Cover Image: Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark

Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark

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Member Reviews

I was hesitant to obtain this book and I am delighted to say how wrong I really was in my hesitancy. This book was wonderful. The characters are engaging and allow us to grow with them. The sensitive subjects addressed are done so appropriate to the time period, rather than through the lens of this century as too often authors do. The mystery is expert and for the first time I didn't balk at the 'sort of' cliff hanger aspect of a book. I highly, highly recommend 'Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark'.

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

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This was the first in the series and grabbed my attention from the beginning. Lady Anne is a nice strong character. Lord Tony is way too used to getting what he wants. This is a good gothic mystery/romance. And I really enjoyed the mystery and Lady Anne.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I liked these books to a point! The Marquis is to die for; Lady Anne is a shrew! She does not get tamed either! Why do these feminist women keep showing up in books, written in the 18th Century? Tony, being an Alpha Male, would have never fallen for a woman who continued to make him look foolish, who belittled him often in Public! I am a strong lady myself; my husband would be furious with me, and I would have lost respect for him; if he had ever allowed me in this modern period, to treat him with so little respect! The sad part is, these were good stories. However, they were ruined by this shrew, who had no self-esteem, and I was tired of her by the end of this book. I read all three in this series; I have to pinch myself next time and say, no thank you, there are books on my TBR list that need my attention.
Thank you Netgalley.
carolintallahassee.com

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This had everything I love in a book right now: historical setting, strong female lead, mystery, and romance. Having never heard of this author, I was a little skeptical, but this was an excellent read. I'm only sad I didn't request the sequels in time!

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Lady Anne is smart and ahead of her time. She is a strong female main character. The story was a bit dragged out for me. The mystery was wrapped up quickly and I was looking for more. I will read the next book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

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If you are a gothic mystery fan, then Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is a fun read with all the requisite ingredients: intelligent, independent, inquisitive heroine, dark mysterious lord, ancient castle, mysterious goings on, and a touch of (what appears to be) the supernatural.

Lady Anne Addison visits her flighty, recently married friend Lydia whose maid has just been murdered . . . . by a werewolf. In fact, several young women have been murdered recently, and Lady Anne decides to look into the murders, much to the consternation of Marquess Anthony Darkefell. Darkefell and his family have a few secrets that he's determined to protect even as he, too, works to solve the multiple murders.

Suspend your disbelief and just enjoy as the mystery and the romance unfolds. There are enough loose ends to propel the reader into the next book in this trilogy.

Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

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I'm happy I requested this ARC because I discovered an interesting series.
I loved the gothic atmosphere, the well written cast of characters, Lady Anne above all, and the plot.
The mystery was full of twists and turns and kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is a reprint of one of the author's earlier titles, originally published under the name Donna Lea Simpson, an established romance novelist. Although there's a good bit of romance (having seen the cover art of the original paperback, it was doubtless originally marketed as a romance!) in this book, the mystery elements are fairly strong, and the revelation of the villain was a surprise. This might appeal more to romance readers who want a bit of a mystery than to readers of historical mysteries, but it was a quick, fun read. So nice to have a heroine who isn't a great beauty, but rather a "plain" woman who is more concerned with being appreciated for her intelligence and character. I plan to read the sequel!

I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher, Beyond the Page, and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2805886321

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I'm definitely in the minority when it comes to Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark. Simply put, I could not bring myself to finish it. Instalove doesn't sit well with me and the characters felt stiff and one dimensional. The writing also lacked the depth I personally crave.

Not a bad book, but not my cuppa.

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The first book in the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries series and is fabulous!

Fans of the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries will love these Georgian historical mysteries.

After receiving a distressing letter from a friend, Lady Anne Addison wastes no time in traveling to Yorkshire to offer whatever help she can. She has no idea what she’ll find there, but she certainly wasn’t expecting to be met by tales of a werewolf terrorizing the area—nor the dead body she discovers upon arriving. Driven by curiosity and a keen intelligence, Lady Anne dismisses the notion of such a beast, but she’s nonetheless drawn into the mysteries by the secrecy surrounding her friend and the infuriating yet enticing Lord Darkefell.

With a murderer on the loose and the supposed werewolf ravaging livestock and terrifying the locals, Lady Anne puts her reservations aside and joins forces with the seductive Darkefell to get to the bottom of things. And though his nearness is a tempting distraction, Lady Anne manages to uncover one clue after another, unraveling the mysteries and drawing ever closer to the killer, even while her true feelings for the enigmatic marquess elude her . . .

This book was originally published under the name Donna Lea Simpson.

Lady Anne is an interesting main character, she is smart and uses logic to find out the truth. There was a wonderful cast of characters and the plot moved at a good pace. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

I recommend this series to anyone who likes historical mysteries.

I requested and received a advance readers copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my OWN.

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Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is absolutely fantastic book. I have a new favorite author to add. I !just read more from this author. I loved the characters and the writing is great.

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Lady Anne Addison is not the typical Georgian lady. She is plain, sharply intelligent, brash, often rude, wealthy--and titled--enough to have more independence than most women of the time. At eighteen, she allowed herself to be pressured into a an engagement, but when her fiance died before the wedding, Anne realized that she had almost made a terrible mistake and happily makes the best of her newly realized autonomy. In the six years since her narrow escape of marriage, Anne is quite content to be a spinster.

On receiving a letter from her friend Lydia, she rushes to Yorkshire to see what she can do to help, finds a body, hears tales of a werewolf, meets the haughty Lord Darkefell, and determines to discover the murderer.

Mystery and romance (some passionate kisses) in a not very realistic, but often humorous and entertaining plot.

NetGalley/Beyond the Page
Mystery/Light Romance/Historical Fiction. 2009; April 23, 2019. Print length: 388 pages.

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Summoned to assist a friend, Lady Anne Addison travels to Yorkshire where she immediately discovers a body. Curious to know more when Lord Darkefell wishes to keep things hidden, this independent-minded lady begins to ask questions. Can she find a murderer without bringing danger on herself?

The mystery in this book is excellent. The clues are scattered throughout the book and the solution is not immediately obvious. Lady Anne was an interesting main character. She is not beautiful, in fact, she's rather plain. She has a keen mind and isn't ashamed to use it. Her desire to help her friend made her sympathetic.

Lord Darkefell, on the other hand, I did not like. He was the epitome of a brooding, angry man, and for the life of me, I could not understand what attracted Lady Anne. She claims to be drawn to him, but why? Because he was handsome? He was a complete jerk!

The plot moved at an excellent pace., and the story remains in the bounds of what I would call a clean book. The supporting cast served their purpose, though none stood out as particularly unique.

For readers interested in Georgian mystery, I would recommend this.

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Werewolves in the Yorkshire countryside!

Lady Anne Addison's arrival in Yorkshire is surrounded by mishap. The picture of her arrival at the public coaching stop is both daunting and amusing. It does serve to show the mettle of this determined Georgian miss.
Anne has flown to the defense of her friend Lydia after a letter that summons Anne post haste to her marital abode, Darkefell Castle.
Anne's arrival problems compound when she is forced to continue to the Castle on foot. She hears a wolf like howl swell out over the forest, some rustling amongst the trees and undergrowth, and then she trips over a body. Enough to send me scurrying home! Not however Anne. Her arrival at the castle has elements of humor, farce and terror, covered as she is in mud and blood!
This is an intelligent young woman who will follow clues and use logic to find the truth of the matter, even as the body count continues to pile up. Anne joins forces with the disturbing Marquess of Darkefell, an enigmatic figure, whom Anne finds herself strongly attracted to. However, Anne's independence is of prime concern to her. No attraction to be acknowledged here! As the mystery unfolds Anne must guard against her feelings for Anthony Darkefell. (An interesting discussion on women and their choices, their finances and their independence after marriage surrounds Anne's misgivings.)
An anomaly therefore! The fearless Anne never falters in her pursuit of the truth but it seems is fearful to pursue the truth where love might be concerned.
Beneath the tale flows an older story that is part of Darkefell and his secretary, Mr. Osei Boatin's past. This is impinging on the present with overtones that might seep into the future. Osei was a slave rescued from a ship by Darkfell and his twin brother. The owner of that ship is a neighbor. There are plots within plots and the source of the threats to Darkefell are varied.
A throughly enjoyable read!
This tale was originally published by Donna Lea Simpson. It has been updated and republished under Simpson's pseudonym, Victoria Hamilton.

A Beyond the Page Publications ARC via NetGalley

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WHERE has this book been all of my life?! Oh my stars. I just began reading this book two days ago, and have already finished it. Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark is one of those novels that you are completely incapable of putting down, and then go into full mourning when the last page is turned. (Thank goodness it's a series! I don't have to say 'goodbye' quite yet!) Lady Anne is a marvelous heroine. She is strong and no-nonsense. She's not a "brainless beauty" and she isn't a damsel in distress. She is her own person, with her own character and her own flaws, and I absolutely adore her. And the werewolf aspect of this novel? Literally outstanding. Love love LOVE this book!

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After receiving a letter from her friend Lydia, Lady Anne Addison rushes to Yorkshire and Darkefell Castle to be with her. But she arrives only to discover a body, and tales of werewolves. Being of an intelligent and curious nature she decides to investigate. But is she being helped or hindered by Lord Darkefell.
Set within the Georgian period, this is more of a mystery than a romance (thankfully), well-written and a story I really enjoyed with its very likeable characters. A very good solid start to a new series.

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