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Lady Helena Investigates
Lady Helena Investigates: Scott-De Quincy Mystery Series | Jane Steen
18 posts | 10 read | 19 to read
A reluctant lady sleuth finds she's investigating her own family. Step into Lady Helena Whitcombe's world with the first novel in a series that will blend family saga and mystery-driven action with a slow-burn romance in seven unputdownable investigations. 1881, Sussex. Lady Helena Scott-De Quincy's marriage to Sir Justin Whitcombe, three years before, gave new purpose to a life almost destroyed by the death of Lady Helena's first love. After all, shouldn't the preoccupations of a wife and hostess be sufficient to fulfill any aristocratic female's dreams? Such a shame their union wasn't blessed by children . . . but Lady Helena is content with her quiet country life until Sir Justin is found dead in the river overlooked by their grand baroque mansion. The intrusion of attractive, mysterious French physician Armand Fortier, with his meddling theory of murder, into Lady Helena's first weeks of mourning is bad enough. But with her initial ineffective efforts at investigation and her attempts to revive her long-abandoned interest in herbalism comes the realization that she may have been mistaken about her own family's past. Every family has its secrets--but as this absorbing series will reveal, the Scott-De Quincy family has more than most. Can Lady Helena survive bereavement the second time around? Can she stand up to her six siblings' assumption of the right to control her new life as a widow? And what role will Fortier--who, as a physician, is a most unsuitable companion for an earl's daughter--play in her investigations? A new series by Jane Steen, author of the House of Closed Doors series that has delighted thousands of fans (over 300 5-star reviews on Amazon and over 700 5-star ratings on Goodreads.) If you're looking for an unputdownable Victorian mystery saga, here's where you start!
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Deblovestoread
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#MotivationalMonday

1) Work today, start a quilt for a grandnephew, read The Nun, write #LitsyLove letters
2) grey sky above flowering bushes that separates us from our neighbors
3) Willamette Valley, Oregon it‘s cool and cloudy today
4) Started the tagged on audio last night

Want to play @dabbe @PageShifter @UwannaPublishme

@Cupcake12

dabbe Will do; thanks for the tag! 😘 7mo
Cupcake12 Thanks for joining in, have a good week x 7mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 💛💛💛 7mo
39 likes3 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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Pickpick

Another good historical mystery. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the resolution. Borderline Gothic in parts. The main character is young, but also growing into herself with a large titled family in the countryside. I‘m looking forward to the sequel, although I‘m nervous because there seems to have been 4 years between books.

maeveflannery I will definitely look for this one on the shelves. Thanks for sharing! 3y
103 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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MidnightBookGirl
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Pickpick

Catching up on #LittensDressedInBlood reviews.

I ended up liking this book, but it's a slow burn mystery, and the murderer ends up just confessing, so I'm not sure it was much of a investigation. I was probably hoping for a more fast-paced story, but it's a lot of Helena having to deal with her large and meddlesome family, and grieving over her past loves. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series, but maybe.

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MidnightBookGirl
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Today kicks off #AnyWayYouReadathon and here's my tentative plan for the weekend. Just started the tagged book and it's good so far! @kimmypete1 @Eggbeater

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katy4peas
Pickpick

A fun victorian read with likable characters. Multiple crimes made the story a bit long as the main crime was solved and the book kept going for another 5 chapters, but still a fun read and kept me interested. A nice escape.

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Booknerd222
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Booknerd222
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Booknerd222
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Aimeesue
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#Audiobookwalk with the puppa luppas.
Tiny purple fleurs!

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writerlibrarian
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Pickpick

This was a really nice surprise. More of a historical, low key, yet quite emotionally strong mystery. I found myself getting really invested in Helena's rebirth. Lady Helena, unexpectedly widowed, has to stand up for herself and start a new life. From heartbroken teenager who lost her first love, to wife to an older man, whom she loved and had a comfortable life with, to widow with a estate to managed, a life to decide what to do with. #summeread

writerlibrarian The mystery part is more a slow discovery of Helena's family secrets. She doesn't investigate much. She says so herself but she gets to the truth. The historical setting, late Victorian, is spot on. The way women were living and put in a very rigid set of rules to live by are felt and shown through multiple characters is so well done.

I really liked it. I am looking forward to the next one.
5y
38 likes1 comment
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writerlibrarian
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Labor day week-end marks the end of summer here. School is back. Mornings have a bite to them. Still, I'm gonna enjoy the heck out of my long week-end because : one, the mole inside my right 👁 is just that a mole had bunch of tests yesterday and nothing 💃 ; two, the digital magazine service, i've been working on getting installed since the spring at my library is online. 💃💃 So today, I read and relax like my baby cat is doing.

DrexEdit Sounds like some good reasons to relax like heck! 😊 👍 5y
37 likes1 comment
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writerlibrarian
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So far, the pace of this book is slow but not dull. The xstitching is also slow going but so very calming and zen.
#summerreading

LeahBergen Lovely stitching! 5y
38 likes1 comment
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writerlibrarian
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New book. Just because... no challenge, no bingo, nothing. Just because. 🙂🤟🏻
#summerreading

emz711 Omg where is that! 5y
writerlibrarian @emz711 London Leadenhall market it's a covered market in The City https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadenhall_Market. I put in london 1881 in google image to find a nice one that fits the Victorian time of this book. 😁 5y
TorieStorieS Can‘t wait to hear what you think of this one! 5y
48 likes3 comments
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Slajaunie
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I loved this story. It has two of my favorite things: history and mystery! Lady Helena seems shy and reserved in the beginning but her personality develops as the story does. Her husband has just died and her tenant‘s unmarried daughter is pregnant. Things in Lady Helena‘s life seem to be falling apart. @TorieStorieS

BiblioLitten The storyline is interesting. 6y
TorieStorieS So glad you loved it!!! 6y
75 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Slajaunie
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On to this mystery!

TorieStorieS I can‘t wait to hear what you think of this one!! 6y
Slajaunie You‘ve read it? @TorieStorieS 6y
TorieStorieS Yes! 😊 6y
72 likes3 comments
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robinb
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Pickpick

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 buried family secrets. A bit long, but well-written mystery with a teaser of romance. Will read more! 4.3/5⭐️

KarouBlue This book was excellent! 6y
robinb @MellieAntoinete I loved it too! So happy I discovered this author and want to see what else she‘s written! 😊 6y
Andrew65 Looks interesting! 6y
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robinb @Andrew65 I really enjoyed it. And I also learned from the author‘s website that she is self-published, is named after Jane Eyre and feels that she was born to write about this period and place. 😊 I definitely want to read more from her. 6y
Andrew65 @robinb There seem to be some good self published authors out there, some real hidden jems. That‘s quite a story about the author herself. (edited) 6y
robinb @Andrew65 yes, I ❤️ to find wonderful new self published authors. Somehow I think of them as being twice as determined to get their work out there, confident in themselves. ❤️ 6y
65 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Sumi
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A novel about a 19th century woman adjusting to her new widowhood and uncovering family secrets. Enjoyed the central family & the way the story was told. Excited for more. I got this from Netgalley & it‘s definitely a winner.