Books like 'A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder'
Readers who enjoyed A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman & Sarah Zimmerman also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical funny mystery victorian heroine sleuth
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The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 5 by Beth Brower
Rated: 4.77 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsI took Treasure Island to church with me as a talisman.“What a lovely bible,” Mrs. Tribly said.“Isn’t it just?” I replied, hoping she would not ask me to read a favorite verse aloud.I do not believe the psalmist wrote,Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest,Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighbourhood of St. Crispian’s... -
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 8 by Beth Brower
Rated: 4.76 of 5 stars · 29 ratings"Strange, considering it all now after a night's sleep, that I'd had no premonition of what awaited. That seems to be the nature of life, however. Things that ought to come with warnings rarely do. "The Year is 1884 and Emma M. Lion has, at long last, gained her majority... -
The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays by Oscar Wilde
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsLady Windermere's Fan/Salomé/A Woman of No Importance/An Ideal Husband/A Florentine Tragedy/The Importance of Being Earnest'To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness'The Importance of Being Earnest is a glorious comedy of mistaken identity, which ridicules codes of propriety and etiquette... -
The River Girl by Tania Crosse
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsDartmoor, 1858.Elizabeth Thornton has every reason to want to escape from home — a ramshackle farm in the middle of nowhere on the wilds of Dartmoor. Since her father’s death, she’s been trapped here, in the clutches of her lascivious uncle.When a position opens up at Rosebank Hall, she jumps at the chance. She will be a domestic drudge at the beck and call of the house’s cantankerous master... -
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Right Ho, Jeeves: Jeeves & Wooster Series by P.G. Wodehouse
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsBertie returns to London from several weeks in Cannes spent in the company of his Aunt Dahlia Travers and her daughter Angela... -
Aurora by D.G. Rampton
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 15 ratings70,000+ readers have already discovered the Regency Goddesses Series. The books, which can be read in any order, are regularly in the U.S. top 20 for Historical Romance and Humor & Satire... -
Watching the Detectives by Julie Mulhern
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsEllison Russell wanted a decorator, not a corpse. Too bad she finds Mrs. White in the study killed with a revolver. Things go from bad to worse when she finds Mr. White in the dining room killed with a candlestick... -
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 110 ratingsStephanie Plum, Trenton, New Jersey's favorite pistol-packing, condom-carrying bounty hunter, is back - and on the trail of a revenge-seeking waitress who's skipped bail. With the help of 73-year-old Grandma Mazur, ex-hooker Lula, a transvestite musician named Sally Sweet, and the all-too-hospitable, all-too-sexy Joe Morelli, Stephanie might just catch her woman...Categorized as:
heroine sleuth mystery contemporary suspense 20th century historical love triangle humor -
Women of Straw by Carole Llewellyn
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn 1865, Luton in Bedfordshire is famous for manufacturing straw boaters worn everywhere, although times and fashions are changing. Kate Devlin, the eldest of three children, helps her mother, Rose, run the Devlin plait-school at 10 Plaiters Way. The plait produced there is sold to the Stratton Hat Company, and Kate’s ambition is to become a hat-maker... -
Death on a Winter's Day by Verity Bright
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsChristmas at the castle with holly, handmade gifts, snowflakes and… is that a body under the tree? Someone call Lady Swift!Winter, 1921. Lady Eleanor Swift, amateur sleuth and reluctant lady of the manor, has been invited to spend Christmas in Scotland, at the beautiful castle of her dear friends Baron and Baroness Ashley... -
The Girl at Holly Cottage by Tania Crosse
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA compelling tale of secrets and betrayal, friendship and trust, and the legacy of war.Originally published as Hope at Holly Cottage.Plymouth, 1954.The future seems rosy for Plymouth schoolgirl Anna Millington, as she prepares for teacher training college.But Anna’s life is not what it seems. Her family is hiding a cruel secret that resulted from the worst night of the Plymouth Blitz... -
Orphans of War by Sylvia Broady
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsKingston Upon Hull, 1941.German bombs are raining down on the city. Racing to the nearest air-raid shelter, Charlotte hears an almighty explosion. Her mother’s haberdashery shop has taken a direct hit, reducing the shop to a pile of rubble — and killing her mother outright. Suddenly sixteen-year-old Charlotte is all alone in the world... -
A Lesson in Murder by Verity Bright
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Lady Swift is invited to her old school, she walks through familiar classrooms, finds her favourite books in the library… and surely that’s not a body? Time for a lesson in murder!Autumn, 1921. Lady Eleanor Swift is invited to her old school, St Mary’s, as a guest speaker... -
An Impossible Impostor by Deanna Raybourn
While investigating a man claiming to be the long-lost heir to a noble family, Veronica Speedwell gets the surprise of her life in this new adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.London, 1889. Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian beau Stoker are summoned by Sir Hugo Montgomerie, head of Special Branch...Categorized as:
mystery victorian heroine sleuth historical suspense ["to-read", "currently-reading", "mystery", "historical-fiction", "2022", "2022-releases", "series", "historical-mystery", "historical", "fiction", "adult", "wishlist", "romance", "coming-soon", "arc", "mysteries", "mystery-thriller", "upcoming", "next-in-series", "historical-romance", "not-yet-released", "to-be-released", "victorian", "netgalley", "audible", "kindle", "2022-tbr", "to-buy", "unreleased", "series-in-progress", "preorder", "2022-release", "giveaways", "february-2022", "requested", "veronica-speedwell", "2022-february", "2022-new-releases", "mystery-suspense", "wish-list", "february", "need-to-buy", "veronica-speedwell-series", "adult-fiction", "read-2021", "england", "arcs", "for-review", "2021", "edelweiss", "on-hold", "tbr", "waiting", "next-up", "unpublished", "not-released", "must-read-2022", "2022-to-read", "deanna-raybourn", "preordered"] regency contemporary -
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Kiss of the Lyon: The Lyon's Den Connected World by Meara Platt
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe was only supposed to win the high stakes game of chance, not a bride along with it.Lord Matthew Lyon is often called upon by the Crown because of his mathematical brilliance, and participating in a high stakes game of chance at the notorious Lyon’s Den should have been the easy part of his assignment...only it goes terribly wrong... -
The Hidden Hand: Love, Intrigue, and Gender Roles in Victorian Fiction by E.D.E.N. Southworth
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsEmma Southworth's 'The Hidden Hand' is a captivating novel that delves deep into the themes of mystery, romance, and intrigue. Set in the 19th century, this work of literature features a powerful narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats... -
A Matchmaker for a Marquess by Christi Caldwell
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBe prepared to smile, swoon, and sigh in Christi Caldwell's latest 'Heart of a Scandal' installment where a matchmaker firmly on the shelf is about to fall head over heels for her best friend's younger brother. She lived by a strict set of rules… Meredith Durant believes those who won’t marry, matchmake, and she’s made a notable career for herself helping young women find the perfect mate... -
Something Fresh by P.G. Wodehouse
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 37 ratings"Something US Edition" invites readers into the uproarious world of aristocratic mix-ups, societal satire, and romantic entanglements in classic P.G. Wodehouse style. In this US edition, Wodehouse's wit and humor shine as the story unfolds with a delightful blend of comedy and romance... -
Charity by Beverley Watts
In this funny Regency romance series, the Shackleford sisters descend on a Regency society that doesn’t know what’s hit it…While Charity Shackleford might be considered far more outspoken than her twin sister Chastity, she was much less inclined to make a complete cake of herself. Something her twin appeared to be doing with increasing regularity... -
Hellion at Heart by Tamara Gill
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSifting through the sands in the Middle East while learning of ancient cultures and buried civilizations is all Miss Hallie Evans dreams about. But when an impending scandal forces her back to England, her hopes and dreams are destroyed. Now, as a hired archaeologist for the rich, Hallie explores and studies the ancient ruins excavated on their properties... -
There Goes the Groom by Esther Hatch
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsCatching a husband has never been so complicated.Matthew Harrison has only one task in life: to marry money. After failing miserably in London, his family takes matters into their own hands by arranging his marriage to the wealthy Lucy Bateman. But when he meets Lucy for the first time, his resolve to save his family from ruin crumbles... -
In the Family Way: Another John Pickett Mystery by Sheri Cobb South
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWith a beautiful and clever wife, a growing investigative business, and a baby due any day, former Bow Street Runner John Pickett finally has a respectable life far removed from his beginnings as a juvenile pickpocket in the rookeries of St. Giles. Then his father returns from transportation to Botany Bay, and Pickett’s hard-won respectability threatens to collapse like a house of cards... -
Under the Harvest Moon by Collette Cameron, Caroline Warfield
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the village of Reabridge in Cheshire prepares for the first Harvest Festival following Waterloo, families are overjoyed to welcome back their loved ones from the war.But excitement quickly turns to mystery when mere weeks before the festival, an orphaned child turns up in the town—a toddler born near Toulouse to an English mother who left clues that tie her to Reabridge...Categorized as:
mystery victorian historical regency pregnancy military marriage of convenience humor -
Earls Just Wanna Have Fun by Merry Farmer
Lady Shannon O’Shea has seen all of her sisters married off by their brother, Fergus, in order to keep them out of trouble, and she is determined not to encounter the same fate. She has far too many other things on her hands, including her secretive, scandalous, and growing beer brewing business... -
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For the Love of Catherine by Carole Llewellyn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings14 April 1912.The RMS Titanic hits an iceberg.At 11:40 p. m. Mair Parsons wakes up, heart thumping. A loud noise vibrates through the ship.The Titanic is sinking.Chaos ensues.The disaster will change her life for ever.Mair awakes in a Manhattan hospital confused and afraid. And ready to face her past... -
Marguerite and the Duke in Disguise by Alicia Cameron
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of feel good Regency Romance comes the story of the last Fortune sister to meet her match.Soon after her twin Leonora's marriage a bereft Marguerite Fortune is going home to Castle Fortune, with only her self serving male relatives for company. But Baron Fortune, her papa, has a diversion planned on the journey ... one that concerns getting his last daughter wed... -
Naomi and the Purloined Journal: A feel-good Regency Romance by Alicia Cameron
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA brand new series of joyous Regency Romance from the bestselling author!When a dully dressed family arrive at Tremaine Towers , home of Cedric Marchmont, Earl of Tremaine, the other residents are shocked, thinking them some poor relations... -
The Greek Island Secret: A spellbinding escapist historical romance about secrets and new beginnings by Jan Baynham
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA wonderful, escapist read from Jan Baynham! Previously published as Her Mother's The Summer of '69 by Jan Baynham . A secret diary. Love lost. And love found . . .Greece, 1969. Reeling from a devastating loss, free-spirited Elin Morgan escapes to a sun-drenched Greek island. She seeks shelter among the blue painted shutters, bobbing fishing boats and lanes lined with olive trees... -
The French Affair by Jan Baynham
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPlease note this was previously published as Her Nanny’s SecretA gripping and heartbreaking story of love and the secrets we keep to protect those we love from the bestselling author of The Greek Island Secret.Wales, 1941. Mary Ann ‘Annie’ Beynon accepts a job as the first stable girl at beautiful Cefn Court stables... -
Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsNothing is simple when you’re thirty-fifth in line for the British crown, least of all marriage. But with love on their side, and plans to elope, Lady Georgiana Rannoch and her beau Darcy O’Mara hope to bypass a few royal rules.. -
A Scandalous Deception by Lynn Messina
As much as Beatrice Hyde-Clare relished the challenge of figuring out who murdered a fellow guest during a house party in the Lake District, she certainly does not consider herself an amateur investigator. So when a London dandy falls dead at her feet in the entryway of a London Daily Gazette, she feels no compulsion to investigate... -
God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen by Rhys Bowen
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsGeorgie is back and hanging the stockings with care when a murder interrupts her Christmas cheer in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness series from Rhys Bowen.Georgie is excited for her first Christmas as a married woman in her lovely new home...Categorized as:
mystery heroine sleuth christmas historical humor suspense 20th century length-medium -
A Pocket of Stars by Laura Rollins
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsShe’s always dreamed of catching the eye of the earl next door.But is he the man her heart truly desires?Miss Annabella Pettiford has long dreamed of capturing the attention of the undeniably handsome Lord Waverly. Now, returned from finishing school, she is no longer a gangly wallflower, but a poised and confident woman ready to turn heads wherever she goes... -
A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 30 ratings"A Damsel in Distress" is a delightful novel that combines humor, romance, and adventure in classic P.G. Wodehouse style. When the lovable heroine Maud Marsh finds herself in a seemingly hopeless situation, it's up to a cast of endearing characters to come to her rescue... -
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On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service by Rhys Bowen
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsWhen royal sleuth Georgie Rannoch receives a letter from her dearest friend Belinda, who’s in an Italian villa awaiting the birth of her illegitimate baby, she yearns to run to her side. If only she could find a way to get there! But then opportunity presents itself in a most unexpected way—her cousin the queen asks her to attend a house party in the Italian Lake Country... -
An Extravagant Duplicity by Lynn Messina
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhy, yes, the former Beatrice Hyde-Clare is distracted. Having settled comfortably into marriage to the Duke of Kesgrave, she is nevertheless surprised to find herself in an interesting condition. And it has to be that—the unsettling prospect of motherhood—that causes her to overlook the obvious clue that Roger Dugmore had indeed been killed in his sleep...Categorized as:
mystery heroine sleuth regency historical humor super rich hero poor heroine length-medium -
Kiss Me Duke by Tamara Gill
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMolly Clare is living her dream. Being a guest in a gorgeous villa while she explores Rome is everything she could’ve hoped for and more. The man who owns the villa is equally charming—and entirely too tempting. At least, that’s what he appears to be. The truth of who and what he really is…well, that’s infinitely more complicated.Lord Hugh Farley is living a nightmare... -
The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsClue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide. Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is prepared for the dangers in store...Categorized as:
mystery victorian historical christian suspense marriage of convenience humor length-medium -
A Death in Venice by Verity Bright
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsStunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!1924. Lady Eleanor Swift has been on a grand tour around Italy for a month with her butler Clifford... -
Dare To Be Scandalous by Tamara Gill
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAfter inheriting a small fortune, Willow Perry has everything she’s ever wanted. Except a husband, that is. But not just any husband will do. She’s looking for a grand love—someone who will challenge and excite her. It’s just her folly that the one man who interests her is a notorious rake. He’s as wild and passionate as Willow is sheltered and staid... -
A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder: A Brilliant Victorian Historical Mystery by Dianne Freeman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 28 ratings“Pure unadulterated fun” ( Publishers Weekly ) for fans of Ashley Weaver, Deanna Raybourn, and Tasha Alexander, the Agatha Award-winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries are a witty romp through the high society of Victorian England with a touch of romance, an independent female lead, and rich historical detail... -
A Murderous Tryst by Lynn Messina
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe past rears its gorgeous head…Deeply distressed to discover her husband lied about his whereabouts the day before, Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave, emerges from a wretched night’s sleep to discover him embracing the most beautiful woman she has ever seen.His former mistress!It is shocking, yes, but not so very alarming, for Penelope Taylor is actually there to see Bea... -
The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer
"... A long-lost family heirloom, a young heir falsely accused of murder, a band of smugglers, two utterly delightful Heyer heroines, a taciturn, but highly resourceful older gentleman - all play their parts in a tale funny enough to have you laughing aloud." Publishers Weekly One of Heyer's funniest Regency romances, and one of readers' favorites... -
A Duke Never Forgets by Bianca Blythe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the duke trying to evict Genevieve and her family from their cottage gets amnesia, Genevieve’s mother declares that the duke and Genevieve are… married. Sebastian, the Duke of Sandridge, has been looking forward to holidaying at his cottage in Cornwall... -
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Defying the Earl by Erica Ridley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEnjoy a fun, flirty guardian-and-ward forced proximity romp from a New York Times bestselling author!Miss Matilda Dodd refuses to be any man’s property. She’s a month shy of her majority, and cannot wait to live life on her own terms. Rather than meet her unwanted new guardian as instructed, she attends a ball and comes kiss-to-kiss with an adorably befuddled handsome lord instead... -
A Romp with a Rogue by Tammy Andresen
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsHe’s no Prince Charming.Lord Rushton Smith is as rough as he is hard. His only wish is to leave London and the ton behind. He just wants to live a simple life of mind numbing work away from family and the crime that has shaped him into this beast of a man. But one small favor is burning down his dreams one by one and threatening to reshape his entire life... -
Lancaster Burning Trilogy by Linda Byler
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Amish community of Lancaster is being terrorized by barn fires. David and Malinda Beiler’s barn was the first to go. When a second Amish barn burns for suspicious reasons, the Amish grow more restless...Categorized as:
mystery heroine sleuth amish christian contemporary historical suspense 20th century -
An Inconvenient Arrangement by Callie Hutton
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsDante Rose, along with his two brothers, splits his time between their very lucrative gaming hell and working undercover for the British Government on sensitive matters. He is also quite the rake, and as his father’s by-blow, has no title, and therefore no need to ever marry and produce an heir. He loves the ladies and his life exactly the way it is... -
The Courtship of Chloe by Dorothy Mack
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA whirlwind romance set in Regency England! Perfect for fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Jane Aiken Hodge and Jane Austen. Can Chloe bring order to the Montrose family? Regency England As a practical doctor’s daughter living in the countryside, Chloe Norris has had little experience among the aristocracy...Categorized as:
mystery heroine sleuth historical regency humor suspense class difference length-medium -
Four Play by Cindy Blackburn
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBad news comes in . . . fours? For romance author and former pool shark Jessie Hewitt it does. She hasn’t written a decent sex scene in months, she hasn’t shot a decent game of eight ball all year, and don’t even ask about her supposed love life. And just when Jessie thinks things can’t get any worse, a body lands on her car...
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