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Beatrice Hyde-Clare #6
A Sinister Establishment
The former Beatrice Hyde-Clare is having a little trouble adjusting to her new situation.
Now installed as the Duchess of Kesgrave in elegant splendor in Berkeley Square, she is confounded by the stately residence’s seemingly endless array of rooms and every time one of the maids addresses her as "your grace," she flinches. And the butler! Oh, yes, that imposing servant holds her in utter contempt and has no qualms about sharing his opinion with the rest of the staff. It’s all so wretched. But just as Bea begins to despair—a bright spot.
A neighboring house has suffered a ghastly tragedy, and although the constable deems it an inadvertent decapitation, she can’t believe anyone could be so careless as to accidentally lose his head. Determined to discover the truth, the new duchess pays her first social call.
Because even if she can’t find her way around her palatial home, she certainly knows her way around a murder.
Now installed as the Duchess of Kesgrave in elegant splendor in Berkeley Square, she is confounded by the stately residence’s seemingly endless array of rooms and every time one of the maids addresses her as "your grace," she flinches. And the butler! Oh, yes, that imposing servant holds her in utter contempt and has no qualms about sharing his opinion with the rest of the staff. It’s all so wretched. But just as Bea begins to despair—a bright spot.
A neighboring house has suffered a ghastly tragedy, and although the constable deems it an inadvertent decapitation, she can’t believe anyone could be so careless as to accidentally lose his head. Determined to discover the truth, the new duchess pays her first social call.
Because even if she can’t find her way around her palatial home, she certainly knows her way around a murder.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 11, 2020
1109 people are currently reading
588 people want to read
About the author
Lynn Messina
64 books657 followersLynn Messina is author of more than a dozen novels, including the best-selling Fashionistas, which has been translated into sixteen languages, and a series of Regency romance novels. Her essays have appeared in Self, American Baby and the New York Times Modern Love column. She lives in New York City with her sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
June 18, 2020
I loved the earlier books by this author and was eagerly awaiting this new addition to the series. But, I was disappointed in the book. I figured out the murderer very early on in the story and found the writing style and storyline boring. Not enough action and too much dialogue. Messina is a decent author but this book was not her best work, in my opinion.
November 20, 2025
Der Titel hat bei mir vollkommen falsche Erwartungen geweckt, denn es geht überhaupt nicht um ein unheimliches Herrenhaus, es ist noch nicht mal unheimlich. Leider ist die Handlung absolut mager, viele Gespräche ziehen sich unendlich, weil die Autorin möglichst spitzfindige Dialoge konstruieren möchte, dass ist auf Dauer sehr ermüdend. Die ersten Bände waren sehr unterhaltsam und der Schlagabtausch der Protagonisten toll, aber mittlerweile hat sich das sehr verloren.
July 14, 2020
'The former Beatrice Hyde-Clare is having a little trouble adjusting to her new situation. Now installed as the Duchess of Kesgrave in elegant splendor in Berkeley Square, she is confounded by the stately residence’s seemingly endless array of rooms and every time one of the maids addresses her as "your grace," she flinches. And the butler! Oh, yes, that imposing servant holds her in utter contempt and has no qualms about sharing his opinion with the rest of the staff.
It’s all so wretched.
But just as Bea begins to despair—a bright spot.
A neighboring house has suffered a ghastly tragedy, and although the constable deems it an inadvertent decapitation, she can’t believe anyone could be so careless as to accidentally lose his head. Determined to discover the truth, the new duchess pays her first social call. Because even if she can’t find her way around her palatial home, she certainly knows her way around a murder.'
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2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars.
A Sinster Establishment is the sixth book in Lynn Messina's Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries series and is a historical mystery.
They're finally married! I love their dry wit and banter together and anytime Damien calls her a brat. I enjoyed reading the absolute ridiculously smarmy nature of Bea's new neighbor. There wasn't very many moving parts in this mystery and so I was very glad that there was a lot of distraction around solving the whodunit and therefore it wasn't clear early as to who our villian was.
I wish there had been a greater sense of danger in this book. Bea has gotten into dangerous predicaments before and so I know it would be a little far fetched for it to be a consistent, but I was expecting a bit more drama than essentially just chatting with that neighbors again and again until the case is solved. Honestly this book has been the slowest by far and it's largely because Bea spends most the time talking about the case, interviewing for the case, or internally monologuing(a tendency of hers) about the case. There's very little in the way of action in this book and it very much affected the pacing.
Although I have found this book to have been the slowest in the series thus far, I did still enjoy the moments of wit and and am happy to see them finally married. I also found the plot to be unique from the others in the series. I recommend the Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries series and look forward to the next, but I do hope that the plot of it will be more exciting than this one.
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I read this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership.
It’s all so wretched.
But just as Bea begins to despair—a bright spot.
A neighboring house has suffered a ghastly tragedy, and although the constable deems it an inadvertent decapitation, she can’t believe anyone could be so careless as to accidentally lose his head. Determined to discover the truth, the new duchess pays her first social call. Because even if she can’t find her way around her palatial home, she certainly knows her way around a murder.'
_____________________________
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars.
A Sinster Establishment is the sixth book in Lynn Messina's Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries series and is a historical mystery.
They're finally married! I love their dry wit and banter together and anytime Damien calls her a brat. I enjoyed reading the absolute ridiculously smarmy nature of Bea's new neighbor. There wasn't very many moving parts in this mystery and so I was very glad that there was a lot of distraction around solving the whodunit and therefore it wasn't clear early as to who our villian was.
I wish there had been a greater sense of danger in this book. Bea has gotten into dangerous predicaments before and so I know it would be a little far fetched for it to be a consistent, but I was expecting a bit more drama than essentially just chatting with that neighbors again and again until the case is solved. Honestly this book has been the slowest by far and it's largely because Bea spends most the time talking about the case, interviewing for the case, or internally monologuing(a tendency of hers) about the case. There's very little in the way of action in this book and it very much affected the pacing.
Although I have found this book to have been the slowest in the series thus far, I did still enjoy the moments of wit and and am happy to see them finally married. I also found the plot to be unique from the others in the series. I recommend the Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries series and look forward to the next, but I do hope that the plot of it will be more exciting than this one.
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I read this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership.
June 22, 2020
Had a few moments of levity, and Kesgrave, as always, is unmatched as Bea’s partner in life and investigation. However, the pace was extremely slow and there were a surprising number of typos. Doesn’t affect my appreciation for the series as a whole.
October 15, 2021
Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Beatrice Hyde-Clare #6
Publication Date: 6/16/20
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 360
This is my first book by this author. Though I’m starting the series with the 6th book, I don’t feel as if I need to go back and read the first five in order to gather the history of the relationship and the series. I love the banter and humor in this book, and I will definitely read more in the series, but I don't think it is going to be one of those series where I wait with bated breath from one book to the next. It seems it is a nice, steady, evenly-paced book/series and I will enjoy reading the books whenever I get a chance.
I thought this book was a tad slow in a few places, but from the reviews I’ve read, that isn’t normal for this series. A sense of danger or impending tragedy was also missing from this book, and that is another thing that seems to be unusual from what other readers have had to say. I did absolutely LOVE the dry wit and banter – and you could tell they had been around each other for a good while because of the way they fell right into the banter and each immediately picked up on the other’s meaning and went right along with it. I did fail to understand the wedding attitudes – but perhaps that is because I had not read the previous books. Our couple get married at the beginning of the book, and they seemed to love each other, but there just didn’t seem to be any romance around it. They married, went to his house, had their wedding night, then he got up and began working the next morning and she got herself involved in solving a murder. Hopefully, I missed something by not reading the earlier books and it would have explained the wedding.
Much to everyone’s shock and dismay, Beatrice Hyde-Clare has just married Damien Matlock, the sixth Duke of Kesgrave. Of course, everyone is also sure she trapped him into the marriage because there is no way a nobody like Bea could have caused a prime catch like the duke to fall in love with her. Little do they know how much the two have in common and that it is a true love match. I would have liked it a smidge better if the duke had said or done something to assure that his servants understood it was truly a love match. I’m sure that will come with time though.
Bea knows the servants have little respect for her, an upstart nobody, and she’s going to do whatever she can to gain their respect. She especially wants to gain the regard of Marlow, the butler. If she can win his regard, the others will quickly follow. What to do? What to do? As she ponders that question, the answer drops right into her lap. It appears that the best, most famous cook in Europe, Monsieur Auguste Alphonse Rejane, has been murdered – right next door. She can solve the murder and gain the servant’s respect. Well – except – she’s sort of promised Kesgrave she’ll stop tripping over dead bodies and solving murders. Oops.
Bea invades the house next door and begins her investigation even though the home’s occupants are toadying sycophants who cannot wait to spread the word about their new acquaintance with the duchess. Kesgrave knows his wife and tracks her down only to be sucked into helping with the investigation. It seems the victim had a love-hate relationship with everyone in the home, so there are plenty of suspects. Usually, I know who the culprit is almost as soon as they grace the page, but that wasn’t the case this time. I did figure it out well before the end because all of the clues were there, but normally I would have solved it much earlier. So – good job author!
I can definitely recommend this book, but I did find it a bit slow-moving because it was more interviewing, talking, and rehashing information than it was action and adventure. I read the synopses of the other books in the series and it appears those books had lots of danger and action in them, so I’m not sure why this one didn’t. I’ll definitely be looking for another one to read to see how things progress. Happy Reading!
Series: Beatrice Hyde-Clare #6
Publication Date: 6/16/20
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 360
This is my first book by this author. Though I’m starting the series with the 6th book, I don’t feel as if I need to go back and read the first five in order to gather the history of the relationship and the series. I love the banter and humor in this book, and I will definitely read more in the series, but I don't think it is going to be one of those series where I wait with bated breath from one book to the next. It seems it is a nice, steady, evenly-paced book/series and I will enjoy reading the books whenever I get a chance.
I thought this book was a tad slow in a few places, but from the reviews I’ve read, that isn’t normal for this series. A sense of danger or impending tragedy was also missing from this book, and that is another thing that seems to be unusual from what other readers have had to say. I did absolutely LOVE the dry wit and banter – and you could tell they had been around each other for a good while because of the way they fell right into the banter and each immediately picked up on the other’s meaning and went right along with it. I did fail to understand the wedding attitudes – but perhaps that is because I had not read the previous books. Our couple get married at the beginning of the book, and they seemed to love each other, but there just didn’t seem to be any romance around it. They married, went to his house, had their wedding night, then he got up and began working the next morning and she got herself involved in solving a murder. Hopefully, I missed something by not reading the earlier books and it would have explained the wedding.
Much to everyone’s shock and dismay, Beatrice Hyde-Clare has just married Damien Matlock, the sixth Duke of Kesgrave. Of course, everyone is also sure she trapped him into the marriage because there is no way a nobody like Bea could have caused a prime catch like the duke to fall in love with her. Little do they know how much the two have in common and that it is a true love match. I would have liked it a smidge better if the duke had said or done something to assure that his servants understood it was truly a love match. I’m sure that will come with time though.
Bea knows the servants have little respect for her, an upstart nobody, and she’s going to do whatever she can to gain their respect. She especially wants to gain the regard of Marlow, the butler. If she can win his regard, the others will quickly follow. What to do? What to do? As she ponders that question, the answer drops right into her lap. It appears that the best, most famous cook in Europe, Monsieur Auguste Alphonse Rejane, has been murdered – right next door. She can solve the murder and gain the servant’s respect. Well – except – she’s sort of promised Kesgrave she’ll stop tripping over dead bodies and solving murders. Oops.
Bea invades the house next door and begins her investigation even though the home’s occupants are toadying sycophants who cannot wait to spread the word about their new acquaintance with the duchess. Kesgrave knows his wife and tracks her down only to be sucked into helping with the investigation. It seems the victim had a love-hate relationship with everyone in the home, so there are plenty of suspects. Usually, I know who the culprit is almost as soon as they grace the page, but that wasn’t the case this time. I did figure it out well before the end because all of the clues were there, but normally I would have solved it much earlier. So – good job author!
I can definitely recommend this book, but I did find it a bit slow-moving because it was more interviewing, talking, and rehashing information than it was action and adventure. I read the synopses of the other books in the series and it appears those books had lots of danger and action in them, so I’m not sure why this one didn’t. I’ll definitely be looking for another one to read to see how things progress. Happy Reading!
June 27, 2020
2.5 stars.
I was looking forward to this book for quite a while now, but unfortunately it wasn't my favourite of the series. It might be that all the wonderful angst between the MCs is now resolved since they married at the very beginning of this book. I'm pretty sure that's the case since all of the elements I previously liked were still there: the clean content, the witty banter, etc., but the overall story was boring. It didn't help that the MCs spent the majority of the book in two locations: their home and the Mayhews' home. Chapter after chapter were spent in one place and then the other, which made it a bit one note. And unfortunately, the singular perspective we get from the heroine is a little boring too. I guess hearing about how she flinches every time someone addresses her as "your grace" bored me after a while. I'm not sure if I will continue on with this series. The heroine, while she was breaking out of her self imposed shell, was interesting. Now, when she's trying to decide if the previous months were simply an anomaly and that she really is that timid creature of before, was not.
I was looking forward to this book for quite a while now, but unfortunately it wasn't my favourite of the series. It might be that all the wonderful angst between the MCs is now resolved since they married at the very beginning of this book. I'm pretty sure that's the case since all of the elements I previously liked were still there: the clean content, the witty banter, etc., but the overall story was boring. It didn't help that the MCs spent the majority of the book in two locations: their home and the Mayhews' home. Chapter after chapter were spent in one place and then the other, which made it a bit one note. And unfortunately, the singular perspective we get from the heroine is a little boring too. I guess hearing about how she flinches every time someone addresses her as "your grace" bored me after a while. I'm not sure if I will continue on with this series. The heroine, while she was breaking out of her self imposed shell, was interesting. Now, when she's trying to decide if the previous months were simply an anomaly and that she really is that timid creature of before, was not.
July 5, 2020
At start of fourth chapter nothing much has occurred other than a new duchess who should know better cowed by her own insecurity about her staff. Wedding scene was not befitting this duo. First couple chapters padded with extraneous chatter passing as dialogue. Life is too short to plod through this one.
December 26, 2022
Beatrice feels the need to establish herself with Kesgrave’s staff as a person of substance and repute. What better way than to investigate the matter of the neighbor’s very dead (decapitated) French chief. So on day one of her marriage she leads her amused husband into the fray.
June 9, 2024
Traveling so reading and reviews are taking a back seat.
Excellent story, wasn’t able to highlight all the witty banter but this book is chock full. I have no idea how this author can come up with these personalities and conversations and murder suspects but bravo! Very well done.
This one deals with right after Bea and the Duke are married, jumps right into a new murder of the most celebrated chef in London.
It’s unique, refreshing and has lots of the Duke. 4.8 starts for me.
Excellent story, wasn’t able to highlight all the witty banter but this book is chock full. I have no idea how this author can come up with these personalities and conversations and murder suspects but bravo! Very well done.
This one deals with right after Bea and the Duke are married, jumps right into a new murder of the most celebrated chef in London.
It’s unique, refreshing and has lots of the Duke. 4.8 starts for me.
August 4, 2022
Day one of marriage and Beatrice decides to investigate the murder of the chef from a neighboring house to ingratiate herself with her house’s staff. As usual, Bea starts off alone, but Damien joins her soon after.
The first part of the investigation is one interview after another. There are a lot of staff members and some red herrings here and there. The pace (and the humor this series is known for) picks up in the last 50 pages. The scene where Bea and Damien discuss the case in bed is a highlight…it manages to be funny and romantic at the same time.
The first part of the investigation is one interview after another. There are a lot of staff members and some red herrings here and there. The pace (and the humor this series is known for) picks up in the last 50 pages. The scene where Bea and Damien discuss the case in bed is a highlight…it manages to be funny and romantic at the same time.
June 18, 2020
After the events at the theater on the Strand, the Duke of Kesgrave positively INSISTS on moving up the wedding. Bea is confused and happy to finally marry her Damien. She even promises, if the minister should ask her to forsake investigating any more dead bodies that cross her path, she will obey. Happily for Bea, the minister refuses to allow the bridegroom to rewrite the Book of Common Prayer. The wedding night over and Damien returned to business, Bea must set about the monumental task of ingratiating herself with the servants, whom she is convinced despise her. While searching for the housekeeper in the servants' quarters, Bea accidentally eavesdrops on a conversation between the butler, Marlowe and a manservant Joseph. Bea's ears would be burning if not for the fascinating news that the world-famous French chef employed at no. 44 has been decapitated! Another dead body- another murder to solve! Now Bea is in her element! Armed with a few more details, thanks to her servants, she heads to 44 to start investigating. There, she meets Mr. Mayhew, a pompous banker, who wants to be admitted to the Duke's inner circle before he'll allow Bea to investigate. Of course the Duchess of Kesgrave refuses to give in to the demands of this mushroom! All seems lost until her beloved Damien joins her in the investigation. The search for the murderer takes her belowstairs in both houses ferreting out secrets and lies. The case is proving extra difficult because the constable declared the death an accident and the supposed murder weapon removed. Will she ever solve the murder and earn the respect of her servants?
This story is not my favorite in the series. It's very, very LONG and slow. Bea spends HALF AN HOUR (33 minutes or 25% of the book) listening to Mr. Mayhew. The next 25% is spent interviewing the servants, the next 25% is the best because it's more about the relationship and finally, the reveal of whodunnit. The big reveal was a bit anticlimactic, especially compared to the previous investigation of only a few days earlier. I wasn't able to guess whodunnit for a long time. I figured out who and how but there didn't seem to be a motive so I wasn't positive. I wondered if the clue was a red herring but it turns out I was right.
There isn't enough relationship plot here. Damien goes back to work the next day meeting with his Steward. What little relationship there is is very sweet. Thank goodness Damien knows Bea better than she knows herself and is mature enough to communicate with her. I love their witty banter and I love what Damien says to her about being joyful. I'm half in love with Damien myself. He's very sweet and caring. Bea is still insecure and shy until she starts investigating. As an introvert, I understand where she's coming from. I don't think I'd like to be a Duchess but it would be too easy to let that power go to my head, unlike Bea, who can PLAY at being a Duchess when she needs to. I LOLd when pillow talk turned to murder. Only Bea can do that and make it charming and romantic! This couple is one of my favorites. I feel sorry for Bea that she has become so notorious and people speculate and gossip about her relationship with Kesgrave. It isn't fair. While HE doesn't care what people think, Bea does and HER reputation matters more. He's a Duke, he can get away with not caring but she's only a shabby genteel not-so-young woman in the eyes of Society. If she has hope of succeeding and not being lonely and unhappy, her husband needs to show everyone that he loves his wife. That should give them something new to gossip about!
Flora's family appears in the beginning of the novel and provides the humor. Aunt Vera is so toadying and so dumb to anything else. She's not horrid like Aunt Petunia Dursley but she really does see Bea as her Harry Potter. Flora has turned out to be a delightful surprise! She's coming into her own nicely and isn't just an empty-headed debutante. Too bad Bea and Flora can't start a ladies' detective agency or educate young gentlemen because the two of them have more brains than Russell. Their bickering has taken a new direction and is too funny.
Belowstairs at Kesgrave House, the butler Marlowe rules. He is imposing and intimidating, everything a butler to a Duke should be. However, he doesn't respect Bea or try to make an effort to be kind. His master clearly loves her and that should be enough. Damien's revelations about his feeling towards the servants is funny and sad at the same time. Mrs. Wallace, the housekeeper, seems like she could be kind. She remembers how much Bea enjoys tea cakes and goes out of her way to make tea time pleasant. Mrs. Wallace is a surprising character though. Her relationship with the victim was very unusual and comes out of the blue. Joseph is the one servant on Bea's side. He seems to respect her intelligence and her ability to solve murders.
Next door, Monsieur Auguste Alphonse Réjane, the world-famous French chef who once cooked for Napoleon, has been decapitated. Supposedly by his own device, the peu guillotine, a chopping device he invented to make food preparation easier. Um how is that even POSSIBLE? How STUPID can the constable BE? If it fits a head, its just a guillotine, not a little one. How could Mr. Alphonse even get his head stuck in it? That makes no sense whatsoever. Also, he would have to be incapacitated in some way before his head was chopped off. It's up to Bea to figure out what happened and why. There are no alibis since the crime happened in the middle of the night. Mr. Alphonse was a strange man. He was passionate about French cuisine, yet continued working for a man with pedestrian English tastes. Mr. Alphonse created masterpieces but left the kitchen maid to do his work without instructions. He was both temperamental and affable. Everyone belowstairs either loved him or hated him. His pastries sound delectable but he's creating pastries that weren't around yet, at least not in writing. As much as I love croissants, Wikipedia says they weren't around for another century. (When Bea reaches for a macaron later in the book. It could be an Italian almond cookie like the type my grandmother made but not the brightly colored sandwich cookies so trendy today).
Mr. Mayhew is a supremely awful person. He's a mushroom even though his great-grandfather established the bank. I wanted to punch Mr. Mayhew when he made sexist comments and throttle him when he tried to play hard ball with Bea. Is he a social climbing buffoon or a Machiavellian mind? He knows what he wants but he thinks he can intimidate Bea and unfortunately for him, he's messing with the wrong person! Does threatening Bea help his cause with the Duke? I don't believe so. Mr. Mayhew clearly listens to and believes all the nasty gossip about her. He has no idea who he's messing with. His wife, Mrs. Mayhew, seems more intelligent. Why does she suffer from nightmares? That is never explained. She comes across as a little silly but I think she's smarter than she appears. It's hard to tell with both Mayhews.
Who wanted Mr. Alphonse dead? Mrs. Blewitt, the housekeeper at 44 certainly has a motive. She has a bit of a temper! I'd be hopping mad too but really, she was kind of out of line. The chef or cook should have first priority in the kitchen garden. Does the house have a stillroom or is Mrs. Blewitt planting ornamental roses? I'd say she should share. She's hiding her motive and everyone else is lying and blaming everyone else. Parsons, the butler, is not the imposing type like Mayhew. He's sly and whiny, stupid and silly. An accident indeed! Henry, the footman, is more imposing but he's no math for the Duchess of Kesgrave. He is quick to accuse the French groom but it doesn't look good for Henry either. Gertude, the kitchen maid, is old for a kitchen maid. She hasn't risen to cook yet and doesn't know how to make fancy French dishes. She doesn't even seem to have much training in cooking or an instinct for it. I think I know more about cooking than she does. Gertrude has the most motive of them all. She has a super nasty temper and blows her top a lot. No one trusts her. Esther, the scullery made didn't do it. I know that because she's silly and faints at the first hint of murder. She may be the most honest person in the house.
Mr. Stebbings, the valet, is loyal to his employer but not entirely. He hides Alphone's thievery to save his own skin. I don't like this man. He's sneaky. Annette, the ladies' maid, also seems honest. She's devoted to her mistress but also quick to blame someone else. How will Bea sort this out?
Who were the 8 guests? Could one of them have sneaked back in and killed Mr. Alphonse for some reason? Who hates Mr. Mayhew badly enough to ruin him? What about those brothers of Mr. Mayhews? Or a business associate or a rival?
This book took too long to read and there wasn't enough romance. I don't need to be in bed with Bea trembling underneath her husband but a few more tender moments would be nice. I can't wait to see what they get up to next, Flora too. Good luck getting the kids back in school come fall. It's a difficult situation and my thoughts are with all of you in New York!
This story is not my favorite in the series. It's very, very LONG and slow. Bea spends HALF AN HOUR (33 minutes or 25% of the book) listening to Mr. Mayhew. The next 25% is spent interviewing the servants, the next 25% is the best because it's more about the relationship and finally, the reveal of whodunnit. The big reveal was a bit anticlimactic, especially compared to the previous investigation of only a few days earlier. I wasn't able to guess whodunnit for a long time. I figured out who and how but there didn't seem to be a motive so I wasn't positive. I wondered if the clue was a red herring but it turns out I was right.
There isn't enough relationship plot here. Damien goes back to work the next day meeting with his Steward. What little relationship there is is very sweet. Thank goodness Damien knows Bea better than she knows herself and is mature enough to communicate with her. I love their witty banter and I love what Damien says to her about being joyful. I'm half in love with Damien myself. He's very sweet and caring. Bea is still insecure and shy until she starts investigating. As an introvert, I understand where she's coming from. I don't think I'd like to be a Duchess but it would be too easy to let that power go to my head, unlike Bea, who can PLAY at being a Duchess when she needs to. I LOLd when pillow talk turned to murder. Only Bea can do that and make it charming and romantic! This couple is one of my favorites. I feel sorry for Bea that she has become so notorious and people speculate and gossip about her relationship with Kesgrave. It isn't fair. While HE doesn't care what people think, Bea does and HER reputation matters more. He's a Duke, he can get away with not caring but she's only a shabby genteel not-so-young woman in the eyes of Society. If she has hope of succeeding and not being lonely and unhappy, her husband needs to show everyone that he loves his wife. That should give them something new to gossip about!
Flora's family appears in the beginning of the novel and provides the humor. Aunt Vera is so toadying and so dumb to anything else. She's not horrid like Aunt Petunia Dursley but she really does see Bea as her Harry Potter. Flora has turned out to be a delightful surprise! She's coming into her own nicely and isn't just an empty-headed debutante. Too bad Bea and Flora can't start a ladies' detective agency or educate young gentlemen because the two of them have more brains than Russell. Their bickering has taken a new direction and is too funny.
Belowstairs at Kesgrave House, the butler Marlowe rules. He is imposing and intimidating, everything a butler to a Duke should be. However, he doesn't respect Bea or try to make an effort to be kind. His master clearly loves her and that should be enough. Damien's revelations about his feeling towards the servants is funny and sad at the same time. Mrs. Wallace, the housekeeper, seems like she could be kind. She remembers how much Bea enjoys tea cakes and goes out of her way to make tea time pleasant. Mrs. Wallace is a surprising character though. Her relationship with the victim was very unusual and comes out of the blue. Joseph is the one servant on Bea's side. He seems to respect her intelligence and her ability to solve murders.
Next door, Monsieur Auguste Alphonse Réjane, the world-famous French chef who once cooked for Napoleon, has been decapitated. Supposedly by his own device, the peu guillotine, a chopping device he invented to make food preparation easier. Um how is that even POSSIBLE? How STUPID can the constable BE? If it fits a head, its just a guillotine, not a little one. How could Mr. Alphonse even get his head stuck in it? That makes no sense whatsoever. Also, he would have to be incapacitated in some way before his head was chopped off. It's up to Bea to figure out what happened and why. There are no alibis since the crime happened in the middle of the night. Mr. Alphonse was a strange man. He was passionate about French cuisine, yet continued working for a man with pedestrian English tastes. Mr. Alphonse created masterpieces but left the kitchen maid to do his work without instructions. He was both temperamental and affable. Everyone belowstairs either loved him or hated him. His pastries sound delectable but he's creating pastries that weren't around yet, at least not in writing. As much as I love croissants, Wikipedia says they weren't around for another century. (When Bea reaches for a macaron later in the book. It could be an Italian almond cookie like the type my grandmother made but not the brightly colored sandwich cookies so trendy today).
Mr. Mayhew is a supremely awful person. He's a mushroom even though his great-grandfather established the bank. I wanted to punch Mr. Mayhew when he made sexist comments and throttle him when he tried to play hard ball with Bea. Is he a social climbing buffoon or a Machiavellian mind? He knows what he wants but he thinks he can intimidate Bea and unfortunately for him, he's messing with the wrong person! Does threatening Bea help his cause with the Duke? I don't believe so. Mr. Mayhew clearly listens to and believes all the nasty gossip about her. He has no idea who he's messing with. His wife, Mrs. Mayhew, seems more intelligent. Why does she suffer from nightmares? That is never explained. She comes across as a little silly but I think she's smarter than she appears. It's hard to tell with both Mayhews.
Who wanted Mr. Alphonse dead? Mrs. Blewitt, the housekeeper at 44 certainly has a motive. She has a bit of a temper! I'd be hopping mad too but really, she was kind of out of line. The chef or cook should have first priority in the kitchen garden. Does the house have a stillroom or is Mrs. Blewitt planting ornamental roses? I'd say she should share. She's hiding her motive and everyone else is lying and blaming everyone else. Parsons, the butler, is not the imposing type like Mayhew. He's sly and whiny, stupid and silly. An accident indeed! Henry, the footman, is more imposing but he's no math for the Duchess of Kesgrave. He is quick to accuse the French groom but it doesn't look good for Henry either. Gertude, the kitchen maid, is old for a kitchen maid. She hasn't risen to cook yet and doesn't know how to make fancy French dishes. She doesn't even seem to have much training in cooking or an instinct for it. I think I know more about cooking than she does. Gertrude has the most motive of them all. She has a super nasty temper and blows her top a lot. No one trusts her. Esther, the scullery made didn't do it. I know that because she's silly and faints at the first hint of murder. She may be the most honest person in the house.
Mr. Stebbings, the valet, is loyal to his employer but not entirely. He hides Alphone's thievery to save his own skin. I don't like this man. He's sneaky. Annette, the ladies' maid, also seems honest. She's devoted to her mistress but also quick to blame someone else. How will Bea sort this out?
Who were the 8 guests? Could one of them have sneaked back in and killed Mr. Alphonse for some reason? Who hates Mr. Mayhew badly enough to ruin him? What about those brothers of Mr. Mayhews? Or a business associate or a rival?
This book took too long to read and there wasn't enough romance. I don't need to be in bed with Bea trembling underneath her husband but a few more tender moments would be nice. I can't wait to see what they get up to next, Flora too. Good luck getting the kids back in school come fall. It's a difficult situation and my thoughts are with all of you in New York!
January 17, 2021
This was much lighter in tone that the two previous installments, which is perhaps why I enjoyed it more :)
November 23, 2022
The couple are married, and continue to plagued by murders, making the h very happy. This time is happens to their next door neighbours, and the H shows just how much her loves her. Loved seeing their relationship deepen and the support he provides to her. She's in no doubt of his love for her. The murder is delightfully gruesome as is their romance. They discuss the killer's method with tea and cakes, before moving onto love making. Very droll.
July 19, 2021
Oh, gosh. I can’t continue anymore. The distraction of the mystery is just too abrupt and so encompassing of everything else interesting going on in the heroine’s life. I’m not getting enough of what actually interest me, their relationship and the heroine’s adjustment to being a duchess.
No matter how the book actually ends, running off to solve a murder at your disgusting neighbor’s house is in no way a rational response to newlywed anxiety. I know it will work out for her but I just don’t think it should. It doesn’t make sense that it would.
Despite the heroine now being a duchess she doesn’t get any more regard from her peers. Actually her neighbour is somehow even MORE of a caricature of a man driven insane by misogyny than we’ve met before. How? I just don’t know.
I’m also disappointed that the wedding night wasn’t on the page. That seems lazy or plain lack of ability on the part of the author. At least make it fade to black or something but to skip it all together without anything more than a remembered kiss recalled after the fact. I was disappointed. We saw more action with them in a carriage than on the actual marriage night. Not worth the wait at all.
DNF 54%
No matter how the book actually ends, running off to solve a murder at your disgusting neighbor’s house is in no way a rational response to newlywed anxiety. I know it will work out for her but I just don’t think it should. It doesn’t make sense that it would.
Despite the heroine now being a duchess she doesn’t get any more regard from her peers. Actually her neighbour is somehow even MORE of a caricature of a man driven insane by misogyny than we’ve met before. How? I just don’t know.
I’m also disappointed that the wedding night wasn’t on the page. That seems lazy or plain lack of ability on the part of the author. At least make it fade to black or something but to skip it all together without anything more than a remembered kiss recalled after the fact. I was disappointed. We saw more action with them in a carriage than on the actual marriage night. Not worth the wait at all.
DNF 54%
June 18, 2020
Great as expected
Yay they finally got married and they’re still an adorable and hilarious couple! Their banter will always be one of my favorites.
The case started out a bit boring but ended up being really interesting and surprising. However, the bank scene was pure gold.
I hope the next book shows more of Bea adapting to being a duchess and more of her interactions in society.
Yay they finally got married and they’re still an adorable and hilarious couple! Their banter will always be one of my favorites.
The case started out a bit boring but ended up being really interesting and surprising. However, the bank scene was pure gold.
I hope the next book shows more of Bea adapting to being a duchess and more of her interactions in society.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2020
Pacing was too slow and unnecessarily drawn out for my taste. The mystery and character development felt more suited for a novella.
Content note: The murder was extremely gruesome (especially in light of the revealed motive). A lot of making out and ‘bedroom’ content, though not explicit.
Still would recommend the series as a whole.
Content note: The murder was extremely gruesome (especially in light of the revealed motive). A lot of making out and ‘bedroom’ content, though not explicit.
Still would recommend the series as a whole.
Read
July 2, 2020Not nearly as enjoyable as the previous novels in the series, perhaps because .
July 4, 2020
Characters seemed to have lost their personality
Bea's continuous thoughts were in the way of the other characters. More dialogue from the other characters would have been more interesting. Her self doubt at the beginning didn't seem in character
Bea's continuous thoughts were in the way of the other characters. More dialogue from the other characters would have been more interesting. Her self doubt at the beginning didn't seem in character
September 18, 2025
Compared to the previous books, this one was pretty dull. More than half the book consisted of a single day's events--mostly questioning suspects at their neighbor's home--and it seemed Beatrice was never going to wrap things up and go back home. It was tedious to read and I found myself setting it aside often during this portion of the book.
The remainder picked up a bit, though the pace was still much slower than what I'd come to expect. By the time Beatrice was ready to make her accusation, I honestly no longer cared who the murderer was. The only true drama of the entire book occurred after the culprit was (finally) confronted, and that's when things started to get interesting... right before the story ended.
I'm torn between two and three stars, so I'll be generous and give it the three, based solely on the drama at the end.
I'll continue on with the series--I like the characters too much to quit now!--but I hope the dullness of this book is an aberration, and not a sign of what I should expect from here on out.
The remainder picked up a bit, though the pace was still much slower than what I'd come to expect. By the time Beatrice was ready to make her accusation, I honestly no longer cared who the murderer was. The only true drama of the entire book occurred after the culprit was (finally) confronted, and that's when things started to get interesting... right before the story ended.
I'm torn between two and three stars, so I'll be generous and give it the three, based solely on the drama at the end.
I'll continue on with the series--I like the characters too much to quit now!--but I hope the dullness of this book is an aberration, and not a sign of what I should expect from here on out.
November 25, 2025
Welp, not tired or disappointed in this series yet. The interchanges between Beatrice and her new husband are adorable.
Bea, the new Duchess of Kesgrave, is terrified of her staff. Which is how she managed to find herself wedged behind a door below-stairs eavesdropping on a conversation about a beheaded chef next door. Of course, she cannot help investigating the death of one of the best culinary minds of the age.
Bea, the new Duchess of Kesgrave, is terrified of her staff. Which is how she managed to find herself wedged behind a door below-stairs eavesdropping on a conversation about a beheaded chef next door. Of course, she cannot help investigating the death of one of the best culinary minds of the age.
May 9, 2024
This was okay but I’m growing tired of this series. It’s always the exact same overarching plot - Bea isn’t used to society so she investigates while behaving nothing like a duchess should. There’s no growth it seems. A pity because the premise was pretty good - the neighbours’ chef is murdered and Bea has to explore the world below stairs to further her investigation.
March 10, 2025
Excellent romantic regency murder mystery
Murder isn't cozy! But Bea and Damian's relationship is a lovely, heartwarming romance that made me tear up more than once. The murder is gruesome, the mystery is real, and the investigation is thrilling and, occasionally, amusing. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series.
Murder isn't cozy! But Bea and Damian's relationship is a lovely, heartwarming romance that made me tear up more than once. The murder is gruesome, the mystery is real, and the investigation is thrilling and, occasionally, amusing. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series.
June 17, 2020
Finally
I have been waiting for.years for.then to get.married. I enjoyed the book but hope they return to London. I missed Bea's family. Her Aunt and her cousins.
I have been waiting for.years for.then to get.married. I enjoyed the book but hope they return to London. I missed Bea's family. Her Aunt and her cousins.
December 8, 2020
I’m glad this book takes us into the time after they marry, to explore/answer all those insecurities from previous books. Their relationship is delightful and I find the witty banter during the murder investigation to be quite enjoyable.
May 27, 2022
CHEROOTS, MY GOOD SIR!
October 23, 2022
I am so loving these Beatrice and Kesgrave books! Terrific, as usual!
May 16, 2023
2.25
This was slow for me.
I'm going to take a break from this series.
This was slow for me.
I'm going to take a break from this series.
April 28, 2024
I enjoyed this one the least out of this series.
November 26, 2020
1.5 stars rounded up to 2. I thought the last book was anemic, but it was practically action-packed compared to this one. Sadly, the worst entry in the series so far. A 70 page novella would’ve provided enough detail yet skip so much unnecessary sitting in the drawing room and/or servant questioning. It was a tedious read, and I frankly didn’t care who the murderer was. Seriously hoping Ms. Messina’s editor(s) help her whittle down her next offering to something manageable, which would immediately make the book more interesting to readers who don’t want to slough through inane dialogue (again).
December 27, 2021
I adore this series, and this instalment ticked a lot of boxes for me. I reread the first 3 in the series (I was going to read all 5 but I read both of them fairly recently and remember the solves quite easily, so I think I’m going to leave them till later this year) in anticipation of this release, and I was struck on this reread by how well Messina sows the seeds of the mystery. There are very small hints all the way through her books that you don’t notice - some of them I didn’t pick up on until this time of reading them, and I’ve already read the series a few times.
This time, I read the book with as much focus on the mystery as I could. Messina is easily one of the most skilled plotters of a mystery story I’ve ever read; it’s in the fine details. This was no exception - I did guess who did it quite early on, but I wasn’t 100% sure, and when I was proved correct I was delighted with the way it unfolded.
Messina’s writing style is absolutely lovely - her turn of phrase is fantastic. She’s a genuinely funny, witty writer. I could highlight all sorts of passages - not just for their humour, but for genuinely beautiful writing.
Then there’s the romance element of this book. It’s been a pleasure to watch Bea and Kesgrave’s romance unfold over the course of these books, and to finally see them married was so satisfying. I loved the fact they were finally able to spend time together, without the worry of ruination. Their relationship is so lovely and sweet - the depth of their feelings is so obvious and so gorgeously done, I had to stop reading a few times to grin to myself at how cute it was.
Kesgrave is the perfect romance hero - I adore his commitment to Bea and how much he just wants her to be happy, how much he completely trusts her without question. His total respect for her is so refreshing and some of the things he does to show his love are adorable. . Their banter is hilarious, they have good chemistry, and I just love them!
I also liked the exploration of Bea’s insecurities regarding her new position. They were very well-handled and I thought some of the passages around it - especially early on - were very touching. The scene with her new hairstyle particularly I thought was well-done.
Overall I was so delighted with this instalment in this series. I had my reservations about the plot, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. I shouldn’t have anticipated anything else though - I haven’t been disappointed so far! If I had my way, all of these books would just have every scene with Bea and Kesgrave, but that’s just because I love reading them so much!
I would recommend it if you like cosy mysteries set in the Regency period with a well-written romance.
Content Warnings:
This time, I read the book with as much focus on the mystery as I could. Messina is easily one of the most skilled plotters of a mystery story I’ve ever read; it’s in the fine details. This was no exception - I did guess who did it quite early on, but I wasn’t 100% sure, and when I was proved correct I was delighted with the way it unfolded.
Messina’s writing style is absolutely lovely - her turn of phrase is fantastic. She’s a genuinely funny, witty writer. I could highlight all sorts of passages - not just for their humour, but for genuinely beautiful writing.
Then there’s the romance element of this book. It’s been a pleasure to watch Bea and Kesgrave’s romance unfold over the course of these books, and to finally see them married was so satisfying. I loved the fact they were finally able to spend time together, without the worry of ruination. Their relationship is so lovely and sweet - the depth of their feelings is so obvious and so gorgeously done, I had to stop reading a few times to grin to myself at how cute it was.
Kesgrave is the perfect romance hero - I adore his commitment to Bea and how much he just wants her to be happy, how much he completely trusts her without question. His total respect for her is so refreshing and some of the things he does to show his love are adorable. . Their banter is hilarious, they have good chemistry, and I just love them!
I also liked the exploration of Bea’s insecurities regarding her new position. They were very well-handled and I thought some of the passages around it - especially early on - were very touching. The scene with her new hairstyle particularly I thought was well-done.
Overall I was so delighted with this instalment in this series. I had my reservations about the plot, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. I shouldn’t have anticipated anything else though - I haven’t been disappointed so far! If I had my way, all of these books would just have every scene with Bea and Kesgrave, but that’s just because I love reading them so much!
I would recommend it if you like cosy mysteries set in the Regency period with a well-written romance.
Content Warnings:
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