Really enjoyable historical fiction read set in the 1870s and based on the Welsh borders, following Eliza Mace who embarks on a mission to find her father who mysteriously disappears and ends up uncovering a lot of secrets. I liked the premise of the story and although it felt a bit predictable at times, it was an enjoyable read and I am glad it is the first in a series as I look forward to seeing what the next book holds.

This feels like a traditional Agatha Christie-style murder mystery, but if Lettice Protheroe or a young Ariadne Oliver was the main character investigating.

Eliza is stubborn, head-strong, observant, quick-witted, resourceful and brave, but sometimes it felt like she was being contrary just for the sake of it – I love her! Her strange friendship with Constable Daffyd Pritchard was the only thing that felt ‘off’ to me in her character and I had some sympathy for Hannah and Uncle James trying to warn Eliza away from him, even though I had the inside view of their interactions and so knew their specific concerns were unfounded. In fact, I think that was pretty much the only time I agreed with anything Hannah said or did in the book!

The story explores dysfunctional family dynamics and captures well the complexities of loving someone you also hate, and missing someone you are far happier without, as well as the obligatory murder investigation plot.

It is a bit of a slow starter, with lots of hopeless, oppressive build-up until the murder eventually occurs, then it is action and intrigue all the way. There are quite a few historical inaccuracies, especially around Eliza’s conduct and behaviours as a young Victorian lady of good family but this is fiction rather than a historical novel so I was able to turn a blind eye to those aspects for the sake of the character and plot.

Much darker and more dysfunctional than I had expected from the blurb, this is an enjoyable read for fans of Golden Age style mysteries who are looking for entertainment over historical accuracy.

It's taken me some time to get to this book. I originally got it early Feb 2024 and did not get to it by June. At that point, Eliza Mace felt a bit off season.

I'm glad I waited. This was a good victorian fall/winter read. Right in season. The writing quality and evolution of the mystery was well done. I had my Downton Abbey vibes, and I felt like I was really on the other side of the pond.

The only thing that kept me from rating this book higher was our MC - Eliza. Eliza was irritating to me. Wanting to be independent, being very smart to find mystery clues....but being absolutely clueless about life and social norms. She seemed incognizant of how her life was impacted by things...both gossip, family drama, etc. I felt that her love for her dad (the murdered victim) was genuine, despite him being a cad. (This is not a spoiler, comes out pretty quick). But I was irritated that she revered her dad...but had no respect for her mother, who is clearly the more capable parent. Eliza's constant ignoring the advice of others...drove me crazy. The lease she could do was sneak around better....and try attempt to make the appearance of acting appropriately, ACT like you care a little.

Some readers may use the excuse that Eliza is 16 years old. But she acts 12. Most people do acknowledge or follow directions of the adults in their lives SOMEtimes. But Eliza was just throws any advice out the window. And I cannot respect a young girl who is absolutely putting herself in a gossipy position with a married man. I just cannot....the author is making this girl smart, and then purposely making her act in idiotic manners repeatedly. Multiple (in fact more than multiple) times Eliza blatantly ignores her family and walks out the door to do whatever she wants. Everytime she did this, I often felt like I was in a horror movie ....rolling my eyes, and stating "seriously, again?"

I am hoping that in future books Eliza will grow. I was hoping for Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes, and I did get those vibes somewhat. But not sure that I am rooting for a Eliza/Dafydd romance.

PS Dafydd while an authentic name, was probably not the best option for those of use on the american side of the pond. All I kept thinking of was Dafy-duck. Dafy-D. And yes- I know that is not how it's pronounced. But my American-ism is shining through.

Thanks to Duckworth Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I love this genre so much, I especially like the characters in this book, and the mystery was done very well. However, it took me a little while to get into but once I did it was a lot of fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for granting me the ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this Victorian crime novel set in the 1870s in the Welsh borders. It centred around Eliza, 16 year old young lady striving for her independence within a dysfunctional family. Her father goes missing and Eliza is determined to find out what has happened to him despite her mother’s determination to thwart her.

She links up with the new PC Pritchard and soon realises how many enemies her father had made. She is forced to question what she knows about her own family and in investigating family secrets are unearthed which will change her life.

I enjoyed this more than I expected particularly seeing Eliza exert her independence.

There were interesting debates on justice and it’s differing stance depending on your social position.

I really struggled to read this one. I started but unfortunately didn’t enjoy it and didn’t connect with the characters.

Eliza Mace, by Sarah Burton and Jem Poster
Rating: 3/5
Published: NOW
Set in the 1870s on the Welsh border, Eliza Mace is a fantastic tale of a young woman fighting to unearth her family’s deadly secrets. When her cash-strapped father goes missing, Eliza reluctantly joins forces with Dafydd Pritchard, the new police constable who is responsible for solving the mystery of her father’s disappearance. There are plenty of people that would like to see her father dead, but Eliza does not wish to believe that he is deceased. She is determined to find him, despite her mother’s obvious disapproval and her uncle’s concerns. I loved following Eliza Mace on her adventures, and despite it being slightly predictable at times, the novel is great fun and captures the essence of this time period perfectly. The dialogue is slick, and Eliza is a strong character, full of fight and fire!

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher; the review is my own.*

I've had this book since last November (oops, sorry!), when I must have requested it because it because the description boasted "Enola Holmes meets the novels of Laura Purcell." I have no idea who Lauren Purcell is, but I absolutely love Enola Holmes. (Confession: I've only seen the movies, though I do own the first book and look forward to reading it.)

But the truth is that I felt this book was rather bland, and I never got attached to any of the characters. The plot just kind of toddled along until the book ended. Eliza's father went missing, and I didn't particularly care. I think I prefer Elizabeth Bennett's mother to Eliza Mace's. Eliza herself was somewhat of a Mary Sue (I don't think I've ever actually used that term before). Somehow she was able to find clues that even a skilled constable has overlooked. Why? Because she went on nature walks with her uncle? She did care about truth and real justice (not just legal), which are both wonderful, important traits. But she didn't seem to place much value on her own personal safety, and unlike Enola Holmes, there's no reason that she should have some of the skills she apparently has.

I was bothered by the impropriety of the relationship between Eliza (16) and Dafydd (25), despite there being no overt romantic leanings towards them. I thought initially there might be (ick--nine years apart, and she's a teenager). Although Eliza's mother and uncle repeatedly expressed their concern regarding that very subject, and occasionally it almost seemed like there were hints of feelings or looks, there was nothing. Which is especially good since Dafydd is married. But it still bothered me that the two of them spent so much time together and would send notes to arrange meetings. It was just rather . . . I dunno. It just came off wrong to me.

The most I felt in this book was for the murderer, which is strange to say. I was more sad about his fate than Robert Mace's.

It appears this book is the first in a series, but I'm content to walk away. It wasn't bad, but it was rather meh for me.

Note: A little mild swearing. A couple of LGB characters.

Eliza isn't at the top for a favorite character. I found her rather whiny for the time period this story is based within. I read it part way and really did want to give up on it, but being it was given to me for review I felt compelled to continue. I am happy I did since it did improve further in, not the whininess but I got over it. The story beyond murder was about family, pettiness, holding grudges, budding romance, control and a teenagers tantrums and frustrations. The father would win no rewards as best parent but then neither would the mother. The uncle to me is suspect in his clinginess to the sister-in-law, the whole village is on a war path with Robert who is a conniving thief at best. I would attempt to read another if this continues in a series, I'm not sure I'd rush to buy a copy but I would be interested at some point.

An enjoyable mystery with a few twists that kept me guessing. It is a great start to a new series and I look forward to the next installment. I really liked Eliza as the mc.
Many thanks to Duckworth Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fun and interesting read with an historical aspect and great and quirky characters. Easy to read and follow and the mystery and story are good but there just needs to be a bit of tweaking to make it a better book. It is a little slow and the build up is slow and long to get into.

With a bit stronger and quicker build up and a bit more tension and suspense this would be a great book. I most certainly will look out for more books by these two authors to see how they progress.

Thank you NetGalley and Duckworth Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

An enjoyable historical mystery, with a feisty teenage girl as the central character and amateur detective. Together with an unconventional police constable who takes a very analytical approach they make a great detecting duo. Feels like the first of a series.

This has some really promising elements and some enjoyable parts, although it didn’t quite come together for me in the end. It seems to be the first in a series, though, so I’m optimistic for future installments. The Victorian-set mystery has Eliza working with the police to find her father. Her somewhat unhappy upbringing makes her unconventional enough to pursue the leads and try to uncover the deeper mystery. Some of the historical elements didn’t seem quite right, and some of the story moved a little slowly. Still, a promising start to what could be a very enjoyable series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own.

Well, I didn't like this book, and I'm quite disappointed about it, because I was hoping a dark cosy mystery with the "Enola Holmes" vibe—there was none of these.

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The characters felt really off, and couldn't being myself to even appreciate any of them. The main character, Eliza, didn't hook me at all, and the detective whose name I have forgotten didn't either. The characters, be it the main or secondary ones, were all pretty blank in my opinion.

Still on a character note, I felt like the relationship between Eliza (16 years old) and the detective (28 or more? I don't remember) was just… weird? Also, they didn't know each other, but the detective just tells Eliza absolutely all his life when they first met, which, again, felt off.

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As for the mystery part, it came pretty late in the book (which didn't bother me that much). It was good and well-thought. Some of the clues found by both Eliza and the detective were a little out of place, but overall there no incoherences.

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It was an okay book in my opinion. I would like to be able to feel anything for any of the characters, which I didn't.

But the murder and then looking for clues parts were fine, with some twists.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book for an honest review.

I was soo excited to get my hands on this Arc. The cover had me absolutely captivated and I am a sucker for a good historical fiction.. Add some mystery and I'm hooked.

The writing was easy to follow. And if you just want an simple story to enjoy. I would recommend.

So Eliza( Elizabeth) is seen as a bit of a wild child to her family. Disobeying them when all she trying to do is find answers to her father death. I liked the research done. Being from Cardiff the reference to Butetown was a great reference. It's a but slow to start. Nothing really happens till about half way, then it just slowly drifts. I wanted to like it but found myself hating most of the characters bad Daffyd.

A new historical mystery, a strong heroine, a plot with echo of gothic and feminism. The plot is tightly knitted and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I enjoyed the plot and can't wait to read the next story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Didn’t love how we were thrust into the story straight away with no context for what was going on or who anyone was.

In this complex Victorian mystery, readers follow Eliza Mace as she tries to unravel the secrets surrounding her family and the disappearance and murder of her father. Struggling with growing up, the death of her father, and the difficult relationships with her mother, along with several secrets, readers try to solve Eliza’s father’s murder with her and Constable Pritchard. As things grow more complicated and more secrets are revealed, Eliza has to come to terms with her new reality and the challenges that solving this murder will create for her family and for the community. Eliza is a flawed and realistic protagonist, trying to hold onto her childhood while chafing at her mother’s rules and society’s restrictions, and her attempts to take control of her life create further challenges for her. The rest of the cast, from Eliza’s family to Constable Pritchard, the community, and the household staff, are decently complex side and background characters, and Burton and Poster have done an excellent job creating the background community for their readers. Both a strong standalone novel and the potential start to a new series, Burton and Poster bring the challenges of young womanhood in 1870s Wales to life in this immersive, easy to read, historical mystery.

In the first of a thrilling new Victorian detective series, Eliza Mace, on the cusp of adulthood, is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house in the Welsh borders in the 1870s, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza’s determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.

Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that’s no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart...