This was a wonderful second installment in the Lady Petra series! I thoroughly enjoyed the many historical details, and the complicated mysteries that Lady Petra is charged with investigating by Queen Charlotte. The book takes place during 1815, just after Napolean is defeated. Lady Petra, along with her friends, attempt to discover who killed the matron of the orphanage for young ladies. Lady Petra also still suspects that her current lover, Duncan, was involved with the death of her fiance, Emerson. She also begins to suspect that many of the people closest to her may be involved in a rebellious plot to overtake the monarchy. The many threads of this multi-faceted mystery were wrapped up in the satisfying conclusion. I alternated reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook of All's Fair in Love and Treachery, and both were equally enjoyable. The narrator, Eilidh Beaton, was very easy to listen to and really brought each character's personalities to life with varied accents. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and author Celeste Connally for the librarian preview copy.

Title: All's Fair in Love and Treachery
Author: Celeste Connally       
Genre: historical fiction
Rating:  4 out of 5

June, 1815. London may be cheering the news of Napoleon’s surrender at Waterloo, but Lady Petra Forsyth has little to celebrate after discovering that the death of her viscount fiancé three years earlier was no accident. Instead, it was murder, and the man responsible is her handsome, half-Scottish secret paramour Duncan Shawcross—yet the scoundrel has disappeared, leaving only a confusing riddle about long-forgotten memories in his wake.

So what’s a lady to do when she can’t hunt down her traitorous lover? She concentrates on a royal assignment instead. Queen Charlotte has tasked Petra with attending an event at the Asylum for Female Orphans and making inquiries surrounding the death of the orphanage’s matron. What’s more, there may be a link between the matron’s death and a group of radicals with ties to the aristocracy, as evidenced by an intercepted letter. Then, Petra overhears a nefarious conversation with two other men about a plot to topple the monarchy, set to take place during three days of celebrations currently gripping London. As the clock counts down and London’s streets teem with revelers, Petra’s nerves are fraying as her past and present collide. Yet while all’s fair in love and war, she can never surrender, especially when more orphaned girls may be in trouble. And to save their lives, the monarchy itself, and even her own heart, Lady Petra must face her fears with the strength of an army of soldiers and fight with the heart of a queen.

This blurb isn’t strictly accurate, as Petra and Duncan’s relationship isn’t exactly a secret. And…I had trouble believing that Petra found a random anonymous scribble that’s less than two sentences long and suddenly believes that Duncan, who she’s known her entire life, murdered her ex-fiancé/his best friend. Nope. Not believable. Apart from that,  this was a solid Regency mystery read, and I enjoyed it for the most part, although it felt very contemporary.

Celeste Connally is an Agatha Award nominee. All’s Fair in Love and Treachery is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 11/16.)

Fun and lighthearted while also featuring a complex political movement - not an easy feat to achieve but this novel nailed it! Directed by the Queen, Lady Petra works to unravel the mystery behind the murder of the matron of the “Asylum for Female Orphans” and the connection her death has to an anti-monarchist political group that has begun to stir up trouble. The heart of the story for me was not the romance between Lady Petra and Mr. Duncan Shawcross, but rather the central friendships among strong and independent women who are thriving in a time where the odds are stacked against them. The dual mystery plots tangled in a way that complimented the pacing and the tone of the story. There were some moments that will truly pull on your heartstrings and some moments that will get your heart racing!

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy!

I want to thank everyone for this early gifted copy of All’s Fair in Love and Treachery.

What a fun mystery that was complex and kept you guessing. I like that the secondary characters shines and the story left you to believe more are to come!

I alternated between the e-book and the audio version of this book which was narrated by Eilidh Beaton. The narration was good, but I'll admit on this one I found the e-book a bit easier. There were so many characters that were referred to in different ways, that actually reading it gave me more of a chance to slow down and figure out who the character was.

The book takes place in 1815 and has to deal with several people, including Lady Petra and Duncan who are trying to solve a murder and the questionable events that those murdered may have been mixed up in.

The story was pretty good, but at times it seemed like it was just too wordy and it got in the way.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copies. All thoughts are my own.

All’s Fair in Love and Treachery by Celeste Connally

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Macmillan, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Celeste Connally for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

All’s Fair in Love and Treachery was such a fun book! A super entertaining mystery set in the 1800s in England featuring likable characters and a well-written plot with several twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing until the very end.

While this is the sequel to Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, it can definitely be read independently. What makes this one a super unique and interesting read is that it has three interconnected mysteries that the heroine, Lady Petra, tries to solve: the death of her fiancé, the murder of the orphanage headmistress, and a political plot against the monarchy.

Lady Petra, the heroine, is a wonderfully written character and her approach to solving mysteries is super interesting. The way in which the author highlighted Petra’s struggles adds a deeper dimension to the story as a whole. Duncan is an intriguing character and the chemistry between the two of them is palpable.

Overall, a fantastic mystery set in the Regency era that excellently combines a bit of suspense with romance!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I read the first book in this series, and I liked it. I did not feel the same about this new book. Mainly Lady Petra Forsyth is investigating the death of a matron at the Asylum for Female Orphans. She also gets involved in investigating a plot to overthrow the government. I could not follow the flow of this story. Just when I thought I had figured out where the story was going, I felt lost again. There was also so many characters. It was hard to keep them straight. It seems like this was a good book for some other readers, but it just wasn't for me.

Celeste Connally introduced the intrepid, fearless, convention defying Lady Petra in last year’s Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord. Lady Petra is defying convention purposefully, declaring she will never marry, and since she’s given a house and allowance by her father, she is wealthy enough to do as she pleases. She also has the ear of the Queen. It’s 1815, and London is on the verge of Wellington’s triumph at Waterloo. Queen Charlotte was a force at court thanks to the mental health challenges of King George III. This affects Lady Petra, as the Queen invites her to investigate the mysterious death of the matron at an orphan’s home.

The matron had been killed in the chapel while the orphans were in their sleeping quarters for the evening, so Petra is quickly able to narrow her list of suspects. The death seems to be also tied to a threat to the Queen herself, as well as to the whole royal family.
Petra is not a widow, but she is bereaved – her fiancée had died suddenly shortly before their marriage. His death has never been fully explained. Petra has a current romantic partner who was a childhood friend. He also does some undercover work for the royal family, and of course, their investigative threads converge.

Connally paints a wonderfully vivid picture of 1815 London, whose citizens are enjoying the success of Napoleon’s defeat. All of London is a party for a few days. This gives Petra and her paramour cover for their sleuthing, but it also gives cover to the forces that want to take down the royal family. The investigation takes place at night as London is lit up with “transparencies” – window decorations with a lit candle behind them to illuminate them.

All of the clues uncovered by Petra and her paramour ultimately tie together but the history part of the narrative, if you aren’t familiar with the time period, is not always completely clear. The threads are disparate but of course connected, and further connected not only to the death of the matron, but to the death of Petra’s fiancée.

What I loved about the first book was Petra herself. Much like Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell, she’s an intrepid woman who has convenient ties to the upper classes (and is herself a member of the “ton”). I hope ladies like Petra and Veronica did indeed exist in their respective time periods. Petra’s band of investigators – who include a lady pharmacist and a fellow socialite who is good with a bow and arrow – add the to richness of the character tapestry in the book – now books.

I felt this was not quite as strong an outing as book one. I certainly enjoyed it, but I felt Petra herself, in all her brave glory, was a tiny bit muted despite some of the shenanigans she gets up to. I certainly look forward to book three, however, and with the resolution of Petra’s fiancée's death, I am now wondering about her vow to avoid marriage. We shall see, readers.

4.25/5⭐️

So happy to have discovered this mystery series set in 1815 London. It’s fun (with a smart, unabashedly original and funny heroine), has great storylines so far and introduces Lady Petra, a confident and courageous young woman for her time.

Lady Petra shockingly discovers that her current paramour Duncan Shawcross might have murdered her fiancé three years earlier. She’s also tasked by Queen Charlotte with an undercover assignment into a death that might be linked to a radical group with ties to the aristocracy. A plot to topple the monarchy is uncovered and a dangerous and possibly deadly situation ensues.

Lady Petra and Duncan are so sweet to watch as they take their lifelong friendship in another direction. Of course there’s the occasional butting of heads and disagreements, but underneath that is a strong and loyal bond.

Another great mystery series to keep up with and enjoy.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing the free early arc of All’s Fair in Love and Treachery for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

All's Fair in Love and Treachery picks up immediately after the end of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord. Petra has a page from the villain's book from book 1. It accuses Duncan Shorecross of killing Petra's dead fiancé Emerson. This has Petra flying into rage and distrust of Duncan. These emotions cloud her ability to make progress in the new mystery that is presented her by Queen Charlotte.
The matron of a girls orphanage is dead and not from natural causes as the authorities have posited to the girls.
The mystery of the matron's death ends up being tied up in the larger issues faced in the book. There is a lot of intrigue and danger. But the love and intelligence of the investigating parties - Petra and Duncan with friends brings a satisfying outcome.
There is a large amount of talk about the sexual activities of the characters - Petra and Caroline most often but also references to others. The girls at the orphanage are illegitimate children of soldiers and aristocrats. I suppose that this may have been true to the history but does seem to be quiet the focus for the author. It places this series outside of the cozy mystery genre in my opinion.
I like this book more than the first.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book.

Lady Petra, our intrepid ahead of her time detective of sorts is back in this second installment in what is definitely g0ing to be a fun series for fans of the historical cozy. It's 1815 and there are plots afoot, plots the Queen has asked Petra to look into, even as she looks for more information about people in her own life. While it will help to have read the first novel, Connally gives enough background to make you appreciate Petra. This isn't strictly Regency- it definitely skews toward the modern-but the atmospherics are good. And the dialogue sparkles. You might be a bit befuddled about some of the politics but they never get too deep. Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. Great read and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Thanks to Celeste Connelly, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and listen to free ARCs in exchange for an honest review.

This was pretty good. I can't remember squat of the first one from a year ago, so this felt fresh to me. Could have been shorter, had a bit of a saggy middle and could have stood to lose a few unnecessary characters. I got a bit lost on the mystery between the beginning and the end, forgot what the objectives were and was distracted by Petra's rather annoying impetuousness. Her jump to a negative conclusion at the beginning soured me toward her character; she'd been friends with Duncan since childhood, sleeping with him for how many years, claimed to be in love with him---I mean, those demonstrate his loyalty at the very least---yet some nobody leaves her a vague note saying Duncan was a liar and a traitor, and she doesn't question it? Yeah I wasn't going to respect her much after that. The book tries to address it---if she wasn't silly she wouldn't be the woman Duncan loves *fart noise*---but she was telling herself an excuse to make herself feel better. She <i>should</i> be ashamed that she believed the worst of him without hesitation. She was also reactionary, headstrong, and a bit full of herself. she was probably what I disliked most about the story.

This was my first Celeste Connally book and I had a good time with it
I did find the writing style odd at first but soon became invested
3.5 Stars

The second book in the Lady Petra Investigates series, All's Fair in Love and Treachery has Lady Petra investigating not only murder, but revolutionaries who want to overthrow the monarchy.
The first book ended with a cliffhanger and this second installment picks up exactly where things left off. The first two chapters are pretty stunning as Petra processes what she has learned about her late fiancé’s death and her childhood friend/current lover’s involvement. She doesn’t get much time, as she’s called to meet the Queen about an investigation.
There are actually two investigations in this book. First, Queen Charlotte asks Petra to investigate the murder of the matron at an orphanage where illegitimate children of the wealthy are trained to go into service. At the same time, Duncan seems to be involved with a group of reformists who are resorting to violence to overthrow the monarchy. For a time, Petra is unsure about Duncan’s beliefs - is he working with the revolutionaries or trying to undermine them?
Adorable as always and the ending is fantastic. Hoping for more from the intrepid Lady Petra.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

Lady Petra and Duncan find themselves embroiled in the struggle to reform British rule. This book has lots of twists and turns, plenty of interweaving of foes to the realm and their connections to Petra and her late fiance, Emerson. Set in a span of a few days the urgency of figuring out who and what was going on came through in the writing. I loved this story and continue to cheer on Petra and her friends as they seek equality for the women and girls of this time period.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

This review first appeared in the November 2024 issue of Historica Novels Review:

This is the second book in Celeste Connally’s Regency mystery series featuring Lady Petra Forsyth, an unconventional noblewoman who declares her intention never to marry, after the death of her fiancé in an accident. At the beginning of this novel, Petra finds evidence that her fiancé was murdered and that her childhood playmate and current lover, Duncan Shawcross, was responsible for his death. But before she can confront Duncan, he disappears, giving no indication of his whereabouts. As London celebrates Wellington’s victory at Waterloo, Queen Charlotte asks Petra to investigate the murder of the matron of an orphanage for girls, several of whom are the illegitimate daughters of aristocrats. A note threatening the Queen was found with the matron’s body. Petra discovers ties between the orphanage and a radical group planning to bring down the monarchy and kill members of the royal family. She also learns she only has three days to stop the attack, and that Duncan may be involved with the group.

This is an excellent addition to the world of Regency mysteries. Petra is an exceptionally strong heroine, who refuses to play by the rules of a society that doesn’t give women the same rights as men. She is a great horseback rider, fights with a dagger, and carries a set of lockpicks that come in handy more than once. She shares the radical group’s desire to reform society, especially where women’s rights are concerned, but is opposed to the violent means they want to use to bring about the changes. I also enjoy reading about her group of friends, including her best friend Lady Caroline, who can shoot a bow and arrow better than anyone in England, Lottie the dog trainer, and Frances the apothecary. I cannot wait to read more of Petra’s adventures. Highly recommended.

Vicki Kondelik

Good book. I liked the main characters. And I enjoyed the dialogue. The plot was good, I thought it was a very good story . A must read!

Another well researched and well planned historical cozy mystery by Celeste Connally. The setting and characters were depicted so well and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. I did have troubling following some of the characters since there were so many but I did enjoy it overall. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

*Received as a free ARC*
A deeply enjoyable mystery romp! For once, I realized this was a sequel and quickly got book one from the library. I was then left on pins and needles waiting to see if Duncan was in fact a bad guy. Petra is delightful and her growing cast of compatriots are great secondary characters. I enjoyed that she actually seems to grow over the course of the book. Would highly recommend for period mystery lovers.

This is a magnificent historical mystery. Petra is an independent and fierce young lady. Duncan is a fierce warrior for the crown. The two of them together make an amazing couple. The plot is intriguing as readers meet the characters and try to figure out the roles they play. The author uses misdirection in a wonderful way to surprise readers. Readers will also enjoy the cheeky romantic relationship between several characters. This is a really interesting and page turning book.