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Lily Adler Mystery #1
The Body in the Garden
Perfect for fans of Tasha Alexander and Rhys Bowen, Katharine Schellman's debut novel is sure to delight.
London 1815. Though newly-widowed Lily Adler is returning to a society that frowns on independent women, she is determined to create a meaningful life for herself even without a husband. She's no stranger to the glittering world of London's upper crust. At a ball thrown by her oldest friend, Lady Walter, she expects the scandal, gossip, and secrets. What she doesn't expect is the dead body in Lady Walter's garden.
Lily overheard the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail. But she's willing to leave the matter to the local constables--until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused, Lily realizes she's the only one with the key to catching the killer.
Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend's husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London's social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now, Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the murderer's next target.
London 1815. Though newly-widowed Lily Adler is returning to a society that frowns on independent women, she is determined to create a meaningful life for herself even without a husband. She's no stranger to the glittering world of London's upper crust. At a ball thrown by her oldest friend, Lady Walter, she expects the scandal, gossip, and secrets. What she doesn't expect is the dead body in Lady Walter's garden.
Lily overheard the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail. But she's willing to leave the matter to the local constables--until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused, Lily realizes she's the only one with the key to catching the killer.
Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend's husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London's social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now, Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the murderer's next target.
12 pages, Audio CD
First published April 7, 2020
504 people are currently reading
10790 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Schellman
19 books1,195 followersKatharine Schellman is the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries and the forthcoming Nightingale Mysteries. Her debut novel, The Body in the Garden, was one of Suspense Magazine's Best Books of 2020 and led to her being named one of BookPage's 16 Women to Watch in 2020. Her second novel, Silence in the Library, was praised as "worthy of Rex Stout or Agatha Christie" (Library Journal).
Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering. Find her on Instagram as @katharinewrites.
Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering. Find her on Instagram as @katharinewrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,006 reviews
March 26, 2020
It appears I am starting another good series! I love mysteries set in Regency London and this one was very good.
The main character, Lily Adler, is a young, independent widow who is very intelligent, a little bit in the manner of Sherlock Holmes. When she accidentally discovers a murder and finds that the Bow Street Runners have been paid not to look into it she decides to solve the crime herself.
The atmosphere of London and of society at that time is well done and the mystery is clever. I guessed the murderer but not until right at the end.
Very enjoyable and I recommend it to others who like this genre.
My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The main character, Lily Adler, is a young, independent widow who is very intelligent, a little bit in the manner of Sherlock Holmes. When she accidentally discovers a murder and finds that the Bow Street Runners have been paid not to look into it she decides to solve the crime herself.
The atmosphere of London and of society at that time is well done and the mystery is clever. I guessed the murderer but not until right at the end.
Very enjoyable and I recommend it to others who like this genre.
My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 6, 2020
MAKES ME WANT TO READ ON!
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give a new series - it made me want to read the next book. There were many good points to this book, which makes me excited to read even more!
👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍
Twists: Often I am unsurprised by plot twists - I can usually see them coming from a mile away. I am happy to admit, that there were definitely some twists in this story that I did not see coming! That is a compliment in my book.
Lily: The female protagonist Lily was headstrong, intelligent and had a keen sense of justice. I really admired her and liked her a great deal.
Jack: The male protagonist Jack was sweet, protective and intelligent. He was so supportive of Lily and had a lot of confidence in her. Their friendship was sweet and deep and I am looking forward to seeing where it will take them.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give a new series - it made me want to read the next book. There were many good points to this book, which makes me excited to read even more!
👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍
Twists: Often I am unsurprised by plot twists - I can usually see them coming from a mile away. I am happy to admit, that there were definitely some twists in this story that I did not see coming! That is a compliment in my book.
Lily: The female protagonist Lily was headstrong, intelligent and had a keen sense of justice. I really admired her and liked her a great deal.
Jack: The male protagonist Jack was sweet, protective and intelligent. He was so supportive of Lily and had a lot of confidence in her. Their friendship was sweet and deep and I am looking forward to seeing where it will take them.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
July 25, 2020
it was pretty ok, but the mc was a very boring character, and everyone thought she was brilliant and kept telling her!!! i don't think i would read lily adler's next adventure.
July 21, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE BODY IN THE GARDEN (Lily Adler Mystery Book #1) by Katharine Schellman is the debut book in a new amateur sleuth historical mystery series set in Regency England. The intelligent and determined heroine of the series, the vivid secondary characters and the intricate plot had me hooked from the start.
Lily Adler is a young widow returning to London and society after her first stage of mourning. The first ball she attends is given by her oldest friend Lady Walter. As she is getting away from the crush in her host’s garden, she overhears but cannot see a man attempting blackmail. A shot is fired.
Long-time friend of her late husband and current Navy Captain, Jack Hartley returns with Lily to find the dead body. They soon learn Miss Oswald, a debutante from the West Indies knew the dead man and they join forces to uncover a killer. The three conceal their investigation within the whirl of London’s social season. Lily and her friends must uncover the secrets and identity of the killer before she becomes the next target.
I enjoyed meeting amateur sleuth, Lily Adler and her accomplices. Ms. Schellman brings to life intelligent Regency era characters, who remain true to the norms of their time period and also use it to their advantage. The addition of the West Indies characters and plot connection added diversity and interest to the story. The plot is clever and full of red herrings and misdirection which make it difficult to put down and the ending was a surprise which always makes it more enjoyable for me.
I highly recommend this new amateur sleuth, historical mystery and author. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
THE BODY IN THE GARDEN (Lily Adler Mystery Book #1) by Katharine Schellman is the debut book in a new amateur sleuth historical mystery series set in Regency England. The intelligent and determined heroine of the series, the vivid secondary characters and the intricate plot had me hooked from the start.
Lily Adler is a young widow returning to London and society after her first stage of mourning. The first ball she attends is given by her oldest friend Lady Walter. As she is getting away from the crush in her host’s garden, she overhears but cannot see a man attempting blackmail. A shot is fired.
Long-time friend of her late husband and current Navy Captain, Jack Hartley returns with Lily to find the dead body. They soon learn Miss Oswald, a debutante from the West Indies knew the dead man and they join forces to uncover a killer. The three conceal their investigation within the whirl of London’s social season. Lily and her friends must uncover the secrets and identity of the killer before she becomes the next target.
I enjoyed meeting amateur sleuth, Lily Adler and her accomplices. Ms. Schellman brings to life intelligent Regency era characters, who remain true to the norms of their time period and also use it to their advantage. The addition of the West Indies characters and plot connection added diversity and interest to the story. The plot is clever and full of red herrings and misdirection which make it difficult to put down and the ending was a surprise which always makes it more enjoyable for me.
I highly recommend this new amateur sleuth, historical mystery and author. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
May 26, 2020
3.5 stars
February 28, 2020
When Lily Adler, a widow, witnessed an argument, she found herself discussing the details with Captain John -Jack- Hartley, her deceased husband’s close friend. Newly acquainted, they soon learned a young man was murdered.
Frustrated with the owner of the home where the death occurred along with the magistrate in charge of the investigation, they paired up to determine what really happened. Before long, Miss Oswald, an heiress, joined their pursuit of the crime.
~~~~~
I love a good historical mystery. I expect when I read the debut in a series for the author to introduce a fair number of characters. I also need to feel the heroine’s attributes -she was the story’s amateur sleuth- match the era (Regency times).
Instead, I found Lily to be abrasive at various moments. She was portrayed as a strong protagonist but sometimes I tired of her always being right. As I said before, she was a widow. I appreciated that she loved her husband but he had been deceased for three years; I was reminded of him once too often. Because of her personality, I expected to find her living in a more modern age.
Lastly, it is important for me to fit in when I read this genre but there was an over-abundance of secondary characters. Time and again I had to remember who was whom and why, if any, was their importance to the investigation and crime. Sadly, I find myself with the minority of readers but I can’t overlook the author’s good plot twist at the end.
*I would like to thank Net Galley, Crooked Land Books and Ms. Shellman for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Frustrated with the owner of the home where the death occurred along with the magistrate in charge of the investigation, they paired up to determine what really happened. Before long, Miss Oswald, an heiress, joined their pursuit of the crime.
~~~~~
I love a good historical mystery. I expect when I read the debut in a series for the author to introduce a fair number of characters. I also need to feel the heroine’s attributes -she was the story’s amateur sleuth- match the era (Regency times).
Instead, I found Lily to be abrasive at various moments. She was portrayed as a strong protagonist but sometimes I tired of her always being right. As I said before, she was a widow. I appreciated that she loved her husband but he had been deceased for three years; I was reminded of him once too often. Because of her personality, I expected to find her living in a more modern age.
Lastly, it is important for me to fit in when I read this genre but there was an over-abundance of secondary characters. Time and again I had to remember who was whom and why, if any, was their importance to the investigation and crime. Sadly, I find myself with the minority of readers but I can’t overlook the author’s good plot twist at the end.
*I would like to thank Net Galley, Crooked Land Books and Ms. Shellman for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
June 21, 2025
3.75🌟
This set the stage for what looks like a great historical mystery series.
I loved the setting of this novel. The characters were also standouts. They felt fresh and entertaining. The main Lily is fantastic, I could follow her all day. And Jack is just great, I wouldn’t ask for anything else. The secondary characters were also complex, not feeling like afterthoughts.
The mystery itself, an obviously important factor for me, wasn’t as strong. This resulted in me knocking off some points. But it set the stage for what could be a great series so I’ll continue on to the next book in hopes of a more gripping mystery.
This set the stage for what looks like a great historical mystery series.
I loved the setting of this novel. The characters were also standouts. They felt fresh and entertaining. The main Lily is fantastic, I could follow her all day. And Jack is just great, I wouldn’t ask for anything else. The secondary characters were also complex, not feeling like afterthoughts.
The mystery itself, an obviously important factor for me, wasn’t as strong. This resulted in me knocking off some points. But it set the stage for what could be a great series so I’ll continue on to the next book in hopes of a more gripping mystery.
March 29, 2020
Series: Lily Adler #1
Publication Date: 4/7/20
Number of Pages: 327
This book was an excellent debut for new author Katherine Shellman. The writing was excellent, the research impeccable, the storyline very cohesive, fast-paced, and interesting, and the mystery – well – very mysterious. You’ll think you know who the villain is – but do you? I was up well past my bedtime to finish the read because I just had to know…
Lily Adler was very much in love with her husband, Freddy, and she is still mourning him almost two years later. She’s spent her mourning time with Freddy’s family in the country since Freddy’s death, but they have encouraged her to return to London so she can begin to live her life again – read that as remarry. She’s returned, but she isn’t happy about it – but then she’ll not be happy wherever she is with Freddy. She and Freddy had such plans for their lives – for doing something that would matter to the world – and now he’s gone. She has to find a new path for herself – alone.
Navy Captain Jack Hartley is in London while his ship is in for repairs. He’s not happy about that because Napoleon is on the loose and he’d much rather be in the thick of things. However, his time in London will give him the opportunity to catch up with and offer any assistance he can to the widow of his best friend, Freddy Adler. He and Freddy had grown up together and had always remained closer than brothers. He is also filled with guilt because he was unable to be at Freddy’s funeral services because of the war.
As Lily reconnects with old friends and begins to attend the societal events, she realizes that she doesn’t enjoy those activities as much as she did before she married. Imagine her shock – and dismay – when, on her very first day back in London, she discovered the body of a murdered man in the gardens at her best friend’s ball. She even heard the shots.
When Bow Street decides not to pursue the case, Lily cannot stand to just let it go. There must be some justice for the poor, unidentified young man who had his life taken from him. As Lily investigates, she draws Jack into her investigation, and she also draws a new friend, Miss Ofelia Oswald, in as well.
Who is the young man who was murdered? Why was he, an uninvited guest, in that garden? With whom was he arguing? Why is Bow Street dropping the case? So many questions, so few answers. Can her friend or her husband be involved? As suspects mount, clues are investigated and more bodies added to the count, Lily and company are in the thick of the investigation.
This could have easily been a 5-star read for me. The story was compelling, the pacing was perfect, the historical details were spot on, etc. However, I just had a hard time warming up to Lily and Jack often annoyed me. I’m not sure why, but so many authors who want to write strong, independent female characters think that they have to make them angry, acerbic, domineering, selfish, etc. and that they have to pair them with milksop male characters. Lily and Jack were those characters. Jack, a war hero, a Naval Captain, was always apologizing to Lily and bowing and scraping to her. Why couldn’t they form a partnership as two equals who worked together, respected each other, and were on equal footing? Toward the end, I saw a slight glimmer of perhaps her softening somewhat, so I’ll certainly try the next book to see where it will go. As it stands, if I were to meet Lily in person, I would not like her and we certainly wouldn’t become friends – so I certainly can’t like her in a book. I’ll look forward to seeing where she goes from here.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 4/7/20
Number of Pages: 327
This book was an excellent debut for new author Katherine Shellman. The writing was excellent, the research impeccable, the storyline very cohesive, fast-paced, and interesting, and the mystery – well – very mysterious. You’ll think you know who the villain is – but do you? I was up well past my bedtime to finish the read because I just had to know…
Lily Adler was very much in love with her husband, Freddy, and she is still mourning him almost two years later. She’s spent her mourning time with Freddy’s family in the country since Freddy’s death, but they have encouraged her to return to London so she can begin to live her life again – read that as remarry. She’s returned, but she isn’t happy about it – but then she’ll not be happy wherever she is with Freddy. She and Freddy had such plans for their lives – for doing something that would matter to the world – and now he’s gone. She has to find a new path for herself – alone.
Navy Captain Jack Hartley is in London while his ship is in for repairs. He’s not happy about that because Napoleon is on the loose and he’d much rather be in the thick of things. However, his time in London will give him the opportunity to catch up with and offer any assistance he can to the widow of his best friend, Freddy Adler. He and Freddy had grown up together and had always remained closer than brothers. He is also filled with guilt because he was unable to be at Freddy’s funeral services because of the war.
As Lily reconnects with old friends and begins to attend the societal events, she realizes that she doesn’t enjoy those activities as much as she did before she married. Imagine her shock – and dismay – when, on her very first day back in London, she discovered the body of a murdered man in the gardens at her best friend’s ball. She even heard the shots.
When Bow Street decides not to pursue the case, Lily cannot stand to just let it go. There must be some justice for the poor, unidentified young man who had his life taken from him. As Lily investigates, she draws Jack into her investigation, and she also draws a new friend, Miss Ofelia Oswald, in as well.
Who is the young man who was murdered? Why was he, an uninvited guest, in that garden? With whom was he arguing? Why is Bow Street dropping the case? So many questions, so few answers. Can her friend or her husband be involved? As suspects mount, clues are investigated and more bodies added to the count, Lily and company are in the thick of the investigation.
This could have easily been a 5-star read for me. The story was compelling, the pacing was perfect, the historical details were spot on, etc. However, I just had a hard time warming up to Lily and Jack often annoyed me. I’m not sure why, but so many authors who want to write strong, independent female characters think that they have to make them angry, acerbic, domineering, selfish, etc. and that they have to pair them with milksop male characters. Lily and Jack were those characters. Jack, a war hero, a Naval Captain, was always apologizing to Lily and bowing and scraping to her. Why couldn’t they form a partnership as two equals who worked together, respected each other, and were on equal footing? Toward the end, I saw a slight glimmer of perhaps her softening somewhat, so I’ll certainly try the next book to see where it will go. As it stands, if I were to meet Lily in person, I would not like her and we certainly wouldn’t become friends – so I certainly can’t like her in a book. I’ll look forward to seeing where she goes from here.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 11, 2020
Recently widowed Lily Adler is at a party at her friend’s house when she overhears a quarrel between two men and a gunshot is fired. In this exciting story of murder, blackmail and bribery, Lily is shocked to find who is involved.
The Body in the Garden is installment #1 in Lily Adler Mystery. In this story the police get bribed and the case is put off because of «insufficient evidence». Large sums of money change hands and suddenly they are unable to identify the victim because they don’t want to try. The magistrate, himself is in receipt of 300 £ from the host of the party where the murder took place. Lily secretly witnessed this. As the police are instructed not to investigate, Lily takes it upon herself to do it, with the help of Capt. Hartley and Miss Oswald. She hasn’t the first idea how to investigate a murder case, but sees no way around it if she is to bring about justice for the victim.
The scene of the crime is in a large mansion, so the party goes on unawares while the investigation is kept secret. Pretty difficult to do, I’m sure, but the hosts of the evening seemed to go to extremes to avoid scandal, which seemed the crucial concern for people of “Quality” at the time.
In this plot the victim discovered something worth killing to keep secret. I found the circumstances around the murder interesting as well as exiting. Difficult to find out who the culprit might be as the murder victims kept piling up. I felt the West Indies connection added extra interest to the plot. I have read some books set in the West Indies before, but not murder mysteries, so this was a new angle for me which I enjoyed a lot. As I like stories with multi cultural dimensions, this felt like a win. There seemed a bit of a Sanditon feel about the part of the plot which contains the West Indian heiress, Miss Ofelia Oswald, who is launched into London Society to find a wealthy husband. Miss Oswald is, however, slightly less rich and therefore slightly less aggressively chaperoned compared to Miss Lamb in Sanditon.
I found the progress and exiting intensity of the plot more than made up for a slightly wordy start. I enjoyed the writing a lot. Added bonus, I think, were the funny parts of the story, particularly relating to the budding friendship between Lily and Capt. Hartley as they were knees deep in trying to solve the murder. With a mix between light hearted banter and the serious issue of murder, this was a story I was unable to put down even well past midnight. I found it highly entertaining as well as a quick and easy read. No shortage of suspects here, I can assure you. Well done to the author for creating such a wide variety of realistic “good guy” characters as well as the unsavory ones that both angered and unsettled me.
The Body in the Garden is recommended for readers of historical fiction as well as readers of crime fiction. Thank you to publisher Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
My rating: 5 stars / 5
The Body in the Garden is installment #1 in Lily Adler Mystery. In this story the police get bribed and the case is put off because of «insufficient evidence». Large sums of money change hands and suddenly they are unable to identify the victim because they don’t want to try. The magistrate, himself is in receipt of 300 £ from the host of the party where the murder took place. Lily secretly witnessed this. As the police are instructed not to investigate, Lily takes it upon herself to do it, with the help of Capt. Hartley and Miss Oswald. She hasn’t the first idea how to investigate a murder case, but sees no way around it if she is to bring about justice for the victim.
The scene of the crime is in a large mansion, so the party goes on unawares while the investigation is kept secret. Pretty difficult to do, I’m sure, but the hosts of the evening seemed to go to extremes to avoid scandal, which seemed the crucial concern for people of “Quality” at the time.
In this plot the victim discovered something worth killing to keep secret. I found the circumstances around the murder interesting as well as exiting. Difficult to find out who the culprit might be as the murder victims kept piling up. I felt the West Indies connection added extra interest to the plot. I have read some books set in the West Indies before, but not murder mysteries, so this was a new angle for me which I enjoyed a lot. As I like stories with multi cultural dimensions, this felt like a win. There seemed a bit of a Sanditon feel about the part of the plot which contains the West Indian heiress, Miss Ofelia Oswald, who is launched into London Society to find a wealthy husband. Miss Oswald is, however, slightly less rich and therefore slightly less aggressively chaperoned compared to Miss Lamb in Sanditon.
I found the progress and exiting intensity of the plot more than made up for a slightly wordy start. I enjoyed the writing a lot. Added bonus, I think, were the funny parts of the story, particularly relating to the budding friendship between Lily and Capt. Hartley as they were knees deep in trying to solve the murder. With a mix between light hearted banter and the serious issue of murder, this was a story I was unable to put down even well past midnight. I found it highly entertaining as well as a quick and easy read. No shortage of suspects here, I can assure you. Well done to the author for creating such a wide variety of realistic “good guy” characters as well as the unsavory ones that both angered and unsettled me.
The Body in the Garden is recommended for readers of historical fiction as well as readers of crime fiction. Thank you to publisher Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
My rating: 5 stars / 5
not-going-to-finish
June 17, 2021I admit defeat. I'm bored every time I pick this one up.
April 13, 2020
'London 1815. Though newly-widowed Lily Adler is returning to a society that frowns on independent women, she is determined to create a meaningful life for herself even without a husband. She's no stranger to the glittering world of London's upper crust. At a ball thrown by her oldest friend, Lady Walter, she expects the scandal, gossip, and secrets. What she doesn't expect is the dead body in Lady Walter's garden.
Lily overheard the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail. But she's willing to leave the matter to the local constables--until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused, Lily realizes she's the only one with the key to catching the killer.
Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend's husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London's social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now, Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the murderer's next target.'
_________________________________
The Body in the Garden is the first book in the Lily Adler Mystery series and is Katharine Schellman's debut novel.
Lily Adler, our main character, has a strong personality that was both likable and a bit much at times. This made her feel like a very real and human character, even if she did seem a tad modern for her times. Ofelia Oswald, an heiress, and Jack Hartley, a navy captain, become her investigative partners, which didn't always run smoothly for them. Despite their bickering and keeping secrets from one another, I really appreciated that there was a team of three investigating in this book, while also relying on the help of those around them on a few occasions. It was a nice change of pace to see a deviation from the usual investigsting duo. And it felt more believable that a larger team like this would be able to solve this mystery.
I loved that there were PoC characters in this book, and not only as background characters! PoC characters are often few and far between in the historical genre and sub-genres, so it was lovely and refreshing to see some representation in this wonderful mystery.
At the onset of the book, I did feel that it tended toward being a bit wordy at times, which sometimes made it feel like things were dragging along a bit. But considering this is the first a series, introducing us to our main characters whilst setting up a mystery, this slow pace wasn't completely unexpected and so this wasn't really a sticking point for me.
Without spoiling anything, I will simply say that I really liked the way everything played out during the conclusion of the mystery. It was just twisty-turny enough that it was perfect. There was a good and believable amount of danger and there were several red herrings along the way so that it wasn't obvious too early as to who our villian was. I did still determine the villian before the reveal, but only shortly before.
I look forward to seeing where further installments in this series will take us. I will be continuing on to read the next book when it becomes available and on the lookout for other mystery books from Katharine Schellman in the future. I recommend The Body in the Garden to fans of the historical mystery genre.
_____
I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sharing a copy of The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman with me for reviewing purposes. This is my honest review.
Lily overheard the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail. But she's willing to leave the matter to the local constables--until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused, Lily realizes she's the only one with the key to catching the killer.
Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend's husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London's social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now, Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the murderer's next target.'
_________________________________
The Body in the Garden is the first book in the Lily Adler Mystery series and is Katharine Schellman's debut novel.
Lily Adler, our main character, has a strong personality that was both likable and a bit much at times. This made her feel like a very real and human character, even if she did seem a tad modern for her times. Ofelia Oswald, an heiress, and Jack Hartley, a navy captain, become her investigative partners, which didn't always run smoothly for them. Despite their bickering and keeping secrets from one another, I really appreciated that there was a team of three investigating in this book, while also relying on the help of those around them on a few occasions. It was a nice change of pace to see a deviation from the usual investigsting duo. And it felt more believable that a larger team like this would be able to solve this mystery.
I loved that there were PoC characters in this book, and not only as background characters! PoC characters are often few and far between in the historical genre and sub-genres, so it was lovely and refreshing to see some representation in this wonderful mystery.
At the onset of the book, I did feel that it tended toward being a bit wordy at times, which sometimes made it feel like things were dragging along a bit. But considering this is the first a series, introducing us to our main characters whilst setting up a mystery, this slow pace wasn't completely unexpected and so this wasn't really a sticking point for me.
Without spoiling anything, I will simply say that I really liked the way everything played out during the conclusion of the mystery. It was just twisty-turny enough that it was perfect. There was a good and believable amount of danger and there were several red herrings along the way so that it wasn't obvious too early as to who our villian was. I did still determine the villian before the reveal, but only shortly before.
I look forward to seeing where further installments in this series will take us. I will be continuing on to read the next book when it becomes available and on the lookout for other mystery books from Katharine Schellman in the future. I recommend The Body in the Garden to fans of the historical mystery genre.
_____
I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sharing a copy of The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman with me for reviewing purposes. This is my honest review.
February 22, 2022
This was a very promising start to the series. It was a little slow at the beginning, but I liked Lily and the main supporting cast quite a bit. I look forward to reading more in this world!
March 31, 2020
It's no secret to the people around me that I adore the Her Royal Spyness series. I honestly never stop talking about it or recommending it. So when I was told that this book is perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen, I jumped on it. It's probably because of those high expectations I put on it that I came out feeling disappointed. Yes, it is about a member of high up society (not titled, but nearly) solving a murder mystery in a time where women definitely shouldn't be doing it. And yes, there's a slight suggested potential romance that stems from having to begrudgingly work together to figure out clues. There's also a best friend who is aloof and pompous at the best of times, and a character who you don't know if you can trust but you're forced to for the sake of the story. Who turns out to be fine, anyway. The main difference is that The Body in the Garden takes place in 1815, right after the end of the War of 1812 (not that it feels like that in any way shape or form because there's hardly any reference to it). That's fine, but it does mean that the independence of the main character is thwarted exponentially and her reliance on men is astronomical. Not to mention the society-bred misogyny that is the underlayer of 80% of the dialogue between characters. I got a ton of literary whiplash in the treatment of our main character, Lily Adler. One moment she's strong and worth listening to, and the next she's a silly little girl who doesn't know anything. Okay, which is it? Which am I supposed to believe? Lily herself doesn't help matters at all and doesn't present herself as likable much to begin with. She's independent and and unafraid and daring, but she also presents herself as *~different from other girls~* and frankly, it's very irritating and makes it hard to root for her in the first place. She's so uppity and entitled and doesn't really think about others, despite the fact that on the scale of nobility that presents itself in the book, she's actually pretty low on it herself.
Lily Adler has a bit of a tragic backstory to begin with in that her husband was killed in the war, and now she's widowed and alone in the world. And I get it, she misses her dead husband and working constantly with people who knew him can't help matters. But if I have to continually hear about how she misses a man's touch, I might have to hurl. Really, 1815 is just not a great time period to set your book if you want a super independent woman. She can't do a n y t h i n g by herself. Or at all, sometimes. Which is where the main male character comes in, whose name I cannot remember but by all means does not insinuate he is forgettable. He's the one who knew Lily's husband before he died and has apparently taken it upon himself to "protect" her, which he does by suggesting women are weak and also telling her she shouldn't do things, which is a bit of a weird way to get into someone's heart, if you ask me, which is clearly what is supposed to happen. Either they were going to get together at he end, which I hated, or he was going to die and only after he dies would she realise that she's fallen in love with him, which I also hated. I was never going to be pleased with the outcome of their relationship, honestly.
The writing doesn't really support this book, either. It's 1815, not 2020, and certain words just didn't exist back then. You can't tell me that "washroom" was in the common vernacular. And remember that character whiplash I was talking about? Very present throughout the entire book. It hardly even felt like the same character the entire time. I have just as many grudges against Ofelia, who is unnecessarily mysterious and doesn't amount to anything. If you're going to build up to some big reveal, can it at least be something other than she's in love? Not to mention the fact that we don't even get to know her first name until about 3/4 of the way through the book, which is very strange considering how closely Lily considers her a friend (sometimes - other times she is a complete stranger, of course). She's also the token POC (along with the main male character, who has an Indian mother that is mentioned one (1) time in order to tick that box).
You may have noticed that I have yet to mention the actual plot of the story, the actual mystery, the Body in the Garden, as one may say. Well, it is actually quite forgettable and if I may be frank, quite boring. The entire plot revolves around shipping manifests, which is terribly boring. It also is quite difficult to make shipping manifests interesting at all, and the parts that I imagine were supposed to be chapter cliffhangers were just rather disappointing. The mystery is weak and unfortunately, I found the characters struggled to pick up the slack. I may read the next in the series anyway, to see if it improves, but overall, my heart is slumping in a disappointed breeze that means I'm gonna have to go reread Her Royal Spyness to make up for it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lily Adler has a bit of a tragic backstory to begin with in that her husband was killed in the war, and now she's widowed and alone in the world. And I get it, she misses her dead husband and working constantly with people who knew him can't help matters. But if I have to continually hear about how she misses a man's touch, I might have to hurl. Really, 1815 is just not a great time period to set your book if you want a super independent woman. She can't do a n y t h i n g by herself. Or at all, sometimes. Which is where the main male character comes in, whose name I cannot remember but by all means does not insinuate he is forgettable. He's the one who knew Lily's husband before he died and has apparently taken it upon himself to "protect" her, which he does by suggesting women are weak and also telling her she shouldn't do things, which is a bit of a weird way to get into someone's heart, if you ask me, which is clearly what is supposed to happen. Either they were going to get together at he end, which I hated, or he was going to die and only after he dies would she realise that she's fallen in love with him, which I also hated. I was never going to be pleased with the outcome of their relationship, honestly.
The writing doesn't really support this book, either. It's 1815, not 2020, and certain words just didn't exist back then. You can't tell me that "washroom" was in the common vernacular. And remember that character whiplash I was talking about? Very present throughout the entire book. It hardly even felt like the same character the entire time. I have just as many grudges against Ofelia, who is unnecessarily mysterious and doesn't amount to anything. If you're going to build up to some big reveal, can it at least be something other than she's in love? Not to mention the fact that we don't even get to know her first name until about 3/4 of the way through the book, which is very strange considering how closely Lily considers her a friend (sometimes - other times she is a complete stranger, of course). She's also the token POC (along with the main male character, who has an Indian mother that is mentioned one (1) time in order to tick that box).
You may have noticed that I have yet to mention the actual plot of the story, the actual mystery, the Body in the Garden, as one may say. Well, it is actually quite forgettable and if I may be frank, quite boring. The entire plot revolves around shipping manifests, which is terribly boring. It also is quite difficult to make shipping manifests interesting at all, and the parts that I imagine were supposed to be chapter cliffhangers were just rather disappointing. The mystery is weak and unfortunately, I found the characters struggled to pick up the slack. I may read the next in the series anyway, to see if it improves, but overall, my heart is slumping in a disappointed breeze that means I'm gonna have to go reread Her Royal Spyness to make up for it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2022
My eyes widened in surprise. I scowled in frustration, hid an inward sigh and suppressed the urge to roll my eyes....
Blerghhhhhhhh. Why oh why are there so many over-writers and/or lazy editors? Just tell the damn story without describing everyone's facial expressions and vocal delivery. I hate being treated like an idiot reader. Not everyone has to write like Hemingway, but it's exhausting being told everything. I know this is her first novel, but if you're a good writer you trust the story and you trust the reader, and you don't let unnecessary adverbs and adjectives get in the way. This book is basically a Conan Doyle/Jane Austen mash-up with about 5% of the cleverness and charm. 2.5 stars.
Blerghhhhhhhh. Why oh why are there so many over-writers and/or lazy editors? Just tell the damn story without describing everyone's facial expressions and vocal delivery. I hate being treated like an idiot reader. Not everyone has to write like Hemingway, but it's exhausting being told everything. I know this is her first novel, but if you're a good writer you trust the story and you trust the reader, and you don't let unnecessary adverbs and adjectives get in the way. This book is basically a Conan Doyle/Jane Austen mash-up with about 5% of the cleverness and charm. 2.5 stars.
September 13, 2021
The story is a bit unusual as it takes place in 1815 and its main character is a widow who is investigating a murder of a man from the West Indies. She has 2 friends that are helping her find justice for the man that she heard being shot. Part of the interesting plot details are the crime fighters are of mixed racial heritage. Having read many murder mysteries and Regency romances I did have to suspend belief a bit but did enjoy the story. I found the mystery to be entertaining and clues are woven thru the story. There is no romance in this book as it does often (sometimes a bit too often point out the the Heroine is a widow). I look forward to the next book in the series.
March 18, 2023
August 2022: I read this book again because book 3 comes out tomorrow. I still love these characters. There’s so much more to learn about all of them…I hope we get many more Lily Adler books in the future!
February 2022:Sign me up for this series! Lily Alder is such a fun character. Sometimes, female sleuths in books set in this time are almost too audacious to be believed. Lily is fierce, brave, and extremely intelligent, but she also plays the role of society woman well. She defies convention without flaunting it. In fact, there’s a funny reference to her being an in-demand guest at events after rumors about her sleuthing come out.
But circling back, Lily attends a ball at her friend’s house the day she returns to London from her in-laws’ country home. She’s now in half-mourning and her mother-in-law has pushed her to set up her own house. She’s not quite ready to be out in society and overheard a murder while taking a break from the ball to walk in some gardens. She can’t let the crime go and investigated with the help of a friend of her husband’s (Capt. Jack Hartley, potential love interest), an heiress who has just arrived from the West Indies, and much later, a Bow Street investigator (another potential love interest?).
The book moves quickly, the characters are distinct and interesting, and the setting is more than window dressing. This series is going on my “must read” list!
ETA: there is one beautiful scene (around pages 156) that isn’t essential to the mystery, but is a wonderful moment between Lily and her husband’s friend. It’s not to be missed!
February 2022:Sign me up for this series! Lily Alder is such a fun character. Sometimes, female sleuths in books set in this time are almost too audacious to be believed. Lily is fierce, brave, and extremely intelligent, but she also plays the role of society woman well. She defies convention without flaunting it. In fact, there’s a funny reference to her being an in-demand guest at events after rumors about her sleuthing come out.
But circling back, Lily attends a ball at her friend’s house the day she returns to London from her in-laws’ country home. She’s now in half-mourning and her mother-in-law has pushed her to set up her own house. She’s not quite ready to be out in society and overheard a murder while taking a break from the ball to walk in some gardens. She can’t let the crime go and investigated with the help of a friend of her husband’s (Capt. Jack Hartley, potential love interest), an heiress who has just arrived from the West Indies, and much later, a Bow Street investigator (another potential love interest?).
The book moves quickly, the characters are distinct and interesting, and the setting is more than window dressing. This series is going on my “must read” list!
ETA: there is one beautiful scene (around pages 156) that isn’t essential to the mystery, but is a wonderful moment between Lily and her husband’s friend. It’s not to be missed!
October 4, 2023
Very much enjoyed, especially after the story gets going. Lily is your steady, quietly daring friend who won't hesitate to politely challenge you on your actions and value system, which is verrrry interesting as she comes across a mystery that tests her views. It's a stroke of genius that the author makes her a widow, which gives her freedoms and a certain self-confidence not typically enjoyed by single ladies during this era.
The mystery itself gets more interesting as it develops. I think what makes this one a standout from other cozy historical mysteries is the thoughtful way the author writes about women and the ways they have to navigate society's demands, as well as the friendships, from female-female to male-female to male-male. And all of it is integrated seamlessly into the story. I also loved the ending scene, which opens the door for more adventures in a very intentional way--as well as shows the support and respect she has gained. Excited to read the others!
P.S. Is it coincidence that we have both a Jem and a Carstairs in this book, though? Probably so, but shades of The Infernal Devices.
Audio Notes: Henrietta Meire does fine as a narrator for Lily's voice. I like her secondary voices much less, as many of the women have accents and diction that reminded me too much of others--most specifically, Harriet Walter in Sense and Sensibility...or am I thinking of Juliet Stevenson in Emma?--and the male voices were uniformly too dry, harsh, and unvaried. But I'll keep listening to the others, as the voice for Lily is pleasant.
The mystery itself gets more interesting as it develops. I think what makes this one a standout from other cozy historical mysteries is the thoughtful way the author writes about women and the ways they have to navigate society's demands, as well as the friendships, from female-female to male-female to male-male. And all of it is integrated seamlessly into the story. I also loved the ending scene, which opens the door for more adventures in a very intentional way--as well as shows the support and respect she has gained. Excited to read the others!
P.S. Is it coincidence that we have both a Jem and a Carstairs in this book, though? Probably so, but shades of The Infernal Devices.
Audio Notes: Henrietta Meire does fine as a narrator for Lily's voice. I like her secondary voices much less, as many of the women have accents and diction that reminded me too much of others--most specifically, Harriet Walter in Sense and Sensibility...or am I thinking of Juliet Stevenson in Emma?--and the male voices were uniformly too dry, harsh, and unvaried. But I'll keep listening to the others, as the voice for Lily is pleasant.
October 28, 2019
The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman is an intriguing historical mystery.
Lily Adler is a widow who has returned to London to begin her life anew. She is still very much in love with her husband and has no interest in looking for a new husband. In fact, she is quite independent in many ways which makes her rather odd in London society of the early 1800's. The secondary characters, Captain Jack Hartley and Miss Ofelia Oswald were great supporting characters that often moved the story along. The plot was smoothly paced, the characters were well developed for a first book in a series and there were enough red herrings and twists to keep me guessing until the reveal. I didn't have a clue who was behind the murders and treason until the end which made it an good read for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Lily Adler is a widow who has returned to London to begin her life anew. She is still very much in love with her husband and has no interest in looking for a new husband. In fact, she is quite independent in many ways which makes her rather odd in London society of the early 1800's. The secondary characters, Captain Jack Hartley and Miss Ofelia Oswald were great supporting characters that often moved the story along. The plot was smoothly paced, the characters were well developed for a first book in a series and there were enough red herrings and twists to keep me guessing until the reveal. I didn't have a clue who was behind the murders and treason until the end which made it an good read for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
October 5, 2023
4.5 Stars Rounded Up
Wow, this was really, really good.
The mystery itself was complex and interesting.
I loved, loved, loved the set-up! The team approach to solving the crime as well as the addition of 2 prominent POC supporting characters.
I'm truly looking forward to the other installments in this series🥰
Wow, this was really, really good.
The mystery itself was complex and interesting.
I loved, loved, loved the set-up! The team approach to solving the crime as well as the addition of 2 prominent POC supporting characters.
I'm truly looking forward to the other installments in this series🥰
October 12, 2022
Still grieving Lily Adler returns to London to take part in Society now that her grieving period is over. She reunites with her good friend mmmm, and reconnects with her dead husband’s friend, Jack mmm, a half-Indian, half British naval Captain.
While at Serena's place for an evening out, she sees a young Black heiress, Miss Ofelia Oswald, who others look down on, and much distressingly, later stumbles upon a murder.
Almost immediately, the investigator assigned to the case is paid off by Serena's husband, and Lily is left outraged. So, she enlists Jack’s help, and ropes in the Ofelia, as Ofelia knew the dead man. The three quickly find themselves breaking into rooms, questioning Ladies, and impersonating people to get the information they need, all of which leads them through the homes of acquaintances and a shipping company.
I liked how each of the investigating trio is an outsider, in some sense:
-Lily is unconventionally intelligent and analytical
-Despite Ofelia's large wealth and intelligence, her skin colour is a barrier to getting to know other Society Ladies
-Jack can pass as white; he’s stiff in manner and irritatingly punctilious about Society's rules, though thankfully he begins to loosen up as the three work together.
The story is a little slow moving at first, but gradually the pacing improves, and I ended up enjoying the way the Lily and the others worked together.
While at Serena's place for an evening out, she sees a young Black heiress, Miss Ofelia Oswald, who others look down on, and much distressingly, later stumbles upon a murder.
Almost immediately, the investigator assigned to the case is paid off by Serena's husband, and Lily is left outraged. So, she enlists Jack’s help, and ropes in the Ofelia, as Ofelia knew the dead man. The three quickly find themselves breaking into rooms, questioning Ladies, and impersonating people to get the information they need, all of which leads them through the homes of acquaintances and a shipping company.
I liked how each of the investigating trio is an outsider, in some sense:
-Lily is unconventionally intelligent and analytical
-Despite Ofelia's large wealth and intelligence, her skin colour is a barrier to getting to know other Society Ladies
-Jack can pass as white; he’s stiff in manner and irritatingly punctilious about Society's rules, though thankfully he begins to loosen up as the three work together.
The story is a little slow moving at first, but gradually the pacing improves, and I ended up enjoying the way the Lily and the others worked together.
February 7, 2025
2⭐️ = Below Average.
Audio.
This started off quite well, and to be fair, the writing wasn’t too bad at all.
The plot was just a bit dragged out , and I was waiting for the pace to pick up, which for me, it didn’t.
Maybe this was another that I would have been better reading as a physical book.
Audio.
This started off quite well, and to be fair, the writing wasn’t too bad at all.
The plot was just a bit dragged out , and I was waiting for the pace to pick up, which for me, it didn’t.
Maybe this was another that I would have been better reading as a physical book.
April 8, 2020
A Lady of Quality Regency mystery!_________3.5
Two delightful characters in the lead roles in this new Regency mystery add to its charm. Lily Adler is a young widow, a no nonsense woman who knows her way around the ton.
Attending her friend Lady Walter's Ball was a beginning to her new, independent life.
Unexpectedly coming across a couple of men exchanging terse and threatening comments in the garden, after having slipped out of the crowded ballroom for fresh air, Lily beats a hasty retreat. As she quietly sidles away from the scene she is frightened by a gunshot as she retreats.
That's where her dead husband's friend, Captain John Hartley—Jack, comes in handy. Stumbling back towards the ballroom she runs into him and seeks his help. Disbelieving he accompanies her, only to confirm the truth. There obviously was a gunshot because they find a dead body.
When Lord Walter has the investigation into matters surrounding the death, including the identity of the person squashed, Lily is determined to find out why, and what lies behind the murder. Jack of course is drawn into the chase and there's an interesting cast of additional characters including Jem a cheeky young messenger boy from the Dials area and Simon Page the Bow Street Constable.
Jack and Page don't get of to the best of starts but as the chase for the murderer progresses they do come to respect each other.
Lily having been dismissed as a mere woman wastes no time in changing Page's opinion. Danger treads her path and Jack is infuriated as she places herself squarely in its way. Her investigations reach to the heights of society, secrets are exposed and Lily makes not only powerful enemies but new friends, including a very independent and unusual heiress.
As we leave Lily contemplating carving out a new path for herself as a discreet investigator, I for one felt ready to pursue more of her adventures.
A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
Two delightful characters in the lead roles in this new Regency mystery add to its charm. Lily Adler is a young widow, a no nonsense woman who knows her way around the ton.
Attending her friend Lady Walter's Ball was a beginning to her new, independent life.
Unexpectedly coming across a couple of men exchanging terse and threatening comments in the garden, after having slipped out of the crowded ballroom for fresh air, Lily beats a hasty retreat. As she quietly sidles away from the scene she is frightened by a gunshot as she retreats.
That's where her dead husband's friend, Captain John Hartley—Jack, comes in handy. Stumbling back towards the ballroom she runs into him and seeks his help. Disbelieving he accompanies her, only to confirm the truth. There obviously was a gunshot because they find a dead body.
When Lord Walter has the investigation into matters surrounding the death, including the identity of the person squashed, Lily is determined to find out why, and what lies behind the murder. Jack of course is drawn into the chase and there's an interesting cast of additional characters including Jem a cheeky young messenger boy from the Dials area and Simon Page the Bow Street Constable.
Jack and Page don't get of to the best of starts but as the chase for the murderer progresses they do come to respect each other.
Lily having been dismissed as a mere woman wastes no time in changing Page's opinion. Danger treads her path and Jack is infuriated as she places herself squarely in its way. Her investigations reach to the heights of society, secrets are exposed and Lily makes not only powerful enemies but new friends, including a very independent and unusual heiress.
As we leave Lily contemplating carving out a new path for herself as a discreet investigator, I for one felt ready to pursue more of her adventures.
A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
November 8, 2019
Thank you Netgalley for giving me a review copy!
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars, because I really do think this would have been 5 stars if I hadn't just read a novel set in this time period.
The only reason (besides the one stated above) that this isn't 5 stars, is because the first 30% is kind of slow. It takes awhile to pick up, but once it does things get CRAZY. The beginning's slowness is almost necessary just to set the pieces in place that will basically be your cast for the entire novel. Names are dropped around quickly, but they get re-introduced quite a bit so you don't ever forget anyone.
The mystery aspects are also very nice and I felt that the ending was properly led to without outright telling us who did it. It does all get revealed of course, but I felt that Schellman did a great job of not showing us the culprit too early. Everything felt like it was revealed at just the right time and Lily Adler was a great protagonist. The motive felt real and not forced, and all the evidence lined up perfectly.
This book's main characters: Lily Adler, Jack, & Ofelia were also all great. I loved them all so much. The only characters in this book that I didn't like, were the ones you aren't supposed to like. All the characters have such great depth to them.
basically: imagine a female Sherlock Holmes, but less pretentious. Also the ending scene made me feel all the butterflies.
This was a great story and I neeed book 2 right now. This title is definitely in the running for the best book I read this year.
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars, because I really do think this would have been 5 stars if I hadn't just read a novel set in this time period.
The only reason (besides the one stated above) that this isn't 5 stars, is because the first 30% is kind of slow. It takes awhile to pick up, but once it does things get CRAZY. The beginning's slowness is almost necessary just to set the pieces in place that will basically be your cast for the entire novel. Names are dropped around quickly, but they get re-introduced quite a bit so you don't ever forget anyone.
The mystery aspects are also very nice and I felt that the ending was properly led to without outright telling us who did it. It does all get revealed of course, but I felt that Schellman did a great job of not showing us the culprit too early. Everything felt like it was revealed at just the right time and Lily Adler was a great protagonist. The motive felt real and not forced, and all the evidence lined up perfectly.
This book's main characters: Lily Adler, Jack, & Ofelia were also all great. I loved them all so much. The only characters in this book that I didn't like, were the ones you aren't supposed to like. All the characters have such great depth to them.
basically: imagine a female Sherlock Holmes, but less pretentious. Also the ending scene made me feel all the butterflies.
This was a great story and I neeed book 2 right now. This title is definitely in the running for the best book I read this year.
March 26, 2020
Lily Adler is a young widow who has returned to London to try to decided what to do with her life now that the plans she and her husband made have been derailed by his death. She is deeply grieving the loss of the man she loved.
When her best friend encourages her to take up the social reel again, she doesn't expect to overhear an argument and a gunshot and find herself in the middle of a mystery. When her friend's powerful husband pays off the Bow Street Runners to make the potential scandal go away, Lily feels that it is up to her to solve the crime.
Lily is assisted in her endeavors by Navy Captain Jack Hartley and West India heiress Ofelia Oswald. Jack is a childhood friend of Lily's husband who was away when he died. Miss Oswald is connected to the body found in the garden and is a bright young woman sent to England to find a husband.
After some misunderstandings with Jack who assumes Lily is a typical society lightweight, he becomes a good friend to her. His initial suspicions about Miss Oswald who is definitely keeping secrets adds some additional tension to the story.
In fact, there is a lot of tension as the murderer definitely doesn't appreciate Lily's investigation into the murder of the young man. There are two additional murders and a couple of attempts on Lily's life before the story comes to a satisfying conclusion.
I enjoyed the story very much and liked the depths of the characters and the Regency setting.
When her best friend encourages her to take up the social reel again, she doesn't expect to overhear an argument and a gunshot and find herself in the middle of a mystery. When her friend's powerful husband pays off the Bow Street Runners to make the potential scandal go away, Lily feels that it is up to her to solve the crime.
Lily is assisted in her endeavors by Navy Captain Jack Hartley and West India heiress Ofelia Oswald. Jack is a childhood friend of Lily's husband who was away when he died. Miss Oswald is connected to the body found in the garden and is a bright young woman sent to England to find a husband.
After some misunderstandings with Jack who assumes Lily is a typical society lightweight, he becomes a good friend to her. His initial suspicions about Miss Oswald who is definitely keeping secrets adds some additional tension to the story.
In fact, there is a lot of tension as the murderer definitely doesn't appreciate Lily's investigation into the murder of the young man. There are two additional murders and a couple of attempts on Lily's life before the story comes to a satisfying conclusion.
I enjoyed the story very much and liked the depths of the characters and the Regency setting.
June 16, 2020
Katharine Hellman’s The Body in the Garden is the debut novel of her Lily Adler Mysteries. The setting is Regency England 1815 with Lily Adler, a widow and a strong woman, whose character while attending her close friend’s, Lady Walter, ball during London’s Season, ‘overhears’ conversation between two men in Lady Walter’s garden. One word of this conversation ‘blackmail’ and the sound of a shot attract Mrs. Adler’s attention, and she goes into the garden and finds a dead body. Bow Street, London’s first police force, is contacted, and Mrs. Adler decides that Bow Street handle the situation. Unfortunately, Lily sees Lord Walter, Lily’s friend’s husband, ‘bribe’ the magistrate connected to Bow Street not to investigate. Lily does not find this ‘solution’ acceptable and decides to investigate the murder herself. Enter “a roguish Navy captain” and a “mysterious heiress from the West Indies” and the reader has the three people who will be the investigation team! Add a Bow Street runner to make it official. Lily Adler is a clever woman who with ‘the team ‘will find justice for the body in the garden while the London Season provides cover for them. How I love seeing strong women and a man who understands them and works with them! Very enjoyable! Looking forward to #2. 4 stars.
October 7, 2020
Meh. There are too many really great historical mysteries to waste your time on this one. I found Lily to be quite annoying, and can't stand the love triangle the author is clumsily setting up. Skip this and read C.S. Harris or Deanna Raybourn.
November 17, 2019
Welcome to my review for The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman!
The non-spoiler review:
In this book, we follow Lily Adler, a widow who has come to London after two years of mourning her husband. She reconciles with all her old friends and the invitations to parties come rolling in.
On one particular night at her best friend Selena’s party, Lily wanders outside to get some fresh air and hears a gunshot. Returning to the place where she had heard the shot with help, she and Captain Jack Hartley find the dead body of an unknown individual.
Lily, who has lots and lots of time on her hands, realizes that no one is prepared to go through the effort to find out who the mystery victim was and, most importantly, who the killer was.
"Not showing is not the same as not feeling."
It’s up to her, Captain Jack Hartley, and Miss Ophelia Oswald to solve this mystery in London (in the 1800s, I think).
This was such an enjoyable and pleasant read, to be honest! It was easy to read, there weren’t any sections where the author seemed to drag the story out, and I couldn’t for the life of me guess who the murderer was in the end.
This is a light, pleasant read that doesn’t get too serious but also doesn’t make light of everything. Lily Adler is a fantastic character, sort of like a female Sherlock but an entire character on her own, and her observations are interesting to follow.
I’m very pleased with the ending and couldn’t have asked for better!
The Review With Spoilers:
You’ve been warned.
Good Underlying Messages/Themes:
-You don’t have to be what society wants you to be.
-Your own happiness is more important than what others think of you.
-Violence is never the answer.
-Respect will always be valued.
There were a lot of issues addressed in this story, and I’m glad of it. I loved how Lily knew that society thought that the only point of her was to get married again, and she continued to defy them. She was comfortable on her own and with her friends, and she had no intention of changing that. She also knew exactly how to ward off unwanted suitors so I applaud her for that!
A whole star for this category!
Interesting Story:
As I mentioned before, I had no idea who the murderer was, and to be honest that’s quite rare for me. I usually guess who the murderer is, not always from the get-go, but this book had me stumped!
I liked the end, however. There was enough motivation and evidence for me to think to myself at the end Why didn’t I see it coming?
A whole star for this category!
Realistic Characters and Growth:
Yes! I’m so happy about this one!
Lily lost her husband, Freddy, two years ago and has been grieving since, which is understandable. I appreciated that the author didn’t bring her grieving up at every waking moment but wrote about it when necessary. I just wished that we could know some more about Lily and Freddy – they sound like an amazing pair. I would love to read a sequel about them!
"Just because you can do something does not mean you should."
Captain Jack Hartley is an absolute gentleman but is sometimes too over-protective. I’m happy that by the end of the book, he realized that Lily was quite capable on her own!
Ophelia Oswald was a peculiar character. I didn’t immediately take to her but as the story went one, I found myself starting to respect her. She was quietly brave and I admired that.
A whole star for this category!
Writing Style was Beautiful/ Easy To Read:
I mentioned before that the book was easy to read but I only wished that the author would throw in some more of her quotes. Wise words, coming from Lily, always provided a good moment in a chapter!
I struggled to find quotes for this review, and those that I found were quite short. Half a star for this category.
Fantastic World Building:
I think that there is only so much world building an author can do in a murder-mystery fiction novel but this author went to the extreme! There’s a special author’s note in the book which explains how much effort and research went into this book and I think it’s well done.
I always appreciate it when an author gives 100%.
A whole star for this category!
That’s it!
4.5 stars out of 5!
"A clever mind likes an audience."
Have you read The Body in the Garden? What did you think?
*I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The non-spoiler review:
In this book, we follow Lily Adler, a widow who has come to London after two years of mourning her husband. She reconciles with all her old friends and the invitations to parties come rolling in.
On one particular night at her best friend Selena’s party, Lily wanders outside to get some fresh air and hears a gunshot. Returning to the place where she had heard the shot with help, she and Captain Jack Hartley find the dead body of an unknown individual.
Lily, who has lots and lots of time on her hands, realizes that no one is prepared to go through the effort to find out who the mystery victim was and, most importantly, who the killer was.
"Not showing is not the same as not feeling."
It’s up to her, Captain Jack Hartley, and Miss Ophelia Oswald to solve this mystery in London (in the 1800s, I think).
This was such an enjoyable and pleasant read, to be honest! It was easy to read, there weren’t any sections where the author seemed to drag the story out, and I couldn’t for the life of me guess who the murderer was in the end.
This is a light, pleasant read that doesn’t get too serious but also doesn’t make light of everything. Lily Adler is a fantastic character, sort of like a female Sherlock but an entire character on her own, and her observations are interesting to follow.
I’m very pleased with the ending and couldn’t have asked for better!
The Review With Spoilers:
You’ve been warned.
Good Underlying Messages/Themes:
-You don’t have to be what society wants you to be.
-Your own happiness is more important than what others think of you.
-Violence is never the answer.
-Respect will always be valued.
There were a lot of issues addressed in this story, and I’m glad of it. I loved how Lily knew that society thought that the only point of her was to get married again, and she continued to defy them. She was comfortable on her own and with her friends, and she had no intention of changing that. She also knew exactly how to ward off unwanted suitors so I applaud her for that!
A whole star for this category!
Interesting Story:
As I mentioned before, I had no idea who the murderer was, and to be honest that’s quite rare for me. I usually guess who the murderer is, not always from the get-go, but this book had me stumped!
I liked the end, however. There was enough motivation and evidence for me to think to myself at the end Why didn’t I see it coming?
A whole star for this category!
Realistic Characters and Growth:
Yes! I’m so happy about this one!
Lily lost her husband, Freddy, two years ago and has been grieving since, which is understandable. I appreciated that the author didn’t bring her grieving up at every waking moment but wrote about it when necessary. I just wished that we could know some more about Lily and Freddy – they sound like an amazing pair. I would love to read a sequel about them!
"Just because you can do something does not mean you should."
Captain Jack Hartley is an absolute gentleman but is sometimes too over-protective. I’m happy that by the end of the book, he realized that Lily was quite capable on her own!
Ophelia Oswald was a peculiar character. I didn’t immediately take to her but as the story went one, I found myself starting to respect her. She was quietly brave and I admired that.
A whole star for this category!
Writing Style was Beautiful/ Easy To Read:
I mentioned before that the book was easy to read but I only wished that the author would throw in some more of her quotes. Wise words, coming from Lily, always provided a good moment in a chapter!
I struggled to find quotes for this review, and those that I found were quite short. Half a star for this category.
Fantastic World Building:
I think that there is only so much world building an author can do in a murder-mystery fiction novel but this author went to the extreme! There’s a special author’s note in the book which explains how much effort and research went into this book and I think it’s well done.
I always appreciate it when an author gives 100%.
A whole star for this category!
That’s it!
4.5 stars out of 5!
"A clever mind likes an audience."
Have you read The Body in the Garden? What did you think?
*I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2023
The Body in the Garden
⛲️
rating: ★★.5
The only good things about this were Captain Jack Hartley (aye aye cap'n!) and Jem (he was a cutie, and I hope we see more of him). Sadly, there were many things that I did not like about this book. I found our main character to be a bit insufferable. I'm sure she wasn't intended to be this way, but that's how she came across. I also thought the writing was repetitive. That, combined with the slow pace, made it seem like we never went anywhere.
Although I don't recommend this book, I will check out the next one. Apparently, I like to suffer.
rating: ★★.5
The only good things about this were Captain Jack Hartley (aye aye cap'n!) and Jem (he was a cutie, and I hope we see more of him). Sadly, there were many things that I did not like about this book. I found our main character to be a bit insufferable. I'm sure she wasn't intended to be this way, but that's how she came across. I also thought the writing was repetitive. That, combined with the slow pace, made it seem like we never went anywhere.
Although I don't recommend this book, I will check out the next one. Apparently, I like to suffer.
March 16, 2021
This was delightful.
May 28, 2022
4 Stars
*A solid start to a new Regency mystery series that doesn't overly sanitize the past*
What can I say? I’m a shameless sucker for the Regency period. And I do love mysteries. So of course I had to read The Body in the Garden.
The story is about a woman named Lily Adler who was widowed at a young age and left with little family and nothing to fill her time. Unwilling to fritter her life away with empty society functions, when Lily stumbles across a murder scene that the police seem unwilling to investigate, she takes it upon herself to uncover the killer. Using her attention to detail and her knowledge of the upper class, she stumbles through the dangerous case with the aid of her late husband’s friend Captain Jack Hartley and mysterious debutante Miss Oswald.
The mystery itself was good. It wasn’t genre-defining or anything, but it kept me guessing enough. With the combination of the likeable characters, I stayed invested throughout the story. Lily was ahead of her times but enjoyable because of it. The book was fairly standard as far as Historical Mysteries go with the couple of biracial characters being the only thing that stood out. On that note, this story found a good balance between enjoying the chivalry of a beloved time period while not overly romanticizing or sanitizing it. Racism and classism were deftly pointed out.
Overall, this was a solid debut and a good start to a new mystery series. I look forward to reading the next book.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 4 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 5 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
RECOMMENDATIONS
If you like this, try:
No Stone Unturned
A Useful Woman
*A solid start to a new Regency mystery series that doesn't overly sanitize the past*
What can I say? I’m a shameless sucker for the Regency period. And I do love mysteries. So of course I had to read The Body in the Garden.
The story is about a woman named Lily Adler who was widowed at a young age and left with little family and nothing to fill her time. Unwilling to fritter her life away with empty society functions, when Lily stumbles across a murder scene that the police seem unwilling to investigate, she takes it upon herself to uncover the killer. Using her attention to detail and her knowledge of the upper class, she stumbles through the dangerous case with the aid of her late husband’s friend Captain Jack Hartley and mysterious debutante Miss Oswald.
The mystery itself was good. It wasn’t genre-defining or anything, but it kept me guessing enough. With the combination of the likeable characters, I stayed invested throughout the story. Lily was ahead of her times but enjoyable because of it. The book was fairly standard as far as Historical Mysteries go with the couple of biracial characters being the only thing that stood out. On that note, this story found a good balance between enjoying the chivalry of a beloved time period while not overly romanticizing or sanitizing it. Racism and classism were deftly pointed out.
“The law is supposed to be concerned with truth and justice above all, but it does not always choose to be. And that’s not right.”
Overall, this was a solid debut and a good start to a new mystery series. I look forward to reading the next book.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 4 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 5 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
RECOMMENDATIONS
If you like this, try:
No Stone Unturned
A Useful Woman
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