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A Lethal Engagement
An airship bound for London is thrown off course by a murder on the first night of its transatlantic voyage in this locked-room historical mystery debut, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Katharine Schellman.
1890. American heiress, Cora Beaumont is celebrating her engagement to Terrance Tristan, the second son of a duke. Their union will solidify Cora's place in British society and put her in a rare position of power, but as they embark on the Lady Air’s maiden voyage to England, Cora soon finds that not everyone in society is accepting of her recent engagement, and tensions fly as high as the airship. When a body is discovered the first night on the ship, with a calling card for Cora on the victim, she’s determined to find the killer hidden among the passengers before they come for her next.
As Cora tries to solve the murder without attracting unsavory attention, her fiancé’s wandering eye may cause even more problems for her position in society. Gossip travels fast aboard the airship and bad news could sink the Lady Air, as well as Cora's own social status, before they reach their final destination. When more bodies are discovered, Cora teams up with her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicholas, as they scour the ship for clues. If she fails, it won’t only be her reputation visiting the undertaker.
No one is who they seem in this Gilded Age locked room historical mystery, perfect for fans of And Then There Were None and Alyssa Maxwell.
1890. American heiress, Cora Beaumont is celebrating her engagement to Terrance Tristan, the second son of a duke. Their union will solidify Cora's place in British society and put her in a rare position of power, but as they embark on the Lady Air’s maiden voyage to England, Cora soon finds that not everyone in society is accepting of her recent engagement, and tensions fly as high as the airship. When a body is discovered the first night on the ship, with a calling card for Cora on the victim, she’s determined to find the killer hidden among the passengers before they come for her next.
As Cora tries to solve the murder without attracting unsavory attention, her fiancé’s wandering eye may cause even more problems for her position in society. Gossip travels fast aboard the airship and bad news could sink the Lady Air, as well as Cora's own social status, before they reach their final destination. When more bodies are discovered, Cora teams up with her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicholas, as they scour the ship for clues. If she fails, it won’t only be her reputation visiting the undertaker.
No one is who they seem in this Gilded Age locked room historical mystery, perfect for fans of And Then There Were None and Alyssa Maxwell.
336 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 2025
25 people are currently reading
4938 people want to read
About the author
April J. Skelly
1 book32 followersApril J. Skelly (also writing as AJ Skelly) is an author, reader, and lover of all things fantasy, historical, and fairy-tale-romance. And werewolves. She has a serious soft spot for them. As an avid life-long reader and a former high school English teacher, she's always been fascinated with the written word. She lives with her husband, children, and many imaginary friends who often find their way into her stories. They all drink copious amounts of tea together and stay up reading far later than they should.
You can read more of her short stories at www.ajskelly.com.
You can read more of her short stories at www.ajskelly.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
December 19, 2024
From my endorsement:
A Lethal Engagement is a compulsively readable historical mystery. April J. Skelly’s writing is fast-paced and fun, without ever losing its Victorian sparkle. A wonderful read!
A Lethal Engagement is a compulsively readable historical mystery. April J. Skelly’s writing is fast-paced and fun, without ever losing its Victorian sparkle. A wonderful read!
November 14, 2025
This author started a publishing company that demeans romance novels with open-door bedroom scenes. I’m disappointed that an fledging imprint would put down the work of others. I won’t be continuing this series in light of their social media posts.
What an interesting start to a new series!
Cora is an American woman who is engaged to the second son of an aristocratic English family. In addition to her dowry, her late father gave her an inheritance, which includes the family airship company, that she'll retain control of if she marries. If she doesn't marry, a loathsome half-brother gets control. As she takes off on the maiden voyage of her family's airship, bound for Southampton, she's relived that a life with more freedom is ahead of her.
Things start to go wrong, though. Her fiancé has suddenly lost interest in her. She hears that accommodations on the ship might not be up to par. Then a woman is murdered in third class and the captain treats her fiancé's older brother as the one in charge instead of her.
She's determined to investigate the murder before they arrive in England. Her fiancé's brother steps in to help her, as his brother has become unreliable.
The pace is fast and the writing kept me interested. I couldn't help but google airships to see what they looked like inside. I hope this is the first of many in the series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book in advance. This is my honest review.
What an interesting start to a new series!
Cora is an American woman who is engaged to the second son of an aristocratic English family. In addition to her dowry, her late father gave her an inheritance, which includes the family airship company, that she'll retain control of if she marries. If she doesn't marry, a loathsome half-brother gets control. As she takes off on the maiden voyage of her family's airship, bound for Southampton, she's relived that a life with more freedom is ahead of her.
Things start to go wrong, though. Her fiancé has suddenly lost interest in her. She hears that accommodations on the ship might not be up to par. Then a woman is murdered in third class and the captain treats her fiancé's older brother as the one in charge instead of her.
She's determined to investigate the murder before they arrive in England. Her fiancé's brother steps in to help her, as his brother has become unreliable.
The pace is fast and the writing kept me interested. I couldn't help but google airships to see what they looked like inside. I hope this is the first of many in the series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book in advance. This is my honest review.
June 27, 2025
A fun and fast-paced murder mystery! Everyone is a suspect and was excited to find out who the true culprit was!
December 28, 2025
4.5 stars
Oh this was such a fun locked ‘room’ (or airship, in this case) Gilded Age/Victorian mystery with a super yummy romance too! I would have enjoyed it based on the cleverly-plotted mystery alone, but all that delicious romantic tension made it even better, especially for this diehard KissingBooks fan. Ahhhhh I’m still swooning!! (And I’m REALLY hoping this story will be the first in a series because I need to revisit this couple and their fabulous chemistry.)
One of the things that sets A Lethal Engagement apart from other historical and/or locked room mysteries is the fact that it takes place on an airship going from America to England. This added a different sort of tension to the story as well as a fun ‘steampunk’ feel, and I found the whole atmosphere completely fascinating (macabre murders notwithstanding). From the division of accommodations by classes (like an ocean liner would have had) to the extravagant opulence for the upper echelon that the Gilded Age is known for (a garden on an airship!!), Skelly brings this airship of victims, suspects, sleuths, and everyone from the elite to the servants vividly to life. To be honest, I don’t know that I would be brave enough to fly across the ocean in an airship back then… or now either for that matter. Heck, I don’t even fly in airplanes. But certainly not when that technology was so new. So all of the characters on that ship started out with a tally in the ‘respect’ category from me… and then several of them quickly lost that distinction as I got to know them better lol. (But they were supposed to.)
Two characters I absolutely loved were our amateur sleuths – and story narrators – American heiress Cora Beaumont and her soon-to-be-brother-in-law (and duke’s heir) Lord Nicholas Tristan. Cora is so much more than than a wealthy heiress; she’s intelligent, quick-witted, and courageous. Nicholas is the kind of guy you imagine would make you feel safe but he also has this magnetic appeal that makes him – much to his dismay – the target of all marriageable females on board. Considering that Cora is engaged to Nicholas’ younger brother Terrance, this murder-solving-partnership may seem unlikely at first blush but oh what a delight it turned out to be! Their personalities are actually very well-matched, despite their differences, and they make a very good team of detectives in a pinch.
Bottom Line: Nothing is exactly as it seems in A Lethal Engagement by April J. Skelly, a delightfully entertaining historical mystery that takes the locked room trope to a whole new level. As in, the friendly (or not so friendly) skies on a voyage across the ocean that gives off fun steampunk vibes and seamlessly highlights many fascinating social dynamics of the Gilded Age. I loved that the story switches between the first person perspectives of our two sleuths Cora and Nicholas, and I loved how Skelly uses these POVs to sketch out their personalities with engaging detail. (Also because Nicholas is super dashing in every way and it was quite swoony to tag along with him.) And wow!!! Talk about some killer twists in this story! The author totally caught me off guard at least twice, which is not easy to do, and she’s made a forever fan out of me for that … and for the swoonilicious, breath-stealing romance! PLEASE let there be more to come with these characters! I need to know what happens next and what other intriguing mysteries Nicholas and Cora might team up to solve!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
Oh this was such a fun locked ‘room’ (or airship, in this case) Gilded Age/Victorian mystery with a super yummy romance too! I would have enjoyed it based on the cleverly-plotted mystery alone, but all that delicious romantic tension made it even better, especially for this diehard KissingBooks fan. Ahhhhh I’m still swooning!! (And I’m REALLY hoping this story will be the first in a series because I need to revisit this couple and their fabulous chemistry.)
One of the things that sets A Lethal Engagement apart from other historical and/or locked room mysteries is the fact that it takes place on an airship going from America to England. This added a different sort of tension to the story as well as a fun ‘steampunk’ feel, and I found the whole atmosphere completely fascinating (macabre murders notwithstanding). From the division of accommodations by classes (like an ocean liner would have had) to the extravagant opulence for the upper echelon that the Gilded Age is known for (a garden on an airship!!), Skelly brings this airship of victims, suspects, sleuths, and everyone from the elite to the servants vividly to life. To be honest, I don’t know that I would be brave enough to fly across the ocean in an airship back then… or now either for that matter. Heck, I don’t even fly in airplanes. But certainly not when that technology was so new. So all of the characters on that ship started out with a tally in the ‘respect’ category from me… and then several of them quickly lost that distinction as I got to know them better lol. (But they were supposed to.)
Two characters I absolutely loved were our amateur sleuths – and story narrators – American heiress Cora Beaumont and her soon-to-be-brother-in-law (and duke’s heir) Lord Nicholas Tristan. Cora is so much more than than a wealthy heiress; she’s intelligent, quick-witted, and courageous. Nicholas is the kind of guy you imagine would make you feel safe but he also has this magnetic appeal that makes him – much to his dismay – the target of all marriageable females on board. Considering that Cora is engaged to Nicholas’ younger brother Terrance, this murder-solving-partnership may seem unlikely at first blush but oh what a delight it turned out to be! Their personalities are actually very well-matched, despite their differences, and they make a very good team of detectives in a pinch.
Bottom Line: Nothing is exactly as it seems in A Lethal Engagement by April J. Skelly, a delightfully entertaining historical mystery that takes the locked room trope to a whole new level. As in, the friendly (or not so friendly) skies on a voyage across the ocean that gives off fun steampunk vibes and seamlessly highlights many fascinating social dynamics of the Gilded Age. I loved that the story switches between the first person perspectives of our two sleuths Cora and Nicholas, and I loved how Skelly uses these POVs to sketch out their personalities with engaging detail. (Also because Nicholas is super dashing in every way and it was quite swoony to tag along with him.) And wow!!! Talk about some killer twists in this story! The author totally caught me off guard at least twice, which is not easy to do, and she’s made a forever fan out of me for that … and for the swoonilicious, breath-stealing romance! PLEASE let there be more to come with these characters! I need to know what happens next and what other intriguing mysteries Nicholas and Cora might team up to solve!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
March 1, 2025
Lethal Engagement is an incredibly fun romp through a Victorian airship with loads of swoony romance and a mystery that will pull you through it's pages. I love Skelly's witty banter and the humor infused into this story (especially from Phee). I also adored the romance between Nicholas and Cora. Their sweet moments, their getting to know each other through the investigation, his supporting her in a society that doesn't support women--it was so very sweet. And that ending was so cute with the two of them! I'm very much hoping for more books in this series so we can see where Cora and Nicholas go next!
May 12, 2025
A Lethal Engagement by April J. Skelly features Cora Beaumont sailing with her intended, Terrance Tristan, as well as his brother Nicholas and their cousin Ophelia “Phee” Davenport upon the airship that is her inheritance, the Lady Air. It’s obviously a steampunk type novel in that respect, set in the late Victorian era, and it is a dual murder mystery/romance. A woman turns up dead, slashed up with the letter C carved into her torso, and both Nicholas and Cora saw her before her death. Nicholas spotted her when she was railing against a crew member, trying to spread her suffragist leanings, and Cora spied her DIRECTLY at her death, either just before, just during, or after. Cora and Nicholas team up to solve the murder to keep Cora’s reputation intact.
I think this book is more of a romance novel than a mystery, but it isn’t spicy and, given the very short time allotted to it (the span of a voyage across the sea by air), the romance develops quickly. The mystery isn’t solved by either of them; the murderer does a spiel on why they did it and then promptly tries to continue killing. It’s so irksome because they focused on ONE PERSON almost the entirety of the book (86% in we get a new suspect). There weren’t really any other suspects until the very end EVEN THOUGH Cora originally saw the woman on a small man’s lap and then she turned up dead immediately. That would be MY first suspect. The person they went after didn’t even fit the profile or limited clues they had at all except he may have been roaming the airship at the time of the murder. It prejudiced Cora and Nicholas to him and they spent all their time—to borrow a thought from Sherlock Holmes—twisting facts to suit theories rather than theories to suit facts. It’s just hypocritical, too, that they’re all in on trying to find fault with the man while running around together and getting closer—unchaperoned—all in the name of solving a murder!
I’m not sure if the author intends for there to be more books in this vein, but I would be willing to try a second one. I love a supportive man in fiction.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book is more of a romance novel than a mystery, but it isn’t spicy and, given the very short time allotted to it (the span of a voyage across the sea by air), the romance develops quickly. The mystery isn’t solved by either of them; the murderer does a spiel on why they did it and then promptly tries to continue killing. It’s so irksome because they focused on ONE PERSON almost the entirety of the book (86% in we get a new suspect). There weren’t really any other suspects until the very end EVEN THOUGH Cora originally saw the woman on a small man’s lap and then she turned up dead immediately. That would be MY first suspect. The person they went after didn’t even fit the profile or limited clues they had at all except he may have been roaming the airship at the time of the murder. It prejudiced Cora and Nicholas to him and they spent all their time—to borrow a thought from Sherlock Holmes—twisting facts to suit theories rather than theories to suit facts. It’s just hypocritical, too, that they’re all in on trying to find fault with the man while running around together and getting closer—unchaperoned—all in the name of solving a murder!
I’m not sure if the author intends for there to be more books in this vein, but I would be willing to try a second one. I love a supportive man in fiction.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2025
Meh. This was okay. I finished it and I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't anything special.
I liked the murder mystery and it's investigation fine, but the relationship drama between the main character and the fiancé and the fiancé's brother got on my nerves by the end. It was pretty obvious the engagement with the childhood friend wasn't going to be a good idea very early on in the story and the roll out of the alternate situation (all I'll say to avoid spoilers) took way too long to get the characters to where the reader knows things are going by about page 45 so the "hints" and "suggestions" got really tiring, really early.
This was fine, but it was nothing special or unique in the cozy/romance genre. I won't read on in this series.
I liked the murder mystery and it's investigation fine, but the relationship drama between the main character and the fiancé and the fiancé's brother got on my nerves by the end. It was pretty obvious the engagement with the childhood friend wasn't going to be a good idea very early on in the story and the roll out of the alternate situation (all I'll say to avoid spoilers) took way too long to get the characters to where the reader knows things are going by about page 45 so the "hints" and "suggestions" got really tiring, really early.
This was fine, but it was nothing special or unique in the cozy/romance genre. I won't read on in this series.
December 28, 2024
I had a lot of fun reading this.
As a debut novel, it was great and shows a lot of promise!
There were twists and turns and premise was definitely different than the usual.
The romance was fine but I definitely wanted more and no epilogue thus no HEA for sure, so maybe this is going to be a series?
There is some not time period appropriate language and some random phrases that kinda make you step out of the story a bit to consider them.
My biggest issue- without giving spoilers- is the murderer wasn’t any of my guesses or anyone that made sense. And then the way it is wrapped up was again confusing.
I feel like we needed 5 more chapters.
As a debut novel, it was great and shows a lot of promise!
There were twists and turns and premise was definitely different than the usual.
The romance was fine but I definitely wanted more and no epilogue thus no HEA for sure, so maybe this is going to be a series?
There is some not time period appropriate language and some random phrases that kinda make you step out of the story a bit to consider them.
My biggest issue- without giving spoilers- is the murderer wasn’t any of my guesses or anyone that made sense. And then the way it is wrapped up was again confusing.
I feel like we needed 5 more chapters.
April 3, 2025
In this alternate history mystery set in 1890, Cora Beaumont is on her way to England to take her place in British Society. She is traveling with her fiancé and her fiancé's older brother who are the sons of a Duke. The journey is the first step on her way to independence. Yes, the fiancé will get her dowry, but she will get and retain as her personal property the airship they are traveling on.
When the murder of a second-class passenger occurs, she definitely wants to keep it quiet so as not to damage the reputation of the Lady Air. Of course, since she was about checking on rumors of conditions in third-class when the murder happened, she has her own reputation to protect too.
The ship's captain's refusal to recognize her authority means that she will be teaming up with her fiancé's older brother as they investigate the murder. This close proximity to him and her fiancé's indifferent behavior toward her causes her to question her future since she seems to be falling in love with the wrong brother.
Cora needs to deal with a lot in this book. She needs to solve three murders, keep her reputation and that of her airship pristine, deal with snotty and snobby, upper-class females, and also figure out why her fiancé is indifferent to her while worrying about the thunderstorm that is dogging the airship and could cause it to crash.
This was an excellent and engaging historical mystery. Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this story.
When the murder of a second-class passenger occurs, she definitely wants to keep it quiet so as not to damage the reputation of the Lady Air. Of course, since she was about checking on rumors of conditions in third-class when the murder happened, she has her own reputation to protect too.
The ship's captain's refusal to recognize her authority means that she will be teaming up with her fiancé's older brother as they investigate the murder. This close proximity to him and her fiancé's indifferent behavior toward her causes her to question her future since she seems to be falling in love with the wrong brother.
Cora needs to deal with a lot in this book. She needs to solve three murders, keep her reputation and that of her airship pristine, deal with snotty and snobby, upper-class females, and also figure out why her fiancé is indifferent to her while worrying about the thunderstorm that is dogging the airship and could cause it to crash.
This was an excellent and engaging historical mystery. Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this story.
November 11, 2024
Overall I liked this book. It’s a bit of a cotton candy read. I think the romance was a bit overdone. It would have been better as a aecondary element and the MMC just accepting the FMC leading an investigation is not even remotely historically accurate. The choosing of some historical accuracy but not all bugs me. It just feels like a plot device and a cop out. Of course we root for the one man who is pro-women’s rights and easy on the eyes. But somehow, this rich heir to a dukedom, who has lived his whole life life up to the point (23 who years) where he is catered to and everything revolves around his needs , he is of course super progressive and emotionally intelligent and self reflective and kind and open minded. I’m not gonna lie and say I didn’t like him, I did! But I’m not buying it.
And the FMC was all over the place. She wants to protect her inheritance (makes sense) but everything else about her feels crazy. If she is ballasy enough to belay down the zephyr over the Atlantic then stay consistent, home girl is an adrenaline junky and not about to wait for a man. I would’ve liked that better.
And the FMC was all over the place. She wants to protect her inheritance (makes sense) but everything else about her feels crazy. If she is ballasy enough to belay down the zephyr over the Atlantic then stay consistent, home girl is an adrenaline junky and not about to wait for a man. I would’ve liked that better.
April 22, 2025
How often do you get a regency steampunk with a plunky American heiress wrapped up in a scandalous murder mystery with a tantalizing serving of romance? Written with April Skelly's beloved knack for swoon, quick-paced prose, and delightful world building, Lethal Engagement is guaranteed to delight.
I really felt like I was reading a one-of-a-kind story, which doesn't happen very often. I loved Cora, the female lead. She is such a fun character and totally 'boss' in the best way possible. The romantic plot line was clean but swoony and had me eagerly searching the pages for what would happen next. As for the murder mystery, it was clever and well done. I thoroughly appreciated the twists, turns, and red herrings along the way. Masterfully done.
I really felt like I was reading a one-of-a-kind story, which doesn't happen very often. I loved Cora, the female lead. She is such a fun character and totally 'boss' in the best way possible. The romantic plot line was clean but swoony and had me eagerly searching the pages for what would happen next. As for the murder mystery, it was clever and well done. I thoroughly appreciated the twists, turns, and red herrings along the way. Masterfully done.
April 20, 2025
I had a blast reading this historical mystery. I loved the time period, and I really enjoyed the setting of the airship. It gave the story a bit of a steampunk vibe, which I loved.
I liked that the story was told from both Cora and Nicholas’ points of view. While there were a few times in the middle of a chapter that I forgot who was narrating it, I figured it out again fairly quickly, so it didn't bother me too much.
I really liked Cora and Nicholas, but I think Ophelia was my favorite character. She had such a vibrant and fun personality. She certainly kept things lively!
The mystery was very intriguing. It definitely kept me guessing! I ended up being very surprised by the reveal.
I really enjoyed this book and hope there’s a sequel! I’d love to revisit these characters again. If you’re a fan of historical mysteries, grab a copy of this book. I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
I liked that the story was told from both Cora and Nicholas’ points of view. While there were a few times in the middle of a chapter that I forgot who was narrating it, I figured it out again fairly quickly, so it didn't bother me too much.
I really liked Cora and Nicholas, but I think Ophelia was my favorite character. She had such a vibrant and fun personality. She certainly kept things lively!
The mystery was very intriguing. It definitely kept me guessing! I ended up being very surprised by the reveal.
I really enjoyed this book and hope there’s a sequel! I’d love to revisit these characters again. If you’re a fan of historical mysteries, grab a copy of this book. I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
April 30, 2025
A deliciously engaging and romantic mystery that you won't be able to put down! Skelly paints a vivid picture with every word, with characters that are intriguing and unforgettable. This slow-burn romance will leave you reading late into the night. And with an ending you won't see coming! Highly recommended for those who love period romance and mystery!
March 1, 2025
Lots of high in the sky fun, flirtation, and murder.
June 1, 2025
Hooked from page one!! April Skelly pleaseee
continue this series 🙏🏼
continue this series 🙏🏼
Read
June 11, 2025DNF for now. Made it 35% in and still not interested. I plan to go back later when I’m in the mood for it.
August 28, 2025
I haven’t missed subtlety this much in years. This was like Edith Wharton on coke smoking cotton candy. But like in a bad way.
April 25, 2025
It's an intriguing mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing! I absolutely loved this book, and I can't wait for more historical mysteries from this author.
July 6, 2025
I should have read reviews before I borrowed this from Hoopla.
This book is a prime example that not just any author can write a strong mystery. The execution wasn't there for the adult Historical Mystery/Cozy Mystery market, imo. Some cozy mysteries are masterpieces, not gonna lie. Anyway....
This isn't a "locked room" mystery but rather a bunch of people stuck on an Airship in flight over the Atlantic while murders happen and then two people bumble around to solve said murder as more people die. The mystery isn't complex, which is good because very little critical thinking graces our two youngsters aka MC's, (no it's not YA but it sure feels like it), add in a murky motive and a tepid romance with no chemistry. Oh but... lots of "arousal while in dangerous situations" happening which drives me crazy. You are hiding from a murderer but you can't focus on that because a man with the countenance of milquetoast touches your hip? 🙄
There were some cool historical facts about airships, I know very little about them and I didn't look them up to verify, but I did enjoy that aspect. Unusual and unique setting for a mystery. The FMC, Cora, does do something in the first 25% that I almost dnf'd right there, it was so silly and unbelievable.
Cora could have been an alright FMC if she leaned more into her Indiana Jones persona (iykyk) than her Bridgerton. She wasn't dumb but its a hard sell to believe a young "Lady of Society" has the sleuthing skills to solve a murder. We get a touch of a backstory of her growing up on archeological digs with her father so I guess that was supposed to give her the hutzpah to take on a murder investigation even though her reputation/fitting into strict societal norms seemed to be her first priority... make it make sense. That conflict of personality, constantly hinted at, only made it more frustrating to read because it's never fun to watch someone live a truly inauthentic life.
Nicholas aka Milquetoast wasn't terrible either he was just "there" and didn't bring much but impeccable manners to the story. We even get his POV and it was bland and boring, adding no real depth to the story. He was a Duke, supposedly well traveled but seemed as worldly as a boy right out of the school room. All that page time could have been spent rounding out Cora's backstory and giving us a reason to care more about her character's future. One of them needed to skirt the line of propriety and/or bring some worldly experience to this story because it needed a guide.
So overall, I was alternatively bored and hoping the story would be better, yet there was just enough there to make me want to get the most out of my Hoopla borrow. When you are on a reading bender like I'm on in 2025 (disassociation much?) you run out of Hoopla borrows with a 1/3 of the month left and dang it, I was seeing this one through. So if you are looking for a light read with two main characters that were voted "Most Proper" that doesn't make you think too much or worry that you might miss a clue, you can find that here.
This book is a prime example that not just any author can write a strong mystery. The execution wasn't there for the adult Historical Mystery/Cozy Mystery market, imo. Some cozy mysteries are masterpieces, not gonna lie. Anyway....
This isn't a "locked room" mystery but rather a bunch of people stuck on an Airship in flight over the Atlantic while murders happen and then two people bumble around to solve said murder as more people die. The mystery isn't complex, which is good because very little critical thinking graces our two youngsters aka MC's, (no it's not YA but it sure feels like it), add in a murky motive and a tepid romance with no chemistry. Oh but... lots of "arousal while in dangerous situations" happening which drives me crazy. You are hiding from a murderer but you can't focus on that because a man with the countenance of milquetoast touches your hip? 🙄
There were some cool historical facts about airships, I know very little about them and I didn't look them up to verify, but I did enjoy that aspect. Unusual and unique setting for a mystery. The FMC, Cora, does do something in the first 25% that I almost dnf'd right there, it was so silly and unbelievable.
Cora could have been an alright FMC if she leaned more into her Indiana Jones persona (iykyk) than her Bridgerton. She wasn't dumb but its a hard sell to believe a young "Lady of Society" has the sleuthing skills to solve a murder. We get a touch of a backstory of her growing up on archeological digs with her father so I guess that was supposed to give her the hutzpah to take on a murder investigation even though her reputation/fitting into strict societal norms seemed to be her first priority... make it make sense. That conflict of personality, constantly hinted at, only made it more frustrating to read because it's never fun to watch someone live a truly inauthentic life.
Nicholas aka Milquetoast wasn't terrible either he was just "there" and didn't bring much but impeccable manners to the story. We even get his POV and it was bland and boring, adding no real depth to the story. He was a Duke, supposedly well traveled but seemed as worldly as a boy right out of the school room. All that page time could have been spent rounding out Cora's backstory and giving us a reason to care more about her character's future. One of them needed to skirt the line of propriety and/or bring some worldly experience to this story because it needed a guide.
So overall, I was alternatively bored and hoping the story would be better, yet there was just enough there to make me want to get the most out of my Hoopla borrow. When you are on a reading bender like I'm on in 2025 (disassociation much?) you run out of Hoopla borrows with a 1/3 of the month left and dang it, I was seeing this one through. So if you are looking for a light read with two main characters that were voted "Most Proper" that doesn't make you think too much or worry that you might miss a clue, you can find that here.
Read
December 24, 2024The premise sounded intriguing: gilded age, locked room mystery, transatlantic voyage — but ultimately left me feeling lukewarm. One reason I love historical fiction is because I love history, and books/movies often send me down a rabbit hole of historical research. I was confused at the beginning of this book because of the descriptions of a large airship, in 1890, with multiple decks and passengers and luxurious settings, including a hothouse. Even the Hindenburg many decades later at the actual height of transatlantic airship travel was considerably more spartan. So artistic license was taken, which certainly isn’t a deal breaker for most fiction, but fizzles for me with historical fiction. Almost like steampunk without the steam, and I’m just not a fan.
I digress. It happens often.
The mystery itself was a puzzling whodunnit with a mostly unsatisfying ending. Without giving spoilers, I felt like the choices made by the murderer didn’t add up, either with victims, methods, etc. The addition of a burgeoning romance between Cora and Nicholas, despite her engagement to his milksop of a brother, was ok but not stellar. The dialogue was a bit too ‘breathless’ for my taste, and it was irritating that despite how strong minded Cora was, she never spoke up to Terrance about his crummy treatment of her. I don’t mind alternating POV writing, but with this book the chapters are very short and the narration flips between Nicholas and Cora all the time and made it hard for me to keep track of whose perspective I was currently reading.
Last gripe: modern phrases like ‘that’s a wad of cash’ or ‘I pushed the thoughts away to unpack later’ were irritatingly out of place, especially the latter one. I’m tired of hearing people ‘unpack’ thoughts and emotions — it’s overused enough on social media, let alone cropping up in novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest, but in this case not very complimentary, thoughts.
I digress. It happens often.
The mystery itself was a puzzling whodunnit with a mostly unsatisfying ending. Without giving spoilers, I felt like the choices made by the murderer didn’t add up, either with victims, methods, etc. The addition of a burgeoning romance between Cora and Nicholas, despite her engagement to his milksop of a brother, was ok but not stellar. The dialogue was a bit too ‘breathless’ for my taste, and it was irritating that despite how strong minded Cora was, she never spoke up to Terrance about his crummy treatment of her. I don’t mind alternating POV writing, but with this book the chapters are very short and the narration flips between Nicholas and Cora all the time and made it hard for me to keep track of whose perspective I was currently reading.
Last gripe: modern phrases like ‘that’s a wad of cash’ or ‘I pushed the thoughts away to unpack later’ were irritatingly out of place, especially the latter one. I’m tired of hearing people ‘unpack’ thoughts and emotions — it’s overused enough on social media, let alone cropping up in novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest, but in this case not very complimentary, thoughts.
August 30, 2025
3.5 stars On her commerical airship’s maiden voyage, newly engaged heiress, Clara Beaumont, stumbles upon a brutally murdered woman. With her airship’s reputation and her financial freedom on the line she decides to investigate. But with her fiancè acting odd and a growing intimacy with his brother, nothing about her future feels guaranteed. One thing is for certain, whoever Clara was as she embarked on this journey will not be the same woman who descends from the clouds. Set early 20th century Gilded Age.
If you find this an interesting premise don’t let the awful cover dissuade you from reading. I enjoyed this one. My biggest critique is that the chapters are so short and each switches POV between Clara and Nicholas (the fiancé’s brother). This was just a jarring combo and at times made it difficult to immerse myself in the story. I could have done with less of the repeated thoughts from Clara and Nicholas about how every slight touch “curled her insides”, felt like “electricity” or “burned awareness”and sent “fire” through his “extremities.”
Also seriously did no one who approved this cover read the book? The suffragette ribbon on the upper right hand corner of the cover that read “Votes for Women” is mentioned several times in the text as being yellow.
For fans of period mysteries with leading ladies and anyone who wanted the romance in the Veronica Speedwell mysteries to burn a lot sooner.
If you find this an interesting premise don’t let the awful cover dissuade you from reading. I enjoyed this one. My biggest critique is that the chapters are so short and each switches POV between Clara and Nicholas (the fiancé’s brother). This was just a jarring combo and at times made it difficult to immerse myself in the story. I could have done with less of the repeated thoughts from Clara and Nicholas about how every slight touch “curled her insides”, felt like “electricity” or “burned awareness”and sent “fire” through his “extremities.”
Also seriously did no one who approved this cover read the book? The suffragette ribbon on the upper right hand corner of the cover that read “Votes for Women” is mentioned several times in the text as being yellow.
For fans of period mysteries with leading ladies and anyone who wanted the romance in the Veronica Speedwell mysteries to burn a lot sooner.
February 21, 2025
This was not my cup of tea. The good; the main characters seemed well written, I enjoyed the cousin character and I always enjoy a period piece.
But as a murder mystery it falls down. There is no way to realistically solve the murder, and the murders make no sense for their supposed motive.
It's not really a locked room mystery either. It's a "people are all trapped in the same area" ala a house party murder. There is no conversation about any impossible crime or even any real detective work at all. The crime is only solved because the criminal makes themselves known.
The romance was lukewarm and like the rest of the plot somewhat unsatisfactory resolved. The use of some modern terms was a little off-putting too - I know the main female character is American but she isn't modern day American.
~thank you to netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review~
But as a murder mystery it falls down. There is no way to realistically solve the murder, and the murders make no sense for their supposed motive.
It's not really a locked room mystery either. It's a "people are all trapped in the same area" ala a house party murder. There is no conversation about any impossible crime or even any real detective work at all. The crime is only solved because the criminal makes themselves known.
The romance was lukewarm and like the rest of the plot somewhat unsatisfactory resolved. The use of some modern terms was a little off-putting too - I know the main female character is American but she isn't modern day American.
~thank you to netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review~
June 26, 2025
On paper, this book was right up my street: a historical mystery with a bit of romance. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to expectations. It's a decent book and I'm sure that for many readers it'll provide entertainment and escapism, but for me it was a disappointment.
The book follows Miss Cora Beaumont, an American heiress, and her future brother-in-law, Nicholas Tristan, the heir to a British dukedom. The story starts in 1890, right after Miss Beaumont gets engaged with Terrence, Nicholas's younger brother. It's not a love match; instead, it was agreed on by the fathers and the future bride and groom barely know each other. The engaged couple, together with Nicholas and a female cousin are travelling from America to Southampton when a gruesome murder takes place.
I found the mystery somewhat weak. Yes, there's a series of murders and both protagonists try to find the killer, but they don't really discover anything. They just wander around the ship bumping into things, they don't ask obvious questions, they make wrong assumptions based on little evidence and, in general, they are quite clueless. I was also quite surprised that they couldn't tell the difference between a blood or a wine stain (to me it's pretty obvious, but perhaps I'm some sort of expert in stains thanks to regularly doing the laundry and having children!). Finally, there were some red herrings that didn't really help.
Now, a weak mystery subplot could be compensated with a good romance. But, again, I found it "just so". At least it was clean (let's be grateful for little mercies). The end/declaration was disappointing not only because it lacked emotion, but also because some aspects are left hanging; I get the (maybe wrong) impression that they are left like this so the slow burn romance and romantic unresolved tension may continue in some future books. Also, she seems to worry much more about her future and her economic independence than about marrying the wrong guy. I understand her concerns, but if that clearly takes priority to being with Nicholas, maybe she's not really in love? Finally, the love triangle didn't sit well with me. Almost from the beginning of their joint investigation both protagonists feel a growing attraction but, instead of trying to avoid each other's company or come clean and talk to their brother/fiancé, they keep on finding themselves in intimate situations while they pretend that everything is fine with the engagement. This is too close to cheating for my comfort (and the fact that the fiancé is not very likeable makes for no excuses).
The third interesting feature for me, the historical setting, was also disappointing. The first hint that I was going to be frustrated was the repeated use of wrong form of address for titled people. Honestly, it doesn't take much research to get it right! Then comes the airship where the action takes place. Since I didn't know much about this means of transport, I did a bit of internet search (blame my nerd self). Wrong move! To start with, the first commercial passenger-carrying airship dates from 1910, 20 years later! Also, after seeing some blueprints and pictures of how the interior of more recent/modern airships, there was no way I could reconcile the descriptions in the book with any realistic airship. Why not simply have them travelling by sea on a luxurious passenger steamship? It'd be way more credible. The third historical mistake is the reference to the suffragette movement, which is supposed to have been founded in 1903 (13 years later!). At some point in the story this movement is linked with some riots or protests taking place in India... I'm no expert and I may be wrong, but I really doubt that women's' right to vote (or women's rights in general) was at the forefront of any protests in 1890s India. In summary, the historical blunders were too obvious and too many. Of course, other readers may not be so picky and still enjoy the story, but they really did spoil it for me.
Finally, I found the pace a bit slow and I really had to force myself to keep on reading. Again, this may be more of a personal taste, but I found the first-person narration (from a dual point of view) too tiresome, with an excess of inner thoughts that didn't contribute to understanding the story or the characters and, instead, slowed down the pace.
The book follows Miss Cora Beaumont, an American heiress, and her future brother-in-law, Nicholas Tristan, the heir to a British dukedom. The story starts in 1890, right after Miss Beaumont gets engaged with Terrence, Nicholas's younger brother. It's not a love match; instead, it was agreed on by the fathers and the future bride and groom barely know each other. The engaged couple, together with Nicholas and a female cousin are travelling from America to Southampton when a gruesome murder takes place.
I found the mystery somewhat weak. Yes, there's a series of murders and both protagonists try to find the killer, but they don't really discover anything. They just wander around the ship bumping into things, they don't ask obvious questions, they make wrong assumptions based on little evidence and, in general, they are quite clueless. I was also quite surprised that they couldn't tell the difference between a blood or a wine stain (to me it's pretty obvious, but perhaps I'm some sort of expert in stains thanks to regularly doing the laundry and having children!). Finally, there were some red herrings that didn't really help.
Now, a weak mystery subplot could be compensated with a good romance. But, again, I found it "just so". At least it was clean (let's be grateful for little mercies). The end/declaration was disappointing not only because it lacked emotion, but also because some aspects are left hanging; I get the (maybe wrong) impression that they are left like this so the slow burn romance and romantic unresolved tension may continue in some future books. Also, she seems to worry much more about her future and her economic independence than about marrying the wrong guy. I understand her concerns, but if that clearly takes priority to being with Nicholas, maybe she's not really in love? Finally, the love triangle didn't sit well with me. Almost from the beginning of their joint investigation both protagonists feel a growing attraction but, instead of trying to avoid each other's company or come clean and talk to their brother/fiancé, they keep on finding themselves in intimate situations while they pretend that everything is fine with the engagement. This is too close to cheating for my comfort (and the fact that the fiancé is not very likeable makes for no excuses).
The third interesting feature for me, the historical setting, was also disappointing. The first hint that I was going to be frustrated was the repeated use of wrong form of address for titled people. Honestly, it doesn't take much research to get it right! Then comes the airship where the action takes place. Since I didn't know much about this means of transport, I did a bit of internet search (blame my nerd self). Wrong move! To start with, the first commercial passenger-carrying airship dates from 1910, 20 years later! Also, after seeing some blueprints and pictures of how the interior of more recent/modern airships, there was no way I could reconcile the descriptions in the book with any realistic airship. Why not simply have them travelling by sea on a luxurious passenger steamship? It'd be way more credible. The third historical mistake is the reference to the suffragette movement, which is supposed to have been founded in 1903 (13 years later!). At some point in the story this movement is linked with some riots or protests taking place in India... I'm no expert and I may be wrong, but I really doubt that women's' right to vote (or women's rights in general) was at the forefront of any protests in 1890s India. In summary, the historical blunders were too obvious and too many. Of course, other readers may not be so picky and still enjoy the story, but they really did spoil it for me.
Finally, I found the pace a bit slow and I really had to force myself to keep on reading. Again, this may be more of a personal taste, but I found the first-person narration (from a dual point of view) too tiresome, with an excess of inner thoughts that didn't contribute to understanding the story or the characters and, instead, slowed down the pace.
April 13, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and to Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of A Lethal Engagement by April J Skelly.
A Lethal Engagement is dually narrated by NYC heiress Cora, and the British, first son of a duke, Nicholas. Cora is engaged to Nicholas's brother Terrence, a business arrangement crafted by their fathers in their childhood, though they have not seen each other in many years. They are flying on Cora's family-owned airship from America to London to announce the engagement - a terrifying circumstance for Cora, as the British peerage does not think highly of American heiresses. If only cattiness were the least of Cora's problems - instead, a body is discovered brutally murdered early on in the voyage, leaving Cora and Nicholas scrambling to find the killer and protect the reputation of Cora's family company and the pending union of their families.
The mystery was interesting and not one I easily solved from the clues throughout the novel, though, upon reflection, I did think of a few plot holes that may have muddled the story which I'll leave in the publisher notes so as not to provide any spoilers in this review.
I liked Cora and Nicholas as characters, and I think they are both tenacious in their own ways. Cora is doing the best she can in a time when women must be dependent upon men, and Nicholas is willing to change his views on how society functions in ways that show his character is capable of growth many other men are not ready for at this time. I do wish Nicholas would have stood up more for Cora as it related to Terrence, or that perhaps he had thought more of how he treats Cora throughout the journey in relation to her engagement -- I think this might have added some depth to their budding partnership as opposed to thinking many of the actions are just from the heightened state of danger the two are constantly in on this journey. The way they both seem surprised by their attraction but also ignore it while still moving forward with her engagement to Terrence is probably the most realistic angle of society marriages and also terribly depressing - so it makes sense why it's buried, but I wish it wasn't.
I struggled in the first 10 percent of the book - it took me a bit to get into the rhythm of the writing style and the transatlantic slang, and some of the dialogue seemed a bit stilted/forced before it seemed to find its groove. I think constantly having Ophelia be both "Phee" and "Ophelia" in alternating sentences in all of her scenes was also a bit jarring because I kept thinking there was an additional character -- I'm not sure if this was just confusion around how often to use titles and full names and nicknames when dealing with the ton, but it seemed to happen with a lot of interpersonal character interactions in a way that lifted me out of the story.
I also think some of the side characters could have been a bit more solid - the two British ladies, Tilly and Georgianna, are written as straight villains, and while they can definitely be vapid without issue, they serve no purpose other than to be rude and one-note. I was also confused by why they were able to run around unchaperoned while Cora and Phee are not - it seemed an odd mishmash of propriety being applied at times.
I also wish I knew a bit more about this historical time frame - I was researching the usage of airships, and it seems like while they were invented in 1890, they weren't used for travel until the early 1900s-1920 or so. Given that and that the story is a merging of the British Victorian era and the US Gilded Age I was a bit confused about this earlier technological travel advancement added to these two eras. Perhaps there will be more emphasis on this and further historical exploration in the sequel.
That being said, around 20% of the way through I just devoured the plot and the story, reading most of it in one sitting. I think this is a really entertaining read, with a fresh, different take on the 1890s historical cozy mystery. It's also fun to have a really intentional merging of British and American characters and to see their national values comes across in their characters in the context of the time period.
A Lethal Engagement is dually narrated by NYC heiress Cora, and the British, first son of a duke, Nicholas. Cora is engaged to Nicholas's brother Terrence, a business arrangement crafted by their fathers in their childhood, though they have not seen each other in many years. They are flying on Cora's family-owned airship from America to London to announce the engagement - a terrifying circumstance for Cora, as the British peerage does not think highly of American heiresses. If only cattiness were the least of Cora's problems - instead, a body is discovered brutally murdered early on in the voyage, leaving Cora and Nicholas scrambling to find the killer and protect the reputation of Cora's family company and the pending union of their families.
The mystery was interesting and not one I easily solved from the clues throughout the novel, though, upon reflection, I did think of a few plot holes that may have muddled the story which I'll leave in the publisher notes so as not to provide any spoilers in this review.
I liked Cora and Nicholas as characters, and I think they are both tenacious in their own ways. Cora is doing the best she can in a time when women must be dependent upon men, and Nicholas is willing to change his views on how society functions in ways that show his character is capable of growth many other men are not ready for at this time. I do wish Nicholas would have stood up more for Cora as it related to Terrence, or that perhaps he had thought more of how he treats Cora throughout the journey in relation to her engagement -- I think this might have added some depth to their budding partnership as opposed to thinking many of the actions are just from the heightened state of danger the two are constantly in on this journey. The way they both seem surprised by their attraction but also ignore it while still moving forward with her engagement to Terrence is probably the most realistic angle of society marriages and also terribly depressing - so it makes sense why it's buried, but I wish it wasn't.
I struggled in the first 10 percent of the book - it took me a bit to get into the rhythm of the writing style and the transatlantic slang, and some of the dialogue seemed a bit stilted/forced before it seemed to find its groove. I think constantly having Ophelia be both "Phee" and "Ophelia" in alternating sentences in all of her scenes was also a bit jarring because I kept thinking there was an additional character -- I'm not sure if this was just confusion around how often to use titles and full names and nicknames when dealing with the ton, but it seemed to happen with a lot of interpersonal character interactions in a way that lifted me out of the story.
I also think some of the side characters could have been a bit more solid - the two British ladies, Tilly and Georgianna, are written as straight villains, and while they can definitely be vapid without issue, they serve no purpose other than to be rude and one-note. I was also confused by why they were able to run around unchaperoned while Cora and Phee are not - it seemed an odd mishmash of propriety being applied at times.
I also wish I knew a bit more about this historical time frame - I was researching the usage of airships, and it seems like while they were invented in 1890, they weren't used for travel until the early 1900s-1920 or so. Given that and that the story is a merging of the British Victorian era and the US Gilded Age I was a bit confused about this earlier technological travel advancement added to these two eras. Perhaps there will be more emphasis on this and further historical exploration in the sequel.
That being said, around 20% of the way through I just devoured the plot and the story, reading most of it in one sitting. I think this is a really entertaining read, with a fresh, different take on the 1890s historical cozy mystery. It's also fun to have a really intentional merging of British and American characters and to see their national values comes across in their characters in the context of the time period.
April 23, 2025
Nur 24 Stunden nach ihrer Verlobung steht die zwanzigjährige Cora Beaumont über dem toten Körper einer Frau, der in einer Blutlache liegt. Von ihrem zerrissenen Kleid wird sie kaum noch bedeckt und der Täter hat ihr eine grausame Nachricht eingeritzt.
Dann springt die Erzählung 12 Stunden zurück, New York 1890. Cora und zahlreiche weitere Personen brechen zum Jungfernflug des größten bislang gebauten Luftschiffes auf. Es geht nach England. Sie hat die Lady Air nach dem kürzlichen Tod ihres Vaters geerbt. Mit an Bord ist auch ihr ganz frisch Verlobter Terrance Tristan, der zweite Sohn eines Dukes. Er gehört zu einer alten, einflussreichen Familie in England. Cora geht mit ihrer neuen Freundin Lady Ophelia, einer Cousine der Tristans an Bord. Die Anstandsdame Mrs. Beesly darf auch nicht fehlen.
Die anwesenden Mitglieder der britischen Gesellschaft beobachten Cora kritisch. Sie kann sich keinen Skandal leisten. Auch ihr zukünftiger Schwager Nicholas ist anwesend, der Erbe des Dukes. Bislang hat noch keine amerikanische Geschäftserbin so hoch in den englischen Adel eingeheiratet. Auch wenn Terrance nur der zweite Sohn ist. Ihre Väter waren Freunde und als Kinder kannten sie sich. Sie wurden einander versprochen, haben sich aber als Erwachsene nun erst vor 2 Tagen kennen gelernt. Das Luftschiff ist komfortabel und luxuriös ausgestattet. Für die Passagiere der 1. Klasse beginnt die Reise mit einem Ball. Doch schon bald stößt Nicholas auf die erste Unruhe, eine Suffragette aus der dritten Klasse will vorgelassen werden.
Cora ist das späte, unerwartete Kind einer zweiten Ehe. Ihr Vater hat sie verwöhnt und ihr auch unkonventionelle Hobbys erlaubt. Sie durfte ihn sogar bei den Schiffsplänen unterstützen und mit zu archäologischen Ausgrabungen. Ihre anstehende Hochzeit schützt sie und ihr Vermögen vor ihrem gierigen Halbbruder, aber sollte die Verlobung scheitern, wäre sie ihm wohl ausgeliefert. Auch wenn er zunächst von der Verlobungsidee begeistert war, ist Terrance nun unaufmerksam und unruhig, so dass sein Bruder häufiger einspringen muss.
Anders, als erwartet kehrt nach dem Ball jedoch auf dem Schiff keine Ruhe ein, sondern einige Beteiligte begeben sich heimlichen zur dritten Klasse. Die Spannung steigt, es kommt zu einem unglaublich riskanten Stunt. Cora wird mit dem Mord konfrontiert, aber lässt sich nicht wie gewünscht zur Seite drängen.
So geraten sie und Nicholas zusammen in die Ermittlungen. Schnell muss er feststellen, dass er Cora ziemlich unterschätzt hat und sie problemlos ihren Mann stehen kann. Aber sie haben auch gemeinsame Interessen und so wird er sie bei den Nachforschungen unterstützen.
Sie kommen der Lösung des Falls einfach nicht näher, aber die Gefahr wird zunehmend bedrohlicher. Die Atlantiküberquerung des Luftschiffes bringt ein ganz besonders Setting mit sich. Der Kriminalfall kann mit überraschenden Wendungen überzeugen.
Cora und Nicholas sind zwei sympathische Protagonisten. Er schätzt ihre Intelligenz und Direktheit und sie ist begeistert, dass er sie ernst nimmt und unterstützt. Sie haben nicht mal die nahestehenden Personen über den Todesfall informiert. So hat sie mehr mit ihrem zukünftigen Schwager zu tun als mit ihrem Verlobten. Und immer hofft sie noch in ihrem Verlobten Ähnlichkeit zu Nicholas zu finden, der ihr längst zum Freund und Vertrauen geworden ist. Die Entwicklung ihrer Gefühle füreinander ist überzeugend.
Ein spannender historischer Krimi mit einer gefühlvollen Liebesgeschichte und einem besonderen Setting.
Dann springt die Erzählung 12 Stunden zurück, New York 1890. Cora und zahlreiche weitere Personen brechen zum Jungfernflug des größten bislang gebauten Luftschiffes auf. Es geht nach England. Sie hat die Lady Air nach dem kürzlichen Tod ihres Vaters geerbt. Mit an Bord ist auch ihr ganz frisch Verlobter Terrance Tristan, der zweite Sohn eines Dukes. Er gehört zu einer alten, einflussreichen Familie in England. Cora geht mit ihrer neuen Freundin Lady Ophelia, einer Cousine der Tristans an Bord. Die Anstandsdame Mrs. Beesly darf auch nicht fehlen.
Die anwesenden Mitglieder der britischen Gesellschaft beobachten Cora kritisch. Sie kann sich keinen Skandal leisten. Auch ihr zukünftiger Schwager Nicholas ist anwesend, der Erbe des Dukes. Bislang hat noch keine amerikanische Geschäftserbin so hoch in den englischen Adel eingeheiratet. Auch wenn Terrance nur der zweite Sohn ist. Ihre Väter waren Freunde und als Kinder kannten sie sich. Sie wurden einander versprochen, haben sich aber als Erwachsene nun erst vor 2 Tagen kennen gelernt. Das Luftschiff ist komfortabel und luxuriös ausgestattet. Für die Passagiere der 1. Klasse beginnt die Reise mit einem Ball. Doch schon bald stößt Nicholas auf die erste Unruhe, eine Suffragette aus der dritten Klasse will vorgelassen werden.
Cora ist das späte, unerwartete Kind einer zweiten Ehe. Ihr Vater hat sie verwöhnt und ihr auch unkonventionelle Hobbys erlaubt. Sie durfte ihn sogar bei den Schiffsplänen unterstützen und mit zu archäologischen Ausgrabungen. Ihre anstehende Hochzeit schützt sie und ihr Vermögen vor ihrem gierigen Halbbruder, aber sollte die Verlobung scheitern, wäre sie ihm wohl ausgeliefert. Auch wenn er zunächst von der Verlobungsidee begeistert war, ist Terrance nun unaufmerksam und unruhig, so dass sein Bruder häufiger einspringen muss.
Anders, als erwartet kehrt nach dem Ball jedoch auf dem Schiff keine Ruhe ein, sondern einige Beteiligte begeben sich heimlichen zur dritten Klasse. Die Spannung steigt, es kommt zu einem unglaublich riskanten Stunt. Cora wird mit dem Mord konfrontiert, aber lässt sich nicht wie gewünscht zur Seite drängen.
So geraten sie und Nicholas zusammen in die Ermittlungen. Schnell muss er feststellen, dass er Cora ziemlich unterschätzt hat und sie problemlos ihren Mann stehen kann. Aber sie haben auch gemeinsame Interessen und so wird er sie bei den Nachforschungen unterstützen.
Sie kommen der Lösung des Falls einfach nicht näher, aber die Gefahr wird zunehmend bedrohlicher. Die Atlantiküberquerung des Luftschiffes bringt ein ganz besonders Setting mit sich. Der Kriminalfall kann mit überraschenden Wendungen überzeugen.
Cora und Nicholas sind zwei sympathische Protagonisten. Er schätzt ihre Intelligenz und Direktheit und sie ist begeistert, dass er sie ernst nimmt und unterstützt. Sie haben nicht mal die nahestehenden Personen über den Todesfall informiert. So hat sie mehr mit ihrem zukünftigen Schwager zu tun als mit ihrem Verlobten. Und immer hofft sie noch in ihrem Verlobten Ähnlichkeit zu Nicholas zu finden, der ihr längst zum Freund und Vertrauen geworden ist. Die Entwicklung ihrer Gefühle füreinander ist überzeugend.
Ein spannender historischer Krimi mit einer gefühlvollen Liebesgeschichte und einem besonderen Setting.
January 16, 2025
This new book's summary immediately grabbed me: a trans-Atlantic voyage on an airship; locked-room mystery; Victorian setting; promises of romance = yes, please!
And overall, I have to say I really liked it, and actually thought I was embarking on a Steampunk adventure given the airship settings (and how spacious and modern they were described for 1890). The pacing was very engaging and fast-paced so that I kept at it until the very end without switching to the other 4-5 books I usually have on the go.
As an avid historical mystery reader, especially of the Victorian era, however, I did feel the author's writing style and usage of phrasing and aristocratic titles could be improved and more historically-appropriate, even with most of the story being told from the female main character, Cora's, American's perspective. For example, my understanding is that unmarried women can use their honorific titles 'Lady Ophelia', but would only become 'Lady Davenport' when they married (to match their titled husband's title of 'Lord Davenport'). This kept switching throughout with several of the titled characters, which at first distracted and then just annoyed me.
In terms of character development, I found myself really becoming invested in Cora, Ophelia and Nicholas. For the most part, they have well-rounded personalities with mostly believable motives, although I sometimes felt the timing was too fast for how these evolved though. I really did like Cora and her intellect, interests and abilities that were frowned upon, especially for young women of wealthy backgrounds of her time. I also really appreciated Lord Nicholas Tristan from the start for his good heart and care of Cora and those around him. He was refreshingly progressive and almost too modern for someone of his privileged ranking and background. I was able to justify it more with the aforementioned Steampunk context I chose to base this on though.
The plot structure was also engaging and coherent, and I enjoyed all the late night traipsing by Cora and Nicholas to discover what was going on. I liked the addition of the acting troupe as well, and felt they could have been used more. Without spoiling anything, the big reveal was excellent, however, the ending felt rushed and became confusing when they landed in England. Is there more to come?
Overall, it was a very promising start with some potentially great characters whom I could become more invested in if they were to be given more adventures. I'm intrigued by the political seeds evoked as this was during the suffragist movement era and how that could impact Cora's character, vocational and romantic developments. I would definitely keep reading for more of her and Nicholas...and hopefully her return to some cool archeological mysteries!
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for sharing this ARC, I look forward to seeing the next installment of Cora's adventures!
And overall, I have to say I really liked it, and actually thought I was embarking on a Steampunk adventure given the airship settings (and how spacious and modern they were described for 1890). The pacing was very engaging and fast-paced so that I kept at it until the very end without switching to the other 4-5 books I usually have on the go.
As an avid historical mystery reader, especially of the Victorian era, however, I did feel the author's writing style and usage of phrasing and aristocratic titles could be improved and more historically-appropriate, even with most of the story being told from the female main character, Cora's, American's perspective. For example, my understanding is that unmarried women can use their honorific titles 'Lady Ophelia', but would only become 'Lady Davenport' when they married (to match their titled husband's title of 'Lord Davenport'). This kept switching throughout with several of the titled characters, which at first distracted and then just annoyed me.
In terms of character development, I found myself really becoming invested in Cora, Ophelia and Nicholas. For the most part, they have well-rounded personalities with mostly believable motives, although I sometimes felt the timing was too fast for how these evolved though. I really did like Cora and her intellect, interests and abilities that were frowned upon, especially for young women of wealthy backgrounds of her time. I also really appreciated Lord Nicholas Tristan from the start for his good heart and care of Cora and those around him. He was refreshingly progressive and almost too modern for someone of his privileged ranking and background. I was able to justify it more with the aforementioned Steampunk context I chose to base this on though.
The plot structure was also engaging and coherent, and I enjoyed all the late night traipsing by Cora and Nicholas to discover what was going on. I liked the addition of the acting troupe as well, and felt they could have been used more. Without spoiling anything, the big reveal was excellent, however, the ending felt rushed and became confusing when they landed in England. Is there more to come?
Overall, it was a very promising start with some potentially great characters whom I could become more invested in if they were to be given more adventures. I'm intrigued by the political seeds evoked as this was during the suffragist movement era and how that could impact Cora's character, vocational and romantic developments. I would definitely keep reading for more of her and Nicholas...and hopefully her return to some cool archeological mysteries!
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for sharing this ARC, I look forward to seeing the next installment of Cora's adventures!
January 3, 2025
When I read mystery in 1890 set in an airship, I screamed count me in!
Overall, it was a fun quick read. If you enjoyed Bridgerton and want historical romance with a mystery plot, you'll certainly love this.
From the beginning I knew that some creative liberty had to be taken for the airship specifically. Even though they were invented by then, I don't think they were used for actual commercial travel til decades later. And even then, it wouldn't have been the multi-class extravagance that the author uses here. But I generally don't mind if it's used for the right reasons. And to a great extent here it's used as a cool backdrop and setting for the plot.
This is a historical romance book with a mystery plot not a historical mystery with romance subplot. Every chapter is filled to the brim with sentences about the two main characters' attraction to one another. Every move or update to the mystery is to highlight how 'different' the FMC is and attract the handsome MMC's attention.
The characters themselves are fine.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but I found myself not connecting with them as much as I thought I would.
I grew tired of how we had to read over and over again about how 'unlike the other girls' the FMC is. I love a strong female lead. It's why I pick the books I do. It just felt so repetitive.
Every chapter had to bring up how she's American and how she's against wearing corsets and is so different from the snobby noblewomen (except for Phee who has my heart and I wish she had been the main character!)
The side characters felt a bit caricateurish in that their animosity was overplayed to make us feel bad for the FMC and see the MMC defend her. Especially the captain who I don't think would've criticized her so openly when she's engaged to such an influential family even if he was a sexist pig.
The MMC is handsome and swoonworthy but overall very modern. A man like him historically wouldn't have been nearly so open-minded. But hey, I enjoyed him as the romantic interest, keeping in mind the creative liberty taken.
The mystery itself was fun but I feel the ending was a bit abrupt and the motives of the murderer were a bit weak. But I think overall it was fine.
So, all in all, read this if you're in a romantic mood and enjoy the creative extravagant setting. And say hi to Phee for me, she's delightful.
Finally, I'd like to thank Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.
Overall, it was a fun quick read. If you enjoyed Bridgerton and want historical romance with a mystery plot, you'll certainly love this.
From the beginning I knew that some creative liberty had to be taken for the airship specifically. Even though they were invented by then, I don't think they were used for actual commercial travel til decades later. And even then, it wouldn't have been the multi-class extravagance that the author uses here. But I generally don't mind if it's used for the right reasons. And to a great extent here it's used as a cool backdrop and setting for the plot.
This is a historical romance book with a mystery plot not a historical mystery with romance subplot. Every chapter is filled to the brim with sentences about the two main characters' attraction to one another. Every move or update to the mystery is to highlight how 'different' the FMC is and attract the handsome MMC's attention.
The characters themselves are fine.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but I found myself not connecting with them as much as I thought I would.
I grew tired of how we had to read over and over again about how 'unlike the other girls' the FMC is. I love a strong female lead. It's why I pick the books I do. It just felt so repetitive.
Every chapter had to bring up how she's American and how she's against wearing corsets and is so different from the snobby noblewomen (except for Phee who has my heart and I wish she had been the main character!)
The side characters felt a bit caricateurish in that their animosity was overplayed to make us feel bad for the FMC and see the MMC defend her. Especially the captain who I don't think would've criticized her so openly when she's engaged to such an influential family even if he was a sexist pig.
The MMC is handsome and swoonworthy but overall very modern. A man like him historically wouldn't have been nearly so open-minded. But hey, I enjoyed him as the romantic interest, keeping in mind the creative liberty taken.
The mystery itself was fun but I feel the ending was a bit abrupt and the motives of the murderer were a bit weak. But I think overall it was fine.
So, all in all, read this if you're in a romantic mood and enjoy the creative extravagant setting. And say hi to Phee for me, she's delightful.
Finally, I'd like to thank Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.
October 28, 2025
Recently bereaved Cora Beaumont, American heiress, is stepping onto the Lady Airship to travel to England with her new fiance, Terrance Tristan, as well as his older brother, Lord Nicholas Tristan, and their feisty cousin, Ophelia. Cora met the Tristan brothers off and on over the years, so she isn't terribly upset by her betrothal -- especially since her maintaining ownership of the Lady Airship is contingent upon her marriage. However, a murder aboard the ship threatens her reputation and her life, as she suspects the killer may be leaving her messages. Nicholas is pulled into the investigation as well to protect his family's name and Cora's safety, and so begins the pair's detective work. Cora and Nicholas search through the depths of third class into the upper echelon of London's high society trying to unmask the killer, all the while juggling a budding romance between Phee and a possible criminal, as well as Terrance's growing absence and nervousness around his upcoming nuptials to Cora. Additionally, the longer they work together, the more their feelings for one another begin to change, but can they weather the storm of a murderer stalking passengers, potential societal ruin -- and an actual lightning storm chasing their ship long enough to sort out their feelings?
I was a little disappointed at the actual mystery investigation in this book. While it takes up the bulk of the plot, as it should, it felt more like Cora and Nicholas were playing hide and seek due to the lack of clues and the repetitive nature of the search (i.e., stealing away in the night to check rooms), so I started to feel bored.
The saving grace was the characters. Cora is smart but human, Nicholas is logical but has a kind heart, Phee is loyal and funny, and Terrance...admittedly is just a plot device, but he served his purpose well in the book. However, I did think the revelation concerning him was rushed and somewhat forced given the slow, vague build-up throughout the story; while his behavior was suspicious and allowed Cora and the readers to draw certain conclusions, the actual truth felt like a little bit of a stretch. Thankfully, Cora and Nicholas' relationship was much more enjoyable and reasonably paced. This historical mystery isn't anything special, but if you want to scratch that genre-specific itch, you could do worse than "A Lethal Engagement."
I was a little disappointed at the actual mystery investigation in this book. While it takes up the bulk of the plot, as it should, it felt more like Cora and Nicholas were playing hide and seek due to the lack of clues and the repetitive nature of the search (i.e., stealing away in the night to check rooms), so I started to feel bored.
The saving grace was the characters. Cora is smart but human, Nicholas is logical but has a kind heart, Phee is loyal and funny, and Terrance...admittedly is just a plot device, but he served his purpose well in the book. However, I did think the revelation concerning him was rushed and somewhat forced given the slow, vague build-up throughout the story; while his behavior was suspicious and allowed Cora and the readers to draw certain conclusions, the actual truth felt like a little bit of a stretch. Thankfully, Cora and Nicholas' relationship was much more enjoyable and reasonably paced. This historical mystery isn't anything special, but if you want to scratch that genre-specific itch, you could do worse than "A Lethal Engagement."
July 12, 2025
Cora Beaumont is setting off on the maiden voyage of the airship Lady Air, the largest ever made by her father's company with her fiancé Terrance Tristan, who is the younger son of a Duke. The voyage is supposed to be a way for her and Terrance to get to know each other better, however, the very first night on the ship Cora finds herself in middle of a murder investigation with Terrance's older brother Nicholas and as the bodies keep piling up Cora and Nicholas find that even in the middle of a serial killers spree that maybe Cora is marrying the wrong Tristan.
When I've had a bad week murder mysteries are my go-to for reading and in all honesty, the more tropes the better and in terms of the romance A Lethal Engagement couldn't have been a better choice. While Nicholas and Cora come across as very cookie-cutter characters at the beginning of the book as the story progresses. The evolution of their relationship was, I found, to be completely natural as they moved from partners to friends, to finally something a bit more. Their interactions especially felt simply normal. There are never any flirtations that seem contrived and while there are more than a few instances where they find themselves forced into close proximity (there is one memorable scene involving a cape) I found I couldn't care less if those scenes were a bit obvious. Skelly had already established a relationship built on mutual respect and an undeniable chemistry so those scenes felt less contrived than they might have. It doesn't hurt that they are both wonderful characters either!
Side characters were wonderful as well, especially Phee, she was absolutely adorable and may we all have besties like her!
The mystery itself was interesting as well. Sometime around the halfway point, I began suspecting the person who ends up being the killer but honestly, there were so many red herrings that I wouldn't have said with 100% certainty that they were the killer until it was revealed.
I genuinely hope that this ends up being a series because I'd love to continue to see how Cora's life unfolds!
As always thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eArc!
When I've had a bad week murder mysteries are my go-to for reading and in all honesty, the more tropes the better and in terms of the romance A Lethal Engagement couldn't have been a better choice. While Nicholas and Cora come across as very cookie-cutter characters at the beginning of the book as the story progresses. The evolution of their relationship was, I found, to be completely natural as they moved from partners to friends, to finally something a bit more. Their interactions especially felt simply normal. There are never any flirtations that seem contrived and while there are more than a few instances where they find themselves forced into close proximity (there is one memorable scene involving a cape) I found I couldn't care less if those scenes were a bit obvious. Skelly had already established a relationship built on mutual respect and an undeniable chemistry so those scenes felt less contrived than they might have. It doesn't hurt that they are both wonderful characters either!
Side characters were wonderful as well, especially Phee, she was absolutely adorable and may we all have besties like her!
The mystery itself was interesting as well. Sometime around the halfway point, I began suspecting the person who ends up being the killer but honestly, there were so many red herrings that I wouldn't have said with 100% certainty that they were the killer until it was revealed.
I genuinely hope that this ends up being a series because I'd love to continue to see how Cora's life unfolds!
As always thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eArc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2024
The story is set in an unusual setting (for a "Regency" romance) - an airship, which is an exciting premise. Also, the heroine is supposed to be an independent (business) woman, which for me is a great draw to the book. Nevertheless, if not for the current reminders that she has "built" the ship (made the blueprints?) and she has helped her father in business and engineering, it wouldn't be obvious from the described behavior. She didn't seem to have a great deal of thoughts or opinions, let alone any business sense. Phee, as a character, was a bit overdrawn. The male main character is described as very forward-thinking and thus a perfect love interest, which is great and expected in an escape read. But did it have to be a duke? As frequently stated by the heroine: dollar princesses and nobility is already a sensation, so an earl or marquess would have been enough, in my opinion. The dukedom makes the story more questionable.
The mystery was nicely mixed with the romance. Although the mystery was solved at the end, the romance was more on the cliffhanger side (at least, it's how I read it). Was it supposed to be a teaser for a sequence?
It is my first book by the author, so I didn't know what to expect in terms of plot and style. Unfortunately, I would describe the style as on the "wooden" side. The narrative does not flow smoothly, and while the constant change of POV is a nice feature, it does feel forced after a while. Also, there are still some spelling issues throughout the text.
I have received a free advance copy from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The mystery was nicely mixed with the romance. Although the mystery was solved at the end, the romance was more on the cliffhanger side (at least, it's how I read it). Was it supposed to be a teaser for a sequence?
It is my first book by the author, so I didn't know what to expect in terms of plot and style. Unfortunately, I would describe the style as on the "wooden" side. The narrative does not flow smoothly, and while the constant change of POV is a nice feature, it does feel forced after a while. Also, there are still some spelling issues throughout the text.
I have received a free advance copy from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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