A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

Manda Collins

Nov 2020 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

"[Manda] Collins is a delight" (Elizabeth Hoyt) in this fun and flirty historical rom-com, where an intrepid female reporter matches wits with a serious, sexy detective -- perfect for fans of Tessa Dare, Julia Quinn, and Netflix's Enola Holmes!
England, 1865: Newspaper columnist Lady Katherine Bascomb finds herself the subject of speculation when her latest article leads to an arrest in the murders plaguing London. The English believe women ought not to write about such vulgar things as crime, and a particularly attractive detective inspector is incensed that she's interfered with his investigation. To escape her sudden notoriety, Katherine heads to the country-only to witness a murder upon her arrival.
Detective Inspector Andrew Eversham is appalled when Lady Katherine entangles herself in one of his cases-again. Her sensationalist reporting already nearly got him kicked off the police force, and he'll be damned if he permits her to meddle a second time. Yet, her questions are awfully insightful, and he can't deny his attraction to both her beauty and brains. As the clues point to a dangerous criminal, the two soon realize their best option is working together. But with their focus on the killer lurking in the shadows, neither is prepared for the other risk the case poses-to their hearts.

Ratings and reviews

It could've been an intriguing story but the writing is so cringingly rushed. There is no time for character development at all, especially in regards to the relationships between them all. The lead and supporting females become "best friends" in approximately 10 seconds. There is very little dialogue or interaction between the two lead love interests before they get together resulting in the reader not really caring or being excited when they do. It is GLARINGLY obvious who the killer is the second they are introduced near the beginning of the book. And not in a sadistic interesting way, but like a DUH way which was honestly probably the biggest disappointment of the story. The lack of knowledge of the time period was apparent BUT that didn't really bother me at all as this is fiction and writers have the right to do whatever they want. All that said, I think the basis for the plot had promise if the writer had more time to flesh it out, or even a more guiding/blunt editor.

This book was so much fun! Part romcom, part murder mystery, all sparks and suspense and action! I loved this adventurous story from start to finish. The characters are lively, entertaining, and so relatable. Lady Katherine is fun to watch, and Eversham is her perfect match. These two together were sizzling on every level and I loved watching them go head-to-head and toe-to-toe. The mystery is solidly paced and makes a wonderful backdrop to the romance. The suspense is balanced with wit and humor and the heartwarming emotional connections just made the whole experience absolutely unforgettable. I highly recommend this delightful story. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

historical-novel, historical-research, serial-murder, investigation, friendship, romance, England**** It's a pretty good mystery within a romance from a delightful writer of romances. There's the widow who's running her deceased husband's newspaper, the spritely older lady who is a complete feminist, the charming police detective, and serial murders. What could go wrong? It's a really cute story but I wasn't in the right frame of mind to enjoy it the way I have her other books. I requested and received a free ebook copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley.

About the author

Manda Collins grew up on a combination of Nancy Drew books and Jane Austen novels, and her own brand of historical romantic suspense is the result. A former academic librarian, she holds master's degrees in English and Library & Information Studies. Her novel Duke with Benefits was named a Kirkus Best Romance of 2017. She lives on the Gulf Coast with two lazy cats, a very spoiled Shih Tzu, and more books than are strictly necessary.