Oh my goodness! I can't even imagine having her husband's light skirt showing up at the house. And this woman has the nerve to ask Bea to take on her case to keep her out of jail. Now that is one amazing case. Mrs. Taylor wants to be part of the interview process. Right there tells you it is going to be a good story. Verity Lark makes an appearance too. I liked the story.

I have not read all of the books in this series but I intend to start at the beginning. This was a great installment. The mystery was solid with a few twists, and things are not as they appear. I loved the humor and the adventure.
Many thanks to The Book Whisperer and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Beatrice Hyde-Clare mysteries are so much fun. Messina does a lovely job of balancing the different themes throughout her novels—parts are heartfelt, funny, tense, and heartbreaking. This installment begins with Bea feeling uneasy about Damien’s movements the day before. When Bea rises in the morning, she is greeted by an unwelcome sight: Damien hugging his former mistress in the foyer! It turns out that Mrs. Taylor isn’t there to see Damien. In fact, she is there to beg Bea to find the person responsible for killing her friend. Mrs. Taylor believes that she was the intended victim instead of her friend. A

There were many layers to the mystery and the story, and the characters were delightful! I highly recommend it and look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the ARC.

I couldn't finish this book; it simply wasn't to my taste. The writing style didn't resonate with me, preventing me from getting invested in the story.

Another fantastic Beatrice Hyde-Clare mystery. In this installment, Beatrice must work to clear the name of her husband's former mistress. Kesgrave's former mistress, Penelope, had a contentious relationship with her friend Millie. When Millie turns up dead in Penelope's own bed, she's the sole suspect. Despite their unfortunate connection, Bea is on the case... and she's never been stumped yet.

I adore this series. Bea is such a talented investigator. She sees connections where no one else would. I also love her relationship with the Duke. Such a sweet romance. This entry picks up literally right after the events of A Lark's Flight, which is fun. These novels are quite funny and always have compelling mysteries. I will happily continue to read them all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"A Murderous Tryst" by Lynn Messina is a gripping historical mystery that seamlessly combines scandal, suspense, and a touch of romance. The author weaves a tale of betrayal and intrigue, set against the backdrop of the regency era, where societal norms are as rigid as the elaborate gowns worn by the characters.

The plot unfolds with a shocking revelation as Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave, discovers her husband in the arms of his former mistress, Penelope Taylor. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when Penelope reveals the true reason for her visit – the murder of her dearest friend, Millicent Lloyd, who was found in the courtesan's bed. The narrative takes a fascinating twist as Bea becomes embroiled in an investigation to prove Penelope's innocence.

Lynn Messina skillfully crafts characters with depth and complexity, making them more than mere archetypes. Bea, with her determination and resilience, takes center stage as she navigates the intricate web of lies and deceit. The author masterfully explores the nuances of relationships and societal expectations, adding layers of complexity to the characters' motivations.

The pacing of the story is well-executed, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Bea's journey through a maze of clues and broken hearts. The author's vivid descriptions bring the regency era to life, immersing readers in a world of opulence and intrigue. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and authentic to the time period, enhancing the overall reading experience.

One of the strengths of "A Murderous Tryst" lies in its ability to keep readers guessing until the very end. The intricate plot twists and turns, and the revelation of a diabolical villain, add an extra layer of suspense to the narrative. Lynn Messina's writing style is engaging, and her attention to historical detail is commendable.

While the book skillfully balances mystery and romance, some readers may find the complexity of the plot a bit challenging to follow. However, for those who enjoy historical mysteries with well-developed characters and a captivating storyline, "A Murderous Tryst" is a must-read. Lynn Messina's ability to transport readers to another time and place makes this book a four-star adventure into the heart of regency-era intrigue and passion.

Beatrice Hyde-Clare, Duchess of Kesgrave, who has recently discovered that she is pregnant and is already upset by the fact that her husband had lied to her about his activities the day before, then comes upon him in the embrace of his former mistress. As it turns out, however, Penelope Taylor has come to see her, for a friend of hers, Millicent Lloyd, has just been murdered, and Mrs. Taylor, who was found standing over her holding the knife, is the only suspect. She, however, claims that she had just found the body and that she was the intended victim, and that Millicent, who resembles her and was sleeping in her bed, having arrived at her home intoxicated and distraught, was mistaken for her. Once she understands the situation, Beatrice agrees to take the case, which mostly includes visits to the various men - quite a few of them - who have cause to hate Mrs. Taylor, from previous lovers to the uncle of a young man who is presently making a fool of himself over her. It concludes with an audacious and dangerous scheme to bait the killer into revealing themselves.

Although A Murderous Tryst is the twelfth book in this series, I have never read any of the others, but that did not hinder me from getting up to speed about how things stood and I would definitely consider giving the earlier ones a try. (Considering that, I found it a bit surprising that Beatrice had so little experience with the maneuver she used to subdue the killer.) The relationships between the various characters, including the past experiences that have made them what they are, were well portrayed, with the original misunderstanding being resolved after some maneuvering, and Mrs. Taylor was actually quite refreshing in her unabashed and brazen self-interest. A new family member, of whom the Duke was previously unaware but who will undoubtedly play a role in future cases, is also briefly introduced.

I received a copy of A Murderous Tryst from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
Let me start by saying this is overall an enjoyable read. The heroine Beatrice is quite lovely and feisty, exactly the kind of female protagonist I love. The dialogues are funny, especially the witty banter between Bea and her husband Kesgrave, it always earns a small chuckle from me. The curtain scene when they set a trap to catch the killer is like watching a British comedy and I love it.
The plot is actually pretty decent for a cozy mystery. (I usually have low standards for this genre, as long as they are not too stupid and blatantly obvious it’s fine by me.) Not so much of a well-crafted scheme from the murderer so it’s no Agatha Christie sort of whodunnit, but we have a resourceful, tactical detective that more or less makes up for that, and most importantly, she knows what she’s doing.
There isn’t much romance for the protagonists (a plus for me in mysteries). I’ve never read the previous books in this series, so I have zero knowledge of the characters. It is a bit of a red flag for me at first to see the duke Kesgrave holding his former mistress in his arms in his own house (dude wth). But as the story progresses, Bea and Kesgrave make a lovely couple. They understand each other, he doesn’t try to stop Bea from doing her detective work, and there is no miscommunication troupe because they talk about their problems like a mature couple should! It also occasionally makes satirical social commentaries on women’s status and plight in the Regency era mainly through Bea’s inner observation and Penny’s complaints, which is also quite interesting to see this subject through two women’s eyes who have very different social statuses.

But there are quite a few things I do not enjoy. One, the first half of the book is delightful, with all the interesting characters and amusing conversations, but it becomes a bit dragged out in my opinion in the second half. It might be because it introduced some characters and stories from previous books that I never read, so it gets a wee bit confusing and boring to me. But also some of the suspects honestly are just the same type and I don’t see the necessity of creating multiple just to make it look like a lot of people are trying to kill the victim. I skimmed out most of it because I lost my patience. Two, I have no problem whatsoever against courtesans, but I really, really do not like Penelope Taylor as a character for one bit. She was fun at first but then it got a bit too self-righteous for my taste.
The third one is mostly a me-problem. Even though most reviews said it’s fine to just read this as a standalone, it sometimes still confuses me when it mentions something from the previous works like I said, and it mentions quite a lot. It does not help my reading experience. And it also does not make me scream “omg I wanna read more of this asap”, so.

First I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. I have read the first book in this series and enjoyed it and now that I have read this one I know I have to go back and read the series from the second book.. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. I love who done it’s so it was no surprise that even thought I was missing a good chunk of the characters history I didn’t feel lost.

In the latest Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave mystery, Lynn Messina delves into the Duke of Kesgrave’s past with the murder of his former mistress’s lookalike and rival -- a murder which Bea must solve early in her first pregnancy. This particular case will challenge Bea and Kesgrave’s relationship, as there are other family secrets which Bea does not yet know about (but longtime readers of the series will). Messina’s new and familiar characters are as charming, devious, clever, dynamic, and diverse as ever, with the new additions of Millicent Lloyd, the victim, and the courtesan Penelope Taylor adding new and fascinating elements to the narrative. Readers will sympathize (or be frustrated) with Bea’s responses to these new twists and secrets that Kesgrave has kept from her as she attempts to find the murderer of Millicent Lloyd. Bea is as wonderful and clever as ever, but Kesgrave gets his chances to shine throughout this novel, and his characterization grows, as does his relationship with Bea. A Murderous Tryst is another fascinating Beatrice Hyde-Clare mystery, this time with new stakes, new characters, a new murderer, and another mystery for the Duchess of Kesgrave who is, at all times, prepared for any eventuality and brings her detective skills and brilliant mind to each case.

This book was an arc received via NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is book twelve in Beatrice Hyde-Clare Series. If you know me though, I read this as a standalone and didn’t find any issues. I am sure that reading each of those would have given me more insights into the characters. Although, there was enough information within this book to keep me in the loop enough to get through the book without any issues.

The Duchess of Kesgrave solves murders. The Dukes former mistress is being accused of murder and she seeks out the Duchess to help her clear her name. The Duke does not wish to have his former mistress bother his wife but she walks up as he is dismissing her. The Duchess chooses to let her in and her what she has to say.

This was definitely an interesting tale. I might consider picking up the series from the start. I enjoy regency stories… really just historical fiction in general is great! This story was great to get you through a holiday break or just to cozy up to in the evenings, like I did.

If you too enjoy regency historical fiction and a cozy mystery with someone trying to solve a crime with little to no help from the police than this is a great pick.

I liked the premise of this book but found it slow moving. The characters, however, were really fun. This is a part of a series, and I have not read the other previous book. If you like historical fiction based around the early 1900s, this may be a good book for you.

This is an interesting book set in the Regency but featuring a female ‘detective’. At first this dragged a little for me but then the character Verity Lark was mentioned and I became more interested as I had enjoyed reading her story. I think Bea is just as interesting as Verity in her own way and I will look for more of these light romances for a quick read. Thanks to #netgalley and #potatoworkspress for this copy of #amurderoustryst to read and review, all opinions are my own.

Lynn Messina does a fantastic job in writing this historical mystery novel. The characters were everything that I wanted from this type of book and worked with this mystery overall. I enjoyed what I read and can’t wait for more from Lynn Messina.

I had a hard time following this book, mainly because I had to keep stopping and looking up words I didn't know what they were. I gave it 4 stars, cause I believe it could be a good book if you can follow it. I might would recommend this book.

All I can say is if you have not read this series, you are missing one of the most entertaining around!

They never get boring or repetitive and the characters are over the top! There is witty banter between Bea and Kesgrave as usual, but also introduction of previous as well as new characters!

Fast paced and filled with humor and intrigue, I only want the author to write faster!! Not to be missed.

This story was a nice break from the traditional historical romance I read. It is a mystery which requires Beatrice, the Duchess of Kesgrave, to solve who murdered a little known courtesan and was attempting to frame her rival a well known courtesan who had at one time been her husband, the Duke of Kesgrave's mistress. Mrs. Penny Taylor, the accused murderer, approached Bea to ask her to investigate who had actually committed the murder as she thought she was the intended victim of the crime because of where it had been committed. I won't give away the story- everyone should read it because its a short but satisfying story if you enjoy mysteries with a female lead. This isn't my first book from this author but I am looking forward to more works from Lynn Messina.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review

In Lynn Messina’s eleventh entry to the Beatrice Hyde-Clare mysteries, the author tantalizes us with the possibility of Kesgrave’s seeming infidelity. The characters are every bit as witty as ever ( and even better than they were in the last book which fell into a slightly predictable pattern). No predictability in this novel, though, with the surprising reaction our heroine has to the fear that her husband might be cheating on her. And when she meets his first mistress, the banter is as delightful as ever, despite the awkwardness of the situation. The couple work together to share their insights and observations to a nicely developed ending. With a few twists, the plot moves quickly towards a conclusion that leaves this reader satisfied and looking forward to another installment.

A Murderous Tryst by Lynn Messina is an entertaining novel about a duchess who has a reputation for solving crimes. It opens with Bea, the duchess, in a snit because her duke was spreading the word about her pregnancy when he had told her he had not. A LIE! She could not abide it. Plus, for the first night since they were wed, he didn’t join her in their bed, well, hers, but found his rest in his own bed, alone. She was beside herself. Then, the next morning as she is about to seek him out she finds him in the entry way, in an embrace with a beautiful woman. As she is to discover, this woman had once been his mistress. What in land’s name was she doing here? After reluctant introductions are made, it seems the woman is here for her. Mrs. Penelope Taylor was accompanied by her friend, Sir John Piddlehinton, a magistrate, who planned to take her from here to Newgate, the notorious prison. He had discovered her standing over the dead body of a woman, holding the murder weapon and so was doing his duty. Mrs. Taylor was adamant she was innocent and wanted Bea’s help in proving it. She did have enemies and surely one of them had mistaken the dead woman for her and killed her.

Bea is very clever, although new to the workings of the ton. Her husband, the Duke of Kesgrove, is madly in love and cannot say no to her, especially with her investigation hobby. She is very attractive, although not ravishing like Mrs. Taylor, but for whatever reason Bea believes her and agrees to help. The men they hope to visit are not happy at all to see a woman of Mrs. Taylor’s reputation in their homes. Some have wives and children to be sheltered. The more time Bea spends with Mrs. Taylor the more she likes her, but foremost in her mind is her husband, and why he had lied. It is truly an amazing story. Oh, and, she does solve the crime, which is an interesting one, with an clever resolution. Good characters, interesting crime. What more could we ask Lynn Messina to provide?

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Murderous Tryst by Book Whisperer, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BookWhisperer #LynnMessina #AMurderousTryst

Courtesy of The Book Whisperer and Netgalley, I received the ARC of A Murderous Tryst by Lynn Messina. This Regency era cozy mystery is the newest historical novel in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series, and my first to read, easily understood as a standalone story. The descriptions and dialogue are extremely witty, humorous, scandalous,and clever! The characters are captivating, the twists interesting! This author is a true wordsmith! Highly recommend!