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The Season
Victorian London's marriage season turns deadly when a poisoned punch bowl and a dessert leaves two debutantes dead and an innocent girl holding the blame.
Two deaths. One innocent girl. And a poison no one can name.
London, 1890. The Season is in full swing. The wealthy and landed set are mixing and mingling with purpose—marriages to be made, fortunes to be joined, alliances to be secured. Then a punch bowl is poisoned. Then a dessert. Two debutantes die, and a serving girl is blamed.
That serving girl is the daughter of Francine Murphy's closest friend. She is not guilty.
Francine and Doctor Jekyll must move quickly—identifying the mysterious poison, untangling the web of motives, and uncovering not only who is behind the murders, but why. In a world where reputation is everything and truth is inconvenient, finding justice may cost more than they bargained for.
John A. Hoda delivers a gripping Victorian mystery set in the glittering, treacherous world of London's high society—atmospheric, tightly plotted, and driven by a sleuthing partnership that refuses to let the wrong person hang.
Two deaths. One innocent girl. And a poison no one can name.
London, 1890. The Season is in full swing. The wealthy and landed set are mixing and mingling with purpose—marriages to be made, fortunes to be joined, alliances to be secured. Then a punch bowl is poisoned. Then a dessert. Two debutantes die, and a serving girl is blamed.
That serving girl is the daughter of Francine Murphy's closest friend. She is not guilty.
Francine and Doctor Jekyll must move quickly—identifying the mysterious poison, untangling the web of motives, and uncovering not only who is behind the murders, but why. In a world where reputation is everything and truth is inconvenient, finding justice may cost more than they bargained for.
John A. Hoda delivers a gripping Victorian mystery set in the glittering, treacherous world of London's high society—atmospheric, tightly plotted, and driven by a sleuthing partnership that refuses to let the wrong person hang.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 11, 2026
About the author
John A. Hoda
23 books42 followersJohn A. Hoda (1954-) has good stories and tells them well. He is a former police officer and insurance fraud investigator. He is a licensed private investigator. He blogs, YouTubes and podcasts at All things investigative.
My Favorite Detective Stories is podcast every Tuesday.
He is a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan. A lifetime athlete, he has run marathons, played semi-pro football and adult softball. He has produced, directed, written and acted in amateur theater in New Haven, Ct where he resides. John has written articles in PI Magazine and is the creator of the DVD: The Ultimate Guide to Taking Statements. His cases have headlined in The Philadelphia Inquirer and New Haven Register.
View the Book Trailer on YouTube: Phantasy Baseball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqnmR9...
Visit his website at www.phantasybaseballnovel.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Season is the third installment in the Jekyll & Murphy Mystery series by John A. Hoda, delivering yet another suspenseful journey into Francine Murphy and Doctor Jekyll’s world. When two young debutantes are found dead by poisoning and a serving girl is hastily blamed, the stakes are immediately set high.
That accused serving girl happens to be the daughter of Francine Murphy’s dearest friend, and Francine is convinced of her innocence. Determined to uncover the truth, Francine and Dr. Jekyll dive into a meticulous investigation. I enjoyed how the author depicts their process of interviewing suspects, piecing together the motives, and unraveling which poison was used. The procedural detail, combined with the duo’s charming chemistry, makes the mystery both compelling and enjoyable. Their light banter adds warmth and balance to the darker elements of the story.
As the investigation intensifies, Francine and Dr. Jekyll must race against time to identify the poison, expose the real culprit, and prevent further tragedy among the city’s elite. In a society where reputation is everything, justice comes with a cost that neither of them can ignore.
Filled with clever twists, well-developed characters, and a touch of heart, The Season is a thoroughly engaging addition to the series. Fans of cozy yet intelligent mysteries will find themselves eagerly turning the pages—and looking forward to Francine and Dr. Jekyll’s next case.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
That accused serving girl happens to be the daughter of Francine Murphy’s dearest friend, and Francine is convinced of her innocence. Determined to uncover the truth, Francine and Dr. Jekyll dive into a meticulous investigation. I enjoyed how the author depicts their process of interviewing suspects, piecing together the motives, and unraveling which poison was used. The procedural detail, combined with the duo’s charming chemistry, makes the mystery both compelling and enjoyable. Their light banter adds warmth and balance to the darker elements of the story.
As the investigation intensifies, Francine and Dr. Jekyll must race against time to identify the poison, expose the real culprit, and prevent further tragedy among the city’s elite. In a society where reputation is everything, justice comes with a cost that neither of them can ignore.
Filled with clever twists, well-developed characters, and a touch of heart, The Season is a thoroughly engaging addition to the series. Fans of cozy yet intelligent mysteries will find themselves eagerly turning the pages—and looking forward to Francine and Dr. Jekyll’s next case.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 16, 2026
London, 1890. The Season is in full swing. The wealthy and landed set are mixing and mingling with purpose—marriages to be made, fortunes to be joined, alliances to be secured. Then a punch bowl is poisoned. Then a dessert. Two debutantes die, and a serving girl is blamed.
That serving girl is the daughter of Francine Murphy's closest friend. She is not guilty.
This case is so much bigger than thinning the herd a desperate debutante wanting to escape her mother’s and stepfathers reign of terror. She is mostly ignored and disregarded until she is old enough to make a match.
The debutante has decided on one of the most eligible bachelors who shows little interest in women Lord Alfred Ralston he has deviant behavior but is a world traveler and she is sure they can strike a deal to live separate lives! She must first eliminate the competition. She engineers what is one of the most diabolical, unhinged plans in third person that defies imagination.
The clues lead back to Gabby an innocent serving girl whose mother is a great friend to Francine. When the trail leads to young lady raised in the country that has experience with herbs and potions another young lady that gained favor with Lord Alfred is also poisoned.
When a killer is cornered that strike out with desperate acts that prove fatal.
Can Henry and Francine catch a killer and save Gabby? This story ends on a cliffhanger! There are long awaited victories with good news for Francine but Henry has another battle that must be won! Outstanding!
I received an ARC copy from Booksprout for my unbiased opinion!
That serving girl is the daughter of Francine Murphy's closest friend. She is not guilty.
This case is so much bigger than thinning the herd a desperate debutante wanting to escape her mother’s and stepfathers reign of terror. She is mostly ignored and disregarded until she is old enough to make a match.
The debutante has decided on one of the most eligible bachelors who shows little interest in women Lord Alfred Ralston he has deviant behavior but is a world traveler and she is sure they can strike a deal to live separate lives! She must first eliminate the competition. She engineers what is one of the most diabolical, unhinged plans in third person that defies imagination.
The clues lead back to Gabby an innocent serving girl whose mother is a great friend to Francine. When the trail leads to young lady raised in the country that has experience with herbs and potions another young lady that gained favor with Lord Alfred is also poisoned.
When a killer is cornered that strike out with desperate acts that prove fatal.
Can Henry and Francine catch a killer and save Gabby? This story ends on a cliffhanger! There are long awaited victories with good news for Francine but Henry has another battle that must be won! Outstanding!
I received an ARC copy from Booksprout for my unbiased opinion!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The season in London has begun and the race is on for finding the perfect match. Only one person is willing to do anything to achieve her goal, including using poison. Dr. Jekyll suddenly has a room full of women who were all at the same ball and are now sick. His interest grows when he realizes other doctors are dealing with the same illness. Then a friend of Francine's is arrested as the one who poisoned everyone. The mystery of who is poisoning the women and why takes a turn as Dr. Jekyll and Francine begin in earnest to investigate. While we know the who and the why, the process of them deducing is interesting to read about. There are twists and turns along the way before it is solved and leads nicely into the next story in the series. While it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. There are clever parts to the writing including a professor named Poirot. It is fascinating to see how the author has take literary characters and slightly changed them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 2, 2026
I loved the first book in this series, while book two didn’t quite have the same spark for me, so I was a little nervous going into The Season. I shouldn’t have been. This was just as good as book one, but for completely different reasons.
I was especially curious about how Francine and Henry becoming a family would change the dynamic, but thankfully, it didn’t change what I love about this group at all. Francine is growing, finding her next calling, and the core cast remains one of my favorite parts of the series.
I also LOVED the way the mystery was structured. This is essentially a howcatchem rather than a whodunit. We know the murderer, what’s happening, and much of the why. The fun is watching Francine and the others piece it together. That doesn’t always work, but here it absolutely did. I never once thought, How do they not see it?! I was completely invested in watching the investigation unfold.
🎧 RJ Bayley and Maria Nicola Johnson perfectly capture the atmosphere and elevate the story even further.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
And now… I need book four. Immediately.
I was especially curious about how Francine and Henry becoming a family would change the dynamic, but thankfully, it didn’t change what I love about this group at all. Francine is growing, finding her next calling, and the core cast remains one of my favorite parts of the series.
I also LOVED the way the mystery was structured. This is essentially a howcatchem rather than a whodunit. We know the murderer, what’s happening, and much of the why. The fun is watching Francine and the others piece it together. That doesn’t always work, but here it absolutely did. I never once thought, How do they not see it?! I was completely invested in watching the investigation unfold.
🎧 RJ Bayley and Maria Nicola Johnson perfectly capture the atmosphere and elevate the story even further.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
And now… I need book four. Immediately.
August 12, 2026
Culling the competition
A picnic in Regency Park. Dr Jekyll is tired and wonders what his must younger and energetic bride-to-be sees in him, although they love each other.
As soon as the divorce is finally settled, Francine will be free to marry him and they will be able to adopt their two small wards.
When several young ladies get unwell after a ball, Henri first thinks it is food poisoning, but one of his colleagues detects arsenic as the cause. Unfortunately, all help come too late for one of the ladies.
In the meantime, Irene, one of Francine’s friends, is assaulted in the course of two days. She comes to live with the Jekyll household to heal and to help with the investigation when another young lady dies. The modus operandi is different. The debutante was specifically targeted with some exotic poison.
Will they find the killer before they strike again?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A picnic in Regency Park. Dr Jekyll is tired and wonders what his must younger and energetic bride-to-be sees in him, although they love each other.
As soon as the divorce is finally settled, Francine will be free to marry him and they will be able to adopt their two small wards.
When several young ladies get unwell after a ball, Henri first thinks it is food poisoning, but one of his colleagues detects arsenic as the cause. Unfortunately, all help come too late for one of the ladies.
In the meantime, Irene, one of Francine’s friends, is assaulted in the course of two days. She comes to live with the Jekyll household to heal and to help with the investigation when another young lady dies. The modus operandi is different. The debutante was specifically targeted with some exotic poison.
Will they find the killer before they strike again?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 11, 2026
The Season by John A. Hoda is book three is what has been a surprise series for me. I thought that the premise for the series was interesting, so I tried the Jekyll & Murphy Mystery first book. This is a unique and captivating series. The Season is just as well written and has a mystery that I wanted to see solved. The serving girl accused in this story is innocent of causing two debutantes’ deaths but the only way to actually prove this is to find the real killer. A Victorian historical mystery that takes on high society with splendid moxie. This is an excellent addition to the series. I’ll take Dr. Jekyll and Francine Murphy on my side any day.
August 14, 2026
Marriage mart murder
It’s a penny dreadful wrapped in a mystery. How clever and fun! I will say that at times to switching back and forth between character POVs was a bit confusing. I did check more than once to make sure I knew who was leading the story at those times. Overall this was just a fascinating tale. London, the Season, debutants and murder. A friend and convenient scapegoat charged and a very sly and determined murderer who hides in plain sight. I really enjoyed the story. Well plotted, well paced and sinister in all the best ways. Really just wonderfully done!
It’s a penny dreadful wrapped in a mystery. How clever and fun! I will say that at times to switching back and forth between character POVs was a bit confusing. I did check more than once to make sure I knew who was leading the story at those times. Overall this was just a fascinating tale. London, the Season, debutants and murder. A friend and convenient scapegoat charged and a very sly and determined murderer who hides in plain sight. I really enjoyed the story. Well plotted, well paced and sinister in all the best ways. Really just wonderfully done!
August 15, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and the exquisite details were simply remarkable. I’m a big fan of Victorian literature and these characters were superb. It’s a truly excellent book to read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews