Lady Helena Investigates

What an amazing book!! I loved every second of this one, even with all the characters [and BOY are there A LOT of characters in this one] and killings!!

Lady Helena is the main character and she is recently widowed and also is dealing with the grief of losing her father as well. As time moves on, Lady Helena realizes that not all is as it seems and has to investigate to get to the truth and finally begin the healing process.

Filled with murder, incest, dementia and poisons, this is one book that will keep you on the edge of you seat while also making you tear up and laugh out loud.

I certainly hope there is a book #2.

I loved this book. I was like a mystery version of Downton Abbey. There were laugh out loud minutes, devistating secrets, and overbearing siblings. This book was expertly written and really I can't say enough good things. I loved the ending and hope there will be a 2nd one.

I really enjoyed this book. Its setting in the late 1800s is a wonderful time period to read about. I love the protagonist's viewpoint as a recently widowed young member of the aristocracy trying to assert herself as more than a decoration. She is looking for purpose in her life and resumes cultivating pants and working as a herbalist, like her mother before her.

There are several mysteries to be solved, beginning with the unexpected death of Lady Helena's husband. There is also the secret pregnancy of a land tenant's daughter (who had been a protegee of sorts to her mother in the past) and the death of the land tenant himself.

Lady Helena belongs to a large family - 5 older sisters and a younger brother (the Earl) and has always been referred to as Baby. She wishes to shed that nickname and be respected by her siblings as an adult.

The characters and setting are wonderfully described, well detailed and developed. I enjoyed her friendships with the doctor and his sister and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

*I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

I enjoy discovering new series to read, and think I've run across a good one.  Unfortunately, only the first book has been published, but I'm hoping for more.

A young widow in Victorian England is confronted with the untimely death of her husband and a French doctor who is convinced the death was no accident.  Lady Helena has a meddling family and a tragic history in love, but also possesses a stubborn independence that leads her to investigate her family history.  The sixth of seven children, Helena has the unfortunate nickname "Baby", and is frequently treated as such by her much older siblings.  Helena realizes that, due to her age, she knows little about her parents (her father died when she was 19 and her mother has been slipping into dementia since his death).  As a widow in mourning, her social options are limited, and she begins reading her mother's journals to re-kindle an interest in herbology and to discover her mother.  Of course, some things are better left in the past.

This is a well-written book with engaging characters (though perhaps Helena didn't need quite so many older siblings).  I look forward to the promised future books in the series.

I received access to this book from NetGalley.

It is 1881 and the story opens in the home of Lady Helena on the day of the young widow’s husband’s funeral, where her family has gathered. She is the youngest daughter of a family of six daughters and one son. Her brother, Michael, is an earl and considers himself head of the family, so naturally he is endowed with the right to tell everyone else in the family how to run their lives. His first thoughts after the funeral are that Helena must remarry as so soon as her year of mourning is over because no woman could possible run her late husband’s estate by herself; and he and his steward should take over the management of her interests until she remarries. Helena has always been the “baby” of the family, even though she is a year older than her brother. Her first love, Daniel, had died suddenly when she was in her teens and she had fallen into a deep depression. When she was recovering she had been wooed by an older neighbor, Sir Justin, who had become her husband. Even though they had never had children they had had a happy life, particularly as he had protected her from the controlling behavior of her family. Now in her weakest moments the family members are circling her like the pride of lions she imagines them to be.

While attempting to stand up to her family she is trying desperately not to fall into the same overwhelming depression that came after Daniel’s death, so she forces herself to find something to do so she can stay at least a little active. Her mother had been a locally acclaimed herbal healer and as a young teen Helena had hoped to follow in her mother’s footsteps, until the shock of seeing Daniel drop dead had convinced her she could never heal anyone. Maybe returning to studying herbal medicine could prevent her grief from overwhelming her this time.

Her plans are complicated when a local doctor visits her. He had been her husband’s physician and Sir Justin had trusted him implicitly, so when he tells Helena he has a different opinion about the cause of her husband’s death she feels she needs to hear what he has to say. Dr. Fortier had tried to give his opinion at her husband’s inquest, but since he is considered a young “foreigner”, being of French heritage, his opinion was easily set aside. He thinks there is something fishy about the story of how Sir Justin died. There were bruises around his neck and shoulders that indicated to Dr. Fortier that he was held under the water. Helena refuses to believe it possible since Justin had no enemies, but she can’t forget Dr. Fortier’s opinion as time moves on.

She never sets out to prove anything and has no plans to become a detective, but she wants to learn the truth. As she uncovers one thing, that leads to another…and another...and another. until she learns things she wishes she never knew. In the process she grows in maturity until she is finally a woman who can stand on her own and maintain the respect of her family and friends.

What a great story of a woman overcoming the trials of life and learning to not be afraid of the future. The book is well written, well edited, seems to fit the customs of the times, and keeps the reader interested until the very end. It is a "clean" story in that there are no explicit details of sexual activity, even though there is some mild discussion of possible intimate activity between family members. I hope the author writes a sequel so we can follow the story of what happens next to Lady Helena.

What a fun and satisfying read! Though the plot abounds with tragedy, strong and entertaining characters glide in and out of an interesting time in England, when roles for servants and nobility, and even husbands and wives are evolving. The mysteries take a backseat to the characterizations of family and societal interactions.

I am always happy to find a new historical mystery series and this one looks like the start of a good one. Set in 1881, Lady Helena is the youngest in the family and newly widowed and now faces controlling her money and her future. As is the custom for the period, her older brother sets about to take control of her life, especially her finances. Because of that theme, there is lots of growing for her to do as she learns some hidden truths about her family. Both her older sister and her mother were "out of step" with the current norms and Lady Helena finds that she can follow their lead.
This isn't a mystery first, character second read but more of a character growing and going against society and family with a mystery attached ......plus hints at future romance. I gave it 4 stars for the historical element and I hope that this, as the start of the series, is setting the stage for a better balance between the setting and the mystery in future books. As a series, it shows promise and I will be looking for the next entry.

An exciting start to a new series. This historical mystery is a little bit darker than most of historical mysteries that I've read lately.

Lady Helena at first appears to be quite a mild and meek character who is easily dominated by her older siblings. However as she gets mixed up in an investigation to find out what really happened to her husband Helena discovers hidden depths and a strong will. I enjoyed watching her grow and take charge of her life.

There was plenty of mystery surrounding the death of her husband as well as other goings on in their little community. Just when I thought she had everything figured out the story took another turn and I was left completely surprised with revelations about her family. All the threads wove together perfectly to create a wonderful web of intrigue, murder, love, and old family secrets.

Lady Helena's investigative partner is the French doctor Armand Fortier. There is an air of attraction between the pair but Fortier proves to be another man of mystery and we are left with the feeling that he is hiding quite a lot from Helena and maybe can't be trusted completely with her heart.



I quite enjoyed Lady Helena's interactions with her brother's man of affairs. She is quite snobbish in her dealings with him and she thoroughly dislikes him which I found quite entertaining. I can't help but feel there could be a reluctant friendship and possible romance there if things don't work out with Fortier.





I was impressed with this first in the series and I look forward to reading the rest of the series as it becomes published.

This was an engaging story and even though Helena was the main character, the story encapsulated the whole family. There were many diverse family members that added interest to the storyline. Although the main story revolves round the death of Helen’s husband, Justin, it also gave glimpses of what life was like in a small village. Slowly the secrets of the family revealed, some by Helena’s reading of her mother’s journals. There is also the enigmatic French doctor, Armand Fortier. I found this to be a thoroughly entertaining read and look forward to the next in the series. I was given a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Received an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

My only quibble with Lady Helena Investigates is that it doesn't really live up to its title. The titular lady even observes late in the narrative that she has done very little actual investigation, but I gather that is likely to change in future novels in the series. Overall, title aside, Jane Steen crafts a rich world and sets up a series I could happily enjoy.

The story opens with a recently widowed Lady Helena and her interfering family who all think they know what is best for her, the youngest girl. Helena's husband supposedly drowned accidentally but a doctor who was his friend and the first to examine the body approaches her with suspicions of foul play which Helena disregards for most of the books (hence why I object to the title). The doctor is French and serves as a reader surrogate at times to criticize the Victorian upper classes, and Helena develops a faltering friendship with him as she strives for a purpose now that she is no longer a wife.

There is little snooping and not much clue-gathering, but the mystery still unfolds around Helena until she cannot ignore it and gets sucked in. The climax had just the right amount of crazysauce for my taste and Steen sets up future adventures nicely. I look forward to going along.

This is a fantastic mystery, of a young Lady Helena, whose husband has died, or been murdered? Her huge family call her Baby, she must at some point assert herself! I love this book, truly love it. It has no modern women out of place, it is Historically Accurate!
I highly Recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!
Carolintallahassee.blog

What a great historical mystery! So atmospheric, with an engaging protagonist and story. I liked how she developed over the course of the book and really hope this is the start of a series, because I want more!

From the moment I started reading this book I could see that Lady Helena was going to face all manner of challenges, not the least of them coming from her own family. Author Jane Steen has done an excellent job of depicting life in nineteenth century England with all its social mores, class differences and prejudices. Unfortunately for Lady Helena, she frequently finds herself at odds with the expectations of both her family and the small rural community in which she lives.
With characters that fairly walk off the page and a plot filled with fascinating twists and turns, this story kept me engrossed throughout. I loved the way that Lady Helena slowly discovered her inner strengths as the story progressed, at the same time growing stronger and more sure of herself on the outside.
I found the supporting cast of characters fascinating too. Gutteridge, Lady Helena’s lady’s maid, is one who really endeared herself to me with her no nonsense approach, loyalty and self confidence. I could go on and on, but really it’s better to read this story for yourself. I loved it and eagerly anticipate more from this author.

Lady Helena Investigates is a lovely book that I enjoyed immensely. When a friend of a Lady Helena's recently deceased husband tells her that he believes the husband's accidental drowning death was actually murder, she is horrified and very hesitant to believe the claims or to investigate. As the next to the youngest of one of seven children, she already has her hands full with sibling advice about how to behave with decorum during her mourning period and how to manage her fortune and estate.

It is a journey of discovery for Helena as she navigates her family and the social mores and mourning dictates of the last 1800's, while at the same time refusing to passively accept widowhood. I quite enjoyed how she grew as a character as the book progressed and was more and more able to stand up for herself. There is more than one mystery in this well-written book that Helena finds herself unable to ignore,

I highly recommend this book and look forward to future installments of this series.

I loved this story of a 19th century woman coming to terms with her new widowhood and also uncovering a series of family mysteries. I hope that there will be more to her story.

I really liked this book. It’s not perfect, but it was a lovely read on an afternoon that was simply too hot to focus on. If I was complaining, I would say that it was a little overly long, with factual information about the family being repeated a little too often, but in my muggy, woolly state-of-mind I actually really appreciated that. I loved the calm way that things unfolded slowly, and the tone and pace worked perfectly for the Victorian setting.

You may need to give it a chapter or so to open up, as the opening scene is somewhat dense and confusing. Lady Helena, our protagonist, has a very large family, with six siblings and an array of nieces and nephews and brothers-in-law, not to mention her own husband (recently deceased) and various other members of her household and village. It feels like they are all introduced at once, and the first few pages are a cacophony of voices as the author tries to show us each of the different siblings. Do not worry. The book gets a lot more sensibly-paced after this scene, and the horde of relatives step back and let Helena interact with them individually and like normal people. It’s actually a very interesting family.

There is murder, and a mystery to be solved, of course, but ultimately that plot line was far less compelling than finding out about Helena’s life and her family. Her elderly mother has dementia, and the different ways Helena’s siblings react to that is fascinatingly well-painted. The siblings themselves were born over a 25 year span, with some of her elder sisters married with children before she was even born. Helena herself is intriguing – a young widow, she has been forced to act much older than her age (early twenties) to make her way in the world, and the book is a journey towards her discovering that her family have had lives before and outside her, and she has never noticed.

My favourite thread throughout the book is Helena’s rediscovery of her talent with medicinal herbs, a skill that she learned from her mother but had given up on after a trauma. She learns to embrace her healing skills, and I loved the inclusion of the era-appropriate medicine, with her doctor friend recommending tisanes, poultices and infusions alongside his more chemical medicine. Herbalism is something of a hobby of mine, and I loved the application of it here.

I think that the book could have ended around 4/5ths of the way through, after the murder had been solved, but the author seemed determined to tie up every single loose end, so there were several chapters of Helena discussing the events of the novel with each of her siblings, and coming to terms with her new life. It wasn’t bad, but it felt like the moment in a pantomime where everything’s resolved, but there are just a few more hoops to jump through: you’re just waiting for the big wedding and final song to wrap up the formula so you can finally go to the loo. It kind of worked, though, in the way that the leisurely pace worked for the rest of the book – there’s no action here, just the slow, gentle going-on of life.

Really quite calming and uplifting – four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley.com and Aspidistra Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I love historical novels and Lady Helena is right in that genre. This was a very enjoyable read. Mystery, romance, murder?? You can't go wrong this combination. The story flowed and just when you thought the book was over, mystery solved, it continued on. I love this as I hate to see a good story come to a halt. It weaved in the romance and the questions that will hopefully be answered in the next installment.
Thank you Jane Steen for your creativity!
#NetGalley #LadyHelenaInvestigates

I am an absolute fan of this type of novel, set in the Victorian period. As is often the case, the central character is a woman of substantial means and in this case she has just become a widow. Despite the setting the author does show the elements of the heroine's life that we would find totally unacceptable in this day and age. Only a matter of week after her husband's death she is being urged to think about re-marrying when her mourning is over. The plot starts off with just a vague feeling that circumstances about the death were wrong and as Lady Helena digs deeper she finds that there are some very nasty things going on in her local village. This was very enjoyable story and I look forward to reading Helena's further adventures.

This book is so well written, it was a pleasure to read it for that alone. But the story pulls you in and keeps you page turning until the end. I love historical novels about female sleuths, because, let's face it, with their easy access to homes, tea, and social events, they could be privy to a lot of gossip. I highly recommend you read this and any other by this author!

Lady Helena herself relates her story as the first-person narrator of this novel. I couldn’t put this book down, not because of the slight mystery in it, but because I cared so much about Lady Helena. It was like sipping a cup of tea with a dear friend while chatting about the latest drama stirred up by one of her endearing but bossy family members. This is some masterful storytelling.

The word “Investigates” in the book title is a bit of a misnomer. If you’re looking for a good whodunit or psychological suspense or gothic mystery, this isn’t it. But if you’re in the mood for a Victorian family drama with believable characters and beautifully crafted writing (and a few nasty skeletons in the cupboards of the family manor house), this is the novel for you.

My only disappointment is that this is book one of a series, and book two has not yet been published! While I wait impatiently for book two, I plan on reading Jane Steen’s other series, “The House of Closed Doors”.

Thanks to NetGalley and Aspidistra Press for this free ebook in exchange for my review.

I’m hooked. Before I finished reading Lady Helena InvestIgates I started looking for more books by this author. I was pleased to find more books by Jane Steen although none in this particular series. I really enjoy historical fiction especially mysteries with lots of action and a little romance. Lady Helena‘s husband has just died and she has lead a sheltered life typical of this era. I loved seeing her grow, becoming more forward, adventurous and able to make decisions for herself and others in her care. No boredom with this novel, it’s fast paced with twists and turns. Great well developed characters that keep you guessing to the end.. Excellent medically accurate details, well researched and knowledgeable in historical medical practice. My thanks to the author, the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. Looking forward to all the books in this new series.

This is a historical mystery I loved, but the most fascinating part of the story was the family relationships and the very slow-burn romance.

I enjoyed this introductory book to the forthcoming Lady Helena series. The characters were entertaining and I look forward to following them in future installments.
Lady Helena is newly widowed and surrounded by a multitude of older siblings (it's a bit difficult to keep track of them all at first), who all have advice for her. I liked that although she somewhat resents their influence at times, she mostly maintains warm family ties with them and communicates with them in a way that increases their respect for her. The story is at its best when it is focusing on her interactions with her family...and with Dr. Fortier.
Who is Dr. Fortier? A French physician with a certain air of mystery, rather disliked by the town, but intent on winning Lady Helena's trust. He comes to tell her of his suspicions about her late husband's death, and the two of them continue to cross paths throughout the novel.
Although Lady Helena is somewhat forward-thinking, she is not overly anachronistic or modern in her attitudes. Her personality hit the right balance for me, as being appropriate to a historical setting with modern readers.
The mystery and the scandal in the book felt very undeveloped to me. As they were revealed, I continued to find myself very puzzled by motive. I also could have done without the sordid aspect of the scandal. It got rather icky but, again, the motive for the actions didn't seem fully explained.
I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book!

Lady Helena Whitcombe finds herself investigating her family after the death of her beloved husband. She has her brother trying to control her life. Dr. Fortier has told her he thinks Justin was murdered but everyone else thinks it was an accident. Who to believe? She has the journals her mother kept over the years and learns many things she never knew about her family. Lady Helena would like a nice quiet life in her home with family in and out to visit. Can she find out what really happened to Justin? Can her attraction to Dr. Fortier go anywhere or will she just ignore it?

I am a big lover of Historical Mysteries and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I love the main character and how she solved her husband's death and how she interacted with her family. Hope this book will be published in Audiobook form soon.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction mystery. Lady Helena finds herself a young, but wealthy widow struggling to prove to those around her, particularly her brother and older sisters, that she is capable of being independent and does not need to be married off again posthaste.
Through contact with the very handsome, but mysterious French physician Armand Fortier questions are raised as to whether her husbands sudden death was accidental or perhaps something more sinister. Helena finds her self discovering some ugly facts about her tenants and own family. Is the Frenchman to be believed? Is he attracted to her wealth or just a Frenchmen intent on seducing young women?
This book is a lovely exploration of a time when women were considered commodities and a lady of the aristocracy not to be exposed to vulgarities. It is Downtown Abbey meets Nancy Drew, as the lovely yet very naive Helena starts to become more worldly and wise to the needs of others. As well as finding a voice to stand up to her own family and take control of her life.
I am really looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to Aspidistra Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

4.5 ⭐️
Loved this beginning of a seven book series featuring a young, widowed aristocrat in 1881 Sussex. Lady Helena, who has been sheltered her entire life, begins to stand on her own and up for herself within her family of 6 siblings. As she navigates widowhood, she must confront the possibility of her husband’s murder as well as uncovering startling buried family secrets. A bit long, but well-written mystery with a teaser of romance. Will definitely read more from this author!

Ms. Steen writes under her own publishing imprint, and in viewing her website, obviously writes from a great love for and interest in historical fiction....it definitely shows.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #AspidistraPress for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

I am a sucker for a good historical mystery series and I think I have found another one although only the first book has been written yet.

Lady Helena Investigates takes place in Regency England and the author handles the attitudes and the way of life at that time really well. The Lady Helena of the title is young and recently widowed and much of the story deals with how she struggles to remain independent from her big and busy family.

The mystery is the death of her husband and she is ably assisted in the search for his murderer by a charming French doctor who may not be all he seems. It will be interesting to see where their relationship leads and what crimes they will set out to solve in the future

Great read, looking forward too this series.Characters are well defined and story is engaging. Need to know what is next!