I think I dragged my reading of this book because I learned the heroine was not with her duet of boys to assist her, It seems I misjudged there, as I thought there would be some romance between one of them and Lily.
So while it might be a good book for a new reader to enter the fray, it is a bit unsettling for the readers from the beginning as they will not get the same pace without Jack Hartley and Simon Page helping her.
Plus there is a sort of new love interest in this book for Lily, introduced in the previous book, Matthew Spencer.
Donc take me wrong, he is a nice acolyte for Lily, but they did not share the same dynamic than with Jack and Simon.

Why this book stands apart in this series for now or it might be the author’s will to change of direction with a new team to support her heroine and a new love interest as nothing was really set except Jack’s not really concealed feelings.

After the mystery and murder is intriguing and despite some dragging moments, I did not see it coming. The sometime creepy gothic atmosphere, Lily being assisted by her friend Ofelia, fun but not Jack, the new suitor, all in all was quite entertaining if not occasionally confusing.
3.5 stars rounded up

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

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

This third book in the series had a slightly different feel than the previous two books. Lily and her friends are in the country staying with Lily's aunts and near the home of Matthew Spencer. The pace is a little slower as the pace in the country is a bit slower than the social whirl of London. While I did miss Mr. Page and Captain Hartley I did enjoy the smaller cast list of this story.

The mystery is an intriguing one involving a ghost and a house full of secrets with a mild Gothic tone. The investigation unravels slowly but didn't drag and gave room for some character development. Lily had to deal with some self doubt and it was nice to see a bit of vulnerability in her character. The reveal was surprising with more than a few twists and turns and I really enjoyed it!

This is a fun historical series with great characters and interesting mysteries. I so enjoyed this one and am looking forward to more in the series.

I really love this series - the characters have really grown on me and I have loved the stories so much. When I saw there was going to be a new one, I was very excited and even more so when I got it from NetGalley. I have to admit, this is one that I have been really excited to read [which sometimes comes back to bite me; thankfully, that was not the case here!!].

Here is where I need to be honest - I really enjoyed this book and the story/mystery swept me along. I love how the author uses the language of that time and at no point did I think the conversations were "modern" [I am very sensitive to this right now because of that hideous new "Persuasion" movie]. I loved the parts that DID remind me of Jane Austen's novels; it was like coming home and putting on a comfy sweater and being with friends you haven't seen in a long time. I really enjoyed the addition of Lily's aunts and of Ofelia and Ned [the jury is still very much out on Matthew Spencer - I LOVE Captain Jack and missed him tremendously in this book and the addition of Mr. Spencer didn't make me miss him less, if anything, I missed the Captain more] and the Wrights are...well, they are typical gentry of that time frame [with Miss Wright being the silliest of silly girls. Good grief. ]

I say all that to say this - I knew who the "ghost" was very early on and by halfway though I knew who the killer was and some of the why [though some of it was a surprise to me and that was AWESOME]. I was lulled several times into thinking I was incorrect [the red herrings in this book are outstanding] and at no point was I bored and wanting to skip ahead, so I will take that as a win.

It is difficult when you read as many mysteries as I do to not look at the story differently than some and I often guess who the killer is and what the mystery is about in the books I read - to have all that and still really, really. like a book says so much about how great a writer the author is [and she is]. I was sad when the book ended, but then happy when I saw online that the author is working on book 4!!! SQUEEEE!! I truly look forward to the next one. I am pretty sure, no matter how much Lily says that she will not find murder and mayhem in Surrey, that that very thing will happen and sweep her up once again. Can I hope that Captain Jack will be around to help this time?? ;-)

Thank you to NetGalley, Katharine Schellman, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another absolutely delightful tale of the adventures of the intrepid Lily Adler! Can Lily enjoy a trip to the country to visit her aunt without being embroiled in a murderous scandal? Her dear friend, Jack, doesn’t believe it’s possible, and he’s probably right.

Lily is, as always, a logical and clever observer of the scene in which she finds herself - the decaying and purportedly haunted Belleford Manor. But when the “ghost” becomes a murderer, she must puzzle her way through her disbelief of the supernatural and the odd behavior of the residents in order to solve the mystery. In a nod to the gothic literature of old, Schellman paints a creepy picture and outlines a great locked-room who-done-it, all with the sweet sensibilities we’ve come to love from this series.

We also get to know several characters even more intimately than before, including the feisty Lady Ofelia and the earnest Mr. Spencer, as well Lily’s loving aunt. I was happily and thoroughly entertained, as usual.

Great thanks to the author and Netgalley got my free copy. These opinions are my own.

This is the first time I'm reading Lily Adler Mystery series and suffice to say I can follow the plot just fine.
But, I would suggest to read the first two books to know more about the characters and the other cases that connect them.

The plot is actually interesting and mysterious, with a tricky case to solve. Multiple POVs is a nice touch for the readers to see the investigation progress throughout the story.

However, the pacing of the story is a bit dragging and slow in the middle of the story.
Regardless, I'm still surprised with the culprit of this murder case near the ending. It was quite unexpected.

There seems to be a love triangle here between Lily, Matthew and Jack.
Some people seems to like Lily more with Jack. But since I haven't read the first two books I don't have any problem with seeing Lily and Matthew relationship progress. They're sweet with one another.

Overall, it's a pretty good read.
The mystery is interesting to investigate and I find myself actually curious to know what Lily Adler will solve next.

Check this one out if you love mystery historical fiction with paranormal elements and a pinch of romance.

Thank you to Netgalley, Katharine Schellman and Crooked Lane Books for granting this e-ARC to me. I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily!

I had been been looking forward to another mystery involving Lily Adler but I missed the involvement of Jack and the rest of the London characters in this, the third book of the series. Lily and Jack made a great team. This time Lily is in Hampshire with friends as they visit her aunt, taking a break from the bustle of London Society. Jack has returned to sea and Lily has plans to spend time with Matthew Spencer, a widower with two young children who is ready to court her. (I'm on team Jack) Ophelia Carroway and her husband are her companions in this outing but the chemistry isn't as good as it had been when Jack was involved (IMHO)
Upon arrival they learn of The Grey Lady who haunts a nearby manor house and they decide to go see for themselves. A ghost is one thing but they get more than they expected. Mrs. Wright, the lady of the manor, has been found murdered in her bed and the door locked from the inside. Blame is put on the Grey Lady and the local policeman has no intention of catching the all too real killer even when a second death occurs. Lily and Ophelia, with the help of others, set out to unmask the killer.
Aside from my disappointment about the missing characters from the first two books, I was happy with a locked room mystery in a manor house with a resident ghost. I was not disappointed with the mystery at all and I will save a spot on my TBR list for more mysteries in this entertaining series.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Delightful addition to the series, Death at the Manor is a wonderful little cozy historical mystery, with a strong female lead, and a quirky cast of characters. I'd recommed this to anyone looking for a good cozy mystery

Lily Adler's third case is a death that may have been caused by a ghost. In "Death at the Manor," Lily, along with her friends Lord and Lady Carroway, are on a visit to Lily's aunt in Hampshire. There have been recent sightings of a "Grey Lady" at the local manor, so Lily and Ophelia wish to investigate. Matthew Spencer, who may or may not be a potential beau, is a neighbor of the Wrights, and assists with their investigation.

While good, this book may be suffering from sophomore slump, even though it's the third in the series. I think this is largely due to the absence of Jack and Simon. Matthew may be a potential suitor, but he isn't the foil for Lily the way the other two are. It was nice that Lily and Ophelia got to spend more time together, and we got to spend time with the Carroways as a couple and see more of their relationship.

I also think the book couldn't decide what it wanted to be, a Regency romance, a cozy mystery, or a gothic. It led to some slow pacing and an overall disjointedness. That said, it's still a really good mystery on its own merits, and if I hadn't had the previous two to which to compare, I'd probably have rated this one more highly.

3.75/5 stars

I received an advance copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lily is meant to be enjoying time in the country with her aunt and her friend Ofelia- and maybe the enticing Matthew- but she finds herself wrapped up in the mysterious murder of Mrs. Wright. Did the Grey Lady ghost do it? That's one explanation, given that the room where she was found is locked. But Lily (and Ofelia) know that there's more to the story, especially since Thomas Wright will finally get his hands on Belleford Manor. It's an intriguing historical cozy with good characters and some red herrings. Fans of the series (and this will be fine as a standalone) will miss Jack, best friend of Lily's deceased husband who worked with her in the earlier books but who is out at sea for this one. I'm certain Matthew will mature in time and, in fairness, this does set up for a potential fight for Lily's affections! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This is the third book of the Lily Adler series. I haven't read the previous two books but then I actually enjoyed reading a mystery setting of a historical fiction.

Lily Adler arrives in Hampshire with her friends, Lord and Lady Carroway followed by her male friend, Matthew Spencer. When rumors circulated around the small village that a ghost woman is haunting in Belleford Manor, Lily and her friends arrived in the manor. The matriarch of the manor, Mrs. Wright is found dead and was smothered in her sleep. But the room door is locked from inside. The maids and the people convince that the ghost had killed Mrs. Wright but Lily thinks there might be a murderer lurking inside the house.

This was actually a very interesting plot. This is a locked room mystery where all the people are suspects and one of them could be the murderer so that actually itself was very interesting. I do like how Lily solved this murder case with the help of her friends. The author actually did a good job of drawing the reader into the story so to make the reader feel like they are part of the story. Some of the characters were bit confusing to me but maybe because I haven't read the two previous books. Nonetheless, I cannot wait for what Lily Adler's next adventure is going to be!

Worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Lily Adler series takes a turn to the Gothic for this episode. Lily Adler is stopping off to see her aunt on her way to a visit with friends in the country. She is travelling with the Carroways who are also on their way to their country home.

Her aunt offers up a local ghost as a way of entertaining her guests. Unfortunately, the ghost is only the start of things. On a visit to see the ghost at Belleford manor, they find instead that the lady of the house has been killed inside her locked bedchamber.

Unwilling to attribute the death to the grey lady supposedly haunting the place and unwilling to leave her aunt in the same location as a murderer, Lily decides to look into the case. She is assisted by her new friend Mr. Spencer whose home is in the area. She is also assisted by her friend Ofelia, Lady Carroway.

After having her confidence in her abilities as an investigator shaken by the revelation of her aunt's living situation which had slipped her notice, Lily interviews suspects from Mr. Wright who will finally inherit from his mother to the few remaining servants at the house.

This was an engaging and entertaining historical mystery. I enjoyed the Gothic elements. I also enjoyed Lily's growth as she moves away from her grief as a widow.

Barbara’s rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Series: Lily Adler Mystery #3
Publication Date: 8/9/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 352

This latest addition to the Lily Adler Mystery series is a bit of a departure from the first two books. There is supposed to be a bit of a gothic bent to the book, but that fell a little short for me. Gothics have an atmosphere to them that is built layer-by-layer – they make your spine tingle, and this certainly didn’t even come close to that. Lily is also missing her normal supporting characters and I felt their loss. One of the nice things about a series of books is the way the cast of characters works together book after book. They grow as a group and as individuals and we sorely missed that in this book. Two of the main supporting characters – Captain Jack, and Bow Street Runner Mr. Simon Page – are missing from the story except for some honorable mentions. It was good that Ofelia and Ned were there as I enjoyed their company and Ofelia and Lily work well together. Mr. Matthew Spencer, who we met in book 2, reappears as a ‘love’ interest for Lily.

Lily, along with her friends Sir Edward (Ned) and Lady Carroway (Ofelia), travel to visit Lily’s aunt Eliza and her companion Susan Clarke. Ned and Ofelia will spend a few days with Lily and her aunt and will then continue to their estate. Lily will stay with her aunt until her best friend’s husband, Lord Walter, arrives to convey Lily to his estate where his wife is anxiously awaiting Lily’s visit. As soon as they arrive at Aunt Eliza’s home, they hear of a neighbor whose home has been having visitations by a ghost. They, of course, simply must visit. That visit lands them smack-dab in the middle of a family crisis – the matriarch of the family has been murdered and they all believe the ghost did it. Who else could it have been since the room was locked – from the inside?

We meet all of the suspects early on, but the investigation into the motives and means wends forward at a steady pace. Lily and Ofelia work well together and their minds work in a very similar fashion, so I liked them working together. Still, I missed the supporting characters from the previous books and I think the story would have been much better had they been included. There are hints dropped throughout the book, but nothing is obvious. I had worked out the ‘how’ and was pretty sure of the ‘who’ before it was revealed, but none of it was just obvious.

All-in-all, it was a very good mystery and I enjoyed it. It was a bit slow-paced in places, but nothing too much. So, kudos for a good mystery. What I do not care for – and will not read – is anything with love triangles. Lily took a very big step in this book, but it wasn’t for the right reasons – certainly not for that period. Then, things were just left hanging and nothing was resolved. We still have Captain Jack and Matthew Spencer as love interests. I had hoped that would be quickly resolved, but apparently not. So, that leaves me to question whether I will read the next book or not – and the answer is, I just don’t know. Captain Jack is, by far, the more interesting character and is a better match for Lily while Matthew is more of a bland, take a back seat, kind of fellow I can only imagine she’d get tired of sooner or later. I guess I’ll know if I continue to read the series.

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

I didn’t realize this was the third book in the series until I started reading it. However, I think it works perfectly well as a standalone book. I had no trouble following the relationships and action. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery enough that I’ve purchased books 1 and 2. Lily and Matthew and her friends were quite delightful.

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

As usual, my investigative skills are almost non-existent when it comes to choosing a book to read, so when I requested Death at the Manor I had no idea it was the third book in the Lily Adler Mystery series. Nevertheless, I had no issues following the story and understanding the main events of the previous two books. It is safe to say that can be read as a stand-alone, although I do not doubt fans of the series will disagree.

Because I did not know anything about the book, I can safely say that I went into it without expectations. However, right at the beginning, the protagonist, Lily Adler, gets involved in a murder investigation. I must admit that I was quite intrigued about where the story would go, given that the circumstances around the murder are odd and exciting enough.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as I would have. If it wasn’t because the whole point of the novel is about finding the person responsible for the murders, I am sure I would have enjoyed it way more. Sadly, predictability is the number one killer when it comes to Mystery Fiction; or at least, for me.

Apart from how effortless it was to find the culprit as early as a quarter way through, I also had a few issues with Lily Adler herself. I did not buy the persona she was supposed to be, because she did not seem the intelligent, detail-oriented, and brilliant character the author wanted me to believe.

Lily is obviously quite incompetent when it comes to social cues, so she missed too many details that were determinant for the plot development, and for characterisation in general. Admittedly, Lily was at best average, and I grew tired of other characters constantly telling her how observant and clever she is. Finally, Lily does not resolve the mystery, but simply stumbles upon evidence that was basically, impossible to ignore, so no merit from me for the ‘whodunnit’ element.

Overall, Death at the Manor is an OK cosy mystery with an average plot development and characterisation. Ideal for passing the time without needing brainpower.

In this third regency mystery featuring young widow Lily Adler, she has left the swirl of London society behind her for some time away in the country, especially after her involvement in solving a murder. She is initially visiting her much loved aunt in a small Hampshire village with her friends Lord Edward and Lady Ophelia Carroway. They are hoping for a quiet, relaxing time but it is not to be. Hearing of a ghost in local manor Belleford, they visit with their neighbour, widower Matthew Spencer only to discover the matriarch of the house is dead in her bed in a room locked from the inside, believed by all the house to have been killed by the ghost they call the Grey Lady.

While it’s not too hard to guess how the murder was done in this locked room mystery, the who and the why are much harder to discover and take some serious investigation and snooping around by Lily and her friend Ophelia. I was disappointed not to see Lily’s delightful friend Captain Jack Hartley involved in this mystery, as he has been sent back out to sea, but hope we will see him again soon, although he now has a competitor for Lily’s affections in Matthew Spencer, who seems very charming and smitten with Lily. Ophelia does make for a good fellow sleuth as she is as forthright, intelligent and courageous as Lily herself. (I was also pleased to see the author’s note as to why Ophelia reminds me so much of Miss Lambe in Jane Austen's Sanditon). I enjoyed this delightful historical mystery complete with a ghost and a fractured family in a decaying manor and can't wait to see where Lily finds her next murder.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The Lily Adler books have quickly become a favorite mystery series of mine. Death at the Manor is Schellman's take on a Gothic novel and features a haunted manor, a dysfunctional family, a locked door mystery, and a pair of fabulous lady sleuths!

This book had all the components of a classic mystery novel and I loved it for that. Schellman's writing is so clear and easy to read. The setting was atmospheric and the cast of characters contained plenty of intrigues. In this book, we get POVs from both Lily and Ofelia as they work together to crack the case. They are both great characters who brought something fresh to the novel. It was interesting to see Lily from her friend's perspective and see some of her blindspots.

My main gripe is that Jack, my preferred love interest, was absent for almost all of the book. I love his dynamic with Lily, and in this book, she seemed to flounder without him there to steady her. I hope we will see more of him in future novels--although it seems like Schellman is setting them up to be a SLOW burn.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts expressed are my own. Death at the Manor is the third title in the Lily Adler series. The action moves from London to the countryside where Lily is visiting her aunt and her aunt's companion before travelling on to her friend, who is set to deliver a baby shortly. While paying a visit to one of the local families, the Wrights, when it is discovered that the matriarch of the family has been murder. As the door was locked from the inside and had to be opened using a key, the rumors of a ghost haunting the home is viewed by many to be the logical answer, but Lily is skeptical. Assisted by Lady Ofelia who is also skeptical of ghost stories, Lily sets out to determine who killed Mrs. Wright. Was it her rogue son, her daughter who has been stuck at home instead of marrying and setting up her own home, or someone else entirely?

I really enjoyed this title and thought the mystery was extremely well done. Looking back, the clues are sprinkled throughout the book, but it took me a long time to put everything together and guess the killer. The author kept the mystery moving at a good pace - it wasn't drug out, but it also didn't end abruptly or too quickly. There are a few developments related to Lily and her potential love interests. I look forward to future titles in this series.

If you love a good historical mystery series then the Lily Adler mysteries are the books for you! Set in the Regency Era, Lily Adler is a widow who continually has the good fortune of solving mysteries that develop in her midst. Lily is a strong female lead ahead of her time and she continues to delight in this third installment in the series, Death at the Manor.

I was sad to see that Jack, who has been Lily's partner in solving crime in the previous two novels, was not present in this latest novel. We only see some letters exchanged between the two friends. This might have been why the book didn't quite hit the mark for me as the previous two did, but I think the pacing was a bit slower in this one as well and that definitely contributes to my overall reading experience.

On the whole, if you are a mystery lover I think you should definitely check out this fun mystery series. Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this advance review copy in exchange for my honest review. Look for Death at the Manor from your favorite bookseller on August 9, 2022.

I love how so many things happened in the book. I could not keep myself from the book because it was so good

NICE, BUT NOT MY FAVOURITE LILY ADLER MYSTERY

For me, this book does not feel on par with the rest of the series. While it was not a bad book at all, it just didn't feel like it belonged in a series with the two previous books. And that was a let down, because I really enjoyed them.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Mystery: What really made this book worthwhile was the mystery at the center of the story. It had a sort of classical feel to it. A locked room mystery were all of the suspects are known right from the start. That just felt so retro to me and I absolutely loved it. While I was quick to guess the method of killing, the murderer did surprise me.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Jack: Lily's previous companion in solving murders had been her husband's friend, Jack. I always liked Jack. I felt like he delivered a lot of humour and he always managed to keep Lily grounded. Sadly, Jack isn't in this book at all. He is out at sea. And in my humble opinion, the book suffered from his absence. While the Schellman offers us Ophelia as a substitute, she doesn't fill the void left behind by Jack. Lily needs Jack. They are a duo.

Detour: Most of all this book felt like a detour of sorts. Not like a natural continuation of the series. But more like a spin-off of sorts. Or as if it should have been novella.