Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Catherine Lloyd

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld is the second volume in the Miss Morton Mysteries series by Catherine Lloyd and it is one fun, fast cozy historical mystery. Set in 1838, Mrs Frogerton has asked Caroline to accompany her to a seance.. Caroline is skeptical but the medium seems to know things abt her family. She decides to return and asks her friend, Dr Harris, to accompany her. This time, the medium says something that seems to anger Harris. When the medium is later found dead, Dr Harris becomes the main suspect. Miss Morton is convinced he is innocent and, with the aid of her employer, she is determined to prove it no matter the danger.

I have enjoyed both books in the series. The characters, both old and new, are, fir the mist part very likeable. There are plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the story moving at a brisk pace and keep the reader guessing. Definitely an entertaining read for fans of historical cozies with interesting and stron female protagonists.

I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Something about the pacing felt off, and the culprit felt immediately obvious. The premise of this book is fun, and the main cast of characters are enjoyable. It feels like all the ingredients are there, but the execution is lacking. Hopefully, the author gets in the swing of things as the series goes on.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

I read book 1 of Catherine Lloyd’s Miss Morton Mysteries series (Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder) so that I would have the background for book 2, Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld. I enjoyed book 2 even more than book 1, but recommend reading them in order.

Miss Caroline Morton and her intrepid employer, Mrs. Frogerton, have returned to London so that Dorothy Frogerton (the daughter) can have a London Season and snare herself a lord. Dr. Harris has also come to London to take a position at the hospital.

Mrs. Frogerton has visited a medium who supposedly communicates with the dead. Caroline goes with her on a second visit to try to keep her from being defrauded, but is disturbed by a message that seems to be legit – from her dead father. Although Caroline is skeptical, she has to admit the woman has an uncanny talent. She asks Dr. Harris to accompany her on another visit to help convince her it is a scam. When he does, the medium says something that seems to frighten/offend him. They go to pay her yet another call during the daytime and find her dead.

Although there should be plenty of suspects, the investigator is in a hurry and pins the murder on Dr. Harris. Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton know he is innocent, but his gruff demeanor and secrecy do him no favors with the police. It is up to Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton to once again solve the murder(s).

The two sleuths are fun to watch. Caroline’s interactions with Society are interesting, as she is made to go about in Society circles with people who shunned her after her father’s bankruptcy and suicide. And the developing relationship between the calm polite Caroline and the rude Dr. Harris promises an interesting slowly progressing romance.

Gripping with several suspects. A great addition to this Regency mystery series, and atmospheric of the era.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd was an entertaining installment of the Miss Morton series, but not as good as the first. I feel like it should have been named after Mrs. Frogerton with as much as she moved the investigation forward. Caroline took on a more passive role this go around, which made her feel like a different character.

I liked the addition of the DeBloom family and their own mysteries. Mr. DeBloom was a interesting character - is he a potential love interest? Does he have a guilty conscience about the past? The promise he made to Caroline in the epiloge was a surprise indeed! Also, how will Dr. Harris continue to play a role in this series? Is he a potential love interest for Caroline also? Or just a dude who gets tangled up in their mysteries?

The mystery was a perfect cozy for fall. Interesting, but not too hard to parse out. There were a few details I wish we had gotten more explanation on (ex: the strongbox, how certain characters were involved.), but overall a fun read. I will definitely check out the third when it is released.

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

Such a great book! I never really understand when people used the term cozy mystery, but I think I got it now! I would love to read more of your books and I will totally continue this series.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd continues the Miss Morton mysteries. Set in the 1830's London at the height of the Season, a medium is murdered. Dr. Harris, a friend of Mrs. Frogerton and her assistant Miss Morton is suspected by the police. Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton pursue the murderer and suspect blackmail has precipitated the murder. In the background, Miss Frogerton is actively hunting an aristocrat with a title as worthy of her dowry although she and her mother come from the working middle class. Whodunit? Lots of suspects.

Miss Morton and the spirits of the underworld by Catherine Lloyd
Join the Frogerton household, and two local doctors figure out the murder of a local fortune teller in this Victorian mystery set in 1830’s London. Lady Caroline, a companion of Mrs. frogerton, uses her wits and calm nature to help her employer investigate how spiritualist Madame Lavinia has been murdered, and who has committed this crime.
This was a fun whodunnit with interesting characters and a peak into the spiritualism craze of the Victorian era.
#netgalley

This is book two in the Miss Morton series, and it was a very good and compelling mystery.

Caroline Morton is still situated in her role as companion to Mrs Frogerton, while her daughter Dorothy is enjoying her first London season.
Mrs Frogerton visits a spiritualist named Madam Lavinia, who claims to have spoken to her late husband. Caroline accompanies her the next time she visits and then goes again with Dr. Harris.
Later, she and Dr. Harris go to Madam Lavinia's house for a private meeting, and they find the spiritualist dead.
Now, Dr. Harris is accused of murder and Caroline and Mrs Frogerton will do everything in their power to find the true culprit.

This mystery was great and kept me guessing until the end. I really love all the characters in this series and can't wait to read more about them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The second book in the Miss Morton Mystery series. Lady Caroline Morton has another mystery on her hands that she has to solve. The story is well written with a very good storyline that kept me turning pages, I had to know how she solved it. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I enjoy this duet of Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton. This time out, Mrs. Frogerton found spiritualism and dragged Caroline along. Secrets led to murder and a note for Caroline. I loved how they worked out the clues together. A bit on the long side, but overall, the secrets, danger, and witty conversations kept this story moving along.

I received an ARC, and this is my unsolicited review.

I requested this arc not knowing it was the second in a series, but I don't think that would detract too much from a reader's enjoyment. There were definitely some loose threads from the first book that are mentioned throughout this one; however, they weren't central to this story.

I think the mystery was fun, but the characters, aside from Mrs. Frogerton, fell a bit flat for me. Caroline, despite being the titular character, was lacking in personality and consequently came across as somewhat boring. Contrast this to interesting, complicated characters like Charlotte Holmes, Mrs. Watson, Lord Ingram, etc. in the Lady Sherlock series and it's hard to feel connected to the characters in this one.

Overall, an average rating. I probably won't continue with the series, but I think others would definitely be interested in this cozy, Regency setting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc

Another enjoyable installment in the Miss Morton series.

Like the first book, this is a solidly plotted, compelling historical mystery. Though the focus in this series is less on setting than in many successful books in the subgenre, the books still feel rich and immersive, making up in feel and atmosphere what they lack in charming historical detail.

The characters are fairly standard to the subgenre, but they’re likable enough and function well within the framework of the plot.

The story is slightly better in the first book of the series than in this one, though I appreciated that this one was a bit lighter and more in line with what I expect to get in terms of tone for this type of book.

In all, an enjoyable read and one that compels me to look forward to the next in the series.

If your sweet spot is Regency/Victorian mysteries, like Anne Perry, Deanna Raybourn, or C. S. Harris, you really can't go wrong with Catherine Lloyd. I adored her Kurland St. Mary mysteries and I have to admit I screamed out loud when I realized that Lloyd had another series. This one is just as good, or better and I love that Lloyd has left her characters lots of space for growth and tasty, tasty complicated mysteries. Seriously, try this series out!

It's always such a delight to see a new book by Catherine Lloyd appear!

The second volume of her Miss Morton series (following MISS MORTON AND THE ENGLISH HOUSE PARTY MURDER and Lloyd's excellent sequence of mysteries set in the fictional village of Kurland St. Mary) brings back the resolute if cash-strapped Catherine Morton, the irrepressible dowager Mrs. Frogerton, and Mrs. Frogerton's difficult-to-marry-off daughter Dorothy among other appealing characters.

This outing introduces a fascinating aspect of Victorian society: its passion for spiritualism and seances. There's a lot of drama in the world of those attempting to contact the otherworld, which attracted many well-meaning practitioners but far more charlatans. Catherine quickly guesses that Madam Lavinia, the spiritualist whose gatherings Mrs. Frogerton attends, may be one of the latter...and when the psychic is murdered, her suspicions of shady behavior are confirmed.

Catherine is a fun and well-imagined protagonist; she's the daughter of an earl, but her situation is far closer to that of modern working woman than her antecedents might suggest and her energy and smarts are infectious. I confess that I like Mrs. Frogerton even better; in Lloyd's capable hands, she has so much more depth, kindness, humor and adventurousness than her conventional situation (as mother to a marriageable maiden) might have suggested. I've been so glad to see her emerge with a significant role in the series, and hope that will long continue.

I highly recommend MISS MORTON AND THE SPIRITS OF THE UNDERWORLD for readers who enjoy Victorian mysteries or just smart, female-driven mysteries generally.
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The main characters are interesting and I like the mystery. It kept me guessing and I really wasn't expecting who done it. . I look forward to more in the series.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

England 1830

Exciting, entertaining and a fun whodunit will have you enthralled to the last page!

Lady Caroline, companion to Mrs Frogmorton, is in London trying to guide her employer's daughter through her come out in society.

Meanwhile Mrs Frogmorton asks Caroline to attend a seance with Madame Lavinia. Of course, a murder occurs and it seems Madame had many enemies. Who could the culprit be?

Delightful and engaging, you will be thoroughly engrossed until the end!!

A very enjoyable book by an other whose writing I appreciate Catherine Lloyd. Caroline Morton has become one of my favorite characters that this author has shared with me.

It SEEMS that there will be a sequel to this book also - competing male friends of Caroline perhaps? If her father's issues were cleared up would a third gentleman be in the running? The former fiancé who she has admitted to being in love with.? not sure that would no necessitate returning to a less happy existence?.

I think I'd like to see Caroline remain with Mrs. Frogerton and her irrepressible daughter at least for the next book that hopefully is well into it's existance.