A Most Agreeable Murder: A Novel

Characters were enjoyable. Plot was very twisty which I love. Ending left me smiling.

A farcical, funny, charming, and full of twists novel. This book is for anyone seeking something cozy and on the lighter side.

This funny, clever regency mystery features a country estate, a sudden death, lots of etiquette, and an engaging heroine. I look forward to more installments in the series.

I received this prepub novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Making fun of character traits and the culture typical of the period took me out of the story too many times. It was not enjoyable. It seemed the author wrote this under duress…like her publisher was forcing her to make it more ridiculous and satirical. Not my cup of tea.

A murder mystery of manners invoking the era of Jane Austen. Fun, quick read, with a lot of tongue in cheek snippets. 2024 read.

So much fun!

Fun, cheeky humor. A great selection if you're in the mood for over-the-top hijinx in a Regency setting.

I classified this book as a silly murder story and stopped reading at Chapter 18. It will be fine for some readers, just not for me.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.

Swampshire with its luminescent frogs and frequent hailstorms is home to Beatrice Steele, a young lady who manages to skirt the edges and rules of decorum. She is terrible at needlework, has no musical ability and her artwork is frightful. She has a secret that if disclosed would be her ruin - she loves solving murders.

Things are going to get tricky as the family sets off to an elaborate party with the intention of encouraging the most wealthy and eligible bachelor to marry one of their daughters to save them from losing their home and abject penury. Beatrice’s father, Mr. Steele is a prankster of the most outrageous type and her mother is the pushiest, non-feminist imaginable while Louisa, the beautiful, sweet and marriageable daughter has her own issues. There is another daughter, Mary, who no one notices and her comments regarding this while sad are also extremely amusing. The immediate problem is that Mr. Croaksworth, the prospective bridegroom is about to become totally unavailable, which is going to give Beatrice her opportunity to solve a murder.

The author admits to combining her favorite things: mayhem, manners, and solving murders into this frothy, a little too over-the-top Regency period mystery. I am rounding up for an entertaining effort.Many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for a copy.

Reminds me of Jeeves more than Jane Austin. LIke in Jeeves I just don't appreciate the quirky characters and the farce. I did find the mystery interesting to solve, and there were many twists so it was very readable.

A Most Agreeable Murder was super fun, quick read. I mainly enjoyed the audiobook narration, and that production was very nice. The story takes place in the fictional place of Swampshire in England during the regency period. Beatrice Steele is the main protagonist, and her family are invited to the autumnal ball. Beatrice has a secret — she enjoys detective work and wishes to become an investigator. Well, she gets her chance when a murder takes place, and she, along with the dashing Inspector Drake, try to find out whodunit. This story will have readers guessing and wondering and piecing the clues along with the detectives. Super fun read! And it has all the intrigue of a classic Jane Austen novel.

Happy Publication Day!
June 27, 2023

3.75⭐️


Satirical, humorous, a tad silly yet twisty A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales is a locked room mystery set in Regency-era England. A spoof of Regency-era romances and tropes and Agatha Christie-ish mysteries, the story revolves around twenty-five-year-old Beatrice Steele of Swampshire, England (known for its squelch holes). Beatrice is the eldest of three daughters. Her mother is eager to find her daughters suitable matches given that in the absence of a male heir their assets would be inherited by a distant cousin (the utterly revolting Mr. Martin Grub, who seems quite taken with Beatrice) upon Mr. Steele’s demise. The annual Autumnal Ball at Stabmort Park, hosted by the Ashwoods, one of Swampshire’s most influential families, with a particularly affluent and eligible bachelor in attendance has Mrs. Steele hopeful to make a match for one of her daughters. When a murder takes place at the venue, Beatrice finds herself assisting Inspector Vivek Drake (the former assistant of renowned London detective Sir Huxley of whom Beatrice is a huge fan and whose exploits she secretly follows). The strict code of conduct for Swampshire ladies (as explicitly stated in The Lady’s Guide to Swampshire) forbids them to show any interest in such morbid matters along with other norms failing which might result in being banished or exiled to France. Beatrice is thrilled at the opportunity to try her hand at solving an actual mystery, though she’s not particularly happy about having to work with Inspector Drake. Trapped at the venue due to inclement weather and without any external assistance, Beatrice and Drake leave no stone unturned as they try to find the culprit who is clearly one of the attendees – among whom are Beatrice’s friends and family.   

Evenly paced and well-written, I found this to be a fun read with several laugh-out-loud moments, an interesting cast of characters and an endearing protagonist. I enjoyed the dynamic between Drake and Beatrice and liked how the plot is structured. While the final reveal wasn’t completely unpredictable, I did like how we got there and was surprised several times along the way. There are quite a few sub-plots incorporated into the murder mystery and though all of them weren’t resolved adequately (the plot does get a bit convoluted toward the end), I was satisfied with how the author chose to end this story. However, I would have liked Beatrice’s youngest sister Mary’s storyline to have been explored in more depth beyond the comic (and OTT) element. I appreciated the humor and the twists (a tad OTT but not so much that detracts from the overall reading experience).  Multiple suspects and red-herrings and some truly wacky characters (some with rather telling names) make for an engaging read.

You’ll be entertained, provided you don’t overthink it and choose to enjoy the ride!

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

This novel is a mash up of gothic, country house mystery, and comedy of manners,with a touch of "Clue" thrown in for good measure. When Beatrice and her sisters go to an autumn ball, they never expect to become part of solving the murder of a guest. The stormy weather, crumbling mansion, and swampy setting add to the darkness of the scene. In addition, every character in the story has a motive, means, and opportunity. The focus shifts often and keeps the reader guessing.

While the names of the characters are rather Dickensian, and foreshadow things to come, the author mixes in etiquette rules and manners reminiscent of Jane Austen. In honor of Dame Agatha and Conan Doyle, the elements of detection play a large part in this novel.

Although it is quite a hilarious story in some ways, the plot development dragged on way too long for me. The inclusion of other documents alternating with the chapters, such as play scripts, notes, and commentaries, seemed confusing to me, as did the end of the story. However, I did enjoy the author notes at the end, almost more than the story, which contains many clever and just plain weird elements.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions contained here are entirely my own.

So silly and fun, this murder mystery is one parts Jane Austen, one part Agatha Christie, and one part Princess Bride. The snarky humor made it for me. It was predictable, but in a good way. A ball is thrown when a wealthy gentleman comes to town. Soon there’s a murder and everyone’s secrets come spilling out. I liked all the main characters, especially Inspector Drake, even if the plot was a bit ridiculous. Just enjoy the ride & laugh along the way.

Absurd. Amusing if you can embrace the absurdity, and it definitely felt in line with Knives Out. I found it more enjoyable once Miss Bolton started setting the scenes as one would a melodrama. I think I was expecting a more Austen-like story, rather than a parody and my expectations got in the way. However, it was an entertaining way to pass a few hours.

Advanced reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.

Beatrice Steele is not what someone would call a "proper lady", although she tries really hard to hide this fact, Beatrice is a true crime aficionado. Specifically she enjoys reading the exploits of Gentleman Detective Sir Huxley in the dailies and seeing if she can solve the crime. Beatrice has put off finding a husband and starting a family as is the proper thing to do. Except now her family's estate hangs in the balance. While Beatrice would like to leave marrying well to her sister Louisa, she has decided that if she must marry, no one will be better suited than her friend Daniel. Their family estate is next to the Steele's and they both have a fondness for reading. Plus, they just so happen to be going to a ball this evening, and that will be the perfect time to assess Daniel's feelings toward Beatrice.

Also, the most eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth will be attending and that will be the perfect opportunity for Louisa to make her catch. That is, until Croaksworth winds up dead and everyone is attendance at the ball is a suspect.

Luckily, Croaksworth was travelling with Inspector Vivek Drake, formerly partners with Sir Huxley the two parted on not great terms which causes Beatrice to doubt his investigative abilities.

So the two reluctantly join forces to suss out the murderer, but they must be quick for the storms are brewing and someone may just be next!

I was looking forward to the play on Jane Austenism's in this book. I think it takes the most fun parts of her stories and almost combines them into one place. Austen was known for the humor spread throughout her books an often tongue-in-cheek look at society and those that move within it. I feel like A Most Agreeable Murder amps this up to 1,000. Everything is very extra and, at times, over the top.

It took me a little bit to acclimate myself to the characters and the tone. I personally thought the interrogation portions of the book were the best part - especially with the unsung hero Miss Bolton, hands down my favorite character.

I think that Julia Seales did a great job of really making everyone seem suspect. But in that regard, there are a lot of people that attend this ball. By the time certain aspects are built up, they're almost as quickly dismantled one by one. At times I felt like this caused the book to drag a little bit, and I personally wanted it to be a steady build keeping the momentum and the suspense instead of being so up and down.

I think were the story shined was when all of these characters were together and we get to see all their different personalities playing off of one another. The banter and the quick back-and-forth was done so well it was like watching a tennis match!

I will say that with the way everything twists, I didn't necessarily see the reveal coming, but I also wasn't too surprised by it. I felt like going through everything in the way that we do, it's kind of an obvious conclusion.

Given how things are left off, there's a chance we could see more of Beatrice and Drake. Now that I understand the world and the author's writing style and overall expectations, I can honestly say I would love to read further adventures if they were to come to pass.

When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.

This book y'all. Honestly, I went into this blind - I requested an ARC, but didn't read much about the info - and I thought I knew what this book would be about. I was so wrong and thank God for that. This book is a mix of Jane Austen with Clue and like a dash of mythical with comedy everywhere.

I love LOVE these characters Julia has created. And I love that each shine in their own way, no matter if they have a short role in the story or not. No character overlaps with another or blurs together so you can't remember who is who. They all stand out amazingly.

The story/plot is one that has been used before, but Julia makes it her own and you can't put the book down; well, except for when you have to stop because you're laughing so hard. The comedy is outstanding and hilarious in this. I love that it's also still a mystery with clues you can pick up yourself to try to figure out who did what. No spoilers on who did the crime. But brilliant, Julia. Brilliant.

My only little problem with the book was the ending. It all kind of rushed together and I felt a little let down by that. However, I felt the ending also seemed to point toward possibly more books? I'd absolutely read more of these characters. This book is definitely worth picking up.

So cute. I don't typically care for P&P retellings but this one was an exception. A really fun mystery in a perfect setting, with a veritable school of red herrings, a likeable Lizzie-like main character and Darcy-like detective, and fantasy elements with and without rational explanations. I particularly like what the author did with Mary! Would 100% recommend for Austen fans looking for a little light reading.

Rules disposed of!

So I dragged my feet reading this. I took so…oo long it wasn’t funny. Jane Austen would cringe is my first thought. My second? Absurdity running amok! My third? Wonderful!
Mrs Steele does a credible job of aping Mrs Bennett. Oh, and Mr. Steele’s heir is attempting to have him ruled insane so he can claim his property!
The story line is indeed improbable. A town called Swampshire! Reports of a couple lost on their way to breakfast in their 59 bedroom mansion By the time they were found they’d perished! And their son Mr. Edmund Croaksworth inherited 8000 pounds a year. Hmm! There’s so much more here that pokes fun at lampooning Regency/Victorian mystery romances. So if you enjoy a rollicking, improbable farce, playing on the rules for living appropriately, as determined by the town’s founder (and the rest of society in these times) then you’ll enjoy this, as our heroine Beatrice Steele breaks them with abandoned regularity.
Witty, pointing to the sacred cows of the time, with an incisive edge. Indeed you can’t turn the page without another abandoned social more being brought to count.
Ridiculous though this is Beatrice does have a certain panache and a nose for the mysterious! Her secret passion is murder and crime. (Not needlework or other genteel pursuits—which she’s terrible at.) Beatrice has been secretly writing anonymously to the famous Gentleman Detective, Sir Huxley, a successful crime solver for years, giving him her take on the case. Now crime has arrived at Swampshire and Beatrice manages to have her moment … err many moments!
Did I say that Huxley’s assistant, Inspector Vivek Drake appears walking in the forest as the family is making their carriage journey to the Ball at Stabmort Park, home to the leading family (and historically, founder) of Swampshire. They take him up, and on to the ball!
Ok, I’m now a willing convert to Seales’ ridiculously, wonderful mess that Beatrice grapples with in this novel. I don’t think Jane Austen would cringe, she’d applaud it all! As do I!

A Random House invite ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

I cannot believe that I am only at the 10% mark in this book and have already laughed several times, hard enough to nearly wet myself.

This book reminds me very much of one of my beloved historical romancesNoble Intentions (Noble, #1) by Katie MacAlisterbut with a little more whimsy!

I let you know more as soon as I finish it!

Well, I finished, and it was a read that was well worth my time. There are a lot of giggles, a tiny bit of romance, and a very, very complicated murder with many red herrings.

I don't know how to describe this book. I sure wasn't your typical historical. Instead, it was a delightful mix of Regency historical, comedy, and mystery.

All I can say is do yourself a favor and try this book. You can't go wrong. There is something in it for every type of reader.

I hope there will be more stories set in Swampshire (even the name of the town gives me a fit of giggles), and I would love to know more about Mary. If you read this, you too will be curious about just how the author will treat Mary. Is she what I think she is, or is there another explanation? Only one way to find out!!!

*ARC supplied by the publisher Random House, the author, and NetGalley.

historical-novel, historical-research, mystery, puntastic, situational-humor, verbal-humor, caricatures, family-dynamics, family-drama, family, small-town, relatives, pranks, amateur-sleuth, England.*****

Laughed my sox off! This is a good whodunit wrapped around by a farcical delight. Plenty of plot twists and red herrings spiced up with hilarious caricatures. Loved it!
I requested and received an uncorrected e-book file from Random House Publishing Group/Random House via NetGalley. Thank you!

Such a delightfully amusing, manor-house mystery with an Austenesque vibe. I found myself smiling throughout the reading of this book.

Eldest daughter, Beatrice Steele, balks at the rigid social mores of early nineteenth century England while her mother eagerly attempts to make good marital matches for Beatrice and her sister, Louisa. (Alas, youngest sister Mary is much overlooked by all, it would seem.) If people only knew what Beatrice does locked up in her home's tower, the scandal would be ruinous to her and her family. You see, she's been surreptitiously reading the detective crime columns in her father's imported London paper - something which absolutely no respectable gentlewoman would do. On top of that, she's been writing to the paper offering the detective her own insights into the cases. Her proclivities are put to the test when she is asked to aid a detective in solving the sudden death of the targeted match for Louisa at a neighbor's manor house party. Can Beatrice help solve the mystery while retaining a sense of apparent decorum in the process? Only time will tell. So let the dance begin!

Julia Seales has crafted a mystery with lots of red herrings, derring-do and a touch of romance. The writing is spot on to the time period and the poking of fun at the aristocratic social code of the day is hilarious and fun. For those who enjoy cozy historical mysteries, I highly commend this book to you.

I am grateful to author Julia Seales and her publisher Random House for having provided a complimentary uncorrected ebook. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Random House
Anticipated Publication date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 978-0593449981

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

For the ladies residing in Swampshire, there are rules of decorum and etiquette. And one must live by those rules. But Beatrice Steele has trouble following those rules, especially when they forbid her interest in crime, nurtured by articles in her father’s London newspaper.

So Beatrice, captivated by the hunt for murderers, sneaks off to the turret of Marsh House to read the latest news. Nevertheless, twenty-five-year-old Beatrice knows that, eventually, she must become a respectable woman, for her own sake and for the sake of her family.

But when Edmund Croaksworth, the guest of honor at the ball, drops dead at the ball, will Beatrice find that her hidden obsession with murder leads her to the culprit?

=========

While poking fun at clichés and tropes, this Regency-era narrative offers readers an intriguing mystery and a plot that takes a few unexpected twists and turns. At times, the narrative is laugh-out-loud funny, but there are moments when the silliness is just a bit much.

Stabmort Park in Swampshire creates a strong sense of place for the telling of the tale; although some of the characters seem to be caricatures, feisty Beatrice shines as the central character.

Overall, “A Most Agreeable Murder” is a fun, quick-read, entertaining tale.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group --- Random House and NetGalley
#AMostAgreeabeMurder #NetGalley