Short Synopsis: Sisters Augusta (Gus) and Julia join forces to protect other women despite her duty to be a lady

My thoughts: I’m always a fan of a strong female character and Gus was just that! I liked how she pushed the boundaries of being a ”spinster” And a Lady and got her hands dirty to help other women.

The layout of this book was formatted fun in the different parts including different situations where Gus helped others.

You can tell a ton of research was out into the time period as far as food, fashion, and treatment of women. The author did a great job at portraying some very heavy topics, so be warned of some of these if you’re a sensitive reader.

Read if you love:
- tough women pushing boundaries
- Romance subplot
- Sisterly love
- Regency period
- Heavy topics

I was surprised that I didn't like "The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies" more. Goodman's previous books have been winners for me, but this one was just not there for me. There were all the elements of a good historical mystery, but they didn't line up for this reader. I have no doubt that others will love this book, just not me.

The Colbrook twins are both spinsters, and middle aged. Lady Augusta "Gus" has had no interest in marriage, and bored by Society. Julia still grieves the unexpected death of her fiancé, and possibly has breast cancer.

Gus has a contentious relationship with their brother, the man of the family. Their relationship only worsens after he ejects from the house they've been living in for years so he and his new wife can live there, and he continues to insult and demean Gus every chance he gets. Julia attempts to keep the peace between them, while also chiding Gus for wanting to do more with their lives and the fortunes they luckily have, thanks to their father.

When their friend Charlotte gives them something important and clandestine to do: rescue her goddaughter Caroline, whose husband is keeping her prisoner in their home.

Along the way, they're beset by a highwayman, whom Gus injures. They decide to bring him with them after they discover he is Lord Evan Belford, someone they know who was charged with murder and sent to Australia twenty years ago. That he's back makes him a wanted man, and in the sisters' debt. He agrees to help them extricate Caroline.

What follows is comedy, danger, adventure and a growing respect and attraction between Gus and Evan. And a determination between the sisters, after they hash out how Julia's behaviour has affected their relationship, to continue helping women who are in trouble.

There have been a spate of Regency-based stories and mysteries released in the last few years. Unlike those, author Alison Goodman takes a hard look at the power imbalances between men and women during this period, as well as how older women are virtually invisible, and crafts a terrifically engaging story.

Goodman knows her history, and walks a fine line between showing how awful privileged individuals could behave then, and ensures her protagonists were able to solve the three cases within this novel and subvert the strictures of Society.

This novel is unexpectedly dark in parts, while there are also moments of levity and ridiculousness to counteract these, and keep me from totally hating just about every gentleman featured in this story.

I loved Gus unreservedly, and the twins make a formidable pair, with Evan rounding out their efforts admirably. I can not wait to read the next book in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is the first book in a new historical mystery series by Alison Goodman. Released 30th May 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 464(!) pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is an exceptionally well written mystery romp, full of skullduggery and with a basically historically accurate framework, done so seamlessly that it's not easy to tell where real history fades into fiction. The protagonists are deliciously written, especially Gus, who is -firmly- on the shelf, thank you very much, and has absolutely no desire to put up with anyone's foolishness.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 15 hours 33 minutes and is expertly narrated by Kristin Atherton. She has a well modulated, professionally trained alto voice with a cut-crystal RP accent which translates well to this read. She doesn't overpower the read, and listeners will find her pleasantly neutral and not invasive (or screechy or difficult to listen to).

Four and a half stars for both the audio and print versions. Definitely one for the fans of regency mysteries. The feminist overtones and "protagonists of a certain age who are unwilling to put up with the world's nonsense" are delightful and not -too- heavy handed.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is such an excellent series starter, and I hope to see it continue. It's a great look at women who are bucking societal norms in a time when there were consequences to doing so, and of the bonds of sisterhood. Charming, interesting, complex characters and heartpounding situations in an excellent plot.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙡𝙡 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨
by Alison Goodman
464 pages
May 30, 2023
@berkleypub

I'm a fangirl of Jane Austen and all things Bridgerton.
If you find yourself nodding in agreement, read this first in the series. (Yes!!) I can't wait for the next volume of adventures featuring these Ill-Mannered Ladies. Hint, hint @berkleypub

I do not know why I am not seeing more posts about The Benevolent Society of Ill Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman on bookstagram, but it is the sleeper hit of the year for me.

I love a novel set in Regency England.

Even though they are set in different eras of English history, I find this to have the adventure and atmosphere of the League of Extraordinary Women by Evie Dunmore which is set in Victorian England.

Gus and Julia are twin sisters residing together- the love of Julia's life has met a tragic end and Gus is a self-proclaimed spinster. Julia has been in a melancholy state and more, so Gus decides they must find a purpose in helping people with their problems to take their minds off their reality. Add in a jealous older brother who is constantly meddling in their lives adding to the drama. The twin sisters take matters into their own hands to resolve tricky situations, adventures abound, and there is a fun bit of romance thrown in - rogueishly handsome hero at that. I did not want it to end.

If you just need a fun romp of a Regency novel to escape reality, read this!

Thank you Netgalley for providing a free ARC in return for an honest review.

The premise is intriguing and the characters were certainly interesting. However, the novel attempts to tackle too many themes without doing any justice. Perhaps future books (assuming this will be a series) will be able to pace itself now that the principle characters have been introduced.

A wonderful work of historical fiction, blending adventure, comedy and drama, and romance. I fell in love with Augusta and Julia and their indomitable determination to help people, and Goodman did a great job raising the stakes with each escapade. I'm already looking forward to the next book. How WILL they clear Lord Evan's name? Will Kent's affection for Julia bring him around to our side? And most important: who's going to plant Duffy that well-deserved facer?

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ILL-MANNERED LADIES was such a fun historical mystery! I loved the strong female leads, with all their wit and banter.

Lady Augusta and Lady Julia are twin sisters, in their forties, are considered spinsters of their time. They’re bored with society and find themselves in the position to help women in need.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-cozy Regency mystery
-themes of strong women, fighting the patriarchy
-fast paced
-adventurous story

*many thanks to Berkley, PRH audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy

I am always on the hunt for mysteries that are new and exciting and when I had the opportunity to read this new series featuring two middle-aged “spinster” sisters, Gus and Julia and who just seem to find themselves drawn to murder and intrigue without really even asking for it. When the sisters help a friend with getting out of a nasty blackmail scheme unscathed, the friend is soon singing their praises to all of London’s fashionable set. When the sisters are asked to rescue an abused wife from her noble and terrifying husband, they embark on the adventure traveling by carriage to rescue the fair maiden. The sisters are held up at gunpoint by a pair of highwaymen, and when Gus accidently shoots one of the highwaymen, she is startled to learn that she has just injured Lord Evan Belford.

Lord Belford has an interesting past. He was arrested for murder and then he was commuted to Australia to serve out his sentence there. He escaped and has been on the run for the past twenty years and now has suddenly turned back up on English soil trying to rob two travelling ladies. Gus and Julia aren’t sure how to handle their newly injured companion and set out to continue on their task as planned with him along for the ride. Lord Belford soon proves to be an formidable ally and the sisters embark on several more investigations throughout the book.

This book was a refreshing debut in what promises to be a historical mystery series to watch in the future. This series features two older sisters who have been through the societal marriage market, but who did not find marriage as expected. They have come to accept their lives and depend greatly on each other. These sisters are not the typically mystery novel heroines that we readers see in most historical mystery series and that makes these characters refreshing. Think Jane Austen meets murder mysteries and intrigue at every corner. I found this book hard to put down and enjoyed the fact that the author created several little mysteries in one book instead of one continuous mystery. That was also a neat little surprise that made this book a lot of fun to read.

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Author: Alison Goodman

Series: The Ill-Mannered Ladies #1

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

Pages: 460

Genre: Historical Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

When you want historical fiction with a pinch of self-awareness and a spine along with the pretty dresses and societal rules of pining. Lovely read!

This was maybe longer than it needed to be, but I really enjoyed it and will expectantly waiting on the next book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This was really fun. I would read the next book in the series and hope it won't be too long before it's out. I loved the cover. I would purchase this for my library.

For all who have sadly missed the genuine flavour of Regency era novels, this is a must read! I had all but given up on finding anything new and had resigned myself to re-reading my old favourites rather than subjecting myself to any more idiocy and was delightfully surprised to find a new addition to my favourites.

Review (#giftedbook): The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies
This story was both awesome and infuriating. Awesome because I love historical mysteries featuring badass female characters sticking it to "the man"...but infuriating because this is Regency England, MC Lady Augusta is a 42-year-old "spinster," and men are the WORST. Special mention goes to Lady Augusta's (and her twin, Lady Julia's) brother, whom I hate with a fiery passion. FIERY PASSION.

This novel is broken up into three separate "cases" that have some interrelatedness. While I obviously don't have a complete understanding of Augusta's (Gus's) situation, I empathized with her need to be more than people think she is, and to make the world a better place for women. Insert an intriguing romantic interest and lots of action, and you have a lovely, layered novel that definitely sets up for another book.

I only read a sample, but it was intriguing.
The 2 sisters had a very good dialogue. Going back-and-forth into their backstory. The end diverse seemed very challenging, as is their position in society. I'd want to read the book to see which sister gets her love story first and if it has anything to do with the earl Duffy as they call him.

Thank you so much for the excerpt!

What a TREAT! A spunky older spinster main character who decides to use her overlooked status to the advantage of people who need help-- first, a friend being blackmailed by her ex-lover, then a young girl (whoops! a group of girls) stolen into prostitution, then a young woman (whoops!again! a house-ful of women!) legally but unethically held in a mental institution, and-- throughout and on the horizon-- her love-interest disgraced peer who was framed for murder, sentenced to Australia, and who has since escaped custody, worked as a seaman, and was undertaking a bit of highway robbery before their first encounter. Readers will appreciate the secondary characters who bring some natural-feeling diversity to the story-- the MC's twin sister is neurodiverse (eidetic memory) and ill (cancer); the rescued sister of the love interest is queer (we also meet her partner, and a second side character is also gay-- we're likely to see a lot of him in the next novel); and a prominent character is the family butler, a formerly-enslaved Black man. These identities don't feel out of place or shoe-horned in or forced, and they bring a lovely depth to a story that could have tried to get away with a very white, very upper-class setting.

Not quite 5 stars for me, because some sections felt very blocky. It's not necessarily too busy, just kind of poorly-incorporated. The MC's sister receives a cancer diagnosis early in the book; as both their mother and their aunt (mother's sister) died of cancer, they are both understandably afraid and upset. The MC loses her faith, which is certainly reasonable, but is almost info-dumpy in the intensity of its first appearance in the story. A few other elements also felt poorly-incorporated, for all that they made sense as story elements.

Still, I really had fun with this and I wish the second one was available now! (Sadly, there isn't even a title announced on the author's website yet.) This would be a great recommendation for readers who liked the older protagonists of [book:Killers of a Certain Age|60149532], or anyone who likes historical fiction with one or more overlaps with romance, mystery, and/or adventure.

eARC from NetGalley.

Regency Era? Yep
A damsel living life on her terms? Yep
A roguish exile? Yep.
A very enjoyable read - an old maid protecting women, while fighting for the truth of an accused and exiled Lord. Could not wish for more!

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies, with its catchy title and witty heroines, was a gem! It was better than I expected, keeping me up late at night as the Colebrook twins became embroiled in dangerous adventures that highlighted their smarts and feminist views.

Lady Augusta and Lady Julia are two "spinster" twin sisters who, at the mature age of forty-two, are bored with high society and are too smart to sit back and do nothing when opportunities present themselves to help out women disadvantaged by their position or status. I love historical fiction with women who are ahead of their time. The sisters perform daring rescues, but the one that takes place in an insane asylum, as they were called back then, was an eye-opening read, as the author does not spare us the abhorrent treatment of its patients.

There is much to like about this novel. First off, it's witty, with a clever plot and memorable characters. There's a bit of romance too. It's well written with never a dull moment. And it's fun for a change to have the heroines be of a more mature age.

This first book in the series starring the Colebrooke sisters is off to a fantastic start. Don't let the page count deter you. I raced through this one and it turned out to be one of my best reads this year. If you like entertaining historical fiction with worthy themes, adventure, mystery, and heart-pounding rescues, you will love this book.

Lady Augusta Colebrook and her twin sister, Lady Julia, are 42 years old (Lady Augusta is the elder, by 15 minutes). Julia has lost her beloved fiance, Robert, in a hunting accident and she still mourns him. She also have breast cancer, which is, of course, a death sentence in 1815 London. While on their way to visit a friend, they are accosted by a highwayman that Augusta shoots. Augusta and Julia quickly learn the wounded man in Lord Evan Belford, who was convicted of murder 20 years ago and transported to Australia. Augusta becomes convinced that Lord Evan was wrongly convicted and she decides to investigate what happened. Meanwhile, she and her sister have decided to assist women who are in untenable situations rather than sit by the fire and embroider as other spinsters might do. Lord Evan becomes Augusta's reluctant co-conspirator. But then Evan and Augusta must rescue Evan's younger sister from a madhouse. A fun read, recommended.