Loved, loved this book! A Malevolent Connection has amazing well-crafted characters and an easy to follow storyline.

Can't wait to read more from this author.

Synopsis:
Despite suffering a few initial setbacks, the former Beatrice Hyde-Clare has settled into her new position nicely.

Thanks to Lady Abercrombie’s machinations, she has secured the admiration of society and finally earned the respect of her staff. Even the lessons in defending herself, which her husband, the Duke of Kesgrave, insists she take if she wants to continue in her dangerous avocation, are going well. Save for the dreaded pineapple chunks chef André insists on putting in her beloved rout cakes, everything is perfect.

But then she learns from a most unlikely source that Kesgrave’s malevolent uncle is scheming to destroy her happiness. Determinedly, she resolves to meet the threat head on—a plan that immediately goes awry when the duke asks her to allow him to handle the matter.

Stand idly by while dark forces muster?

Well, no, Bea can’t possibly do that—especially not when the villainous relation winds up bludgeoned to death with a candlestick.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Book Whisperer for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

I am always up for a historical mystery with an intrepid female sleuth and a romance arcing throughout the series. I really enjoyed the writing voice of this book and I'm intrigued by references to events that have come before, but this was a difficult entry point in the series as it seems to really be building on events of the previous book. (Also, I am just now realizing this is the *9th* book in the series, oops.) I admired Beatrice's detective skills and her partnership with her husband, and I can definitely see myself binging the series (especially since it looks like the backlist is in KU!). Excited to find another promising series, even if I probably should have started at the beginning.

Thank you to Potatoworks Press and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this novel.

A Malevolent Connection - Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries #9 was challenging to read without the context from the previous books in the series. It was incredibly drawn-out in the beginning - WOW there were a considerable amount of words to get to the point.

This novel is part historical romance and a mystery. The newly wed Duke and Duchess soon find themselves investigating a murder, pointing fingers to uncover the truth. Bea is a strong female protagonist and determinant in her ways. Hence, pineapples! Just how many ways can it be incorporated into a meal?

It was good cozy regency mystery.

Always a pleasure to revisit Bea and Kesgrave! I have been a fan of this series since I stumbled across Book One in Netgalley a few years back. While Bea does a little too much introspection at times, the pace moves well and the mystery wraps up without being too cute.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read every book in this series and have been obsessed with Beatrice, Kesgrave et al since the very beginning. Every time I finish one book I impatiently wait for the next. This instalment was no exception. The mystery was as twisty and turny as I have come to expect, very entertaining and at times mind-boggling. But the characters are what make this series so wonderful, in particular the relationship between Kesgrave and Beatrice. While I missed Nuneaton and some of the other regulars I was extremely pleased to see things heat up between my favourite couple and to see their relationship deepen.

I've so enjoyed getting to know Beatrice - she is fiercely intelligent, unapologetically bold and a little bit nuts, which is so likeable. I really don't want the series to ever end!

Always up for another adventure with Beatrice and Kesgrave, I dove into this with all the eagerness one can muster for finding yet another dead body. This time it's the malevolent uncle. The crime is committed and solved within a day or two. Overall, it is fast paced and easy to follow. There are a few hints at the quirky sexual tension between our two main characters, which is what endears them to me as a reader. Kesgrave reminds us once again that women with engaging mind (big brains) are sexy and he is so insanely insane in his restraint, allowing her to unravel the mystery, piece by piece. It can't be easy finding ways to make dead bodies appear when your heroine is such a homebody, so hats off to Messina for creativity once again.
Thank you for the ARC!

I am unfamiliar with this series and came in on book nine. I missed the meeting of Bea and Damien, their developing relationship, and courtship. As a result I'm missing out on the inside jokes and references to past adventures. Bea is an interesting character and very direct in her speech, but her thoughts are so verbose I wanted to skip ahead more than once!

Thank you NetGalley and Potatoworks Press for this arc.

A Malevolent Connection is the 9th book in this series. I read the 1st book, A Brazen Curiosity prior to this one for the character introductions, but have yet to catch up on the others (that will be remedied). These are fun reads, mostly historical cozy mysteries with some romance tossed in for some spice.

The characters are great. Beatrice is truly the master of the mannerly understatement, while Damien provides a so so dry - dehydrated - comic commentary to it all. The two of them have fallen into a ridiculous habit of separately tripping over murdered, dead bodies together while they out trying to live their lives. Beatrice just has to figure out why (because she's nosy and dead bodies are a lot more interesting than needlework).

Once I got used to Beatrice's ever-running internal monologues (the fun understatements), these books are easy
well-paced reads. While it's not strictly necessary to read them in order, I've got to go back to #s 2-8 to figure out WHY Beatrice is being plagued by pineapples!

4 stars

This book is part mystery and part cozy romance. The Duke and Duchess of Kesgrave have now been married a month. The main character is still working on duchessing, which was pretty funny. The book opens with the lady mourning the presence of pineapple in virtually every dish served to her - after she admired it once - and hasn't quite gotten enough courage to tell her staff to stop.

I had not read any of the previous books but didn't have much trouble following the plot or the relationships. In this book, an old acquaintance came to visit the duchess to ask for a favor in return for some information about a plot against her and her husband. There is a murder, and she and her husband must solve it. Readers who enjoy mystery mixed with historical romance will likely enjoy this book. I found the language a little stilted for my tastes.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher The Book Whisperer via Netgalley. These are my own opinions of the book.

This is the first book I have read by Lynn Messina and even though it is the ninth book in the Beatrice-Hyde Clare Mystery series I had no problems reading it as a stand-alone with engaging characters and a great murder mystery that kept me entertained and intrigued from start to finish. I really like Bea and enjoyed her dynamic with everyone else especially her husband, the Duke of Kesgrave. If you enjoy well-crafted must-solve mysteries with a touch of romance, don't miss "A Malevolent Connection." I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Review of ARC Edition

The new Duchess of Kesgrave, Beatrice Hyde-Clare, finds herself pitted against the Duke’s uncle, Lord Myles Matlock. It seems that Damien’s uncle has engaged a thug to murder Bea, thus ensuring that his son, Mortimer, will become the Duke’s heir.

But when the Duchess finds her husband standing over the body of his uncle, bloody candlestick in hand, can she find a way to prove that Damien did not murder the man?

=========

“A Malevolent Connection,” ninth in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, opens with Beatrice’s arch-rival fawning over Bea as she seeks forgiveness. But she also brings a warning of a threat against the Duchess. Although there are many references to the previous book, readers will find that here there is a much stronger focus on the Duke’s family. The characters are well-drawn and believable, the plot twisty and unpredictable.

Bea’s continual insistence on having Damien check with her and receive approval for his actions ultimately becomes annoying and, although the roles of women in the Regency era are quite clear, this feels a bit like being struck over the head with a sledgehammer. However, the relationship between Bea and Damien somewhat tempers this ultra-feminist stance; their banter is one of the highlights of the narrative.

A bit about pineapple running through the story provides a bit of humor in the telling of the tale as the unfolding narrative offers readers a few unexpected surprises as it races toward a satisfactory denouement.

Recommended, especially for fans of the series.

I received a free copy of this eBook from The Book Whisperer, Potatoworks Press and NetGalley
#AMalevolentConnection #NetGalley

This was the first book I've read in this series and the first by Lynn Messina. After a slow start what really sold this for me was the dynamic between Bea and Damien and it made me want to go back and read the other books in this series. Those plots are spoiled, though, because this book had way too much recapping from previous books. While I didn't particular like that aspect, the mystery plots of these books is not really what draws you in, it's the characters and their interactions. This I felt was well done and kept me reading. So less exposition, more interaction and dialogue (and romance!). (The stuff about the pineapples went on way too long) This is a good read-alike for Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series but I would suggest reading them in order unless you don't mind being spoiled. This book was the 9th in the series. A solid four stars. Thank you to The Book Whisperer and the NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Potatoworks Press for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “A Malevolent Connection.” All opinions are my own.

This particular entry in the long-running series by Lynn Messina is all about the new Duchess of Kesgrave and her marriage – and her opinion of her relationship with the duke. Oh, there’s a dead body, don’t worry about that. One that has a quite striking connection to the Duke and Duchess. Bea even gets a visit from an adversary from early books, who appeals to her to lift a curse worth than death – exclusion from society. (This is not a book for a new reader – there are many, many references to events that happened in earlier books!) But what one will learn as they read through “A Malevolent Connection” is that Beatrice Hyde-Clare is still coming to terms with her new world and her place in it. The slow beginning may not be to everyone’s taste (it isn’t to mine), but the author does have a way with words, I’ll give her that.

What is never in doubt, is that Bea does have a knack for finding out the truth. “I am an investigator, she thought matter-of-factly, and I must investigate.” And even though the wrapping up of the investigation does come awfully easy, our dynamic duo do get a confession, and also see another would-be killer off the streets.

The duke and duchess are as quick-brained as ever, with the witty and clever dialog that is a hallmark of the books. There’s also a bit of a side story with cousin Flora that should provide some smiles. Faithful readers of the series will find no surprises here, but that’s not a bad thing when you have characters that you’ve come to know and appreciate as I do the inhabitants of the mansion on Berkeley Square.

Barbara’s rating: 3.7 of 5 Stars

Although Beatrice (Bea) Hyde-Clare, still hasn’t managed to deal with her chef putting pineapple into everything she eats, she’s nicely settled into her month-long marriage to Damien Matlock, the sixth Duke of Kesgrave. The pineapple fiasco is her own fault though – and she knows it – and she’ll deal with it – just not today. She loves being married to a man she adores and who treats her as an equal partner – until she feels he doesn’t treat her that way. Oops.

When Bea’s archnemesis tries to weasel her way into Bea’s good graces by telling Bea about a plot on her life, Bea doesn’t know whether to believe the woman or not. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Mrs. Norton had born tales designed to hurt Bea in some way. This tale though, if true, will have major repercussions on both Bea and Damien. The plot, you see, is that Damien’s uncle, Lord Myles Matlock, is hiring a thug to murder Bea. That would allow his son, Mortimer, to become the duke’s heir.

Although Bea agrees to allow Damien to handle the situation, she manages to parse her agreement so she feels she can still investigate on her own. What does she find? She finds Damien, with a bloody silver candlestick in his hand, standing over the dead body of his uncle. Oops – again. Beatrice knows Damien didn’t murder his uncle – but who did? Their investigations lead them through many suspects from barristers to criminal kingpins and everything in between. It seems his uncle was a very unsavory character.

The only other book I’ve read in the series is A Sinister Establishment, and I did not enjoy this one as much as I did that one. The crime, the victim, the suspects, nor the motive intrigued me and I found the investigation to be slow and a bit plodding. I do love the wit and banter between Damien and Bea, but I’m not sure I like Bea much at all. In this book, she expects Damien to check with her and get her approval for every little thing he does. I expected to see a place where he asked if he had her permission to go to the restroom. Everything was about her expectations of him – and evidently, he wasn’t allowed to have expectations of her. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for female rights, but Bea’s version seems to be that the female is the only one with rights. She chastises, thwarts, and dissembles all the time and I just find it difficult to believe that Damien could love that about her.

I did mostly enjoy the story and may try another one to see if this version of Bea is repeated. If so, I probably won’t continue with the series. However, if they BOTH become equal partners in the relationship, then I believe I would happily continue with the series.

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

I do believe you need to read these books in order or you will not understand some references and the sometimes silly relationship between the Duke and Duchess. /in this book we find out much more about the Duke's family where in all the previous books it's been more about the Duchess's family. It did feel a little rush as things that could have been developed more like the Duchess learning self defence is brushed over and the mystery seem secondary but overall a good addition to the series.

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review as shown above

If you haven’t read this series, you should
This is a standalone continuation of a wonderful series. I can truly say you don’t need to read them in order since I haven’t. Each one I’ve read has been delightful. In these books you see how, a most unassuming, Beatrice carefully gathers clues and follows leads to discover the truth surrounding a murder. Along with the murder mystery you have a building romance between Bea and the Duke Kesgrave who is totally enthralled with the workings of her mind and her intellect. In this book, Bea is brought information of a plot to kill her by a relative of her husband, the duke, to ensure he will not have an heir. As she investigates, she finds that the duke has also become a target in the scheme but how to keep both of them safe? And who killed the plotter of this horrible scheme? A wonderful book I recommend. I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

This is cozy mystery romp full of twists and turns for Bea and Keswick. I had not read others in the series, so missed their courtship, but I plan to remedy that very soon. I liked this book a lot.

The Duchess of Kesgrave was receiving some unwanted guests. When the Duke was a child his father was cruel and let his brother try to kill him. He was very young, the not yet the duke. When the Dowager heard what was going on, she loved her grandson and sent a strong pugilist to help him, Marlow. Who to this day is still with him. An arch-nemesis of the duchess had come to see her. Mrs. Norton wanted forgiveness and her Almack vouchers back. She had come to tell her that the Duke's uncle was looking for someone to kill her, To drive her husband mad with grief and then he would kill him, the Duke, He would then inherit the dukedom. The duchess is a gifted investigator and the duke could talk to people because of his rank.
This was a different sort of mystery tale. There were the usual things in this book but I think it is the characters, they keep the novel going. They are witty and always seem to have problems but they are such good sports.It keeps your interest and they can be so funny. I can't get over how the duke and duchess talk to each other. They are respectable, love each other and they are equals. I loved this book.
I received this ARC from net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I repeatedly recommend Lynn Messina's Beatrice Hyde-Clare series.. A Malevolent Connection shows Beatrice at her best: funny, loving, and very determined. Can't wait for the next installment.
Long live The Archnemesis!

A great addition to this series….Duchess Bea does it again! Newly married and attempting to overcome her questions about her place in the world, Bea continues to become accustomed to her “marriage of partners” with The Duke of Kesgrave, encounter dead bodies and solve crimes. Bea will not be cowled by the constraints of women’s’ roles in Regency England or the opinions of others….she is her own woman. This is a fun historical mystery/romance book series and I know I’ll read the next installment as soon as it comes out!
Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.