It’s very strange to me how immersive the books in this series feel despite the fact that the text dedicates very little space to building atmosphere and sense of place. This is especially odd for a historical mystery, yet somehow Schellman’s unusual approach seems to work.

The mystery in this is about on par with the others in the series: Nothing earth-shattering or unusual, but enjoyable to read, well constructed, and apt in its solve.

Lily isn’t really a standout among historical mystery heroines/amateur sleuth heroines, but she’s likable enough and pleasant to spend time with as a reader.

These also feel a bit more accurate to the time period than others set in this era, which isn’t necessarily a requirement for me but is certainly something I make (positive) note of.

My first book from this author and I really really enjoy it.
It's like Sherlock with Bridgerton vibes. A cozy murder mystery, a locked room mystery. Small suspects pool with plenty twist and turns, I love the searching of the clues and some revelations that put doubts in my mind about my suspicion, pretty solid red herring overall, predictable though, I guessed right from the beginning, but it doesn't take away all the fun.
Loveeee the family drama. Love that subtle love triangle, it's not dominating the story but it's there that got me choose who I want to end up with Lily, I do have fav.
As for main character, love Lily Adler of course, she's smart, loyal, and brave, just perfect and I totally root for her with Jack.

Overall it's a fun cozy mystery read and totally recommended for cozy mystery fans.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. I read a lot of historical mysteries but I found this one lost me. Being a house party, there were a lot of characters to remember as the story was set up. For me, I found it hard to remember everyone. I am sure if you like a real who done it with a lot of characters this one will be for you. I received an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my review.

Katherine Schellman involved widow Lily Adler in another murder mystery in Murder at Midnight. At a house party snowed in by a local storm murder, theft and blackmail run among the guests. A blackmailer is killed. Is it the young lady whose reputation he held for ransom? Was it those he stole from? Lily assists her brother to find the answers. Complex Regency mystery with a little romance thrown in.

I somehow received both the audio and ebook for this 4th book in the Lily Adler series. This holiday mystery finds a crowd gathered at a house party in England when a snowstorm causes everyone to be stuck there. When a dead body is found, Lily is called upon to put her detecting skills to use once again. Enjoyable series and characters.

It was perhaps unwise to delve into the fourth Lily Adler Mystery series, by Katharine Schellman, without having read the previous three, however I was quickly transported into a story world that was intriguing and comfortingly familiar in terms of what we might expect from a wintery murder mystery. Set in the Regency period, widow Lily Adler finds herself trapped at a party due to a severe snowstorm. With no promise of it abating, overnight things taken a further turn for the worse, as fellow party attendee and Gregory Edison is murdered. Schellman deliberately set the novel during 1816 to reflect the notorious ‘year without a summer’ a time that was characteristised by abnormal weather conditions, casting the globe into a perpetual season of storms and wintery showers.
This perpetual winter serves to set the scene and intensify the drama as all the characters are trapped in close proximity with no chance of escape. Lily Adler, who has demonstrated her sleuth like abilities in the previous novels, works alongside her brother-in-law, John to uncover the motives and grievances characters may have had towards the victim which leaves the reader guessing ‘who dun it’ right until the novel’s climax and resolution. I did really enjoy reading this novel and I also liked how the writer highlighted the levels of complexity around attitudes towards female decorum and status during this time. For example, Amelia Hartley is a character who is drawn under suspicion and is told repeatedly to be mindful of not courting gossip and bad feeling amongst the other guests, a fate that seems far worse than being charged with murder. There is also a poignant moment when an older female character, Mrs. Coleridge, chides Lily for feeling ‘underestimated.’ She states ‘try spending a day as a woman past her prime. They applaud you if you manage to keep your head on your shoulders, never mind have a coherent thought in it.’ These speak to not only the complexities faced by the characters in the book but also issues we face in society today.
Overall the book is a perfect cosy Christmas read with characters that are well drawn and a story world that augments the increasing tension we all want from a crime drama. Happily I get to go back and read more from the series- preferably from the beginning.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

I had not read the previous books in this series, but the premise sounded good so I went ahead and read it. I like a good mystery and this one was quite enjoyable with characters that suit the time period in which it takes place. I found that I didn't need to read the previous books (although I will!) to understand what's going on, and it kept me guessing to the end whodunnit.

I truly enjoyed this murder mystery!! Lately, I have not enjoyed most regency era stories I have read in ANY genre (I am avoiding any book with Duke, Earl, or Lord in the title). I didn't know/didn't look when this book set when I requested on netgalley or I probably wouldn't have read it. Despite this new preference of mine, I was sucked into the story of a house party in the middle of a terrible winter storm. Many guests have too far to travel and therefore stay at the host's home to ride out the storm. A body is found near the chicken coop the first morning and every guest is a suspect. Lily Adler is a wonderful main character in this story. She has gumption and smarts to weed out the truth amid the secrets and lies of the guests. I loved my time reading this story and would look for more Lily Adler mysteries in the future.

JACK IS BACK! - BUT NOT REALLY...

MY main gribe with the previous book in this series was the absence of Captain Jack. So when he returned here, I thought it would be amazing. However, it did not really go as I hoped...

👍 What I liked👍

Mystery: Honestly, I did not have a clue who the murderer was going to be. Schellman wove such a great mystery, with a lot of interesting twists and turns. This was not just an "interview suspects" kind of mystery. No, there were clues, hoodwinks and twists to spare. It kept me interested and on my toes.

👎 What I disliked 👎

Jack: Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore Jack. He is my favourite character. So I was so excited to have him back for this book. However, Jack was not really one of the main characters. And that did not work for me. It felt like a tease. And not in a good way.

Characters: I won't say that any of the characters were decidedly bad or anything. But I will say that there were a few too many of them. Some of them didn't really add a whole lot to the plot or story. It took me a while to get a hang of them all and how they fit together. It made it a tad confusing at times.

I love Katherine Schellman’s Regency mystery series centering on young widow Lily Adler who becomes a sleuth for the aristocracy and gentry who do not like their affairs investigated. The previous three books where excellent in terms of historical setting, morals and mannerism and most importantly the actual mystery.
I was very excited to read this new installment Murder At Midnight.
The setting is a classic - a Christmas party at a country house with a party that gets snowed in forcing guests to stay on when they discover one of them was murdered. Lily Adler joins forces with the local magistrate, fellow guest and her brother in law John Adler and together they have to uncover how a young man has ended up dead in the snowy yard with a torn bit of a Pearl necklace in his hand. Emotions run high when the fellow guests realize the murder must be along them. Accusations and suspicions fly easily and the atmosphere becomes leaden. Lily‘s good friend Jack‘s little sister becomes the center of attention and Lily doubles her efforts to exonerate her. I loved my reading. Since this was now the fourth Lily Adler book I read I have become quite invested in her as a character and need the next book soon to find out how her personal life progresses - I am quite intrigued by Lily‘s romantic prospects !
This book does work as a standalone and can be read as a seasonal historical mystery this winter - maybe with a cup of tea and a cozy blanket.

This was an interesting and enjoyable cozy mystery. The isolation of the group around Christmas time could have been a little formulaic but it wasn't. The number of red herrings ran a little on the high side and some of the characters were not as relatable as I'd have liked. Lilly Adler, is a lovely protagonist and her relationships with key family and friends have depth (even when things get complicated). This added texture to the storyline. All in all it was four out of five for me.

I hope I have the privilege of reading more in the series. My thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane publishers and the author for my advance reader copy. The opinions in this review are entirely my own

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

If you're in the mood for a cozy and stress-free mystery novel, look no further. "The Widow's Whispers" takes us back to the Regency era and introduces us to Lily Adler, a widow caught in a gripping mystery. When a violent storm forces several individuals to seek shelter in town, little do they know that the following morning will unveil a shocking discovery – a guest from the previous night lies dead. It gave me vibes reminiscent of the classic board game Clue, a personal favorite of mine. I've always had a soft spot for locked room mysteries.

The writing in this book is exceptionally well-crafted, and its brisk pacing adds an element of fun and excitement that kept me engaged from start to finish. I can't recommend it enough. Interestingly, I learned after requesting the ARC that it's part of a larger series. However, the good news for me (and potential readers) is that it stands as a standalone, sparing us from a daunting catch-up. That being said, given how much I enjoyed this story, I might just have to delve into the entire series now. It’s not without its problems, but overall this was a fun pallet cleanser.

A really good addition to the Lily Adler series [which I have loved from book 1 <--once I got the whole time frame thing worked out, something I have had to do with each book apparently. I read very few books set in this time period and I always want it to be Victorian not Regency and get annoyed with how the characters are until I smack myself on the head and go "YOU DOOFUS" and then go back and everything falls into place and all is well. LOL].

I am really enjoying the influx of really well-written "locked room" mysteries and was excited to see how this author handled this trope; I am here to say she does it very well [though technically not a traditional "locked room", a houseful of snowed-in unexpected guests makes it a touch more exciting] and even though I had guessed the who and what very early [from one line from the killer and then one line from the story], I kept second guessing myself and following the [excellent] red herrings [especially after the second murder] until I knew without a doubt I had been right. Let me say, this knowledge DID NOT take away from the story as a whole at all. I loved being back with Lily and Matthew and JACK!!!! I was so glad to have Jack back in the story. I love him. Watching how Lily's family treats her [even after all of her adventures] was disappointing [R E A L L Y John??] and I doubt we will see her visiting them again any time soon [she just isn't meant for "small-town" life and the restrictions that come with that life] as I got the feeling that she as very disappointed in how they treated her as well.

I do have a couple niggling things to talk about [and this is what kept it from being a 5 star read for me]:
* The dual narration [THIS was the biggest issue for me and one I found more annoying as the book went on]. We, the readers, are used to Lily [and Lily alone] being the narrator of the story and having it from two POV's [and one being a character we are new to] was confusing and frustrating, and in my opinion, bogged the story down some. I feel it really interrupted the flow and I hope going forward, the author sticks to just Lily's POV.
* There were just too many characters. I get that this was a ball and there had to be quite a few people there, but it was a bit overwhelming at times to try and remember just who everyone was.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book [and was 100% behind Lily in regards to Matthew] and am already looking forward to the next book - Lily is one of the best-written characters I am currently reading and I really enjoy how "real-life" the author makes her and those around her [even when the others behaviors drive me crazy LOL. Just reminds me how glad I am to have skipped that century ;-) ] and how she [the author] is willing to break out of the "traditional" regency trope and write how life really must have been back then. If you like good mysteries and real-to-life characters, I highly recommend this series. Well done!

I was also gifted the audiobook ARC and am grateful for that. I don't love the narration for this for one simple reason [though once I get used to it, I am okay], the narrator speaks in a wildly staccato voice and it drives me crazy in the beginning and makes it difficult for me to get into the story [though that was not the case here as this was a banger from the first page]. Once I settle in, I get used to the narrator's extreme staccato's narration and it only occasionally bugs me [it did happen more in this book, but I think that was simply because there were so many characters and she had to do voices for them all that the staccato just never fully smoothed out. I do love how she voices Lily and Jack though; Lily really comes alive for me though her narration of her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katharine Schellman, Henrietta Meire - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cozy Victorian mystery. It has the advantage, though not to me, of being the 4th in a series. Lords and ladies have to adapt to being lords and ladies in a reality that has murder and mayhem, Oh, and a woman who may have been alone with a man she wasn’t married to! I am never sure how I feel a bout these period pieces. It is absolutely wrong to romanticize a time in which women lived this life. Is it better to show a woman who fought it and broke barriers? Maybe. If not to unrealistic. I don’t think this one accomplishes the latter. Instead it leans into the former. Which makes it OK at best.

1816. Mrs Grantham's Christmas ball has turned for some into a longer stay for the guests because of a snow storm. But the next morning the body of Gregory Edison is found in the snow covered yard. The magistrate Sir John Adler investigates ably partnered by his sister-in-law Lily.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with a touch of romance, with its cast of diverse characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It is just ridiculous enough to be a refreshing take on a regency locked door murder without being over the top. Lily is a refreshing heroine and I spent the whole book rooting for Jack. I recommend this book to readers of regency romances, murder mysteries, or anyone looking for a fluffy, cozy story.

It was the beginning of the snowfall in London. Lily has returned to Hertfordshire for the Christmas season to join her family and friends of her late husband Freddy. Lily didn't have true friends. She was happy to spend time with the Adler family at the Christmas ball organized by Mrs. Grantham. The neighborhood friends and their families have been invited. Lily has been widowed for three years at such a young age. Mathew Spencer, Lady Adler, Lily, John Adler (Magistrate), Captain Jack Hartley, and his youngest sibling Amelia Noor Hartley, Peter, and his mother Coleridge who have been moved to the neighborhood have been some of the guests of the house party that midnight. Jack Hartley had been the boyhood companion of her husband and had become her own trusted confidant. Jack was most of the time at sea to picture him on land was impossible, that's when at the party he announces his retirement soon.

As the party and guests arrived at the dinner, music friends, and dancing as always were present. Mathew Spencer takes Lily out of the crowd to propose she get married to him. Her reply was not decided. Having widowed she never thought of getting married again.

The snow doesn't stop and the neighborhood and the guests wake up to find Gregory Edison one of their guests has been murdered, his body lying in the snow. Sir John and Lily are faced with investigating the murder. Even though Amelia was accused of having a relationship with Edison nothing seemed to be going on right there to find Amelia guilty of murder. Who could have killed Mr. Edison? Having been trapped inside the house with not much evidence, Lily assists John Adler in searching, questioning the guests, and even finding the criminal at last. There seemed to be even a theft and another incident of murder in the house.

Very intriguing and challenging to find the murderer but no surprises. It's surely one of the guests who has committed it. I enjoyed thoroughly this novel and the suspense which kept me guessing and thinking till the end.

Thanks to Partners in Crime, Crooked Lane Books, Netgalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

The Christmas season brings festive balls and celebrations to Regency England. Lily Adler is attending Mrs. Grantham’s holiday celebration with her husband’s family. Despite her husband’s death they remain close and Lady Adler takes the opportunity to play matchmaker. Matthew Spencer is a widower who plans to propose to Lily. A winter storm that confines the guests to the estate and the murder of one of the guests, however, involves Lily in another investigation. John Adler, the local magistrate, has never faced a murder case and needs her assistance if they are to catch a killer.

Captain Jack Hartley has resigned his naval commission and returned to be with his family. He also needs Lily’s help. His sister Amelia has been the subject of gossip, but she will not reveal what is behind it to Jack or her family. It involves Gregory Edison, the murder victim, making Amelia the prime suspect. Mrs. Grantham’s guests have no choice but to stay until the storm passes and roads are cleared, but as John and Lily search for answers tempers start to flare. Lily is sure of Amelia’s innocence. The murderer must be among the other guests and must be discovered before the storm passes. Once the guests depart the murderer may never be found. The investigation is complicated by missing jewelry, blackmail and a second murder.

Murder at Midnight is the fourth book in Katharine Schellman’s series. As a widow, Lily is an independent woman who is freed from many of the social restrictions placed on women. It would take a special relationship for her to give up that independence. Jack’s return is a pleasant surprise. He has been involved with her past investigations and has become a close friend. When his life is put in danger it forces Lily to seriously consider her future. Fans of Ashley Weaver will fall in love with Schellman’s strong characters and a mystery that is filled with twists. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books and forr providing this for my review.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Murder at Midnight (Lily Adler Mystery #4) by Katharine Schellman from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… A well-written, engaging, and clever locked room mystery that kept me turning pages …

This fourth entry into the Lily Adler Mystery series begins with the widow Lily Adler along with the parents of her deceased husband attending a lavish dinner on an isolated estate. With several prominent families in attendance and with Matthew Spencer a new man on her arm when her deceased husband’s family, his dear friend Jack Hartley and the Hartley join them Lily is sure it will be an enjoyable evening. When an unexpected snow and ice storm closes all routes from the estate the party is stranded and is forced to stay at the estate until their path is clear. Tensions run high when rumours and innuendos surface, arguments flare and what was to be a pleasant dinner now becomes a pressure cooker of sorts.

The sounds of the storm are deafening. When Lily is awoken at midnight by a strange sound, she chalks it up to the storm but when a guest’s body is found the next morning, she knows exactly what it was. With all the party goers stranded tensions run high when the party is stuck on the estate with a murderer. When Jack Hartley’s little sister Amelia becomes prime suspect, Lily is compelled to assist her former brother-in-law and magistrate John to solve the case before the murderer can flee. Jack and Lily have been through some trying times over the years including the loss of her husband who was also Jack’s best friend and their adventures whilst stumbling upon and solving crimes. Over the years Jack has been in the service, sailing on the high seas, finally returning home after a long absence, and announcing his retirement from the service. In a moment that he should be celebrating instead he is devastated at the prospect of his sister’s arrest.

When Jack does the unthinkable to save his sister, he is locked up under house arrest, Lily is determined to work twice as hard to get to the bottom of the murder and clear Jack and Amelia’s name. The more Lily and John investigate the more secrets they uncover, secrets that people would kill to keep buried.

A well-written, engaging, and clever locked room mystery that kept me turning pages to an ending which caught me by surprise (which is often difficult to do). Having read and reviewed the previous books in the series, in my opinion, this is definitely one of the best. I love this series which feels like a unique take on the Agatha Christie novels I have adored since childhood, I wholeheartedly recommend.

What's not to adore in this fun, entertaining mystery starring Lily Adler?

Visiting her deceased husband's family, she is excited to get away from London and see her friend Jack.

When a ball is given and the next morning a body is found, the adventure begins! Enjoyed every minute!