Thanks to Netgalley and Aspidistra Press for allowing me to have early access to this book

This is the first book in the series which follows Lady Helena after the burial of her second husband, Sir Justin Whitcome whose death seems to be due to an accidental drowning after trying to rescue one of his sheep that is trapped in the lake.

However Armand Fortier (French physician) suspects there is foul play surrounding Justin's death and presents his theory to Lady Helena after it was not believed at the inquiry. This sets the beginning to Lady Helena investigating the cause of her late husband's death along with a fair few family secrets which results in Lady Helena becoming a stronger woman, who learns to not be pushed around by her family especially her brother, Michael.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, however I did find it a bit slow going in the first half and that the ending was slightly drawn out without much leading to a sequel. However I would highly recommend to read and would carry on reading the series.

I am always happy to find a new historical mystery series and this one looks like the start of a good one. Set in 1881, Lady Helena is the youngest in the family and newly widowed and now faces controlling her money and her future. As is the custom for the period, her older brother sets about to take control of her life, especially her finances. Because of that theme, there is lots of growing for her to do as she learns some hidden truths about her family. Both her older sister and her mother were "out of step" with the current norms and Lady Helena finds that she can follow their lead.
This isn't a mystery first, character second read but more of a character growing and going against society and family with a mystery attached ......plus hints at future romance. I gave it 4 stars for the historical element and I hope that this, as the start of the series, is setting the stage for a better balance between the setting and the mystery in future books. As a series, it shows promise and I will be looking for the next entry.

Lady Helena is reeling from the shock of her recent and unexpected bereavement. Her husband, Sir Justin, seemingly drowned while rescuing a sheep on his vast country estate. Or did he? Handsome French doctor Armande Fortier expresses his concerns about the inquest verdict and Helena is drawn into an investigation. At the same time, she is having to manage the affairs of the estate which include a pregnant farm girl and deflecting her own brother's attempts to take over management from Helena who is, after all, a weak and feeble Victorian woman in his eyes. As some uncomfortable truths are uncovered, Lady Helena has to come to terms with the past.

I did enjoy this as an easy historical read. Lady Helena is an engaging heroine, although she actually doesn't seem to do much investigating - the answers seem to drop into her lap due to being in the right place at the right time or other events unfolding. This is a bit frustrating at times and leads to some slow patches in the narrative. My other quibble is the Americanisms that have crept in, I assume because this is aimed at an American audience - fine, but I found repeated usage of 'gotten' tended to grate within the attempted Englishness of the novel. The writer, I believe, is actually British, but you wouldn't guess this. Most people probably wouldn't notice this, but it spoilt the authenticity of the novel for me.

This is recommended as a light and quite cosy historical read - there's no real gore or menace here. It's not perfect, but I hope it leads into more novels in which Lady Helena actually does the investigating as promised in the title!

This book is an easy entertaining read with mild suspension and some romance. Lady Helena, freshly widowed is confronted with the possibility that her beloved husband did not die of natural causes. While trying to uncover the truth she develops from depended ‘baby’- her nickname- to a more self-reliant woman. I enjoyed reading this novel it was not too demanding and entertaining. I would recommend this to everyone who wants a nice easy book.

An exciting start to a new series. This historical mystery is a little bit darker than most of historical mysteries that I've read lately.

Lady Helena at first appears to be quite a mild and meek character who is easily dominated by her older siblings. However as she gets mixed up in an investigation to find out what really happened to her husband Helena discovers hidden depths and a strong will. I enjoyed watching her grow and take charge of her life.

There was plenty of mystery surrounding the death of her husband as well as other goings on in their little community. Just when I thought she had everything figured out the story took another turn and I was left completely surprised with revelations about her family. All the threads wove together perfectly to create a wonderful web of intrigue, murder, love, and old family secrets.

Lady Helena's investigative partner is the French doctor Armand Fortier. There is an air of attraction between the pair but Fortier proves to be another man of mystery and we are left with the feeling that he is hiding quite a lot from Helena and maybe can't be trusted completely with her heart.



I quite enjoyed Lady Helena's interactions with her brother's man of affairs. She is quite snobbish in her dealings with him and she thoroughly dislikes him which I found quite entertaining. I can't help but feel there could be a reluctant friendship and possible romance there if things don't work out with Fortier.





I was impressed with this first in the series and I look forward to reading the rest of the series as it becomes published.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher via Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

I would classify this book as a historical fiction book with mystery elements.

It tells us the story of Lady Helena, who recently lost her husband. She finds herself in charge of her own fortune and future, but before she can decide what to do with either, she has to figure out who she is as her own person.
I loved reading Lady Helena's story, following her through her everyday life, seeing her stand up to her family, pick up old hobbies, stumble into mysteries, and evolve as a person.

All in all this was a really cozy read and I really hope that this is a series, because I want to see what life has in store for Lady Helena.

This was an engaging story and even though Helena was the main character, the story encapsulated the whole family. There were many diverse family members that added interest to the storyline. Although the main story revolves round the death of Helen’s husband, Justin, it also gave glimpses of what life was like in a small village. Slowly the secrets of the family revealed, some by Helena’s reading of her mother’s journals. There is also the enigmatic French doctor, Armand Fortier. I found this to be a thoroughly entertaining read and look forward to the next in the series. I was given a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lady Helena having recently lost her husband had to come to grips with life and what it had to offer her, she was willingly allowing the rest of her family to treat her as a child. She needed to grow some backbone to deal with her brother was trying his best to ride rough shoes over her. She was a bit naive on somethings until the death of her tenant farmer and her eyes and intellect truly became awakened to certain knowledge. To think the helping his daughter was going against her family, and the said daughter had planned to kill her too. Finding out that her parents were not as happy as she allowed herself to believe, was a jolt to her system and to top it off outside of her mom being ill, the knowledge that she had committed murder was a rude awakening. Within all this dark cloud was a ray of sunshine peeping through that maybe something was brewing between her and the doctor, only time will tell. The storyline was an interesting one and the characters were also interesting a moving sometimes irritating story, my irritations stem from Lady Helena acting so wimpy, and allowing herself to be browbeaten by her family a bit tiresome I believe, but all in all it was an entertaining read.

Received an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

My only quibble with Lady Helena Investigates is that it doesn't really live up to its title. The titular lady even observes late in the narrative that she has done very little actual investigation, but I gather that is likely to change in future novels in the series. Overall, title aside, Jane Steen crafts a rich world and sets up a series I could happily enjoy.

The story opens with a recently widowed Lady Helena and her interfering family who all think they know what is best for her, the youngest girl. Helena's husband supposedly drowned accidentally but a doctor who was his friend and the first to examine the body approaches her with suspicions of foul play which Helena disregards for most of the books (hence why I object to the title). The doctor is French and serves as a reader surrogate at times to criticize the Victorian upper classes, and Helena develops a faltering friendship with him as she strives for a purpose now that she is no longer a wife.

There is little snooping and not much clue-gathering, but the mystery still unfolds around Helena until she cannot ignore it and gets sucked in. The climax had just the right amount of crazysauce for my taste and Steen sets up future adventures nicely. I look forward to going along.

Lady Helena Investigates begins on the day Helena's husband, Sir Justin, is buried. He was presumed to've drowned, his body having been discovered caught up in a large section of a willow tree that had fallen into a nearby river. An inquest ruled his death a tragic accident. However, a French physician and surgeon by the name of Armand Fortier suspects foul play and, having been ignored by the inquest's panel, he approaches Lady Helena with his theory. What follows is more of a Downton Abbey-esque family saga with long buried secrets than a 'lady sleuth' mystery per se.

Set largely at the family estate of Hyrst in Sussex, England in 1881, unusually it's the characters themselves rather than the storyline that ultimately made this title enjoyable for me.

Lady Helena has a number of siblings, of which she is the youngest, and we're introduced to several of the Scott-De Quincy clan in the first chapter. As the novel progresses we learn more about each, including Michael, who is head of the family, Ophelia, a Bohemian artist who escaped the family's country estate to live in London, and their mother, Alix, the Dowager Countess of Broadmere, a herbalist in her youth who now appears to be gripped by dementia. Through the journals her mother kept, Lady Helena goes on a journey of self-discovery and comes to realise that the family she thought she knew, had several skeletons in the closet. Affectionately known to her siblings as 'Baby', by the end of the novel she more than shakes off the moniker and emerges a stronger, more self-assured woman for it.

The author has done a wonderful job of portraying English life in the 19th century, with the class divide, prejudices and challenges faced by several of the characters at various points in the novel. Lady Helena herself is more progressive in her views than I would imagine most women of the time would've been, which often leads to her being at odds with her brother, Michael, as well as setting tongues wagging in the village. Newly widowed, her friendship with Monsieur Fortier is of particular contention and at times Helena seems conflicted between doing what she feels she should for sake of propriety, and maintaining her friendship with the Frenchman. I found myself quite liking his kind, caring nature and I'm sure if there's a sequel, the friendship will develop further. Gutteridge, Lady Helena's maid, was one of my favourite characters. With her no-nonsense attitude and loyalty to her mistress, I found her rather endearing.

With a title like Lady Helena Investigates, I was expecting there to be a little more investigating to go along with the 'Lady'. But although this wasn't the historical mystery I'd expected from the synopsis, all-in-all it was a novel I was pleasantly surprised by.

Note: Thanks to the author, Aspidistra Press and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fantastic mystery, of a young Lady Helena, whose husband has died, or been murdered? Her huge family call her Baby, she must at some point assert herself! I love this book, truly love it. It has no modern women out of place, it is Historically Accurate!
I highly Recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
Carolintallahassee.blog

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was intrigued by the characters and well developed historical details. I would recommend this book to friends and give it 4 stars. I will be looking forward to future books from the author.

A pleasant light read. I found Lady Helena a little annoying in her inability to stand up to her brother who bullies her and is intent on managing her life and fortune. The romance with the handsome Frenchman is a clever device as he is not available and it will allow the author to keep Lady Helena single, free to explore the mysteries of her family and village, and I hope, give time for Lady Helena to mature into a woman in charge of her life. I was even an ARC by Netgalley for an honest review.

What a great historical mystery! So atmospheric, with an engaging protagonist and story. I liked how she developed over the course of the book and really hope this is the start of a series, because I want more!

From the moment I started reading this book I could see that Lady Helena was going to face all manner of challenges, not the least of them coming from her own family. Author Jane Steen has done an excellent job of depicting life in nineteenth century England with all its social mores, class differences and prejudices. Unfortunately for Lady Helena, she frequently finds herself at odds with the expectations of both her family and the small rural community in which she lives.
With characters that fairly walk off the page and a plot filled with fascinating twists and turns, this story kept me engrossed throughout. I loved the way that Lady Helena slowly discovered her inner strengths as the story progressed, at the same time growing stronger and more sure of herself on the outside.
I found the supporting cast of characters fascinating too. Gutteridge, Lady Helena’s lady’s maid, is one who really endeared herself to me with her no nonsense approach, loyalty and self confidence. I could go on and on, but really it’s better to read this story for yourself. I loved it and eagerly anticipate more from this author.

I had thought this a mystery from the title.when actually it is an historical novel. There is a death under questionable circustances but it is not the main point of the story. There is a young French doctor who provides some romantic interest - but it isn't a romance either. The central character is Lady Helena, a young recent widow, living in the English countryside.in the 1880s..The story is really about Helena, her relationships with those around her and a jouney of self discovery..She is a woman of her time, both in her prejudices and snobbery and not always likeable - but she is believable. When the book begins, she has just lost her husband and her family has gathered for the funeral. Several family members are developed in the book as well rounded secondary characters. There is extended family and several siblings, among them an older sister who's a Bohemian artist and a younger brother. He is an earl and head of the family but we gradually come to see he is on the autism spectrum. We also get to know several servants and villagers. All are well developed and interesting. Helena discovers a dark underbelly to the world she always thought was safe and comfortable. Through investigating her husbands death, Helena learns something about herself, her family and comes into her own. There is some suspense but it is slow building. I felt Helena's story was adequately concluded. but there was a thread left dangling . It seemed incongrouos and somehow annoying..While the story kept me interested in reading on a lazy afternoon, I don't think there was enough investment in these characters to make me anxious to re-visit with them. in another book.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Lady Helena Investigates was a 3.75 star read for me. The first entry in a new series, Lady Helena picks up on the same day that Helena's husband was buried following an unexpected death. Found in the river after he had presumably fallen in, Helena's well meaning family (she's the second youngest with a number of old sisters and nicknamed Baby) attempt to settle her future for her, but she resists attempts to sell or rent out her home. Slowly settling into her unexpected widowhood, Helena is alerted by Doctor Fortier that he believes her husband's death may not have been an accident despite the ruling during the inquest. Although unsettled by the thought her husband may have been murder, Helena decides to investigate. While dealing with Dr. Fortier's suspicions, Helena also finds out the daughter of her tenant is pregnant without the benefit of marriage and decides to take her in and offer her a position helping with Helena's rediscovered passion for herbals that she learned from her mother. On top of the mystery surrounding Helena's husband, there is an interesting secondary plot that I can't say anything about without potentially spoiling it. This book is perfect for fans of Anna Huber and Deanna Raybourn; interesting secondary characters including Helena's family ad Dr. Fortier have me looking forward to the second entry in this series. I can't wait to see how Helena continues to grow and what the future holds between her and Dr. Fortier.

Interesting characters, contains descriptions of any good period piece. Plot is predictable . And this may just be me, but i have grown quite weary of formula fiction series with very similar characters.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.