Lady Darling Vexes a Villain

Lady Darling #2

by Colleen Gleason

The incomparable Lady Darling returns in her second adventure with Beatrice, her reticule-sized poodle, in tow as she sets about to right a terrible wrong whilst mending a pair of broken hearts.

But in the middle of her matchmaking machinations and societal obligations at a weekend countryhouse party, Lady Darling stumbles upon a dead body. Once again, she must don her proverbial deerstalker hat, scoop up a magnifying glass, and, in the absence of any sort of competency from Scotland Yard, it’s up to her to identify the culprit.

Genres: Mystery

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Award-winning, NEW YORK TIMES and USA Today bestselling author Colleen Gleason (who also writes as Colleen Cambridge) has written more than fifty novels in a variety of genres…but always feature smart, strong women determined to right wrongs and get shit done.

Colleen lives in the Midwest United States where she is fortunate enough to be working on her next book.

She loves to hear from readers via her website, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Lady Darling series by Colleen Gleason. It is a charming cozy series set in England and featuring Lady Darling as a wealthy, titled widow who has married off her children and is now a busy body and amateur sleuth. This series is fun and easy to read. The murder victim is a terrible person and so many people wanted him dead that there are plenty of avenues for Lady Darling to explore. She ends up with man-of-mystery Finley helping her and she spends lots of time worrying about the mystery of him also. I really enjoy reading about them together and I hope that there will be more of them together in future books. He is by far the most interesting character in her world and I would love to see her work to figure him out. The one thing that bothers me about this series is that Lady Darling at age 50 continually refers to herself as old and basically over the hill. I get that she is a middle aged woman with middle aged feelings and health concerns, but I can’t imagine that even in Victorian England that a woman of that age who is wealthy, healthy and well fed would be on death’s doorstep. It is insulting to those of us of a certain age and I hope as the series continues, she will find she is still a wonderful vibrant woman.

Thank you to the publisher and Booksprout for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book and series.

Lady Darling has lost her husband, her children are all happily married, and she has an insatiable curiosity. All of this combines into her using her skills to help solve crimes. This time, she also has to fix a broken engagement. All with the most vexing man who she is beginning to like and admire.

This is a delightful cozy mystery!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Darling investigates a murder and while taking on matchmaking duties in the second book of the Lady Darling Mysteries series. How will she manage it all?

I was thoroughly entertained by this novel and read it quickly in one setting. It is set in Victorian England and has an engaging plot carried along by witty dialogue. There is also a delightful sub-plot centring around the vexing “Wall of Man.” This novel is sure to appeal to cozy mystery fans.

[Lavender Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I started I knew this was going to be one of those books I couldn’t put down. The story is very well told, I loved the mystery and the matchmaking, and Irene Colchester, the Most Honorable Dowager Marchioness of Darling is irrepressibly fun. A must read!

A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Carrie]

Oct 6th