It has been a long road for our lead protagonist to her happily ever after. Each book in this series is titled in a manner to provide the most accurate information regarding the stage at which she is and also some possible hints of the content on the cover.
It makes it self-sufficient, and one does not need to refer to the blurb to know what to expect. I would not recommend jumping into this series at this stage without any prior introduction to the people who make up this world. If there is no other option, however, this story does serve to function as an entirely independent plot since the reader does not necessarily need to be well-informed about the personalities of the protagonist(s) to enjoy the mystery itself.
Frances did not have an easy wedding (or courtship, for that matter), but now that she is settled, she is wondering what to do next. She has an unexpected visitor who, in her own caustic way, asks for help. This leads our investigator to look into a family who seems to be actively engaged in underhand means to keep the current figurative head of their family in almost captivity.
The realities of such a situation have not changed even to this day in real life. It is a pretty harsh situation, with no 'right' way clearly sticking out for others to point their finger at. Frances, however, is all set to get a few shocks during her investigation. I did not see some of the twists coming. It was not in the end reveal like some authors might try to make it. The twists added some unexpected flavour to the new people introduced to us.
I liked the plot and feel like the series has kept up a good and interesting pace even after all these books.
I highly recommend this series to fans of historical cozy-mysteries.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and the previous works in the series.

The Countess of Harleigh series is one of my favorites, and I will read every single one that Dianne Freeman writes. The sixth installment was just as intriguing as the rest of the series, but I wasn't as captivated by the story as I usually am. I finished the first five books within days of getting my hands on them, but this one took me a while. The writing was engaging, and the story well thought out, but I had a hard time keeping characters straight or remember who was who. I didn't particularly care for Lady Esther, Lady Winstead, and Kate, and I felt like I didn't know anything about the Ashleys, which made the twist ending fall flat. Fingers crossed that the next one hits the mark better.

s a favor to a former neighbor, newlywed Frances takes on the task of sponsoring Kate, the niece of the dowager Viscountess Winstead. Suspicions arise when the Viscountess's health deteriorates rapidly, possibly due to drugging. While Kate's inheritance is at stake, numerous suspects within the household emerge. Frances teams up with her husband to uncover the truth, believing the late Viscount was also targeted. Racing against time to save the ailing dowager, they strive to unveil the villain responsible before history repeats itself in a deadly manner.

I was delighted to pick up Lady Harleigh (or as she insists, Mrs. Hazelton, when she doesn't need a title to get her way) latest adventure. She and George are thrust into two different but connected investigations: he to locate a missing Egyptologist's journal and she to discover whether her former neighbor is being drugged. The cases immediately intertwine and they work together to unravel the clues.

Who to trust in this mystery was the main issue. Every person had their secrets and Frances must learn them all to get to the bottom of murder. I found the book hard to put down because I wanted to find out what happened next.

This was a fun read that I would recommend to readers who enjoy historical mysteries.

I enjoy every visit I make with Frances and her family. This one was particularly nice because there was more with Rose, her daughter. However, this was not my favorite in the series as this one tended to drag on in places and I wasn’t as engrossed in the mystery portion. I found the premise of an introduction to the Queen fascinating but it wasn’t enough to hold my interest. Hoping the next one will have more of a mystery.

While I do enjoy the books in this series, and do recommend reading them in order, this was not a favorite of mine. I thought the themes were clever and hard-hitting. I loved the extra role Hetty played in this book and in solving this mystery. This is personal taste, but I prefer when the clues leading up to the culprit actually make sense (rather than a story be filled with too many red herrings). There were too many "clues" that were intended to be misleading and, therefore, the culprit's motivation was not strong enough. All that being said, I highly recommend this cozy mystery series. Each book's mystery is fun and interesting, the author's writing style is and characters are delightful, and I absolutely adore Frances and George.

This was another really good title in one of my favorite historic mystery series'. The author does a great job of setting up the plots of her books so that it is copletely plausible that Frances, our main character, ends up investigating them. Here, Frances has been asked to sponsor the niece of a friend, the aged but intimidating Viscountess Winstead, and prepare her for presentation to the queen. She soon learns there are some frightening things going on with Lady Winstead and that household in general. One of the problems involves the loss of Lady Winstead's late husband's journal, which was to have been given to the British Museum after his death and which Frances's husband George has been tasked with finding. The more Frances and George get involved, the more problems they discover. This was a quick read, and I really enjoyed it. I like seeing the relationship between Frances and George develop over these titles; they are a charming couple!

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

This was fun! I felt like the middle dragged a bit with some rehashing the same circumstances and questions, but the ending was fantastic and totally worth the middle!

This is a great historical fiction/mystery series. I think newcomers could start with this book without too much trouble, but if you want the whole arc of Frances and George, start with the first book.

A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne Freeman is the sixth book in Countess of Harleigh Mystery series.

This is one of my favorite historical cozy mysteries. As always the story was well told with some new very funny and interesting characters as well as the old favorites.
I like how characters grow and change in each book and not only the main characters, readers really have the opportunity to see them develop as they would in real life.

I expected George to be more present in this book as the mystery was supposed to be a joint effort.
Nice continuation of the series, and even though this is a stand alone I would suggest reading the series from the beginning to be able to get a full feel for the characters.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. I very much enjoy this series. Freeman does a splendid job of showing how Frances is able to navigate both within and outside of the expectations of British aristocracy. By being an American, Frances can operate outside the rules at times, while also giving a chance to show how Frances shines as an independent woman. I've loved watching the relationship between her and George over the course of the books, and it's lovely to see him be so fond of Rose as well. All in all, a well-rounded mystery with a handful of cantankerous older women with their own agendas and schemes (oh, to be like Lady Esther when I'm old!), with a twist that was unexpected. I didn't guess the villain correctly which is great!

Another fun cozy mystery in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series! I’ve loved this series from the very beginning and enjoy the swoony, romcom elements as well as the compelling mysteries. In this story, George is off on another case so Lady Frances does the majority of the investigating by herself. When she’s asked to sponsor the dowager Viscountess Winstead’s niece for her presentation to Queen Victoria, Frances is shocked to find the older woman in surprisingly ill health. Is it a natural deterioration due to old age, or is someone hastening her demise?

There’s a whole host of suspects with various motivations who Frances must ferret out; there’s the nurse whose life takes a frightening turn, the Viscountess’ stepchildren who all have motivations to want her dead, even her niece isn’t who she’s presumed to be. Enlisting the help of her Aunt Hetty and Hetty’s much younger “boyfriend” Gilliam, Frances’s determined to find the truth and stop a murderer before it’s too late.

I so love these mysteries mainly because of the witty dialogue, romance, and bizarre situations Frances finds herself in. This story definitely focused more on the mystery side rather than the romance. I enjoyed meeting new characters and also seeing more of the side characters taking a lead in this one. The Viscountess and her determined friend Lady Esther made me laugh. They’re delightful, spunky older ladies and forces to be reckoned with. It was also fun seeing Hetty and Gilliam getting into the sleuthing act.

The only one I really missed seeing more of was Frances’ husband George. I enjoyed it every time he was on the page and seeing the newlyweds tackle the art of blending two households. Money issues especially with Frances’ wealthy father, and making the best use of their space were all things they needed to grapple with. After all, Frances definitely needs an office if she’s going to keep solving mysteries and sponsoring young ladies.

The mystery really kept me guessing. The suspect and motivation were somewhat of a surprise. There are a lot of red herrings and I almost wish there had been a few more clues because the whodunit really came down to the last few chapters. It’s definitely one that was hard to predict.

While this fun, cozy mystery is part of a series, it could be read as a standalone, though it’s more enjoyable if you’re familiar with all the characters. Highly recommend this and the entire series to cozy mystery and historical mystery fans. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

"Kate is charming and intelligent, though perhaps not quite as sheltered as she might first appear. More worrying to Frances is the viscountess’s sudden deterioration. The usually formidable dowager has become shockingly frail, and Frances suspects someone may be drugging her. The spotlight falls on Kate, who stands to inherit if her aunt passes, yet there are plenty of other likely candidates within the dowager’s household, both above and belowstairs."
This is a good and comical story. Murder is the catalyst.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

I love this series. I like the characters and the setting. The mystery kept me guessing .

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another delightful romp with Frances and George. Newly married, now Mrs. Hazelton, finds herself mentoring a young woman for her entrance into society. But not all is as it seems with the family.
The story builds slowly, and is quite frankly plodding at times. But there are some moments of intrigue, and enough action to keep it interesting. As always, it is enjoyable to see the banter between the Hazeltons and Aunt Hetty is in fine form. We even get to see a little bit more of Rose. All in all, an enjoyable adventure.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Finally Mrs. Hazelton instead of the Countess of Harleigh, Frances is looking for a way to fill her time while her new husband, George, is on a mission from the British Museum. She finds one in the dowager Viscountess Winstead, who wants Frances to sponsor her niece, Kate, for presentation to the Queen. When Frances visits the family home to meet Kate, she notices Lady Winstead looking extremely frail, and she seems very unaware - almost as if she’s been drugged. As her suspicions grow, the entire family becomes suspects, not just of drugging Lady Winstead, but of the death of her husband, too. With George’s assistance, Frances hopes to save Lady Winstead from a very unpleasant fate.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the gifted copy of this book. I’m leaving this review voluntarily. Ironically, I read this before A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (apparently NetGalley didn’t want to approve me for that one), which I just recently finished. I didn’t understand a couple of references to the previous book, but it didn’t stop me from understanding or liking this latest installment. I give A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder four out of five stars.
It’s nice reviewing multiple books in a series; I feel like I know the characters well enough by now to know what they might and might not do. In this novel, both Frances and George behaved exactly as expected, which I appreciated. I love how Frances observes social convention and is very sensible, but has a very stubborn streak that pushes her to succeed. George allows her a lot of latitude in their relationship and shows her a lot of respect and trust, which I really like. They’re a good team of investigators.
Frances’ voice is really humorous; Freeman is very witty in the way that she writes Frances. Frances does genuinely care about people but also sees their flaws, which allows her to be a mostly-partial investigator and a good judge of people. She wants the best for everyone but also looks at situations realistically. The secondary characters of Frances’ aunt and her beau, Rose, and the servants are great characters that fill the book out well.
The plot of A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder was pretty complex; I liked how George and Frances had to work together to solve it even though both of their parts were quite different. As usual, it was quite a cheerful and easygoing read. If you’re looking for an entertaining and light series, The Countess of Harleigh is a good one.

Lady Harley returns now as a married Mrs. Hazelton (finally!), along the gang to solve another cozy historical murder mystery!

The Countess of Harley mysteries follow crime, fighting American heiress, Francis Hazelton, along with her now, husband, daughter, and friends. Set in the Victorian age, she is a lady of means and find herself and sticky situations within the ton, where often a murder is involved!

When my favourite thing about cozy, historical mysteries is the character storylines that continue throughout all the books, we have known Francis and her husband George at the beginning of their relationship and got to watch them work together as a pair and evolve accordingly.

Just like all the other mysteries, this was a fun who done it they had me guessing until the end. Francis is asked to help an elderly friend’s niece be presented and well there. She finds that the friend has now been drugged by presumably her family, and is in danger… And of course someone dies along the way!

This was another fun, Victorian mystery. They gave us a little bit of an insight on the now married, state of Francis and George. I’m hoping their next mystery takes place on their belated honeymoon!

Even though the continuing relationships of Francis and her friends and family started a book one, the series is easy to jump into at any point, and enjoy the mystery and get to know the family!

Thanks to Kensington Books for my e-book review copy.

#ANewlywedsGuidetoFortuneandMurder #DianneFreeman #CountessOfHarleyMystery

This 6th book in the series finds Frances & George investigating again. This time there is an older woman who has taken a sudden illness and her friend believes she is being poisoned by her family. Entertaining series of cozy historical mysteries.

A delightful series that has been engaging and fun with wonderful characters and this new installment set all expectations!!

Frances and her husband George have been engaged in many mysteries and together have been a great duo. With George busy on a mission for the museum, Frances is tasked with helping the Dowager Viscountess Winstead with her niece Kate and her come out...

But things are not as they appear and Frances is worried about the Dowager and one thing leads to another. A wondrous journey willed with humor, mystery and a lot of red herrings as George comes back and also has concerns. Loved it!

The Countess of Harleigh series keeps getting better and better. After several unfortunate (murder-related) delays to their wedding date, George and Frances are married, and moved into George's townhouse. They still haven't managed a honeymoon, though, and both George and Frances are embroiled in new investigations in which they join forces.

This is a fun series to read in order. Frances and George's relationships with each other and their families are enjoyable. There are plenty of red herrings included to keep the plot interesting, and the reader engaged.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

1900. Augusta Ashley, Viscountess Winstead has asked Frances Hazelton to sponsor her niece Katherine Stover. When the Viscountess falls ill her friend Lady Esther asks Frances to investigate. Leading Frances to believe she has been drugged. But why and by whom. Meanwhile George Hazelton has been requested to search for the missing journal of deceased Lord Peter Winstead.
An entertaining and well-written historical cozy mystery with its likeable and varied characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Newlywed’s Guide To Fortune And Murder is the sixth book in the A Countess Of Harleigh Mystery series by Dianne Freeman.

Lady Winstread has asked Countess Harleigh(Francis) to sponsor her niece, Katherin Stover, for a presentation to the Queen. As Francis prepares to visit Lady Winstead, Lady Esther arrives and asks to attend with Francis.
Lady Esther is shocked at how much Lady Winstead’s health has deteriorated in the last couple of weeks since her previous visit. Shortly after Lord Peter’s Death, his sons and daughter-in-law moved into his house with Lady Winstead. They seem to be waiting for Lady Winstead to die and inherit the home and money. Lady Winstead tells Francis that she believes someone is trying to kill her, and some of her valuable jewelry has gone missing. Francis suspects that Lady Winstead’s nurse might be giving too much laudanum. But when the nurse is found dead in her flat, Francis has to look elsewhere to find the person trying to kill Lady Winstead.

There’s a twist in this book, Francis and her husband, George, have worked together to solve murders in the past. In this book, as Francis is visiting Lady Winstead for the first time, George is meeting with the Home Office, where he learns they want him to find Lord Peter’s diary that lists the various artifacts he had donated to the British Museum. The museum needs the dairy to prove the provenance of the items. It is thought that the diary has been lost, but Francis finds it but goes missing before Francis can turn it over to George.

As with the previous books in this series, the book is well-written, plotted, and historically accurate. The characters are once again well-developed, exciting, and believable. There were plenty of twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end of the book to learn who the killer was. The book was hard to put down.

I am looking forward to the next book in this enjoyable Victorian mystery series.