The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies

The Ill-Mannered Ladies #1

by Alison Goodman

A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an 'old maid' to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.

The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.

Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.

A rollicking and joyous adventure, with a beautiful love story at its heart, about two rebellious sisters forging their own path in Regency London

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Audiobook, Regency

464 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2023

About the author

Alison is the author of seven novels so far including the award winning Dark Days Club trilogy (aka as the Lady Helen trilogy) and EON and EONA, a New York Times Bestselling fantasy duology. Her upcoming novel --The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies-- is book 1 in a new series, and will be published in the USA, UK and Australia at the end of May 2023.

Alison lives in Australia and has recently completed her PhD, so can now call herself Dr Al.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had I not noticed this book was by Alison Goodman, an old favourite of mine, it would have gone sailing right by me. Who could have guessed this pastel-coloured cover featuring fine ladies in bonnets could contain such a dark, disturbing tale of abuses of power in Regency London?

The book is split into three sections called "cases". In each one, Lady Augusta Colebrook and her sister, Julia, (with some help from dashing ex-con Lord Evan Belford) set out to help other women in need. From Caroline, who has been imprisoned by her abusive husband, to Hester, who is trapped in a mental institution living in horrific conditions.

But "Gus" herself must contend with the restrictions placed upon her as a woman, with men frequently dismissing her concerns and her brother using his position as head of the estate to control and spite her.

Goodman knows this time well and manages to strike a perfect balance between staying true to the times and not making me hate everyone. Well, the main three at least. I hated a good many others throughout this book. In fact, it was probably my fury that made this such an engaging read. That, and Gus' unyielding spirit.

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman is funny, dark, and highlights some of the social issues of the Regency period in England. It features financially independent 42-year-old twin sisters Lady Augusta (Gus) Colebrook and Lady Julia Colebrook who decide to help women in need. This often requires some amateur sleuthing and some danger.

Gus is witty, independent, courageous, clever, and has an adventurous spirit. Julia sees a kinder world than Gus, isn’t as adventurous, and has amazing recall of her experiences. Their younger brother Duffy, Earl of Duffield is jealous of Gus and the relationship she had with their father while he was alive. He also doesn’t think women should have political opinions. Instead, they should be pleasant and pious. Lord Evan Belford is an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. He’s also helpful, intelligent, has a sense of humor, and appreciates Gus’s humor and imagination. The main characters and many of the supporting characters are well-developed. Gus and Julia change and grow as they respond to events.

The book is divided into three cases that Gus and Julia attempt to solve involving women needing different types of help from them. There are some exciting scenes, danger, and adventure in this well-written historical mystery novel. The cases kept me engaged and urging them to a successful conclusion. Besides the three cases, readers get insights into Gus’s and Julia’s everyday lives as well as another mystery that Gus attempts to solve throughout the story line. This added another layer of intrigue to the overall story.

The author has obviously done a lot of research on the Regency time-period and brilliantly captured the characters, fashions, lifestyles, and treatment of women during it. Some serious themes are woven into the story including blackmail, social classes, false imprisonment, grief, health issues, and death, as well as men’s attitudes towards, control of, and treatment of women.
At the end of the book is an author’s note that explains some of the real historical figures and situations that appear in the novel. There’s also a list of discussion questions that can be helpful to book clubs reading the novel.

Overall, this book was well-plotted with emotionally rich characters. This novel should delight those readers that enjoy Regency mysteries with a bit of romance that have strong female characters. This is a great start to a new series and I am looking forward to reading the next one as well as reading some of the author’s other novels.

Berkley Publishing Group and Alison Goodman provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 30, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

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My 4.18 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[EveStar91 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides, there would be few men in this world who would believe that two women could even conceive of such a daring plan, let alone two women well past their prime. To be constantly underestimated sometimes worked in one’s favor.

Augusta and Julia, twin sisters living together, go for more than four decades behaving with propriety, apart from one memorable occasion, then suddenly end up going all out to help other women escape terrible situations. The novel is a continuous story with an overarching theme as well as plot including common characters, but is structured as three cases of rescuing women. Evan Belford is introduced in parallel as a rogue gentleman helping them, who returns from two decades of exile after having had to renounce his title.

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is one of the few contemporary books that seems to portray Regency Era women well without just writing them as modern women - the inherent confidence of women who always had enough money to buy whatever they wanted including a house in an expensive neighborhood, combined with the annoyance that every intelligent woman feels when the not-so-intelligent men around talk down to them, and the fury of knowing that several individual rights weren't set up to be fair to women. They bristle against gender inequality, but seem to take class inequality in stride (for example, just knowing who has to start a conversation between two people of unequal class), at least until applied to someone they know like their butler. They take religion for granted until Augusta recently starts facing doubts. They deal with friends true and false, with grief, health issues, and egregious family. This intricate characterization is one of the things that made the book a great read.

The other thing is the excellent world-building and the unflinching depiction of the injustices, cruelties, and even attempts of murder that women faced in that era. Alison Goodman doesn't shy away from any of the gory details, drawing empathy as well as anger from the reader. Especially given that the setting of at least two cases was based on records of true events, and all of the cases probably happened. Finding out that two of these stories were submitted for the author's PhD was no surprise, given the meticulous research and brilliant writing.

On the whole, a great read, recommended for anyone interested in Regency-Era stories backed up by good research and strong women helping each other. Augusta and Julia, as well as some of the other characters bring together the overarching theme very well and I'm looking forward to reading more of them in the next book!

🌟🌟🌟🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 3/4 star for the characters; 3/4 stars for the plot and themes; One star for the world-building; 3/4 star for the writing - 4 stars in total.]

The Ill-Mannered Ladies series:
Book 1: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies
Book 2: The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin

Oh no, had I really killed the man? I sat up. “It was not intentional.” I placed the spent pistol back in the box and slid across the seat. “Quick, let me see.”
If my sister was certain, then the man was indeed Lord Evan Belford. Lud, I had just shot a marquess’s son. Even worse, I had shot an acquaintance.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me rave about this book and say how much I enjoyed it. Historical mysteries and romances and are my main favorites. Goodman has taken the limits of the Regency era and worked to make a wonderful story of 2 woman working with what they had (and often coming up with solutions on the fly). The long distance romance with Lord Evan falsely accused of murder and transported is a wonderful hero and so supportive. The book is broken into 3 cases that involve mistreatment of women. These are harsh realities of the times for woman.
I am so excited and can't wait for the next book.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★
“’I see you found your mark, my lady. I think he is dead.’”

Oh no, had I really killed the man? I sat up. ‘It was not intentional.’ I placed the spent pistol back in the box and slid across the seat. ‘Quick, let me see.’”

Typical Gus, Lady Augusta Colebrook. Shoot first and ask questions later. She’s the opposite of her twin, Lady Julia, who is a gentler soul. Julia is in mourning for her fiancé, Robert, who died in an accident two years ago. Both have an independent streak. When their father died, they did what needed to be done.

“He had been a good father and a better man. Yet in the eyes of society, his sordid death atop a rookery whore five years ago had become the sum of him.

It had nearly tainted my sister and me too, for I had recklessly gone to the hovel to retrieve my father—I could not bear to think of his body gawped at by the masses, or a source of their sport. As fate would have it, I was seen at the brothel. An unmarried woman of breeding should not even know about such places, let alone debase herself by entering one and speaking to the inhabitants. I became the latest on-dit and it was only the staunch support of our most influential friends that silenced the scandalmongers and returned us to the invitation lists.”

This is Regency England, the early 1800s, when men were men and women were their property. Their brother Lord Duffield, Duffy, has inherited the family estate after their father’s death, plans to marry and move his bride into the home the sisters have lived in all their lives, letting them ‘have’ his smaller, darker house.

Meanwhile, they discover a friend who has not been able to fall pregnant in her five years of marriage is being brutalised by her husband, who doubtless intends to murder her so he can remarry. Not on their watch! Julia is unwell but determined to save Caroline.

This is Case 1 “Till Death Us Do Part”
They decide to rescue her – somehow – but on the way there they are set upon by highwaymen, which leads to the gunshot episode in the opening quotation. It’s a delightful (and dangerous) adventure, although as with most cosy mysteries, we’re pretty sure they will survive.

“Sir Reginald Thorne emerged from the gloom of his house. Just the physicality of the man made my hackles rise. He was all bullythreat: chest thrust out, meaty shoulders held back, and a thick corded neck that gave the impression of rammish intransigency.”

The twins are forty-two years old, not the winsome, helpless young ladies usually featured in these stories. Augusta reckons they got away with their plan “because Sir Reginald marked us as ape-leaders. Old maids with no juice left.”

I had never heard the term “ape-leader” before, and I doubt I’ll hear it again. I had a quick google. “An old maid's punishment after death, for neglecting to increase and multiply, was said to be the leading of apes in Hell.”

Augusta has found her calling!

“For myself, I no longer believed that this world was mere preparation for the next. This was all the life I would have, and I had to do as much with it as possible.

‘Then it is settled. We shall be useful. But just as importantly we shall be defiant, occasionally ill-mannered, and completely indomitable.’

‘Surely not ill-mannered,’ Julia said.

I smiled. ‘That, dear sister, remains to be seen.’”

The handsome highwayman becomes an interesting character, as do the butler and other staff. There is no magical realism, but the twins do share the ability to convey feelings to each other with the lift of the chin or a small movement of an eyebrow. As it is narrated by Augusta, anything she indicates, or thinks Julia is indicating, is written in italics.

When they receive the letter asking them to help their friend, this is their ‘conversation’. Because I use italics in my reviews for dialogue, I will have to mark their unspoken dialogue differently.

“ ‘Lady Augusta, I have nowhere else to turn and I fear time is running out.’ Millicent shook the letter, the paper crackling with urgency. ‘This was sent a week ago.’

I looked across at Julia: {We must say no; it is impossible.}

She lifted her brows: {But the poor girl in that house—can we really refuse?}

I frowned: {It is quite illegal. Besides, your health.}

She tilted her chin: {I am well enough. Could we live with ourselves if Caroline ends up dead?}

I ducked my head: {Of course not. It would be too awful.}

Julia nodded: {I think we must try.}

I released a long breath: {I suppose so.}”

It’s the same kind of code couples use at parties, especially when one needs rescuing.

This is a most entertaining romp, which I think could be trimmed a bit without losing any of its charm. You will have to suspend some disbelief at the speed with which they perform their tasks, but I didn’t mind.

I enjoyed the author’s note at the end, too, where she explained how she came to create this. I think she has left herself the option of continuing more ill-mannered adventures, but if she doesn’t, the ending is satisfying as it is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the copy for review.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alison Goodman is excellent at writing Regency novels, which is no surprise considering she has PhD in historical research and Regency era. Historical details were the best part of Goodman's Dark Days books, and this novel as well. Selfishly, I hope one day the author would choose to write a Regency romance, as, I have to admit, things got really dark in this book.

Unlike the Dark Days trilogy that had a paranormal fantasy angle to them, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is a mystery, or, rather, it is structured as a series of cases solved by twin sisters and spinsters Julia and Augusta Colebrook. If I am to be even more precise, this is a novel about rescue operations to save women (young and old) from dire circumstances. Goodman takes us on a journey from ballrooms, to brothels, and madhouses. I found all historical details extremely fascinating and terrifying. Social lives of the Colebrook sisters, rich, but single and thus vulnerable to mistreatment were well drawn. There is even a bit of romance.

While I found the structure of the book slightly repetitive, the historical and social setting kept me glued to the story. So I'll be coming back for more, if there is more. I hope there is.

[Sherwood Smith]

A pair of middle-aged sisters solve crimes, mostly against women.

The research is solid--only one thing pinged me (unfortunately, given the violence in the novel, it cropped up often) which was the use of the word "gun" for pistol, in a time when guns were specifically artillery pieces, that is, cannon. Other than that, wow, a deep dive into the underbelly of Regency-era life and crimes.

My problem with it lies not at all with the book, or the story Goodman wanted to tell. She did an admirable job not only with the research, but in crafting Gus, our narrator, in particular, who reminds me a great deal of Mary Wollstonecraft. My problem is that the covert art, and the title, as well as the ad language, caused me to expect a comedy of manners.

Nope. Murder, breast cancer, slavery, human trafficking, etc etc are vital subjects, but not ones I want to read fiction about. I read enough real history about the dark side of human nature, and of course there is the news and daily life to provide plenty of misery and anxiety, which is why I want my fiction to make me smile. I lauded the sisters' good work, but I didn't smile much while reading this, which is a fault with me as a reader, and not with the writer.

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your Grandmother's Tea Cozy

The cute cover suggests a sly light hearted romp of Regency Era ladies solving crimes.

However, amid the dry humor resides a seriousness regarding the plight of women in the period - even if wealthy and well connected.

Two resourceful sisters take it upon themselves to assist others under the table while maintaning their societal positions.

I loved the wonderful writing style combining history and a feminist bent and I won't soon forget the two heroines Julia and Augusta.

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is set in Regency London and is described in the blurb as a feminist historical mystery. It follows the activities of twin sisters who are financially independent and lucky to be able to lead their own lives. Lady Augusta enjoys any opportunity to be a sleuth and she encourages Lady Julia to be involved. It is fortunate that they have their own money as there is also a very unpleasant elder brother who very much wishes to pull both sisters into line with current day beliefs on the position of women in society. A handsome highwayman helps to develop the plot and his problems appear to be the subject of the next book.

I did enjoy much of the book but there was one section which I wish I could unread regarding an operation. I know medical practice was not that great back then but this particular treatment, described as it is in painful (very painful for the patient) detail, is horrible.

Anyway I did like the handsome highwayman so I will be back for book 2 although I will be skimming any descriptions of serious medical procedures!

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted to discover, by way of seeing my friend Starry-Eyed Jen's review floating by on my feed, that Alison Goodman had published an adult Regency mystery when I wasn't looking. It is every bit as well-researched and well-reasoned as I've come to expect from this author, whose work has delved deeply into various historical eras and genres. Having followed her career for over a decade, and having read half her oeuvre, it's clear that this is one author who never phones it in.

However. I am a bit hesitant to to say the following, because I'd like it clearly understood that I did very much enjoy this, despite a few quibbles.

While the prose and dialogue and subjects were sharp, for me, this one was a bit lacking in finer feeling. I wanted more details of the reasons Gus was attracted to Evan, as well as how it deepens and takes hold despite everything working against them--I don't need a lot, but I would have liked something more than what we got, even if it's written sparingly and with great restraint. There should have been much, much more anguish and horror and pity at the cases Gus and her sister Julia take on as well, each of which involve women forced into untenable situations. There were endless descriptions of filth and feces and rational outrage, whereas very little time was spent on the actual suffering of vulnerable human beings. It isn't until the end that you get a bit of that, and by then we've been through 400 pages of what feels like a very well-reasoned intellectual argument rather than a work of fiction meant to provoke our feelings.

For my taste, this is also about a third or even half too long--it covers 3 main cases and felt a bit like a "let's cover this type of crime against women, too!" checklist, which surprised me greatly since there's at least one more book intended for this series. I would have preferred that more time had been spent on the characters and relationships. I greatly admire the two main women, and am intrigued by the mysterious past of the romantic interest--but I wish I had loved them fiercely as well. Hoping the follow-up kindles our hearts as well as our intellect.

Audio Notes: Kristin Atherton delivers another nice performance. She does all the voices well.

P.S. I'm also not a huge fan of the cover. It's a bit wishy-washy and not at all indicative of the serious themes and strong heroines within.

[MAP · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Augusta is a 42 year old, 5'9 "spinster" who drags her more genteel twin Julia through all sorts of historically accurate criminal enterprises in which they, along with her friend/love interest Lord Evan, plan (and improvise) fantastical and not super-realistic rescues of scores and scores of women and girls. Set in the ever-popular regency era, this book clearly aims to shine a light on the less Georgette Heyer-y aspects of the time period, especially the ways in which women were treated.

I read this book in 2 days and very much enjoyed the characters, the historical elements, and the somewhat Marvel-adventure stylings of the rescues. It's nice to have main characters in middle age instead of 23 and it's nice to explore something other than Almacks and great squeezes of ton parties. There's a suspense/thriller element to the book that I don't normally read but again, when it's a 42 year old aristocratic woman kicking ass, sure I'll read it.

There were only a couple of things I didn't like: one is that Augusta spends a LOT of time thinking about how she's lost her faith in God. That's fine, it's an interesting character choice, but it's mentioned over and over and over AND OVER again and I kept waiting for Chekhov's gun to go off but...it never did. If it wasn't meant to be some sort of plot device and was truly just a part of Augusta's character, then 3-5 mentions would have been sufficient; we didn't need it ruminated on 60 times. The second issue is the "discussion questions" at the back - 1) I don't understand why books like this NEED discussion questions as if they are To Kill a Mockingbird, and 2) the day that I'm in a book club where someone asks the question "If a dating app existed in the Regency era, what would you name it?" is the day I hurl MYSELF out a window in the manner of...well, that would be spoilers.

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this fabulous Regency romantic adventure.

This is not a fluffy rom-com. There is just enough wit and humor to lighten the serious subjects that our heroines are tackling, and to balance out the sometimes grim details of the difficulties they face.

I loved both women--bold, angry, adventurous Lady Augusta and her milder-mannered, clever sister Lady Julia. The author did a great job of giving us two fully-realized characters, with the strengths, weaknesses, and quirks of real people.

Please let there be a second book, the sooner the better. I need to find out What Happens Next for our ladies.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The historical detail of this book was incredibly pleasing (the afterword notes that she submitted 2/3 of it as her dissertation for her PhD!) and I am definitely in for reading more from this series. My favorite thing from this author that I've read by quite a large margin.

I was pretty sure going in that this was a romance, because of the cover and the ladies in dresses, but like the cover (which hides its weapons amidst the folds of a dress) this book is actually a historical mystery and adventure book, with some elements of romance, and things get pretty intense. The focus was on Lady Augusta Colebrook and her twin sister, Julia, who are both "old maids" (they hate that term)—Augusta ("Gus") by choice, and Julia because her fiancé died in an accident several years before. As single women with their own money, they have some measure of freedom, but still regularly have to deal with the expectations put on their gender and women of their class, not to mention their awful younger brother, who teems with envy over his older sister Gus's everything.

We meet the sisters as they embark on the first of many adventures. They have decided to help their friend Charlotte recover letters from her lover, as he is blackmailing her, and then this dovetails into Charlotte asking for a bigger favor: can the two sisters rescue a woman from her husband who is about to murder her? The way that Goodman seemingly effortlessly incorporates historical detail into this story was so great. While planning their capers and rescues, and dealing with the patriarchal forces that oppose them. Husbands literally own their wives, and it is not illegal, for example, for a man to keep his barren wife locked up in her room and drug her, starve her; nothing in fact is illegal until he murders her, which the sisters aim to prevent.

The book is structured in three "cases," each of which finds the sisters righting wrongs and solving crimes against women and children, some of whom are not of their class, but are at the mercy of it because of their class or their race. It also features Gus falling in love with a convicted murderer (she thinks he's innocent and vows to prove him so, but that's for another book, one assumes).

I'm very pleased I finally got around to this one and hope Goodman publishes the next book soon.

[4.5 stars]

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Augusta Colebrook, usually known as Gus, and her twin sister Julia are called upon to rescue their friend’s god daughter Caroline from her violent husband before he ends up killing her. On the way to Caroline’s country estate, their carriage is held up by a highwayman, seeking to rob them. In the ensuing fracas, Gus accidentally shoots the highwayman, only to learn that he is Lord Evan Belford. Twenty years earlier he was charged with murder but he has obviously evaded capture. Feeling guilt, Gus manages to restore him to health. In return Gus co-opts Evan’s help in rescuing Caroline.
From the start this book can best be described as a rollicking romp. An attraction builds between Gus and Evan while is dealing with her own health issues, which both complicate matters at times. This starts off a series of desperate escapades and attempted rescues from Gus and Julia, with some help at times from a couple of trusted others
I liked Gus, and Julia. Their brother Duffy, is an obnoxious, unfeeling character, easy to dislike for his attitudes towards women and in particular his sisters as well as his selfish actions. Evan is an interesting character ad there are others.
Despite the women holding guns, the cover of the book may be sedate. The story is far from sedate. It is definitely over the top and in some ways not your usual cosy mystery. It is a fun read but be warned the scenes in the insane asylum are hard to read, given the abuse these women suffered and the horrendous conditions and offences endured. I admit I am not good with such descriptions so I skimmed a bit there. I realise this is my issue but still the reason my rating dropped to 3 and a half instead of 4. There is another scene about a medical operation that was graphic as well.
My husband is now reading this book as he thought it sounded it fun, so it will be interesting to see what he thinks. He reads a lot of older style historical detective fiction.

[Aoife - Bookish_Babbling · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

Practically a one day read that hit on many levels and made *think* when it ended - that authors note 🥺😬

I really loved AG's Lady Helen series even if more YA leaning it didn't feed into tropes as heavily as other series and I was so excited to see a new release of hers coming out this year - when I found out it was about spinster sisters in their 40s in Regency times undertaking dastardly plans to help out women and girls in need I couldn't *wait* to get my greedy grubby mitts on this and now I cannot wait for book2 🤩

🤬 Duffy can take a long walk off a short pier - the less said about him the better. I am so glad the sisters aren't beholden to him cos 😤
I did cackle at their new digs and am so invested in what might be to come for both of them. AG has sown some wonderful seeds on many levels for this series to build upon please don't make me wait forever 🤞🤞🤞

[Blackjack · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book, both in terms of just how fun it was but also how unexpected it was given the cover art. The cover art led me to think this would be a genteel regency/cozy mystery-romance. It's really not; actually, it's kind of edge-of-your-seat drama, with more violence than I could have anticipated. The violence and mayhem in this story is interestingly at odds with the primary world in which the characters reside.

Gus and Julia are early middle-aged twin sisters living in high society London where they routinely socialize at dinners and balls in the evenings and spend their days crocheting and reading. Gus is bored mindless though, and she craves a life where she is valued for her mind and ability to do something of value in her world. Her outspokenness has landed her in trouble though with her brother, the patriarch of the family, and some of her more rebellious actions have led to more scrutiny. Her family ties keep her afloat, and her wit and charm are appreciated by more progressive figures in the ton. Still, she is on thin ice but can't seem to stop herself from conforming to the rigid rules demanded of women, especially unmarried women. The story opens with Gus confronting a blackmailer on behalf of an aristocratic woman in need of mediation. Gus's form of mediation immediately lets us know that she isn't your typical regency woman, as she brings a pistol and isn't afraid to use it. While the opening scene is exciting, it's a mere prelude to the adventures Gus encounters during the course of the book.

The book is divided pretty evenly after the prelude into three separate "cases" Gus undertakes on behalf of women in dire need of help. Each case builds on the previous as she becomes increasingly confident in her resources and her resolution that these cases represent a mission she wants to undertake, even if her life is threatened. At first I felt much less interested in Julia but as the book develops, she too becomes a fully-faceted character with her own motivations in accompanying her sister.

Both sisters have a central romance develop and both romances are completely engaging. I deducted minor points for what I found to be a bit of a lack of development in Gus's love interest. He has a great backstory and lots of potential, and I would like to see him emerge from Gus's shadow a little more. Gus is so well drawn and alive and complex though that everyone else fades a bit in her presence. I love too that the feminist issues explored in this book are ones that aren't discussed enough in historical romances. I hope there is a follow up to this book soon. There are plenty of threads to pick up and I'm excited to read more soon.

[Sara the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight from start to finish.

Alison Goodman captures the Regency period with all the wit and charm of Jane Austen while grounding her characters in an all too real world. I adored this book and was equally parts bereft when I was done and thrilled to realize there is more to come.

Whatever your interests be they terrifying acts of daring do, salacious scandal, or ballroom intrigue Goodman brings it all to her wonderful tale of twin sister's bucking society and defying convention to live life on their own terms and perhaps find love along the way. Couldn't recommend this more highly if I tried.

[Theresa (mysteries.and.mayhem) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will be difficult for me to explain how much I enjoyed this book without gushing. It's full of strong female girl-power, older than your typical female leads, world building that takes you back in time, and such strong character building that finishing the book felt like I was giving up time with close friends.

After that buildup, I must add this book isn't for everyone, in spite of the adorable cover. It is gritty, sometimes difficult to read because of the cruelty described. But it just make me love and respect our leading ladies even more.

I hope the second book in the series is as good as this was. I need to read it to catch back up with Ladies Julia and Gus. Five not so prim and proper stars!

[PlotTrysts · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved this really enjoyable combo of traditional Regency plus amateur private eye mystery. Lady Augusta, Gus to her intimates, is forty-one. When the book opens, she's outspoken, funny, and satisfied with her life as a well-off spinster living with her twin sister, Julia. OK - we said she was satisfied with her life, but she's also open to adventure. So when her friend Charlotte asks her to pay off a blackmailer, she returns with the purloined items instead. Since she was so successful in this endeavor, Charlotte hooks her up with another opportunity to use her adventuring skills.

The book reminded us (very slightly) of the The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series in that Augusta and Julia are two middle-aged ladies with no special skills: just confidence in their own abilities and the will to use them. The book is split into three sections, each dealing with a different "case." Although Augusta does not set herself up as a consulting detective, she develops a taste for helping other women who don't have her advantages. She also falls in love with a highwayman who used to be a nobleman, which is 100% AWESOME.

The book is written in the first person from Augusta's perspective, giving this a slight "Victorian memoir" feel (yes, it's set in the Regency, we know). Although we said it's similar to a traditional Regency romance, there is no HEA. We do have high hopes for a continuation of the series!

CW: All of the women Augusta helps are oppressed in some way, and the following topics are all introduced at one point: DV, SA, medical abuse, incarceration in a "madhouse," cancer, blood, violence, starvation, and more.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd one. I really liked the main characters - two unmarried fraternal twins in their early 40s (aka old maids in Regency England). The sisters take it upon themselves to save a number of other women from tragic circumstances (prostitution, abusive husbands, and a mental hospital). My issues were with the pacing and length - this is a 450+ page book with three “cases” and I think it would have been better served with just one main investigation, especially as this appears to be set up as a series. There was clearly a lot of historical research. I also think the cover could have alluded better to the very dark and difficult subject matter.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Amy]

Only 12% in but considering I can't think of one thing I enjoyed in those 55 pages, I'm going to do myself and the inevitable 1 star review I would write a favor and quit while I'm ahead.

The book has a ton of promise. If the idea of twin spinsters solving mysteries and helping the women of Regency England when the law won't (with maybe a romance thrown in for good measure?) appeals to you, it appealed to me too. But then the story kicks off with tales of rape, blackmail, spousal abuse, breast cancer, and a crisis of faith...well, that was a lot. I was still willing to roll with it. The author clearly did significant research.

It is Augusta, the main heroine, who finally lost me. She appears to have the 'correct' (twenty-first century) view of just about everything, including germs. Despite having an heir, her father seems to have 'trained' her mind in more masculine pursuits and allowed her to pursue shooting and current events instead of mundane female activities. Those she can leave to her twin sister.

Perhaps it gets better. I can see why it garnered so many high reviews. I just don't see this one appealing to me any time soon.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of this is great. Going against the traditional view of women for the time to live a fulfilling life after being deemed “too old to marry?” (They were IN THEIR 30s) Yes please. But the plot got lost in the repetitive nature of the story line. This is to put the twins in situations (in which they always seem to be “ankle deep in excrement”) where they could not possibly get away with it and then juuust manage to squeak by without getting caught. I found it repetitive and infuriating.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Ebook format 📖

Uh, this wasn’t a historical romance or cozy mystery. 👀😂

I was not expecting this to be as dark as it was. This is excellent historical fiction set during the 1800s.

I loved twin sisters, Augusta aka Gus and Julia so much. Gus, you stole my heart!

I was surprised with how well written this was along with the important topics that were covered in this book.

Topics:
Breast cancer, young girls being kidnapped and rapped for the “virgin cure”, appalling and disgusting treatment of women in private madhouses, etc.

Check out this book and series if you enjoy gritty historical fiction set during the Regency era!

[Mitticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8 stars

-Reto Popsugar #28: Un libro en el que el personaje principal tenga 42 años-

Don't be fooled by that cover, because this is not a cozy nor light book. It is from the point of view of an aristocratic spinster lady past the age of 40, where it presents the most sordid of English society in 1812: domestic abuse, child prostitution, insane asylums...; and of course the part where "you are worthless if you are not married, nor is your opinion valid."

It is not a mystery book either, as I understand it, but rather about certain 'rescue missions'. Well, Lady Augusta is best represented by a statement from her twin sister when she says that she seeks validation for her existence.

“Ah, now I understand. Now I see the reason for this self-appointed mission.” She took my hand, her skin dry against my damp palm. “You cannot save everyone, Gus. It is God who saves us.”
(...)
I still wanted to be more than this world allowed me to be, just a spinster past her prime.

The author seems to want to leave the story of Augusta and her meeting with Evan, who adds excitement to her life, intertwined with the basis of the worst of the society of the time, but in my opinion she fails to connect both aspects. Maybe if she had made a couple of novellas giving more details (as seems to be the fashion for several authors) instead of gluing several 'cases' together , instead of presenting EVERYTHING she wanted to say at once. As if the formula: unconventional protagonist, diversity (race and sexuality), feminism, and romance were insufficient.

On the other hand, many of the protagonist's decisions are so childish, clearly presenting someone who has been privileged all her life, as she jumps without rhyme or reason to her 'rescues' without any clear idea of what she is going to do. Without even thinking about covering up her presence or her name!

By this I don't mean that I don't sympathize with Agusta, because who wouldn't, nor with Evan, the falsely accused and fugitive nobleman, but there is something missing from the execution of the novel that could have been much better considering the career of this author.

-----------------------------

No os dejéis engañar por esa portada, porque no es un libro acogedor ni ligero. Es el punto de vista de una dama aristocrática solterona de más de 40 años, donde se presenta lo más sórdido de la sociedad inglesa de 1812: abusos domésticos, prostitución infantil, manicomios...; y por supuesto la parte donde “no vales nada si no estás casada, ni tu opinión es válida”.

Tampoco se trata de un libro de misterio, según yo lo tengo entendido, sino de determinadas 'misiones de rescate'. Bueno, Lady Augusta está mejor representada por una declaración de su hermana gemela cuando dice que busca validación para su existencia.

La autora parece querer dejar la historia de Augusta y su encuentro con Evan, quien añade emoción a su vida, entrelazada con la base de lo peor de la sociedad de la época, pero en mi opinión no logra conectar ambos aspectos. Tal vez si hubiera hecho un par de novelas cortas dando más detalles (como parece ser la moda de varios autores) en lugar de pegar varios 'casos' juntos, en lugar de presentar TODO lo que quería decir de una vez. Como si la fórmula: protagonista poco convencional, diversidad (raza y sexualidad), feminismo , y romance fueran insuficientes.

Por otro lado, muchas de las decisiones de la protagonista son muy infantiles, presentando claramente a alguien que ha sido una privilegiada toda su vida, que salta sin ton ni son a sus 'rescates' sin tener una idea clara de lo que va a hacer. ¡Sin siquiera pensar en encubrir su presencia o su nombre!



Con esto no quiero decir que no simpatice con Agusta, porque quién no lo haría, ni con Evan, el noble fugitivo y falsamente acusado, pero falta algo en la ejecución de la novela que podría haber sido mucho mejor. considerando la carrera de esta autora.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book put me in mind of the C.S. Harris series "Sebastian St. Cyr" Series, but here we have two twin sisters, Augusta and Julia, that have fallen into helping those in need, but not by choice or design. The book is funny in parts and depressing in parts. The issues faced by women of that time are truly horrid to contemplate. At 42 years old the twins are considered well into spinsterhood. They are all but ignored by their asshat of a brother and overlooked by a lot of others. But our sisters use that to their advantage. I loved how they rather blundered their way through the situations they found themselves in, with the help of Lord Evan. Lots of action and rather scary situations. Gus is really the feisty one and Julia more the voice of propriety and reason. Love the developing attraction between Gus and Lord Evan, I really hope they get an HEA down the line. Same for Julia and her Bow Street Runner. The supporting characters were wonderful and the book as a whole is different than most other historicals I have read.

Being spinster matrons in 1812 means your role in society is quite restricted, not as much as that of a young woman, but still with certain strictures and expectations. When a friend of Augusta and Julia Colebrook finds herself being blackmailed, the sisters agree to do the exchange, which doesn't go according to plan. Emboldened by their lucky success, they go on to another adventure but end up with a surprise companion, Lord Evan Belford, who proves to be quite helpful in several situations even as he is on the lam from a Bow Street Runner and has his own mission to accomplish. Gus is quite taken with the dashing Lord Evan; Julia is more cautious. Gus is determined to "investigate" the duel that got Lord Evan transported and to prove his innocence. But first, there is a woman to rescue, children to save and a horrid mental asylum to destroy.

They didn't quite get around to clearing Lord Evan's name, maybe in the next book.

4 1/2-Stars

[Reading With Ghosty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! The sisters are smart, witty and clever. The mad house scenes are heartbreaking but I'm so glad Gus and Lord Evan went there to help. There is a lot going on in this book, it's nonstop and at parts is fluffed. However it still keeps your interest and wanting to read more.

Would recommend.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
This book could’ve been amazing. But alas, it falls into the category of appeasing the woke mob of the 2020’s.

Every box is checked. All of them.

Don’t read this unless you enjoy being pandered to by a woman who lives in the early 1800’s but somehow speaks and acts like it’s today.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman is a Historical Fiction during the Regency-era . It is a blend of adventure, romance and a bit of adventure. Set in 1812 London area the novel is fast paced, fun, witty and cunning following many feminist themes.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I approach every new author with trepidation: as I’ve said before, I’m a cautious reader who likes the tried and true…I tend, with apologies to the readers of this blog, not to review too many new-to-me authors. The fact is, duds outweigh the stars, but I have two new-to-me stars added to the auto-buy list: James Kestrel from my previous review and Alison Goodman.

What a gem of a romance-adventure-mystery these intrepid Ill-Mannered Ladies are. I admit to the superficiality of being attracted by the fabulous cover, but it’s as good on the page. To launch us into what makes this hybrid romance-intrigue-morality-tale, the blurbish details, which don’t do it justice:

Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents itself: to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.

The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.

Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.

Goodman comes to us via Austen-Heyer with a dash of what I dub “feminist melodrama”. If you look to other reviews, Goodman’s Ill-Mannered Ladies is lauded as “feminist”, which is not a dirty word I hope (you never know these days) but there’s nothing subversive in her tale. Rather, her heroines are “subversive” for their time and place. To that Goodman brings Heyer’s high spirits and Austen’s caustic wit; the pathos and depth, all her own. I am thoroughly in love with her feral spinsters, Gus and Julia; her hero, Lord Evan, rivals Biller’s Eli (Hotel of Secrets) for my adorable, loving, PERFECT hero of the year (it’s going to be a tough year-end post); and her ethos brings the best of romance, hisfic, and adventure together. Truth be told, I knew I would love Goodman’s novel from the “dedication”: “This book is dedicated to all the women out there who no longer have the patience or desire to put up with any nonsense.” (OMG)

At 42, twins Gus and Julia truly are spinsters, which Goodman treats with great sensitivity, in keeping with the times, and portrays how trapped they are in roles Regency England delegates to unmarried women of a “certain age,” what Gus calls the “horror of our long spinsterhood.” Goodman writes in the spirit of romance, that is, where women break out of social constraints to forge a life of their choosing. As for the love interests, they are pure, delicious fantasy: handsome, respectful, admiring, equals in body, mind, and spirit, the best romance can serve up.

I also want to talk about a theme rare in romance, especially of the duke-filled Regency kind: religious faith. Goodman has taken the religious mores and tensions of the time and encompassed them in Gus and Julia. Julia is a woman of deep faith and Gus recently lost hers. Gus’s struggle and then Julia’s when she finds out how Gus has been thinking is vividly and believably rendered. Julia and Gus are twins, friends, supporters and confidantes: this doesn’t tear them apart (hey, HEA in all ways). Witness Gus’s thoughts: “From birth, we had walked together through our lives, hand in hand. Now it was possible she was forging ahead, her faith promising her everlasting life. That promise, however, was no longer mine. If I eschewed God and everlasting life, I also eschewed heaven. There was no place for us to reunite beyond the grave…I had conceived that brutal separation — without God and the hope of heaven — over and over again, always amazed to find myself still standing, still breathing. when the thoughts receded. Doubt, I think, took as much courage as belief.” The “separation” continues to the novel’s end: Julia doesn’t come to see Gus’s loss of faith as anything but tragic, but remains her stalwart companion, loving sister, and friend. Julia’s faith, in turn, does not cause Gus to turn away, or feel alienated. They remain loving sisters and confidantes…

and the best part? Companions-in-arms, resolved to look and be beyond the narrow definition of their spinster lives in a world that doesn’t respect, or value them. (Mind you, they have the privilege of wealth, but use their gifts, natural and of birth and wealth, for good.) The scene where the “ill-mannered” ladies are born is my favourite (well, equal to the “one bed” possibilities with Lord Evan and the marvellous few instances of epistolary amour…this book has it all!): ” ‘…frankly I do not wish to go back to sewing and taking tea and shopping my life away. What do you say?’ ‘What are you asking me? To help save Lord Evan?’ ‘Not only him. Anyone who needs our help…I doubt anyone would ever believe two old maids could even take on such a venture.’ ‘Old maids. I really do hate that expression,’ Julia said. ‘Then let us be something else.’ ‘Useful,’ Julia said. ‘I would like to have some purpose…’ ‘We shall be useful. But just as importantly we shall be defiant, occasionally ill-mannered, and completely indomitable.’ ‘Surely not ill-mannered,’ Julia said. I smiled. ‘That, dear sister, remains to be seen.’ ” Finally, someone given Miss Bates independent wealth, a fine mind, a pilgrim soul, a thirst for justice, and mad rescue skills.

Therein lies my one quibble with Goodman’s wonderful Gus and Julia, the novel’s structure: in three disparate parts, each one comprising the rescue of women and children trapped by the injustices of Regency society, unfair laws, inequality, prejudices, misogyny, sexism; you name it, Goodman has tossed it into her novel-salad. On a literary level, her novel is episodic, without a smooth, unified narrative arc. My litcrit mind wagged a finger, but my heart was happy to spend more time with Gus and Julia, Lord Evan, the butler Weatherly, even the mysterious Bow Street Runner Kent, on their redressing of wrongs, rescuing of waifs, and championing of the wrongly accused. (Be warned, there are some difficult scenes to be read, but outcomes will see you cheering.) I hope we get more Gus, Julia, et. al. Given the cliff-hanger ending, I’m optimistic. Miss Austen would be happy to join me in praising Goodman’s benevolent, ill-mannered ladies as possessing “no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.

Alison Goodman’s The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is published by Berkley, releases today, and arrives highly recommended by yours truly. Please note I received an e-ARC from Berkley, via Netgalley, for the purpose of writing this review. This did not impede the free expression of my opinion.