Lady Petra is at it again in the second installment of the Lady Petra Inquires series. This series has everything someone would want in a Regency era mystery - intrigue, adventure, perilous situations, and scandalous romance. Lady Petra is intelligent, crafty, strong FMC. Her exploits in the service of the queen are delightful, and her chemistry with Duncan is top notch. I truly enjoy the Lady Petra mysteries, and I'm looking forward to reading Book 3!

In June 1815, Lady Petra Forsyth discovers that her secret lover Duncan Shawcross murdered her fiance three years earlier. Lady Petra pursues justice but discovers that all is not as it seems. Deception lies around every corner and threatens the lives of people she loves. One riddle after another forces the sleuth and her friends to untangle clues. As they work, they may even save the queen.
I like the mystery of the windows and how that thread ties into the murder of the orphanage matron. Lady Petra and her friends are also fierce, strong and smart.
The book contains a bit more sexual innuendo than I prefer, though. And I wasn't enthralled while reading. However, I would read more books in this series. It offers a unique look at what life could have been like for a small portion of London society.

What a great sequel! The tag of "Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie" is such an apt description. I thought this mystery series is going absolutely splendidly. I was so excited to continue with these characters. The mystery was a great time and I can't wait to see where these characters go!

I think people that enjoy the themes and setting that connally's series focuses on will enjoy this book. I think I even enjoyed it more than the first one.

There's intrigue, romance, and a sprinkle of royal shenanigans, which makes for a pretty entertaining blend. If crossing dances with espionage is your thing, and it extremely is my thing, you'll dig it. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

For context, this book takes place in 1815, when Napoleon had just been defeated at Waterloo. The king and queen of England are King George III and Queen Charlotte.

Lady Petra is a rarity in the England of 1815. She is an unmarried woman who has control of her finances and runs her own household. This book begins when Lady Petra was summoned to the presence of the Queen, because of a note left at a murder at the Asylum for Female Orphans. The matron of the orphanage was found dead from a blow to the head, and the note was found under her body with these words: "Those who protect the Queen shall find an early grave."

The Queen has asked Lady Petra to investigate the murder. She believes that a group known as the Bellowers may be behind the threat to the royals and members of Parliament. Her son, Prince George, intends to declare three days of celebration for their victory over Napoleon, so for their safety, the royal family plans to remove themselves to an undisclosed place before the news that Napoleon was defeated spreads.

Lady Petra has also recently come into possession of a book of information that can be used as blackmail. She was horrified to find her lover 's name (Duncan Shawcross) in the ledger, and even more horrified to read a statement that he killed her first love. But not all is as it seems.

I received an e-arc of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

✨ The Vibes ✨
Bridgerton if Agatha Christie was the star

📖 Read if…
✨ You wished Bridgerton had a bit of mystery
✨ You loved Evie Dunmore’s The League of Extraordinary Women series
✨ You watch anything that’s on Masterpiece Mystery

All’s Fair in Love and Treachery is the second book in the Lady Petra Inquires series, following Lady Petra Forsyth as she is tasked by Queen Charlotte to investigate the death of an orphanage matron.

It’s always hard to review sequels without spoiling anything, as there are several plot points that carry over from the first novel. But Celeste Connally does a great job of balancing the lingering mysteries of Petra’s personal life with the current case she’s investigating, ensuring that readers don’t necessarily have to read the series in order (even though the emotional impact will be greater if you do). The mystery was engaging as well, tense without being too scary, and I appreciated how it connected to larger political and social themes of the time. Fans of Bridgerton who are looking for the romance and humor of the show will find it with Lady Petra, along with a bit of intrigue, of course.

I’m not sure if I’ll race to pick up the third book when it’s available, but I can certainly see myself returning to this series one day. All’s Fair in Love and Treachery is out now. Thanks to Minotaur and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love how quirky this series is! It’s truly Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie—the perfect blend of high-society drama and delightful mystery. If you’re a fan of either series, you need to pick this one up. Stunning dress descriptions and the ever-so-silly crime-solving, this book was such a fun ride!
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley, for the ARC!

I loved the first book in this series, but I'm sorry to say that this one was just OK for me. It was extremely confusing. I felt like it was obvious that Mr. Fife was somebody mysterious based on how he kept being singled out, but I am still confused as to how Emerson, Rushton, and Yardley were related to each other and how they all found each other again. I'm also confused about Mrs. Huxton's role. I am just really confused about what was happening in this book. I liked the setting and the historical period, and I love Petra and Duncan, but this could have been a little more streamlined. I will try the next book in this series in the hopes that it's something a little easier to follow.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The suspicious death of an orphanage matron has Queen Charlotte asking for Lady Petra’s help. As Lady Petra infiltrates the orphanage and learns of the questionable patrons and workers at the orphanage, she uncovers a political uprising to take down the monarchy. Not to mention Petra is still trying to uncover the truth about Duncan and her late fiancé. With the help of her friends and Queen Charlotte herself, Lady Petra uncovers more than she ever imagined.

I highly enjoyed the humorous and witty banter as well as the gripping mystery. This second installment did not disappoint! I highly recommend the audiobook!

Celeste Connally, the pen name for Stephanie Perkins, author of the Ancestry Detective cozy mystery series, presents Book 2 in the Lady Petra Inquiries. Lady Petra was inspired by Connally's fondness for the Regency television programs that gained popularity during the recent COVID period. Lady Petra, the protagonist, lives up to her name, embodying strength, aristocratic bearing, and a willingness to defy convention. In Book 1, she discovered her fiancé dead from a fall down the stairs. Grief-stricken, she vowed never to marry.

She does, however, maintain her friendship with Duncan Shawcross, her childhood friend.

Three years later, in a dramatic opening, Petra finds a blackmail letter suggesting Shawcross, now her romantic interest, murdered her fiancé. Her initial impulse is to confront him immediately, but fortunately, he has already left. Later that day, Petra is summoned to tea with her friend Lady Vera and Queen Charlotte. They request she investigate the death of Mrs. Huxson, the matron of the Asylum for Female Orphans, who was found dead in the chapel. Petra's task to determine the perpetrator initially appears straightforward, but the mystery soon evolves to involve the potential endangerment of a member of the Royal Family.

I must admit, I found this book challenging to read. Connally seems to be attempting a Jane Austen-esque style, but the prose felt "clunky" and occasionally melodramatic. While a beta reader checked for accuracy, some period details were overlooked. For example, I question how picnickers could enjoy an outdoor meal so close to the polluted Thames on a humid, scorching June day. I did appreciate the fair-play mystery; all clues were presented, the suspense built steadily, and the ending offered openings for Book 3. The reading level is suitable for young adult to adult audiences. However, some explicit scenes suggest it may not be appropriate for younger YA readers.

Full disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley and Minotaur in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thanks to Netgalley and SMP for the arc. I love a good historical romance but this one left me wanting a bit more than I got. It started a bit too slow and never really picked up enough for me.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 […] 𝐃𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞.”

Lady Petra is back for another fun mystery with a dash of political adventure.

I absolutely adored Celeste Connally’s first novel featuring Petra Forsyth, a sharp headstrong curious woman defying social norms of the Regency period. In this tale, Petra finally gets answers for the mysterious death of her fiancé, while investigating a plot to take down the Queen. I loved how the action picks up directly after the first book, with no time jump, which helped with remembering what happened previously, but that Connally doesn’t give answers right away. Petra (and the reader) must work for them, figuring out where others’ alliances lie. So many of the characters that I loved previously are back, and I enjoyed that we not only got to spend more time with them, but also got to know them better. Petra’s best friend Caroline continues to be hilarious, alongside Lottie, Teddy and romantic partner Duncan, who are there for Petra, with no questions asked. Petra’s willingness to open herself up to her friends for help was a joy to see, especially when they teamed up to solve the multiple mysteries of the story. The plot does get a little convoluted, but it does wrap up satisfyingly.

All’s Fair In Love and Treachery is a great addition to this Regency-set romantic mystery series. I await for the next adventure for Lady Petra and her friends! Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the ARC!

Many thanks to Netgalley for this book. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


In this cozy regency mystery Lady Petra finds a ledger that makes her believe that her lover Duncan Shawcross murdered her fiancé Emerson three years ago. Lady Petra is tasked by the queen to find out who murdered Miss Huxley who was the matron is a woman’s orphanage. Through her investigation she finds out that Duncan and his half brother James have infiltrated an organization that wants to bring down the monarchy with violence. Petra also finds out that an orphan girl named Nell is Emerson’s half sister and he wanted to make sure she was taken care of and that someone would be able to inherit his title in case he died before he married Petra ( which he did). And Petra finds out that her Emerson was killed by his cousin Rushton who was the leader of the rebels and tried to get Emerson to steal Petra’s inheritance to fund the rebellion. Miss Huxley knew Emerson and convinced him to stop helping the rebels which got him killed and she herself later when she planned to tell the governors about the rebels stealing orphan girls inheritance from them before they learned the truth about the money when they turn fifteen. I truly enjoyed this book, it had my two favorite things cozy mystery and regency as well.

A great blend of light hearted banter, a death that seems to have political ties and a romance that has been years in the making. This book had me questioning characters and their motives until the very end!

I've been in a reading mood lately. I'm making more of an effort to not be as engaged on my phone and work through my to be read, the infamous never ending TBR. I was looking for something a little outside my normal preferences, and I'm not typically one for Regency novels (I have some strong feelings on Bridgerton that I'll not go into here), but am glad for stepping outside my comfort zone. All's Fair in Love and Treachery by Celeste Connally was a nice break from the world for a bit.

All's Fair in Love and Treachery is the second in the Lady Petra Inquires series. If you haven't read the first novel, there's enough context and background given that the reader is able to keep up, however if you don't want spoilers for the first book go and read that first as you'll definitely have some big events in the first book addressed in the second. Lady Petra is a nosy aristocrat in Victorian London, dealing with her own grief with having lost someone she loved. Lady Petra throws herself into solving the mystery of the murder of a matron at an orphanage. The killer it is believed may be connected to a group that is attempting to overthrow the monarchy.

I will say, the author did appear to have really researched the era and her thoroughness shows. I flowed between enjoying Lady Petra as a character to loving her intelligence and resourcefulness. She was very human, and this was actually a really good balance to be from one minute annoyed with the character to the next admiring her. One struggle I had with the novel was the number of characters being introduced and their involvement in the story. I would have to come out of the story a bit to track backwards and remember their role. However, if you like Regency era stories, and plucky heroines this is a great book for you.

Please be advised that I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will read any kind of Regency era book ever because i feel like i was born in the wrong century. I did not read book 1 so i hope it's not too terrible that i started with book 2. The first half of the book was a bit slower than i would like. I actually had to put it down and come back to it a few times. In the second half, i enjoyed the twists. I thought the characters were witty & strong & in the end-i would say it was an okay read.

I love a good historical romance and this hit the spot! It was a perfect mix of that Bridgerton charm and the mystery aspect of Agatha Christie that’s so classic. It had a really good aspect of suspense, and I loved the London setting. I will say that the pacing of it felt a little off and made it difficult to keep track of/stay interested.

I really wanted to love this book/series. Bridgerton crossed with Agatha Christie sounded right up my alley. I liked this book (and the one that came before it) well enough, but I don't love them. They're solid, cozy stories with a likable cast of characters. The writing's decent as well. I just found the stories kind of boring, I think. This wasn't a page turner kind of book for me, but I can see how the overall tone and setting would really appeal to other readers.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for the DRC of All's Fair in Love and Treachery! All opinions in this review are my own.

Unfortunately, I think the first book in the series is stronger. It took me awhile to get into the second mystery and there are a lot of characters to keep track of. However, I am still interested in continuing with this series.