An enjoyable historical mystery, with a feisty teenage girl as the central character and amateur detective. Together with an unconventional police constable who takes a very analytical approach they make a great detecting duo. Feels like the first of a series.

This has some really promising elements and some enjoyable parts, although it didn’t quite come together for me in the end. It seems to be the first in a series, though, so I’m optimistic for future installments. The Victorian-set mystery has Eliza working with the police to find her father. Her somewhat unhappy upbringing makes her unconventional enough to pursue the leads and try to uncover the deeper mystery. Some of the historical elements didn’t seem quite right, and some of the story moved a little slowly. Still, a promising start to what could be a very enjoyable series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own.

Well, I didn't like this book, and I'm quite disappointed about it, because I was hoping a dark cosy mystery with the "Enola Holmes" vibe—there was none of these.

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The characters felt really off, and couldn't being myself to even appreciate any of them. The main character, Eliza, didn't hook me at all, and the detective whose name I have forgotten didn't either. The characters, be it the main or secondary ones, were all pretty blank in my opinion.

Still on a character note, I felt like the relationship between Eliza (16 years old) and the detective (28 or more? I don't remember) was just… weird? Also, they didn't know each other, but the detective just tells Eliza absolutely all his life when they first met, which, again, felt off.

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As for the mystery part, it came pretty late in the book (which didn't bother me that much). It was good and well-thought. Some of the clues found by both Eliza and the detective were a little out of place, but overall there no incoherences.

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It was an okay book in my opinion. I would like to be able to feel anything for any of the characters, which I didn't.

But the murder and then looking for clues parts were fine, with some twists.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book for an honest review.

I was soo excited to get my hands on this Arc. The cover had me absolutely captivated and I am a sucker for a good historical fiction.. Add some mystery and I'm hooked.

The writing was easy to follow. And if you just want an simple story to enjoy. I would recommend.

So Eliza( Elizabeth) is seen as a bit of a wild child to her family. Disobeying them when all she trying to do is find answers to her father death. I liked the research done. Being from Cardiff the reference to Butetown was a great reference. It's a but slow to start. Nothing really happens till about half way, then it just slowly drifts. I wanted to like it but found myself hating most of the characters bad Daffyd.

A new historical mystery, a strong heroine, a plot with echo of gothic and feminism. The plot is tightly knitted and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I enjoyed the plot and can't wait to read the next story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Didn’t love how we were thrust into the story straight away with no context for what was going on or who anyone was.

In this complex Victorian mystery, readers follow Eliza Mace as she tries to unravel the secrets surrounding her family and the disappearance and murder of her father. Struggling with growing up, the death of her father, and the difficult relationships with her mother, along with several secrets, readers try to solve Eliza’s father’s murder with her and Constable Pritchard. As things grow more complicated and more secrets are revealed, Eliza has to come to terms with her new reality and the challenges that solving this murder will create for her family and for the community. Eliza is a flawed and realistic protagonist, trying to hold onto her childhood while chafing at her mother’s rules and society’s restrictions, and her attempts to take control of her life create further challenges for her. The rest of the cast, from Eliza’s family to Constable Pritchard, the community, and the household staff, are decently complex side and background characters, and Burton and Poster have done an excellent job creating the background community for their readers. Both a strong standalone novel and the potential start to a new series, Burton and Poster bring the challenges of young womanhood in 1870s Wales to life in this immersive, easy to read, historical mystery.

In the first of a thrilling new Victorian detective series, Eliza Mace, on the cusp of adulthood, is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house in the Welsh borders in the 1870s, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza’s determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.

Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that’s no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart...

Eliza Mace is about a teenager-turned-sleuth. When Eliza's father disappears and the police are called to investigate, Eliza will not sit back and wait. Instead, she actively engages in investigating what might have happened to him.

As a mystery, it's a very enjoyable read. Well plotted and well paced. We follow Eliza's investigation and her growing friendship with Davydd, the detective charge with investigating her father's disappearance.

As a historical novel, well, it's atmospheric and quite immersive. No, you won't for a moment feel like you're reading a novel actually written in the 19th century. It is indeed too 'democratic'. The detective is rather too posh and Eliza not quite posh enough (and far too familiar with him). The whole pacing, tone and language are 21st century (even if the dialogue is more or less appropriate for the period). But what the hell... it seems petty to niggle. This is 'historical mystery' genre fiction -- i.e., a contemporary mystery format in a historical setting -- and it succeeds very well in what it sets out to do. And Eliza is absolutely charming. It's a pleasure spending time with her!

Eliza Mace is an entertaining read and I enjoyed it. And I do hope that Eliza will be back in another mystery to solve with her detective friend one of these days!

I haven't read many historical mysteries so that is why this one intrigued me. I think the author did a great job with this one! I liked the main character and following her journey to get to the bottom of her dad's disappearance. I also enjoyed the relationship with her uncle. The author did a good job making the book very cozy and mysterious-I did not guess the ending! It was a bit slow at times but that is really my only complaint.

The first in a new series of books featuring Eliza Mace, we meet her aged 16 suffering as the mediator between her father and mother in their frequent arguments. Eliza's father has been borrowing money left right and centre, always hoping to make it big on the next gamble, or drinking away the funds in the pub. He's thoroughly disliked by most of the town, so when he disappears there aren't too many people that care, aside from Eliza and her family, along with Detective Pritchard who is assigned to the case. He and Eliza are a great team and despite her mother and uncle worrying about the time they spend together they strike up a great friendship and after solving her father's mystery it seems she might have developed a taste for being a sleuth, and found her niche. I look forward to the next installment!

Eliza Mace is the first book in the Eliza Mace Mysteries series and I happy to report that I'll definitely be picking up more when they come out.

Eliza is our fmc. She's sixteen and stuck between her fighting parents. Luckily she has her uncle and she spends most of her time with him, wandering the grounds and discussing things that a normal sixteen year old lady wouldn't normally be discussing. I mention this as I think it is the catalyst to how things move forward for Eliza. I have to say, she came off as a much older character to me - both in her interactions with those around her and the way she spoke.

As the story kicks off, Eliza's parents are arguing about money and resources again and when her father leaves on the family horse and doesn't return as expected, no one knows what to think but they call in the police to help figure out where he is. Enter Dafydd Pritchard, the new police constable. Dafydd has a story and I appreciated how it was revealed but he is determined to figure out what happened, no matter who he annoys along the way.

As Eliza and Dafydd partner to solve the mystery of her father's whereabouts, secrets are uncovered and they have a big impact on everyone in the book. As there is a mystery here, I'm not going to say a lot here about what happens and who is involved but I thought the reveal was done well. I also appreciated how Burton and Poster included the post-reveal impact.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a fairly quick read and all of the secrets kept me interested in the story. As I mentioned, I kind of wanted Eliza to be a bit older, if only so that her partnership with Dafydd didn't feel weird but otherwise I thought it was done well. I'll definitely pick up more by these authors in the future.

Eliza is 16 and at the stage of not being an adult but not being a child either. She is well aware of the tension on the household but her mother , Hannah, doesn’t want her worried about family matters, so doesn’t let her know what the problems are. Eliza is an intelligent person and usually finds out what is going on. When her father goes missing, Eliza is determined to find out what has happened and him, even though she has been warned to stay out of the investigation by her mother. However, Eliza is determined no one will stop her. I did enjoy this story, my one complaint was that the pace was a little slow at first but later on this improved. There were several possible culprits and I didn’t see how it would all pan out. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved The Strange Adventures of H by Sarah Burton and so was thrilled to to get the opportunity to read Eliza Mace.
I loved Eliza’s spirit - that never give up attitude she had. Her determination to uncover the truth and be included in the conversations was admirable if not a little out of place for the time and her family’s position in society. The relationships in this story are fascinating- secrets and lies surround the household and Eliza is so frustrated to be kept in the dark. The mystery element was well thought through and enough little clues to keep the story spinning. This is an enjoyable mystery with a dysfunctional family theme that kept me guessing til the end.

I found the book at the start a bit slow going but as it gained momentum it got a bit more exciting.

Eliza Mace lives with her Father, Mother and Uncle James. Her parents are always arguing over the Father’s ventures that he keeps getting involved in to make money but they don’t it is just a waste. Her Father goes missing and the police becomes involved with a young Constanle called Dafydd doing the investigation Eliza helps him.

The interesting part of the book was the investigation it kind of kept leading you down the gardening path, some of it I had guessed with things but other bits I hadn’t.

I liked the book and the final third of the book was good but not so much the start.

This was quite slow going for the first half especially. Some of this will be down to the building of characters etc as it's the first book. They mystery also doesn't going for quite some time so I did find the time dragging a bit and the the mystery and aftermath felt like it happening in a rush, Hopefully this will improve in the later books. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 Stars
One Liner: Ugh!
1870s, Welsh Borders
Eliza, aka Elizabeth Mace, is sixteen+, an age her mother says is when she becomes a woman and is no longer a child. Her parents’ marriage and the crumbling house stifle Eliza. She longs to free herself and become independent. However, her father goes missing (and is drowning in debt), and Eliza decides to dig deeper to find out what happened. She works with her new friend, a police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, and realizes that the truth could have devastating consequences.
The story comes in Eliza’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
Well, this is exactly why I do not consider the book comparisons in the blurb. However, I have a thing for historical mysteries, and when I saw ‘Enola Holmes’ mentioned, I decided to try this book. Sadly, this is nothing like Enola.
I am okay with dark cozy mysteries, but there has to be something to keep me hooked on the plot. Here, almost every character feels off. While I appreciate the attempt to make them layered, the characters end up even more superficial and unlikeable.
We have a toxic dysfunctional family, which should make me care for poor Eliza. Yet, I couldn’t feel for any of them. The side characters aren’t better either (except for little Jevan, maybe).
There is no humor (zero) or a lighthearted scene. That’s okay. Not mandatory for me. However, the mystery isn’t great either. I did expect it to start late, so I wasn’t too annoyed. The investigation is okay, but nothing to elevate the book or cover up the flaws.
Somehow, all characters call each other using their first names (irrespective of the status/ position). Also, we have a constable acting like an FBI (or UK equivalent) in disguise while the Sergeant is happy to let him handle the case.
Though I like the friendship between the constable and Eliza, I can’t help but feel something off. For one, he is nine years older and has policing experience in the city. His approach and dedication cannot be faulted, but would a constable constantly seek a young girl (no matter how smart she is) to help solve the crime? Moreover, he shares his entire past with her on the second meeting. Huh… why?
I understand Eliza’s need for independence and her frustration with adults who want her to act like a grownup but treat her like a child. That part comes out clearly, which is a plus (thank god).
After the initial slowness, the book picks up speed. A few scenes with the investigation are well done and kept me interested enough to finish the book. The ending is a sort of cliffhanger (with the mystery fully solved), but I say goodbye here.
To summarize, Eliza Mace reads like a below-average play where I had the front-row seats. That’s sad because the plot had the potential to be an intense mystery (if not a cozy).
Thank you, NetGalley and Duckworth Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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The review will not be posted on Amazon due to the low rating.

Unfortunately, this is nothing like Enola Holmes which is what attracted me to request this book on Netgalley. Enola Holmes (which is a favorite btw) is witty, funny, and not very dark unlike this one. The story started up very slow and nothing about it made me want to continue reading. I DNF-ed around 32%. I would have loved this story because it historical and promoted to be Enola Holmes-ish but there were some historical inaccuracies like a woman owning a property (historically, women had to marry to be part of a man's property). On this book, Eliza's father used up all her mother's money which doesn't make sense historically because of her mother came from a very well off family, if the father doesn't have any then he will not be entertained at all by the parents.

March is off to a great start with this fantastic book. I love historical fiction and this book really transported me to the Victorian period where the murder mystery is set.
The story is narrated by 15 year old Eliza Mace who lives in an old manor house with her parents (Robert and Hannah Mace) and Uncle James, along the Welsh borders. When Eliza’s father goes missing she sets out to help Detective Dafydd Pritchard solve the case. With her father's unpopularity and debts to several tradesmen Eliza starts to uncover more secrets amongst the local community than she was expecting.
I loved Eliza and the way her feisty character breaks all the society's conventions at the time as she starts investigating her father's disappearance. I enjoyed the slower pace to the first half as we get acquainted with the characters and found it an atmospheric read. The murder mystery kept me turning the pages towards the end, keen to find out what had happened.
This is the first in a brand new series so I'm really looking forward to meeting Eliza again in book 2! If you like character driven historical mysteries I'd definitely recommend getting hold of a copy.