A Dead Bore

John Pickett Mystery #2

by Sheri Cobb South

Escaping scandal following her husband’s death, Lady Fieldhurst accepts an invitation to a house party. Tragedy follows her when the vicar, author of a dull local history, dies in a fire. She suspects murder, and sends to Bow Street for John Pickett. Posing as her footman, he investigates from belowstairs while she gathers information above. But Pickett finds her assistance both a help and an all-too-pleasant hindrance. Regency Mystery/Romance by Sheri Cobb South; originally published by Five Star

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

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2008

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another excellent book in the John Pickett mysteries. This time finds lady Jane escaping London to spend time with acquaintances in the country to get her bearing two months after nearly being charged with the murder of her late husband. Thinking that a she would have a boring time in the country proved to be anything but when one of the dinner guests, Mr. Danvers, seemingly dies in a fire at the vicarage. Lady Jane suspects all is not as it seems in the vicars death.

She sends a missive to John Pickett of London's Bow Street police force to come down and make a discreet inquiry into the vicars death. John decides to enlist the help of Jane's London-based footman, Thomas, and comes to the Hollinsheath's estate in the role of lady Jane's footman. This way he can conduct his investigation by presenting himself as Jane's servant and work below stairs in the servant's quarters to scry information. In the meantime, he and lady Jane exchange their findings and work together to solve the mystery surrounding the vicar's death. As John eventually pulls the clues together, he brings the investigation to a bittersweet close to some and pleasant revelation to others.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing John's clever investigative skills and seeing him and Jane partner to bring light to a mystery. John Pickett is such a wonderful character, while not as enchanting as Cobb-South's other hero of common birth Ethan Brundy, yet he a man with upstanding moral values as well intelligence and intuition. Lady Jane Fieldhurst is also a delightful heroine who is interesting and insightful. Despite the glaring differences in the station in this era and that lady Jane is older than John by two years, there is a glowing ember between these two.

These characters are such a refreshing breath of air from the debauchery of rogues and rakes and haughty, brash trollops so prevalent in many of the so-called Regency/Historical offerings flooding this genre. I look forward to spending more time with John and Lady Jane as the Bow Street runner and the widowed viscountess paths cross to solve other murder mysteries.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy watching this couple solving mysteries and fighting their attraction to one another. It’s a nice three-star plot, but Joel Froomkin’s excellent narration adds a star. He has the ability to do a wide range of voices and accents, along with one other talent that I’ve never encountered in a male narrator: he can sound so exactly like a woman that it’s hard to believe that you’re listening to a man.

Thanks to this author for her generous gift of a complimentary audiobook.

[Bobbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun John Pickett Mystery where Bow Street Runner John Pickett is contacted by Lady Fieldhurst to assist with a possible murder in Yorkshire where she is visiting. He, being enamored of the beautiful widowed viscountess, is more than happy to assist. The relationship between this couple is one of the main draws of this entertaining series which I am anxious to continue.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone rearranged my John Pickett Mysteries, and I read #2 before reading In Milady’s Chamber, #1. Oh, well, I enjoyed Sheri Cobb South’s A Dead Bore (John Pickett Mysteries, #2). (Believe me, I am going to read #1 yesterday!) Lady Fieldhurst feels the need to absent herself from London because of the scandal of the murder of her husband. Thus, she accepts an invitation to visit Sir Gerald and Lady Hollingshead at their estate in Yorkshire. She hopes that is far enough away from London and all the gossip. ( What gossip I shall uncover when I read #1!) Unfortunately, death appears to be following Lady Fieldhurst as the vicar, a guest at the Hollingheads’ dinner party the previous evening, is found dead in the burnt wreckage of the vicarage. Suspecting ‘foul play’ Ladt Fieldhurst pens a message to Bow Street Runner John Pickett in London for assistance as long as he keeps his profession ‘a secret’. With a quick lesson on how to be a footman, John arrives in Yorkshire (not a small feat) with the Fieldhurst livery to lend Lady Fieldhurst a ‘legal’ hand. He just hopes that he can keep his mind (and hands) on discovering the vicar’s fate even though Lady Fieldhurst is very close by! 4.25 stars

[J.J. Rusz · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s maybe a little more romance than mystery in “A Dead Bore,” the second in Sheri Cobb South’s mystery series set in England’s Regency period. A country vicar writing an unbearably dull book is murdered. Justifiable homicide? Perhaps.

But Lady Fieldhurst wants to know who killed the harmless old man and why, and young Bow Street Runner John Pickett is happy to oblige her. A rural setting affords the two young people ample opportunities for their cautious courtship, but not at the expense of a good story full of plausible suspects. The prose and dialogue are delightful too—period correct, restrained, and yet full of wit. An inventive tale for a rainy afternoon.

[Heatherinblack · Rating 4 out of 5]

right place/right time

i am not sure it was super detective work that solved this case. methodical and dogged. good mystery though. looks like it should be called pickett and feldhurst though...

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. A solid mystery. I love the slow build romance between John Pickett and Lady Feildhurst; their banter is fun. It is also fun to see John trying to be a footman. It is a lot harder than it looks.

[CAITLIN · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - I don’t think I’ll reread it, but I enjoyed it very much!!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it! Will read the next and so on. I'm thee for the mystery but I also want to see what happens with Lady YouKnowWho and John. ;-)

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Julia Fieldhurst a delta the invitation by Lady Anne Hollingshead to a house party in Yorkshire. But soon a death disrupts the party.
Lady Julia calls on runner John Pickett for help.
An enjoyable historical mystery

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Fieldhurst is supposed to be mourning her late husband, but all she feels is bored and confined by the lack of Society in London. Her best friend encourages her to remove to Brighton with everyone else, but Julia wishes to go where no one has heard of her scandal. She accepts an invitation to a house party in Yorkshire, but quickly comes to regret her decision. She's been invited not for her company, but to convince the daughter of the house that a London Season is a grand and exciting affair. Julia does not look fondly on her Season or her marriage and refuses to encourage Emma. The other house guests include the local Justice of the Peace Lord Kendall and his family; Mr. Carrington, a nabob; the younger Hollingshead children and a boring clergyman, Mr. Danvers. Mr. Danvers is engaged is writing a history of the village and will bore any listeners with his stories. A rainstorm brings the departed guests back, but Mr. Danvers is nowhere to be found. His charred remains are found among the burned vicarage, a sad tragedy. Julia suspects it was more than lightning that burned the vicarage. She sends for John Pickett to investigate. John can not resist Julia and is eager to help. Can he catch a killer again?

This is another light mystery/light romantic story. It doesn't spoil events of the first book so you can skip that one if you wish. The plot is more engaging than the first book. I could not put the book down until I found out the truth. I never guessed how it would end. I was really surprised even at the moment of truth. I suspected something else entirely though I was right about one secret that comes to light. John and Julia's romance really begins in this story. They tease each other, share secrets and suppositions, and keep each other company. I really like watching the budding romance unfurl. It's all so very sweet! My only complaint is that the story is a bit too long. There are too many characters and it was hard to keep them all straight and remember who was where when.

John is a very nice young man. He's so sweet and innocent. I love his interactions with women. He must be the most innocent man in London! He's such a kind friend to Julia when she needs one most and she relies on him now. She is also very kind and thoughtful and despite her curiosity, she always lets John do the investigating.

New characters include the Hollinghursts. Sir Gerald is an amiable, likable man. He has simple needs and is a loving family man and good landlord. Everyone loves him and it's not hard to see why. His wife, on the other hand, is as aristocratic as they come. Lady Anne, the daughter of an Earl, is not very kind at all. Given her history, she should have been more sympathetic but all she cares about is status. Their eldest daughter Emma is of firm mind. She appears to be an intelligent young lady and knows her own mind. Her younger sister Susannah, is very young and silly. She provides the comic relief and some very sweet moments with John. The Hollinghust heir, Philip, is a dissipated youth who feels he is bullied by his father. We don't get to know him very well, only his actions.

The clergyman, Mr. Danvers and Mr. Merriweather are not fleshed out too much. They both seem nice and Merriweather is intelligent and firm in his principles. However, he doesn't confide in his true love and he suspects her of something horrible which I don't think he should if he truly loves her. (She also suspects him). Perhaps the young lovers would not be so interested in each other if her parents agreed to let them marry. Mr. Danvers may seem boring but he has a good heart and is a clergyman because he has a calling. He appears to do good works and wants to see justice done.

The Hollinghurst servants pretty much round out the cast of characters. They're fairly stereotypical, especially the maid. I don't really get why the housekeeper was so hard on John.

Content: A prostitute friend of John's who tries to proposition him; one maid who tries to seduce John; one kiss.

[Opal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Sheri Cobb's older books and with the Jack Pickett Mysteries - she has hit jackpot. The first book in this series - In Mi Ladys Chamber was good. It set up young but dedicated ( and in 'love') Bow Street runner John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst. It retains all elements of a clean historical while having a brisk mystery running.

Lady Fieldhurst is invited to a house party in wilds of Yorkshire and decides to accept. She expects a dull time, but ends up in the midst of a family drama, with star-crossed lovers and an unexpected murder. The lady remembers the dedicated Bow Street Runner who helped her clear her name ( previous book) and invites him over to solve this mystery. Jack Pickett arrives incognito and proceeds to poke and pry till the murderer is revealed. It is a pretty good story and the clues are sprinkled beautifully through the narrative. The author has done a masterful job at setting up the mystery. Dialogues are fun too.

The historical setting is good though some small niggles... Like a uneducated lady of the night knowing the meaning of the word 'incognito' and some loose ends like - did John get paid by Lady Fieldhurst after solving the mystery? He is promised a hat that he means to give his housekeeper. How did he manage to carry the hatbox back by stagecoach? How did Lady Fairhurst's letter get posted and reach London so quickly when the bridge leading out from the house was down? But these are really small niggles...

Really enjoyed reading this book and am looking out straight away for the next in this series. Recommended 100% for any lover of Georgette Heyer, and mystery stories.

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I hadn't read a mystery in a while; and I had *really* not read a mystery in a while where I wasn't able to figure the answer(s) out before the hero did! I was racking my brain the whole time trying to remember something- ANYthing - determined to figure it out first! But, I was no match for the minds of Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst! I enjoyed the parts where they worked together- their wit and banter was fun to read. "A Dead Bore" had a very satisfactory ending!

I did feel somewhat as if I had been dropped into the middle of something, with all the references to book 1- but that was my fault, for not reading book 1 first. ;) I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

The story had a quick and lighthearted feel and the plot never dragged or got depressing (despite the death of the vicar).

I will still always be partial to "The Weaver Takes a Wife" when it comes to Sheri's work- but having another series still to read with the same clever style and Georgette Heyer feel as ever made it still just as charming and delightfully regenc"y". :D

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, widowed young Lady Fieldhurst expects to be bored when she agrees to visit a Yorkshire estate, but the local vicar dies in a mysterious fire the first night she is there, and she sends for the Bow Street Runner who saved her life, John Pickett, to investigate. Undercover as her footman, Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst try to deny the socially-unacceptable attraction that has sprung up between them, as Pickett also tries to uncover a murderer.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book.. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is the second book in the John Pickett Mysteries [if you don't count Pickpocket's Apprentice - a novella which provides the backstory of John Pickett and how he became a Bow Street Runner]. It is a standalone story and it is not necessary to read the prior books in this series to enjoy this one. Having said that [or written it], part of the enjoyment of these books is the character development which evolves with each new book in the series and understanding the prior interactions of these characters to place in context the current progression of their relationship. I would highly recommend starting this series from the very beginning.

Here, Lady Fieldhurst and John have not had any interactions in the many months since the first book [In Milady's Chamber] ended. Lady Fieldhurst wants/needs to get out of town to get away from the gossip of her husband's murder and decides to accept an invitation to visit some acquaintances in Yorkshire. However, soon, tragedy strikes and a fire at the residence results in the death of Mr. Danvers, one of the guest. Lady Fieldhurst suspecting all is not what it seems contacts John to investigate. John then arrives incognito, pretending to be Lady Fieldhurst's footman so that he can discretely investigate.

As always, this is a very well written historical mystery/romance. The mystery itself was well done - I don't want to give anything away. The interactions between John and Lady Fieldhurst as they were investigating - both together and separately - were a lot of fun. I really like that Lady Fieldhurst is an intelligent woman, who has opinions and ideas. On top of that, poor John has to investigate the case while trying not to offend the staff at Yorkshire; fight off unwanted amorous advances; disguise his identity as an investigator; conceal that he is pining for Lady Fieldhurst; and pretend to be a footman. I really enjoy spending time with these characters and look forward to the next book in the series.

As I listened to this book -- the narrator, Joel Froomkin, is a great fit for this series and I have become a fan of his.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to consolidate (repeat myself) reviews of this series, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 4.5 and 5 because I had to get through all of those to resolve the romantic story begun in the the first book. I supposed most women like a touch of romance and these have it, albeit full of angst that is drawn out over a time period of about 10 months. I got impatient with the progress of the romance taking so long. I would characterize these stories as Romance with only a touch of Mystery rather than the other way around. At least there were mysteries to be solved by the Bow Street Runner, John Pickett and he was good enough to figure it out. I figured them out pretty easily myself.

I very much liked John Pickett. In my mind I pictured Colin Firth (as seen in Pride and Prejudice, except with longer hair). I could not quite get a visual image of the Lady Fieldhurst in my mind. I felt a little jolted every time it referred to her as a golden-haired blonde, so I suppose I thought she ought to be a dark-haired beauty.

The audiobook narrator, Joel Froomkin was pretty amazing. You'd swear it was another reader doing the female voices, as they sounded so naturally female. I did have a little problem, as a listener, with the heavy Scottish accents he used in Book 3, Family Plot, but felt that he probably did those fairly true to dialect and my ear was just not tuned in for the accents. (I was a bit curious to know if the print version had the dialect written out or if Mr. Froomkin just knew how to do them.)

There is a Book 6, but I might be satisfied to imagine that the romantic couple will live happily every after.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"No use in pining for what might have been"
Still caught in the morning period following the murder of her husband, Lady Julia Fieldhurst accepts an invitation to stay with the Hollingheads outside of London and well away from her overbearing in-laws. But the disharmony felt in that household was exacerbated by the discovery of a body locally and Julia requests help from Now Street to assist in the solving of the crime.

Continuing the beginnings of the relationship of Bow Street Runner Pckett and the Vicountess, Lady Julia Fieldhurst, with it's near impossible distance between classes, this proved to be another delightful and well written murder mystery who-dun-it? with the additional pleasures of watching a juggling of niceties of a bygone era.
Nicely narrated by Joel Froomkin, his reading is well paced and modulated, and suitably English accented, everything delivered with the lightest of touches, emphasising the comedic content but never simply playing it for laughs. His different character voices are limitted, but very good, and used to treat effect.

Although it is the interplay between the characters and their circumstances which dominates, the investigation of the death and the imposed restrictions of the period is also fun for crime solving sleuths. I was very fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy, at my request, from the rights holder via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. This pleasurable murder mystery combines the niceties of the past with the easy reading of present day, and, as such, is recommended to all.

[Lidia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:

An excellent series:)
It's yet another book in the series that kept me listening from beginning to end without stopping:) And it doesn't matter which book you start with and if you listen to them in order - each one is a great mystery with wonderfully written characters and quite a lot of humour:)

'A Dead Bore' is the second installment in the series, and the relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst is in its early stage but their mutual fascination is masterfully shown through their conversations and interactions. But the romance part, important and well done as it is, takes the second place, the mystery being the focal point of the book, of course:) And it's a greatly done mystery, with quite a few good suspects, quite a few misleading findings and discoveries, and background characters who make you plunge into the story head on:) The events are fast, motifs varied and plausible, suspects colourful and acting... well, suspicious:) It's a book you won't be able to put down before you get to the end:)

As for the narration, the series couldn't have a better narrator.... Mr Froomkin is great at interpreting the various characters, giving each a distinct personality, and his reading does bring the story to life, adding liveliness and energy to the already great plot:)

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine followup to the first Pickett book In Milady's Chamber. The book is split between recently widowed Lady Fieldhurst (in the first book) and the detective John Pickett who works for the Bow Street Magistrate's office (a :Bow Street Runner") after Sir John Fielding's death. A Regency period book, it is small parts romance, large parts manor house interior politics, and some detective work.

Pickett goes undercover in this book investigating a death, and becomes entangled with local characters in a country manor. The book reads well, moving along smartly with many interesting characters, particularly Suzanne. Its tough to get a feel for ages, because Pickett is in his mid-20s but treated as young, and behavior of the children is somewhat inconsistent but generally entertaining.

Like the previous book, the mystery was not particularly challenging, I had the culprit nailed down about half way through but not why (because -- bad faith detective writing -- key clues are kept from the reader until the big reveal).

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two of my favorite authors are Sheri Cobb South and Claudia Stone. They approach the Regency Period with humor and lightheartedness. Lady Fieldhurst is weary of London and accepts an offer to come to Yorkshire for a restful few weeks. Not long after, the hosts had a dinner party with many local citizens, including the Vicar Danvers. He spoke at length about what he was learning; most guests were bored before long. The meal ended, and people started to leave. The vicar, who lived a short distance away, walked home.  A sudden downpour inundated the area. 

As guests returned in their carriages because the bridge was out, people scrambled to help them find suitable beds for the night. The next morning, Mr. Danvers was found dead, and the vicarage burned. Lady Fieldhurst notified John Pickett of Bow Street Runners to come quickly, but not as a Bow Street Runner. The rest of the story is the pair ferreting out information to find the culprit.

This satisfying novel reunites the main characters, John Pickett and Lady Julia Fieldhurst. They are a well-matched pair with interesting dialogue and a fast-moving plot. This series should be read in order.

John Pickett Total of 10
0.5. Pickpocket's Apprentice (2015)
1. In Milady's Chamber (2006)
** 2. A Dead Bore (2008)

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying this Regency-era mystery series featuring John Pickett, thief-turned-Bow Street Runner immensely! Lady Fieldhurst again makes an appearance and the sexual tension between the two is even more apparent.

Lady F is a guest at a country house party in Yorkshire when the local vicarage burns, with the vicar inside. The vicar, Mr. Danvers, had been a dinner guest that same evening and had seemed troubled. After dinner he had asked to speak privately with Sir Gerald Hollingshead, Lady F’s host. After the tragedy, Lady F was concerned that the death and fire wasn’t wholly accidental, so she wrote to John Pickett and asked him to come investigate, incognito.

Pickett obtained permission from his magistrate, Mr. Colquhoun, if not his blessing, as Mr. Colquhoun is concerned about his protégé’s crush on Lady Fieldhurst. Pickett decides to masquerade as Lady F’s footman. This sets up some scenes between them that are both humorous and intimate. Of course, Pickett discovers the murderer and I liked the way Ms. Cobb handled the denouement.

Can’t wait to read the next adventure with John Pickett (and hopefully Lady F).

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 bk 301. A dead bore is about the murder of, well, a dead bore. The local minister is obsessed with writing an accurate history of his small village and the families that live therein. Lady Fairleigh had journeyed to Yorkshire to visit a friend and to remove herself from the gossips and in-laws of London. The first evenings dinner party becomes tedious as the minister describes his writings, but the night does not remain that way. With the river rising, the party breaks up early to home, the minister across a field to his home. Within a few hours the cry is raised that the vicarage is on fire. A body is found when the fire is put out, and Lady Fairleigh is suspicious. A letter is quickly written, asking John Pickett of Bow Street to carry out a private commission for her and the action of the book begins. Manipulating Mama's, star crossed lovers, and Indian Nabob, and a love struck teenager are just some of the characters that serve as red herrings in this well written mystery. It would only have been better if we had rain while I read it, but alas, we are in what is considered to be a small drought. ..

[Reader (Show me, don't tell me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Pickett is really in love this time. . . God love him; he's forgotten the first time it seems.

Regardless of females tossing themselves at him, he's saving himself for the 'love of his life' -she doesn't know that -yet. In the meantime they don't even see each other that often, months at a time. Yet John, the 'lowly' Bow Street policeman, is staunchly loyal in his love for a woman way above his class and pay grade.

When they do come together it's mostly always because there's a case to be solved and somehow fate / providence would have it that Julia, his love, is in the thick of it. This time around, together they solved the murder of a parson and unite a father with a son lost to him for almost 20 years. How about that?

Really wonderful and fun story. A historical written as a historical. No 2oth, 21st centuries catch phrases, misnaming of people's titles etc. etc.

It was the picture on Pickpocket's Apprentice that propelled me to read that book (which is how I came to read most of the books I've read) and I'm glad I read it. Now I'm onto book 3 in the series.

[Paula Dyches · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a Bore At All

I really enjoy this series a lot. I have read the a bit out of order but this author does a really fantastic job of giving enough information that you are not lost, but not so much that you are rehashing everything. John Pickett is really an entertaining character and watching the innocent almost-romance slowly build between him and the Viscount Fieldhurst is just a lot of fun. I personally love that these books are more about the mystery with a side of romance. The narration is perfect for this series, he does an amazing job with all the voices, you can easily tell which character which and the acting is top notch. This is a fairly clean book, free of bad language and bedroom scenes and I in my opinion appropriate enough for upper middle school age to adult. The only caution I could give is due to Mr. Pickett's working as a Bow street runner he does come in contact with characters that are prostitutes but nothing scandalous happens. —I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Fieldhurst's husband was murdered--but not by her although it seemed all the clues led one to beleive that. Bow Street Runner John Pickett managed to prove her innocence-if you haven't read book 1 in this series-the above will be more clear if you do!

Lady Fieldhurst was invited to spend the summer in rural Yorkshire--she traded in her black widow weeds for gray and accepted. Things are not always what they seem or how you would wish them to be. Then after a dinner party the vicar was found dead. Lady Fieldhurst suspected foul play and wrote to John Pickett to come and help investigate. He came and pretended to be the footman of Lady Fieldhurst. It was definitely not easy and there are some parts that will make you smile.

The culprit is finally uncovered-John does something you will not suspect of a Bow Street Runner--

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone ASSumed that the fire was caused by the storm and the victim was caught in it. Everyone except the bored visitor, Lady Fieldhurst. She was sure that she had heard a gunshot, so she called for the Runner who investigated her (unlamented) husband's death and saved her from the noose, John Pickett. Attired in livery borrowed from the Lady's household and given a brief tutorial by her footman, John arrived to investigate and get caught up in the whole drama. It is a very British mystery with sly humor. Joel Froomkin is so very talented with the way that he is able to differentiate the characters and he did a great job with the accents.
I won the audio in a giveaway. Yay me!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living this series

Interesting mystery with Lady Julia and John Pickett. There is a developing relationship between the two characters. I like how Julia is realizing her interactions and discussions with John are something she values. The mystery was clever enough to be interesting. I have this series as one of my favorite cozy series. I like the by play between the main characters while bouncing investigative ideas off one another. I hope the series continues with similar interactions. In this book there were not repeat characters from the first one since it takes place entirely outside of London.

[Suzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how I missed this book in reading the series but I did. I am so glad I was able to receive a gift from the author for this audiobook. I LOVE this series and the icing on the cake is the narration by Joel Fromkin he is wonderful and makes the book even more enjoyable. In this book, Julia and John are still really just getting to know each other and the very start of their relationship. It was so fun to listen to them knowing what is to come :-) If you have not tried this series yet you really should.

[Roxane Twisdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

I'm not gonna write a big review. I can say that Mrs South is an excellent writer
You will call in love with her characters. I always think I have figured out the murderer and I'm always wrong. Lol
Great series. Just buy the first book and I promise you will buy the rest. Love me some John Pickett. Wish men were like him today

[Ellie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful tale. A smitten John can't help but answer Julia's call for assistance following a suspicious death at a country house party. I enjoyed how both were out of their natural setting and not only a great team at resolving the mystery, but could grow closer as a result. Thoroughly enjoyable with a terrific Regency setting.