jane-steen","tag-scott-de-quincy-mysteries","tag-victorian"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/siQkW-19880","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":24205,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/24205","url_meta":{"origin":19880,"position":0},"title":"Lady Odelia\u2019s Secret, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"January 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Lady Odelia\u2019s Secret, Audiobook (2022) Jane Steen and Elizabeth Klett narrator (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries #2) Set in Sussex in 1882 I felt Michael\u2014who hated to touch, or be touched by, other people\u2014flinch as I rested my fingertips as lightly as possible on his arm. \u201cI enjoy reading about people who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lady Odelias Secret","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Lady-Odelias-Secret.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24156,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/24156","url_meta":{"origin":19880,"position":1},"title":"Lady Helena Investigates, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"January 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Lady Helena Investigates, Audiobook (2018) Jane Steen and Elizabeth Klett narrator (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries #1) Set in Sussex in 1881 \"I can\u2019t have you back, so I\u2019m forced to move forward with my life. I let Daniel\u2019s death reduce me to some kind of paralysis, but you rescued me from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lady Helena Investigates","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Lady-Helena-Investigates.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23203,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/23203","url_meta":{"origin":19880,"position":2},"title":"Lady Odelia’s Secret","author":"Michelle","date":"February 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Lady Odelia's Secret (2022) Jane Steen (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries) Set in England in 1882. As usual, I experienced the strange shock that it was my husband\u2014my Justin\u2014buried under the tall new monument, set apart within its own patch of closely scythed grass. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d I asked my sister.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lady Odelias Secret","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Lady-Odelias-Secret.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23155,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/23155","url_meta":{"origin":19880,"position":3},"title":"Lady Helena Investigates","author":"Michelle","date":"February 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Lady Helena Investigates (2018) Jane Steen (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries) Set in England in 1881 It\u2019s too early to make big decisions about your life. You must give yourself time to grieve, Baby. That\u2019s why deepest mourning should be carried out with the mirrors covered, you know. You\u2019re not supposed to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lady Helena Investigates","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Lady-Helena-Investigates.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10906,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/10906","url_meta":{"origin":19880,"position":4},"title":"Lady Helena Investigates","author":"Michelle","date":"June 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Lady Helena Investigates (2018) Jane Steen Set in Sussex in 1881 Lady Helena Whitcombe survived the death of her first love, and now she must get past the accidental death of her husband. Except that her husband's doctor doesn't think the drowning was an accident, but a murder. Helena's is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Lady-Helena-Investigates.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23473,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/23473","url_meta":{"origin":19880,"position":5},"title":"Lady Ambition’s Dilemma","author":"Michelle","date":"March 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Lady Ambition's Dilemma (2024) Jane Steen (Lady Helena Investigates) Set in England in 1883. Lady Helena is approaching the end of her mourning period, following the death of her husband in 1881. Although she still misses Justin, she is ready to return to the world--and her growing feelings for Armand\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lady Ambition's Dilemma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Lady-Ambitions-Dilemma.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Lady-Ambitions-Dilemma.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Lady-Ambitions-Dilemma.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Lady-Ambitions-Dilemma.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19880\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}