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Lady Fan Mystery #2
The Deathly Portent
Listening length: 11 hours and 58 minutes
Her charm and cajolery may fool the unwary.
Unscrupulous and cunning, as dauntless as she is resolute, the incomparable "Lady Fan" is as ruthless as the killer she is tracking in...
A violent murder has left the village of Witherley aghast. The locals are convinced that a witch doing the devil's work is to blame-a young woman believed to have second sight. The new vicar, Aidan, taking up the cudgels in her defence, fears the witch hunt is escalating out of his control. But help is at hand.
The bright and perceptive Ottilia, once a lady's companion and now bride to Lord Francis Fanshawe, is drawn to Witherley by an insatiable curiosity. Ottilia rapidly uncovers a raft of suspects with grudges against the dead man, one of whom is determined to incriminate the "witch." And as foul play runs rampant, Ottilia must wade through the growing hysteria to unravel the tangle and point a finger at the one true menace...
Her charm and cajolery may fool the unwary.
Unscrupulous and cunning, as dauntless as she is resolute, the incomparable "Lady Fan" is as ruthless as the killer she is tracking in...
A violent murder has left the village of Witherley aghast. The locals are convinced that a witch doing the devil's work is to blame-a young woman believed to have second sight. The new vicar, Aidan, taking up the cudgels in her defence, fears the witch hunt is escalating out of his control. But help is at hand.
The bright and perceptive Ottilia, once a lady's companion and now bride to Lord Francis Fanshawe, is drawn to Witherley by an insatiable curiosity. Ottilia rapidly uncovers a raft of suspects with grudges against the dead man, one of whom is determined to incriminate the "witch." And as foul play runs rampant, Ottilia must wade through the growing hysteria to unravel the tangle and point a finger at the one true menace...
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 3, 2012
1350 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Bailey
95 books304 followersAn 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
June 21, 2012
This was about 150 pages too long, there were too many extraneous, totally pointless characters and the main character and her husband were insufferable, condescending, entitled snobs. Don't get me wrong - I love mysteries where aristocrats (I will settle for upper middle class in a pinch) potter about and solve mysteries that confound the feeble minded local peons who generally comprise the suspect pool and/or the comically stupid law enforcement. I usually love my sleuths superior, annoyingly perfect and with an endless supply of disposable funds, but I found these characters so irritating.
Stranded in a small village, Otillia and her testosterone-fueled husband Francis stumble upon a murder which the serfs are ready to pin on some poor girl they believe to be a witch. Honestly, I had no idea what time period this was set in but someone mentioned "this isn't the dark ages" so I guess that's out. Tillie swans in and sets about questioning the villagers to figure out who could have killed the blacksmith that everyone conveniently hated. Meanwhile, her husband divides his time evenly between admiring the "mischievous" look on her face and flying completely off the handle anytime anyone is remotely cool/suspicious/mean/not nice to her. We are talking serious anger management issues here - he was going to cut someone for giving his precious darling a BAD LOOK (btw the bad look was 100% justified). For real. I cannot stress enough how often this happened and how annoying this was. It seems inconceivable that the good lady would put up with this nonsense since we are told repeatedly that she is an irrepressible yet loveable scamp with a thirst for justice, but I guess the heart wants what the heart wants.
Then some other stuff happens and blah blah blah and does anyone even really care anymore? However, I did finish it so I gave it two stars. Updated: Nope. It was so bad, I had to knock it down to one.
Stranded in a small village, Otillia and her testosterone-fueled husband Francis stumble upon a murder which the serfs are ready to pin on some poor girl they believe to be a witch. Honestly, I had no idea what time period this was set in but someone mentioned "this isn't the dark ages" so I guess that's out. Tillie swans in and sets about questioning the villagers to figure out who could have killed the blacksmith that everyone conveniently hated. Meanwhile, her husband divides his time evenly between admiring the "mischievous" look on her face and flying completely off the handle anytime anyone is remotely cool/suspicious/mean/not nice to her. We are talking serious anger management issues here - he was going to cut someone for giving his precious darling a BAD LOOK (btw the bad look was 100% justified). For real. I cannot stress enough how often this happened and how annoying this was. It seems inconceivable that the good lady would put up with this nonsense since we are told repeatedly that she is an irrepressible yet loveable scamp with a thirst for justice, but I guess the heart wants what the heart wants.
Then some other stuff happens and blah blah blah and does anyone even really care anymore? However, I did finish it so I gave it two stars. Updated: Nope. It was so bad, I had to knock it down to one.
November 1, 2018
Left this on my list as currently reading, but I wasn't. I had to give it up for several reasons, the most pressing of all was the accent the author decided on for Warwickshire folk.
I jest b'aint gonna read nomoh o' dat!
The first Lady Fan was delightful.
I jest b'aint gonna read nomoh o' dat!
The first Lady Fan was delightful.
April 6, 2019
Didn’t like this as much as her first. A bit clumsy feeling.
August 5, 2022
I had such high hopes of this book. I enjoyed the first mystery in this series by Bailey and was confident this historical offering would deliver in the same way. This definitely was not the case.
Knowing that there has been a murder from a suspected witch, this plot really piqued my interest. I have always had a keen interest in this period of history: the witch trials, female persecution, and the paranoia that haunted society. However, Bailey does not truly focus on this element, instead exploring village life that shows seclusion and a tight-knit community. Strangers are frowned upon, oddness is abhorred and, well, the suspect of the murder is quickly spurned. It takes Ottilia’s super sleuthing to show that there is more to this blacksmith murder than the village actually realise…
Unlike the other book, I found this story incredibly slow and with too many characters. In my opinion, there is a lot of chat and not a lot of anything else. I struggled to keep track of the various personalities and found them rather forgettable, even down to our heroine and her husband. For some reason, I don’t think there was the same character development that I saw in the first book and I think the writer played on village stereotypes that were not very memorable.
I persevered with the story because I was keen to see who was behind the crime. Yet, completing the story felt very underwhelming and I felt more frustrated by how long it had taken for me to finish the book. The long, dense chapters were a struggle to read and this book felt more like a chore than pleasure. I think I would have preferred to do the ironing instead!
Alas, once more I have found a dissatisfactory read. This is becoming an alarming trend of 2022! Although I really enjoyed the mystery of the first book, the follow-up has seemed such a clanger that this is a series I will be gracefully stepping away from.
With thanks to Sapere books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Knowing that there has been a murder from a suspected witch, this plot really piqued my interest. I have always had a keen interest in this period of history: the witch trials, female persecution, and the paranoia that haunted society. However, Bailey does not truly focus on this element, instead exploring village life that shows seclusion and a tight-knit community. Strangers are frowned upon, oddness is abhorred and, well, the suspect of the murder is quickly spurned. It takes Ottilia’s super sleuthing to show that there is more to this blacksmith murder than the village actually realise…
Unlike the other book, I found this story incredibly slow and with too many characters. In my opinion, there is a lot of chat and not a lot of anything else. I struggled to keep track of the various personalities and found them rather forgettable, even down to our heroine and her husband. For some reason, I don’t think there was the same character development that I saw in the first book and I think the writer played on village stereotypes that were not very memorable.
I persevered with the story because I was keen to see who was behind the crime. Yet, completing the story felt very underwhelming and I felt more frustrated by how long it had taken for me to finish the book. The long, dense chapters were a struggle to read and this book felt more like a chore than pleasure. I think I would have preferred to do the ironing instead!
Alas, once more I have found a dissatisfactory read. This is becoming an alarming trend of 2022! Although I really enjoyed the mystery of the first book, the follow-up has seemed such a clanger that this is a series I will be gracefully stepping away from.
With thanks to Sapere books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2016
I came to the end just in time. If I had heard females referred to as "creatures" once more or had to endure another sentence including the word "sangfroid", I would have screamed. O_o. While the first book in the series was fairly enjoyable, the second attempt droned on and on and was choppily and confusingly written.
August 26, 2018
Depressingly bigoted
The 1 star does not reflect the quality of the storytelling, prose or worldbuilding, but rather the bigotry. If you are sanguine about a novel written in 2018 recycling tired and toxic bigoted tropes, and implicitly despising minorities, you will find my one star unduly harsh.
But that bigotry was a turd in a swimming pool, as far as this reader was concerned: regardless of how beautiful the day, how bright the turquoise tiles and pleasant the waters, at the point when you spot the turd floating past you, the pool is sullied beyond redemption.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
I applaud writers of period novels going out of their way to write more diverse characters, reflecting the REALITY of the past. But if you’re going to do that solely as a cheap device to crow bar in a tired dead/evil gays cliche, and depict a butch dyke as damaged/broken/crazy, while her femme companion is “normal” and desperately longing for d**k, while frightened and revolted by her companion - well then, friend, you are poisoning your text. All the more so when you make it clear that your pov characters WHO HAVE TAKEN PSYCHIC VISIONS IN THEIR STRIDE, AND ARE REMARKABLY FEMINIST IN THEIR ATTITUDES consider the queer character to be a vile perversion.
Nope. That’s one reader who won’t be returning to spend any more money on Ms Bailey’s works. Life is too short to reward that kind of toxic nonsense.
A pity; I thoroughly enjoyed the preceding novel and found this one generally well written and engaging in all other respects. But this vein of poison running through it became impossible to ignore.
(Edited to add) ...belatedly I recall my sense of disquiet at the beginning, with the white ex-missionary vicar’s patronising references to his flock in Africa; this wasn’t returned to that often, but in retrospect I should have probably put the book down then.
The 1 star does not reflect the quality of the storytelling, prose or worldbuilding, but rather the bigotry. If you are sanguine about a novel written in 2018 recycling tired and toxic bigoted tropes, and implicitly despising minorities, you will find my one star unduly harsh.
But that bigotry was a turd in a swimming pool, as far as this reader was concerned: regardless of how beautiful the day, how bright the turquoise tiles and pleasant the waters, at the point when you spot the turd floating past you, the pool is sullied beyond redemption.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
I applaud writers of period novels going out of their way to write more diverse characters, reflecting the REALITY of the past. But if you’re going to do that solely as a cheap device to crow bar in a tired dead/evil gays cliche, and depict a butch dyke as damaged/broken/crazy, while her femme companion is “normal” and desperately longing for d**k, while frightened and revolted by her companion - well then, friend, you are poisoning your text. All the more so when you make it clear that your pov characters WHO HAVE TAKEN PSYCHIC VISIONS IN THEIR STRIDE, AND ARE REMARKABLY FEMINIST IN THEIR ATTITUDES consider the queer character to be a vile perversion.
Nope. That’s one reader who won’t be returning to spend any more money on Ms Bailey’s works. Life is too short to reward that kind of toxic nonsense.
A pity; I thoroughly enjoyed the preceding novel and found this one generally well written and engaging in all other respects. But this vein of poison running through it became impossible to ignore.
(Edited to add) ...belatedly I recall my sense of disquiet at the beginning, with the white ex-missionary vicar’s patronising references to his flock in Africa; this wasn’t returned to that often, but in retrospect I should have probably put the book down then.
April 25, 2018
Lady Fan gets involved in a village murder mystery when her husband, Lord Francis, and she are traveling and their coach breaks down. In The Deathly Portent by Elizabeth Bailey (Lady Fan Mystery #2) Lady Fan and her husband become involved in a village murder mystery as their groom seeks a smithy to fix their coach. The groom returns to Lady Fan & Lord Francis with the disheartening information that the smith in the nearest village has just died, but there have been mumblings that it is actually murder. Lady Fan gets that gleam in her eye, and her husband cannot say no. Thus, off they go to the village to hopefully solve the murder. This mystery appears much more involved with the added cry of ‘witch’ referring to a young widow who has visions. The characters fit with their superstitions, eccentricity, and gossipmongering. I feel that this Georgian mystery is a bit too convoluted and also, too long. At the end I was glad to leave that village, but, once again, I did enjoy Lady Fan and her mystery.
April 29, 2012
I have never read a book before that is written in the language that was appropriate to that period in time and I struggled with this to start with, but as I continued it started to flow and I understood what was being said. Very much like my experiences when I watch Shakespeare the theatre – takes me a while before I understand what is going on!!
Having not read the first book in the series I was concerned that I would not understand all the references and elements of the plot, but that really didn’t seem to be a problem at all. It is clear that Ottilia had solved a previous case as there were mentions of it before, but it really didn’t take away anything from reading this book.
This is a who-dun-it set in “yester-years!”, not totally sure what period in time but the words, locations and description of people and surroundings feel appropriate to the story. Flows well, and Ottilia is a young Miss Marples uncovering all sorts of hidden secrets in the fictious village of Witherley.
Thank you Elizabeth for introducing me to a new style of writting that I have never tried before and also for sending me a copy of your new book.
The Deathly Portent will be released on 7th June 2012 by The Berkley Publishing Group.
Having not read the first book in the series I was concerned that I would not understand all the references and elements of the plot, but that really didn’t seem to be a problem at all. It is clear that Ottilia had solved a previous case as there were mentions of it before, but it really didn’t take away anything from reading this book.
This is a who-dun-it set in “yester-years!”, not totally sure what period in time but the words, locations and description of people and surroundings feel appropriate to the story. Flows well, and Ottilia is a young Miss Marples uncovering all sorts of hidden secrets in the fictious village of Witherley.
Thank you Elizabeth for introducing me to a new style of writting that I have never tried before and also for sending me a copy of your new book.
The Deathly Portent will be released on 7th June 2012 by The Berkley Publishing Group.
October 31, 2012
Bailey's latest mystery is a rollicking good time starring a sweet, rich, clever but rather naive English lady with a knack for identifying sneaky murderers.
The elaborate cast of characters, a town full of suspicious English-folk, would be enough to please a fan of Dickens.
The book has all sorts of intrigue. Gruesome murders, adultery, hidden riches, forbidden love, witchcraft, a sexy young pastor, dashing aristocrats, an overly-tragic heroine and more than a hint of lesbian lovers. What isn't to like?
My problem with this novel is how slowly it progressed.
This 359-page adventure might have benefited from shaving off 100 or so pages. This book's solid plot was dragged along for far too long. There was too much wishy-washy yammering drivel for my taste, and I'm one of those gals who enjoys a good group of gossiping ladies. Some passages were far too wordy to enjoy, stretching each sentence until they bulged, overburdened with big words and and lacking in focus.
By page 188 I was confident that I knew who the murderer was. I was confident that I that the plucky detective, Lady Otillia Fanshawe, would come to this same conclusion by interrogating this suspect's maid.
On page 288, I still believed myself to be right. The plot, however, had barely progressed in those 100 pages. It wasn't until the very end that my suspicions were proven right. I was right about the murderer and the way in which Lady Fan would figure things out.
If I weren't so stubborn I would have cast this book aside and moved on to something fresh.
I was right about the murderer in the end, much to my chagrin. I had hoped that there would be some sort of mind-blowing plot twist.
Read my full review of The Deathly Portent on my blog: http://audreyellis.blogspot.com/2012/...
The elaborate cast of characters, a town full of suspicious English-folk, would be enough to please a fan of Dickens.
The book has all sorts of intrigue. Gruesome murders, adultery, hidden riches, forbidden love, witchcraft, a sexy young pastor, dashing aristocrats, an overly-tragic heroine and more than a hint of lesbian lovers. What isn't to like?
My problem with this novel is how slowly it progressed.
This 359-page adventure might have benefited from shaving off 100 or so pages. This book's solid plot was dragged along for far too long. There was too much wishy-washy yammering drivel for my taste, and I'm one of those gals who enjoys a good group of gossiping ladies. Some passages were far too wordy to enjoy, stretching each sentence until they bulged, overburdened with big words and and lacking in focus.
By page 188 I was confident that I knew who the murderer was. I was confident that I that the plucky detective, Lady Otillia Fanshawe, would come to this same conclusion by interrogating this suspect's maid.
On page 288, I still believed myself to be right. The plot, however, had barely progressed in those 100 pages. It wasn't until the very end that my suspicions were proven right. I was right about the murderer and the way in which Lady Fan would figure things out.
If I weren't so stubborn I would have cast this book aside and moved on to something fresh.
I was right about the murderer in the end, much to my chagrin. I had hoped that there would be some sort of mind-blowing plot twist.
Read my full review of The Deathly Portent on my blog: http://audreyellis.blogspot.com/2012/...
May 14, 2012
Lord Francis Fanshawe and his new wife Ottilia suffer a breakdown to their carriage. When Ottilia hears a murder has taken place in nearby Witherley she convinces her husband they must stay and look into the case.
This is a lighthearted book, with murder lurking in the background. Ottilia is delightful and Francis is a perfect foil to his wife's unusual interest in murder most foul. They are surrounded by a mixed host of characters who range from the lady of the manor to the landladies of the two village inns who are at loggerheads with one another. Add to this the "witch" accused of being the murderer and the new vicar who is determined to save her and you have a story full of depth and richness set in the times of horse and carriage mode of travel.
A very well written book, I did not come across one typo or grammatical error - a definite bonus when reading as erros can spoil the reader's enjoyment. Well done to Ms Bailey, her editors and publisher.
This is apparently the second book of the "Lady Fan" series. I read the paperback edition and I will certainly go out and buy the first book of the series as this second one is mind grabbing. Want a good read? I recommend "The Deathly Portent".
This is a lighthearted book, with murder lurking in the background. Ottilia is delightful and Francis is a perfect foil to his wife's unusual interest in murder most foul. They are surrounded by a mixed host of characters who range from the lady of the manor to the landladies of the two village inns who are at loggerheads with one another. Add to this the "witch" accused of being the murderer and the new vicar who is determined to save her and you have a story full of depth and richness set in the times of horse and carriage mode of travel.
A very well written book, I did not come across one typo or grammatical error - a definite bonus when reading as erros can spoil the reader's enjoyment. Well done to Ms Bailey, her editors and publisher.
This is apparently the second book of the "Lady Fan" series. I read the paperback edition and I will certainly go out and buy the first book of the series as this second one is mind grabbing. Want a good read? I recommend "The Deathly Portent".
October 17, 2012
Some of the things that annoyed me in the first book like everyone's general acceptance of Tillie's investigation and "curiosity" were not ameliorated by charm or interesting mystery. I have to agree with another reviewer about the use of bain't by the villagers. If we can accept as given that a woman in these times is actually allowed to act like Jessica Fletcher, can't we also assume that the villagers have a different accent and dialect from their "betters". I also hated the use of creature to describe various characters at certain points when Tillie or Fan were feeling dislike. I will not be going any further with these characters.
September 5, 2018
The first book in this series was quite good, but I agree with other reviewers that this one just doesn't measure up. I only got about halfway through it. It rambles and the dialogue, which is meant to be country people's speech, is just way overdone. Bain't this, bain't that, please. Putting this one away, may try book number three to see if the author can bounce back from a poor editing job on this one.
May 28, 2019
Although the pace on this second Lady Fan mystery was a bit slow, it was still well worth the read. Elizabeth Bailey has an excellent handle on late 1700's history and captures the language and characteristics of the people of the time, both aristocracy and the average villager. Ottilia Fanshaw has an unstoppable desire to solve mysteries and the instinct and curiosity to do it well. When she and husband Francis end up stranded in an isolated village, they are quickly caught up in the murder of the blacksmith. Added to the mystery is a young woman who has visions and is accused of witchcraft. Lady Fan simply cannot resist getting involved. A fun tale with plenty of twists and a good read for any historical mystery lover.
January 7, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Deathly Portent is the second Lady Fan Mystery by Elizabeth Bailey. Released 23rd Aug 2018 by Sapere books, it's 381 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.
I really like historical fiction. I love period based mysteries. I enjoyed the first book in this series and fully expected to enjoy this one as well. There is a fair bit to enjoy. The author has done a lot of research and it shows. Her writing is competent and the plot flows mostly without lagging too terribly much.
I found myself struggling to connect with the main characters. They're by turns rude, overbearing, condescending and not terribly bright. (I can stick all of the above, but blundering and clueless are deadly). I finished the book last weekend, and I'm still annoyed over 'whodunnit'. It might well be true to period, but I read fiction for escape and excusing blatant racism and sexism because 'it's period' should remain firmly in the past. I get enough depressing headlines from the newspaper feed.
I struggled to finish this book because of the language. It's not an easy exercise, making archaic and obsolescent speech patterns palatable for modern readers. The author gave it a good try, but in my case at least, I winced a lot. Every single b'aint was a speed bump. Every use of 'creature' referring to women (43! I counted) was a break in my suspension of disbelief and every 'head toss' and 'fluttering' body part made me want to bang my head on my desk.
This is a murder mystery written, for all intents and purposes, like a period romance. There is romance and implied physical relations (off scene, nothing graphic). There is implied cursing but nothing graphic or specific. There isn't any direct content to offend or shock modern audiences, unless one counts the sexism and anti 'everyone who isn't white and male' sentiment.
There are now 3 books in the series with a 4th expected 3rd Jan, 2019.
Worth noting for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the others in the series) are included in the KU subscription.
Three stars for me. The writing is competent and the plot framework was within bounds. I will say that there are a lot of diehard fans of this author and the series as a whole, so I seem to be in the minority. Probably worth a try for period romance fans.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Deathly Portent is the second Lady Fan Mystery by Elizabeth Bailey. Released 23rd Aug 2018 by Sapere books, it's 381 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.
I really like historical fiction. I love period based mysteries. I enjoyed the first book in this series and fully expected to enjoy this one as well. There is a fair bit to enjoy. The author has done a lot of research and it shows. Her writing is competent and the plot flows mostly without lagging too terribly much.
I found myself struggling to connect with the main characters. They're by turns rude, overbearing, condescending and not terribly bright. (I can stick all of the above, but blundering and clueless are deadly). I finished the book last weekend, and I'm still annoyed over 'whodunnit'. It might well be true to period, but I read fiction for escape and excusing blatant racism and sexism because 'it's period' should remain firmly in the past. I get enough depressing headlines from the newspaper feed.
I struggled to finish this book because of the language. It's not an easy exercise, making archaic and obsolescent speech patterns palatable for modern readers. The author gave it a good try, but in my case at least, I winced a lot. Every single b'aint was a speed bump. Every use of 'creature' referring to women (43! I counted) was a break in my suspension of disbelief and every 'head toss' and 'fluttering' body part made me want to bang my head on my desk.
This is a murder mystery written, for all intents and purposes, like a period romance. There is romance and implied physical relations (off scene, nothing graphic). There is implied cursing but nothing graphic or specific. There isn't any direct content to offend or shock modern audiences, unless one counts the sexism and anti 'everyone who isn't white and male' sentiment.
There are now 3 books in the series with a 4th expected 3rd Jan, 2019.
Worth noting for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the others in the series) are included in the KU subscription.
Three stars for me. The writing is competent and the plot framework was within bounds. I will say that there are a lot of diehard fans of this author and the series as a whole, so I seem to be in the minority. Probably worth a try for period romance fans.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
October 10, 2018
Well once again, I really enjoyed this book written by Elizabeth Bailey, it is set in 1790, England, and Ottilia and Lord Francis are now married and on their return from visiting an elderly friend when their carriage breaks down and they find themselves stranded near the village of Witherley.
But Ottilia, now the intrepid ‘Lady Fan’, finds her curiosity piqued when she hears of a local murder.
There is a young woman proclaimed "a Witch" predicted the gruesome death of the village blacksmith. And he was killed exactly as described… Is this woman predicting the future or is someone exactly to her visions?
Once again the characters are fascinating and well described, there is a hint of humour and makes a pretty graphic novel not so intense, until something quite drastic happens and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The outcome, I guessed about 2/3 thirds of the way through, but not the reason why, which seems to be trivial when explained, but does make you think about human nature.
Highly recommend to anyone who likes a thriller, mystery, crime novel, because even though sent historically, it still makes a really good read.
But Ottilia, now the intrepid ‘Lady Fan’, finds her curiosity piqued when she hears of a local murder.
There is a young woman proclaimed "a Witch" predicted the gruesome death of the village blacksmith. And he was killed exactly as described… Is this woman predicting the future or is someone exactly to her visions?
Once again the characters are fascinating and well described, there is a hint of humour and makes a pretty graphic novel not so intense, until something quite drastic happens and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The outcome, I guessed about 2/3 thirds of the way through, but not the reason why, which seems to be trivial when explained, but does make you think about human nature.
Highly recommend to anyone who likes a thriller, mystery, crime novel, because even though sent historically, it still makes a really good read.
May 22, 2019
A wonderful second book in the Lady Fan mystery series, this novel finds the newly-married Lord and Lady Fan stuck in a small village due to an incident with their carriage. They find that the blacksmith who could repair their broken axle was killed the night before. While the villagers accept the news without question, Lady Fan quickly sees signs of a deliberate death: murder.
Then Lord and Lady Fan discover that the villagers all blame one woman, unfortunately named Cassandra, for the death of the blacksmith, believing that "the witch" who had foretold the death must be the one who killed him. The new reverend, who arrived in town only the day before, tries to save Cassie by telling the villagers that there are no witches, but the backward community believes none of it.
Then when another murder occurs, also foretold by Cassie, the young woman's situation looks more and more precarious. Can Lady Fan discover the true murderer before the village burns young Cassie at the stake?
Then Lord and Lady Fan discover that the villagers all blame one woman, unfortunately named Cassandra, for the death of the blacksmith, believing that "the witch" who had foretold the death must be the one who killed him. The new reverend, who arrived in town only the day before, tries to save Cassie by telling the villagers that there are no witches, but the backward community believes none of it.
Then when another murder occurs, also foretold by Cassie, the young woman's situation looks more and more precarious. Can Lady Fan discover the true murderer before the village burns young Cassie at the stake?
January 5, 2019
This is the second instalment in the Lady Fan detective series. The freshly married Lady Ottilia and her husband Lord Francis Are travelling towards his country estate when their carriage breaks down and is in need of repairs by a blacksmith. But in the nearest village the blacksmith has been just murdered and the villages are intend on blaming the local witch, a young woman. Waiting for the new part for their carriage Lady Fan tries to save the witch and solve the crime.
The setting is a small village and a select group of villages are the suspects. As I do not believe in people having a second sight that was not the most intriguing thing to me. It is a detective story that reminded me of the old pocketsbooks from the fifties and sixties.
I am more a fan of book 1 and book 3 of this series.
The setting is a small village and a select group of villages are the suspects. As I do not believe in people having a second sight that was not the most intriguing thing to me. It is a detective story that reminded me of the old pocketsbooks from the fifties and sixties.
I am more a fan of book 1 and book 3 of this series.
April 8, 2020
A portent of excellence.
Our lady detective is now Lady Fan. Her carriage breaks down in hotel territory. There has been a murder. A lady of questionable ancestry and Cassandra type visions foresaw it and is blamed as the cause. She is a witch! So cry the rude peasantry. Not so, says Lady Fan and a handsome new vicar. Needless to say Lady Fan solves the mystery and there is a happy ending. Well written, despite the rustic dialect which really cried out for subtitles. Lady Fan is proving a bit of a feminist bossy-boots but I like her and look forward to more mysteries for her to solve.
Our lady detective is now Lady Fan. Her carriage breaks down in hotel territory. There has been a murder. A lady of questionable ancestry and Cassandra type visions foresaw it and is blamed as the cause. She is a witch! So cry the rude peasantry. Not so, says Lady Fan and a handsome new vicar. Needless to say Lady Fan solves the mystery and there is a happy ending. Well written, despite the rustic dialect which really cried out for subtitles. Lady Fan is proving a bit of a feminist bossy-boots but I like her and look forward to more mysteries for her to solve.
October 26, 2020
When you break your carriage in the mud and walk into the twilight zone, you find a convoluted series of murders, witchcraft and bizarre townsfolk. Add them together with a mystery solving Lady and her Lord, bam! You have a novel with more twist, turns, ups and downs than a thrill ride at a theme park.
Lady Tillie and Lord Francis walk into a small town where the blacksmith has just been murdered. With Lad Tillie's eye for noticing the rarely noticed, she hopes to help unravel this who-done-it. Lord Francis hopes to get breakfast.
Several days later and two more murders, they wrap things up and leave town.
Lady Tillie and Lord Francis walk into a small town where the blacksmith has just been murdered. With Lad Tillie's eye for noticing the rarely noticed, she hopes to help unravel this who-done-it. Lord Francis hopes to get breakfast.
Several days later and two more murders, they wrap things up and leave town.
November 13, 2018
Once again, a cracking mystery!
The murders, the village characters, the development of the relationship between the two main protagonists, Tillie and Francis, even to the language of the text itself and the dialect of the villagers, spoke volumes of the depth of careful research that gave this novel so much authenticity. While I guessed the culprit’s identity well before the denouement, I had no idea how Lady Fan was going to prove the killer’s guilt. A heart-stopping read in places, I loved it!
The murders, the village characters, the development of the relationship between the two main protagonists, Tillie and Francis, even to the language of the text itself and the dialect of the villagers, spoke volumes of the depth of careful research that gave this novel so much authenticity. While I guessed the culprit’s identity well before the denouement, I had no idea how Lady Fan was going to prove the killer’s guilt. A heart-stopping read in places, I loved it!
March 17, 2020
Village Mystery Solved
I loved this mystery set in a small village in the Regency period. The villagers are a superstitious bunch and they let their superstitions control their behavior.
This makes for mayhem all,over the place with twists and turns to keep you guessing until then end.
I loved this mystery set in a small village in the Regency period. The villagers are a superstitious bunch and they let their superstitions control their behavior.
This makes for mayhem all,over the place with twists and turns to keep you guessing until then end.
July 29, 2020
Deathly Portent
I liked this book. It was funny in some parts and mysterious in other parts. At first I could not figure who the murderer was, but after going deeper into the story, I started to realize who the murderer was,just not why.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a good mystery with a little bit of laughter.
I liked this book. It was funny in some parts and mysterious in other parts. At first I could not figure who the murderer was, but after going deeper into the story, I started to realize who the murderer was,just not why.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a good mystery with a little bit of laughter.
January 18, 2022
Much better than the first in the series. Lady Fan has stopped giggling at all the most inappropriate moments though the author is still trying to emphasize the character's amusing personality. Also, she is not continually referred to as a genius though her husband is constantly defending her above average intelligence. All of this is just not as overdone and jarring as in the first book.
October 15, 2018
Deathly Portent is the second entry into the Lady Fan series. I thought the first book, The Gilded Shroud, was a successful blend of historical detail, solid mystery, and a touch of romance. I wish I could have such high praise for the second book. Deathly Portent picks up pretty much where The Gilded Shroud left off. Francis and Ottilia (Tillie) are on their honeymoon, when a broken carriage leads them to an unexpected stop in the village of Witherly. Very soon they discover that the village blacksmith is dead and Mrs. Dale, a young and mysterious woman living outside of the village, is suspected not only of his death but of being a witch!
On a technical level, the puzzle of the mystery was still pretty good. There were enough suspects to keep the reader guessing “whodunit”. And I did appreciate the romance between the Vicar and Mrs. Dale. Unfortunately, the book struck me as homophobic. During the course of the investigation, Tillie uncovers a romance between two women. After her discovery, she refers to both women as “creatures”. In addition, when she tells her husband of the relationship between the women, she anticipates his reaction, which she knows can be nothing but disgust. It was unclear to me if these were meant to be the thoughts of Tillie or if they are the opinions of the author. Either way, I think they are unnecessary to the story and, at the very least, off-putting to the modern reader.
On a technical level, the puzzle of the mystery was still pretty good. There were enough suspects to keep the reader guessing “whodunit”. And I did appreciate the romance between the Vicar and Mrs. Dale. Unfortunately, the book struck me as homophobic. During the course of the investigation, Tillie uncovers a romance between two women. After her discovery, she refers to both women as “creatures”. In addition, when she tells her husband of the relationship between the women, she anticipates his reaction, which she knows can be nothing but disgust. It was unclear to me if these were meant to be the thoughts of Tillie or if they are the opinions of the author. Either way, I think they are unnecessary to the story and, at the very least, off-putting to the modern reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2019
(Spoilers)
I had greatly enjoyed the first book in the series and was very happy to see my library had the second as well. Ottilia and Francis are now married and are traveling when their coach brakes down and they are forced to seek refuge in the closest village. The village has just had a murder and Ottilia cannot help herself in getting involved and trying to solve it. What I liked: Ottilia continues to delight me with her intelligence and pragmatism and I love her relationship with Francis. They are so in love that you can feel it come off the page. The mystery itself was well done and although by the end I had guessed who it was my conjecture was a long time coming so the author had kept me guessing, mostly because I could not think of a motive. I also enjoyed the surrounding cast of characters that populated the village. Now the things I did not like: One of the villagers is a woman by the name of Cassie and she is considered a witch because she has visions of the future. I found Cassie for the most part to be annoying. She vacillated between simpering victim and melodramatic victim. I wanted to somehow reach through the book and tell her to buck up and try to be of some help. I also did not care for the motive of the murderer, I find the stereotype of the person committing murder because they have feelings for their same sex which then in turn makes them murderous, to be both moronic and tired.
I had greatly enjoyed the first book in the series and was very happy to see my library had the second as well. Ottilia and Francis are now married and are traveling when their coach brakes down and they are forced to seek refuge in the closest village. The village has just had a murder and Ottilia cannot help herself in getting involved and trying to solve it. What I liked: Ottilia continues to delight me with her intelligence and pragmatism and I love her relationship with Francis. They are so in love that you can feel it come off the page. The mystery itself was well done and although by the end I had guessed who it was my conjecture was a long time coming so the author had kept me guessing, mostly because I could not think of a motive. I also enjoyed the surrounding cast of characters that populated the village. Now the things I did not like: One of the villagers is a woman by the name of Cassie and she is considered a witch because she has visions of the future. I found Cassie for the most part to be annoying. She vacillated between simpering victim and melodramatic victim. I wanted to somehow reach through the book and tell her to buck up and try to be of some help. I also did not care for the motive of the murderer, I find the stereotype of the person committing murder because they have feelings for their same sex which then in turn makes them murderous, to be both moronic and tired.
September 6, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Sapere Books for a review copy of The Deathly Portent, the second historical novel to feature Ottilia "Lady Fan" Fanshawe and her husband, Lord Francis.
When the axletree on their carriage breaks Tillie and Francis take refuge in the nearby village of Witherley which she has yen to visit after hearing of the death of the blacksmith who has recently died in exactly the same way as Cassie Dale forecast in a vision. Nothing is as it seems and Tillie is determined to get to the bottom of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Deathly Portent which is a light read with an engrossing plot. I must admit that I had a good inkling of the perpetrator from early on but no idea of motive or means and it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the journey to the denouement. I really like the setting of the novel which may be a bit clichéd with the sophisticated, smarter upper class characters in direct contrast to the uneducated yokels. The mass hysteria of the village about the "witch" Cassie Dale is very well done, being both understandable realistic within the context.
The novel is told in the third person from Tillie's point of view and as she is a smart, clever woman with a host of unexpected skills it is very readable and there is a hint of humour in the dialogue which, despite the subject matter, gives it a lighthearted tone. The plot revolves around Tillie's interactions with the other characters and her gradual uncovering of facts and snippets of information which eventually lead to a conclusion. There are also some unexpected action scenes to raise the excitement and leaven the chitchat. It's well executed.
The Deathly Portent is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When the axletree on their carriage breaks Tillie and Francis take refuge in the nearby village of Witherley which she has yen to visit after hearing of the death of the blacksmith who has recently died in exactly the same way as Cassie Dale forecast in a vision. Nothing is as it seems and Tillie is determined to get to the bottom of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Deathly Portent which is a light read with an engrossing plot. I must admit that I had a good inkling of the perpetrator from early on but no idea of motive or means and it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the journey to the denouement. I really like the setting of the novel which may be a bit clichéd with the sophisticated, smarter upper class characters in direct contrast to the uneducated yokels. The mass hysteria of the village about the "witch" Cassie Dale is very well done, being both understandable realistic within the context.
The novel is told in the third person from Tillie's point of view and as she is a smart, clever woman with a host of unexpected skills it is very readable and there is a hint of humour in the dialogue which, despite the subject matter, gives it a lighthearted tone. The plot revolves around Tillie's interactions with the other characters and her gradual uncovering of facts and snippets of information which eventually lead to a conclusion. There are also some unexpected action scenes to raise the excitement and leaven the chitchat. It's well executed.
The Deathly Portent is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
September 21, 2018
"The Deathly Portent" is a mystery set in 1790 in England. This novel is the 2nd in the series, but you don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one. This story didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous books but it did frequently refer back to events in that story.
The mystery is a clue-based, puzzle mystery. There were plenty of people with motives. Lady Fan used her keen observational skills and ability to get people to confide in her quickly to gather clues. I was able to guess whodunit at about the halfway point, but Lady Fan misread which way certain clues pointed. Further clues only confirmed my suspicions and soon made Lady Fan realize who the murderer was. Only, how to prove it? She set a clever but dangerous trap. There was some suspense because certain villagers were determined to burn the "witch" for murder and they're willing to harm those who protect her.
The characters were interesting and enjoyable. The author used some local dialect and historical details to create the feeling of a specific time and place. There were only a few uses of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.
I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley.
The mystery is a clue-based, puzzle mystery. There were plenty of people with motives. Lady Fan used her keen observational skills and ability to get people to confide in her quickly to gather clues. I was able to guess whodunit at about the halfway point, but Lady Fan misread which way certain clues pointed. Further clues only confirmed my suspicions and soon made Lady Fan realize who the murderer was. Only, how to prove it? She set a clever but dangerous trap. There was some suspense because certain villagers were determined to burn the "witch" for murder and they're willing to harm those who protect her.
The characters were interesting and enjoyable. The author used some local dialect and historical details to create the feeling of a specific time and place. There were only a few uses of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.
I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley.
August 8, 2019
This book is going to be a no for me.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and had high hopes for this one but...I struggled to even get to the end.
It just annoyed me. A lot. Listen, if you want to do a plot where there's a witch hunt and a village full of people think someone is a witch, set it in a period where that was actually a thing, not a decade later. And I might have been able to handle them all chasing her but than to turn on someone just trying to help? So much eye rolling.
And the dialect of the town's people...dear lord. It kept kicking me out of the book. Like, it was such a pain to read that it kept pushing me out of the story. Too much. Too too much. Like, I realize bain't was used back then but IN EVERY SENTENCE???
Finally, Francis. I loved him in the first book. Here he just seemed...annoyed, angry, controlling and over protective. I get that he was supposed to be a man of his time and shit but...it just didn't appeal to me at all.
I also felt like this book really made even less since that they'd just accept this total stranger into their town and tell her all their secrets. Like...I understand it's supposed to be how she is and she just makes people want to talk but...it just doesn't work for me.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and had high hopes for this one but...I struggled to even get to the end.
It just annoyed me. A lot. Listen, if you want to do a plot where there's a witch hunt and a village full of people think someone is a witch, set it in a period where that was actually a thing, not a decade later. And I might have been able to handle them all chasing her but than to turn on someone just trying to help? So much eye rolling.
And the dialect of the town's people...dear lord. It kept kicking me out of the book. Like, it was such a pain to read that it kept pushing me out of the story. Too much. Too too much. Like, I realize bain't was used back then but IN EVERY SENTENCE???
Finally, Francis. I loved him in the first book. Here he just seemed...annoyed, angry, controlling and over protective. I get that he was supposed to be a man of his time and shit but...it just didn't appeal to me at all.
I also felt like this book really made even less since that they'd just accept this total stranger into their town and tell her all their secrets. Like...I understand it's supposed to be how she is and she just makes people want to talk but...it just doesn't work for me.
December 2, 2019
I enjoyed book 2 of this series. Not quite as much as book 1, but that was only because Lady Fan was wielding her detective skills with a group of strangers in a tiny town. It was still very much a good read [or rather listen, as I had this as an audio book]] but I really liked Tilly doing her thing with the British upper crust within which sphere she now moves.
I love Tilly and her husband, and I enjoyed going along for the ride on this second adventure as she solved a murder - eventually two of them - with her characteristic cleverness and determination. Although she did not start out as aristocracy, she has fitted in quite nicely. However, her early years as the "poor relation" have given her skills and personality characteristics that make her the perfect combination of aristocrat and "ordinary" person who can ask questions, make deductions and burrow into things that allow her to discover who did what, to whom, and why with much engaging charm. Her husband is also delightful and the perfect partner in crime for Tilly. Together they make a wonderful detective team even if Lord Fan doesn't love the endeavors!
I hope the next book puts Lady Fan back in her normal environment for the next murder to come along, but I will definitely read the next boos.
I love Tilly and her husband, and I enjoyed going along for the ride on this second adventure as she solved a murder - eventually two of them - with her characteristic cleverness and determination. Although she did not start out as aristocracy, she has fitted in quite nicely. However, her early years as the "poor relation" have given her skills and personality characteristics that make her the perfect combination of aristocrat and "ordinary" person who can ask questions, make deductions and burrow into things that allow her to discover who did what, to whom, and why with much engaging charm. Her husband is also delightful and the perfect partner in crime for Tilly. Together they make a wonderful detective team even if Lord Fan doesn't love the endeavors!
I hope the next book puts Lady Fan back in her normal environment for the next murder to come along, but I will definitely read the next boos.
July 26, 2020
This is a perfectly serviceable second entry into the Lady Fan mystery series. Stranded in a small village with a broken axel on their coach, Lady Fan must of course get to meddling when she hears that the local blacksmith has just died under mysterious circumstances, much to her husband's chagrin. What's more, there's apparently a witch to blame!
Not appreciating that the townsfolk are placing the blame on a quiet, troubled young women now known as the "witch," Lady Fan seeks out clues and allies in her search for the real murderer. With more deaths come more clues and even more danger for her as suddenly she finds herself the target of a deadly plot.
Managing to unravel all the pieces and set a trap for the suspect, Lady Fan comes out on top, and the culprit may not be who you expect!
I found this cozy mystery to be an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me amused and entertained. It wasn't predictable, as some are, and it left me wanting to jump right into the next entry into the series.
Not appreciating that the townsfolk are placing the blame on a quiet, troubled young women now known as the "witch," Lady Fan seeks out clues and allies in her search for the real murderer. With more deaths come more clues and even more danger for her as suddenly she finds herself the target of a deadly plot.
Managing to unravel all the pieces and set a trap for the suspect, Lady Fan comes out on top, and the culprit may not be who you expect!
I found this cozy mystery to be an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me amused and entertained. It wasn't predictable, as some are, and it left me wanting to jump right into the next entry into the series.
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