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A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem
(A Lady's Guide #1)
by
An intrepid female reporter matches wits with a serious, sexy detective in award-winning author Manda Collins' fun and flirty historical rom-com!
England, 1865 : As one of England's most notorious newspaper columnists, Lady Katherine Bascomb believes knowledge is power. And she's determined to inform and educate the ladies of London on the nefarious-and deadly-criminals ...more
England, 1865 : As one of England's most notorious newspaper columnists, Lady Katherine Bascomb believes knowledge is power. And she's determined to inform and educate the ladies of London on the nefarious-and deadly-criminals ...more
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Start your review of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem (A Lady's Guide, #1)
Yesss, this was what I need and what I wholeheartedly enjoy! Murder mystery meets romcom might be my dreamy blend that I never get bored from! A sharp witted, smart lady columnist teams up with charming detective who blames her for nearly ending his career to catch a serial killer who murders the people violate the rules of Ten Commandments!
And guess what! After taking from the case, our charming as hell detective Andrew Eversham is assigned for the murder case in countryside village which has ...more
And guess what! After taking from the case, our charming as hell detective Andrew Eversham is assigned for the murder case in countryside village which has ...more
Accidentally gave myself two stars. Couldn't undo and go back to no rating so gave up and gave myself five stars because to quote RuPaul "if you can't love your self how the hell are you gonna love somebody else?" Or something...
...more
Collins is a delight! I read A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem waaay past my bedtime, absorbed by its spot-on period detail, the well-crafted characters, and of course the intriguing mystery. Brava!
...more
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In a nutshell: I yawned my way through this book 🥱
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is not the worst book I've ever read, but it's also not a very engaging or exciting book. Lady Katherine Bascomb is a widow who now runs her late husband's newspaper company and she has begun a new column detailing her own investigation into the Commandments serial killings. But when her article leads to the arrest of the killer, it almost ruin ...more
In a nutshell: I yawned my way through this book 🥱
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is not the worst book I've ever read, but it's also not a very engaging or exciting book. Lady Katherine Bascomb is a widow who now runs her late husband's newspaper company and she has begun a new column detailing her own investigation into the Commandments serial killings. But when her article leads to the arrest of the killer, it almost ruin ...more
On my blog.
CWs: gore, murder, past domestic abuse
Galley provided by publisher
If there’s one intersection of genres that I love, it’s historical romance mysteries. Firstly, the historical setting provides the perfect amount of yearning (because of the social norms of the time), and secondly, mystery seems to me a perfect vehicle for advancing a romance. Two individuals having to work together to solve a problem? Falling in love along the way? Nothing can compare.
In A Lady’s Guide to Mischief ...more
CWs: gore, murder, past domestic abuse
Galley provided by publisher
If there’s one intersection of genres that I love, it’s historical romance mysteries. Firstly, the historical setting provides the perfect amount of yearning (because of the social norms of the time), and secondly, mystery seems to me a perfect vehicle for advancing a romance. Two individuals having to work together to solve a problem? Falling in love along the way? Nothing can compare.
In A Lady’s Guide to Mischief ...more
DNF
When I stumbled into A lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, I though this book maybe what I need to read since I was broading my romance genre into historical romance. I had so much fun r
listening to Bringing Down the Duke.
Sadly instead of liking this book, I have to shelved it under DNF.
Miss Collins had a good idea mixing the romance and the rom com. But the execution is done poorly. I can not help yawning and losing interest listening to the audiobook. Instead of falling asleep on my work ...more
When I stumbled into A lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, I though this book maybe what I need to read since I was broading my romance genre into historical romance. I had so much fun r
listening to Bringing Down the Duke.
Sadly instead of liking this book, I have to shelved it under DNF.
Miss Collins had a good idea mixing the romance and the rom com. But the execution is done poorly. I can not help yawning and losing interest listening to the audiobook. Instead of falling asleep on my work ...more
Feb 09, 2021
Roaringwave
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
mystery,
cover-love,
adult,
the-meh-ness-increases,
2021-reads,
romance
2.5/5
Meh.
The romance felt too rushed, and I felt like the killers’ motive wasn’t good enough but it was enjoyable enough.
Meh.
The romance felt too rushed, and I felt like the killers’ motive wasn’t good enough but it was enjoyable enough.
INTO IT! The mystery and the romance were realllly well balanced, which I think I usually don't find it to be the case? Also all of the female characters were SO GREAT and I basically want to stories for everyone . . . starting of course with Caro. WHAT A SEQUEL BAIT.
...more
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is a cozy little mystery-cum-romance. Kate (that's Lady Katherine Bascomb to you!) owns and writes for her own newspaper. When she engages in a little investigative journalism, she inadvertently stunts the career of Andrew Eversham, Detective Investigator with Scotland Yard, and implicates an innocent man as a serial killer. When there's another murder that fits the profile of the others, our MCs are thrown together - Kate discovers the body, and Andrew is s
...more
Series: A Lady’s Guide #1
Publication Date: 11/10/20
Number of Pages: 368
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, but I think I need to tell you that the focus of the book is the mystery rather than the romance. Yes, there is a romance and a bit of a HEA, but the mystery is the central point. For me personally, that is just the way I like it – I love a good historical mystery, but I do need a bit of romance to be included. That is exactly what I got in this book. Like other reviewers have said, I didn’t ex ...more
Publication Date: 11/10/20
Number of Pages: 368
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, but I think I need to tell you that the focus of the book is the mystery rather than the romance. Yes, there is a romance and a bit of a HEA, but the mystery is the central point. For me personally, that is just the way I like it – I love a good historical mystery, but I do need a bit of romance to be included. That is exactly what I got in this book. Like other reviewers have said, I didn’t ex ...more
As the owner of the Gazette, widow Lady Katherine Bascomb is sick of men deciding what knowledge is appropriate for women to know. When yet another man tells her she is too delicate to hear about the murders being done by someone the papers are calling the “Commandments Killer” Kate decides to use her position and her paper to educate the women of London. She recruits Caroline Hardcastle and they set out to get some questions about the murders answered. They interview a witness that the police n
...more
This was a fun read and a nice change of pace after some of the darker reads I've finished lately. Normally the level of romance isn't my thing but it worked here.
The only problem I had with this book was the character development. Everyone goes from just meeting to suddenly being old friends in a matter of pages. I felt like I missed a huge chunk of something. Like if you only watch the first season of Grey's Anatomy and then try to pick it back up in season 10.
I will absolutely be keeping my ...more
The only problem I had with this book was the character development. Everyone goes from just meeting to suddenly being old friends in a matter of pages. I felt like I missed a huge chunk of something. Like if you only watch the first season of Grey's Anatomy and then try to pick it back up in season 10.
I will absolutely be keeping my ...more
There is a killer in London that is killing based off the biblical ten commandments. Scotland Yard has not been able to discover a link between the victims or who the killer might be.
Lady Katherine Bascom, vivacious newspaper running widow, does some reporting of her own with her friend Miss Caroline Hardcastle (cookbook author) and discovers a witness that Scotland Yard had missed. They decide to write an article to help women to avoid becoming victims (very worthy cause) but may have made som ...more
Lady Katherine Bascom, vivacious newspaper running widow, does some reporting of her own with her friend Miss Caroline Hardcastle (cookbook author) and discovers a witness that Scotland Yard had missed. They decide to write an article to help women to avoid becoming victims (very worthy cause) but may have made som ...more
This suffered from being a book I read in November 2020 when my brain is mush and I have no attention span, but the writing really worked for me and I liked the characters. I could have done with a scooch more romance on the page? I wanted a bit more before declarations of love and proposals of marriage, even under solving a murder heightened emotions. Really glad to read Manda Collins again.
2.5 stars
I love that cover and the synopsis sounds like everything I could have ever wanted...sadly, I was disappointed.
I liked Katherine and Andrew. They’re both smart and maybe a bit sassy. I enjoyed their open communication and honesty. Caro was hands down the best part of the book. She’s absolutely delightful and I can’t wait to get more from her.
Plot wise, it was a bit dull. The murder mystery wasn’t a mystery to me and so I focused on the romance part. And yet, that wasn’t enough for me ...more
I love that cover and the synopsis sounds like everything I could have ever wanted...sadly, I was disappointed.
I liked Katherine and Andrew. They’re both smart and maybe a bit sassy. I enjoyed their open communication and honesty. Caro was hands down the best part of the book. She’s absolutely delightful and I can’t wait to get more from her.
Plot wise, it was a bit dull. The murder mystery wasn’t a mystery to me and so I focused on the romance part. And yet, that wasn’t enough for me ...more
Nov 10, 2020
The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arc-s
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem gave me Lady Sherlock vibes and I loved it! Lady Katherine, after the death of her husband, takes over a newspaper and decides that women need to be better informed. She and her new friend Caro decide to write a column just for women. Both Katherine and Caro are whip smart, savvy, and determined. Readers will love them.
The plot involves a serial killer. Andrew was the officer assigned to the case until Katherine's article gets him kicked off. However, ...more
This was a fun first read to start off the year! I do wish that it had been a little bit longer so that the romance could have had some more page time, but I liked the characters and the story and I'm looking forward to Val and Caro's book.
...more
Collins has written competence porn at its finest. Kate and Andrew work together, sometimes begrudgingly, to solve a murder. Both respect the other and value the others input. It is all sorts of fun to read. If you are looking for a great mystery with not a lot of conflict, this book is the perfect choice.
What a fun read! I love that this was more than a historical fiction romance. It has a great mystery aspect told in dual POV.
At times the narrative was predictable but still quite enjoyable. I appreciated the feminism aspects to this novel.
Thank you Forever Pub and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy for my honest opinion and feedback. I will definitely be reading more from Manda Collins in the future.
At times the narrative was predictable but still quite enjoyable. I appreciated the feminism aspects to this novel.
Thank you Forever Pub and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy for my honest opinion and feedback. I will definitely be reading more from Manda Collins in the future.
Since her husband’s death Lady Katherine Bascomb has turned his newspaper into a success and become quite infamous as a columnist. She’s tired of ladies being kept in the dark and decides to begin a new segment informing London’s female population about a killer preying on the city’s inhabitants and harming women. But when her writing leads to the arrest of a man Katherine is being wrongfully accused, she escapes to a friend’s country house party to avoid the media circus and determine how to ri
...more
Mysterious, atmospheric, and delightfully entertaining!
A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is a clue-like murder mystery set in England during 1865 that features Lady Katherine Bascomb, a widowed newspaper owner who after stumbling upon what appears to be another victim of the elusive Commandments Killer on the country estate of her friend Lord Valentine Thorn, joins together with the disgruntled, enigmatic, handsome, Inspector Andrew Eversham of Scotland Yard to try and solve the case.
The wri ...more
A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is a clue-like murder mystery set in England during 1865 that features Lady Katherine Bascomb, a widowed newspaper owner who after stumbling upon what appears to be another victim of the elusive Commandments Killer on the country estate of her friend Lord Valentine Thorn, joins together with the disgruntled, enigmatic, handsome, Inspector Andrew Eversham of Scotland Yard to try and solve the case.
The wri ...more
*ARC sent by publisher, Forever. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
REVIEW
This was so much fun! I will admit that the ending felt a little rushed, but I overall found it to be a pleasure. I would say this book is 60% mystery and 40% romance.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what the steam level would be in this book. It is a historical romance and sometimes they are steamy, sometimes they are fade-to-black. I happy to announce that this is not the later. In fact, we get some pretty hot steam - our M ...more
REVIEW
This was so much fun! I will admit that the ending felt a little rushed, but I overall found it to be a pleasure. I would say this book is 60% mystery and 40% romance.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what the steam level would be in this book. It is a historical romance and sometimes they are steamy, sometimes they are fade-to-black. I happy to announce that this is not the later. In fact, we get some pretty hot steam - our M ...more
ooooo this was so good!
I think I was verging on a book/reading slump as I DNF'd a book, and I didn't really want to delve into a complex fantasy or a bulky book, and so I picked this one up. And I'm really glad I did tbh. It was so entertaining and so fun! The cover is absolutely gorgeous and I love how this is an ongoing trend with historical romances/romances! They're so cool! I kept hearing about this book all over booktube, and I knew I had to pick up a copy.
I bought this book specifically ...more
I think I was verging on a book/reading slump as I DNF'd a book, and I didn't really want to delve into a complex fantasy or a bulky book, and so I picked this one up. And I'm really glad I did tbh. It was so entertaining and so fun! The cover is absolutely gorgeous and I love how this is an ongoing trend with historical romances/romances! They're so cool! I kept hearing about this book all over booktube, and I knew I had to pick up a copy.
I bought this book specifically ...more
3.5 A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is the new book from Manda Collins. I loved the title and happily turned to the first page...
1865. Lady Katherine Bascomb is the widowed owner of a London newspaper. She also (against the opinions of the male members of the paper) writes a column. With some particularly vicious crimes happening in London, she and her bestie Caroline decide to pen a piece about the 'Commandments Killer.' Perhaps do some investigation as well. Can you guess the name of th ...more
1865. Lady Katherine Bascomb is the widowed owner of a London newspaper. She also (against the opinions of the male members of the paper) writes a column. With some particularly vicious crimes happening in London, she and her bestie Caroline decide to pen a piece about the 'Commandments Killer.' Perhaps do some investigation as well. Can you guess the name of th ...more
DNF @ 40%. This seemed like it could have been very charming, but there was so much telling instead of showing and so many events were just summed up in a sentence. Thus, the pacing felt very off: important events were just glossed over and the plot went bouncing along a bit haphazardly.
For example, the heroine and her assistant crack a major clue in the case in a sentence: “It took them some time, but after the two ladies had read through the accumulated stories about the four victims, they fo ...more
For example, the heroine and her assistant crack a major clue in the case in a sentence: “It took them some time, but after the two ladies had read through the accumulated stories about the four victims, they fo ...more
*4-4.5🌟
I really liked the romance and the mystery!! 🙊 It kinda gave me the Alienist vibes (obvs different but the setting and romance combined with mystery felt similar 👀)
I really liked the romance and the mystery!! 🙊 It kinda gave me the Alienist vibes (obvs different but the setting and romance combined with mystery felt similar 👀)
Overall, this was an ok read for me. I have never read any other works by this author so perhaps I just don't click with her writing style. This is definitely a mystery-driven story where the hero and heroine meet through investigating a string of murders. The mystery itself seemed fine - I honestly wasn't that interested in it and skimmed a lot of the details. Now, I have read a gripping mystery or two but it's not my usual genre choice. So you may be more captivated than me by the story if you
...more
3.5 stars
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem was an enjoyable historical romance. The added murder plot kept things moving, but I did find that the pacing overall was a little too slow and it made the book feel overly long. I'm not sure if it was the anxiety of current events or the story itself, but things seemed to stall in the middle of the novel. The conclusion of the murder plot felt a bit anticlimactic and then the ending felt very rushed. I really liked the heroine, Katherine, but my fa ...more
A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem was an enjoyable historical romance. The added murder plot kept things moving, but I did find that the pacing overall was a little too slow and it made the book feel overly long. I'm not sure if it was the anxiety of current events or the story itself, but things seemed to stall in the middle of the novel. The conclusion of the murder plot felt a bit anticlimactic and then the ending felt very rushed. I really liked the heroine, Katherine, but my fa ...more
This was an interesting book. First thing of note, I found the cover and blurb to be slightly misleading. Nothing about the cover would make me think this book relies heavily on solving a murder. Shame on me for not better reading the blurb, so I will take the loss on that.
The story is incredibly feminist and the main protagonist is smart as hell and I appreciated that about her. I also liked her wacky friend and the cat. The feminism of today as well as commentary about social justice particul ...more
The story is incredibly feminist and the main protagonist is smart as hell and I appreciated that about her. I also liked her wacky friend and the cat. The feminism of today as well as commentary about social justice particul ...more
I almost wonder if I read the wrong book. I can't remember where I heard about this book or how it got on my to-read list and since there are SO MANY books with titles like this these days, it's very possible that the book I meant to read was not this one.
Which makes me feel better about saying that I didn't really like THIS book, the one I ended up reading! I actually went and checked TWICE to make sure this was the first book in the series, not the second, since there were only sudden, vague r ...more
Which makes me feel better about saying that I didn't really like THIS book, the one I ended up reading! I actually went and checked TWICE to make sure this was the first book in the series, not the second, since there were only sudden, vague r ...more
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Manda Collins spent her teen years wishing she’d been born a couple of centuries earlier, preferably in the English countryside. Time travel being what it is, she resigned herself to life with electricity and indoor plumbing, and read lots of books. An affinity for books led to a graduate degree in English, followed by another in Librarianship. By day, she works as an academic librarian at a small
...more
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