I appreciate the work the author did to recreate this little corner of history. The city of Bath has so many interesting facets, from the ancient Roman baths to what we learn is the Misses Lee's School for Girls. This is where we end up, as poor Faithful Collier, one of the students, fears she's being haunted. This is where our intrepid Lady Anne comes in. She wants to help poor Faithful, but everything takes a turn for the worse. Lady Anne must now solve a murder practically on the eve of her wedding to the dashing Lord Darkefell. Lady Anne kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next, and if you like historical mystery, you will too.

Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl by Victoria Hamilton is not only a monument to the women of the world but also a pretty darn good mystery. In a nod to Regency England, Hamilton draws the reader in with a ghost story and a young, impressionable woman who becomes a believer in ghosts. Lady Anne goes to the school and after talking to her believes she has assuaged the worst of her fears. How wrong she was as she discovered that the young woman, Faithful, has tried again to commit suicide and this time has been successful, but when Lady Anne appears at the school she fears it is much more than that and her fears are confirmed by Dr. Fothergill after he arrived. As a murder it was referred to the magistrate, a man with whom Lady Ann was less than impressed. Lady Anne was able to solve this crime by asking questions. She pressed and pressed until she had answers.

This was primarily a mystery but a close second was the love story between Lady Anne and her fiance, Lord Darkefell. They are to be married soon and the families are gathering in Bath for that happy day. Her betrothed’s man, Osei, is of special interest as he is an African, rescued from a slave ship and has been well-educated and is clever and astute. His search for his sister, who was seized at the same time, is never ending. He is a partner in Lady Anne’s investigation as is her betrothed, who is able to get information from a variety of sources. It is a clever, well-written book with plenty going on to keep the most avid historical mystery reader enthralled. Thanks Victoria Hamilton for a terrific book!

I was invited to read Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl by Beyond the Page Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BeyondThePagePublishing #VictoriaHamilton #LadyAnneAndTheHauntedSchoolgirl

I've enjoyed the previous books in this series, but something changed in the way Anne and Tony react that bothers me. I liked the attraction between the two in the earlier books, but the presentation this time felt both blatant (nothing graphic) and unnecessary to the plot. Too much time on their eagerness to pursue wedded bliss. Anne didn't really need Tony until the end.

Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl is the latest in a light entertaining series that always has Anne uncover a "supernatural" mystery.

Historic mystery. Print length: 302 pages

Thanks to NetGalley and Beyond the Word Publ.

Supernatural happenings…or not!

Lady Anne Addison is at last about to be married to Tony, Marquess of Darkefell. That doesn’t slow her down in her investigations. Anne is in Bath preparing for the wedding. Her friend, Mrs Alethea Birkenhead, asks her to call at a private school for young ladies, run by Alethea’s friend Miss Sophie Lee, to enquire into troubling sightings to do with the paranormal.
What Anne finds can be explained away. What can’t be explained away is the atmosphere in the school.
In particular the girl who’s been the object of the hauntings, Miss Faithfull Collier, strikes Anne as someone who’s susceptible to these manufactured hauntings. Anne senses secrets being held back but obtains Faithfull’s promise that she’ll be careful. The bullying of Faithfull is quite a problem.
Anne is shocked when she is called to the school again. It seems Faithfull has jumped from a window to her death. Only that supposed suicide turns out to be suspicious! Anne has her hands full, what with managing her wedding, her separated parents, her intelligent but easily overwhelmed brother, and now a murder!
As one expects, Anne sails through, but not without being lured into a dangerous situation.
I had had my suppositions. They were verified in rather a nasty manner.
A lively read with Lady Anne well and truly in top form. And the wedding you ask?…

A Beyond the Page ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Lady Anne ended up investigating another supposedly supernatural mystery which proved to be a nice diversion from the endless details of her upcoming wedding. If this was set in modern times, this many supposedly supernatural mysteries happening to one person--or in her vicinity- without it being a paranormal mystery would make it see like a Scooby Doo Mystery. Luckily it worked much better in this time period when superstitions were very much still part of society.

There were plenty of red herrings in this mystery which made it a stimulating read. Lady Anne is was worried that she will lose her independence in marriage but the Marquis has all along does everything to reassure her, well most of the time, and has kept to his promises. I like their relationship though Anne can be very bossy. Here her investigative powers weren't in as much the spotlight as in some because it was many of her friends who came up with the information and she did do some stupid moves that could have cost her her life. But it didn't offend me so much I think because she did send a message to someone and she was so desperate to prove she still has her independence.

Overall, a decent story and a fun series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was an entertaining read, set in Georgian Bath, and featuring Lady Anne as the main character. Lady Anne is not afraid to use her status in society to get what she wants. I wish we had seen more of her fiancé, Tony, Marquess of Darkefell, he seemed a very interesting character. This was quite a complex case and Anne needed the assistance of a number of friends and servants. There is danger and some secrets to uncover before the culprit is discovered. I didn’t guess who it was as there a few possibilities. This was the first I’ve read in this series but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have missed Lady Anne Addison. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a story about her and all those wonderful (and sometimes not so wonderful) people that surround her. Like her delicious fiancé the Marquess of Darkefell, aka Tony, the often-grumpy man stared at by every lady everywhere. Or her stubborn mother, loving father, sweet brother Jamey, best friend Althea and all the rest. They’re all back and it was a wonderful reunion wrapped up in another suspenseful, satisfying mystery.

I’ve missed Tony as much as I’ve missed Anne. If I recall correctly, he wasn’t around much in the last book, so it was a real joy this time to see him fully present, loud and clear. We’ve waited a long time for their wedding, and it’s finally here. I hope. Because Tony is as perfect for her as she is for him. She describes him as magnificent. He’s commanding and strong-willed, and they do butt heads often. But he is loving, caring, protective and would lay down his life for her without a second thought. Most importantly, though, he has promised to never try and control her or stop her from doing what she wants to do, who respects her and tries to understand her, and that is oh, so important to her. He’s a man who doesn’t pretend she is alluring and beautiful when he’s really only after her title and money; he actually does find her alluring and beautiful, and challenging and delightful and just wonderful. He loves her for herself. And I love Tony. He cares about her family, is patient with Jamey, always wants to be near her, and just likes her. And the way he fidgets when he’s around her, how he can’t wait for them to be married, to finally get her all to himself – adorable.

Lady Anne has made a bit of a name for herself solving mysteries. Not exactly the thing a lady should be doing and she is often criticized for it, but she’s good at it and has had much success. And if there is anything we know about Lady Anne it is that she doesn’t give a fig about what others think.

So when her good friend Althea asked her to go to a local girls’ school to help them with a young student who thinks she’s being haunted by ghosts, Lady Anne doesn’t hesitate. After investigating she believes that the ghostly apparition is in fact a cruel prank and leaves the school feeling she has convinced the student of this and all will eventually be well. Except the next day she learns the student has presumably committed suicide by jumping off the roof to her death.

What follows is a fast-paced, excellently crafted and plotted mystery full of danger and suspense as well as a large helping of the rules and mores of Lady Anne’s time as others try to restrict her investigation and have her return to her “proper” place as a lady. As usual, she perseveres, sticks her nose in where it probably doesn’t belong, and ignores the danger she is in until she’s nearly desperate and uncertain if she can escape. There are a lot of twists and turns and surprises, and a very satisfactory, believable ending.

Author Victoria Hamilton does her always stellar job of not only making Anne, Tony and every other character deep and compelling, but provides a wealth of information about life in the Georgian Era, including bad behavior and bad manners by those disapproving of Lady Anne’s independent nature. And what was referred to as a trading justice add a fascinating bit of history to an already fascinating story.

Thanks to the author and Beyond the Page Publishing for providing an advance copy of Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl via NetGalley. This is a wonderful series and this book was a welcome addition to it. I recommend you read it without hesitation (and read everything else this fabulous author has written while you’re at it). I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

I'm happy to say that Tony is back (in at least a supporting role) in this installment. The last book really lacked any fire and emotion without him. I hope Anne & Tony will get to investigate together for the whole time in the next book.

In this book you get the long-avoided wedding and a murder at girls boarding school with a LOT of suspects. The "haunted" part was a letdown. If you're intrigued by the ghost aspect, it's nonexistent so don't be. The plot and exposition definitely dragged in parts and was a little long-winded and preachy in some sections.

The moments with Anne and Tony and their sexy banter were the best. I loved seeing how he related to her autistic brother and the family dynamic as a whole. I liked this book much better than the last one in the series and dearly wish these were open door spicy reads. With a hero like Tony, it seems a waste to just say "they made love thoroughly and often." That's kind of obvious and feels like a cop-out. He'd make a swoony lead for a sex scene.

So to sum it up -- Wish list = More Anne & Tony as investigative partners and open-door love scenes would make this series a hit!

I have enjoyed all of the Lady Anne Addison mysteries, although I sometimes feel that they lack a certain depth. Nonetheless. a fun Georgian series with interesting characters and societal expectations. Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl was particularly poignant as it dealt with a deception that led to the death of a young girl. Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page for the opportunity to read Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victoria Hamilton for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Lady Anne and the Haunted Schoolgirl coming out June 11, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed this book this author! I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I’ve read other books by her. I love her writing. The historical setting is really fun. I loved the plot. I thought it was a good mix of murder and ghost stories. Lady Anne is a strong character who stands up for the girls. I definitely want to read more books in the series!

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries!

I enjoy this series. The mystery keeps me guessing. I like the characters and the setting. I look forward to more.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest reveiw.

This was my first of the series and I think that affected my overall enjoyment and understanding of established characters but this is still a satisfying mystery with a very strong female protagonist.

The earlier books in this series were published in 2009 under the author name, Donna Lea Simpson. I don’t know if this book was published earlier as well or if it is a new addition to the series. Whatever the case, I enjoyed this book. I have not read the earlier books in the series, but I will remedy that as soon as I get some room in my reading schedule. While the mystery in this book is standalone, I do wish I had read the earlier books to have first-hand knowledge of the development of the relationship between Lady Anne and the Marquess of Darkfell. There are other interesting characters and relationships that I wish to learn about in the earlier books as well. There is certainly enough ‘history’ and description in this book to make it a standalone – I am just longing for that better understanding that comes from reading the previous books.

Lady Anne Addison is staying with her grandmother in Bath while preparing for her wedding to the Marquess of Darkfell. Darkfell has also rented accommodations in Bath to prepare for their union at St. Swithin’s Church. Her father and brother are staying with Darkfell while her mother is staying with her and her grandmother.

Lady Anne has little tolerance for the plans and fripperies of the wedding, so she’s happy to be summoned to the local girl's school to investigate a ‘ghostly’ incident. One of their students, Miss Faithful Collier, has had an incident with an otherworldly presence that demanded she commits suicide by jumping from the upper story window.. Miss Collier is surprisingly childlike even though she is seventeen. After doing a few interviews and making several assumptions, Lady Anne declares the ‘visitation’ to be shenanigans and trickery on the part of others in the household. She is happy to have solved the mystery and to have counseled the young lady that her visitation was not otherworldly and she should view any future events to be coming from this world rather than the next. Yay, Lady Anne. Except, the following day, Miss Collier is found – dead – directly beneath the windows from which the apparition had apparently cajoled her to jump. OOPS!

Was it suicide? Was it murder? Was it an accident? Oh! My! Goodness! It is, of course, murder. But who would hold such animosity toward a sweet, innocent, young girl? There were, of course, schoolgirl spats, but – enough to murder? Surely not! Then who – and how?

I had very mixed feelings about Lady Anne. Perhaps, had I read the previous books, I would have reacted differently. Lady Anne is presented as this brilliant investigator, but I didn’t see that. As she is investigating – every time she gets to a point where she might learn something important – there is a very convenient interruption. That truly annoys me! Also, most of the pertinent information is gathered by her friends and cohorts rather than Lady Anne. Yet – it is Lady Anne who is credited with solving the crime. Yes, she did, in the end, confront the villain and solve the crime. However, that did not happen without the TSTL moments that I absolutely detest. She is supposedly a very intelligent woman – an investigator – a solver of mysteries – yet, she doesn’t have enough sense to avoid an obvious ploy? Yes, she sent a note saying where she was going – but – good grief – how was she even sure the recipient would be in a place to receive the note and respond in time? Then, walking into a dark alley pursuing a cat? No, I was just done at that point.

I enjoyed the mystery, but the story wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. I wanted to see a truly equal partnership between Lady Anne and the Marquess, but that isn’t what I got. It was Lady Anne’s investigation – totally and completely – and the Marquess could only perform those tasks asked/allowed of him. Still, the mystery was interesting and I enjoyed seeing the resolution. If there is another book in the series, I might read it to see if there is a more equal investigative partnership now that they are married, but if it is more of the same, I probably won’t continue. That is a shame because I’ve already purchased the first books in the series and the personal relationships make me wonder if I want to read them. We’ll see.

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

This was another winning in the Lady Anne Addison Mystery series, it worked well overall with the other books that I read. The characters were interesting and felt like they belonged in this time-period. Victoria Hamilton has a great writing style and enjoyed what I read. It left me wanting to read more in this series and from Victoria Hamilton.

This was a detailed well worked murder mystery centred upon a hoax of a school girl who thought she saw a ghost. What started as a childish prank led to her death and a tortuous investigation with plenty of red herrings.

This novel has a clever gothic mystery plot, and I’m sure some readers will love it. For me, the emotion was flat, and I couldn’t attach to the main characters. Lady Anne could use a little more subtlety in the way she questions witnesses.

If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, this novel can stand alone. But the series is best read in order for help in keeping track of the recurring characters.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This book is completely out of my realm for what I
M used to reviewing, but it seemed so full of mystery and action that I honestly could not pass it up! I look forward to sharing a full review and thoughts very soon!