I was lukewarm about the first book in the series but I decided to give the series another try. I enjoyed this latest story about Amy and William much more. I think that the addition of more of their family members added to my enjoyment, and the mystery itself was more interesting. The romance element was pleasant without overpowering the mystery. Also, Amy finally was going to get recognition for her books, which were published under a pseudonym. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I had hoped that the author would have grown a bit from book 1 of the series, but sadly this wasn’t the case.

In some ways, this was even less enjoyable than the first book. The use of modern language in a Victorian setting was easily the most jarring and inexcusable thing about this book.

The author’s eye rolling attempt at humour coupled with poor editing made me want to keep putting this down.

I am disappointed.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

The Sign of Death is the second book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery Series by Callie Hutton. Lady Amy Lovell, a mystery author, becomes embroiled in a real-life mystery. Her friend Lord William Wethington is questioned by the police when his business partner Mr James Harding is found dead in the River Avon, and Amy helps Lord William prove his innocence.

Set in Bath, England, this was an entertaining yarn with a host of quirky characters. Along the way Lady Amy and Lord William attend book club meetings and visit some famous historical landmarks in Bath. The mystery itself is well-thought-out and there are a good number of suspects. Lady Amy is intelligent and smart and the soupçons of romance are enjoyable to read. Now I need to catch up on book one, A Study in Murder.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I'm ambivalent about this book. On one hand, I enjoyed the wordplay between the two main characters. On the other hand, I just couldn't get into it as much as I would have liked. I'm not sure exactly why except to say that I have never been into the Regency thing.

The story was great. I agree with some reviewers that the language was too modern for the time period.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

An enjoyable mystery. I loved the first book in this series, so I was excited for this second installment. It has fun characters and lots of humor plus a good mystery that kept me guessing. Very good read.

This is the second book in a series featuring William, Viscount Wethington and his friend Lady Amy Lovell, who is also the acclaimed mystery author E.D. Burton, set in Bath in January 1891.

Their investigation into the mysterious death of William's 'man of business' takes William and Amy into the secrets, betrayals, lies and criminal activities underneath the surface of the upper class social structure of England in the 1890s, where position, reputation and personal income define your entire life prospects.
There are some witty elements of this very detailed historical novel, mainly around the pressure William and Amy come under from relatives to formalise their relationship.

Unfortunately the two police officers are portrayed as clowns which is a real shame.

This book was also spoiled for me by two American expressions which pulled me out of the story and made me wince {I am British}: ' Amy looked as though she might pass out..' and ' walked more than a block from her home.'
Sorry, but that is seriously bad. Especially in Bath in 1891.

A vintage sleuthing mystery which is so descriptive of not just the mystery itself but adds so much detail in the setting, the lifestyle and the characters themselves.

1896 James Harding is found drowned and it is not an accident. First thought by the Police that he had been drunk, Lord Wethington realises that something is seriously amiss because Harding who was his business manager was a teetotaller. On the other hand Harding has been cheating Lord Wethington and when the enquiry gets going, it seems he has been cheating or blackmailing so many people that the list of suspects keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Unfortunately the Police in charge of the case are fixated on Lord Wethington as a chief suspect in the murder/s and do not seem to be following any other clues. Lord Wethington along with Lady Amy Lovell, who is a friend and member of the Mystery Book Club are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and also find out who is trying to frame Lord Wethington. The romance which lingers between them is also on the bubble as it were, sponsored by everyone around them but ignored by the two protagonists themselves!

Descriptive of both the times and lifestyle, this was a super vintage sleuthing mystery story.

This is such a fun series. I love the mix of history and murder. The writing is well done, and I had so much fun with this mystery!

I went into this book with low expectations based on other reviews I read but I still wasn't prepared. The writing is rudimentary at best. The modern dialogue does not fit with the 1891 setting, which I could forgive, although if one is going to write a period piece set in England, at least use correct verbiage for the time period. There is another author that sets her books both in modern times and in pre-WWII England and while her dialogue also leans toward modern, it is far more accurate.

I really struggled with this book and I am so glad I did not pay hardcover pricing for it.

[Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book, now available everywhere!]

Bath, England, 1891. When the body of Mr. James Harding is mysteriously found in the icy waters of River Avon, the police first suspect that he was the victim of consumption and simply fell to a regrettable death. Knowing Mr. Harding as a teetotaler, Lord William Wethington is immediately suspicious and knows there is more to the story. With the help of Lady Amy Lovell, a fellow member of the Victorian Book Club and a celebrated mystery author, William is determined to get to the bottom of the situation. If romance begins to bloom during the investigation, well, how can William say no?

I thought this was a fun, humorous, and surprisingly progressive novel set in the 19th century. There were a few repetitive jokes that could have been edited out but for the most part, I enjoyed reading William and Amy's adventures. Despite being the second in a series, this novel can easily be read as a standalone. Good thing too, since I have a habit of entering a series late. A charming romantic mystery, I look forward to catching up with the series -- and hopefully in time for the next installment.

The second book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery is another delightful foray into the world of Lady Amy Lowell, secret murder mystery writer. Catching up with the characters from the first book was a lot of fun and the mystery was well done and satisfyingly complex. I just have one quibble. I am getting really tired of the policemen who are so dense that they immediately seize on the protagonist as the culprit despite there being absolutely no proof whatsoever. Other than that, this was a pleasure to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Victorian Book Club Series. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this book we find Lady Amy Lowell and Lord William Wethington confronting a new mystery to solve. James Harding is found drowned in the River Avon. Lord William is called to identify the body. Unfortunately, he is later found to be a suspect in his death. Mr Harding was Lord William’s financial advisor who was swindling all of his clients. So, of course, Amy and William set out to find the real criminal.
Besides a good mystery with several red herrings, Callie Hutton writes about the difficulties of women in Victorian times. Lady Amy is actually a published author of mysteries, but her father forced her to publish under a pseudonym. There are also some great scenes at the book club. Amy’s dog, Persephone, gets up to her own adventures. In addition, it is refreshing to find a series that is not set in London, this book is set in Bath.
I gave this book a solid four and a half stars. I definitely was surprised by the identity of the killer, which is always a good sign. I look forward to more of their adventures.

This is the second book in the "Victorian Book Club " mystery series . I have read the first in series and enjoy this series very much with its historical theme. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

We return to Bath England in 1891 . The time period is beautifully captured by the author. Lady Amy and Lord William are on a case again together to solve a murder of a man drowned in the river . In the victims pocket is Williams name and information. The police soon suspect the both of them as they do many clients of the victim. They must clear their own names as well as find the rightful suspect with the help of their friends.

This is a intelligently written fun series for fans of cozy mysteries and historical mysteries. A very enjoyable series.

Loved it, loved it, loved it. Can't stop gushing. The Sign of Death turned out to be a light, entertaining and enjoyable read throughout. Lady Amy and Lord William is an amazing pair of friends, sleuths and... well you will need to read the book.

Lord William's man of business is found floating in Avon. This seemingly accidental drowning starts unraveling quite a few secrets and nefarious deeds. Titles do not always protect. Police is not always are there to serve and protect. Parents are not always see eye to eye with their grown up children.

But... But the setting (Bath, UK), the characters (rebellious, quirky, intelligent and talented Lady Amy who considers to be well dressed if her shoes match) the dynamic, the banter, the relationships between characters are all so very light and enjoyable. And how can I forget Persephone (tiny dog with big character).

All ends well and is wrapped in a tidy package in the bookstore (my favourite mix: detective, bookstore, love and beautiful hats).

Mind you, I even looked up Bath (oh, how I want to visit) and found out that Sally Lunn teahouse and her famous buns are actual real thing. Mmm can't wait for borders to be open. Can't wait to see Lord and Lady in screen...

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
What a delightful cozy romp through the Victorian age. Back streets, front halls of aristocracy manors, tea shops and book stores provide a well rounded understanding of the norms and culture of the time period. Lady Amy and Lord William find themselves embroiled in a murder case. Time is of the essence of they want to keep one of them free from imprisonment. Several back stories move the plot quickly and hold interest well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to read more in series.

This is the 2nd installment in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series. The setting is Bath England and Lady Amy Lovell and Lord William are fast becoming a couple as they continue to participate in their Murder book club every Thursday. Lord William helped clear Amy from murder charges and now they both must do it again this time for William. Lord William has begun to think something is off with his financial records and has been trying to have a meeting with his man of business Mr. James Harding only to get a note from the police to come to the morgue to identify a body that had been found floating in the river. Lady Amy insists on going with him and learn that the police automatic assume William has something to do with Mr. Harding’s death. After much reluctance in the first book, Lord William is only more than happy to drag Lady Amy along for his investigation as he fears the police will only focus on him as they did with Lady Amy the last time. This is a delightful sleuthing couple and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I like how their relationship has grown and I love how both families are not too subtle in wanting them both to get married. Victorian romance with a twist of murder and sleuthing. Wow what a combination. Cannot wait for the next installment in this series. Definitely a winner.

Being an avid fan of both mysteries and the Victorian era, I was immediately drawn to The Sign of Death when I found it on NetGalley. I love a good historical mystery romp, and if the lead is a strong-willed woman, so much the better.

Let me start with what I did like. I liked the heroine Amy. She was a bit quirky, intrepid, and relatable. I also loved her relationship with her sweet dog, Persephone. These two were undoubtedly my favorite parts of the story. I also liked the book club and the quirky cast of characters within the group.

What I didn’t like so much? For starters; William. He simply didn’t leave much of an impression on me. He just fell sort of flat. Also, there were parts of the setting that felt authentic, but then at times the dialogue simply didn’t seem to fit the Victorian era. Some of the phrases used felt too modern and spoiled the reading experience for me. I also didn’t love the mystery aspect. It simply didn’t stand out to me or keep me engaged.

Unfortunately, this simply wasn’t the book for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Callie Hutton writes an excellent Victorian cozy in The Sign of Death, second in the Victorian Book Club murder. In 1891, Bath, England, Lady Amy, who secretly writes murder mysteries under a male pseudonym, has been tasked by her publisher to appear at a book fair in Bath. Her noble father disapproves. Her associate and close friend Lord William Wethington identifies a body found in the river as his business manager; Lord William suspects the man of cheating him. He falls under police suspicion and he and Lady Amy determine to find the murderer. The villainous business manager has been blackmailing and cheating everyone he encounters so too many suspects. The the police arrest Lord William for murder. Finally a complication Lord William and Lady Amy are growing close and their parents are matchmaking. Fun read.

I'm honestly not one for Victorian mysteries, but for some reason, I enjoy this series. I like that Lady Amy is strong and confident. This was a fun story and a good read. Looking forward to the next book in the series!