Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld Review

To begin the story of Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld, the author sets the tone of mystery by introducing the main characters in a compelling way. The first scene establishes the dynamic between the key players. This is particularly helpful for readers new to the series, as they can quickly grasp who is who and how they fit into the story. It also provides a catalyst that drives the narrative forward. Ms. Lloyd's creative approach sets the stage for an engaging and intriguing read.

Characters

Ms. Lloyd portrays Miss Morton as an upper-class member who has fallen from high societal status. She is depicted as a companion to Mrs. Frogerton, and the two share a friendly and respectful relationship. Miss Morton assumes the responsibility of supporting her younger sister and displays her intelligence by advising Miss Frogerton on navigating her way into London's upper-class society.

Mrs. Frogerton, on the other hand, is a representation of new money in London society. Despite being snubbed by the upper echelons, she remains steadfast and holds her own. She also takes on the role of an adviser and a motherly figure in the story. 

Dr. Harris, portrayed as part of the working class, devotes countless hours to his work at the hospital, often sacrificing sleep. He is passionate about his work but has little regard for the upper class.


The tale's setting was London in 1838, and it remains faithful to the allure of seances, promenades, and balls that come hand in hand with the London season. This provides a fascinating backdrop for the novel.

Plot

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld begins with the murder of Madam Lavinia, which proves to be a complex case due to the unreliability of witnesses. Some withhold information, while others try to clear their names from suspicion. Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton gather all the evidence they can, but there seems to be a missing piece to the puzzle. Readers are left to make their own guesses as to who the culprit may be, but they will find themselves stumped. True to the genre, this novel leaves one final mystery unexplained, adding to its intriguing nature.

The mystery is unraveled by a clever blend of physical and verbal evidence. Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton lead the readers on a thrilling journey of gathering evidence. However, the path to solving the mystery is not without obstacles. It is only when the readers pay close attention to the statements of other characters in the story that the clues start coming together.

To keep the suspense alive until the big reveal, a clever diversion is used to prevent readers from arriving at a definitive conclusion regarding the identity of the killer. The story cleverly shifts focus onto various characters, distracting the readers.

Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld portrays the societal norms of that era. The book highlights the fact that people who inherited their fortunes did not accept those who earned their wealth through hard work. However, they were willing to overlook this fact and marry them to gain access to their riches. Additionally, the novel sheds light on the contrast between honest hard work and corrupt practices for making a living.


Reading Enjoyment

The novel Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld kept a consistent pace and had me constantly questioning each character's intentions. It definitely lived up to my expectations for a cozy mystery read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lady Caroline is in London for the season with her employer Mrs. Frogerton and Mrs. Frogerton’s daughter Dorothy. This mystery centers around the murder of spiritualist Madame Lavina. Of course Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton become involved solving the mystery. It was an enjoyable read, I’d like to find out more about Lady Caroline’s family- maybe the next book?

The second book in this series ,Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld in a fun whodunnit set in 1830’s London. Lady Caroline Morton’s Earl father squandered his money and took is own life…leaving his tow daughter’s disgraced by association and at the mercy of uncaring relatives. Unwilling to simply fade away when her fiancé breaks off their engagement and the “ton” shuns her, Caroline now goes by Miss Morton and works as a companion to the irrepressible widow, Mrs. Frogerton. Helping her employer to guide her bratty daughter thru her first Season on the marriage market is a full time job but Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton also end up investigating the murder of a Spiritualist Madam Lavinia and arrest of their friend Dr. Harris. Miss Morton doesn’t believe in Madam Lavinia’s ability to connect to those in the afterlife, but she can’t completely discount Madam’s power to cancel the words of the dead when she tells Miss Morton something about her father that few, if any would know. Miss Morton’s skepticism is further challenged when she and Dr. Harris find Madam’s dead body and a note left for Caroline b Madam asks her to find out who is her killer. The police inquiry is bungled, accusations and clues are assessed and once again, Miss Morton and Mrs. Frogerton are working on their own investigation while Miss Frogerton waltzes thru the Season.

Catherine Lloyd brings us back to the story of Lady Caroline. We meet her again as a companion for Mrs. Frogerton and her daughter as she helps her during her first Season. While Dorothy is enjoying all the festivities of the Season, her mother gets involved with Madam Lavinia who can commune with the spirits and shares snippets of information from Mr. Frogerton. Because of this, Mrs. Frogerton keeps going back and brings Lady Caroline with her as well. Even with evidence from Madam Lavinia with knowledge that others would not know, Lady Caroline is still skeptical. Madam Lavinia is found dead and she finds an envelope with her name on it asking for her help in finding her murderer. This takes her on an adventure as she tries to figure out who is the murderer.

Catherine Lloyd brings us a story of intrigue and a classic case of who did it. We follow Lady Caroline as she works her way through her list of suspects while trying to figure out how Madam Lavinia knew details about her life. You keep wanting to turn the page to see what happens next and to solve the mysteries we encounter. I look forward to seeing more from this author and more adventures with Lady Caroline.

I read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this privilege.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
I really liked Lloyd's previous series, so I was excited to see that she had started something new.
Had to find the first instalment at my library so I was caught up on the characters (found it a bit draggy).
I really enjoyed this book, and I like the relationship between the main character and her 'boss' - an impoverished 'Lady' and a wealthy bourgeois widow.
In this instalment, Caroline is caught up in the suspicious death of a medium who she is acquainted with because of her employer. The plot has a lot of twists and turns, but it's fun to follow along. The only minor criticism I have is that, typical of this type of book, it's supposed to be set in a particular historical period but there is no real indication of that from mention of any events or social or scientific developments (for example, you would think that there would be some mention of Queen Victoria's ascension to the throne if you are setting a book in 1838?
However, the characters are interesting and well written, and there's an ongoing story arc dealing with Caroline and her sister and their family fortunes, the writing and plotting are better than average.
Should appeal to fans of Regency and Victorian female-focused cosy mysteries.

This sequel was much more exciting than the first one in the series. The characters are well defined, and I'm a sucker for a séance story. Caroline again finds herself in a murder investigation with her employer Mrs. Frogerton. I still need more information about Dr. Harris, we learn a little more about him. I'm curious if he's gong to be a love interest or just a sidekick. That needs more developing. The mystery was intriguing and I would love to continue this journey.

I am obsessed with this!! I love Regency romances and this is that with a murder mystery in it as well. I love this so much. I want more!
I just reviewed Miss Morton and the Spirits of the Underworld by Catherine Lloyd. #MissMortonandtheSpiritsoftheUnderworld #NetGalley
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