Murder in Postscript

Starred review from December 1, 2022

DEBUT In 1860 London, Amelia Amesbury secretly longs for adventure. The daughter of an innkeeper, she married a man with a degenerative disease, and was widowed after just two years. It was only after she accepted his marriage proposal that she learned he was an earl from one of the wealthiest families in London. To alleviate her boredom, the Countess Amesbury answers letters addressed to "Lady Agony," her secret alter ego, providing advice about love and life. Then one of her readers asks to meet, saying she's a maid who witnessed the murder of her mistress. Amelia sneaks out, but she's followed by her late husband's friend, Simon, the Marquis of Bainbridge. When she finds a woman's body, she can't reveal her identity, so Simon calls the police. Now, Amelia is stuck with a partner in her investigation. She's convinced the woman was murdered because of her knowledge and letter to Lady Agony. Amelia won't give up until she learns the identity of the maid and her mistress, and whether their deaths were murder. VERDICT The atmosphere of Victorian London with its class differences are essential elements in this delightful character-driven historical mystery for fans of Katharine Schellman or Dianne Freeman.--Lesa Holstine

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2023
A Victorian tale of love, adventure, and murder. When Lord Edgar Amesbury died young of a degenerative disease, he left his niece, Lady Winifred, in the care of his wife of two months, Lady Amelia. Amelia, who's not from a wealthy or titled family, is guided by Edgar's aunt Tabitha. Bored with her constricted life as a widow, she's accepted a childhood friend's offer to write an advice column for a weekly magazine, where, as Lady Agony, she enjoys giving bold advice. One day she gets a letter from a lady's maid named Charlotte, who thinks her mistress was murdered and begs her to meet at 9 p.m. in St. James's Park. Edgar's friend the Marquis of Bainbridge is coming for dinner that night, so even though she enjoys his company, Amelia pretends to have a headache after the meal so she can sneak off to meet Charlotte--but when she gets to the park, she finds her correspondent's dead body. Since Simon Bainbridge, who's no fool, has followed her, she has to admit that she's Lady Agony and accept his help in a dangerous adventure. In Charlotte's pocket, Amelia finds the calling card of Flora Edwards, who's recently died in what was assumed to be a tragic accident. Because Flora was the daughter of old friend Adm. James Edwards, Bainbridge's entree into the Edwards household allows them to start investigating her death as a motive for Charlotte's. Amelia's marriage was less than passionate, and she can't help but be attracted to the dashing Simon even though he may prove more dangerous than the killer they're hunting. A cozy romantic mystery that lacks historical detail but is a fun read.

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