The dual timelines could not be more different. What could a murder at a London debutante ball in 1907 have to do with the military maneuvers of Boudica, queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe, around AD 60? Both stories are compelling and illuminate the complexities of each society, then intersect with a satisfying twist. Another winner in the Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries Series.

This was a really interesting read- a historical fiction wrapped up with a cozy mystery. This had a duel timeline/storyline, but they worked well together. It wasn’t super jarring getting pulled from one timeline to the other. I enjoyed the plot of the mystery. As with most cozies, I was able to figure out who dunnit before the end, but I didn’t mind. This was the 19th book in this series, but no problem dropping in. I’ll be reading more.

The 19th installment in Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily series is as intriguing as the last. The secondary story about Roman Britain and Boudica ties neatly to the fight for sufferage in Lady Emily's time. Emily and Colin are called to investigate the murder of 2 of the ton's most eligible IT-girls.

This was a dual timeline historical fiction novel that took the reader to London, England in the early 1900s and the first century. First of all I want to say that I have never read the 18 books that came before this in the Lady Emily Ashton series. However not having read the first 18 books did not detract from my understanding or enjoyment of this book. I did not have the background on many of the characters but the author gave enough detail that I was able to pick up what I needed to know. I also really enjoyed both timelines. I love anything ancient Rome, so to read about Vatta, a girl from the Iceni tribe and friend of Boudica, was a great addition to this mystery.

The novel starts out with the death of Victoria, a highly successful debutante. Someone has poisoned her and Lady Emily is put to the test to try and figure who would want the young girl dead. The novel also discusses the women's suffragette movement. The novel did a great job portraying people's attitudes about the issue during this time. Vatta's story reveals her life growing up in the first century during Roman occupation. She befriends a Roman soldier over their shared love of poetry. Vatta has never really fit in with her tribe but when she befriends Boudica things start to turn around for her. Things take a turn for Boudica when her husband dies and Vatta has difficult decisions ahead of her.

If you love historical fiction and mysteries you will enjoy this book. The added timeline of ancient Rome was a welcome addition and I thought made the book even more interesting. I liked getting to know Vatta and wished there was even more of her story. I am excited to go back and read the first book in this series.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

The main story is set in the early 1900’s and involves the murder of a debutante which Lady Emily and her husband are investigating. That story is interesting and I enjoyed it. Interspersed with that storyline is a story set in ancient England around Boudicca, queen of the Inceni at the time of Roman occupation. I found this addition to be disruptive to the main story, adding nothing and unnecessary to the book. There is a slight tie-in to the main story, but not enough to justify the extra chapters devoted to the Roman era.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Victoria Goldsborough falls dead during her engagement ball and Lady Emily, and her husband Colin Hargreaves, are determined to find her killer. They are soon thrust into a not-so-secret sisterhood of ladies who are trying to gain equality for women in society. This story is told interwoven with the story of Boudica, an ancient British queen determined to save her people from the deceptive Romans.

I do not know this series, which is something I intend to remedy sooner than later. The Sisterhood is book #19 in the Lady Emily Ashton Mysteries series. I hope the others are as entertaining as this one, and wonder if they have dueling timelines, such as 1907 and the Roman era.

I will recommend this book to some of my friends that are interested in a quick cozy mystery, especially those interested in the turn of the twentieth century novels.

I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Lady Emily book, but it won't be my last. This is a well-paced, intriguing mystery. The alternating storyline of Iron Age Britain was also interesting, though it was initially jarring. I recommend it for those who enjoy detective couples, historical cozy mysteries, and early 20th-century society politics.

The Sisterhood
by Tasha Alexander
Pub Date: Septermber 23, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
It's a life of pressure on finding the right husband but also a life of parties and dresses. The most celebrated and envied woman of the season is newly engaged and newly dead. It will take a smart couple in Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, to solve the mystery before others fall dead on society's dance floors.
I haven't read any other books in this series, so this book is my introduction into the sleuthing couple. The author did a good job in filling in cracks for me without retelling the previous books. Now I want to read the others and learn more about these characters.

This book was a nice surprise. Historical fiction with a good mystery.

I loved Lady Emily and her character that wouldn't stop even though it wasn't proper in those days to find the truth! This was an overall great cozy mystery!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read this ARC for my honest review.

#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #TashaAlexander

Thank you so much for a gifted e copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun, engaging and cozy fantasy! I absolutely adored lady Emily and had so much fun with it

It's a life of pressure on finding the right husband but also a life of parties and dresses. The most celebrated and envied woman of the season is newly engaged and newly dead. It will take a smart couple in Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, to solve the mystery before others fall dead on society's dance floors. 
I haven't read any other books in this series, so this book is my introduction into the sleuthing couple. The author did a good job in filling in cracks for me without retelling the previous books. Now I want to read the others and learn more about these characters. 
An enjoyable read, the author did a great job in keeping the reader in the dark. I have to admit that it is common for me to pick out who the guilty party is, but this book…had me stumped. It wasn't done because the author withheld information. She gave us everything that Emily and Colin had. The evidence was laid out. I just didn't see it. Well done! The author crafted an intricate plot that was simple yet not obvious. 
The characters have me very intrigued. I can't want to read the previous books. There are characters with secrets that I just have to know. This includes the mysterious man who is in love with Emily and seems to help her as he causes her a world of headaches. It helps that this is a society of all kinds of personalities that don't like their skeletons revealed. 
I'll say it again, I have to read the previous books now. A great read for those who like historical mysteries. Give it a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.
I enjoyed it as light reading. It borrows on the success of Downtown Abbey and Bridgerton giving us period costumes, mores and much more.
Hidden in this is the story of a Warrior woman back before the rise of men as the ruling class.
I found the story, the hunt for the killer, the obsession with the "rules" of the time, and the lengths that young girls go to break out not knowing what the consequences will be., to be captivating and compellling.

Grab this book if you enjoy historical mysteries with a strong female protagonist. I have been a fan of the ‘Lady Emily’ series for years, and this latest book contains the elements that continue to delight. Lady Emily is brilliant, there is still romance with her husband, the mystery feels fresh, the Edwardian era of London 1907 comes alive, and there is a dual timeline story in alternating chapters which takes place in Britannia AD 60 and is also intriguing.

I believe readers who are already familiar with this series will be thrilled. However, I also believe that this can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone. I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley , St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for this ARC, it’s a pleasure as always.
Tasha Alexander’s The Sisterhood weaves together a historical mystery with dual timelines, offering a rich atmosphere and intriguing premise. However, I found it to be a challenging read. The frequent time jumps between storylines made it difficult to follow the plot, which ultimately impacted my ability to stay fully engaged and finish the book with ease.
Despite the structural hurdles, one standout element was the character of Lady Emily. She brought depth and charm to the story, and I found myself drawn to her intelligence and resilience.
I truly enjoy historical mysteries, and while this book didn’t quite work for me, I’m intrigued enough by Alexander’s writing style to explore her earlier novels—which seem to be highly regarded. Fans of the genre may still appreciate the detail and complexity Alexander brings to her work.

🔍📚 Book Review: The Sisterhood by Tasha Alexander
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this advance copy — and for introducing me to Lady Emily! This was my first read in the series, and I was immediately drawn in.

The Sisterhood is a layered, atmospheric historical mystery that kept me guessing until the final pages. I especially loved the alternating timelines — bouncing between June 1907 and Britannia AD 60 — each revealing strong, nuanced women navigating perilous worlds. Lady Emily is far from a traditional “lady,” and that’s precisely what makes her so compelling.

If you enjoy historical fiction with brains, heart, and a thread of suspense, this one delivers. And if you like your mysteries to come with mysteries within mysteries? You’re in for a treat.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TheSisterhood #LadyEmily #HistoricalFiction #MysteryLovers #BookReview #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #WhatImReading #AuthorLife

The Sisterhood is a Lady Emily Mystery. Set in London during the early 1900s, Lady Emily and her husband investigate when a debutante is poisoned at her engagement ball. There is also a mystery regarding a lady’s maid. All with ties to suffragettes.
A parallel story from ancient times when Rome ruled Brittania is given. At first I found the Brittania story distracting but later I enjoyed it.
This book is a slower pace but very enjoyable. The investigators are an engaging couple. Even though it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. You know there is more back story but it does not get in the way of the current mystery.

Told in 2 time periods, The Sisterhood is about Queen Boudicca ruling in 1st century AD and a murder investigation in early 20th century Britain. Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves investigate the poisoning death of a debutante, newly engaged to at Marquis. The alternate story is about a young Iceni woman, Vatta and her friendship with Queen Boudicca while she becomes the lover of a Roman officer who is part of the occupation forces. The two parallel stories intertwine ….especially in the role of women…as an ancient warrior Queen and pre-WW1 suffragettes….and the strictures of society (Tribal or Ton) on women’s behavior and choices. It’s one of my favorites from this wonderful series.

This was not my favorite story but it was still entertaining enough to keep me from DNFing it. I just felt like I couldn't get into it and had to push through some of it.

I have read these Lady Emily stories in the past and enjoyed them, but I found this one particularly challenging. I think the massive time jumps between storylines are what made it frustrating for me. And while I could have trudged through it, I found myself feeling miserable when I was reading, so I had to just put it down and walk away.

I think this novel is the best of the Lady Emily mystery series. At first I was confused by the flashbacks to the history of Boudica and Vatta, and I couldn’t understand why it was interspersed between the chapters concerning the murders that Emily and Colin were investigating. It turned out to be more than an allusion to the suffrage group formed by Victoria, the first victim, and her friends. It hid clues to the murders. That was very clever and made me want to continue reading to see who actually killed the girls and why.
I like how the Hargreaves flawlessly work together. They approach each case methodically and with ease. Their strong marriage allows them to intuitively work together, and the small romantic interludes lighten up the mood of the story at times. Their being part of the social class they investigate also helps them understand the dynamics of that world and how to draw information from the suspects.
I couldn’t find anything that I disliked in this story. (I have to remind myself that this copy is a rough, unfinished version and typographical errors will be corrected before the final publication.) Is it perfect? No, but that’s inconsequential. I really liked reading this book and will recommend it to my friends.