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Sophie Burgoyne #2
Lady Holme
A fantastic tale of homicide, high treason, and horses, that begins and ends with a bang. Lady Holme - a person, a place, an idyllic setting - the home of Lord and Lady Hazlett. It is also a nightmare haunt of dangerous secrets, both ancient and modern. It’s the autumn of 1920 in beautiful southern Hampshire, and the year is fading away. As leaves begin to fall over the landscape, one of the Hazlett party is mercilessly also made to fall, dropping like a leaf before its time. There’s no doubt it’s murder; it can be nothing else. Why, though? And where will this tragedy lead? While Sophie and her resilient Secret Agents serve the family, they keep their eyes and ears open and learn much more than they ever expected. Much more. Definitely a standalone story, but best read in series order.
- GenresMysteryHistorical
440 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2022
376 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 11, 2023
Three and a half stars.
Sophie Burgoyne's employment and typing agency is doing well, as is her secret work for the police. She and her team go undercover at a London casino to gather more information about the drug dealing on the premises (funny to think that opium and cocaine weren't illegal until 1920) and suspicions of passing of counterfeit money. When Sophie picks up a matchbox left by one of the guests it references an establishment in Lymington, which ties into information the police have received about potential smuggling along the Hampshire coast and an explosion out at sea.
Deducing that anyone involved in wholesale smuggling is probably using local caves or inlets and would need an area of isolation with access to large storage facilities Sophie suspects that the smugglers are using a country house in the area and highlights Lady Holme, a beautiful Tudor mansion home to Lord and Lady Hazlett, as a likely suspect.
Lord Hazlett hasn't left Lady Holme for nearly forty years, despite his wife's protests. When he refuses yet again to go to London for a society event he placates Lady Hazlett by offering to throw a house party for friends and family. Of course Burgoyne's Agency would be ideally placed to provide additional maids to help out at the party.
The party has barely started when one of the guests is murdered, but with so many secrets flying around will Sophie and her team ever be able to solve the crime?
This felt more disjointed than the first book. The counterfeit currency was mentioned at the start of the book and then never mentioned again until the very end when it conveniently tied into the other plots. There was a secret society which Lord Hazlett had crossed (hence being forced to stay at Lady Holme for forty years), but I don't think we ever found out why.
Also the epilogue seemed to tie off lots of loose plot strands (like HEAs) as if it was the final book in the series, but then things were left wide open for Sophie on a personal front.
Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Sophie Burgoyne's employment and typing agency is doing well, as is her secret work for the police. She and her team go undercover at a London casino to gather more information about the drug dealing on the premises (funny to think that opium and cocaine weren't illegal until 1920) and suspicions of passing of counterfeit money. When Sophie picks up a matchbox left by one of the guests it references an establishment in Lymington, which ties into information the police have received about potential smuggling along the Hampshire coast and an explosion out at sea.
Deducing that anyone involved in wholesale smuggling is probably using local caves or inlets and would need an area of isolation with access to large storage facilities Sophie suspects that the smugglers are using a country house in the area and highlights Lady Holme, a beautiful Tudor mansion home to Lord and Lady Hazlett, as a likely suspect.
Lord Hazlett hasn't left Lady Holme for nearly forty years, despite his wife's protests. When he refuses yet again to go to London for a society event he placates Lady Hazlett by offering to throw a house party for friends and family. Of course Burgoyne's Agency would be ideally placed to provide additional maids to help out at the party.
The party has barely started when one of the guests is murdered, but with so many secrets flying around will Sophie and her team ever be able to solve the crime?
This felt more disjointed than the first book. The counterfeit currency was mentioned at the start of the book and then never mentioned again until the very end when it conveniently tied into the other plots. There was a secret society which Lord Hazlett had crossed (hence being forced to stay at Lady Holme for forty years), but I don't think we ever found out why.
Also the epilogue seemed to tie off lots of loose plot strands (like HEAs) as if it was the final book in the series, but then things were left wide open for Sophie on a personal front.
Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
December 31, 2022
Book Two in the Burgoyne Agency series finds Sophie and three of her emloyees posing as maids at Lady Holme, a beautiful Tudor estate on the coast of Hampshire. An arms smuggling ring has been traced to the area and Sophie's spies have been sent in to see what they can find out during a weekend house party. Among other questions answered, Sophie discovers why the owner of the estate has not left his property in forty years; uncovers a nefarious secret "guild" of industrial families who have been controlling monopolies for centuries; identifies a murderer; catches one of the ring leaders of the arms smuggling operation and stops the guild from doing any more business. The 1920s setting in London and Hampshire adds to the fun as does a romance between the daughter of the manor and a local doctor. Belamy provides delightful characters and plenty of complexity.
February 24, 2023
An excellent follow up
M Bellamy writes very clever, wonderfully plotted books that appear to have a story embedded within a story.
Just when the reader comes to the end of one story, the other takes over, using details from the first.
I find this to be a very wonderful narrative technique, and it has deepened my appreciation of the first two Sophie Burgoyne books.
I predict that this is a series that has long legs - if the author maintains the writing at its current, high level.
M Bellamy writes very clever, wonderfully plotted books that appear to have a story embedded within a story.
Just when the reader comes to the end of one story, the other takes over, using details from the first.
I find this to be a very wonderful narrative technique, and it has deepened my appreciation of the first two Sophie Burgoyne books.
I predict that this is a series that has long legs - if the author maintains the writing at its current, high level.
November 2, 2022
This second Sophie Burgoyne book continues the adventures of the typing service/domestic servant employment agency owner and her interesting cast of friends and staff.
Sophie became entangled with Scotland Yard and with the Foreign Office because having servants in place is so useful to their investigations. This time out, Sophie and crew dip into an ongoing smuggling investigation and a murder.
Well-written, intelligent and quite charming. Sophie is a force to be reckoned with.
Sophie became entangled with Scotland Yard and with the Foreign Office because having servants in place is so useful to their investigations. This time out, Sophie and crew dip into an ongoing smuggling investigation and a murder.
Well-written, intelligent and quite charming. Sophie is a force to be reckoned with.
October 6, 2024
Five stars for story
This is a great series of well planned mysteries. The characters have depth and the stories are original. I appreciate that the stories are told in two parts. It makes them seem more realistic. My one complaint is that the author struggles with the naming conventions of the British peerage. Please look it up. Misusing a title or name brings me right out of the story.
This is a great series of well planned mysteries. The characters have depth and the stories are original. I appreciate that the stories are told in two parts. It makes them seem more realistic. My one complaint is that the author struggles with the naming conventions of the British peerage. Please look it up. Misusing a title or name brings me right out of the story.
November 18, 2024
The Burgoyne Agency is doing well when Sophie and others take on an assignment at an estate named Lady Holme. History of owner and house included in great detail. The murder mystery wasn't too difficult, but the other goings on added to an in depth story for Sophie's secret agency. The ending was long on description of river landings, landscape, long road trips, house descriptions and fights. Bit of skimming there without loosing the main story.
October 17, 2022
I really liked this second book in the series. It continues the well documented period of the 1920’s with rich locational descriptive information and well developed highly believable characters. The plot is engaging and proves interesting to the very end. The all female secret agency provides a refreshing change in perspective from the male dominated traditional types in this genre.
November 8, 2022
Fun read for rainy day.
This reader has to admire Miss Sophie for her grit and nerve to establish her employment agency in the "man's world " of the time. Then the Police, and The Government need assistance! Oh my! The mysteries begin. This second book is as much fun as the first one by GJ Bellamy.
This reader has to admire Miss Sophie for her grit and nerve to establish her employment agency in the "man's world " of the time. Then the Police, and The Government need assistance! Oh my! The mysteries begin. This second book is as much fun as the first one by GJ Bellamy.
September 30, 2023
WOW!
Sophie does it again. Set in on an English estate and in London, this has it all. Secret societies, smuggling, murder and of course, romance. The twists and turns keep getting better and better. Now the questions are "Will Sophie find romance and Will Lord Stokley be stopped?"
Sophie does it again. Set in on an English estate and in London, this has it all. Secret societies, smuggling, murder and of course, romance. The twists and turns keep getting better and better. Now the questions are "Will Sophie find romance and Will Lord Stokley be stopped?"
February 28, 2024
Great series—must read
The game is very much afoot as the Bourgoyne Agency’s cast of fascinating and intrepid characters imbed themselves in posh places to prevent high crimes and gross violations of good manners!
Fine plotting, nicely articulated protagonists, steady pace once again come together in the excellent second book n the series. Highly recommended.
The game is very much afoot as the Bourgoyne Agency’s cast of fascinating and intrepid characters imbed themselves in posh places to prevent high crimes and gross violations of good manners!
Fine plotting, nicely articulated protagonists, steady pace once again come together in the excellent second book n the series. Highly recommended.
January 9, 2025
The synopsis for this book begins: A fantastic tale of homicide, high treason, and horses,... Two men die, one during a duel, whilst the survivor is murdered after the duel. His 'valet' is also murdered. Burgoyne's agency staff are on hand to... well lend a hand on solving the various crimes that are being committed at Lady Holme. Oh and the horses are mentioned a few times.
January 18, 2025
Remarkable Woman
This story was just plain “fun” to read. A little slow in the beginning but the author was setting up the story and players.
I think one of my favorite parts was the “ghost” which got rid of one unpleasant character.
Sophie is amazing and I was so excited when she received 2 letters at the end. Have not yet decided who I’m rooting for!
This story was just plain “fun” to read. A little slow in the beginning but the author was setting up the story and players.
I think one of my favorite parts was the “ghost” which got rid of one unpleasant character.
Sophie is amazing and I was so excited when she received 2 letters at the end. Have not yet decided who I’m rooting for!
June 17, 2025
Truly another great read
I love all the twist and turns in the two stories I've read. It's rare to find a mystery where you just about figure out the plot. Enjoy the characters, dialogue and description of the location. I am so enjoying the Bells my books. A FIVE STAR rating in my opinion.
I love all the twist and turns in the two stories I've read. It's rare to find a mystery where you just about figure out the plot. Enjoy the characters, dialogue and description of the location. I am so enjoying the Bells my books. A FIVE STAR rating in my opinion.
July 5, 2025
This second Sophie Bergoine story was very complex and entertaining. The pattern emerges. With Lord Stokely showing up at the end of the the book to let you know he is still lurking in the background, this book reveals a pattern with a new domestic added to the group who stays behind at the house in which they serve. Sophie’s « team » is growing.
November 12, 2022
Great Read!
Stayed up late, woke early just to read this story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the previous one.
There were twists and turns and humor. You won't be sorry you read this book.
P
Stayed up late, woke early just to read this story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the previous one.
There were twists and turns and humor. You won't be sorry you read this book.
P
November 15, 2022
Riveting.
While the characters provide humor and enjoyment, the plot provides TENSION. Even the ending left me anxious for what MIGHT Befall Sophie n the other "Good Guys"! And searching for next book in the series . . .
While the characters provide humor and enjoyment, the plot provides TENSION. Even the ending left me anxious for what MIGHT Befall Sophie n the other "Good Guys"! And searching for next book in the series . . .
December 10, 2022
More fun
Sophie and friends track down smugglers, a murderer and drug runners. Yes, pretty far from reality, but a pleasant, easy read with not too much violence and only a smidgen of romance.
Sophie and friends track down smugglers, a murderer and drug runners. Yes, pretty far from reality, but a pleasant, easy read with not too much violence and only a smidgen of romance.
August 5, 2023
Lady Holme 📕 book 2
This is a good murder mystery with action,intrigue, and roller coaster twists and turns.Subtle possibilities of romance.And lol belly laughs and gasps for air 🤣 Eccentric characters along with slimy characters 🙀👻🤨💃🏻❣️
This is a good murder mystery with action,intrigue, and roller coaster twists and turns.Subtle possibilities of romance.And lol belly laughs and gasps for air 🤣 Eccentric characters along with slimy characters 🙀👻🤨💃🏻❣️
February 17, 2024
Wonderful read
Interesting, believable characters. Story is interesting and moves smartly along. It is easy to get invested in the characters. All in all an enjoyable and quite entertaining read.
Interesting, believable characters. Story is interesting and moves smartly along. It is easy to get invested in the characters. All in all an enjoyable and quite entertaining read.
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April 28, 2024I fell in love with this new mystery
I couldn't put this book down loved everyminute of it. I am so looking forward to my next one. G J Bellamy you are my hero so glad I found you.
I couldn't put this book down loved everyminute of it. I am so looking forward to my next one. G J Bellamy you are my hero so glad I found you.
April 29, 2024
Absolutely brilliant
Another wonderful story, I think these characters are brilliant,they are so interesting to read about I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one .
Another wonderful story, I think these characters are brilliant,they are so interesting to read about I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one .
June 4, 2024
This series gets better with each addition
When you start this book, get ready first. You are not going to want to put this down. Intertwining then converging story lines will had me reading until I fell asleep. Have a fun reading.
When you start this book, get ready first. You are not going to want to put this down. Intertwining then converging story lines will had me reading until I fell asleep. Have a fun reading.
August 17, 2025
A bit like a Miss Marple but with a feisty young heroine instead. Love Sophie and her crew and the police . This book had a huge cast of characters that I found hard to remember who was who otherwise it would have been 5 stars.
December 13, 2022
JG does it again!
Intriguing plot lines & great character development. Can’t wait for the next book in the series as the arch villain hasn’t gotten his comeuppance .
Intriguing plot lines & great character development. Can’t wait for the next book in the series as the arch villain hasn’t gotten his comeuppance .
December 21, 2022
Good Onr
An entertaining second installment, but the story arc is by no means complete. I wonder if a third installment of the Secret Agency is already being written.
An entertaining second installment, but the story arc is by no means complete. I wonder if a third installment of the Secret Agency is already being written.
October 6, 2025
It doesn’t always make sense why these young ladies are involved in solving international issues and murders, but they are interesting characters and a good read.
October 18, 2025
Not for me
Read quite a few chapters but could not find any interest in the story. Probably ok for someone else, but definitely not for me
Read quite a few chapters but could not find any interest in the story. Probably ok for someone else, but definitely not for me
March 2, 2023
so so good
I am enjoying this detective series so much. I love how the personalities of the characters shine through and how Sophie can findvarious attributes in each character that will benefit the case. A really fun read.
I am enjoying this detective series so much. I love how the personalities of the characters shine through and how Sophie can findvarious attributes in each character that will benefit the case. A really fun read.
June 15, 2024
I LOVE the progression of getting the phone installed at the agency. :-) Pretty much hysterical.
These are really good. Make a REALLY long spy story--Britain between the WWs. Drysdale's monocle makes me think of Lord Peter. Disguise indeed.
Not. :-)
These are really good. Make a REALLY long spy story--Britain between the WWs. Drysdale's monocle makes me think of Lord Peter. Disguise indeed.
Not. :-)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews