Cozy book review of Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery) by Mary Winters
Cozy Book Review + Book & Author Info + A Giveaway
Murder in Masquerade — a Historical Cozy Book Review
Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.
Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury’s secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia’s Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.
But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there’s much more at stake than saving a young woman’s reputation from ruin. It’s going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!
Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – London, 1860
Publisher : Berkley (February 20, 2024)
Paperback : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593548787
ISBN-13 : 978-0593548783
Kindle ASIN : B0C5V8FY7P
To purchase Murder in Masquerade, click any of the following links: Amazon – B&N – BAM – Bookshop.org – Powell’s Books – Hudson Booksellers
Cozy Book Review: My Thoughts on Murder in Masquerade
A fast-paced and captivating historical mystery that should be on every cozy reader’s list. Five Stars!
“Dear Lady Agony, I’m very much in love with a man my father will never consent to.”
And with those words, she’s off! Lady Agony, better known as Countess Amelia Amesbury is once again embroiled in murder and intrigue.
Widowed after the briefest of marriages, Amelia finds herself embroiled in London’s high society. Unused to the behavior of the ton, Amelia walks a fine line between using her newfound freedom as a wealthy woman in the Victorian era, and losing her status through her often scandalous actions, regardless of her late husband’s impeccable ancestors.
Hiding one of her many talents from prying eyes, she anonymously pens a Lady Agony column for a penny paper. In her 1860’s version of Dear Abby, Amelia dispenses advice to women of various stations. Using her upbringing as the daughter of an innkeeper and her current status as part of the elite, she blends common sense with her own style of decorum, guaranteed to help women whether they reside upstairs or down.
Her latest query comes from the sister of her dearest friend Simon Bainbridge. Lord Simon Bainbridge that is—a handsome, worldly ex-member of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy, who served with Amelia’s late husband and is now her truest confident. Or is there something more simmering underneath the surface of that, “broad forehead, slim nose, chiseled jawline” and eyes of emerald green?
Caught up in her growing feelings for Simon, Amelia is equally distraught at Simon’s fears for his sister Marielle’s well being because of her infatuation with a man well below her status. A man Simon contends is a scoundrel intent on Marielle’s fortune.
Not long after Simon and Amelia launch a plan to stop Marielle from ruining her life, they stumble over the very man himself, dead in an alley with a knife in his chest.
Marielle might now be safe from the rogue, but Simon is under police scrutiny with his very good reason for wanting the man dead. Even worse, his sister is furious at his interference, and half convinced that her brother really did kill the man she loved.
Determined to solve the mystery and repair the relationship between Simon and his sister, Amelia recruits characters from book one to assist her, characters that readers will love to see again.
On that note, while readers may want to start with Murder in Postscript, Murder in Masquerade can be read as a standalone. Readers be warned, however, you are guaranteed to fall in love with Amelia and her co-horts in Murder in Masquerade, so you will be scrambling to read book one in order to get back into the smart, witty, and engaging world that Mary Winters creates.
With a deep understanding of the complex society of Victorian England, Winters builds a web of engaging characters, delicious historical details, and just enough romance to satisfy any palate.
A fast-paced and captivating historical mystery that should be on every cozy reader’s list. Five stars!
Mary Winters, Author of Murder in Masquerade
Mary Winters is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series.
She also writes cozy mysteries under the name Mary Angela. A longtime reader and fan of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London.
Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip!
Find out more about Mary by clicking any of the following links: Website, Blog, Facebook, Instagram & Goodreads
To read our interview for Murder in Masquerade, click the following link: Author Interview
Visit all the Stops on the Tour!
February 20 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
February 21 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
February 21 – Jane Reads – REVIEW
February 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
February 22 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
February 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
February 23 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 24 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
February 24 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW
February 25 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLGHT
February 26 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
February 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 28 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
February 28 – Cassidy’s Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT
February 29 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 1 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
March 2 – The Mystery of Writing – REVIEW
March 2 – Review Thick And Thin – REVIEW
March 2 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
March 4 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
March 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor
Thank you for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it.
My pleasure! Such a great book.