Having read A Study in Murder, the first book in this series, and quite liked it, I was keen to see what Lady Amy Lovell and her sort-of beau, Lord William Wethington get up to this time. The story starts promisingly, with William’s intuition pricking at him that something isn’t right, before his man of business not only turns up dead, but turns out to be a scoundrel who has dragged William’s name into disrepute… and William himself is now a prime suspect in the man’s murder.

Amy and William have good reason to mistrust the police, so immediately begin their own investigation. The plot rattles along pretty smartly this time (boring time skips where nothing happens were a peeve of mine about the first book) but… there is also a lot of fluff and filler. Amy’s badly trained dog who turns out to be pregnant, for example. But it never seems to occur to Amy to wonder who, and more importantly, what breed the father is. And since her dog is a tiny Pomeranian, that would seem fairly pertinent information.

The romance touched on in the first book comes to fruition here, but is only very lightly touched on still; we barely get any hint of feelings from either Amy or William other than that they are fond of and trust each other. The author would have done better to cut some of the fluff and put in some more emotion here; even when William was arrested, his mother reacts much more strongly than Amy, who doesn’t seem all that perturbed. I have to admit I also felt that William’s problems were very much of his own making; he trusted a complete stranger with all his money for two years and never troubled himself to glance away from his own amusements to check up on anything. No wonder the villain took advantage!

There’s also a dropped plot thread where Amy is struggling with writers’ block at the very beginning of the book, and NOT ONE of the many people they investigate inspires her to incorporate the slightest hint of their story in her book, and frankly, as a writer; sounds fake. I’m forever inspired by the fascinating people I meet. Amy, the successful mystery writer with five books to her name already, does not have a single successful writing session during the course of the book. (Again, as a writer… sounds fake).

There are snippets here I like. I like who Amy is as a person; I like that William wants her to have the freedom to be herself, and those are the reasons I bought into them as a romantic couple and wanted to see them have a bit more actual romance. This would be a lot better as a historical romantic suspense rather than a historical cozy mystery; cut the irrelevant fluff and replace with some genuine romance. As it stands, though, I’m not keen at all and I don’t think I’ll be looking for the next in the series. Three stars.

The Victorian Book Club cozy mysteries is so delightful and I just loved The Sign of Death—book two, published yesterday. Author Callie Hutton does such a wonderful job with the characters , setting and mystery. And I love Amy & William. I look forward to reading more in the series,

The Sign of Death is the second book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series by Callie Hutton.

I really enjoyed this book. I had not read the first book and had no trouble reading this one as a standalone.

William’s man of business ends up dead and William and Amy get involved in the investigation. It was interesting to see how the relationship between Amy and William progressed throughout the book. The antics of their families were very amusing. It was a good mystery and I was surprised by the ending.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Lady Amy and Lord William are back in The Sign of Death, the second book in the Victorian Book Club cozy mystery series.

It’s 1891 and William’s man of business is dead. Of course, the bumbling police zone in on William as their number one suspect. So, mystery book author Amy and her best friend William use their combined skills and statuses to solve the case! There is also romance in the air and not just for Amy’s beloved Pomeranian, Persephone.

While the pretensions of Victorian England are hard to take, The Sign of Death’s character development is great. No waiting through 27 books, and counting, for Stephanie Plum to decide between Morelli and Ranger. The mystery, however, was a bit easy to solve, if not the motive of the killer. And there was one brutal twist at the very end that I didn’t see coming. Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

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

You can read The Sign of Death without having read the first book in the series, but I highly recommend you try and read the books in order. The buildup of the relationships between some of the characters is very enjoyable and gives you a better understanding of them in this story. However, there is enough of a background given that you definitely can jump right into this book without starting at the beginning of the series.

I devoured this story in one sitting. The pacing of the story is quick, without feeling too rushed and there are enough interesting side stories going on to keep things interesting while Amy and William investigate the main mystery. There are quite a few surprises and distractions along the way, including a couple of plotlines that involved other members of the book club and Amy’s hidden life as mystery writer E.D. Burton.

While parts of this storytelling felt a bit modern – often in the speech and attitudes of the characters – the story itself is so charming that a few modern quirks in a Victorian England setting didn’t really bother me. For the most part I loved the descriptions of the settings, the clothes, and the book club discussions.

The main murder mystery involves the death of James Harding, a businessman who had dealings with William and several other prominent men. When it turns out that many of Harding’s deals were shady, the list of suspects includes all of those men that he swindled, which includes William.

A more hilarious secondary plot involves William’s mother who has come to stay with him while she tries to convince him to get married. While there, she attends the book club and while still focusing on William’s love life, it seems that she may have found a bit of romance of her own. The romances don’t take up a huge part of the story, but since romance has always been brewing between William and Amy, it was fun to see what happens when his mother is thrown into the mix.

There are also a few plots involving some of the book club members, which was a nice way to flesh out some of the supporting characters.

One of the things that makes this series extra delightful and charming are the characters. I adore Amy and William and I like most of the secondary characters as well, even the detectives!

Amy is smart, forward-thinking, and determined but has just enough self-doubt and kindness to make her likeable. Meanwhile William is the perfect match for her – he is also smart and capable, but is a bit more cautious than Amy and is often a good grounded foil to her high-energy eagerness. His relationship with his mother is endearing and his budding relationship with Amy is one that you can’t help cheering for.

It’s not often that characters make me smile but I found myself grinning throughout this book and, just like the first book in the series, when I finished I was incredibly happy and couldn’t wait to read more.

This 2nd book in the Victorian Book Club cozy mystery series is quite entertaining. In the first book Lady Amy is accused of killing her ex-fiancé and she and her friend William, Lord Wethington try to solve the murder and get her off the suspect list. In this book their roles are reversed and it is Lord Wethington who is top suspect in another murder.

Title: The Sign of Death
Author: Callie Hutton
Genre: Historical fiction, cozy mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

Bath, England, 1891. Mr. James Harding was a lot of things--businessman, well-to-do, probable scoundrel--but a drinker he most assuredly was not. So when Harding is believed to have drunkenly fallen to his death into the icy River Avon, Lord William Wethington is immediately suspicious. Finding Lord William's name on a letter in the victim's pocket, the local constabulary summons William to identify the victim. Police detectives learn that William had been one of Harding's business clients--and undoubtedly not the only client the dead man had cheated.

William entreats Lady Amy Lovell, a fellow member of the Mystery Book Club of Bath, to help him deduce what really happened to the late Mr. Harding. Lady Amy, a celebrated mystery author herself, once called on William to help her solve a real-life mystery, and now she fully intends to return the favor. But it won't be easy.

Practically every one of Harding's many clients had ample reason to want to do him in. And there's precious little time to narrow down the list: William and Amy soon become prime suspects themselves when the police discover them ruffling through files in Harding's house. Lady Amy will have to be as clever as her characters if she's to save William from the gallows...and herself from Harding's real killer.

I’m really liking this series so far! The Victorian setting is a lot of fun, with Amy struggling to make her own place in the world and do what makes her happy—not what everyone else thinks she should do. William is also quite likable, and I like this unique setting for a cozy mystery series. Definitely a fun read!

Callie Hutton writes historical fiction. The Sign of Death is the newest book in the Victorian Book Club Mystery series.

(Galley courtesy of Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 4/16.)

The Sign Of Death is the second book in the A Victorian Book Club Mystery series by Callie Hutton.

I am enjoying this young series quite a lot. Hutton’s writing is very descriptive to get a sense of beautiful homes and the various townsites they visit. Lady Amy and Lord William are well-developed and very interesting. They enjoy each other’s company and discussing books, and both seem to be happy being friends and working on the occasional mystery.

The book starts with some disheartening news for Lord William. He has gotten a letter from his mother saying that she was giving up her townhouse in London and coming to Bath to live with him. He knows that the first thing on her agenda is to get him married with the hope of grandchildren.

When William realizes the time and remembers that James Harding, his man of business, will be arriving shortly, William had recently noticed some discrepancies in his portfolio and hoped to answer this from Harding. William instead receives a note from Harding that a matter requiring his attention has come and will not keep his appointment.

The day for the book club meeting has arrived, and William and Amy head for the book store. Just as the meeting starts, a policeman enters with a note asking him to come to the morgue to identify what William guesses is Harding’s body that had been pulled from the river. Amy also gets upsetting news, that being that the book store will be hosting a book fair and the author E. D, Burton will be attending. Burton is the name that Amy writes her mysteries under, and no one other than William knows this. She knows she must nip this in the bud as soon as possible.

William identifies the body as that of Harding. The police say the body had a piece of paper with William’s name in a pocket. The police share that it is suspected Harding was drunk and fell into the river. William finds this hard to believe as Harding was one not to drink at all.

William wants to get whatever information Harding has in his possession about his financial holdings to see if he might have been stealing monies of William. After William and Amy are found in Harding’s office, and his home William becomes a prime suspect and will soon be arrested. Detectives Carson and Marsh are again involved and seem to think they have to look no further than William. William and Amy will begin their investigation and find that Harding embezzled several people who might have been to get revenge. William and Amy will seek help from members of their book club, being careful as some suspects are also members of the book club.

The book is well-written, plotted, and historically. There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. The characters are excellent, well developed, and believable. I particularly enjoyed the banter of William’s mother as she tried to convince him that is time for him to find a wife.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this enjoyable series.

In the second book of The Victorian Book Club Mystery, Lord William is accused of murder with Lady Amy teaming up him to find the real killer. Along the way, their friendship turns to romance. Some of my favorite scenes is when the pair is attending a bookclub meeting. Looking forward to the third book. I want to know what the club's reaction to the reveal at the end of the book.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bath, England, 1891. Mr. James Harding was a lot of things--businessman, well-to-do, probable scoundrel--but a drinker he most assuredly was not. So when Harding is believed to have drunkenly fallen to his death into the icy River Avon, Lord William Wethington is immediately suspicious. Finding Lord William's name on a letter in the victim's pocket, the local constabulary summons William to identify the victim. Police detectives learn that William had been one of Harding's business clients--and undoubtedly not the only client the dead man had cheated. William entreats Lady Amy Lovell, a fellow member of the Mystery Book Club of Bath, to help him deduce what really happened to the late Mr. Harding. Lady Amy, a celebrated mystery author herself, called on William the previous year to help her solve a real-life mystery where she was the prime suspect, and now she fully intends to return the favour. Especially when William is arrested for the murder
This is the second book in the series & I hope there are many more. A very well written book with strong characters. It could be read on its own but to fully appreciate it I’d recommend reading the previous book. I love both William & Amy, their verbal bantering is delightful & the sexual chemistry has been building since the previous book. There is a wonderful mix of humour & suspense. The pace never lags & I devoured the book in two sittings, there are twists & turns until the murderer is revealed. The epilogue finishes off the book beautifully & left me smiling, satisfied & wanting more.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

James Harding is found floating in the river after presumably falling in while drunk. It doesn’t take long to discover that his death may not have been the accident it first appeared. He’s been cheating his business clients and blackmailing others. There certainly are plenty of people who would have wanted him dead. Among that list of wronged clients is Lord William who quickly becomes the police’s main suspect in the murder. Lady Amy and Lord William launch their own investigation to prove William’s innocence and find the real killer before William pays the price for a crime he didn’t commit.

This is an entertaining historical mystery! The characters are interesting and well developed. There’s mystery, murder, a little romance and characters that you want to root for. What more could a reader want? A very enjoyable second installment in this series! Hopefully there will be more adventures for Amy and William!

I love historical mysteries and this series, set in Bath, England, is a favorite. It's 1891 and Lady Amy Lovell and Viscount William Wethington and friends and fellow members of The Mystery Book Club of Bath. Lady Amy is also a successful writer of mysteries. Not long ago Lady Amy needed Williams assistance in solving a crime and this time the tables are turned and William needs her help to stay off the gallows. The inept local plods are even worse at catching killers now than they were when Amy and William had to deal with them previously. Now they are laser focused on William (and nobody else) for the death of one of Williams business associates, one James Harding. The man was many displeasing things but a drunk he was not. He never, ever took a drink, period. So how did the man end up floating in the River Avon....a supposed drunk drowning? Oh dear, with a list of suspects almost as long as the river itself, the police declare William the killer, case closed.
William is certain that Harding had been embezzling from him and that Harding was not stopping there. Which one of the many people cheated, robbed, etc. by the man finally had reached their breaking point and tossed him in the drink? Following Amy and William on their investigation to track down the killer makes for a delightful read. Some series are strong with the debut mystery but the second lags a bit but not in this series. This second outing for our sleuthing duo is even more fun than the first book. The puzzle is solid and the characters make such a great team that I'm eager for the next book. I have no doubt that it will be another 5 star read.
My thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

1891 Bath. William, Viscount Wethington and Lady Amy Lovell are drawn into another investigation when his man of business, James Harding, is found drowned. Wethington had recently become suspicious of Harding's activities and this according to the police gives him a motive. Can William and Amy find the true killer before he is charged with the crime.
An enjoyable cozy historical mystery (not enough) and romance (too much) with an annoying dog.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this book, all I could think about was the lack of humor and sass. 1890's Bath, England, is conventional enough, but with the intelligence and spunkiness of Lady Amy Lovell, there should be more verbal sparring between her and Lord William Wethington. Without it, William comes across as a second to Amy’s cleverness instead of the partnership she desires.

When James Harding, William’s man of business, is found dead in the River Avon with William’s business card in his pocket, the police call him in to identify the body. With this simple request and Amy at his side, a nefarious chain of deceits unfolds. Harding was blackmailing or embezzling various citizens of their community. With so many potential suspects in Harding's murder, William and Amy are kept busy sorting it out while trying to keep William out of prison and Amy away from the killer’s grasp.

But that does not mean Amy has not found herself in a pickle since her long-held secret is about to be divulged. From the first book, A Study in Murder, the reader knows Amy is a celebrated mystery author, but as a woman, been forced by her father to write under a pseudonym since no man would want to marry a woman who writes the kind of books she does. She is not sure how she will get out of this until William comes up with an acceptable proposition.

I am enjoying this series, yet, I continue to wish the speed would pick up a bit, and the banter would have a bit more humor and tension.

With his life upended, how will he sort everything out ...

Ah! I finally can lounge on the sofa and enjoy this book.
Since I finished the previous one in this new series, I have been eager to put my hands on this one. Worse, it has been sitting on my e-shelves for weeks but I had a reading schedule to fulfill. But today, here we are!
Be back in a few hours ...

So...
This book can be perfectly read as a standalone but you will miss the witty banters and humorous inner thoughts of the characters if you pass on the first book of the series (plus it is actually at a great bargain price).
While the first book saw Amy under the scrutiny of the two not very effective detectives charged for the murder of her ex fiancé, it is now William, who is with a warrant arrest.
I think I even loved this book more than the first one, after Amy’s disrupted life went back on track, it gives us a glimpse of William’s when it is his turn to have it upturned. It offers a glimpse of the man behind his cool demeanor.

Amy is still this no-nonsense woman, who cares more about her writing fiction and others than her appearance. So when William finds himself in a similar situation than hers from some months prior, she jumps in to help her fellow sleuth who has become a dear friend since her trial.
She is at the same time the perfect and imperfect lady, fainting but also jumping fence, blushing and facing guns, disliking morning calls and writing gruesome novels. A bubble of contractions wrapped in silk and petticoats.

It was entertaining to watch upstanding William caught in a web of lies and deceits. He is a man who faces hardship his head held high and his ideas clear. He is not one to run away, nor one to stay idle, even more when the justice forces look like they are more interested in sentencing him than clearing his name and finding the right culprit. He is also torn between his admiration for Amy’s clever mind and his need to protect her. Which leads to their many funny bickering whilst jumping hand in hand into borderline situations.

Yet it is an other era, life is slower, the scientific methods were almost nonexistent, only observation, reflexion and analysis could solve a mystery. So sleuthing all the while going with one’s life can weigh heavy on someone’s spirit.
If you had a meddling mother, your friend’s father in hope to marry his close to spinsterhood daughter, her out-of-its-mind dog, a list of suspects which grows instead of decreasing, you too would be over your head with everything landing at your feet at the same time.

So do not miss this duet of sleuth apprentices testing the Bath’s waters, assemblies and Books clubs all the while trying to solve a mysterious murder, and if you add a dash of romance to it, it goes from tasty to scrumptious.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Another fun read in this really promising new series.

Book one was all about Lady Amy being suspected of murder. In The Sign of Death it is Lord William's turn and the pair of them start sleuthing again in order to clear his name. Along the way they attend a few Book Club meetings, some dances and several historically famous meeting places in Bath. It is nice to have a bit of history mixed with murder.

Amy and William's friendship is fast becoming a romance and, if their families have any say in the matter, will soon be marriage. It would be a good partnership in all ways. Callie Hutton writes interesting and likeable characters all round.

This was an enjoyable cosy mystery with an historical setting and I will be looking out for book three.

4.5 stars

This is the second book in the A Victorian Book Club mystery series by Callie Hutton.

I really resonated with this book. I equally liked both Lord William and Lady Amy as main characters. I think I have found a new must read series for me.

The setting is just up my alley. Love the whole Victorian England time period. And when Lord William’s mom decides she is moving in with him permanently, what a hoot. I wish I could have seen his face.

The mystery here really keeps you guessing and the whole cast is just stellar! What an amazing read. Definitely check out this series for sure!

If you love a good historical cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

James Harding cheated a lot of people, among them Lord William Wethington. There might not have been forensics in 1891 Bath, but there is the inimitable Lady Amy, who Wethington enlists to help him figure out what exactly happened and the identity of the villain. Cozy fans know that there will be several possible candidates and an equal number of red herrings. While this is set in 1891, know that these two read much more like contemporary characters, which wasn't a problem for me because they're fun. This would have benefited from an editorial polishing but that didn't mean I enjoyed it any less. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical cozies.

This exciting, witty, exceptionally well-told tale is an excellent addition to the series. The writing is excellent, the plotting is well planned and delivered, and the characters are absolutely delightful. The exchanges between William and Amy are priceless and will keep you chuckling even in the midst of the serious investigation. It is fast-paced enough to keep you quickly turning the pages, yet provides enough detail to make you feel as if you are right there with them.

Viscount William Wethington has no clue about what trouble is about to befall him as he sits and waits for his man of business, James Harding. Harding cancels the appointment and is soon fished out of the River Avon. Our favorite inept policemen from the last book ask William to come to the morgue to identify a body they’ve fished out of the river. It seems one of William’s calling cards was in the man’s pocket. The police tell William that it appears to be an accidental drowning because the man was drunk.

William and Lady Amy begin to investigate because William is sure the death wasn’t an accident because Harding didn’t drink – and William was also pretty sure Harding had been embezzling from him. As more of Harding’s victims are identified and they discover that Harding was doing more than embezzlement, there are more suspects than they know what to do with. Except, Detectives Carson and Marsh are convinced that William is not only a murderer, but that he has also taken over Harding’s nefarious enterprise. The detectives are so very sure William is the culprit, they aren’t even looking at or for anyone else. It is totally up to Lady Amy and William to find the real murderer. Could there be more than one? So many have motives, could they be working together? Oh! You’ll just have to read the story to find out who it was – and why they did it.

There is an absolutely fabulous ending – and epilogue! It is delightful and will have you smiling from ear-to-ear. I definitely recommend this delightfully entertaining, witty, and engrossing book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Death made cozy … again. How long is this genre’s history?

Posted on March 29, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist

Death is an old subject. Old, old subject. And there are no signs we’re going to stop hearing about it.
For some reason, in 1891 England, amateur detectives and mystery book readers liked to call themselves Lord and Lady. Feeling superior, you two main characters?
Anyway, this time Lord William Wethington and Lady Amy Lovell jump into action after Mr. James Harding – no Lord in this guy – “drunkenly” falls to his death in the icy River Avon.
Problem.
Mr. Harding doesn’t drink. He may be a well-known dirty rotten scoundrel, but, he doesn’t drink.
Hmm.
But why should the Lord and Lady care about poor Mr. Harding and his unfortunate demise?
Because, like all cozy fans love to read, the cops have it wrong, again.
But … in 1891, the English constable somehow finds a letter with Lord William’s name on it.
Hey, isn’t that a paper letter? Water, paper, water, paper … That’d odd. Forget that the victim was drunk in a river. A paper with Lord William’s name on it surely means he’s the evil villain, right?
No, not a villain, a warlock! A stupid warlock who knows how to indict himself in a murder charge by creating waterproof paper in 1891.
Whatta moron.
Lord William’s circumstances certainly don’t change when the constable learns his dead guy cheated Lord William … and a bunch of other people … in business.
Hey reader, have you ever noticed these authors make the bad guy someone, who in secret, you really don’t feel that bad about losing?
Well, like all the rest, this historic cozy novel is yet another wonderful diversion into the world of superior police work pulled off by complete amateur detectives who are nothing more than cozy authors and their fans, who have nothing better to do than to be nosy.
It’s a nosy cozy.
That sounds like that term that started out in 2010 called “citizen journalism,” where a bunch of greedy newspaper publishers fired all their reporters and encouraged people who did not know a thing about how to report the actual news, flood newspapers and Internet social media sites with propaganda, lies, and half-truths.
But I’m not bitter.
Geeze and people wonder why our society is so generally uniformed with the actual facts these days …
Sign of Death, the second book in the Victorian Book Club mystery series by Callie Hutton. This title delivers exactly what it promises and is a no-brainer-read for historic cozy mystery fans everywhere.

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Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2