I found this book a fun, quirky, light murder mystery. Not quite what I was expecting, but a very well written book with dynamic characters woven with a fun bit of magic with the back drop of war and a mysterious death. 

I was expecting a little more murder, however, considering the books that I've been reading recently, the lighter feel of this book was a great change. 

The narrator, Annis, is fun. She's a high society London girl in the early 1800's. She comes across as materialist rich girl, which I'm pretty sure is the point, but it also makes her so different from the average YA female protagonist. In many YA novels, the leading female character is a quirky "not your average girl" girl. Annis is the average society girl-- although there is something very special about her. 

At the start of the novel, after Annis and her aunt, Cassia, learn of Annis's father's death, which appears to be a carriage accident, Annis is certain that there is something more to his death and sets to figure it out. She appears to have a fantasy about spying and her father being a spy. Annis has a determination about her. She wants to know the truth, and demanding it from the War Office is the best way for her to do it. 

Her grand plan fails, and because of the death of her father, the family is left with little money and can't live the life they used to live, so they head to the outskirts of London-- far from the high society and city balls that Annis is used to. Along the way, Annis, and her handmaid--a pretty fantastic character that I would read a book about-- Millie, discover that Annis has a talent for creating glamours.

So these glamours-- it reminds me of how Lunar Magic works in the Lunar Chronical Novels. Except instead of mind magic, it's all done with fabric. The way that Annis sews things, changes how other people see them. It's pretty cool. 

Millie is excellent at creating disguises-- like physical non-magic ones. Millie and Annis are basically an unstoppable pair. 

Overall, I found this book a fun departure from the gruesome murder mysteries that I'm used to. It's a lighter story. I figured out the mystery kind of quickly, but I have been listening to the Sherlock Holmes books and thinking in Sherlockian mysteries, so I feel like if you're not looking for the answer while you're reading it, as I was, the book will be more fun. 

The female characters are all well rounded and more than what they appear. There a lot of female characters in this book. Jones does a wonderful job at creating separate people in a sea of society girls. I think it can be easy to make a crowd of girls one character; Jones separates each of them. Annis has a little bit of an Elle Woods air about her. She's very into fashion and from outward appearance can look superficial, but she uses that to her advantage. I like that in a character. 

I did enjoy this book, it wasn't exactly my kind of book, but I loved the characters, and the story was interesting and fun. I definitely think it's worth picking up.

GUYS, I really, really wanted to love this book.

Fashion! Regency! Spies! Magic! All the things combined that should make this my absolute cup of tea. But... it didn't... it didn't end up panning out, for me.

Things I liked:
- The world. The forms of magic and the ways they used it was all very interesting!
- The friendship between our two leading ladies. This was definitely the strongest part of the book! Actually, the friendship between women throughout was really great, and I appreciated it.
- I actually kind of felt like her friend should have been the protagonist... That would have been even more interesting!

Things that didn't appeal:
- Despite being made to believe that our protagonist is really quite clever... she just... isn't, really. Several times in the narrative when she was making a case to be made an official spy, I definitely completely agreed with the people who turned her down. Even in the end, I could hardly believe that she had proved herself clever enough to get the job.
- The twist. Pro: I didn't see it coming! Con: I didn't see it coming. And had no idea after reading it what I had been reading before. I love a case of mistaken identity (LOVE IT), but this was a bit clumsily done and left me with many, many more questions than answers.
- The cast? I sort of went through phases of liking one main character at a time... only to lose interest. There seemed to be a lack of depth all around. Though maybe I just... wasn't in the right mood.

There were other nitpicky things that stood out here and there, but ultimately aren't too important. A lot of things about this book said "debut" to me, so I'm hoping that things will improve with future installments. I think Kelly Jones is a very promising author, though, and will be keeping an eye out for her next book.

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore is a bewitching tale replete with lies, spies, and untrustworthy allies.

“Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one but she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody.”

Most agreeable aspects of this tale: famous quotes at the beginning of every chapter; the magical realism element; set in the Regency era (my fav!); a suspenseful murder mystery; Jane Austen vibes; and a strong-willed female heroine (she can solve any crime by dinner time).

Final thoughts:
My admiration for this book is comparable to Mr. Darcy's for Ms. Bennet:

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

I highly anticipate (and pray) that Ms. Jones will be kind enough to expand this enthralling story into a series. Although this book doesn't necessitate a sequel, I am wholeheartedly invested in these characters and I would love to see a little romance sewn into Annis' future as well. 🌹

First Impressions: Author, Cover, and Title
What could be better than a girl in period dress carrying a knife? How could that not draw me in? Plus, women spies? Awesome! The cover alone was enough to draw me in and I enjoyed this read from the first page.

Characters
Annis garnered my attention at first, as she is technically the main character, but then Millicent quickly became much more interesting. She is oddly skilled at many things, and I am still not satisfied with how little information was revealed about her past and her skills. But that is what will keep me reading.

Annis is very skilled in matters of fashion but she has a magical skill, that of a modiste who can sew whatever she wants out of any fabric. She can make a simple dress or sew powers into any fabric, including making people practically invisible or changing their face entirely. It is a skill which I most definitely envy. I found it strange that Annis didn’t immediately jump on this skill and practice until she was an expert. Instead, she insisted that she would open a shop and sew dresses for rich people to save her and her aunt Cassia from ruin. Yet she didn’t immediately pick up the needle and fabric and see what she could do and perfect her talent. She didn’t doubt her skills but just assumed they would come to her, being so arrogant as to take a bolt of fabric and cut it into chunks, sewing them together randomly, not even into the shape of a dress, and assume she could sew it into whatever she wanted. And when she failed, she didn’t try to fix it. She just left it as is. She doesn’t doubt enough, doesn’t try enough. And that bothers me intensely, especially if she wants to become a spy, like her father. She has to be more determined than that, if she truly wants to be a spy. She shows skill for remembering details and sensing what people truly are and knows what colors go with which skin tones.

Millicent is a mystery from the start. At first, I thought she was a mole, who was spying on Annis or otherwise had it in for her. I’m still not convinced that that is not the case, with how intelligent she is and how skilled at spying and acting. I suppose I have to keep reading this series to find out!

Style
The writing is light and fun, exploring Annis’s new skill and her interactions with the upper crust of society, while being essentially banished from them due to her recent impoverished status. I wish there were more descriptions, in terms of describing surroundings but especially with regard to speaking tones. It was a lot of “she said”, “he said”, instead of saying “he gasped”, “she shouted”, “he whispered”. It made the writing flat and less interesting, less easy for me to form the character’s voices in my head. This is essential for my enjoyment of the story and, unfortunately, this is where the novel fell short. As much as I enjoyed the story and thought it had a lot of promise, it didn’t meet the expectations set forth in the summary posted on Goodreads. I feel there could have been many more occasions for Annis to showcase her talents and she is betrayed by the fact that there weren’t. When there was a country ball, she shone. She protected the downtrodden and used her glamour modiste skills to fix a hem. She observed and watched and interacted with society. I wish there had been more parties, more occasions for Annis to shine. Instead, Millicent was the character who stood out. She was in her element the whole time and so stood out for it, being so competent in weird situations where she should have floundered. And that is alright, but I kind of wish the story had been about her, instead, so we could find out more about her skills and background.

In the end Annis was quite awesome, as well, but her struggles and lack of confidence and drive made her somewhat annoying at times.

Overall Impressions: Do I recommend?
Despite my sometimes annoyance with Annis, I do recommend this book! It is a light read, fun, similar to how I felt reading the Gallagher Girls series. It’s funny and the descriptions are nice, plus the author got quite clever with the secret messages Annis’ father left behind. I look forward to seeing what becomes of Millie and Annis and how their skills grow and change!

Nothing like a little history and spies to get a book going. I found this story to be a pretty unique one that had me hooked. Very fun read!

I like historical mysteries, the Regency time period, and magic which made this book a no-brainer choice for me. The story begins when 16-year-old Annis Whitworth learns that her father has died in France. When her father's man of business arrives to tell Annis and her Aunt Cassia about the death, he also tells them that her father died penniless. Annis and Aunt Cassia are looking at a major life change!

Her aunt is determined that the two look for work as governesses or companions but Annis has a different plan: she wants to be a spy for England. After all, she has figured out that her father was one and she has deciphered some clues that were in his effects that the War Office needs to know. However, the War Office doesn't need a teenage lady to work for them.

Annis falls back on her plan two. While remaking ready-made mourning clothes for herself and her aunt, she discovers that she is a glamour mage who is able to change the appearance of things by sewing them. Besides making clothing more fashionable and flattering, she can also make clothes that disguise the wearer as someone else. She is certain that that skill will be useful to the War Office but she is rebuffed again.

She and her aunt, along with their new maid Millicent O'Leary, move to a small town where Annis disguises herself as a French widow Madame Martine who is an extraordinary fashionable dressmaker. Annis is determined to earn enough for them all to resume their fashionable and upper class lives.

Annis and Millicent face a number of dangers. There are the men wearing navy boots who are pursuing them. There is the upper class villain who attempted to rape Millicent and whose sister took his side losing Millicent her job.

This was an engaging story. I liked Annis despite the fact that she was more than a little naive. She had plenty of determination. Fans of historical mysteries with some magic will enjoy this story.

This premise sounded so cool and I could not wait to pick this book up. Honestly, I was expecting more. This book appeared as though it would blend spies, magic, and garment making into a fun murder mystery. Sadly, I felt there was not enough of the murder mystery in this story. It’s a short book that many can probably get through quickly and from a quick glance on GoodReads, my opinion appears to be an unpopular one. I can see why others might like this one, but it just wasn’t doing it for me.

I felt the pacing of this book was off. There were large sections that were far too slow and I personally felt like the ending was rushed. Finding out who the killer was and respective punishment was done in the last three or four chapters. I get that most mystery books save the big reveal for that last 30 pages, but normally the rest of the book is dropping hints to solve the mystery. I felt that this book did not do that. We were introduced to numerous characters and a few clues, but nothing to hint that one of those characters might have been the killer. The main character finds a could clues leading to another subplot, but nothing that is really touched upon.

I wasn't in love with the characters in this book. I thought our main character was…okay. She wasn’t my favorite protagonist to read about, but she wasn’t the worst. She was annoying and unlikable at times, she made dumb decisions, but fortunately she also tried to fix her mistakes instead of relying on others. I thought Millie was a great character though. I thought we were going to get a big reveal about how she played into the larger plot, but nope. She was just a maid that came at the right time and helped the protagonist (with some secrets of her own). The other characters in this book were so minor, they’re really not worth discussing. There were times it took me a minute to remember which character was which, but other than that, I have no major thoughts on them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book had a great idea. However, it was not really executed. I could never really get a sense of Annis. The world-building was vey confusing, and the story tended to drag. I will recommend this for lovers of the Regency period. It's just this was not the fun fast-paced mystery I expected.

London, 1818. In a short time Annis has notice of her father's death and that all the money are gone. The only chance for the girl and her aunt is to leave their London house, to move to the country and to look for work.

Annis discovers to have a magic skill: she can sew glamours, so the dress she creates are able to totally disguise the people wearing them.

She wants to use her talent to help the english spies, also because she is convinced her father was a spy himself. Since at the beginning nobody gives her credit, she impersonates Madame Martine, dressmaker.

The novel has a good potential, but they could have been better exploited, like the idea to mix magic and spionage. Unfortunately, Annis spends most of the time in getting hold of her talent. She has great determination, but the main feature that emerges from the novel it's her naivete, while minor characters take all the action. In the end I found it boring, because I expected something more.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me the copy necessary to write this review.

A fun, fast-paced period piece perfect for those who love historical fashion, mysteries, spies, and strong women.

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore is an addictively adorable story full of magic, mysteries, and misconceptions. It's going up on my shelf of light and fun historical fiction novels that I save for whenever I need something that will make me smile. If you enjoyed The Stranje House series, this series opener is definitely for you.

Following the death of her father, Annis Whitworth and her aunt find that they are in dire financial straights and unable to keep up the genteel lifestyle to which they have been accustomed. After a fortuitous discovery of her glamour sewing ability, Annis convinces her aunt to move with her to a small town and open a couture boutique. Add in Annis trying to join the secret spy network her father belonged to, some political intrigue regarded Napoleon, and high society and you've got the recipe for a wonderfully entertaining read.

I instantly connected with Annis. She was very determined and resourceful, although sometimes those qualities got her into sticky situations. I loved how this book turned the idea of the role of women in high society on its head, particularly in the latter half of the book. There was just a hint of romance, which actually worked perfectly in context. Perhaps we’ll see more in book two?

The plot was sometimes slightly confusing as it jumped from spy intrigue to society balls but not overly so. I was able to keep up with the various plot-lines and I admired how well they were interwoven. There were times in this book that I laughed out loud. I thought that the magic itself was unique and interesting. However, I do wish that the magic system in this world had been explained a bit better.

I absolutely adored Murder, Magic, and What We Wore. I’ll definitely be purchasing a copy when it’s released as well as continuing on with the series. Perfect if you’re looking for a light, fun historical fiction novel!

Not my type of book, I tried to start it but just couldn't get into anything about this book!

This was a really fun historical fantasy mystery romp--maybe for Gail Carriger fans, though there is less of a focus on romance. It's about a young girl who discovers that her father--a spy for England in Regency times--has been murdered, and determines to become a spy herself and avenge him. Luckily she has magical sewing glamour powers and a talented maid on hand to help in her quest! Jones does a good job looking at the precarious financial situations of women in this period, and if the mystery is not super well developed, it is still just a super enjoyable read. A-.

The first time I read the blurb for Murder, Magic, and What We Wore, I knew I would be reading it at the earliest possible moment. Lady Annis and her aunt are left penniless on her father's death, but Annis discovers that she has a skill that might solve their money problems--she can sew glamours. With a few stitches, she can change a wool garment to silk, or keep the wearer safe, or make her unnoticeable. Annis has an eye for fashion; she thinks they have a chance.

But she's also begun to suspect that her father was on more than a business trip when he died--that in fact, he's been a spy. She approaches the Home Office and offers her services, but when they turn her down, she may have to figure out how to do her part for England on her own.

I read Kelly Jones's previous book, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, out loud to my son a couple of years ago, and we really loved it. This move into YA has all kinds of delightful elements--spies! balls! magic!--but I really, really wish they'd come together into one cohesive picture. Each of the parts is quite charming and delightful, but I got a bit of whiplash moving between them.

When Annis and her aunt find themselves destitute, they fear they'll have to be governesses or paid companions--a fall from social grace and a very limiting life. Annis's skill might be able to save them--but becoming a seamstress, even a glamourist, would still exclude her from her social circle. So her idea is to become a secret glamourist. With the help of her maid, she disguises herself an an old French woman, Madame Martine, who is the new modiste in a small town outside of London. Annis can have a normal social life while Madame Martine makes enough money to live on.

This is my favorite part of the plot--if you left the spies out of it completely, I would have loved this book. Annis is completely overconfident (she's excellent at repairing and altering dresses, but quickly realizes she's never made one from scratch before), the pressure of being penniless is a wonderful tension, and her growing friendship with her world-wise new maid is absolutely heartwarming. Annis is maybe too successful at everything--the upper class, they really are just like you and me--but it's charming, and she puts snobs in their place, demonstrates the actual, literal importance of clothing in the lives of young women, and finds her own competence.

At the same time, though, she's trying to unmask a plot to break Napoleon out of exile, and trying to get hired as a spy, and it's the clunkiest thing in the world. Again, Annis is overconfident, but it comes across as much more arrogant. I also saw through pretty much all the plot twists here (is literally EVERYONE in London a spy?), and all the suspicion just got in the way of the really sweet story of a girl trying to earn her own way in the world.

The book was so charming that I wanted to love it, and I'm going to read the next book Kelly Jones writes, because the premise here is so delightful, and what works here works so delightfully well. But the pattern didn't quite come together into the beautiful piece I wanted it to be.

I received a free advance copy of this book from Netgalley for review.

This was entirely delightful.

It's a Regency era mystery novel with spy rings, and dress shops, and balls, and changes in circumstances, and orphans, and ingenuity, and a touch of magic. It is fun and light without the tone tipping over the edge into archness. The style owes (an entirely self-acknowledged) debt to Jane Austen, countless classic Regency romances, and Patricia Wrede (Kelly Jones actually gives a fully annotated list of sources and inspirations at the end of the book which I loved).

If you have readers who liked Sorcery & Cecilia they'll like this.

This was a fun read! Also, I really wish I had the ability to magic my clothes into something new and flattering. That would be SO useful.

My Review

This was a fantastic light-hearted read. Rollicking and reckless, it kept up its tongue-in-cheek humor while still keeping me intrigued as Miss Annis attempted to puzzle out her father’s mysterious death. The plot was slightly predictable, but the wild humor kept everything fresh enough to hold my amusement.

This book did stretch my suspension of disbelief until it began to fray like a thread. However, I think that was intensional. The story is intended to entertain, rather than immerse, and for that purpose it works beautifully.

I loved the magic system in this book. It fit so perfectly with the historical period in which the story was set. Also, I liked how there were dashes of history thrown into the midst of the suspense, as it helped to ground the story a little more (and keep that thread of disbelief from snapping entirely).

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore is comparable to the Glamourist Histories by Mary Robinette Kowal while being easier to read (and cleaner) for the younger generation. Fans of Cindy Antsey’s books will also fall in love with this comedy of manners. Overall, I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I hope that the author decides to make this book into a series, as I’m very curious to see what Annis and her friends do next!

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements

Most of the characters in this book are English. One minor character is described as being either West Indian or African. Some antagonism (characteristic of the time period) toward those of French descent are shown.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content

One character is insinuated to have attempted to rape several maids. He attacks Annis at one point, and it is assumed that he has less-than-honorable intentions. One proposal of marriage. One remark that it is not considered good form to allow a young gentlemen’s lips to approach a young lady’s.

Spiritual Content

A few characters dress as characters from greek mythology for a masquerade.

Violent Content

A few suspicious deaths (off page). A few attacks, including one insinuated to be an attempted rape. Some injuries. Nothing graphic.

Drug Content

Characters drink and serve alcoholic drinks as a matter of course. One character comments on a memory of a lady getting drunk and behaving in a silly manner. More alcohol is added to the punch at the masquerade to insure that the guests forget the unusual events of the evening.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you were a 16-year-old young lady in London in 1818, all you should be worrying about is the social season and whether you have the right gowns for the right occasions. Unfortunately, Annis Whitworth has just received the news that her father is dead and then his lawyer brings the news that all the money from his banking accounts has mysteriously disappeared. Suspecting that her father worked as a spy for the War Department, Annis decides to take up the family trade and use her ability to sew magical glamours to find out who killed her father and where his money went. (BTW - glamours are magical clothing that can disguise someone, even to changing their facial appearance.) If she is lucky, she may even make enough money to prevent her aunt from being hounded by creditors.

The characters of Annis, her Aunt Cassia, and the redoubtable maid Millie are a pleasure to read about and cheer for. Society of their day may have thought that women were weak and sheltered creatures, but these ladies can use knives, crack ciphers, and mend a ripped seam as well as any male agents. The supporting cast of Miss Spencer (friend and patisserie owner), Mr. Harrington (her father's man of business), and the insufferable society snobs Lord and Lady Prippingforth and their nephew Mr. Hustlesmith, provide plenty of opportunity for our heroine and her allies to use their skills of the verbal, physical, and wardrobe varieties.

A middle grade read-alike for Curtsies and Conspiracies, without the werewolves and vampires, but with magical glamours instead. Annis is sure to become a favorite character and leave readers hoping for a new adventure soon.

Nella Londra del 1818 rimangono ben poche scelte per una signorina di buona famiglia colpita dalla doppia disgrazia della morte all'estero del proprio padre e dalla scoperta di un'inaspettata rovina economica.

Lo sa bene miss Annis Whitwort, che si torva da un giorno all'altro a confrontarsi col dolore della perdita del genitore, la convinzione che  sia stato ucciso (perché lei sa da anni che il padre era una spia!) e la prospettiva di doversi impiegare come governante o dama di compagnia per far fronte ai debiti che spuntano come funghi.

Ma miss Annis non è una sedicenne qualunque, e non ha imparato a navigare le acque insidiose della società londinese per niente: scoprire di poter cucire incantesimi e decidere di aprire un negozio di modista davvero speciale (ovviamente, non con il suo aspetto!) mentre si propone al governo come spia sono un tutt'uno.

Inizia così la doppia vita di una signorina della buona società, il cui unico talento sono i vestiti, ma la cui determinazione risulta essere ben superiore a una certa volubilità di carattere.

Romanzo piacevole, regala ore di intrattenimento e puro divertimento, sebbene la sua superficialità e certe soluzioni un poco ingenue mi abbiano impedito di godermelo completamente.

I truly hope this gets the greenlight for a series because this world is so vibrant and delightful and has many stories still to tell.

The interwoven threads of espionage, magic, humour and the gravitas of sudden poverty create an engaging tale that is hard to put down. It's a great book for young adults - very accessible with feminist values that are handled correctly so they are not overbearing.