The Lady's Guide to Death and Deception

Katherine Cowley

Sep 2022 · The Secret Life of Mary Bennet Book 3 · Tule Publishing

About this ebook

What is a spy willing to do when both her heart and her country are at risk?

Life changes once again for British spy Miss Mary Bennet when Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from the Isle of Elba. Mary quickly departs England for Brussels, the city where the Allied forces prepare for war against the French. But shortly after her arrival, one of the Duke of Wellington’s best officers is murdered, an event which threatens to break the delicate alliance between the Allies.

Investigating the murder forces Mary into precarious levels of espionage, role-playing, and deception with her new partner, Mr. Withrow—the nephew and heir of her prominent sponsor, and the spy with whom she’s often at odds. Together, they court danger and discovery as they play dual roles gathering intelligence for the British. But soon Mary realizes that her growing feelings towards Mr. Withrow put her heart in as much danger as her life. And then there’s another murder.

Mary will need to unmask the murderer before more people are killed, but can she do so and remain hidden in the background?

Ratings and reviews

This book was phenomenal. Mary's character was consistent throughout the trilogy, and the influence of her previous adventures was apparent in her most challenging spy work yet. I thought the premise of Mary as a spy was fun when I picked up the first book, but I found myself deeply immersed in Mary's development throughout the series, and it's done in a way where it remained faithful to the crux of her character. I love how this series made Mary into a character that progressive readers can resonate with as she grew out of the limiting beliefs of the upper gentry of which she has been born (and shunned) in, and faced harsh truths about the ills of her society, all of which made a huge impact in her character and her morality. This is truly a diamond in the rough in that regard, as a lot of Pride and Prejudice novels prefer their characters to stay in the paradigm of Regency beliefs rather than challenge it. I really can't recommend it enough. A solid 10/10.