“We must find a gentleman in this house who is so chivalrous, he would move a dead body for a lady, and has so much integrity, he would never use that favor against her. Is there such a paragon on this earth?”
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder is the first book in the Countess of the Harleigh Mystery series. Set in Victorian England, it’s filled with charming characters, witty dialogue, and, of course, mystery. American-born Lady Harleigh is forced into sleuthing to protect her reputation and the future after her husband’s death, initially ruled a heart attack, is questioned because of an anonymous letter to the police, suggesting she murdered him. With the help of her neighbor George, she must uncover the truth and not only protect herself, but her sister Lily, who is in London for the season in hopes of making a match.
Taking a cozy mystery into the past, giving it a historical setting, had A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder, a fun read right from the start. I wasn’t sure how the historical side would mix with the leading lady going about investigating on her own, but the author worked it all into the mix quite nicely keeping the feel of those times. With this being the first of a new series, I’m excited to see what happened next for Frances and the rest of the characters.
