A Vicious Machination is a fast-paced historical mystery in a fantastic series. It thrills, intrigues and entertains all the way through.
I adore the banter and teasing between Kesgrave and Bea., not to mention the fact that they can't quite keep out of the way of murder and mayhem.
I wanted to see a little bit more interaction between Kesgrave and Verity but I will continue reading the series to see how things turn out.
The mystery here was intriguing and very puzzling. The list of potential suspects was potentially endless considering it could be anyone associated with the orphanage. I found the names of some of the characters to be quite awkward to read but they were amusing.
I enjoyed this mystery and I'm looking forward to the next adventure.

A twisty mystery with some fun and loving banter between Beatrice, the main character, and her husband. This book relies on things that happened in previous books and in another series the author writes so it definitely helps to have done so to get all the connections, etc. though it can be read alone as I did it.

This series is fast paced; the books have happened in about a year or so. Combined with some outrageous behavior for a Duchess really requires some suspension of disbelief. Some of the nicknames seem a bit childish. I don't know, for some reason it hits me more with this series than some others.

But still, I enjoyed it.

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

A Vicious Machination
(Beatrice Hyde Clare )
Lynn Messina


Beatrice Hyde Clare is the newlywed Duchess of Kesgrave. Due to a series of events the Duke and Duchess have only recently learned of his having a sister. Verity Long, her husband Damien’s illegitimate half-sister has been arrested and thrown in Newgate Prison.

Verity stands accused of the murder of Fortescue’s disgraced orphanage director M. Wraithe
She was captured at the scene by Cyrus Thimble, a Runner, with the gun in hand and taken to Newgate.
Over the course of the next 14 chapters, we shadow Beatrice and Kesgrave, as they attempt to help Verity. There are 17 total chapters.

This is my first Beatrice Hyde Clare mystery, for those thinking of jumping into the deep end of this series… don’t. I wasn’t able to follow along without some sense of loss. Having previously read the Verity Lark series first, I did understand some of the situation—the child cruelty angle for instance. But I think I expected too much since I had been able to so easily follow Verity’s series. The actual mystery seems solid and if you’ve read the other books in the series, it's probably great addition.

For me, one of the things that made me interested in reading A Vicious Machination is because it seemed Verity and Beatrice would be involved as more of a unit while getting to know both Beatrice and Damien. While that was not the case, the book was still full of twists and the unexpected therefore keeping my attention. Upon finishing I compiled a list of “my issues” I then re-read the story with these points in mind. While that helped me clear up a few things… I am still left with some questions. None of these questions have anything to do with the major case points though. Although I can’t see myself re-reading this book again for pleasure it was a nice read. Again, the mystery element is solid. I just needed more background knowledge and to reset my expectations.
3***



Thank you to Netgalley, Ms. Messina, and the publisher for the ARC.

Another good mystery with Bea and the Duke looking into a death of a nasty woman. I like the way they work together to interview potential victims or witnesses. They always seem to know someone that will help unearth information. Duke's step-sister is in jail because the police say she is the guilty one. Bea and the duke are determined to find the truth. I liked the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lynn Messina for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Vicious Machination coming out June 28, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love this author and definitely need to check out more of her books. I haven’t read all of the books in the series, but I didn’t think it was hard to get into this book. It was a lot of fun. It was filled with historical drama and mystery. I have read one of the Verity Lark books, so that was cool to see the characters do a crossover. I loved the characters. I thought Beatrice was a witty and strong character who knew how to solve mysteries. I definitely would check out more books in the series!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fun historical mysteries!

This is another twisty murder mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end, The subject matter in this one is quiet heavy involving child abuse in the orphanage and yet the book as always is witty and full of humour as well which does seem to be a speciality of this author and she does it so well. Cannot recommend this series highly enough the characters are just amazing and their relationship throughout the book is just so sweet. and lovely and I cannot wait for the next book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have been enjoying reading this series from the beginning. The characters are fun the mysteries are enjoyable and there is plenty of humour. I was happy to have another chance to join Bea as she investigates yet another case. This one centers around her sister-in-law who is also the lead character in the author's other series. I have not read that one yet but now I will have to check them out. As with all the other books in the series, there are enough twists and turns to keep the story interesting, and the writing is laced with plenty of humour to keep the story light and enjoyable. I look forward to more books in this series and from this author down the road.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is such a fun series! There's a nice mixture of romance and mystery set in Regency England.

Beatrice is a new duchess and her husband, the Duke of Kesgrave, is basically perfect. I love how he supports and admires her even though she’s much gossiped about for her habit of solving murders.

In this mystery, she sets out to clear the Duke’s illegitimate half-sister, Lark, of a murder rap. Lark is the star of several other books in a parallel series. The two series finally linked up in the previous book in Beatrice’s series.

There’s a lot of humor as Beatrice sets out to interview possible suspects. I never suspected the actual murderer, but after the person was identified, I could see the clues that the author had scattered throughout the investigation.

I really enjoyed all the books in this series. I’m not sure if someone coming new to the series with this book would understand all the references to past storylines and characters. I’d recommend going back and reading all the earlier ones first. You’ll enjoy all of them.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Beatrice looks forward to meeting her noble husband’s newly discovered half-sister, Verity. Then, Verity is arrested for murder, seemingly caught red-handed. Determined to uncover the truth, Bea embarks on a perilous investigation, questioning Verity’s guilt and facing the possibility of a personal connection to the crime.

This cozy mystery is an enjoyable read with likable characters and a clever plot. The novel includes some family interactions that won’t be of much interest for readers who haven’t read the previous books in the series. Other than that, the book stands alone.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

What a lovely, cosy mystery book! So easy to read I breezed through it in just a couple of days. When I first received this book I was a bit concerned about not having read any of the previous ones in this series. Although I was in fact clueless at first about some of the events that preceded this book, the author provided enough information for me to fill in the gaps and be completely up to speed throughout the entire thing. The book was amazingly fast-paced and constantly keeping me on my toes, never losing my interest even for a minute. It had me guessing until the last chapter which is always the biggest win in a mystery book. But somehow, in all this, what impressed me most was how cosy, witty and full of humor it truly was. I was constantly chuckling or rolling my eyes (in a good way). A truly very fun and most enjoyable read! Made me want to read the rest of the series!

The setting is one I like. England at a crossroads but many people hardly able to survive. The aristocracy had it on a platter - money, freedom, laws and judiciary which would invariably rule in their favour.

The Duchess of Kesgrave Bea , recently wed, is an investigator of repute. She is trying to reconcile the illegitimate half sister of her husband with the family, but finds herself in the middle of a drama. Miss Lark, the half sister was found at a murder scene weapon in hand by a Bow Street runner who just happened to be passing by. An open and shut case particularly since the victim and the suspect had terrible history between them.

Bea realises she is against a formidable enemy but she is resourceful and brave. Unraveling a plethora and a history of blackmail on the part of the victim leaves many, many suspects in line. Each has to be investigated but time is running out.

Meticulous detection is the key and the Duke and Duchess work closely to see that justice is done. The story also highlights the appalling conditions in orphanages, and the abuses that children faced by the very people who were in charge of them.

A delightful addition to the series, featuring the very strong will ed Beatrice Hyde-Clare. A well written story set in the regency period, which gives a real sense of the conditions for those at different levels of society. I have written a longer review on Amazon UK.

3.5 ⭐

I haven’t read all the novels in this series, but I have read quite a few and enjoyed them very much, so I was really looking forward to this new one, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t my favourite. The story was intriguing and with a few interesting twists, but I was expecting more scenes between the two female protagonists, Bea and Verity, but, aside from a small appearance, the character of Verity remains very much in the background. Also, I think that since I haven’t read all books in the series, I was lacking some backstory that left me slightly confused. Despite all this, A Vicious Machination was a fun and entertaining read, with a strong and independent female protagonist, and it made me look forward to reading the other books in the series (and the ones that will come in the future).

As eager as Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave, is to meet her husband’s newly discovered illegitimate half sister, but didn’t expect it to be in Newgate where Verity Lark has been consigned for murder. Found standing over the slain corpse of an old tormentor with a still-warm pistol in her hand, she is obviously guilty. It is an open-and-shut case with little for an unduly curious duchess to investigate. Except it all seems a little too simple and straightforward. Convinced of Miss Lark’s innocence, Bea investigates.
Another delight, whilst it could be read on its own this series is so good plus it features Verity Lark & her spin off series is so good too. I loved Bea & Kesgrave & thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery. There are plenty of suspects who are all hiding something, there are twists & turns & of course red herrings – all of which had me quickly turning the pages. A well written engrossing mystery
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6529972258

nother marvellous Beatrice Hyde-Clare mystery. I've read all prior releases in the series, as well as Messina's Verity Lark series - and I do honestly think this is one of the best if not the best of Beatrice's series. The plot was engaging, and as another reviewer mentioned, the joining of two series (Beatrice Hyde-Clare and Verity Lark mysteries) was of particular highlight to me.

As always, I will eagerly await another instalment in the series.
I was provided an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I thank NetGalley and Potatoworks Press for an advance reader copy of “A Vicious Machination.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Verity Kent, the Duke of Kesgrave’s half-sister is in Newgate Prison, accused of murdering the wicked overseer of Fortescue’s Asylum for Pauper Children, the wretched adoption home that reporter “Robert Lark” had exposed in articles detailing the corruption, illegal activity -- and worse -- occurring there. In doing so, the stories had also sealed the social fate of several other prominent members of society, members of the asylum’s governing board (important for later, as we have built-in murder suspects). Well, gentle readers, if you think for a moment that Beatrice, Duchess of Kesgrave, the “murder duchess” as she comes to be known in the book, is going to stand by and let her husband’s sister be so horribly ill-used, you’ve got another think coming.

And so, we’re off in “A Vicious Machination,” Lynn Messina’s 12th Beatrice Hyde-Clare book. By now all the characters are well-established, so be advised that the authors will give readers a synopsis of Verity’s exploits in her books, so if you haven’t read them (and why not?), you’re getting spoilers.

The reason for the murder? Could it be blackmail, one of the oldest reasons for dispatching a hated enemy? But, which one of Agnes Wraithe’s targets did the deed? Well, if you think it’s that simple, you haven’t read a Lynn Messina book. All is satisfactorily untangled, and a twisted skein it truly turns out to be. With justice served, Lord Colson will ride post-haste to get Verity out of prison.

Oh, must mention that Bea is so very happy that she has had a respite from the hated Mr. Twaddle-Thum during this time of travail. Hmmmm, wonder why that is?

“A Vicious Machination” continues the Beatrice Hyde-Clare tradition of Regency historical mysteries accurate to time and place (well, as close as Bea can come, that is, given her character, intelligence, and wit). Now, if I could have less of the soul-searching about how inadequate she feels as a duchess, I’d be very much happier. Next one should be interesting – “the cherub” will be a little further along. We’ll see how that’s being handled.

I received an EARC for book 12, and now book 13. Between reading these, I have read book #1 in the series, as well as all the Verity Lark series, so how much fun is it that the 2 series' have finally intersected in #12 and 13.
In #12, Beatrice's husband meets his half-sister, Verity Lark. In this book, Beatrice finally meets Verity, but in Newgate Prison. Beatrice must prove Verity is not a murderer.
Beatrice, the Duchess of Kesgrove, has moved many murders in her short married life. Her husband, the Duke, is a wonderful character who loves her and helps her solve the murders.
The banter is adorable. We see how Beatrice thinks things through, and the villain was quite a surprise!
I presume in the next book Beatrice and Verity will finally spend time together, and the Duke will get to know his sister.
I am looking forward to it.
Thanks to the Book Whisperer, Netgalley, and the publisher for my EARC.
This is my honest opinion. I highly recommend reading Verity's story also.

Another great book by this author and another great addition to the series. I have enjoyed reading them all and this one was as good as the others. I always enjoy the characters and the setting of these books/stories and they really do keep me glued to the page with the mysteries and adventures, action and investigations. Such a great series and well worth reading all of them.

Look forward to seeing what comes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Book Whisperer for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Family responsibilities and Murder!

Verity Lark (the Duke of Kesgrave’s half-sister) is being held in Newgate Prison charged with the murder of Agnes Wraithe, dreadful ghoul and former headmistress of the orphanage Verity and her friends were mistreated in.
It’s up to the Beatrice, the “Murder Duchess” or rather “Her Outrageousness” (monikers given Bea by the popular press) to prove her innocence. (Probably in exchange for shooting lessons!) The solving of this murder is important because Verity is family, although the acknowledgment is tentative on Verity’s side, and will be a distraction for the Duchess. Bea’s lately spent much of her time wondering how she’s going to cope overseeing the Duke’s grand residence at Haverhill Hill, where she and the Duke are due to stay shortly.
The Dowager Duchess becomes involved, as does of course Kesgrave.
I love the relationship between the Duke and Duchess. How he really sees and appreciates her, the way he affectionately calls her Brat, how he allows Beatrice to be herself. Their affection for each other is evident from the moments stolen in the library, the carriage. Oh my!
This murder though has been impressively planned down to the last second. The who is hampered by the number of people being blackmailed by the murder victim—The Wraithe!
Another throughly enjoyable and witty Bea Hyde-Clare, “Her Outrageousness” mystery!

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

I did enjoy this book, I hadn’t read any of the previous books featuring Beatrice and I think if I had, it would have given me a greater understanding of her earlier life and her relations. Bea is the Duchess of Kesgrave and I loved the close relationship between Bea and her husband. There is a murder mystery to solve, which involves questioning a number of people. This was an entertaining read and had me guessing until the end who the culprit might be. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it.. All thoughts and opinions are my own.