A fun and cozy historical mystery with a little bit of romance!

As a 40 year old spinster, Tiffany has resigned herself to taking care of her brother, Uriah’s, household. However, when Uriah suddenly dies and Tiffany realizes she’s about to lose everything, she hatches a plan. With Uriah safely buried in the backyard, Tiffany takes over his identity and assumes his role of the duke’s librarian. Her plan has to work with so much at stake, but when she witnesses a murder eerily similar to the death of her brother, she has no choice but to investigate. Will she be able to fool the town and solve the mystery in front of her?

I loved the premise of this novel and thought it was such a quirky, unique take on a historical fiction/mystery. Tiffany was such an easy character to root for and I loved the idea of the gender swap/sibling swap ruse especially set in the 18th century. The novel itself was full of historically accurate details that I loved and I thought that they really took the story up a notch. Overall, I would highly recommend this book for fans of historical fiction with an intriguing mystery and a romance subplot!

75 pages in and this a DNF.

If you don't like graphic (read unnecessary) descriptions of vomit and death, don't read this book. I'm not normally too affected by things like this, but it was too much.

I persevered with this book because I wanted to see who discovered Miss Woodall's deception first, however, I'm confused as to how it wasn't discovered straight away.

Did no one notice when a fully grown man started talking like a woman?

A fun and well done historical mystery. Great descriptions of 18th century life and I loved the character of Tiffany- It's so fun to watch her grow into her own skin, so to speak. In addition, kudos go to Larsen for how historically accurate the book is. ( The book even has a bibliography at the end!). Yet, the history was done with a light touch, acknowledging the terrible parts of the past and then moving on. History and mystery and character all very nicely balanced for a great reading experience.

A note on the cover. I asked for this a while back and when I went to read it, I looked at the cover, read the summary and thought "Oh, a romance. Ok.". Then, as I was reading it, I got more and more confused because all of the notes of the story were completely wrong. That's when I went back to Netgalley and looked at the category of the book and realized it was a mystery. It's a really good mystery. It's a pretty terrible romance-I wish they'd put a tombstone on the cover or poison bottle or something so I was prepared properly. As it was, I almost stopped reading until I went to look at the classification.

What a quirky, cozy mystery! This book was chock -full of charm and originality, it was both right up my alley and very different than I’m used to.
Set in the mid 18th century, we are treated to so many great historical details, slice of life for both aristocrats and servants, and lots of societal injustice. This is all integrated seamlessly in the plot and its inclusion is used to drive the story forward or create sympathy for the characters.
I quite liked the main character Tiffany, a 40 year old spinster, who’s half brother on who she’s dependant, dies unexpectedly. It’s not tragic, don’t worry, he’s a selfish prick and no one misses him. To remain living in their cottage, she decides to dress up as him and continue his work as a duke’s librarian.
During her time pretending to be her brother, a murder happens at the palace. As Tiffany sees a link to her own brother’s death and worries for her life, she undergoes her own investigation. Shenanigans ensue.
Though I did enjoy this, I felt that it wasn’t explored to its fullest potential. I was wanting the author to lean into the comedic opportunities of the gender bending and Tiffany’s natural quirkiness. Events would happen; the love interest Samir, constantly attempting rescue when none is needed, and when she needs to play both herself and her brother at a supper party at the palace, and I found myself wishing they had been played up for better comedy. I found myself smirking when I should have been laughing.
Other than that this was a fun little read and an oddball take on a cozy mystery. I’d definitely recommend this for fans of the genre.

Couple of weird editing issues that I hope will be cleared up pre-launch:
Callus s/b callous used a few times.
Nowt s/b not used a few times.

Thanks to Crooked Land Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Tiffany is the 40 year old spinster sister of a condescending jerk of a man. Within the first couple of pages Tiffany realizes he has died unexpectedly (not a problem)... and then realizes that she will be homeless and prospectless without him (definitely a problem). Her best idea is to bury his body in the backyard, daily dress as her brother, and continue his job, which will allow her to continue living in their home and getting a paycheck. If this scheme seems farfetched, it is, but apparently people in victorian times had poorer eyesight?

Anyway, it apparently works, but then people keep dying and Tiffany becomes concerned that maybe she will be murdered next. That leads to a murder mystery with a nice little twist and a side of racism and patriarchy.

This is author Samantha Larsen's debut novel and it's a solid effort. My thanks to the author, publisher, and. #NetGalley, who provided me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
#ANovelDisguise

A Novel Disguise follows Tiffany, a forty year old spinster, whose brother - and only means of living - has died. Forced to take some drastic decisions to continue to support herself, Tiffany finds herself embroiled in the middle of a murder mystery. And as if that were not enough, the slimy vicar is trying to force her into marriage and motherhood to his FOURTEEN kids. And her former best friend is having an affair and making it everyone's problem. And the sexy bookseller-cum-constable keeps trying to rescue her but unwittingly ends up becoming a serial-voyeur.
Safe to say that Tiffany has her hands full.

What I Liked - The book was so refreshingly different! And the author deserves kudos for including people of color in this story (though obviously I think that this should be commonplace and not something to be lauded...)! No more of that "it would not be historically accurate" stuff, please! People of color have lived and loved in all parts of the world for a long, long time. I also loved Tiffany - a forty year old woman who keeps house for her brother - is also an unconventional choice of heroine. The commentary on certain societal issues (some that plague us to this very day) does not feel clunky or prosy, but empathetic, straightforward and seamless.

What I Loved - This book is chock-full of hilarious moments. Samir's rescue attempts. Tiffany (as Mr. Woodfall) talking to the vicar about her monthly bleeding.

Overall, I must say that the prose was excellent and straight-up hilarious at times, the plot fast-paced and the characters well-written. The book starts fast, we are immediately thrust into the plot and the pace does not let up until the end. For lovers of historical mysteries, this one is a must-read!

My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful book!

"1784 London. Miss Tiffany Woodall didn’t murder her half-brother, but she did bury him in the back garden so that she could keep her cottage. Now, the confirmed spinster has to pretend to be Uriah and fulfill his duties as the Duke of Beaufort’s librarian while searching Astwell Palace for Uriah’s missing diamond pin, the only thing of value they own. Her ruse is almost up when she is discovered by Mr. Samir Lathrop, the local bookseller, who tries to save her from drowning while she's actually just washing up in a lake after burying her brother.

Her plan is going by the book, until the rector proposes marriage and she starts to develop feelings for Mr. Lathrop. But when her childhood friend, Tess, comes to visit, Tiffany quickly realizes her secret isn’t the only one hidden within these walls. The body of a servant is found, along with a collection of stolen items, and someone else grows mysteriously ill. Can Tiffany solve these mysteries without her own disguise being discovered? If not, she’ll lose her cottage and possibly her life."

This was a fun, unexpectedly educational cozy mystery/thriller. I appreciated the end notes that delved into historical information about the time period and explained things that uninformed readers might otherwise misconstrue as anachronistic. I look forward to more from this author!

This was really nice. A little too modern at times but it was good. Women solving mysteries is always a win for me. This was written differently from what I’m used to reading and the pacing felt weird at times so I’m giving this 3 Stars.

This was an interesting book, but had several anachronisms that made it difficult for me to really immerse myself in the period. Some of the phraseology seemed a little too modern.

I am a sucker for anything related to women solving cases when the odds are all against her!!

This book was exceptionally written and I fell in love with Tiffany. Her character just oozed confidence and her remarks were well said. This book took me on twists and turns that I never would've expected and the ending was well done without feeling rushed at all.

The fact that the book showcased diverse characters and also explained how they were treated in that era shares light on how we as a society still work today and need to work on.

I would highly recommend this book. It started with a bang and ended with a heartwarming turn of events.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. Having waited a while before reading, I forgot that it was a murder mystery. The way it is written was very different from what I usually read. As I started to read, I wasn’t sure if I like it but once I got into the story and the mystery started, I found it hard to put down. In fact, I sat and read until I finished it. I was a little disappointed in the ending but don’t let that put you off. It was an excellent read and I look forward to reading more by this author. I received an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Samantha Larsen for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Novel Disguise coming out May 16, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I uploaded my review to Goodreads. I will upload my review to Amazon on the release date May 16th.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63049233

In 1784 in London, Miss Tiffany Woodall lives in a cottage with her older half-brother Uriah. Her brother works as the Duke of Beaufort’s librarian. As a 40 year old spinster, she relies on him to survive. One day she finds him dead in his bed. She didn’t kill him, but she buries him in the backyard so that she can keep the cottage. Having little choice, she dresses in men’s clothing and pretends to be Uriah. She performs his duties as the librarian while trying to figure out what happened to him. Her ruse is almost discovered when the local bookseller Mr. Samir Lathrop tries to save her from drowning.

Her disguise is going well until the creepy rector proposes marriage and she starts to develop feelings for Mr. Lathrop.  But when her childhood frenemy Tess, comes to visit, Tiffany realizes she isn’t the only one with a secret. A servant is found dead next to a collection of stolen items, and someone else grows mysteriously ill. Can Tiffany solve these mysteries without her own disguise being discovered? Or is she the next one to be poisoned?

This is the first book I’ve read by Samantha Larsen and I’m obsessed! The plot was so crazy but I loved all of it. I’m not sure how many people would really think Tiffany was her brother, but I still enjoy that trope for the most part. Tiffany was an older heroine than the usual 20 something year old and I thought that was refreshing. I loved it included Samir who was mixed race Indian and English. I also loved it touched on the treatment of Africans during the time. I really hope there’s a second book because the ending didn’t feel as definite as I would’ve liked. I think there were still some things that needed to be wrapped up. I would love to read more books.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries featuring a strong heroine!

When her brother unexpectedly dies, Tiffany takes the opportunity to impersonate him and become the librarian at an estate. As a woman in the 19th century, she doesn’t have many opportunities. However, things become more complicated when someone dies at the estate where she works.

I think this had promise but it took too long to get to the mystery for me!

This was not my usual experience with this genre, so I am uncertain what to make my comparisons to in recent memory. I enjoyed the book, but went in with different expectations. I will be recommending it to others, not sure if I would've recommended it to myself. Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity with this title. Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity with this title.

I picked this book up on NetGalley but it sat waiting for me for nearly three months before I got to start it. By the time I did, I had completely forgotten that this is first and foremost a mystery. I thought I was starting a romance so it took me a while to realize what I was really reading. There is a romance of sorts but it is a subplot. And it doesn't fully resolve which is always disappointing to me. I love a good happily ever after ending. The HEA is implied I guess but really the story was about the mystery. Two people have been murdered and Tiffany must figure out who did it before she is the next victim.

I got to about the halfway point of the book in my first day reading and then sat wondering how in the world there could ever be a HEA for Tiffany. I won't spoil it but she is pretty well stuck. Often in novels the reader can clearly see what the character cannot. The reader can say, "Well she just has to do such and such and her problems will be solved." I could not come up with any way to satisfy all the elements of the story and give her a happy ending. It seemed that any way she turned she would still have a negative outcome. But the author knew better than I. She found Tiffany a path she could take. It still could have ended badly but the author didn't allow that.

There is obvious racism and sexism within the community of the book. This is not at all surprising during this time period, especially knowing that it still exists today. I liked that the author's note was included to teach me more about the time period.

I enjoyed the mystery. It wasn't too easy to figure out who the murderer was. Nor was it that simple to figure out the how and why. I had to keep reading. I needed to know. And in the end, the final trial felt a lot like a Perry Mason episode where Perry stands up and gives the details of the crime pointing us to the guilty. I loved it! By then the reader already knows who is guilty but everyone else has to be convinced. And it was not an easy sell. Thank heavens for the Duchess's influence.

Potential triggers: domestic violence, murder, infidelity, racism, sexism, abuse, hanging
Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

After her brother dies, Tiffany takes his place so as not to lose her cabin and income. However, she soon realizes that his death wasn’t an accident.

I really enjoyed the story, especially Tiffany trying to hide her identity. It was immediately quite clear what the murder weapon was, but it wasn’t as clear to me who the murderer was and I enjoyed figuring this out. I truly didn’t trust anyone in this book. Although I enjoyed the suspense, there was a certain point in the book where the story felt a bit too slow to me, because Tiffany took a long time to figure everything out. The reveal of the killer was very surprising, mostly because there were no hints to this whatsoever and it felt kind of out of nowhere, which I thus didn’t love. Furthermore, the way everything was resolved was suddenly really quick, and the pacing felt quite off because of this. The ending itself made me quite mad too – I hate it when so many things are left open and unresolved. I did like how the author displayed the racial prejudices that occurred because this added to the story. Lastly, there weren’t many mistakes in the writing.

Going in, I didn’t expect Tiffany to be forty already, so that was a surprise. There were many characters in this, but it wasn’t too hard to keep them straight. Samir was clearly great, and although I feel like we still barely know him, the romance was quite cute, and I of course love how much of a feminist he really was. Lastly, Shirley was obviously terrible. He was truly the grossest man I’ve ever seen omg, he creeped me out.

Overall, I’m not completely sure how I feel. Although I enjoyed the story at first, it became a bit slow in my opinion. Furthermore, the ending made my rating drop because it felt quite out of nowhere and many things were left vague. It would actually make sense if there’d be more books after this, but I don’t think there will be. The ending just felt too easy to me, and I’m not too happy with that.

4.5/5 stars! I love a good historical fiction novel and the premise of Miss Woodall assuming her brother's place after he dies was intriguing. Add in the mystery of the missing valuables and scary deaths and I jumped right in. This book was surprisingly good for an author I hadn't heard of before. It has books about bookish people vibes, which I love. The early portion of the story was a bit slow, but if the reader sticks with it, I think they'll really enjoy it. Tiffany was funny and fit the regency era perfectly.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Spinster Tiffany Woodall somehow manages to be content with her life. Yes, she has to basically live as her cruel and miserly half-brother's servant, but when there are no alternatives aside from living completely penniless, one makes do. And she quite likes the little cottage that came with his current job as a Duke’s personal librarian. But when she finds her brother dead in his bedroom one morning, she has a choice to make. She will get no inheritance, so she’s sure to be thrown out of the home she loves and forced to live off the meager generosity of others if anyone finds out he has died. But another option presents itself: replacing him. She bears an uncanny resemblance to her brother, after all... and being a librarian sounds quite appealing.

This was a cute historical mystery with a strong romantic subplot. Tiffany as a character was a bit bland at first, but I liked her more and more as she developed a backbone and proved herself quite competent. She and Samir are quite cute, as well. I guess I was expecting something a little more sophisticated than I got, in terms of the writing style. Stylistically, it was more akin to a cozy mystery than I had expected. Overall I felt like the writing didn’t quite live up to the premise, but it was still a pretty good book. I suspect it will be a series, and I liked this one enough that I’ll probably pick up the next one (if only because I’m a sucker for a romance and I want to see how things turn out between Tiffany and Samir.)

Representation: Black character, Indian character

CW: mention of domestic abuse

new-series, first-in-series, librarian, masquerade, clergy, bookseller, mystery, secrets, romance, historical-novel, historical-research, historical-setting, london, lies, murder, 18th-century****

A nice, light escape for a wintry day. She finds her brother dead and realizes that she has no hope nor money, so she rather ably impersonates him and occasionally herself. By the time she becomes aware that her brother was murdered, the game is well and truly afoot! Good start to a new series!
I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

A surprisingly compelling & entertaining murder mystery!

Murder, mysterious secrets, blackmail, odious suitors, illicit liaisons and masquerading deception abound and entangle with an array of well fleshed out and diverse characters and a budding romance that for me made this a great start to a new series.

Instantly, I liked and cemented myself in Tiffany's corner, immediately drawn in by her desperation and how downtrodden, overlooked and used she has been by her obnoxious stepbrother. Coming to enjoy her masquerade immensely... the main reason that convinced me in the first place to try Samantha Larsen, a new author for me, and a decision I'm very glad of as I rather loved this well put together cosy mystery with an injection of engaging wit, humour and hints of romance.
I was reeled into the escalating drama, the nervous energy brought on by the promise of her being found out versus the allure of seeking out hints, motives and clues to finding the culprit.
While the delightfully refreshing host of diverse, multicultural characters added another level to the suspense and intrigue and hyped up the effect of the social strictures and hardships of the time, reflected in both class and sex, and the prejudices that they endured. Making the story flow with a greater degree of interest and fun believability that made it hard to put down without being pulled back in quickly.
I particularly loved the romantic thread interwoven within the tale's core mystery plot as the interaction between Tiffany and Samir evoked a humour, warmth and deep attraction that built, thrummed and electrically sparkled throughout and pulled me in as love budded between them as misunderstandings threatened to pull them apart. Made all the more refreshing by our heroine being much older than our typical spinster, at forty years of age.
A great start that promises to continue and develop a romance emcompassed by a community of well rounded subcharacters that promises to continue and flourish in book 2 - a book I'm very much hoping for and eager to seek out in the future!