A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Though Frances and Rose usually spend Christmas in London, this year is different. Now, Frances is married and her husband's half sister as well as the sister's half sister are also in the house. That means that changes might happen, including how the whole family wants to spend the holiday. That means going to the coast to be with George's sister Fiona and her family. 

The children will get to play with their cousins and there might even be snow. Aunt Harriet is joining them and her gentleman caller, Gilliam, is also invited. Although there seems to be some friction between the two of them. 

While they are there, a storm blows up. While the house they are staying in remains standing, other buildings are knocked down and the two men offer to help set things to rights. Frances and Fiona are taking the children into the village to see if they can help as well when they stumble across a dead body. It turns out to be someone who was not well-liked in the village for many reasons. 

It will take quite a bit of digging to figure out what happened and Frances is somewhat shocked to learn that the children are curious about the deaths and crime. She thought that she and George had done a good job hiding thier preoccupation from her daughter. 

A fun story with a little less George on page than usual but we got to see some of how Frances is navigating her new family, especially when one girl is fifteen and one who is pracctially an adult. 

Four stars

Countess of Harleigh #9

Follows A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder

This book comes out September 29, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Kensington and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Isabelle Deavor was killed some months ago, ostensibly by a burglar. She was not supposed to be home that evening and the police were sure she wasn’t the target. This case has been reopened after Sara Bernhardt, the famous actress, got a blackmail note basically accusing her of the murder. She wants the case reopened and that task has fallen to Inspector Cadieux. He, in turn, has come to his friends George and Frances. They are not police so they can turn over stones and go places the inspector would not be able to.

While working through this mystery, we get to see more of Frances's mother and her mellowing. There is also a look into the reasons why women of that age would be married and the reasons that marriage were so very fraught. 

Four stars

Countess of Harleigh #8

Follows An Art Lovers Guide to Paris and Murder

Followed by A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder

This book comes out June 24, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Kensington and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Frances and George are heading to Paris at the behest of his Aunt Julia. While she originally seems to imply that she wants them to look into the death of artist Paul Ducasse, she isn't so sure once they arrive. There are a number of people introduced including some we have seen in previous books like the woman Frances's husband had an affair with.

While Julia seems hesitant about following up with Frances and George, they are not going to let her go, especially after there's a break in at her lodging. Then, there's a death and they are going to have to search through parts of France to protect not only themselves but a lost family member. 

Four stars

This book comes out June 25, 2024

Countess of Harleigh #7

Follows a Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder

Followed by A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder

ARC kindly provided by Kensington and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Frances has been asked by the Dowager Viscountess Winstead to introduce the woman's niece, Kate, into society. When she is about go go visit, she is stopped by the dowager's dear friend, Lady Edith, who is worried about her. Being somewhat afraid of the woman, Kate allows her to come along on her visit. Unfortunately, they don't stay long because the Dowager soon faints and she and Frances are whisked out of the.

Simultaneously, George has been asked to look for the late Viscount Winstead's journal which should go along with the collection he donated to a local museum. With Kate already helping the household, she is in a unique position to be able to help him look for it. 

Not only does Kate have two goals, it seems like everyone is either hiding things from her or actively lying to keep their own secrets. This was a fun addition to the series and I enjoyed the story though I wish we had gotten to see more of George. 

Countess of Harleigh #6

Four stars

This book comes out June 27, 2023

Follows A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder 

Followed by An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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

Follows A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder

Followed by A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder 

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Frances Wynn adored being a widow but she is still looking forward to marrying George Hazelton. Well, as long as he's not actually already married. But that is what a hysterical woman is trying to claim. She also says that she's the illegitimate daughter of one of the Russian royal family. It turns out her name is Irena and some of her stories seem to be true. At least true enough that she ends up dead. In Frances's garden no less. Can Frances figure out what is going on before she and George are ostracized from society completely?

Irena was really, really annoying. I often expect it when an old curmudgeon is killed off in a book but this was the first time I was actually relieved that a character was gone. Unfortunately, the rest of the story follows a lot of the zaniness that Irena introduced without the charm of previous books in the series (which I would highly recommend reading).

Three stars

Follows A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder

Followed by A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder

This book comes out July 27th, 2021

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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.
But all is not well with the guests. There are accidents happening to everyone, both the guests and the staff. And Lily seems to be overly enamored of her fiance's friend rather than focusing on her fiance. When the friend ends up murdered, it's up to Frances to help save not only the wedding, but her sister as well.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out July 28th
Follows A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder

Followed by A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder
ARC kindly provided by Kensington and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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.
I wish that there had been a little more character development, the mystery took up a lot of the book. Other than that, this was a pretty good book.

Four stars
This book comes out June 25th
Follows A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder
Followed by A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder
ARC kindly provided by Kensington and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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.
Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, has spent a year in mourning for said husband and now she's ready to get out of his family's house and away from the brother-in-law who just wants to get ahold of her money. So she moves to London. Too bad trouble follows her. First her funds get frozen when the brother-in-law tries to claim them. Then the police come around having heard that her husband's death may not have been natural.
This was some nice world building for a new series. While it dragged in a few places for me, it felt somewhat fairly clued and I really liked Frances.

Four stars
This book comes out June 26th
Follows A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Opinions are my own