In the late Victorian era, murder mystery novels were all the rage. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s were the most popular of all, and it was considered quite the thing among the fashionable set to belong to a book club discussing the latest publication.

Lady Amy Lovell is a member of one such book club in Bath, but she has a secret; under a pen name, she actually writes murder mysteries. Reality hits hard when she discovers her ex-fiance stabbed to death in her own home and she is the police’s primary suspect, though, and she quickly realises that if she doesn’t investigate and find the real murderer, she’ll end up convicted of the crime. Accompanied by loyal friend William, Lord Wethington, Amy sets out to apply her theoretical investigative skills to the real world, with stakes that couldn’t be higher.

This is an intriguing story with a lot of twists, turns and red herrings explored along the way. With the opium trade under the spotlight, it’s clear to see that human nature hasn’t changed all that much in the last hundred and thirty years; people in the grip of drug addiction are desperate and will go to unthinkable extremes to get their next fix.

I liked both Amy and William and found myself quite invested in the quiet little romance they slowly built up; it’s very much a sub-plot but felt quite believable. The only thing that did bother me was that the timeframe of the books seemed weirdly elongated; there kept being these week-long time skips where nothing at all happened. I get the desire of the author not to have everything happen all in the space of a couple days, but there’s no need to have entire weeks pass by when nothing happens, not when there was an urgency for Amy to solve the case.

A good read with an engaging plot and likable main characters, but I did have a few quibbles, so I’m going to give this one four stars.

Of all of the mystery genres, historicals are at the top of my list. The minute I saw this debut of a series set in 1890 Bath, I had to give it a try. I was not disappointed. Lady Amy Lowell is a great character, a young woman who believes in equal rights and pushes against the societal norms, much to her father's displeasure. It's a good thing that they have two residences and her father spends much of his time in London while Amy resides in Bath. Her Aunt Margaret tries to shepherd her through society in the hope that she will not become a spinster. To that end, her father had made arrangements with Mr. St. Vincent for her hand in marriage. Not long into the engagement Amy receives a note telling her of his illegal dealings and Amy calls it off. Amy is fine just as she is - a very popular mystery writer. At her father's insistence she writes under the pen name E. D. Burton and has, by now, done a lot of research into the crime of murder. Little did she every expect that she would have one dropped at her very feet. Within days of calling off her engagement, her ex shows up unannounced and while Amy is letting him cool his heels in the library somebody sticks a knife into his chest.
It's a good thing that Amy is clever and intelligent because that, coupled with her research will be needed to keep her out of prison. The local constabulary has decided that she is the killer and are just going through the motions. Time for Amy, with the help of her fellow book club member, Lord William Wethington, to put her knowledge into a real life case and track down the killer.
Besides the lovely setting of the City of Bath, one of my favorite places to visit, the characters of Amy, William and Aunt Margaret are well developed and the puzzle had me engaged to the last page. Now I'm ready for the next mystery Amy has to investigate. With William, of course.
My thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I can’t tell you the number of times my mind began to wander when I was reading this dry and overwritten book. A book that attempts to shock the sensibilities of the aristocrats of 1890 Bath, England, when Lady Amy Lovell descends her grand staircase to greet her ex-fiancé only to discover his body in the library with a knife. Yes, we are playing a drawn-out version of the game of Clue. Only this time there was a letter spelling out the evil doings of Ronald St. Vincent and how opium has taken over the upper classes. Add in the usual players used to distract the reader and the striking Lord Wethington, who just so happens to show up when needed, and you have a book that falls short.

By the time I reached the end, I was disappointed in the fact that there was no humor. This book attempted to bridge the gap between stoic historical mysteries and the cozy mystery genre which the cover touts. I think I was expecting something along the lines of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell, since both books take place in the same time frame, and with the same types of characters, but then again, there will only be one Veronica and Stoker no matter how hard the author is trying to duplicate them.

I always love discovering a new-to-me author, especially when they write cozy mysteries! I enjoy cozies....relaxing, cute, fun reads with an edge of danger. Just a bit of murder. Not drippy, screamy, gore-filled murder....cozy murder. Very little blood....cute pets....interesting, fun background fluff. :) These books are my escape when work, life, other rough adult fiction get my mind in a state. With cozies, I return to calm, cool and collected.

I jumped at the chance to read this start to the Victorian Book Club mysteries because the basic plot synopsis appealed to me. Lady Amy Lovell lives in Bath. She's an author...but has to hide it because she is a woman. In 1890, writing about murder (or anything really) was just not something a lady should do. First she receives a letter revealing dark facts about her fiance. Then there is a murder....in her own house, and she is the main suspect. She teams up with a family friend to sleuth out the truth before it's too late.

I enjoyed this book! The characters are awesome! Amy and William are perfect sleuthing partners! I thought the end was perfect. The mystery moves along at a nice pace, with plenty of investigation, suspects and a few surprises. I wasn't that surprised at the reveal, but there were plenty of interesting tidbits at the end to leave me completely satisfied at the conclusion.

Great start to a new cozy series! Relaxing day of reading....and I'm definitely eagerly awaiting the next book in this new series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy from Crooked Lane. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

“A Study in Murder” by Callie Hutton is the first instalment in the " Victorian Book Club Mystery" series. A great start to a new series by a new to me author! I was enjoying the story so much I read in one sitting. I found myself becoming invested in what happened to Lady Amy, as she was super likeable, smart and independent for Victorian times. I also liked her relationship with William.

The setting of Bath, England was also a nice place to visit. The mystery was well plotted, entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.

I can’t wait for the next instalment, definitely a author I will be following in the future.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

For some odd reason, I thought that this was a modern mystery series and was (pleasantly) surprised when it wasn’t. I think I had glanced at “Victorian Book Club” and thought they meant a book club that read books SET in Victorian times, not a book club that WAS in Victorian times.

In any case, many of the characters introduced in this story are part of a book club, but unlike other series involving book clubs, the members don’t band together to solve mysteries. In fact, some of the suspects are found in the club.

The main character, Lady Amy Lovell, is a very popular mystery writer who writes under the pseudonym, E.D. Burton. She has to keep her author identity a secret to appease her rich and powerful father, the Marquess of Winchester. Being a mystery writer (obviously) makes Amy very well situated to solve crimes.

But even Amy’s knowledge and skills don’t make solving Ronald’s murder easy, especially since she’s the main suspect.

Amy Lovell has turned out to be one of my favourite new cozy mystery main characters. Aside from her talent as a mystery writer, she is independent and smart. Just take a look at the notes I wrote about her: “25, curvy but not plump, always messy curly auburn hair, light freckles, owner of a white Pomeranian with a missing tail, has contacts in the criminal world, drinks brandy.” She’s definitely not your typical cozy mystery detective!

Amy isn’t the only interesting character we’re introduced to. There’s Amy’s powerful and old-fashioned father, her feisty aunt Margaret, the varied members of the Mystery Book Club of Bath and Amy’s friend, the dreamy Viscount William Wethington (I have no idea why she was engaged to Ronald when William is RIGHT THERE!)

Even the antagonistic police involved in the case, Detectives Edwin Marsh and Ralph Carson, aren’t as frustrating as some cozy mystery law enforcement members can be. They act pretty much as you expect them to – they treat Amy as their main suspect and do not have a high opinion of the nobility. I thought I would be more annoyed with them (in general, I dislike bumbling, mean-tempered police in mysteries) but Hutton writes them well enough that they are abrasive without being unlikable.

The characters really added to my enjoyment of the series. When the mystery was solved and things were winding up, I genuinely felt sad that the story was over. I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series and can’t wait to see what Amy and William get up to next.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Lady Amy Lovell seems content to live with her unmarried aunt Margaret in Bath and attend a weekly mystery book club meeting, Unknown to all but family, she also pens a mystery series under a pseudonym, a highly unusual hobby for a lady of her station. Her father continues to hope she will marry, but soon after she breaks her engagement with Ronald St. Vincent, she stumbles across the body of her ex-fiancé right in their home. I thought there was really excellent detail to the era, with descriptions of places and transport very well done. Lady Amy naturally uses her own book research skills to try to discover what has occurred. Lord William Wethington is a perfect companion for her nosing about, both male and a member of the Bath Mystery Book Club. I really look forward to meeting up with Amy and William again.

A cozy mystery set in Victorian Bath. Lady Amy, secretly the murder mystery author E.D. Burton, has the terrible issue of her fiance (ex-fiance) found dead in her library, and herself the main suspect. Following a series of deduction based on her own knowledge of murder and mystery, she engages Lord William Wethington, into solving it and clearing her name. I admit I have not read any other of Callie Hutton's work, so I'm not sure if this falls along similar lines for her previous work or if this is new territory.

Well parts of this were entertaining, and the setting was enjoyable to read about, I just found myself disliking Lady Amy a lot and couldn't understand her motives for anything. When she is first mentioned as the main suspect she has decided that she will solve the murder herself because the police are incompetent. What is shown throughout the novel, though, is that the police are indeed competent, but they have to follow the letter of the law. They're not allowed to just break into someone's apartment, they're not allowed to go after people without due cause, and a variety of other things. Lady Amy, has decided that this makes them idiots, and since she writes murder mystery novels, of course she knows what she's doing. Which is another issue I have with her, because writing murder novels is very different from solving actual murders, no matter how much research in the darker areas of the world she might find herself in. (Also, she believes that her novels are better than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but doesn't admit this out loud to anyone).

There's also the issue of every time someone mentions her fiance, she breaks in with ex-fiance, and while this is made into a humorous point in the end, I had lost the sense of humor for it and found it annoying and not worth the one joke from it. Lady Amy is also a suffragette, and that is great, but besides for one conversation in the beginning, most of the following conversations that have to do with women's rights are made because she's a murder mystery author, and not because she's a woman looking for equal rights. In fact, there's a shoved-in romance, which you saw coming from the very beginning, and while it is being played on being a relationship of equals, Lord William has many opinions about what Lady Amy should and should not be allowed to do. Lady Amy's constant talk about how she must be the only one that cares for her dog Persephone and repeats to anyone that she has to take her everywhere or else the dog will not speak to her (but then only takes her on two of the trips she goes on?) was just a little too much for me.

The mystery itself was decently done, but the culprit is given away early on, though none of the characters seemed to know it or suspect it. The end of the book is set up to provide a new mystery for the characters to solve, which will probably put them in close quarters and sticky situations. A STUDY IN MURDER is a okay start to a new cozy mystery series, and great for those that enjoy historical settings.

Copy provided by NetGalley

Really well-written and plotted, I love the sense of humor and the budding relationship with Amy and William. They made the best sleuthing buddies, and with the little hint of some things yet to come in the next book, I'm definitely going to have to check it out. The killer was a total surprise to me with a quick but efficient showdown where both Amy and William were able to shine.

I loved the idea of Lady Amy being a mystery writer who was incognito and going to book clubs where they were discussing her book that everyone thought was written by a man, because in 1890 women weren't considered much of anything let alone writers. Amy was a a nice strong personality for that era and more than one time I was cheering her on or sharing eye rolls with her when someone would make a snarky comment. I liked Margaret a lot too. She was more like an older sister than an aunt, because mainly in those days some aunts were stuffy and no fun, lol. Just as the running joke of someone saying "your fiance" followed with Amy saying, "...my EX-fiance" was wearing a little thin, the author did the funniest thing with it toward the end. Just read it, you'll know when you see it and hopefully laugh as much as I did. I definitely liked this book a lot better than I thought I would when I first started it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

This is a solid, exciting first in the new Victorian Book Club Mystery series with characters I quickly grew to like, a quaint setting of 1890 Bath, England, and a stunning mystery. To me, it had a little bit of a slow start as characters are introduced and the setting established, but it quickly escalated, and I didn’t want to put it down! The characters are well-defined. I really enjoyed learning about Bath, including the history of the area.

Lady Amy Lovell is a suffragette. She writes mysteries under a nom de plume, at her father’s request; and nobody outside the family knows she pens the popular novels. Amy is member of the local Mystery Book Club. William, Viscount Wethington, has been a friend of Lady Amy’s for a few years; he is also a member of the Mystery Book Club. Amy is betrothed to a man, not for a love match but a contract between her fiancé, Mr. Ronald St. Vincent, and her father. At 25, her father is concerned she will be a spinster.

There is something about St. Vincent Amy didn’t trust, and she certainly did not sit around mooning over him. Amy was quite surprised when she received an anonymous note that St. Vincent ships and sells opium for those unfortunate souls in Bath who are addicted to the stuff. She was able to confirm his drug selling through her contacts. Amy summoned him to her home, at which time she broke up with him rather than waiting until her father returned from his businesses in London. St. Vincent was very angry, made excuses, and threatened to sue for a broken contract.

A few evenings later, Amy was expecting William to bring by a book she wanted to borrow when St. Vincent came without invitation or notice. When she went to see him in her father’s library, the French doors were open to the garden and she didn’t see her ex-fiancé. Until she tripped over his body, fell on him, and saw the knife in his chest and the blood on her hands. Her scream brought William running to the room just before she passed out.

The detectives believed that Amy did it. She broke up with him, he was in her house, and her shoes were wet from when she stepped outdoors to call for him. William believed she was innocent, and the cook said they never had a knife like the one at the scene. As a woman who solves murders on paper all the time, Amy decided to take matters into her own hands. She will find whodunit herself, before she is hung for murder. William, afraid for her safety, chose to help her. Until her father found out, at least.

This mystery was very well-planned and executed, with intriguing twists and turns. They find suspects, but not proof, and I admit to being stumped. I did not figure out who did it and was as surprised as Amy and William were! I would have liked to see a small glossary of Victorian terms included; some words were obvious based on use, but others weren’t. The resolution was very satisfactory, but the very end left me unsettled. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, even if it will be a good lead-in to the next in series. Overall, I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys well-written cozy mysteries set in Victorian England and women who went against the tide both professionally and personally.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

An entertaining cozy mystery set in 1890, finds our intrepid female the prime suspect when she discovers her ex-fiancé dead in her study. She feels that she has a better chance of solving the murder than the police, after all she has written two murder mysteries...not under her name, as this is not an occupation for a lady....and is supported by the members of murder mystery book club. Is was amusing to compare what was "appropriate" for a lady in 1890 to today's standards. The characters kept the story moving quickly and in the end, they did indeed solve the crime.

It’s 1890 in Bath, England. Independent-minded Lady Amy finds her recently ex-fiancé dead in the new historic cozy mystery, A Study in Murder.

“How dare St. Vincent come here uninvited and then land on the floor in her library with a knife in his chest? The whole thing was so unbelievable, she wouldn’t even use it as a plot in one of her [mystery] books.”

When the police assume Lady Amy is the murderer, she and her Mystery Book Club friend, Lord William, decide to find the real murderer. They will have to go down some dark alleys to find St. Vincent’s enemies. The man was an opium smuggler and a drug dealer.

The mystery in A Study in Murder was good and reminded me of some of the lesser golden-age mysteries. It didn’t have many Victorian details as most books set in this period do, which was disappointing. However, I did love the budding romance between Amy and William. For that alone, I will look for the next book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series. 3 stars.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bath England 1890 is the setting and young ladies were seen and not heard, and young ladies at that time were given into a contract marriage i.e. a dowry of such but non the less an arranged marriage and the same for Lady Amy., and although her aunt Margaret has never been wed Amy feels she does not really want to either, but it has been arranged by her father who most of the time resides in London. Lady Amy belongs to the Bath Mystery Book Club usually at the book store after closing to discuss murder, and although nobody knows Lady Amy has written a couple of murder mysteries of her own under a pseudonym. Amy has received a letter from an anonymous source informing her that her fiance has indeed found to be selling and dealing with opium, and he having a shipping co, so Amy being Amy is not having it and breaks off her engagement. A couple of days later, St Vincent, her ex-fiance turns up at Amy's house and Amy is already expecting Lord William Withington, makes him wait a few minutes and when she decides it's time to confront him to see what he wants he's gone, so she thought, the french doors left open not very warm so Amy closes them and falls over the body of St Vincent with a knife sticking out of his chest, and as any young woman would she screams and in rushes Lord Withington, and once Amy has calmed down inform the police. The police a couple of plods appear to be quite ignorant of the upper class it's a wonder they were never sacked, so Amy and Lord Withington decide to investigate themselves, the story went at a good pace, and the characters were likable, not the edge of your seat thriller more the Miss Marple Murder she Wrote theme., not heard of the author CallieHutton before and as it turns out American, but well research just the same, and I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy to review.

A study in murder is a fast-paced, well-written mystery with a head-strong, likeable female lead. The plot is interesting and peppered with cliffhangers and false leads to keep you hooked until the finale. I thought the author did a good job rendering the generally sexist and condescending ambiance of the time, a very frustrating but realistic aspect of the novel given the period the story is set in. I believe Lady Amy will make for a fascinating sleuth in this new series.

When Lady Amy Lovell breaks her engagement, she doesn’t expect to find her former fiancé a few days later in her library, dead. Now, with the help of her friend Lord William Wethington, she will use her skills as a mystery writer to attempt to prove her innocence and solve the murder.

This is a delightful story. The mystery plot is well crafted and has enough twists and turns to make you think you know the murderer several times and surprise you with the real culprit at the end. There are moments of humor and some hints at a budding romance. The characters are quite entertaining. Amy and William are loveable and fun. Both are intelligent and independent. The book club members were interesting. Lacey, the parlor maid, Aunt Margaret, and the rather snarky and serious detectives add humor to the story. I really enjoyed the story, and Rosie Akerman’s narration was fantastic. She brought the characters and their personalities to life. I usually read romance now, but I have made my way through Holmes, Miss Marple, and Murder, She Wrote. Now I can add the Victorian Book Club Mysteries to my list.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery. Set in Victorian times it was interesting to see how the ton is viewed and how they think they should be viewed. The mystery was very good with lots of clues. There were lots of interesting characters that were very entertaining. I love Amy and William and enjoyed their quest to solve the mystery and vindicate Amy. All in all a good read! Looking forward to seeing how this series develops.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

This wasn't an overly-exciting or overly-interesting cozy. Another detective story that heavily borrows from Sherlock Holmes.

A Study in Murder by Callie Hutton is the 1st book in A Victorian Book Club Mystery and my first by this author. This book takes place in Bath, England in 1890. Lady Amy Lovell is a mystery author, published under a man's name. When Amy gets word that her fiance is doing something illegal, she breaks the engagement. When her ex fiance pay an unexpected visit, than found dead in her garden, the mystery begins. I am not a big fan of historical books, so I am probably not the best judge of this genre. This book was well written, and I liked the characters. I will probably give this series another try. I recommend this book for people who enjoy historical cozy mysteries. I recommend this book to all cozy book lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Study in Murder. It’s set in Bath, England in 1890, but features a fairly modern woman. Lady Amy is a mystery writer, although she writes under a pseudonym at her father’s insistence and no one, aside from family and one close friend knows she’s E.D. Burton. She and her Aunt live at the house in Bath while her father and brother mostly stay in London. She chafes under the restrictions placed on women at the time and counts herself a suffragette. She’s twenty-five, not quite a “spinster” but older than most unmarried women, but that gives her the benefit of not actually needing a chaperone when she is out and about. Her Aunt Margaret is also single and a bit rebellious. She’s in on Amy’s secrets and supports her with a smile.

In a cozy mystery, there needs to be a reason the amateur is investigating. In this case, Amy is the main, possibly only, suspect. The dead man was her (ex-)fiance and was murdered in her house. The police seem to have their entire focus on proving she did it. Then, the main character needs a sidekick. Amy’s is Lord William Wethington, a friend from the mystery book club she’s a member of. Having a man helping her with the investigation allows them to gather information from places she couldn’t go, like the men’s clubs. And yes, he’s also her love interest, although their romance is just starting here. They’ve been friends for ages and the transition to becoming a couple is slow and natural and didn’t take over the plot in the least. We don’t even get a kiss until the end. I like them as partners. William takes her seriously, follows her hunches, and tries to keep her safe.

The plot was good. Amy and William, and eventually the detectives, turn up several suspects with a variety of motives. The clues made sense and led in the right direction if you paid attention.

Overall, A Study in Murder was a fun, quick read. There were a couple laugh out loud moments and I like the Victorian Era setting. The end gives us a glimpse into the next case and I’m looking forward to it.

This was a pleasant cozy mystery. Those who like historical reads and especially Victorian stories will really enjoy it. It is not the most unpredictable, as a lot of cozy mysteries tend to be, and it is one of those books that encourages the reader to continue the series to get complete closure, but it makes for a good rainy day read.