An Extravagant Duplicity

If you are on book 11 of this series, you are committed, you love Bea, you love Kesgrave, you love Flora. Honestly, for me the plot hardly matters at this point. There's a murder, Bea gets involved, her relatives are bonkers, it's all good. This one felt a bit more, reflective, mature. So Flora, I totally got where she was coming from with Holcroft, I hate, hate when characters make decisions for other characters. Good for Flora for standing up for herself, I love her for it even when it made her a shrew. Chapter 10. This is perfection, I feel like, if we never get another Beatrice Hyde -Clare mystery, Chapter 10 is the epitome of perfection in Bea and Kesgrave's relationship. It so perfectly encapsulates their idiocyncrocies, their vulnerability and growth as people and as a couple, tender, sarcastic, revealing and touching and comical. A beautiful moment that so well represents these two. More Nuneaton, but that's a forever wish and hope. I'm here till book 75 if that's where Lynn Messina takes us. I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.

There are series that demand the reader start at the beginning to understand each installment and ones you can hop into at any time. An Extravagant Duplicity by Lynn Messina is both. You could definitely read this book as a standalone, enjoying the murder investigation and ridiculous antics of the cast without knowing the backstories of the main characters. The likely scenario after following Beatrice, Dutchess of Kesgrave, and her husband Damian, Duke of Kesgrave, during their investigation is that you'll want to circle back to enjoy the journey to this point. Every installment in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series is a fast, fun romp. This one was particularly delightful to me because significant developments occurred in the personal storylines during the investigation and the introduction of a new character, the cherub.

In this book, Beatrice is asked to investigate the death of a manipulative, domineering patriarch by the man's grandson. The grandson is most interested in people hearing that the famous Dutchess visited his home and thinks his grandfather died in a fall. Bea is distracted during her initial visit to the house, made with her husband, cousin Flora, and Flora's love interest, Mr. Holcroft. She's preoccupied by conflicting thoughts about being mother and when to tell her husband she's expecting their child. She worries this will be the end of her instigations. Meanwhile, Damian realizes a murder definitely took place and they jump into sleuthing again. Flora and Holcroft have their own side story that makes some nice progress in this book.

Lynn Messina creates scenes where you find yourself laughing at the antics of her delightful characters while also pondering an observation about society and the role of women in Regency England that often still holds true today. I know I'll always get charming scenes between Bea and Damian, who can't keep their hands off each other, too. The pace is fast and though we get pages of internal dialogue from Bea, we go from start to finish in the course of a day. What a wonderful addition to one of my favorite series!

Bea and Kesgrave recapture some of their investigative sparkle in this latest outing. I enjoyed this one more than some of the previous titles, as the crime and the path of the investigation seem to give the reader a pretty fair shot at figuring out what happened, which I appreciate.
Bea's deeply hidden insecurities about her marriage and her identity have been the subject of (extensive) rumination for many, many books now, but I'm happy to report that even though they're still present, they're reined in a bit. And they're also made more relevant by the introduction of a new phase of life for her and Kesgrave. All in all, this volume picked up the pace and added a bit of needed freshness for the series.

I have to start by saying I am completely new to this author, and did not even realize this was a part of a series until I had started reading, so my review may be colored by my unawareness. That said, here goes!

This is not a book to be binged. It is not a book where you start reading as a nightcap and then stay awake past your bedtime to cram it in. No, this is a book that has to be read slowly - and savored - because every sentence in this book is pure gold and worthy of full concentration. Obviously, it is hilarious, and enjoyable and so, so fun!

I grew up reading mystery books but have veered away from the genre for a while. This book reminded me just how much I adore typical whodunits. This book has all the best parts of a mystery book, mixed in with my current favorite - historical romance plus a little of the all-time favorite- humor! And just when I was beginning to think the book is solely light hearted fun, there is a touch of angst, which serves to give an added depth to both characters and plot. Very nicely done!

Bea is an amazing character, and sometimes the duke felt very insipid next to her (this may be a consequence of my not having read the previous books).

My only little issue was that at places, it started feeling a little too repetitive. Otherwise, in terms of plot, humor, prose, characters - it is top-notch!! Most importantly, I seem to have found a new series and new author to love, and I am very excited to read some other books by Lynn Messina!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the authors for a chance to read this wonderful book!

As usual, this author has provided us with an entertaining and well-crafted read. Our murderer is among an insanely dysfunctional family that will almost remind you of the old Keystone Cops movies. When you add Bea’s wild and wooly family into the mix, you have a recipe for total and utter chaos – along with some witty and humorous banter. As always, we have a lot of Bea’s internal dialogue to know what she is really thinking – and most of that internal dialogue centers around the fact that she is expecting a ‘cherub’ and is afraid she’s going to have to curtail her investigating. Oh! My! I sure do hope that isn’t the author actually thinking of ending the series.

Roger Dugmore, a man who is old and feeble, died when he was trying to get out of bed, fell, and hit his head on a table. Or is that what happened? You’ll know for sure after Bea and Kesgrave finish their investigation. Dugmore’s grandson, Viscount Ripley, asked for their help – mostly as a lark. You see, Ripley is very young, very naïve, very immature, and very determined to come to the notice of Mr. Twaddle Thum so he can be featured in his gossip column.

Bea is distracted by the news that she is 'with child' and initially misses an important clue. Thus, she believes this really is just a horrible accident – until Kesgrave shares what he has noticed. So, murder it is, and there are plenty of suspects with several grown grandchildren and a daughter all living in the home.

As the investigation progresses, they learn that grampa wasn’t the nicest of men. He ruled his family with an iron hand and had no compunction about blackmailing or otherwise coercing his own family into doing his bidding. With so many suspects and alibis floating around it seems almost impossible to find the solution. But, of course, they do.

While murder is a serious subject, the author always manages to slip in plenty of wit and humor along with side stories to make the darker topic more tolerable. As always, this story was rife with Americanisms – just in case you needed to know that. The characters are engaging and fun, and the side stories keep it really interesting. Again, as always, there is a lot of self-dialogue on Bea’s part – sometimes that causes me to skip some paragraphs – sometimes it doesn’t. At any rate, it is an enjoyable read and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I say I was excited to receive an ARC of this book.. I mean that I checked daily for it on NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have read all of the Beatrice Hyde Clare books and loved every single one. There's just something about a Regency cozy. Particularly this series features a smattering of clever ladies and of course, the Duke of Kesgrave.

When the Duchess of Kesgrave has a murder handed to her by her cousin, Russell, she investigates quickly and discovers it was just an accident. Upon a reexamination of the facts, she uncovers a much more sordid set of family squabbles than she'd first bargained for. At the same time, Bea is trying to find the right moment to tell the Duke that she's with child.

A stand-out book in a series that I love. Would recommend to anyone who loves regency cozies.

I absolutely love this series and I've read all the books so far! I love the way Bea and Kesgrave's relationship has evolved through the series and it's so fun to read their interactions.

In this story, it's Kesgrave who notices something is not right when he and Bea are called to solve an alleged crime. This one was quite the story! So many people had motive and opportunity, and it was quite the ride to the end to see who had done it.
The way she finally tells Damian she's expecting is just so like Bea, and the ending, with both of them in the carriage, is perfect!

Can't wait for the next story!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

If you enjoy Bea and Kesgrave you’ll love this book!
I have enjoyed all of the Bea and Kesgrave books but this one adds even more depth to the couple and their relationship. If you’ve never read them this is a good intro and can easily be read as a standalone but I can recommend all of the series. Bea is approached and asked to investigate a death to prove that it was an accident. But her investigation takes a strange turn when her cousin, Flora, tries to take over the investigation and announces that indeed it was an accident. Only after they have left does Kesgrave point out an important fact that Bea missed, which is not surprising given the secret she is keeping from Kesgrave. As they proceed in their investigation, without Flora, they are met with ghosts from their pasts and people in the present who have them chasing down false trails, false clues, and facts omitted in their interviews. It will keep you guessing right along with Bea and Kesgrave. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

First, I really liked how much more of Bea's and Kesgrave's feelings for each other eventually came out in this book, though it took a while to get there. I always like at least as much affection as mystery in these books, as I think I would prefer a little more evidence of their love. And I do confess I get a tad thrown off tack when something is said and then you have to spend the next two or three pages of Bea's thoughts about what was said, her reaction, Kesgrave's reaction, speaker's motivation, etc., etc., such that I have to go back two or three pages to see what the original statement or question was. Nevertheless, I still love this series and will continue to read them. The wit, the humor, and the mystery always pull me in. Only, could we get Bea's thoughts "after" instead of always "during"? For example, when she and Kesgrave are asked to leave and they do, give her thoughts as they walk out instead of before they do. As is, it leaves one wondering for a few pages if they actually will leave or cause a scene or just what is going to happen, instead of their simply getting up and leaving as requested, THEN telling what she thought about the request. Thanks to #NetGalley for an ARC of this book, #AnExtravagantDuplicity.

What a charming and delightful Regency period mystery this is. Although it is the eleventh installment in the Beatrice Hyde-Clare novels by gifted writer, Lynn Messina, I did not find myself asea trying to track the characters and the cumulative story. There was sufficient background provided, that one could leap into this book with both feet and not miss a step. There are a few enticing references to scenarios from previous installments which only make the desire stronger to go back to the beginning and get the full story and all its developments.

From page one, the story read like a Mozart comic opera - absolute shear farce! But after a few chapters, the gravity of the situation begins to take shape. It would appear that a murder has taken place after all, and the Duchess of Kesgrave will do whatever it takes to sort the clues and deliver her assessment as requested. Although many of of the character are far from perfect, their flaws reveal their humanity resulting in this reader's empathy for the characters and a touch of sorrow for the situations in which they find themselves. The moral messages threaded throughout the book give one cause to ponder.

Ms. Messina has done a terrific job of capturing the social mores of the aristocratic class of Regency England. She pokes a bit of fun at all the rules by which one must live one's life. She also brings to light the struggles which women particularly faced back in those days and the social constrictures placed upon them. Heaven forbid that they should step out of line. Any such action will only land them in the tattle sheets of the local newspaper - as well they do in this story.

Ms. Messina's writing is clear and concise. The mise-en-scène is spot on. The mystery proffers a number of red herrings with any number of the characters having a motive for the murder. This was certainly an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more by this fine writer.

I am grateful to Ms. Messina and her publisher, Potatoworks Press, for having provided a complimentary advance reader copy (ARC) of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.