Eliza Mace

Eliza Mace Mysteries #1

by Sarah Burton, Jem Poster

Enola Holmes meets the novels of Laura Purcell in this Victorian mystery featuring quick-witted would-be detective Eliza Mace

The Welsh borders, 1870s : on the cusp of adulthood, Eliza Mace is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house on the fringe of a small town, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza’s determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.
 
Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that’s no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart... 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Audiobook, Crime, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

Kindle Edition

First published March 7, 2024

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

As other reviewers have said, this book is a slog and doesn't hold up to the promise of the summary.

I received this as an audiobook advanced reader copy. I would not recommend it. The writing is good, but the plotting and worldbuilding is poor.

1. The audiobook narrator is okay, but the voice was too slow. I ended up listening to it at a much faster speed.

2. The heroine is supposed to be clever, but there were so many times that she seemed pretty thick. She is constantly missing things and/or sharing information without thought.

3. This is set in Victorian England and the heroine is part of the land-owning gentry. However, there were so many things that made no sense. The heroine is constantly running around alone with men. She greets people at the front door, she hangs out with a policeman at night, and visits the police station on her own. She calls the policeman by his first name and he calls her by her nickname. It is VERY overly familiar and inappropriate. There's also some weirdness about the mom owning the estate and being able to control it even though her husband is a spendthrift.

4. The book is SUCH a slog and has SO MUCH extraneous information.

[Yves V.H. [Slow reading] · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this is nothing like Enola Holmes which is what attracted me to request this book on Netgalley. Enola Holmes (which is a favorite btw) is witty, funny, and not very dark unlike this one. The story started up very slow and nothing about it made me want to continue reading. I DNF-ed around 32%. I would have loved this story because it historical and promoted to be Enola Holmes-ish but there were some historical inaccuracies like a woman owning a property (historically, women had to marry to be part of a man's property). On this book, Eliza's father used up all her mother's money which doesn't make sense historically because of her mother came from a very well off family, if the father doesn't have any then he will not be entertained at all by the parents.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eliza Mace is the first in a series and works hard at getting a foothold on that role. It took me a while to feel much for Eliza - a 16 yr-old Welsh person who it seems wants to embrace her Welshness, but then is as Victorian English as any above average in all ways girl in the forests of England proper. It confused me.

As for characters, a few of them just about steal the show from Eliza, for who the book is named. Her snarky mother, handsome troubled father, her Uncle James, and don't forget Dafydd Pritchard, Cardiff's finest new detective. With a wife mentioned once. And he's never home. Don't worry. Nothing happens. Weird that I almost wanted it to. Eliza is underage. She and he work together a lot, alone. Unlike Enola and Sherlock who are sibs, these two are not and have a wider gap, but closer moments in dark places. I digress. Dafydd's reliability and respect eventually overrode my baser instincts toward the end of the read, putting us on track to an honorable finish (still, he bears close watching in future serial offerings where she's sure to be aging up to him). And that end was just a completely different finish than I had expected, but for a first serial launch was certainly sufficient unto the day (as my mother would say).

*A sincere thank you to Sarah Burton, Jem Poster, Duckworth Books and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #ElizaMace #NetGalley 25|52:13h

[ClaireJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I do love a historical mystery, particularly in the Victorian era and this one was a highly entertaining story. The writing flows well making it an easy read that you could definitely binge in a few days.

Eliza is a coming-of-age young woman who is strong minded and wise beyond her years. She lives within quite a dysfunctional family and has learnt to be bold and gutsy to be able to cope with that kind of home life. This gives her the ability and traits to be able to have the determination to find out what happened to her father. With the help of Dafydd, the policeman in charge of the case, they work together to try and solve the mystery.

I must admit, I had worked out a lot of what was going to happen but it was still an enjoyable read. I just found the reveal of the murderer a bit underwhelming due to me working it out.

Eliza Mace is a fantastic first book in a new mystery series that will keep your eyes glued to the pages. With many secrets, lies and twists throughout it will certainly you on your toes! I look forward to reading more from this series and to see how Eliza develops as a character.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars Rounded Up
This audiobook was made available to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator had a nice voice, with a soothing pitch and tone. I found that as the novel moved on, the narration faded into the background, leaving just the story. It was an enjoyable experience.

I really love cozies and adore this cover. I requested to review this novel on the cover and genre alone. I was not disappointed. Cozy mysteries are usually more about the characters, setting and mood than the mystery. When I read cozies, I need to like the main character. Which is weird because I love a thriller with an unlikable MC. Lucky for me, I found Eliza the perfect blend of confidence, intelligence, and self-assurance. She was 16 and a relatively new member of semi-adult status. She is the daughter of a minor land-owning gentry family. It's just her still at home with her parents as her older sister, Charlotte, married primarily to get away from their desperately unhappy household. Her parents argue often, and her father's younger brother, Uncle James, seems to be her protector and confidante.

The family's finances are ruinous, which leads to stress in their village and with the family's servants. Amidst this family drama, her father leaves home angry one evening, and he fails to return by the following morning. Eliza hooks up with the village Constable, Pritchard, to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance. I found the interactions between Eliza and Constable Pritchard to be overly familiar with regard to how unmarried women moved in Victorian society. She repeatedly meets with him alone. He sends her notes to meet him, and she actually goes. This seems truly odd for the times she lived in. Now, if she had a ladies' maid passing notes between them or acting as a chaperone, maybe. Eliza's level of freedom off her family's Estates doesn't seem period appropriate. Eliza ventures off on her own more than I think would've been allowed at that time period for an unmarried woman of her class. This novel somewhat ignores period appropriate class rules. It feels off for the Victorian Era, which is the height of British class divisions. It made the story feel modern but didn't impact my enjoyment overall. I didn't like that the reveal happened 'off page', so to speak. None the less I found this story very charming and look forward to the next novel in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review this novel. All views expressed in this review are my own.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-arc. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not affected by the giveway.

Eliza Mace, just 16, has always chafed against her mother's strict Victorian rules for ladylike behavior but her feelings of frustration have increased recently as her parents' marriage deteriorates into dysfunction and constant fighting. Only visits from her Uncle James, who takes her on nature walks, make life bearable. Even her older sister Charlotte escaped into marriage. After Mr. Mace's devoted servant, Todd, almost does the unthinkable, Mrs. Mace demands Todd be sacked and Mr. Mace becomes angry at having to do all the work himself and be beholden to a neighboring farmer for use of his cart. One night Eliza's father storms out of the house and doesn't return. Eliza and her mother are frantic and the police search everywhere. While they have a few leads, it seems Mr. Mace angered a lot of people and owes money to just about everyone in town. It's Eliza who discovers her father's body in the woods and realizes he did not die of natural causes. Together with the policeman, Constable Pritchard, Eliza seeks out the answers. She's determined to find out the truth even if it's not what she wants to hear.

Man this was a SLOG! It was nothing at all like Enola Holmes. The Enola books are clever and funny, good for tweens, teens and adults. Enola is inventive and fun. This book has too much family dysfunction dragging it down making it way too dark for me. Mr. Mace disappears finally around page 100. Good riddance. Then a little later his body is found and the mystery starts halfway through. There aren't enough named suspects. I thought I had it figured out with a slight possibility of being someone else but I was totally wrong. I wasn't at all happy with the identity of the murderer or the confession being off page initially. When all was revealed, I was quite shocked. There's a bit of rough language that doesn't usually appear in cozy mysteries.

Some of the Victorian content seemed wrong to me. Was it possible, without a married women's property act, for a woman to own property if it was inherited? The first Married Women's Property Act was passed only 4 years before the story takes place, so AFTER the marriage. So I think the whole argument between the parents is a moot point. Also, why would a constable be investigating the death of a land owner? Why would the Maces even give him the time of day? I know he wouldn't be coming to the front door! Where's the Detective or Detective Inspector? The book was published by an English publisher so I would hope the author and editor would know these things and I'm wrong.

Of course Eliza is not a dutiful Victorian daughter. She's observant and clever enough to notice things no one else does. She's fully well aware of how her parents' marriage is extremely dysfunctional. Yet, Eliza at 16, is still sheltered and ignorant about some things. I liked Eliza's relationship with her Uncle James. He's the father figure in her life and he teaches her things, not just about nature but about life. Uncle James is in a tough spot. He's not the parent so he can only share so much with Eliza and not tell her everything she wants to know. YET he believes there are some things she should not know, that knowing would open a Pandora's box of knowledge Eliza isn't prepared for. I think it's too late for that and she already knows enough to be curious enough to open that box. She doesn't know as much as she thinks she does though, at least not about relationships. Eliza is a tough nut. She's emotional over the death of her dad even though he was a horrible person. She wants to care yet doesn't entirely. Eliza recognizes the paradox of her feelings. She can be sweet and kind. Eliza was once close to the Morgans, the farm family next door. Their lively banter and close-knit relationship gave Eliza the warmth and comfort she needed. Then when things went sour for the Morgans, Eliza was there to help comfort them. She still feels kindly towards them and they to her.

Eliza's parents are just awful. Robert is a narcissist and an alcoholic. He seems to have missed the part about chivalry yet expects an angel in the house wife? I want to feel badly for Robert because he clearly has some mental health issues. He feels emasculated because he isn't free to do what he likes on what he considers his own property. Only his wife can give permission to sell land. Robert is an idle dreamer. He's invested in one grand (BAD) scheme after another, only for it to go wrong. I wonder if he's involved in a pyramid scam? It sounds like he might be from some comment made by Mr. Morgan. The man is really dumb or really unlucky. I think the former. Being a narcissist, he thinks he knows better than his financial advisor and can do whatever he wants. (If the financial advisor is telling the truth). This does not go well, causing more problems. Robert has lost all love and respect for his wife and she for him. If he had died of natural causes I think the women would grieve less. His death would be a welcome release. As awful as Robert was, he didn't deserve to be murdered.

Hannah isn't much better but her husband has made her the way she is. His schemes, his drinking, his anger, have worn her to shreds and all she can do it block whatever it is he wants to do on the estate. Hannah tries to raise her daughters in the typical Victorian fashion, keeping them in the house learning ladylike thing. She seems to have succeeded with Charlotte but as her marriage crumbled, she became ill (nerves?) and hasn't been able to control Eliza as well. Hannah's attitude towards the Morgans and other working poor is just about to be expected. Both Eliza's parents are snobby but that's not unusual for the time and place. Hannah is not so snobby with Constable Pritchard but she is when Eliza is alone with him. This policeman (say it with a sneer) is not a suitable companion for a young lady and SURELY his interest in her but not be innocent. Eliza is not to socialize with the Morgans either and both parents are in agreement about THAT.

Uncle James is nicer. He takes an interest in Eliza and is kind to her. He educates her and helps her figure out life. Yet, he's also a snob and doesn't trust Eliza's relationship with Constable Pritchard. Eliza and Dafydd are just friends, colleagues, searching for answers. He's a policeman and very black and white. The law is the law and there's no gray area. In Cardiff or in the country, a crime is a crime. He can't see the in-between area where there may be extenuating circumstances or justification for the crime. Typical of those in police work. For some reason, this man decides to confide in a young lady he barely knows and tells her his life story. He keeps asking to see her alone. He's a grown man and since he is of the working class, he should know the social rules. He does but he's ignoring them because he fears Eliza's mother and/or uncle may be involved in the murder and she's told him the servants gossip. Still, Mrs. Pugh, the devoted housekeeper, should have gone with Eliza and left Carys and Alice at home. They're too silly and can't keep their mouths shut. Carys especially seems to like telling tales. Mrs. Pugh is more sensible and could be an effective chaperone.

Eliza's sister Charlotte is more like their mother. She recognized the family dysfunction and escaped into marriage with a mansplainer hypochondriac. Poor Charlotte is unfulfilled in marriage. Since she hasn't yet experienced the blessings marriage is supposed to bring, I'm guessing she's not pregnant and her hypochondriac husband may not be interested in doing anything to have children. However, Charlotte is sympathetic to Eliza and though she tries to persuade Eliza to come around to their mother's plan, she recognizes Eliza is her own person and needs to do what is right for her and that Eliza is too stubborn to listen to anyone else's plans for her.

The first suspect is Mr. Fletcher, the disgruntled ex-gamekeeper. He was more sympathetic to the locals poaching on the Maces' land than to the rules he was hired to follow. I understand people have to eat and since Mr. Mace isn't providing, people do what people must do. But Fletcher seems to have deliberately broken the rules to thumb his nose at Society. Then he was fired and Mr. Mace was cruel. Fletcher has every good reason to want Mr. Mace dead but why get revenge now after all this time? That doesn't make sense. Maybe something else happened? Fletcher is found with incriminating evidence but his excuse makes sense. Another suspect is Todd, another disgruntled servant. Todd is creepy. He's loyal to Mr. Mace and seems to hold the women in contempt. He's manipulative, reminding Eliza of favors he did for her when she was a young child and expecting more adult favors in return. Yes Mr. Mace owes his money but does he think he's going to get it by assaulting Eliza? That's not going to happen. Mr. Mace may value Todd but not more than his daughter, I hope. Todd has gone missing. Could he be dead too or in hiding? If he's innocent, why doesn't he come forward? I know why. Because the poor are always to blame for anything that goes wrong. Owen, the estate steward, is loyal to Mrs. Mace because he came with the estate and his father was steward before him. Would Owen murder for Mrs. Mace? Perhaps he felt the estate was in danger and removed the threat? That would be sad because he seems kind but when Eliza needs his help, he acts suspicious.

The Morgans are a lovely family. Even plagued by illness and poor health, they stay together and work at keeping the family afloat. Rebecca is no longer able to work around the house and the two girls are grown and married. Eliza used to help with the baby, Jevan. Mr. Morgan does a lot of favors, for Eliza. He seems like a kind man and a good friend to Eliza but not to her parents. Jevan is an odd child. He's sullen and kind of surly. The kid seems to mistrust strangers and doesn't remember Eliza. They say he's smart and enjoys school but there's not much evidence of that. He's been left behind and his parents can't really help him. Poor kid. Rhiannon is lovely and a wonderful big sister.

This story did not appeal to me. It lacks humor, charm and an engaging mystery.

content warning:

A scene of sexual assault (unsuccessful)
domestic violence
alcoholism
homosexual relationship briefly mentioned
adultery

[Katherine Stansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb historical mystery, tightly plotted and full of family secrets. I loved the character of Eliza - sixteen going on seventeen and caught between her warring parents, wanting to do the right thing but hemmed in by adults who believe they know best for her. She rails against the expectations of her class and follows her instincts, noticing things others don't and unafraid to ask awkward questions - an excellent sleuth! When her father goes missing, things come to a head and the crumbling Mace household is in disarray. Eliza pursues the truth without understanding the cost. One of the many things I enjoyed about this novel was the way class divisions and gender expectations of the 1870s setting underpin everything, and the subtle breakdown of these is what animates the plot in ways that feel fresh and original.

[Ilona · Rating 2 out of 5]

[I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

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Well, I didn't like this book, and I'm quite disappointed about it, because I was hoping a dark cosy mystery with the "Enola Holmes" vibe—there was none of these.

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The characters felt really off, and couldn't being myself to even appreciate any of them. The main character, Eliza, didn't hook me at all, and the detective whose name I have forgotten didn't either. The characters, be it the main or secondary ones, were all pretty blank in my opinion.

Still on a character note, I felt like the relationship between Eliza (16 years old) and the detective (28 or more? I don't remember) was just… weird? Also, they didn't know each other, but the detective just tells Eliza absolutely all his life when they first met, which, again, felt off.

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As for the mystery part, it came pretty late in the book (which didn't bother me that much). It was good and well-thought. Some of the clues found by both Eliza and the detective were a little out of place, but overall there no incoherences.

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It was an okay book in my opinion. I would like to be able to feel anything for any of the characters, which I didn't.

But the murder and then looking for clues parts were fine, with some twists.

[Laura (thenerdygnomelife) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I was listening to a BBC series as I listened to Eliza Mace, in a good way! Karen Cass' narration perfectly brought this Victorian mystery to life. The plot of the book centers around Eliza, a coming-of-age young woman who struggles with the strict rules, dysfunctional family, and societal expectations placed on her. When her father goes missing and is later found dead, Eliza decides it's up to her to solve the mystery of who was at fault. While there were some details that did not seem accurate to the time period, the narrative was engaging and fun if you just don't think too hard on the history. I found the resolution to be very sudden, though, giving a little bit of an underwhelming payoff for the book's slow start.

Thank you to Bolinda Audio, Sarah Burton, and Jem Poster for an advance copy of the audiobook for honest review.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eliza Mace is the first book in the Eliza Mace Mysteries series and I happy to report that I'll definitely be picking up more when they come out.

Eliza is our fmc. She's sixteen and stuck between her fighting parents. Luckily she has her uncle and she spends most of her time with him, wandering the grounds and discussing things that a normal sixteen year old lady wouldn't normally be discussing. I mention this as I think it is the catalyst to how things move forward for Eliza. I have to say, she came off as a much older character to me - both in her interactions with those around her and the way she spoke.

As the story kicks off, Eliza's parents are arguing about money and resources again and when her father leaves on the family horse and doesn't return as expected, no one knows what to think but they call in the police to help figure out where he is. Enter Dafydd Pritchard, the new police constable. Dafydd has a story and I appreciated how it was revealed but he is determined to figure out what happened, no matter who he annoys along the way.

As Eliza and Dafydd partner to solve the mystery of her father's whereabouts, secrets are uncovered and they have a big impact on everyone in the book. As there is a mystery here, I'm not going to say a lot here about what happens and who is involved but I thought the reveal was done well. I also appreciated how Burton and Poster included the post-reveal impact.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a fairly quick read and all of the secrets kept me interested in the story. As I mentioned, I kind of wanted Eliza to be a bit older, if only so that her partnership with Dafydd didn't feel weird but otherwise I thought it was done well. I'll definitely pick up more by these authors in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Freddura · Rating 2 out of 5]

So Eliza( Elizabeth) is seen as a bit of a wild child to her family. Disobeying them when all she trying to do is find answers to her father death. I liked the research done. Being from Cardiff the reference to Butetown was a great reference. It's a but slow to start. Nothing really happens till about half way, then it just slowly drifts. I wanted to like it but found myself hating most of the characters bar Daffyd.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved The Strange Adventures of H by Sarah Burton and so was thrilled to to get the opportunity to read Eliza Mace.
I loved Eliza’s spirit - that never give up attitude she had. Her determination to uncover the truth and be included in the conversations was admirable if not a little out of place for the time and her family’s position in society. The relationships in this story are fascinating- secrets and lies surround the household and Eliza is so frustrated to be kept in the dark. The mystery element was well thought through and enough little clues to keep the story spinning. This is an enjoyable mystery with a dysfunctional family theme that kept me guessing til the end.

[Fran McBookface · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1870s Wales, 16 year old Eliza Mace watches her family and their stately home fall into ruin. She’s a determined and intelligent character and she needs to be as she fights against the expectations of her family and society.

I really enjoyed this read. Lots of scene setting and character development before we even get to the meat of the investigation which I really liked. The investigation itself definitely kept me guessing too

Look forward to the rest of the series and seeing how Elizas life develops

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
A paced-out story with a strong focus on characters that reads a lot like an origin story for further mysteries.

Thoughts
This is an interesting approach for something marketed as a mystery series. Most detective stories dedicate less time to the characters, painting everyone in quick strokes while the plot drives the story along. In this case, it feels like the story unrolled at its own pace while we learned more about the characters. The first third of the book dedicates itself to setting the scene. Characters are introduced, plot points are set up, and we don't get the actual mystery until about a third of the way through. Instead, we get a lot of backstory and some in depth character building that help us learn who Eliza is, and why she is the way she is. It takes another third of the book before Eliza actually starts actively working on the mystery herself, and the mystery takes a bit of a backseat to working through Eliza's feelings and growth. It's got a very origin story vibe that feels like it would cut out at the end to an older Eliza saying "And that's why I decided to become a detective!" The extra time spent with the characters is appreciated. Eliza's uncle is a particular favorite, with his own story arc that feels more thoughtful than the way some mysteries might play it. The secondary lead Dafydd doesn't get nearly as much attention in this volume, but I'm fine with that. If this is to be a series, I expect we'll have plenty of time to learn more about him later. Overall I think this book would land well with readers looking for a paced out, character-focused historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating - 3.5
Huge thanks to the publisher for the copy to read. Review to follow

[Emily Douce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark family, murder mystery based in Victorian times. Some unpleasant characters and some more pleasant. This one is a bit more of a slow burn than Strange Adventure of H, Sarah Burton’s previous novel. It is a mystery and I do like a mystery and I do like a historical fiction and this is both of those.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately drawn to Eliza who is a headstrong and spirited teenager caught up in the confines of Victorian society. With such a strong will and an inquisitive mind, she cannot stick to the restrictive ideals of femininity of the time. When her father, who is riddled with debts, goes missing, she assists the police in their hunt and her eye for detail spots clues where others don’t.

This is the first in a detective series and I’ll be keen to see how Eliza’s character develops. I did expect more twists and turns but I appreciate this is the first in the series and there was a heavy focus on Eliza herself. I’d recommend if you like historical fiction and mystery.

[Devon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eliza Mace is a 16 year old girl (soon to be 17!) who finds herself in a gloom created by the tension between her mother and father. Robert is a man always looking for the next scheme to make money, always failing, always scrambling to earn back what he has lost and inevitably losing even more, and Hannah is a woman who has to keep him from selling out the property from underneath them to fund his ideas—property that belongs to HER, not him. With his abrupt departures and uncertain returns, the presence of his brother in his home, and his drinking away money they can ill afford to lose, he is generally in a poor temper while his wife is left grasping at the end of her tether.

Robert’s appalling behaviour is not endured solely by his family, however, and seemingly the whole town has either loaned him money or been physically accosted by him, sometimes both. His disappearance and subsequent murder, therefore, provides no shortage of suspects in a village full of people who breathe easier knowing he’s buried beneath the soil.

Eliza Mace seeks to first find her father and then discover who killed him, and so she teams up with Dafydd Pritchard, a new constable to the area. Her mother is insufferable in this respect, thinking her daughter is getting up to no good with him, and Eliza has to essentially sneak around just to have a brief conversation about the case with him.

With regards to the case, the revelation of the killer and the subsequent trial is quite fast indeed, as is the prologue set a few months after the events. I was intrigued by the book and figured out several points before the text confirmed them, which is always fun. I felt in some instances that Eliza did a fair bit more detective work than the detective, and this is to be a series? I would be curious to read more to see how that goes and what Eliza gets up to, especially if she is a little older. I would have liked a little more interplay between Dafydd and Eliza; when there are detective pairings, no matter the relationship between them, I really appreciate the dialogue they have that does not have anything to do with the case at hand. The text itself is a breeze to read—a real page turner that takes no time at all. I’d give it three and a half stars.

Bonus thought left here due to spoilers: would Eliza have been so accepting of her uncle? She was more enraged that he was telling her what to do and that he kept it secret than the fact that he was gay. And the constable is unbothered, too, even though he tells Eliza near the end of the book that he serves the law and what he feels doesn’t matter. The law would have stated that James is in violation of it. Either way, I was surprised at the revelation but enjoyed it.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Habeeba · Rating 4 out of 5]

" 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒, 𝐸𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑎. 𝑊𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠. 𝑁𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙, 𝐻𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜.."

Set in a countryside of Wales in 1870's, ' Eliza mace ' is an intriguing murder mystery that follows the FMC who goes by the same name, as she races against time to catch her father's murderer. Being in debt to almost all the people in town and loathed by many, her father's murder was something each person in the town secretly wished for, making it hard for the police to suspect a single person. When newly arrived local constable Daffyd Pritchard seeks Eliza's help, she jumps right in at the opportunity to become the detective she desired to be.

' Eliza mace ' explores young Eliza's struggles to prove herself in front of the people who still considers her as a child. Deeply portraying the difficulties faced by the teenagers through Eliza, the story also discusses the social disparities in the 1870's. The author skillfully depicts it in more than one instance, through the characters of Todd, Fletcher and Morgan.

The blurb is quite captivating with the mention of Enola Holmes, which was the primary reason I requested the ARC from Netgalley. However, this book didn't meet my expectations. Though the first half seemed to move in a slow pace, the second half was fast paced and action packed. Eliza mace is a perfect read for the historical fiction fans who love a cozy murder mystery set in Wales countryside with less action and adventure.

Thankyou @duck_books and @netgalley for providing me the opportunity to review this..🤍💫

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love historical fiction cozy mysteries and was excited to read Eliza maze by Sarah Burton in Jim poster. Let me start by saying in my opinion cozy mysteries are supposed to be light fun with a dash of murder this book was dark dysfunctional and although they had murder the book had an overall feeling of macabre that I’m fine with and horror stories but not cozy mysteries. Not to mention I did not at all like a Liza maze or anyone in her immediate family with the exception of uncle Jim. The book was historically ina accurate something I find unforgivable in this age of Google, The narrators voice also sounded like she was reading something more severe than a cozy mystery and although she had a nice voice I think she would do better with Gothic or thrillers. There was some great aspects to the book like uncle Jim, the Morgans in the great twist at the end but it took forever to get to the main mystery and not only that when the mystery did occur despite the fact this man owned an estate they sent a regular old policeman in davith someone else Eliza didn’t agree with The only thing that made me give this book 2 stars instead of one was the twist at the end because OMG totally didn’t see that coming and uncle Jim. I don’t think I would read another book in this Siri‘s I’m sure there will be those who like it but I just did not. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Rebecca Molyneux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, this was not for me. The way the story was told was very strange, it was almost like a screenplay with conversations and visual descriptions being the main focus and with no inner voice.

The central mystery, what has happened to Mr Mace, was mildly interesting. But he was such an obnoxious character I didn’t really care. And I don’t think Eliza did either, she was too busy involving herself with the much older policeman and solving the case. Would a policeman be investing so much of his time with a 16 year old girl in those days?

Historically there were inaccuracies, Eliza’s mother held the purse strings and her father had no access to funds or assets. I don’t think that would have happened in the 1870s. Apparently set in the Welsh borders but not many clues to that except the name of the policeman (Dafydd). The local town is helpfully called ‘the town.’

Billed as a thrilling new Victorian detective series I was expecting an Enola Holmes vibe. Sadly this was not the case

[AnnaScott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me so much of the BBC show Miss Scarlet and the Duke, which I love. Eliza and Dafydd reminded me so much of Eliza and William from the show, and they also reminded me a lot of Emma and Mr. Knightley. The story was definitely more focused around the family dynamics and family drama rather than on solving the mystery or developing the characters, but this was fine with me. I wasn't ever captivated by the mystery or the need to figure out who did it, but it was a cozy mystery, so again, it met my needs perfectly. Overall, if you enjoyed Miss Scarlet and the Duke or if you are looking for a cozy historical mystery, this is a great option!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am writing a voluntary review.

[Mel Pretorius · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's always exciting to be promised a new series, especially if it is combining two of my favourite genres (Historical Fiction and Crime) in this first Victorian Detective novel "Eliza Mace" by Sarah Burton and Jem Poster. Sadly, it didn't live up to Enola Holmes. I found it quite dull and slow, in fact the first half of the novel seemed to be about a girl wondering if her father was dead or not (I don't know if I actually cared). Things should have kicked in when she started investigating the murder but by that point I wasn't that bothered. This series isn't for me.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the latter part of the 19th century and Eliza lives with her ever squabbling parents and her paternal uncle. Her father is a tad on the flighty side and has debts galore with all and sundry wanting their money back. When Eliza's dad goes missing and is subsequently found murdered she is drawn into the investigation and must help the police narrow down the list of suspects. This was a cracking read. Eliza is a plucky heroine who stands out for her intellect and compassion. Great mystery and a thrilling end.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator's pacing of this audio was excellent. The story was captivating as the author showcased Eliza Mace's youthful mind developing into a detailed-oriented person, a trait that would serve her well in her future as a detective. However, the constant presence of Constable Prichard, who is older than Eliza and married, is puzzling, especially considering his frequent "consultations" with her. This situation understandably raises concerns for Eliza's mother and uncle.

Eliza's mother, initially perceived as controlling, can be viewed as protective. Her warnings against making similar mistakes to her own suggest a desire to shield Eliza from heartache. However, beyond this protectiveness, the mother is revealed to be headstrong and somewhat controlling, traits that are understandable given her husband's inadequacy as a spouse.

The character development could have benefited from more depth, leaving room for improvement in future installments of the series. However, the story should still appeal to fans of YA historical fiction mysteries.

[Vix (Goddess of Gore) · Rating 2 out of 5]

An absolutely obnoxious man was murdered by a man who was wronged by said man. The obnoxious daughter who couldn't stop running her mouth at the goody-two-shoes copper grassed up the poor man and then forgot how obnoxious they all were and acted as though her father wasn't the most abhorrent man in the town and he hung. The fucking end! I haven't been this wound up by a book for a long time. I hated all of them

[Emma Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book at the start a bit slow going but as it gained momentum it got a bit more exciting.

Eliza Mace lives with her Father, Mother and Uncle James. Her parents are always arguing over the Father’s ventures that he keeps getting involved in to make money but they don’t it is just a waste. Her Father goes missing and the police becomes involved with a young Constanle called Dafydd doing the investigation Eliza helps him.

The interesting part of the book was the investigation it kind of kept leading you down the gardening path, some of it I had guessed with things but other bits I hadn’t.

I liked the book and the final third of the book was good but not so much the start.

[Flip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and easy listening (audiobook)

[Opal Edgar · Rating 2 out of 5]

YA Historical novel for teen fans of the Austan-ian area.
This novel had trouble to really get going. While the first couple of pages are very intriguing, the intro stagnates with nothing really happening for the first 20% of the book. In fact, the whole family dynamic and conversation is about money, or lack thereof and all the subsequent blame and family problems... I really think the point could have been made much faster and in a less heavy way. The characters became rather unpleasant to me, Eliza top of the list, which made it hard to keep reading.

[Steph Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This feels like a traditional Agatha Christie-style murder mystery, but if Lettice Protheroe or a young Ariadne Oliver was the main character investigating.

Eliza is stubborn, head-strong, observant, quick-witted, resourceful and brave, but sometimes it felt like she was being contrary just for the sake of it – I love her! Her strange friendship with Constable Daffyd Pritchard was the only thing that felt ‘off’ to me in her character and I had some sympathy for Hannah and Uncle James trying to warn Eliza away from him, even though I had the inside view of their interactions and so knew their specific concerns were unfounded. In fact, I think that was pretty much the only time I agreed with anything Hannah said or did in the book!

The story explores dysfunctional family dynamics and captures well the complexities of loving someone you also hate, and missing someone you are far happier without, as well as the obligatory murder investigation plot.

It is a bit of a slow starter, with lots of hopeless, oppressive build-up until the murder eventually occurs, then it is action and intrigue all the way. There are quite a few historical inaccuracies, especially around Eliza’s conduct and behaviours as a young Victorian lady of good family but this is fiction rather than a historical novel so I was able to turn a blind eye to those aspects for the sake of the character and plot.

Much darker and more dysfunctional than I had expected from the blurb, this is an enjoyable read for fans of Golden Age style mysteries who are looking for entertainment over historical accuracy.