This is the first Lady Emily mystery that I have read. I admit I skimmed the "Boudica" chapters but the London setting and plot premise intrigued me. I especially enjoyed the character development and the surprise ending.

3.25 stars

Another strong story by Tasha Alexander for the Lady Emily series! This one has Emily and Colin, her husband, attempting to solve the mystery of a debutante death. Victoria Goldsborough was the season's diamond, engaged to the coveted Lord Harrington. Unfortunately, on the night celebrating their engagement, Victoria is poisoned and dies dramatically at the ball. Lady Emily is on the case, and the more she digs, the more confusing the situation becomes.

Overall, I've always enjoyed the Lady Emily stories. I like Emily herself, of course, and her husband. This particular novel doesn't have much time devoted to their relationship, but it is always nice to see when "happily ever afters" continue to healthy, communicative relationships. Sebastian always is a fun little surprise as well. This novel is also a novel of halves. Half of the story is devoted to the "current" day mystery in London, and the other is about Boudica, an ancient warrior queen. I candidly admit I was not invested in Boudica's story very much, and didn't really connect with those chapters. For me, I was only engaged with Lady Emily's story, which is why the rating is lower than usual for one of Tasha Alexander's stories. That said, Alexander is excellent at writing a good mystery, and I found myself genuinely surprised by the killer at the end. I thought the mystery itself was well-done, and the characters we were introduced to, such as Victoria's sister and best friend, and even her rival, were nuanced and interesting. I eagerly await the next installment in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy review. All opinions are my own.

When the most eligible bachelor of the season is taken off the market by the lovely, beautiful and secretive Victoria Goldsborough it was sure to produce some ill feelings towards the young lady from those who had planned to capture the marquess' heart that season. When she is poisoned at a ball, Lady Emily and her husband Colin Hargreaves are called to solve the crime. As the investigation goes on Lady Emily knows that some of the suspects are not being truthful with her and when a second debutante falls to the same poison, Lady Emily and Colin must redouble their efforts to find the killer.
Told in alternating chapters between London of 1903 and ancient Britain the two story lines eventually tie together. We meet Boudica, the ancient warrior queen whose husband is tricked by the invading Romans and her friend Vatta, who does not want a traditional life and finds herself torn between duty to her tribe and her hunger for the scholarship the Romans offer. A known thief in modern London is connected to both Boudica and Lady Emily and is the vehicle for melding these two tales together.
Best read by lovers of 1900's England protocol and sleuthing by using one's brains.

In 1907 London, a glamourous young debutante collapses and dies at the ball held in honour of her engagement to a most eligible peer. When a poisoned drink is determined to be the cause, Lady Emily and Lord Hargreaves investigate at the King’s request. There is no shortage of viable suspects, including the fiancé, jilted suitors, a jewel thief, and jealous rivals. The centuries old story of Boudicca is woven throughout the mystery, providing a fierce female leader as inspiration for the suffrage movement featured in the novel.

I thought I knew what to expect with this mystery novel set in the era of the marriage market, ballrooms and swoons over eligible peers of the realm. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by a mystery with a historical element of surprising depth and interest. I note that some reviewers did not care for the layering of the 1900s murder storyline with the historical narrative set in Britannia, and felt it did not add anything to the story.

I must respectfully disagree in the strongest terms with this assessment. The reader easily slips back and forth between the two periods, with the Britannia narrative being the more interesting of the two in my opinion. Not only that, but it ties in very neatly with the modern murder story and provides a little “a-ha” moment as well. Not being interested in clandestine rendezvous and heaving bosoms, I feel that the art thievery, history and murder all converge very nicely to deliver an entertaining murder mystery. Thank you to Minotaur for the copy to read, which I greatly enjoyed,

Quite an excellent next installment in this thrilling series! Murder, intrigue and manners all combined. I can’t wait for the publication date to see what historical notes the author chooses to include at the end as she often does. Highly recommend!!

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

It’s been awhile since I have read a Lady Ashton mystery, so it was nice to find that I still enjoyed the writing and the characters. Why was the debutant poisoned at the party. Was it revenge or jealousy? You’ll have to read the mystery to find out the answers.
Goodreads

The Sisterhood totally pulled me in with its mix of history, mystery, and strong female characters. I didn’t know exactly what to expect going in, but once I got a few chapters in, I was hooked. Tasha Alexander knows how to create atmosphere, and the setting really added to the story’s tension and intrigue.

What I loved most was how the story blended the past and present without it feeling forced. The characters felt fully developed, especially the women at the center of it all. Their loyalty, secrets, and personal struggles gave the story real weight, and I found myself wanting to know more about each of them.

If you like historical fiction with a bit of suspense and a focus on the bonds between women, The Sisterhood is a great pick. It’s one of those books that made me want to slow down and savor the details, but also had me flipping pages to find out what happened next.

Quick and relaxing read. Something I would take with me on vacation! Highly recommended if you like romance as well.

Another twisty mystery for Lady Emily to solve, this one closer to home than the last several books. There were many suspects, including one familiar face. Though the killer had a strong motive, I did not figure out who it was before the big reveal.

I found the other story, set in 60 AD, interesting too. Vatta, the main character of that timeline, was caught between two worlds, not fitting well in either. It felt more modern to me than the setting, though. I wonder if it would have felt more authentic to the time if that section had been in third person?

Overall, I enjoyed this read. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the early read.

“The Sisterhood” was a good addition to the series. In hindsight, the killer and motive are not surprising. However, I would never have guessed the killer’s identity before it was revealed. The author does a great job of setting forth plausible suspects and motives, keeping the reader guessing. Especially with the side plots and the rather colorful characters. The historical story weaved into the overall narrative was interesting and fitting.

The Sisterhood, my first Lady Emily mystery, vividly captures 1907 London’s elite, blending complex mysteries with rich characters. A rogue keeps Lady Emily and her husband sharp. However, the dual narrative—alternating historical and modern timelines—feels disjointed until late, hindering engagement. The suffragette emphasis felt overdone, and the murder resolution contrived. Still, the immersive period setting captivates.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, all opinions are my own.

Tasha Alexander once again delivers a spellbinding historical mystery in The Sisterhood, the 19th installment of her acclaimed Lady Emily series. This entry not only keeps readers riveted with a high-society whodunit in Edwardian London, but also boldly expands the series’ scope with a parallel storyline set during the Roman conquest of Britain, featuring none other than the formidable Celtic queen, Boudica.
The novel opens with the shocking death of Victoria Goldsborough, a debutante who collapses at her own engagement ball to the seemingly respectable Marquess of Harrington. When another young woman meets a similar end soon after, Lady Emily and her husband Colin, ever the sleuthing duo, dig into the glittering facade of London’s upper crust to uncover a sinister undercurrent of secrets, betrayals, and abuses of power.
Alternating chapters transport the reader to ancient Britannia, where Queen Boudica rises as a symbol of feminine strength and rebellion in the face of Roman oppression. At first, the connection to Lady Emily's murder investigation seems remote. But Alexander skillfully draws thematic and symbolic parallels between the Celtic queen’s defiance and the stifled lives of debutantes, bound by rigid expectations and the tyranny of scandal.
As Lady Emily and Colin delve deeper, they uncover a dark story involving a ladies’ maid, ruined by a man of rank and driven to suicide—a tragic thread linking the present crimes to a pattern of exploitation. The suspects are well drawn: a gambling fiancé with motive and desperation, a jealous best friend with ambitions of her own, and a slew of peers and parents all too willing to maintain silence to protect reputations.
The titular “sisterhood” becomes both a literal and symbolic network of women refusing to be silenced.
The prose is elegant, the pacing brisk, and the mystery satisfyingly layered. Fans of the series will find Lady Emily as clever and courageous as ever, but even new readers can easily step into this volume and be swept away.

The Sisterhood was the first book I've read by Tasha Alexander and of the Lady Emily mysteries.
I enjoyed the elaborateness of London’s elite in 1907 and the complexity of the various mysteries in the story. It took me to a different time and place. This is the beginning of the women's suffrage movement.
The characters were well developed, and a delightful rogue character kept Lady Emily and her husband on their toes.
*(There are two references to abuse against two maids and one suicide.
#TheSisterhood
#TashaAlexander
#NetGalley

The Sisterhood by Tasha Alexander is the nineteenth book in the Lady Emily Mysteries series, set in London during the summer of 1907. It follows Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, as they delve into the suspicious death of debutante Victoria Goldsborough.

I really enjoyed the blend of rich historical detail and an engaging mystery. Even though I hadn’t read the earlier books in the series, this one worked well as a standalone. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read, especially for fans of historical fiction.

I found this to be quite a quick and engaging read. It's an entertaining cozy mystery set in Edwardian high society, with alternating chapters set in ancient Roman Britain.
Although the ancient storyline is not nearly as compelling and tended to slow the pace of the main mystery, it still taught me a little something about a historical period I wasn't familiar with, and (for me) that's always a win regardless.
There are some welcome flashes of humor, provided by the Arsene Lupin-like antihero that Lady Emily has been blessed/cursed to know for many years now. It did make me chuckle from time to time.

The two narrative structure did not work for me as you are more than halfway through the book before there is a hint of connection. And the format does not allow you to be fully engaged with either story. Why not combine the historical narrative within the more modern story? Did not work for me but might for others.

Two books in one. They complement each other well, giving historical reference and explaining an underlying theme for the more recently set tale. These intertwining of the two-story lines was done in an interesting manner- even chapters were historical and odd chapters were in the more recent time frame. Some readers will follow this easily; others will have to pause at the end of each chapter to reset themselves.
Worth the time and read.

The Sisterhood by Tasha Alexander is another entry in her Lady Emily series. There are two stories that seem unrelated for a while. One takes place in 1907 and involves Lady Emma and her husband trying to solve a couple of murders. This thread has all the feels of an Edwardian novel…stuffy aristocrats, class differences, the subjugation of women in society, even as some women are working toward getting voting rights. The second story is about the Iceni, Queen Boudica and their revolt against the Roman Empire. While Ms. Alexander eventually ties the two together, the switching between stories was distracting. The murder mystery was what kept this reader turning pages. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend.

Lady Emily never disappoints! In THE SISTERHOOD, she is back and better than ever.

In the latest installment, Lady Emily and her husband are charged with solving the murder of the debutante of the season. The young lady in question, engaged to the Most Eligible Bachelor, drops dead in the middle of a ball! As always, Tasha Alexander does a wonderful job weaving historical details and events into the story. This book is no exception. The story and charactes are engaging and likeable and the story was interesting and well-told. As always, Colin and Emily have great chemistry!

The dual timeline doesn't bother me, but this particular one featuring Boudica rather took me out of the story a bit. The timelines related but were not interwoven, so it was sometimes jarring to switch back and forth. Honestly, I preferred the 1907 murder to the Iceni/Roman conflict.

If you have not read this series from the beginning, start now! You won't be disappointed! I am already anticipating the next installment.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC!

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I've enjoyed earlier books in the series. I found the emphasis on the suffragettes overdone, and I was not interested in the parallel story linking with the history of the fearsome queen, Boudica. I thought the solution revealing who had committed the murder in the main plot contrived. I'm sorry that I didn't find it more interesting.