Frances and George have finally reached their wedding date. Which is grand because Frances is beyond ready to not have her mother underfoot. Sure, two families that are invited the wedding are close to mortal enemies but one of the gentleman can't come anyway. And Frances wants her brother Alonzo ("Lon") to have the chance to court Madeline Connor, the daughter of one of the men and the stepdaughter of Frances's good friend Willa.
During the reception, Frances and George have photographs taken and, while posing by a window, see many people cross from their house to Mr. Connor's. It's just bad luck that Lon is the one founds standing over Mr. Connor's dead body. And, oops, he's holding the murder weapon
Putting off their wedding trip, Frances and George work swiftly to see if they can uncover the real killer before Lon is put away for murder. Complicating matters is Frances's mother who seems to have some secrets of her own.
A good addition to the series. You can jump in here but I do recommend going back to the beginning and getting to know the characters.
Four stars
This book comes out June 28, 2022
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own
Frances may have just gotten engaged but she doesn't want to announce it until her sister's wedding has occurred. But her sister, Lily, and Lily's fiance have news that puts the wedding in jeopardy. Frances's fiance (unknown to anyone but herself) steps in and offers his brother's country house. Having it at the estate means that the wedding can now be a full-on house party. Something that should satisfy even Lily and Frances's social-climbing mother.
This is supposed to be the quiet time of the London season, the time when all of the aristocracy leaves to go hunting. Frances Wynn, the Dowager Countess of Harleigh, isn't interested. Her sister is almost engaged to a very nice man but Frances, burned by her own marital experience, is worried for her. But she's also distracted by the murder of her "friend" (not a close friend but one she was trying to match with her cousin Charles), Mary Archer. When Frances' ... friend... George Hazelton asks for help in his investigation, Frances is only too pleased to help. She can help get justice for Mary, clear her cousin's name (George's and Mary's relationship was recently ended, so he's suspect numero uno,) and, well, it's something to stretch her mind. It doesn't hurt that George asking her to take this on shows how much he trusts her.
What's more embarrassing than your husband dying in his mistress's bed? Having it happen at a house party you're hosting. Oh, and then having to bring in another man to carry your husband back to his bed so it doesn't appear as if anything scandalous has happened.