Nur 24 Stunden nach ihrer Verlobung steht die zwanzigjährige Cora Beaumont über dem toten Körper einer Frau, der in einer Blutlache liegt. Von ihrem zerrissenen Kleid wird sie kaum noch bedeckt und der Täter hat ihr eine grausame Nachricht eingeritzt.

Dann springt die Erzählung 12 Stunden zurück, New York 1890. Cora und zahlreiche weitere Personen brechen zum Jungfernflug des größten bislang gebauten Luftschiffes auf. Es geht nach England. Sie hat die Lady Air nach dem kürzlichen Tod ihres Vaters geerbt. Mit an Bord ist auch ihr ganz frisch Verlobter Terrance Tristan, der zweite Sohn eines Dukes. Er gehört zu einer alten, einflussreichen Familie in England. Cora geht mit ihrer neuen Freundin Lady Ophelia, einer Cousine der Tristans an Bord. Die Anstandsdame Mrs. Beesly darf auch nicht fehlen.

Die anwesenden Mitglieder der britischen Gesellschaft beobachten Cora kritisch. Sie kann sich keinen Skandal leisten. Auch ihr zukünftiger Schwager Nicholas ist anwesend, der Erbe des Dukes. Bislang hat noch keine amerikanische Geschäftserbin so hoch in den englischen Adel eingeheiratet. Auch wenn Terrance nur der zweite Sohn ist. Ihre Väter waren Freunde und als Kinder kannten sie sich. Sie wurden einander versprochen, haben sich aber als Erwachsene nun erst vor 2 Tagen kennen gelernt. Das Luftschiff ist komfortabel und luxuriös ausgestattet. Für die Passagiere der 1. Klasse beginnt die Reise mit einem Ball. Doch schon bald stößt Nicholas auf die erste Unruhe, eine Suffragette aus der dritten Klasse will vorgelassen werden.

Cora ist das späte, unerwartete Kind einer zweiten Ehe. Ihr Vater hat sie verwöhnt und ihr auch unkonventionelle Hobbys erlaubt. Sie durfte ihn sogar bei den Schiffsplänen unterstützen und mit zu archäologischen Ausgrabungen. Ihre anstehende Hochzeit schützt sie und ihr Vermögen vor ihrem gierigen Halbbruder, aber sollte die Verlobung scheitern, wäre sie ihm wohl ausgeliefert. Auch wenn er zunächst von der Verlobungsidee begeistert war, ist Terrance nun unaufmerksam und unruhig, so dass sein Bruder häufiger einspringen muss.
Anders, als erwartet kehrt nach dem Ball jedoch auf dem Schiff keine Ruhe ein, sondern einige Beteiligte begeben sich heimlichen zur dritten Klasse. Die Spannung steigt, es kommt zu einem unglaublich riskanten Stunt. Cora wird mit dem Mord konfrontiert, aber lässt sich nicht wie gewünscht zur Seite drängen.
So geraten sie und Nicholas zusammen in die Ermittlungen. Schnell muss er feststellen, dass er Cora ziemlich unterschätzt hat und sie problemlos ihren Mann stehen kann. Aber sie haben auch gemeinsame Interessen und so wird er sie bei den Nachforschungen unterstützen.
Sie kommen der Lösung des Falls einfach nicht näher, aber die Gefahr wird zunehmend bedrohlicher. Die Atlantiküberquerung des Luftschiffes bringt ein ganz besonders Setting mit sich. Der Kriminalfall kann mit überraschenden Wendungen überzeugen.

Cora und Nicholas sind zwei sympathische Protagonisten. Er schätzt ihre Intelligenz und Direktheit und sie ist begeistert, dass er sie ernst nimmt und unterstützt. Sie haben nicht mal die nahestehenden Personen über den Todesfall informiert. So hat sie mehr mit ihrem zukünftigen Schwager zu tun als mit ihrem Verlobten. Und immer hofft sie noch in ihrem Verlobten Ähnlichkeit zu Nicholas zu finden, der ihr längst zum Freund und Vertrauen geworden ist. Die Entwicklung ihrer Gefühle füreinander ist überzeugend.

Ein spannender historischer Krimi mit einer gefühlvollen Liebesgeschichte und einem besonderen Setting.

A fun and charming mystery that takes place on an airship crossing the Atlantic on its maiden voyage. Cora, both the owner and newly engaged to the son of a duke, is horrified when someone is murdered and there seems to be a link to her newly deceased father or herself. If she can't find the murderer soon it will ruin the reputation of the new airline and her guarantees of financial independence.

I really enjoyed the conversations and the relationship that developed between Cora and Nicholas, who is suppose to be her soon-t0-be brother-in-law, but that seems more and more unlikely as Cora's fiancee seems distracted by another woman and may even be a suspect in the murder. Nicholas is attracted and somewhat scandalized by the unusual Cora who doesn't quite fit the normal mold of a Victorian woman. It is nice to see how he relatively slowly changes his mind about the role women should have and engages Cora as an equal. I also like the friendship between Cora and Fee.

The mystery moves along and the setting of an airship is an unusual one for a murder. I hope this becomes a series, I would read more for sure.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I had a blast reading this historical mystery. I loved the time period, and I really enjoyed the setting of the airship. It gave the story a bit of a steampunk vibe, which I loved.

I liked that the story was told from both Cora and Nicholas’ points of view. While there were a few times in the middle of a chapter that I forgot who was narrating it, I figured it out again fairly quickly, so it didn't bother me too much.

I really liked Cora and Nicholas, but I think Ophelia was my favorite character. She had such a vibrant and fun personality. She certainly kept things lively!

The mystery was very intriguing. It definitely kept me guessing! I ended up being very surprised by the reveal.

I really enjoyed this book and hope there’s a sequel! I’d love to revisit these characters again. If you’re a fan of historical mysteries, grab a copy of this book. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐉. 𝐒𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟐𝐭𝐡

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Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC.

It took me forever to finish reading this book. I really wanted to DNF but also wanted to know who the murderer was. I love the Bridgerton vibes in this book. I truly love books/series set around that time. But to be honest, this book is not my cup of tea.

The pacing is so uneven. There are more dialogues than action. I guess I expected more. I liked the dual POV. Especially Cora's. I love how she has her own mind and doesn't care about the opinions of the other people. She's a brilliant woman.

Such a fun, entertaining read, a great mystery, full of plenty twists and turns, and loveable characters!!!

When I saw the words mystery, 1890, and airship in the same sentence, I screamed count me in!

This was a fun, quick read that blends historical romance with a dash of mystery. If you're a fan of Bridgerton and want something with that same dramatic flair—but with a whodunnit twist—you'll likely enjoy this.

From the start, I knew the airship element would involve some creative liberties. While airships did exist in 1890, they weren't used for lavish, multi-class travel quite like this. That said, I’m all for bending history if it makes the setting pop—and here, it works. The airship serves as a unique, visually rich backdrop that elevates the plot.

It’s important to note: this is very much a historical romance with a mystery subplot—not the other way around. Nearly every chapter focuses on the intense (and at times, repetitive) attraction between the leads. Each twist in the mystery seems designed to show how “different” the female main character is and to catch the eye of the handsome male main character.

Final thoughts? Pick this up if you're craving romance with a bit of flair and don’t mind a healthy dose of creative license. The setting is lush, the chemistry is strong, and Phee alone is worth the read.

Thank you to April J. Skelly, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own. Publication Date: April 22nd, 2025

I loved A Lethal Engagement! It's a Victorian era historical mystery with romance and a bit of steampunk/fantasy. The only element that is steampunk/fantasy is that it takes place on an airship which is basically like a really fancy ship that's also a blimp! The setting was so imaginative, and I loved how the author described everything with so much detail. It really felt as if I were on that airship too!

The author brought the characters to life through both her descriptions and the characters’ dialogue. Cora and Nicholas are the narrators, so you get to experience the mystery through their eyes. The murders are very brutal and personal, and Cora feels that she may become another victim due to the clues left by the murderer. I was shocked when I found out who the murderer was! The author does a wonderful job with dropping red herrings! I really thought I had it all figured out!

And, oh, the romance! It’s so swoony, but I’m not going to spoil anything for you! You’ll have to read it. This is a clean romance so no steamy stuff! I loved it so much!

I highly recommend this charming, exciting, imaginative novel! 5 stars!!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Absolutely loved this! It's set during the Gilded Age, one of my favorite time periods; it happens on an air ship (think Hindenburg); and it's filled with interesting characters. Murders occur; main character Cora has to deal with male chauvinism; and the actual culprit ends up being a shock. If you love historical mysteries, this is definitely a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.

A Victorian murder mystery set on an.....airship? Cora, an American is on her way to marry Terence when a second class passenger is murdered and she finds herself working to find the villain with her brother-in-law-to-be Nicholas. That would have been a fine set up for a mystery set on a sailing ship. I understand the urge for a unique setting and appreciate that this one is really unique but there wasn't enough worldbuilding for me and I was distracted by thinking about logistics.. I did like the characters (especially Cora) and it is clever, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

Unfortunately, I DNF-ed this book. I kept going back to it until I couldn't. I think I stopped at 40/50%
1. It was slow
2. I didn't like the MMC. His routine of 'I only know insipid vapid women' was getting boring.
3. I started the book because of the mystery, but nothing much had happened when I dnfed it.
4. The FMC was okay tbough

4.25/5 stars

I enjoyed this more than I expected to and although not billed as the beginning of a series, I think it would lend itself well to being so.

It's a bit mystery, a bit romance and a bit steampunk. Nice character development (especially enjoyed the spunky heroine in this one), good atmospheric world-building and an absorbing plot.

A fun read and would love to see it continue forward.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing the free early arc of A Lethal Engagement for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

In this alternate history mystery set in 1890, Cora Beaumont is on her way to England to take her place in British Society. She is traveling with her fiancé and her fiancé's older brother who are the sons of a Duke. The journey is the first step on her way to independence. Yes, the fiancé will get her dowry, but she will get and retain as her personal property the airship they are traveling on.

When the murder of a second-class passenger occurs, she definitely wants to keep it quiet so as not to damage the reputation of the Lady Air. Of course, since she was about checking on rumors of conditions in third-class when the murder happened, she has her own reputation to protect too.

The ship's captain's refusal to recognize her authority means that she will be teaming up with her fiancé's older brother as they investigate the murder. This close proximity to him and her fiancé's indifferent behavior toward her causes her to question her future since she seems to be falling in love with the wrong brother.

Cora needs to deal with a lot in this book. She needs to solve three murders, keep her reputation and that of her airship pristine, deal with snotty and snobby, upper-class females, and also figure out why her fiancé is indifferent to her while worrying about the thunderstorm that is dogging the airship and could cause it to crash.

This was an excellent and engaging historical mystery. Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this story.

This one had all the ingredients I thought I’d love—an American heiress on a luxurious airship to England, a murder mystery mid-journey, and a bit of romance. A lethal engagement promised a high-stakes whodunit with floating ballrooms and corset-tight tension. While the concept was fun and the writing strong, I found myself more confused than captivated at times.

The worldbuilding left me scratching my head. I needed just a bit more grounding in the logistics of this luxury airship situation.

Character-wise, Cora leaned into the “I’m not like other girls” mold, and Nicholas mirrored that with “I’m not like other dukes.” Unfortunately, I wasn’t particularly invested in either of them—or rooting for a romance between them. The mystery had a good build-up but unraveled with an ending that felt a little unsatisfying.

All that said, this wasn’t a bad book by any means—it just wasn’t for me. If you enjoy historical mysteries with a flair for the dramatic and don’t mind a little suspension of disbelief, this might be your vibe. Fans of airships, aristocratic scandal, and sleuthing with a side of gossip will find plenty to enjoy.

In 1890, American heiress Cora Beaumont boards the Lady Air to England, eager to secure her place in British society through her engagement to a duke’s son. When a murder occurs on the first night, leaving a calling card meant for her, Cora joins forces with her fiancé’s brother to unmask the killer before she becomes the next victim. As gossip spreads and tensions rise aboard the airship, Cora must navigate both deadly secrets and her fiancé’s indiscretions to reach England with her life—and reputation—intact.

This looked like it would be fun since it had a bit of a steampunk vibe with talk of airships, even if it isn’t in a steampunk category. However, this did leave me confused at times. The Lady Air was a massive ship with a ballroom, hot house, and printing room. I had no idea how it actually worked, and that feeling of confusion was annoying.

Cora was very much a “I’m not like other girls!” Nicholas was also a “I’m not like other titled men.” And I found myself annoyed with them both. I was not rooting for them to somehow get together. Their mystery was alright, though I was confused by the ending. It felt like it came out of nowhere.

Clearly, this book is not my cup of tea, but others may enjoy a steampunk adventure since it was well written.

In 1890, aboard a luxurious airship, American heiress Cora’s engagement to the son of a British duke is threatened by murder. Cora must solve the mystery before becoming the killer’s next target, all while navigating social intrigue and her fiancé’s wandering eye.

This romance in this book is light-hearted and fun, while the mystery is tense and intriguing. It’s an impressive debut, and I look forward to more from this author.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

3.5 🌟

A fun little Victorian mystery with a charming cast of characters. I didn't find the resolution super surprising or satisfying, but I enjoyed the journey and the romance. This was a worthwhile light read and palette cleanser.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

"An airship bound for London is thrown off course by a murder on the first night of its transatlantic voyage in this locked-room historical mystery debut, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Katharine Schellman.

1890. American heiress, Cora Beaumont is celebrating her engagement to Terrance Tristan, the second son of a duke. Their union will solidify Cora's place in British society and put her in a rare position of power, but as they embark on the Lady Air's maiden voyage to England, Cora soon finds that not everyone in society is accepting of her recent engagement, and tensions fly as high as the airship. When a body is discovered the first night on the ship, with a calling card for Cora on the victim, she's determined to find the killer hidden among the passengers before they come for her next.

As Cora tries to solve the murder without attracting unsavory attention, her fiancé's wandering eye may cause even more problems for her position in society. Gossip travels fast aboard the airship and bad news could sink the Lady Air, as well as Cora's own social status, before they reach their final destination. When more bodies are discovered, Cora teams up with her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicholas, as they scour the ship for clues. If she fails, it won't only be her reputation visiting the undertaker.

No one is who they seem in this Gilded Age locked room historical mystery, perfect for fans of And Then There Were None and Alyssa Maxwell."

Who wouldn't bump off a buccaneer?

I uploaded my review to Goodreads. I will upload it to Amazon on release day.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and April J. Skelly for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Lethal Engagement coming out April 22, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love Victorian murder mysteries! It was fun that the character is American and going to England on an airship. I think it made the story more unique. I thought the plot was really fun. I loved Cora’s character. I think she was strong and smart. The mystery was fun. I think the book was fast-paced and full of action. If this is a series, I would definitely check out more books!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Victorian mysteries!

Cora is a determined and spunky heroine, and it's fun to sleuth along with her in this cozy mystery. The setting is charming, and the pace is perfect to keep readers engaged. The writing is solid, and it's clear Skelly did her research. Numerous red herrings and suspects keep readers guessing. This is a great start to a new series.

A delicious locked-room mystery with plenty of suspects and slow-burn romance. The author sets up a delightful will they / won't they romance all while Cora chases a murderer who threatens not only the passengers aboard the Lady Air, but also her livelihood. With fun period-appropriate dialog, Victorian sensibilities, and tension between the classes and sexes, this immersive historical mystery kept me turning pages not only to solve the main mystery, but to get to the bottom of a few other mysteries as well. I wish there'd been an epilogue to get a bit more of the romance in, but perhaps the author will be able to turn this into a series. I'd love to see Cora and her companions in more books.