The third Lily Adler Mystery is a worthy successor to the first two, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and in this book Lily has an intrepid accomplice--her recently-married friend, Ofelia.

It's Regency England, and young widow Lily, along with Ofelia and her adoring husband, Ned, have looked forward to spending a few months in the country with Lily's aunt and her longtime companion. But no sooner do they arrive from London than they are caught up in an implausible ghost story at a neighboring family's estate. By all accounts, a menacing ghost has caused many of the servants to leave, especially after one of them is injured while fleeing from the apparition. When the family's matriarch is found dead in her bed while locked--from the inside--in her bedroom, even the police are inclined to give some credence to the ghost story. But Lily, who has helped law enforcement resolve two previous murders, believes the woman's son and daughter have their own reasons for wanting her dead.

This story has everything I look for in a historical mystery--an intelligent, caring heroine, a plethora of promising suspects, interesting supporting characters, a well-drawn setting, and a satisfying conclusion, not to mention a burgeoning romance between Lily and dashing Matthew Spencer. I'm sure there will be more installments to come.

My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for affording me the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this bookk.

Lily is pragmatic and she is looking forward to a quiet companionship with her aunts in Hampshire. She is
accompanied by her friends and is looking forward to meeting Mathew Spencer whom she has a fondness for. Arriving
in this small village, her interest and the interests of her companions is aroused by the stories surrounding a
ghost in a manor bordering the village.

The story takes off from there. Visiting this manor house, Lily is not met just by stories of a ghost who has been
seen by many in the house, but also by the death of the mistress of the house - supposedly at the hands of the ghost.
Unfortunately the local magistrate is not willing to deal with a proper investigation but is willing to pass it off
as a death by an unknown party. Not attributing it to a ghost or to a human being either.

Lily sets in motion an enquiry with Bow Street and uncovers a story of intrigue. The obvious suspects are taken into
custody but with no real proof - only suspicion and the actual villain of the piece gets away almost scot free.

Very lovely setting - the English countryside and the English countryside way of life adds piquancy to the story.

While I loved the first two books in this series, this third book seemed to have a different feel and I didn’t connect with it emotionally. Death at the Manor continues Lily Adler’s life as a young widow in Regency Britain who seems to stumble into murder investigations. This time, she’s out of London, traveling with her friends Lord & Lady Calloway, to visit her aunt in the country. While there, Lily is reunited with Matthew Spencer, who we met is book #2. Matthew is a wounded war hero, widower and father of 2 younger children,. He seems more interested in Mrs. Adler than when he was in London and is courting her. The murderer in this book may or may not have been “the grey lady” a ghost plaguing Belford Manor and the family and servants who live there. Lily doesn’t believe in ghosts but finding the real killer is a big challenge.
The book was well written and a fun read but it seemed like a departure from Lily’s story — a bubble outside of the her trajectory. I hope the next series installment gets back on track.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved this book and I had not read the other two prior ones in the series.The writing is just so good! The main characters are so very likable and affable. The story, with murders and the quest to solve them, is fun. I look forward to reading any additional books in the series. Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Discordant Notes…
The third Lily Adler mystery finds our engaging protagonist on a ghost trail. Looking forward eagerly to a visit with friends at a country manor, she is taken aback to find discordant notes in the small village. Has a ghost taken up residence in the big house? When a murder occurs it soon becomes very clear that the real danger is from living, breathing entities. Wholly enjoyable and entertaining with a delightfully drawn cast of characters and a solid plotline. A worthy addition to the series.

I LOVED this book. It’s mainly because of the writers excellent writing style which was a joy to read. Not having read the other 2 books in the series I had no problem catching on to the various characters and their backstories. The mystery and plot were both complex but easy to follow and very interesting and engaging. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good solid A plus mystery novel!!! I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Note: Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for allowing me access to this arc in exchange for an honest review! 

My Review
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. The writing is excellent, and the story is easy-going and interesting. I believe that this book can be read as a standalone, or after reading Schellmen's first two books in the series (The Body in the Garden & Silence in the Library), and that is a huge plus for any book.

The Good Things
1. I love the main character, Lily Alder! She is written well and jumps off the page, as the main character should. 

2. Much like Lily, the rest of the characters in the book are engaging. 

3. The dialogue between characters is realistic and intriguing. 

4. This story is the textbook definition of a Mystery, and I love it! 


The Bad Things
1. There were two or three places where the story seemed to sput out a bit. However, they were short, so I moved past them quickly! 


My Final Rating:
☆☆☆☆☆ (Goodreads)
☆☆☆☆☆ (Blog)