This is the first book of the series that I have read. But was easy to catch up. Caroline and her employer Mrs. Frogerton set out to find whoever killed a spiritualist that Mrs. Frogerton visited. I really enjoyed this crime fighting duo. They compliment each other. Looking forward to the next book.

"Set against the timelessly intriguing backdrop of 1830s high-society London, this delightful historical mystery series features Miss Caroline Morton, daughter of a disgraced earl, now gainfully employed as a lady's companion - along with a sideline in sleuthing...

Lady Caroline is happy to be back amid the swirl of London society, guiding her employer's daughter, Dorothy Frogerton, through her first Season. Dorothy has been declared "an original" by a patron of the exclusive social club, Almack's, and is sifting through potential suitors. Mrs. Frogerton, meanwhile, finds her own diversions, including spiritualist gatherings at the home of Madam Lavinia, and begs Caroline to come along.

Caroline is skeptical of Madam's antics and faux French accent - until she slips a note into Caroline's hand, which contains intimate family knowledge. Even as Caroline tries to discern whether the spiritualist's powers are real, a much darker mystery presents itself. Madam Lavinia is found lifeless in her chair, a half-empty glass of port at her elbow. In her desk is a note addressed to Caroline, entreating her to find her murderer.

Caroline needs no psychic abilities to determine a motive, for it seems that Madam was blackmailing some of her clients and has left a trail of aggrieved aristocrats behind. But as Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton investigate further, they find other suspects, and a litany of deceptions, some very close to home. Now Caroline will need to keep all her wits about her if she is to stop others from joining Madam Lavinia in the afterlife..."

Oh yes, a dead dubious psychic!

Lady Frogerton really came to life for me in this one. Lady Carloline is lovely but Lady Frogerton has such depth, such insight, such generosity! Love her down-to-earth approach. No rose tinted glasses here. She's just lovely to spend time with.

The murder mystery was interesting, just a touch of the otherworldly to run alongside the blackmailing! Some hints as to a possible change in circumstances ... The story was engaging and most enjoyable.

This series just got better, I so look forward to reading where the author is going to take this lovely cast of characters next. There were some hints as to a possible change in circumstances ... hmm!

Its five out of five for me

My thanks to #Netgalley, Kensington Books, and the author for my Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The follow-up to Catherine Lloyd’s first Miss Morton book is better than the first, more tightly woven and better paced. The murder mystery is fun and the stakes high enough to be juicy without losing the sense of fun inherent to this amateur sleuthing.

My favorite character in the previous novel was Mrs. Frogerton, who I found much more engaging than the titular Miss Morton. Thankfully, Miss Morton was more invested this go-around, but Mrs. Frogerton still steals the show and is my preferred of the two tandem sleuths. This book also saw Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter, Dorothy, come into her own: Dorothy goes after what she wants and is unashamed of her desires, and I love seeing these traits in a female side character.

Speaking of side characters: Susan, Miss Morton’s sister, was mostly absent from this book, but I get the impression that Lloyd is building up for her to play a greater part in a later title in the series. Dr. Harris has returned as a once-again suspect and reluctant third sleuth in the party, which was a disappointment. I don’t care for Dr. Harris as a character and I really hope that the series isn’t going to push for a slow-burn romance between him and Caroline Morton, but I am afraid that that’s where it seems to be going.

As a heroine, Caroline still hasn’t quite found her feet, though she’s better than she was in the first book. She continues to be wishy-washy on whether she cares about justice or not, which is partially why the confidently idealistic (and slightly naïve) Mrs. Frogerton charms me more between the two. I hope Miss Morton finds more of a sense of herself and her values in future titles.

Catherine Lloyd’s 2nd novel in her Miss Morton series was wonderful. Lady Caroline Morton continues on as the companion to Mrs Frogerton as her daughter Dorothy is experiencing her first London Season. Mrs. Frogerton is the widow of a wealthy tradesman so the “ton” tend to look down on her, but Caroline knows that they won’t look down on her money. When Mrs. Frogerton meets a spiritualist, Madam Lavinia, who claims to have spoken with her belated husband, Mrs. Frogerton insists that Caroline attended a meeting with her. After that meeting, Caroline and Dr. Harris attend another, where Madam is accosted by one of her guest’s son. Later Dr. Harris and Caroline go to Madam’s house for a private meeting with Madam, only to find her deceased. Despite Caroline’s insistence that Dr. Harris could not be the murderer, he is arrested anyway. Now Mrs. Frogerton and Caroline must discover the true killer in order to save their friend.

I love these characters! Though I will say that I thought, after the first novel, that Caroline and Dr. Harris were becoming more than friends. In this novel, there was no mention or indication of the chemistry they showed in the first novel. It was more of a best friends vibe than a possibility vibe. However, there does appear to be new paths for Caroline. I honestly would like to see how Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton’s son, Samuel, interact together. The potential cliffhanger at the end makes it seem as if there are 2 paths, but I am secretly hoping for a third. I can’t wait for the third book.

The mystery was very good. I didn’t suspect the killer at all. I did suspect one person of being more than they were, but I had another person in mind for the murderer. Obviously, there were plenty of red herrings and motives to keep the secret until the end.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

This is the 2nd book of Miss Morton Mystery series, it can be read as stand alone. My first in this series and this book is good. I confoused who is the detective here? Miss Morton or Mrs. Frogerton? Seem like the Mrs who move around playing detective lol. Till the end of the book i still cant guess who the murder is. Then, what is in the strongbox???

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#MissMortonandtheSpiritsoftheUnderworld#MissMortonSeries #CatherineLloyd #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley #ARC

Thank you to NetGalley for early access to the to this arc. Overall, easy to read and fun story. The characters were pleasant and I quite enjoyed following the mystery. I'm a sucker for a story set in history, so I was hooked.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd

This is my first experience with Lloyds work and am so so happy that I was able to read this book. It is a masterpiece of skilled storytelling with well developed and very flawed characters that bring you in and keep you captivated with the murder afoot. The main characters worked so well together and the chemistry between them….I will let you see it for yourself. I will not get into the premise of the book only to say that it kept me enthralled and I really thought I knew the answer all along but was put in my place at the end. This one will rock you and have you laughing, hoping,and wondering the whole time.

5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

In 1838, Lady Caroline Morton is guiding her employer’s daughter, Dorothy, through her first Season while Mrs. Frogerton gets involved in spiritualist gatherings. Caroline is skeptical of Madam Lavinia until she slips a note into Caroline’s hand containing intimate family knowledge. But then Madam Lavinia is found dead with a note addressed to Caroline, entreating her to find her murderer.
 
Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton team up to investigate, although Mrs. Frogerton takes the active role. After book 1, I thought this series would solely be a duo solving mysteries. I’m more hopeful with the return of Dr. Harris that there will be a romance element eventually. The culprit was clear to me as soon as they were introduced, but I was entertained in finding out the why and the how.

I can’t say I like this as much as the Kurland St. Mary’s series yet, but the pacing was better in this book than the first one. I’m eager to for book 3!

I actually mourned when Catherine Lloyd's St. Kurland series ended, but now rejoice with her Miss Morton series. 'Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld' is the second in new series and it in no way disappoints. All of the characters are sharp and engaging. The author takes time to let things unfold so that the reader has many misdirects as to what is really happening. The book ends, not on a cliffhanger, but with a delicious promise of more fabulous things to come. I can't recommend all of Catherine Lloyd's books highly enough.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld is a delightful second installment in the Miss Morton series.

After the harrowing events of Miss Morton and the English House Party Murder, Caroline Morton has gratefully settled back into her life with her employer Mrs. Frogerton in London as they guide Dorothy Frogerton through her first London social season. While Dorothy rubs elbows with some of London's finest, Mrs. Frogerton seeks her own diversions and becomes.a patron of a spiritualist known as Madam Lavinia.

Caroline, a skeptic, nonetheless accompanies Mrs. Frogerton to one of Madam Lavinia's seances. As the evening progresses, Madam's seance does nothing to assuage Caroline's skepticism... until she slips a note into Caroline's hand which contains information of an intimate nature that would have been impossible for someone else to know.

Intrigued and wanting to determine whether or not Madam's talents are genuine, Caroline returns only to find herself immersed into an even deeper mystery: Madam Lavinia has been murdered... and has left a note for Caroline asking her to bring the culprit to justice.

As Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton begin to investigate, the motive for murder becomes quickly clear: blackmail. Which of Madam's targets could have wanted her dead? Can they find the culprit before it is too late?

I very much enjoyed reading this novel. Ms. Lloyd has made a strong addition to her Miss Morton series. The pacing of this novel, in my opinion, was much better than the first. The information that Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton discover as they go about the execution of their investigation seemed very natural. There was never a moment where I felt like a piece of information came out of the blue or seemed forced.

I also enjoyed getting to know Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton better. Honestly the two make a very formidable pair and could certainly give the London law enforcement in the novel a run for their money. The actions of the characters throughout the novel seemed to be a natural progression from their actions in the first novel. Caroline continues to be a woman of independence and integrity. Mrs. Frogerton continues to be a force of nature - perhaps even more so as she is clearly in her element here in London. While still entitled and spoiled, Dorothy has softened a bit towards Caroline. At the very least she respects and listens to her advice - even if she has no intention of heeding it.

As far as the plot is concerned, I found myself guessing until the very end. There were a number of plausible suspects and Ms. Lloyd did a marvelous job of keeping the weight of suspicion from settling until she was good and ready to reveal the true killer.

I cannot wait to read more in this series.

Fun, compelling whodunnit, with an engaging host of characters that have the potential to feel like family!

My first encounter with Lloyd's Miss Morton, Lady Caroline, in this fun whodunnit that really absorbed, intrigued and kept me continually doubting my instincts as she cleverly wrapped me up in the unravelling of the murder mystery afoot.
The main characters oozed chemistry, they bounced off each other in a wonderfully engaging yet believable way, both comically and of deep affection. I particularly enjoyed the force to be reckoned with that is Mrs. Frogerton. She rather stole the show for me, with her joy at playing sleuth, her straight talking zeal dipped in polite, disguised setdowns with a heady dose of I'll-not-be-provoked-by-your-judgemental-rudeness-because-I-smell-of-the-shop, way in manner that highlighted her core of steel clad intelligence, selfworth, generosity and devotion to those she loves. Which makes her such a great spring board for our practical, struggling with the resentment and conflicting emotions her father's untimely death, two years ago, represents and the difficulties it has slapped our heroine with, Caroline... they just sang with intelligence and a smooth heartwarming synchronicity.
Then we add the accused murderer and friend, Dr Harris, there is clearly an undercurrent of irritation meets subtle sexual tension between Caroline and Dr Harris that at the minute is buried deep but interwoven with a wealth of history - some I am not fully aware of, with not having read book 1 - yet even I can see the conflict residing between the pair, as it crackles with a hidden deep affection, Caroline has yet to uncover but Dr Harris is clearly on the path to realising for himself.
In addition, the premise of a touch of paranormal in the mix, in the murderer being a spiritualist, drew me. There was this eeriness to the precision of the intimacies, and remarkably specific details exposed in Madam Lavinia's séances that sparked a believability in her abilities that blurred the skeptism and added another layer to my enjoyment of the tale. While I found joy in hunting out clues, piecing together suspicions, puzzling out plausible scenarios and theories, that lingered even when I had to put the book down.
Despite, suspecting the culprit early on, the full motive did elude me as I was bamboozled by the many red herrings that cleverly made me doubt by suspicions until the big reveal. Taking me off the scent many a time and clouded by head with many a well placed distraction. All combining so entertainingly to produce a well paced mystery I loved becoming absorbed in and has encouraged me not only to look forward to my next encounter, with these intriguingly wonderful characters, but to hunt out what came before, to find out where it all began and understand the past histories more clearly so I can enjoy their relationship developments to a greater degree.
Ultimately, a great read on its own but I recommend you read in order, as I wish I had in many ways, to get a richer understanding of the dynamics between the many key and well defined players involved.

Given this is book 2 in the series, I decided to read book 1 first and I'm glad I did. It's easier to understand this story once you know Caroline's backstory.

Following Caroline's father's death, she became a companion in order to earn her way instead of being a burden to other relatives.

Once again, Caroline and her employer Mrs. Frogerton get involved in solving a murder. It's an engaging mystery with a good cast of secondary characters in a setting that keeps you reading.

After reading these two in this series, I ended up bingereading the author's other series, Kurland St. Mary, all 8 books, which were really, really good.

Looking forward to more!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

The Miss Morton series is not to be missed! I enjoyed this newest to the series and felt that it was the best one yet! I highly recommend this series to those who love traditional and historical mysteries!

Thank you for this ARC edition of Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld!

This was a fun and delightful “Clue” meets Regency romance, it was riveting and the characters were engaging. Thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

5 stars

What a delightful book!! I love Catherine Lloyd style of writing and creating a story. It is funny, interesting, heartwarming and intriguing in the same time. I love how she is able to recreate exactly the regency times. The dialogs, the interactions, even the house descriptions, everything completely submerges the reader in this beautiful world.

Madam Lavinia, a spiritualist, succeeds to upset a fair share of people, but one is taking things to the next level and he/she kills her. The policemen, who are pressured to wrap up the case as soon as possible, are making an arrest that doesn't sit well with Lady Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton. So they decide to investigate the crime and reveal Madam's Lavinia real murderer.

I can hardly wait for the next instalment in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for allowing me to read this great book!!!

An extremely enjoyable book. It follows on from book one, but can be read as a stand-alone! Once you start reading this book it is difficult to put it down! The characters are an interesting collection, with Caroline Morton taking the lead, alongside her companion and employer, Mrs Frogerton.
I enjoyed the early Victorian period setting and how enthusiastic people were to visit a psychic medium. Death and the afterlife were a fascination for the Victorian people, so this provided a great platform for the author, who then developed this feature to include murder, mystery and blackmail. Following the death of the medium, Madam Lavinia, a letter from the grave requested Caroline to find her murderer! With many of the characters having means and motives it was down to Caroline and Mrs Frogerton to sift through the evidence to unmask the killer.
The darkness of the plot is lightened by Mrs Frogerton's daughter, who is determined to find herself a rich husband. Caroline had become entangled with the murder mystery and so found herself an unexpected object of affection from one of the male characters. Madam Lavinia had also seen the future for Caroline, and in a further note telling her to 'listen' to him. It will be interesting to see if she pusues this angle further in the next book, which I am looking forward to reading!
This book would appeal to anyone who enjoys early nineteenth century crime stories, and the female sleuth!
It has been a pleasure to read and review this book for NetGalley.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld is the second Miss Morton book. As with the first book, Miss Morton and her employer Mrs. Frogerton happen across a murder. In this case, a spiritualist who may or may not know something about Miss Morton's scoundrel of a father.

What ensues is a romp that includes London's high society, an impoverished vicarage, two doctors, stern disapproving looks, blackmail, and a lockbox full of mystery. The story moves quickly and the characters are drawn well. Miss Morton is a complicated character with flaws and strengths aplenty. This book is eminently readable.

I did figure out the murderer about halfway through, but the whys of the murder didn't become clear until the end.

This is a fun, quick read. It feels like a 'condensed cozy', yet I still found Lady Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton to be very likable characters and well developed. The supporting cast is rather less defined and the stakes of the mystery feel quite low, thus the 'condensed' feeling. That said, it was an enjoyable read with two interesting and relatable intrepid women.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld Review

To begin the story of Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld, the author sets the tone of mystery by introducing the main characters in a compelling way. The first scene establishes the dynamic between the key players. This is particularly helpful for readers new to the series, as they can quickly grasp who is who and how they fit into the story. It also provides a catalyst that drives the narrative forward. Ms. Lloyd's creative approach sets the stage for an engaging and intriguing read.

Characters

Ms. Lloyd portrays Miss Morton as an upper-class member who has fallen from high societal status. She is depicted as a companion to Mrs. Frogerton, and the two share a friendly and respectful relationship. Miss Morton assumes the responsibility of supporting her younger sister and displays her intelligence by advising Miss Frogerton on navigating her way into London's upper-class society.

Mrs. Frogerton, on the other hand, is a representation of new money in London society. Despite being snubbed by the upper echelons, she remains steadfast and holds her own. She also takes on the role of an adviser and a motherly figure in the story. 

Dr. Harris, portrayed as part of the working class, devotes countless hours to his work at the hospital, often sacrificing sleep. He is passionate about his work but has little regard for the upper class.


The tale's setting was London in 1838, and it remains faithful to the allure of seances, promenades, and balls that come hand in hand with the London season. This provides a fascinating backdrop for the novel.

Plot

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld begins with the murder of Madam Lavinia, which proves to be a complex case due to the unreliability of witnesses. Some withhold information, while others try to clear their names from suspicion. Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton gather all the evidence they can, but there seems to be a missing piece to the puzzle. Readers are left to make their own guesses as to who the culprit may be, but they will find themselves stumped. True to the genre, this novel leaves one final mystery unexplained, adding to its intriguing nature.

The mystery is unraveled by a clever blend of physical and verbal evidence. Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton lead the readers on a thrilling journey of gathering evidence. However, the path to solving the mystery is not without obstacles. It is only when the readers pay close attention to the statements of other characters in the story that the clues start coming together.

To keep the suspense alive until the big reveal, a clever diversion is used to prevent readers from arriving at a definitive conclusion regarding the identity of the killer. The story cleverly shifts focus onto various characters, distracting the readers.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld portrays the societal norms of that era. The book highlights the fact that people who inherited their fortunes did not accept those who earned their wealth through hard work. However, they were willing to overlook this fact and marry them to gain access to their riches. Additionally, the novel sheds light on the contrast between honest hard work and corrupt practices for making a living.


Reading Enjoyment

The novel Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld kept a consistent pace and had me constantly questioning each character's intentions. It definitely lived up to my expectations for a cozy mystery read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.