The Framed Women of Ardemore House

Ardemore House mysteries #1

by Brandy Schillace, Lindsey Dorcus (Narrator)

A sharp, savvy mystery about an autistic editor who inherits a crumbling English estate, only to find herself at the center of a murder investigation when a family portrait vanishes and a dead body turns up.

Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn't know what stands out her Americanisms or her autism. And that was before the body on the carpet.

After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, Jo couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the moody town groundskeeper ends up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and as a potential suspect. At the same time, a mystifying family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history.

With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper's wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…
11 hours and 38 minutes

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Thriller

Audible Audio

First published February 13, 2024

About the author

Dr. BRANDY SCHILLACE (skil-AH-chay) is an autistic, nonbinary author, historian, mystery writer and Editor (who grew up in an underground house next to a cemetery with a pet raccoon). Her mystery novel, THE FRAMED WOMEN OF ARDEMORE HOUSE, features an autistic protagonist: Jo Jones. Plus: An abandoned English manor, a peculiar missing portrait, and one dead gardener. “A must read for any mystery lover.” – says DEANNA RAYBOURN, New York Times bestselling author of KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE. (This will be book one in the NETHERLEIGH mystery series.)

***QUICK NOTE! I love talking with readers - for Book Clubs and 1:1s, find me now on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/brandy-schillace***

Brandy’s recent nonfiction, MR. HUMBLE AND DR. BUTCHER–described by the New York Times as a “macabre delight”–explores Cold War medicine, bioethics, and transplant science. Brandy’s next nonfiction book, THE INTERMEDIARIES, will tell the forgotten, daring history of the interwar Institute of Sexology in Berlin: trans activists, the first gender affirming surgeries, and the fight for LGBTQ rights in the shadow of the Nazi Third Reich. Rebels against empires, it’s a heart-stopping story of courage in the face of long odds.

And because she writes in two worlds, both of them weird, Brandy hosts a regular YouTube show called Peculiar Book Club. It features livestream chats with bestselling authors of unusual nonfiction, from Lindsey Fitzharris and Mary Roach to Carl Zimmer and Deborah Blum. She has appeared on Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum, NPR’s Here and Now, and with Dan Aykroyd on THE UNBELIEVABLE (History Channel). Bylines at WIRED, Scientific American, Globe and Mail, WSJ Books, and Medium. She works as Editor in Chief for BMJ’s Medical Humanities, a journal for social justice and health equity.

Dr. Schillace is represented by Jessica Papin at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

http://brandyschillace.com/
@bschillace

Reviews

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newly divorced, grieving the loss of her mother and unemployed after her husband tricks her out of their publishing firm, it hasn’t been a pleasant year for Josephine “Jo” Jones. But Jo, a New Yorker in her forties, does not hesitate to pack up and move to the English countryside to claim the family estate in North Yorkshire she has inherited from her mother’s side of the family. A crumbling mansion on an expansive property with a cottage she can move into – Jo is ready to accept the challenge of picking up and starting over deciding to attempt to repair the crumbling mansion on her own. This isn’t an easy transition for Jo. Her American accent, neurodiversity and the challenges of relocating to a new country make it difficult for her to fit in and make friends easily. Jo is curious about her family history and is intrigued by the framed portraits of the original owners who disappeared without a trace decades ago. She takes an immediate dislike to Sid Randles the shady caretaker of the property and promptly has him fired after suspecting him of removing a potentially valuable painting from a hidden room in the mansion, resulting in a confrontation in the local pub. When Sid is found murdered on the premises, Jo is initially a suspect but a deep dive into Sid’s life results in a list of suspects longer than the local law enforcement, with DCI James MAcAdams leading the investigation, had anticipated. DCI Fleet, with military experience under his belt and having worked with Scotland Yard, is brought into the investigation by MacAdams’ boss on account of his expertise in such matters. Though their personalities clash, DCI MacAdams has no other choice but to begrudgingly collaborate with him. Jo concentrates on her search for the missing portrait as law enforcement leaves no stone unturned in their efforts to find the killer.

Atmospheric and well-paced, The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace is a deftly crafted novel that combines elements of a police procedural and historical mystery/fiction. The narrative is presented to us from the perspectives of Jo and DCI MacAdams and I enjoyed both perspectives equally. Jo is a unique protagonist and I thought that the author did a remarkable job depicting her struggles as well as playing to her strengths. Jo’s unique way of interpreting the world around her made this story all the more interesting. In addition to following the mysteries as they are unraveled, I also enjoyed Jo's personal journey and loved how the author presents how she begins to adjust to her new surroundings, cope with the adversity she faces and gradually accept the potential friendships and opportunities that her new life has to offer. All the characters are well thought out (even the unlikable ones) and Tula, the innkeeper who proves to be a caring and protective friend, is one of my favorite supporting characters. The author weaves several literary references into the narrative, which would appeal to those fond of classic literature as well as Golden Age mysteries. There is a lot to unpack in this novel - a large cast of characters to follow and numerous subplots to unravel- but the author succeeds in striking a perfect balance without the plot becoming convoluted or ambiguous and I really liked how all the threads converge at the end. I did find the title of the novel a tad misleading (a personal observation), but I'm willing to ignore that because I really did enjoy the read!

I’d be eager to read more stories featuring these characters in the future ( the ending does leave me hopeful!).

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Framed Women of Ardemore House was published on February 13, 2024.

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[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace is a mystery novel with a neurodivergent lead character. The story in The Framed Women of Ardemore House does have some flashing back to the past and changes of the point of view at some points of the novel.

It has not been a good year for Jo Jones having lost her job and her mother so with nothing holding her in New York she has decided to make her way to England. Jo often finds herself struggling to fit in with her autism diagnosis but she hopes the English countryside where she has inherited an old run down manor in North Yorkshire will finally be home.

Shortly after arriving at the old family estate though Jo finds her new home needs more repairs than she had hoped but that isn’t the worst of her problems when she also finds a dead body. Jo soon finds herself a potential suspect in the local detectives eyes but the mystery goes even deeper when she finds an old portrait also missing from the house.

When first picking up The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace I thought this one might be a cozy mystery but I felt the book was more firmly in the mystery genre which was perfectly fine too. I do enjoy books with neurodivergent characters so I quickly settled into getting to know Jo and her surroundings. The story did feel it jumped around a bit which took some getting used to in the beginning keeping me turning the pages wondering what would happen and overall this one turned into one interesting mystery.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yay for neurodivergent inclusion, I guess? But the representation felt a little unrealistic. I thought it was unnecessary how often the main character had to spell out that "Because of my autism, I do things differently," and everyone was super focused on her behavior and mannerisms. Like at this point, I think we kinda all know what neurodivergency looks like.

Otherwise, the story dragged for me, I just couldn't get into it.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo Jones inherits an estate, Ardemore House, in England. While she’s never seen it, Jo’s happy to leave the US behind after losing her job and divorcing. She’s eager for a new start. However, the estate is run-down, and Sid, the “caretaker” isn’t keen on moving on, but she doesn't trust him. Soon after he leaves, Jo discovers a painting is missing and they have a very public argument in the local pub.

Sid is murdered at the cottage on her estate, and while Jo is part of the suspect pool, there’s more than a few with better motives for killing Sid. Besides the murder, there’s a mystery surrounding the identity of the girl in the painting, one of Jo’s distant relatives.

The story is told from the POV of Jo and also DCI James MacAdams, the detective investigating Sid’s murder. I really warmed to Jo and was rooting for her to thrive in her new circumstances! Being neurodivergent and hyperlexic she didn’t always pick up on social cues, but she excelled in picking up things that not everyone else noticed.

I really enjoyed The Framed Women of Ardemore House! It was an engrossing mystery/police procedural with interesting, multi-layered characters I’d like to get to know better! I liked the interactions between MacAdams and Jo. There were hints of a possible romance, maybe? I’d be on board for that. While the murder was solved, there were some loose strings that lead me to think there will be another story coming. If so, count me in!

I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of Hanover Square Press. All opinions are my own.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim from the library and it ended up being “meh”. I thought it was going to be a murder mystery about this woman, who’s starting over in England and is falsely accused of murder, proving that she didn’t do it. Instead she’s cleared very quickly and then the story diverges. On one hand we have the police investigation of the actual murder and on the other we have Jo, the supposed main character, doing a deep dive on a painting. I quickly lost interest in Jo and the painting. The investigation was interesting until it got very convoluted and I stopped being able to follow the threads. By the last 75 pages I just wanted it to be over, and eventually we got there with me not caring much when all was said and done.

[Karyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve got to admit, it took me a long time to get into this book. It sat on my reader at 20% finished for ages before I finally picked it up again and started enjoying it. That’s probably because Sid made a much better character once he was a dead body.

One thing to point out is that this really isn’t in the amateur sleuth genre, despite the synopsis. Jo doesn’t investigate the murder, she sticks to historical research into the mysteries of her family’s history while MacAdams and the police investigate the murder. I was expecting something more about the community and its secrets (though there are some…) and less police procedural based on the publisher description, something that barely mentions one of the main POV characters.

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Such a great read.

[Angie Miale · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fine, I guess. I hate it when the murdered person is someone you hardly know, and you definitely don’t like him. I found myself skimming, no real twists. Police centered. Not fun at all.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A shabby old estate on the edge of a Yorkshire village, a dead body, a mysterious painting, and the newly arrived American woman to take over her inheritance are the pieces to an intriguing mystery. Brandy Schillace was a new to me author and I was eager to give The Framed Women of Ardemore House- oh yes that is a double meaning, there- a try.

The story was modern, but the main setting, a tumbling down estate on the edge of a Yorkshire village, often had me feeling I was in an old Victorian gothic at times. I loved this tone to the story with its gentle rises of suspense rather than full on thriller action. I suppose it is more cozy mystery.

Jo, is the intrepid American lady who startles the locals when she shows up and announces a family portrait disappeared and the shifty caretaker who happens to be a local with some friends, took. She knows her neurodivergency makes her stand out almost as much as her Americanisms and accent. Vocal ability gets locked up when she feels the pressure to get words out, other people’s social cues, and her own struggle to portray emotion have already been a lifelong challenge. And, it is incredible to her when she learns that she’s on a suspect list when the rascal she accused of stealing is found dead in the estate cottage she planned to occupy. Her recent divorce, her mother’s death, and this odd family inheritance all take some getting used to.

At first, I was under the impression that Jo would solve the murder since she’s one of the accused, but instead, Jo mostly ignores that (yes, that was a bit funny) and focuses on her family history she never knew and the mysterious painting that everyone says never existed though she saw it clearly that first day.

The murder mystery side is actually tackled by DCI MacAdams who shares the narration of the story. His side of the story felt like modern police procedural. I confess that I cottoned to the truth about a certain someone’s involvement early on so the surprise twist about them didn’t surprise on the who, but I couldn’t have said how they were entangled with the victim. There were lots of curious characters for MacAdams and his partner and the retired Scotland Yard guy foist on them to track down and investigate.

I liked both Jo and MacAdams’ side of the story equally and had no desire to put the book down once it got going. Jo was quirky and I loved not so much her as much as her determination to be taken seriously and to have her independence after her ex and her mom tried to make her feel inferior. MacAdams was not recovered from his own divorce and just putting in time and not moving on. Jo’s case and Jo herself gives him the kickstart he needs.

The book wrapped up strong leaving me well-satisfied, but I was glad that there were hints that more could come with Jo and MacAdams in a further book. Those who enjoy British cozies or light police procedurals with a dash of gothic suspense would be the target group for The Framed Women of Ardemore House.

I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.

My full review will post at Books of the Heart on Feb 14, 2024.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like a murder mystery that was trying to do way too much.

-Autistic main character (Jo Jones) who doesn't actually DO much of anything except get in a lot of trouble, literally pass out drunk, and blush a lot

-Second main character (DCI MacAdams), which the book blurb doesn't mention at all. Because the book is actually a police procedural (also not mentioned), the bulk of the interesting plot (actually solving the mystery) goes to him

-Some of it was very, very obvious. As soon as Fleet turned up to assist in the investigation, I knew this character had to be involved somehow

-Also the sex work angle was obvious from the beginning. What else would you use an out of the way cottage for? This wasn't a surprise

-The interesting side characters - Tula, Ben, Gwilym - disappear in the last 1/3 of it - and Gwilym's presence in the novel (he's in quite a bit of it for a while) amounts to nothing

But FINALLY:

-Straight romances are so dull sometimes

-Jo had chemistry and shared interests and a matching personality with Gwilym, who she actually spends most of the novel with. They were FUN together, he liked Jo, and she seemed to vibe with him. If there was going to be a romance, this was the angle

-But instead, there's this completely random, out of nowhere attraction between MacAdams and Jo based on... literally nothing.

-Absolutely, literally nothing. Suddenly MacAdams can't stop thinking about her for... literally not a single in-text reason that I can think of

-MacAdams and his partner Green (and her wife) were far more interesting than Jo. Which is too bad, because I picked up this book FOR the Autistic main character

-Jo, who spends the whole novel obsessing about a painting and a faint connection to a family from 100 years ago. I got bored of Jo's plotline after a while, because I wanted to know about the actual, ya know, murder mystery

[TARDIS Book Gal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying that I liked Jo, and the story should have only been about her trying to establish herself in a new town/country, and the mystery of the painting. That being said…
It’s disappointing that a book with a neurodivergent lead and written by an autistic author is not autistic friendly. Many of us struggle with name recognition and the plot has so many random characters that pop in and out that it is impossible to follow along. Some characters that are important in the first half, like Tula, are absent from the back half. There are also too many random plot lines and dropped in plot points that don’t connect or make a lick of sense. You need a flowchart or diagram to understand who’s connected to who and how/why. And there are long stretches of the police investigation where Jo is just absent or a non-factor. I don’t know how anyone was supposed to follow some of the leaps in logic. This is two different stories that are forced to share pages. There’s an almost intriguing mystery about a painting and a long lost relative, and there’s a story about a murder and the subsequent investigation. Because the book is blending the two, neither have compelling conclusions. And two of the threads aren’t resolved at all, my guess to leave room for a follow up book.

My biggest issue is trying to understand why three women were so enamored with Sid (the murder victim) in the first place. He’s a terrible person while he’s alive, I cannot truly believe that any of his three ex-wives would be sad he’s gone, especially Elsie, who in the end is quite intelligent and had no real reason to associate with him post divorce.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars

I think this qualifies as cozy, but it’s not TOO cozy. New Yorker Josephine “Jo” Jones inherits an estate in Yorkshire. There, she sticks out for being the new girl, for being American, and for being a bit odd because of her autism. A painting, hidden out of the way, goes missing just before a man is found murdered on the property. A murder AND a theft!





The police investigate the murder, but Jo is more interested in the missing painting. I think this worked out well because it avoids The Police Are Inept trope, The Police Don’t Disclose Information trope, and The Amateur Just Happens to Solve the Crime Before the Police Despite Having No Forensic Tools or Criminal Database trope. Instead, the police and Jo are friendly and cooperate with each other and share information. This was quite refreshing.

The ending doesn’t entirely wrap up the mystery behind the painting, though. I guess there will be a sequel?

I think Jo dwells on her autism too much: “Oh, no, I don’t know how to navigate this conversation because I have autism and it’s really awkward.” This isn’t a new condition. I think a person is more likely to go, “Oh, was that awkward? Dang it” and move on. My 15-year-old has autism, and he doesn’t even know if he’s being awkward, and he really doesn’t care. He just wants it quiet.



*Reader’s Choice Nominee Spring 2025*

Language: Some strong language
Sexual Content: Vague references
Violence/Gore: Murder off-page; not graphic
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: None
Other (Triggers): Divorce, false accusation, unplanned/unwed pregnancy in backstory, ableism

[Fictionophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel as I hadn't read anything by this author. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, despite some minor misgivings in the first chapter, I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Netherleigh.

With a neurodivergent protagonist, a very atmospheric setting, and some peculiar occurrences, there is a lot here to hold a reader's interest. Jo Jones, the protagonist was an American who recently lost her mother - her last remaining family member. Now alone, she travels to England, to the family ancestral 'pile' to claim her inheritance. What she expected, and what she finds couldn't be more different. The manor is a virtual ruin as it had been abandoned for almost a century. Nature has encroached on the house via a gaping hole in the roof. The once stunning gardens were frightfully overgrown and had been left to unruly abandon. The contents of the house reeked of damp and mildew and to top all that off, there were thousands of pounds in back taxes owing...  Jo with nowhere else to go, attempts to take possession of the accompanying cottage, only to find a dead body in her front room.

Enter the policeman, divorced, forty-five year old DCI MacAdams. I really took to his character and enjoyed the evolving mystery surrounding the murder case and the theft of a painting from the big house. The visiting policeman from York, DCI Fleet, was a stiff, formal fellow, that acted as foil to MacAdams' less stringent methods of policing.

The author's love of words and classic literature is evident throughout the novel. She pays homage to many classical novelists as well as mystery writers Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Despite some serious themes like corruption, extortion, and the like, there was a lot of subtle humour which I really enjoyed. "MacAdams had finally turned his eye on Green. He could tell by the pursed line of her mouth that the contents were under pressure."

In addition to the present day murder and theft, a cold case enters the mix with one of Jo Jones' relatives having gone missing a century before.

It is my belief that this novel will be enjoyed by many mystery lovers for various different reasons. I know I'll be eager to read another novel in this series, and I look forward to my next visit to Netherleigh.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atmospheric, suspenseful, and quirky!

The Framed Women of Ardemore House is a captivating, crafty tale that takes us into the life of neurodivergent Jo Jones, a middle-aged American woman and lover of the classics who, after inheriting the family’s rambling estate and moving to the English countryside, quickly discovers that there’s something a little more nefarious going on inside the neglected walls of her ancestors home when a painting vanishes without a trace and the groundskeeper winds up dead.

The writing is playful and light. The characters are unique, clever, and supportive. And the plot is a pacey, amusing whodunit full of misdirection, deduction, humour, clues, suspects, mishaps, amateur sleuthing, and murder.

Overall, The Framed Women of Ardemore House is a cosy, satisfying, entertaining read by Schillace that was so much fun with its eccentric characters, intricacies and drama, and which I do hope may just be the first in a multitude of books in a series that would definitely have a spot on my must-read list.

Thank you to Hanover Square Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Framed Women of Ardemore house is a mystery and family story, with some historical fiction thrown in and blended well. This is Brandy Schillace's fiction debut and I enjoyed it a lot. I will definitely watch for more from this author. Ardemore House is an abandoned estate in the village of Abington in England. Jo Jones, is an American, who upon the death of her mother, finds out that she has inherited the family estate. She has nothing to keep her in the US, so sells her mother's house and heads across to claim her new home. When she arrives, she finds out it is in extreme disrepair, including a huge hole in the roof. It doesn't take long for her to become involved in a mystery with a missing family portrait and the murder of the caretaker, who is found in the small cottage where she plans to live.

I enjoyed this story with it's quirky characters and the rather convoluted mystery. Jo is neuro-divergent, something that always pulls me in to a story. She is on the autism spectrum, and has issues with social situations, or when things come at her too fast and she can't process them. She is a book editor and loves the classics, she can also speed read which comes in handy later in the story. The book is a bit slow to start, but it didn't take me long to become invested in Jo and her story. Once we begin to meet the suspects, the quirkiness and negative qualities of them adds interest to the mystery. I had no idea where the story was going to go, so I read and listened eagerly as it unfolded. I liked the main detective, divorced, forty-five year old DCI MacAdams. He was a bit put out when his superior calls in a retired detective to help out. He is smart, and knowing the people and the area are a help. He and his partner, DI Green were a great pair and although had a lot of suspects but now much evidence, never gave up. There is an emphasis on research and historical documents as Jo tried to learn more about her family and Ms. Schillace does a great job keeping that part of the story interesting. Overall, an engaging story with an interesting mystery, well developed characters and great ending that tied up all the loose ends. I did a read/listen and although I enjoyed Lindsey Dorcus' narration, I think I enjoyed reading this one more. If you enjoy an interesting mystery with great characters, I recommend The Framed Women of Ardemore House.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice mystery set in a small town in the north of England. American Jo Jones has just inherited a tumbledown manor. The day after she takes possession of the house and a small cottage on the property, the caretaker who she just fired is found dead.

The book is told in alternating 3rd person POVs between Jo and one of the policemen in charge of investigating the case, MacAdams. Jo is on the spectrum, and to be totally honest, she isn't interested in figuring out the murder. She's more interested in investigating the family mysteries she's discovering in the house. MacAdams is dealing with the murder but also with the interference of an ex-Scotland Yard investigator his boss called in to "assist" with the case. (MacAdams is more threatened than assisted.) Small-town life is portrayed as both the blessing and the curse that it can be: MacAdams knows the victim and most of the suspects, while Jo's newcomer status means she's on the outs with the local gossip.

This is a satisfying mystery, with two sympathetic main characters in Jo and MacAdams. It also both embraces and sends up an American's view of the British police system. (You'll recognize a few moments from your favorite BBC police serials, just as Jo does.) If you're into mysteries without super high stakes but that aren't exactly cozy, this is a great choice.

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

[kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great cozy mystery. It gave me the feeling of a modern Agatha Christie or if Broadchurch wasn't so depressing. The characters were all interesting. There were enough leads and misdirects to keep me surprised at the end, but also annoyed with myself for not seeing it. That's my mystery sweet spot.

[Kelsey (Kelseylovesbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the title, I was hoping for quite a bit more focus on the women who lived at Ardemore House and the home itself. The book mainly follows the murder of a local groundskeeper and ends in a pretty tangled explanation. There seems like some possibility of a second book based on how it ends, so perhaps more to come.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take one whip-smart autistic editor, add in a dilapidated English estate that she inherits, and a murder that leads the town to point fingers at her. Plus a fab cover that drew me in as much as the riveting mystery.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE FRAMED WOMEN OF ARDEMORE HOUSE is a delightful, clever mystery with little nods to literary gems like Jane Eyre and Sherlock Holmes.

An unexpected inheritance brings Jo Jones to England, where she learns that it’s not just a crumbling estate she’s been bequeathed. Jo discovers an old painting, hidden away, that unravels a century old mystery - and then she finds the body of the estate’s former caretaker, too.

We, the reader, get to join her and her counterpart Detective Inspector MacAdams as they investigate these two very different mysteries in tandem.

Because Jo is neurodivergent, her character has a layered complexity that makes this book more than just a simple whodunnit. In some ways, she reminded me of Holmes and even Poirot, whose minds work so very differently than the stereotypical investigator. I was particularly fond of MacAdams, too.

Parts of the pacing felt off to me, and the revelation that solves one of the mysteries wasn’t quite as satisfying as it could have been.

That being said, I think we have hints that a sequel could be coming and I would be first in line for that one. Bonus points for a wildly creative title with a double meaning, too.

Thank you to GoodReads and the publisher for an advance copy of the book to review.

[Kori Lazar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this because it had so many things I love: English country side and small village with characters of townspeople, an inherited creepy looking estate, murder, stolen paintings, and a really really cool main female character. But all of that got hidden and lost in the actual mystery which is conducted by the police??? And not the cool main character???? Plus I read as an audiobook and I couldn’t keep the suspects and characters straight which made it really hard to connect to any of them. There was so much potential but it felt like reading two books in one and neither were satisfying in the end

[Benji · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This book has a lot of representation in a very authentic way, both neurodivergent and queer. It’s a well-crafted mystery and none of the characters are too insufferable which is always a plus. I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narrator, I think she embodied all of the characters well and brought the story to life. The end felt a little bit rushed, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

[Samidha; समिधा · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was more interested in the mystery of the missing painting, than the murder mystery —but it was a decent read. Tula and Gwilym were MIA in the latter half. The starting was slow to pick up; I almost gave up before it finally started getting interesting.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the synopsis of Brandy Schillace's The Framed Women of Ardemore House, I couldn't resist. A transplanted American in the depths of Yorkshire? A book-loving heroine who just doesn't fit in? A derelict mansion with secret rooms? A neglected garden? A missing painting? A murder? It's as if the author knew all my hot buttons and tried to press as many of them as she could in one book. Was she successful? Yes, she was!

Jo's voice immediately drew me into the story. Her inheritance is an estate that's been vacant since 1908. It's in bad shape, but at least there's also a cottage she can move into. When she first arrives, the solicitor tries to shuffle her off to the cottage and away from the ramshackle country house, but "Jo was standing in front of Wuthering Heights, and no, she did not want to go poke around a cottage." I don't blame her, especially when she goes inside and "...her heart leapt; she'd caught a glimpse of distant book spines. 'It's a library?' she asked."

This book may be Jo's show, but Schillace surrounds her with an excellent supporting cast. There's the lovestruck Welsh antiques dealer, Gwilym; Tula, the innkeeper's wife who's a fellow outsider; and DCI James MacAdams, who "looked like Sam Spade tangled with Columbo and got the worst of it."

The solution to the mystery was something completely different, and I didn't pick up on it although my hindsight showed me where clues had been planted all along the way. I was even suspicious of a character whom I should have been suspicious of, but I couldn't figure out how that person fit in. I love it when that happens!

If you're in the mood for a fun read, by all means, pick up The Framed Women of Ardemore House. The ending is rather open-ended, and I'm really hoping that I'll have a chance to see Jo Jones again. I love her.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars it was an interesting book. Jo didn’t really do any investigating of the murder, she followed the historical mystery, while DCI MacAdams and his partner investigated the murder. Both instances converged in the end in a fiery clash.

[Brittney Hamilton · Rating 2 out of 5]

i wanted to like this. but i was only invested in one of the mysteries and i really didn’t like the motive or anything surrounding it. the other mystery felt half-hearted and i wasn’t all that interested in the resolution.

also, not as relevant, but brings me out of things as a reader: there were a few editing mistakes where characters were misnamed. i found myself having to go back to make sure i wasn’t misunderstanding.

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure how far I got before I quit. The description makes it sound like this may be a cozy mystery or at least one that stars the female character. But after the murder which is early on, the police detective becomes the main character and I wasn't quite sure why I needed to read about this boring police investigation.

[Claire Giannino]

Had to shelve under did not finish because there is no way it just didn't grab me like I thought it was going to and im so sad because people say great things about this book and my boss met the author and said she was really fun BUT i can't do it it's time for me to put this book down hahahah

[Mo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am 1 1/2 hours in, and am not enjoying this at all. Also, I had no idea that Jo was supposed to be autistic until I just read the book blurb. You could have fooled me.

Audiobook
Lindsey Dorcus - Narrator
Duration: 11:38:34

Abandoned @ 01:28:25 in Chapter 5

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ecopy from the publisher through Edelweiss and voluntarily reviewed it.

The Framed Women of Ardemore House got recommended to me by my friend and fellow bookreviewer Sophia. I want to read more books with neurodivergent main characters after getting diagnosed as autistic last year and this book sounded great. I love cozy mysteries and finding one with an autistic main character was just awesome. I did somehow mistakenly thought this one would be a historical cozy, which it isn't. And I thought that Jo would an amateur sleuth, which thanks to reading Sophia's review before I started I realized wasn't the case. After getting those things out of the way I quickly got hooked in this book and really enjoyed it.

Jo moves to England as she found out she inherited an estate after her mother died. Things quickly turn complicated when a painting gets stolen from the property and a guy gets killed in the cottage that now is Jo's. Detective MacAdams handles most of the murder investigation while Jo tries to figure out who the lady is in the painting that got stolen and what happened to the painting. These two storylines play out alongside one another with the characters also interacting with each other. I really liked both of these mysteries and it made for a great story.

The murder mystery was a great one. I felt like the detective kept uncovering new information and some suspects even got ruled out along the way. I felt like the picture kept becoming more complete, but it still kept me guessing as to who had done it. It felt like a vital piece of information is missing and stays that way till the end when everything falls on it's place. I liked how much sense the reveal made and I liked seeing all the pieces fall on it's place. At the same time Jo uncovers some vital information about the lady in the painting. That plot point about the lady in painting is left open a bit with not everything becoming known, I am not sure if this is meant to be an open plot point or whether there will be a sequel, I hope the latter as I would love to read a sequel.

I really liked reading about Jo. Her being autistic isn't the focal point of the book with the focus being clearly on the mysteries, but it is a clear and important part of her personality. I thought that part was very well written and I could relate to Jo on various points. I liked reading about her and how she became involved in the mystery felt realistic. It took me a bit longer to warm up to Detective MacAdams, but I slowly grew to like him and his dedication to solving this mystery. There is a variety of side characters as well, some are likeable like Tula and Jo's Welsh friend, others are interesting and others play a role in the mystery. They all have a role to play in the plot. I liked the inclusion of an ADHD'er side character as well in Jo's Welsh friend.

To summarize: I really enjoyed The Framed Women of Ardemore House. I am glad my friend Sophia recommend this book to me as this is exactly the type of book I like to read. I liked how the mystery had a clear sense of progression with new information coming to light, but also kept me guessing till the very end. I liked the reveal and how it made sense when all the pieces fell on it's place. I liked reading about Jo and seeing what she uncovers about the women in the painting. I thought her being autistic was handled well with it being a clear part of her personality and there were parts of her I could definitely relate to. Detective MacAdams handles the murder investigation and I liked reading the chapters of his point of view as well, although it took me a bit longer to warm up to him as a character. All in all this was a great read and I sure hope there will be a sequel, in either case I will look forward to more books by this author.