The Unwanted Corpse: A Lady Fan Mystery, Book 8

Lady Fan Mystery #8

by Elizabeth Bailey

What do you do when a dead body lands on your doorstep?

1794, England

When a body is unceremoniously dumped outside her home, Lady Ottilia Fanshawe is once more drawn into a murder case.

Ottilia is recovering from the birth of her first child and her husband, Lord Francis Fanshawe, is worried that she has finally taken on more than she can handle.

But Ottilia will not be diverted. Motherhood has always been her deepest desire, but solving crimes is her passion. And she is determined to balance both.

No one in her household recognizes the dead man, and yet a note was left with Lady Fan's name on it. Clearly, someone wants her to investigate the crime, but why?

Who is the dead man? Why was he killed? And what led to him being dropped at Lady Fan's door?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Mystery Thriller

Audible Audio

First published March 28, 2022

About the author

An avid reader from an early age, Elizabeth Bailey grew up in colonial Africa under unconventional parentage and with theatre in the blood. Back in England, she trod the boards until discovering her true métier as a writer in her thirties, when she fulfilled an early addiction to Georgette Heyer by launching into historical romance. Eight years and eight books later, Elizabeth joined the Harlequin Mills & Boon stable, fuelling her writing with a secondary career teaching and directing drama, and writing plays into the bargain.

With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.

Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.

Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.

Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.

Reviews

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical mystery, strong female protagonist - clean dialogue. Colorful characters.
3.5 Stars

[Heather Moll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is 8th in a series about Lady Fan, amateur sleuth, wife, and now mother set in 1790s England. Otillia Fanshaw and her husband have solved several mysteries but now that she finally has a child she, to her mother in law’s satisfaction, is finally ready to take a break from adventures. And then a body is literally dropped at her door with her name in it.

Although it was never explained, Tillie has some knowledge of medicinal and forensic practices and can make a few deductions about the body. This book doesn’t delve into what was likely covered in previous books. She clearly has some notoriety in her community for solving murders and uses her inquiring talents to address this one too as it circles around the spoiled neighborhood heiress.

Well written, quick dialogue, with well developed main characters. This story had a lot of side characters and suspects and brought characters in from previous books. It was a lot to manage but it still moved along. I plan on going back to read the first book.

3.5 stars. I received and arc from NetGalley

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Fan is at it again! Solving mysteries that is even though she is enthralled with her baby son, Luke. But what can she do when someone drops at body at her house with a note addressed to her? Well, at least she has plenty of help from her extended in-law family.

Entertaining with some comedy, a good mystery, characters and relationships. It helps to have read some of the earlier books in the series to understand the relationships but it isn’t necessary to understand what is going on in the story. A historical mystery set in the 1790s, there is plenty of time appropriate details but lots of action as well. Enjoy!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚰️ The Unwanted Corpse ⚰️
Lady Fan Mystery Book 8
✒️ Elizabeth Bailey
https://www.facebook.com/authorelizab...
Release Date 04/06/2022
Publisher Sapere Books
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PLN928H/...

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯

This time Lady Fan is juggling motherhood with murder! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.

What do you do when a dead body lands on your doorstep…?

1794, England

When a body is unceremoniously dumped outside her home, Lady Ottilia Fanshawe is once more drawn into a murder case.

Ottilia is recovering from the birth of her first child and her husband, Lord Francis Fanshawe, is worried that she has finally taken on more than she can handle.

But Ottilia will not be diverted. Motherhood has always been her deepest desire, but solving crimes is her passion. And she is determined to balance both.

No one in her household recognises the dead man, and yet a note was left with Lady Fan’s name on it. Clearly, someone wants her to investigate the crime, but why?

Who is the dead man? Why was he killed?

And what led to him being dropped at Lady Fan’s door…?

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Will she be able to patch all the stories to only one lead…

I came late in this series, so when the last book was released, I was a bit lost between the characters dynamic and some past issues with the heroine, so I cut my read short and went to read the first book to finally come back to book 7 with new knowledge.
And this new adventure features Fanshawe’s mother, Ottilia’s employer when she was her companion, I liked their impertinent relationship, plus to see again some other protagonists I discovered in my last read.

Like the previous books, I am always astonished by the praise Ottilia receives, how she leads everyone by the nose and they are all unable to refuse her. Yet the humor was brought in by the antics of a miss play-acting every moment of her life. And while the solving of the case was imperfect, I liked how all the clues and hints were brought together to help Ottilia draw the general pattern of the affair.
A good mystery with a sweet romance between side-characters and lady Fan settling into domestic life.
4 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none

I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

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[Charlotte Pawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good addition to this series

Lady Ottilia Fanshawe has a reputation for solving murders in Georgian England. Her reputation is so hot she has a dead body dumped on her doorstep and she must work backwards to find their identity and the most available suspects. This is a zippy mystery that skips along at a pace. You have plenty of personal drama in Ottilia’s house with a most unusual murder? Or was it?
Book 8 in the Lady Fan series does not disappoint.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

This was the first book in the series I read so I felt a way behind and out of the loop with regard to the side stories regarding Pretty and Lizzy. As a result, I wasn't as invested in those parts of the book as I probably would have been. The mystery part of the story is perfect. There are so many good suspects and I really enjoyed how Ottilia and her (sometimes reluctant) "assistants" interacted with the each of them. I also found myself rolling my eyes right along with Ottilia whenever Richenda was in a scene. Her dramatics add a little bit of humor because of how over the top she tends to be. The conclusion is a little disappointing because there is no final resolution to it. I just really wanted to have the villain lose his smug smile - he does for a moment, but it's fleeting. He may get his comeuppance later, but I really want to see it! Although disappointing, that ending is also realistic so I can't really complain too much. This is a great book for readers who enjoy a good mystery, but I recommend reading the previous seven books first.

[Roslyn Stillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author that I have read. I found the language strange and the names very unfamiliar. I couldn’t really work out which country this was set in. I enjoy cozy mysteries and felt this one was off to a good start when the murder is unclosed at the beginning of the book but I found the story rather slow. I enjoyed the characters, they were well written.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook. Interesting family. But if I hear one more time that the Lady of the house gurgled…I’m going to gurgle some salt water. Laugh, giggle, chuckled. gurgle for when she’s like haha yeah right is the wrong word image. She’s not gurgling water or doing a bubble laugh because she’s laughing so hard while drinking milk. End rant.

[Eunice R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having a corpse dumped at one's doorstep did not constitute an ordinary day even for the Fanshawes, oh, except perhaps, for Ottilia Fanshawe, otherwise known as Lady Fan. She had thought she'd left the detective life behind though when she married Lord Francis Fanshaw and had Baby Luke. However, she was very much mistaken.

When the corpse showed up and was addressed to Lady Fan, what could she do?! She just had to know who the chap was, who had done him in and why. Also, the curiosity of knowing who had dumped him there so unceremoniously.

Richenda Vexford definitely had a hand in it as did several young toffs who fluttered around Richenda. What info they were privy too and who was lying, kerflummoxed and maxed out Lady Fan's detective skill to great challenge. It was not an easy task to squeeze out the facts of the matter. Thankfully, she had her husband Fan, mother-in-law Sybilla, and her niece Lizzy's sleuthing assistance. Even the Mr. Maplewood pitched in to help.

What a romantic, or not, relationship between Lizzy and Maplewood, was it all above board? The angst of it all pestered and persisted throughout the narrative, keeping the reader second guessing right along with Lizzy and Maplewood themselves.

This story has a historical setting from a way back to 1794, so I detected some era culture to be imbued within the pages as whispered strokes in the way they addressed each other, the great use of horses and carriages even in "high speed" gallop chase which lend to the effect. The feature which had the most impact was the health issue of the corpse (ahem, before he expired), which today, with the advancements of treatment in the medical field, would more than likely have not been such a grave problem. and therefore smacks of the time and place in place.

I did like the book as it was quite clean of objectionable-to-me conduct between couples and in fact portrayed much decorum. This then, emphasised the aborted misconduct of Richenda when she was retrieved. Some readers may have met Lady Fan before as this book is the eighth in the Lady Fan Mysteries series.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

March 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: A Lady Fan Mystery #8
Publication Date: 4/6/22
Period: Georgian – 1794 England
Number of Pages: 362

Lady Ottilia Fanshawe (Lady Fan) and her husband Lord Francis are trying to settle in for a nice quiet period after the birth of their son, Luke. They long for the peace and quiet of their home where they can spend time with their adopted daughter, Pretty, and get to know Luke. That, of course, is a pipe dream. First, Lord Francis’s mother Sybilla drops in to stay for a while – and she’s soon followed by Mr. Maplewood, and then their niece Lizzy. Oh! And lest I forget – there was the corpse of Mr. Marmaduke Gibbon dumped at their front door. So much for peaceful family time.

Once they’ve identified the body – and Ottilia is pretty sure of the cause of death – there are plenty of suspects to go around. All of them are hiding something. All of them are telling untruths – even the victim’s best friend, Percy Pedwardine.

Richenda Vexford, a spoiled, sly, manipulative, wealthy young lady seems to be at the bottom of everything. Or, is she? It certainly seems all of the suspects are in her thrall, and the victim was there to pursue her – or at least her fortune. Did some of her suitors feel threatened by Marmaduke’s dashing good looks? Or, is there another motive behind it all? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

I have become invested in the lives of Ottilia and Frances as well as their motley mix of family and friends, so I enjoyed this story and getting to meet new baby Luke. The story was a tad slow in some spots and some of the author’s word choices puzzled me – but none of it was anything I couldn’t overlook. What I didn't like was that the perpetrator got away with no punishment - or at least none that was worth noting.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Sapere Books for an advance copy of The Unwanted Corpse, the eighth novel to feature Lady Ottilia Fanshawe set in Hampshire in 1794.

Lady Fan is still recuperating from the birth of her son when a dead body with a note for her is dumped on her doorstep. Her husband, Francis, is worried that an investigation might be too much for her, but someone obviously wants her to investigate and she’s determined to get justice for the unidentified young man.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Unwanted Corpse, which has an interesting plot, likeable characters and a very readable style. It is a while since I spent time with Lady Fan and Francis, so I had forgotten what fun they are.

Being set in 1794 there isn’t much room for forensics, so it’s all about conversations and psychology. Ok, psychology is pushing it as it wasn’t a thing at the time, more like shrewd character assessment and that happens to be one of Lady Fan’s skills. The novel is interesting because there is a limited number of suspects and the fun lies in determining who’s lying (hint: most of them) and about what. I found myself engrossed in trying to work it out and failing miserably. It’s cleverly done. How the body got to Lady Fan’s doorstep made me laugh, although it’s not unbelievable.

The characterisation is equally interesting, albeit in a different way. For such a character based novel I didn’t find they had any depth and seemed conceived to fit the plot rather than the other way round. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing as their behaviour drives the narrative.

The Unwanted Corpse is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Cathy R Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ottilia is happily enjoying new motherhood at home, with no plans to resume her adventurous career, when suddenly a body is dumped on her doorstep, with the label "Lady Fan". She quickly works out who the stranger is, but discovering when and where the man died is hard enough, let alone who did it - or whether it was a natural death. The escapades of the local beauty and her niece's visit neatly timed to coincide with that of an unacceptable suitor only add to her troubles. Will Ottilia be able to uncover the story - and bring the crime home to the murderer?

One of my favourite things about this series is the way that the stories are at once standalone and a series. Each mystery can be read and enjoyed without having read previous books, but those reading it as a series get to appreciate the background and ongoing story of Lady Fan and her husband, as well as their various friends and relatives. It's lovely to see Ottilia enjoying her new baby, after the heartbreak of a miscarriage a few books earlier (if I recall correctly), though there was less of her relationship with Francis than in some earlier books. The mystery itself was well done and entertaining, and Richenda certainly made for an 'interesting' character, though I'd hate to have to deal with her in real life. All in all, another good read in the series and I hope to see more of Lady Fan in future! 4.5 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

[John Beaderstadt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dreadful Surprise

Lady Fan and her husband Francis are at home in their country house enjoying a quiet time with their adopted daughter Pretty and their newborn son Luke. Of course the commanding Lady Sybilla, Francis's mother, has come to advise the parents.

One night, as they are ready to retire, a lone rider drops the body of a dead young man at their door. The grisly corpse is addressed,to Lady Fan.

Lord and Lady Francis assemble their investigative team to learn the identity of the victim and who he was with on the night of his death. In addition to Lady Sybilla, they involve Fan's headstrong niece, Lady Elizabeth, and Vivian, the man Lizzie loves, much to her parent's dismay.

It is up to Lady Fan to unravel the tangle of lies and misdirection concocted by the late young man's friends. The motive for murder could be romantic rivalry or something more sinister.

As always, Elizabeth Bailey brings the Georgian era to life while providing deft portrayals of her large cast of characters. I have enjoyed reading this series in order, so I can enjoy watching the principal characters grow and change with time.. I am now awaiting the release of their ninth adventure. For fans of historical mysteries, this series is a must read.

[Rekha O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Sapere Books, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book. I have not been compensated for this review and am leaving it voluntarily.

I have read every Lady Fan book - you could say I am a big fan if you'll pardon the pun.

I do love historical mysteries, but I often find that after the first three books I do look for a new series to start (because I have the attention span of a gnat). Every time I pick up the next instalment in this series I wonder if it will be the one that I read and think, 'that's enough, I'm done now'.

It hasn't happened yet and I honestly don't think it ever will with this series. I devoured this book like I have all other previous ones - delighted with every page. I think they get better each time. Each and every story is unique, interesting, layered and beautifully written. Lady Fan is a wonderful heroine and the cast of characters (new & old) never cease to amuse. annoy and confuse the reader.

If you are looking for an intelligent and well-researched series with an unconventional and deliciously macabre heroine, then this is the series for you.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Unwanted Corpse" is a mystery set in 1794 in England. This novel is the 8th in the series, but you don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one. This story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books, but it did spoil some of the events in the previous book.

Lady Fan and her husband are settling into domestic bliss with the birth of their son when relatives show up, bringing their drama. Then someone delivers a corpse to their doorstep with a note saying it's for Lady Fan. Who is the man and was he even murdered?

This was a clue-based mystery. Lady Fan, her husband, and their relatives asked plenty of questions of gossips and suspects to sort out what had happened. Most were willing to talk but were lying or hiding something, making it more difficult to sort out the truth. Historical details were woven into the story to create the feeling of a specific time and place.

There were just a few of uses of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️

I have been with this series from the beginning (this is the 8th) and have really enjoyed them all.

Lady Fan, an amateur sleuth who seems to find murder wherever she goes, is happily settling into motherhood when a stranger’s body is literally dropped on her doorstep with a note asking her to solve the mystery of his death. As she discovers his identity and the possible suspects in his strange demise, she enlists the help of family (husband, mother-in-law, niece, etc.) in her quest.

I found this storyline very original, and I’ve always loved the dry humor in this series. My only caveats were its length (it definitely could have been tightened up more), and it’s denouement (I was dissatisfied with the culprit’s accountability).

Happily this was another great adventure to follow.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #SapereBooks for providing me the free early arc of #TheUnwantedCorpse for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

[Min · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m disappointed with this one. For one - the suspects characters were flawed and making them obvious. Second, the main support characters eg Sybilla, Fan are boring in this one. Eliza is a character that you would love to hate but adds absolutely no value in this book other than being a nuisance. The side plot of her and Vivian is so obvious and frankly, I do wonder why bother unless they will be in future books. In that case, I’m no longer interested to read them. Lady Fan herself is ok-ish as she’s a new mother etc. I will be interested again if the mystery is just with her and none of these other characters appear again.

[ML Carver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series. I like Tilly and Fan, I get a kick out of Lizzie and Sybilla. But, as a person with a vast vocabulary, the fact that I have to look up at least three to four words per page is really annoying. I'm grateful for my ebook that I can just tap on the word and it pops up the definition. The language is sometimes very archaic. Whether they actually spoke that way or not, I shouldn't have to look up that many words that I will never use in any book.
That said, this was a great book from the family development standpoint and from the future story lines that are potentially going to happen in the next books - which I hope there will be.

[Alison Burnhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this series

Absolutely love this series of Lady Fan mysteries, the characters totally grow on you, and the Fanshaws feel like part of the family. The plots are excellent and I dare anyone to say they know the answer quickly. The development of the main characters is sympathetic and the way the extended family is drawn in is makes for a fun read. I also like the fact Lady Fan is taken seriously by those that count when she makes medical statements, especially at a time when it was considered that most women were air heads, no wonder so many played on it with their swoons and vapours.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another good entry into the Lady Fan Mystery series. I liked the premise of a corpse just showing up outside of the house with a note attached with Lady Fan's name on it. The mystery was a good one and I liked how the whole family got involved. Although I didn't really enjoy the romantic drama between Vivian and Lizzy it made the story drag. One of my least favorite things is domestic conflict and since the next book seems rife with it, I am not sure I will read it. All in all, not one of the best books in the series but I did for the most part enjoy myself.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the lady Fan series, she is an interesting character and I enjoy the supporting characters too. In this book, Lady Fan has just given birth to her son and, with her husband, is adjusting to being a new family. Then, a body is left on her front porch. Was it murder or an accident? With the help of her family, she sets out to figure out who he is and what happened to him.

While I always enjoy the series, the mystery and solution seemed a little weak.

[Beth Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series

I love the thoughtful say the author lays out the story and ties the many threads of the mystery together. Even if the reader correctly surmised the parties involved, the whole picture, with a surprise or two , does not immediately ces to light. The relationships forged between characters are warm and involving causing the reader to care about their feelings and future as well. Always looking forward to the next installment.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

This is s very unusual mystery! A body is left on the doorstep of the Fanshawe house with a note for Lady Fan! Thus begins her investigation, which is involved, confusing, and messy. Is it an accident or murder? I did not like any of the suspects as they were uncooperative, self centered, and self serving! Even the conclusion leaves many unanswered questions !

[Avril Hemingway · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting, well-plotted and well-written historical mystery, with its varied and likeable cast of characters Lady Fan is back to her best and so lovely she has at last got a child. I did dislike the fact that justice was not served as I would like due to lack of proof although perhaps not surprising for the era as they had no forensics as such.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #8 in the series, and yet I still find myself intrigued and drawn in by the characters and the story-telling. I love how other members of the family (outside of Sir Francis and Lady Fan) get drawn into the mystery solving as well. It shows our natural human curiosity and endears the characters to me.

[Kristie Stauffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio - another good one, the only thing I didn't like - this is the second one in which Lady Fan solved the murder, but there wasn't any way to prove it so the murder still goes free other than a great blight to his reputation because of the gossip surrounding the scandal. That's kind of disappointing.

[Michelle Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series!

I so enjoy the primary characters and hearing about their lives in each book. This particular story was interesting to consider as Lady Dan untangled all the lies. Such fun!

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good one

Although a trifle convoluted; although of course in a mystery that is the point.
I’m in love with the name Botolf; if not the character.
I enjoyed Lizzy’s story and hope to see more of her.
I can only hope to see much more of Lady Fan!!

[Shanene Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this heroine and this series. BUT, this one was a little bit tiresome and not so interesting as the other murder mysteries.

Still amazing series and will definitely continue to read them.

[Patricia Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

tedious

Oh my goodness. Am I bored to tears after reading page after page after page of self centered young women’s ridiculous antics. They completely dominate the entire story. I wish I had missed this one.