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The Ladies Society for Murder #2
The Refined Study of Death
Danger is afoot when a group of bored spinsters and lonely widows vows to investigate London’s most mysterious crimes. For Augusta Lockwood, who has newly discovered a skeleton under the floor of her house, there are more pressing matters closer to home.
Nonetheless, Augusta cannot refuse a plea for help when one of her society friends believes her life is in peril. To investigate a murder attempt, Augusta must set aside thoughts of her increasingly sinister tenant, Mr. Hawksworth, and the arrival of the troublingly handsome anatomist, Adam Seagrave. She must forget about the mysterious intruder who keeps trying to break into her house, and above all, she must banish thoughts of the dead body in her late father’s locked study.
With so much to forget and so little to go on, will Augusta and her friends in the ladies society unmask a fiendish killer before one of their own members becomes the next victim?
Nonetheless, Augusta cannot refuse a plea for help when one of her society friends believes her life is in peril. To investigate a murder attempt, Augusta must set aside thoughts of her increasingly sinister tenant, Mr. Hawksworth, and the arrival of the troublingly handsome anatomist, Adam Seagrave. She must forget about the mysterious intruder who keeps trying to break into her house, and above all, she must banish thoughts of the dead body in her late father’s locked study.
With so much to forget and so little to go on, will Augusta and her friends in the ladies society unmask a fiendish killer before one of their own members becomes the next victim?
- GenresHistorical Mystery
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2025
270 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Blythe Baker
117 books389 followersBlythe Baker is a thirty-something bottle redhead from the South Central part of the country. When she’s not slinging words and creating new worlds and characters, she’s acting as chauffeur to her children and head groomer to her household of beloved pets.
Blythe enjoys long walks with her dog on sweaty days, grubbing in her flower garden, cooking, and ruthlessly de-cluttering her overcrowded home. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV and burying herself in books about murder.
Blythe enjoys long walks with her dog on sweaty days, grubbing in her flower garden, cooking, and ruthlessly de-cluttering her overcrowded home. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV and burying herself in books about murder.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 7, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2.5–3 stars
The Refined Study of Death (The Ladies Society for Murder, #2)
In this second book, the ladies once again find themselves drawn into another murder investigation while balancing their personal lives and the shifting dynamics within their circle. There are plenty of moving parts — secrets, suspicions, and smaller mysteries that keep things lively — but the main thread feels a bit lost in the mix.
What worked:
The concept and setting remain charming, and I enjoyed the smaller mysteries sprinkled throughout. The tone of the book is light and quick to read, and there’s still something appealing about the world Blythe Baker has built. The glimpses of friendship and teamwork among the ladies are nice touches that make the story more engaging.
What didn’t:
The central mystery felt a little thin, and the story seemed scattered. Too many things were happening at once, so the main plot didn’t develop as well as it could have. The friendships that started forming in the first book also felt cut short here — they didn’t really have the time to grow naturally.
Final thoughts:
This one had good ideas but lacked focus. It’s an easy, quick read, but it didn’t have the same pull or polish as some of the author’s other works. Still, I’m curious to see how the next book unfolds, because the setting and premise still have a lot of potential.
The Refined Study of Death (The Ladies Society for Murder, #2)
In this second book, the ladies once again find themselves drawn into another murder investigation while balancing their personal lives and the shifting dynamics within their circle. There are plenty of moving parts — secrets, suspicions, and smaller mysteries that keep things lively — but the main thread feels a bit lost in the mix.
What worked:
The concept and setting remain charming, and I enjoyed the smaller mysteries sprinkled throughout. The tone of the book is light and quick to read, and there’s still something appealing about the world Blythe Baker has built. The glimpses of friendship and teamwork among the ladies are nice touches that make the story more engaging.
What didn’t:
The central mystery felt a little thin, and the story seemed scattered. Too many things were happening at once, so the main plot didn’t develop as well as it could have. The friendships that started forming in the first book also felt cut short here — they didn’t really have the time to grow naturally.
Final thoughts:
This one had good ideas but lacked focus. It’s an easy, quick read, but it didn’t have the same pull or polish as some of the author’s other works. Still, I’m curious to see how the next book unfolds, because the setting and premise still have a lot of potential.
August 31, 2025
I enjoyed this second adventure of The Ladies Society for Murder. Augusta Lockwood had just discovered a skeleton in her father's study in the last adventure and now in a quandary in what to do about it. On top of that one of the ladies in her society was convinced she was in danger of being murdered. The plot is straightforward and the premise is twofold. Finding out how old the skeleton is in the flooring and discovering whether the lady in fear of her life was actually being hunted. The answers were found and the lady had a right to be scared, but not by whom she was aware of. The ending of this story is a cliffhanger which I detest, but there it is. Despite my personal feelings, I feel this is a story well worth reading, and yes I do recommend it.
June 4, 2025
🌟3.25
I normally really enjoy Baker’s books, this main character is just rude though. Being in her head is like being around that super negative coworker that voices everything they think. There’s no joy in this character at all. I’m really hoping she improves. I’ll, more than likely, read the entire series, but that is for the overarching mystery that has been presented. I also hope, there will be so character development that makes this series worth it.
I normally really enjoy Baker’s books, this main character is just rude though. Being in her head is like being around that super negative coworker that voices everything they think. There’s no joy in this character at all. I’m really hoping she improves. I’ll, more than likely, read the entire series, but that is for the overarching mystery that has been presented. I also hope, there will be so character development that makes this series worth it.
January 10, 2026
A Cliffhanger!
The characters are quite different in a quirky way. I was surprised by the ending. Sometimes it is hard to follow the story, and I tend to want to skip through until find something interesting. But I would recommend this to lovers historical mysteries set in London and other parts of England.
The characters are quite different in a quirky way. I was surprised by the ending. Sometimes it is hard to follow the story, and I tend to want to skip through until find something interesting. But I would recommend this to lovers historical mysteries set in London and other parts of England.
January 28, 2026
Once I got past the first part of the book and into the new case, I enjoyed this book a lot. I am curious to know more about some items that were left unresolved at the end of the story. I am not a fan of cliff hangers, but the main case in the book was solved and enjoyable.
October 31, 2025
Goosebumps
How exciting! Couldn’t put it down. 2 mystery’s, in 1, possibly more. And once more in the midst of it all. Can’t wait for what will happen next!
How exciting! Couldn’t put it down. 2 mystery’s, in 1, possibly more. And once more in the midst of it all. Can’t wait for what will happen next!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews