There is nothing wrong with this book, but it was a little boring to get started.

It takes off after that and is pretty good. But I would have really liked the two spinsters to end up together.

I would read another in this series if/when there is one.

"Two Regency era spinsters, one quiet and one quarrelsome, try to catch a killer before Christmas in this new historical mystery series.

Miss Judith St Clair is a frugal and pious young woman. When her father accepts a lucrative new position as the rector of a parish in Derbyshire just before Christmas, she is dismayed that she and all her siblings must move to this cold and inhospitable country while still in mourning for their mother. What's worse, her father's patrons are the rich and imposing Haddingtons, a family recently settled at Wycliff Castle.

Miss Louisa-Margaretta Haddington, after years of dismissing every possible suitor, is in love. But her parents, who will not consent to the match, have removed her and her reputation from harm by buying an enormous estate in Derbyshire. Louisa-Margaretta is determined to avoid everyone, but when she and the rector's daughter both take refuge in the library to avoid dancing with gentlemen at a ball, they are unwitting witnesses to a murder.

Though each young woman despises the other, they know they will need each other's help if they are to find the killer and save their families. With Judith's quiet intelligence and Louisa-Margaretta's fiery and flirtatious nature, they set out to solve the puzzle. But when one of them has a brush with death disguised as a hunting accident, they realise that they must be quick, or they shall risk running out of time."

Another book for the Christmas list, and my favorite kind, because there's a murder!

I uploaded my review to Goodreads. I will upload it to Amazon on release day.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Eve Tarrington for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Two Spinsters and a Corpse coming out September 1, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own..

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I absolutely loved it! I’m obsessed with historical mysteries. I loved the two main characters with their different personalities. I love that they teamed up to solve the mystery. I think the book was quick-paced and filled with action and excitement. I loved the glimpses of romance. I’m definitely excited to check out more books by this author!

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

I do love the first book of a series as it always gives me something to look forward to. And so it begins with two Regency era spinsters and a killer which is not a good way to start a new life in a new town just before Christmas. This is a good cosy mystery/murder that was a bit of fun to read. Very easy to read too and gives me something to look forward to as I look forward to book 2 of this series.

Entertaining, fun, cosy and a good read for sure. 3 1/2 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Miss Judith St Clair is a vicar’s daughter & following her mother’s death the family move to a parish in Derbyshire, her father’s patrons are the rich and imposing Haddingtons, a family recently settled at Wycliff Castle. Miss Louisa-Margaretta Haddington, after years of dismissing every possible suitor, is in love. But her parents, who will not consent to the match, have removed her and her reputation from harm by buying an enormous estate in Derbyshire. Louisa-Margaretta is determined to avoid everyone, but when she and the rector’s daughter both take refuge in the library to avoid dancing with gentlemen at a ball, they are unwitting witnesses to a murder.
A well written cosy mystery that flowed well after a slow start. I liked the attention to detail in the descriptions & the author certainly had done her homework. I liked both Judith & Louisa but didn’t love them, they were like chalk & cheese but gradually began to work well together. The mystery was intriguing & I was kept guessing until everything was revealed. An interesting series starter which laid the foundations to what is hopefully an interesting series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

While I don’t think it’s always necessary to like the protagonists in order to enjoy a book, I think that with this particular type of a story you really kind of do. And I didn’t. The mystery was engaging enough., and the Regency feel was there, but my goodness! Judith was so Mary Bennetish I just couldn’t like her and Louisa-Margaretta was so tedious I spent most of the book wishing the villain would poison her too.

This regency/cozy finds two young "spinsters" trying to solve a murder. The story has all the trappings of the grand house, the lord of the manor, the dances, and the familial trappings as to who marries whom. Judith, the minister's elder daughter, does not want to marry but wants her own life. The daughter of the Lord of the manor has fallen for the wrong man and is whisked away from certain ruin,. However, both women must put their heads together to find a murderer in the family. Thanks to Net Galley for the arc.

What an interesting premise for a thriller, and in a setting & time period where so often you don’t see this genre thrive. It was a fun read, a great exploration into the subversion of expectations, and an overall enjoyable time spent from page one to page done!

My thanks to the Author publisher's and Netgalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
I was surprised by the Spinsters in the title as I was expecting two nosy old biddies, of my age whilst in fact they were just unmarried young ladies. The Author gives a real feel for time and place, with interesting characters throughout. Clever intelligent storytelling with some surprises along the way. An engaging intriguing mystery.
Recommended.

Thank you Netgalley for the digital Arc!
Two Spinsters and a Corpse is a cozy historical Mystery story about two young unmarried ladies in Regency-era England, Judith and Louisa-Margaretta, who are brought together on a cold night when a murder is committed in Louisa's home. Together, they set out to find the killer and save themselves and their family before another crime is committed.

What I liked:
The writing was very well done. I loved the witty turn of phrases and giggled a couple of times! It reminded me of Jane Austen, without being tacky or over the top. The story was fast-paced and easy to follow. I enjoyed myself overall.

What I disliked:
Although it was a mystery, the story wasn't very thrilling or entertaining. The "plot twists" were written in a way that made them underwhelming, which made the story quite dull. I thought it was a great idea, and while I hadn't guessed who the murderer was, I was a little disappointed at the way the story ended. It resolved way too quickly. I understand it was historical fiction, but it could still have been exciting. I think I would have loved it more if it had been a sapphic romance. Missed opportunity in my opinion!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

This was a wonderful historical mystery with a great plot and memorable characters. A very enjoyable read.

In this Regency-era murder mystery, two young women, while hiding out from a country ball in the grand house’s library, accidentally witness a murder. They barely know each other, and don’t much like each other, but with more people dying – and one of the young ladies escaping a brush with death herself – they must work together to solve the murder.

For some reason, I thought this was going to be a bit more fun and hijinks-y – sadly that is not the style of this book. It’s much more straightforward. But overall, it’s a fine little murder mystery. There was not much tension in the beginning and both of the spinsters are a bit unlikeable toward the start, and so it was a bit slow at first. But around the middle the tension picks up, and I started to warm up to the main characters as they warmed up to each other, so it was much more enjoyable from there on out. It’s nothing earthshattering but if you like historical mysteries, it’s a decent read. I’d read another if presented with one.

Excellent read. I love books set in this time period. These adventures are always the best

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for choosing me to read an advanced copy

This is what I would call cosy crime historical fiction. Two spinsters team up to uncover a murderer.
I sometimes had trouble keeping up with all the characters but it was enjoyable enough and cosy crime fans will like it.

As a fan of crime fiction, I was really excited to read this book as the idea of a murder mystery plot line set in the regency era sounded really intriguing. However, it was quite difficult to get through the book as the beginning was quite slow. When reading murder mysteries, readers often want to feel as though they are at the edge of their seats with the plot twists and actions but the plot seemed quite stiff in this aspect. Which only lead to me being quite unmotivated to continue reading.

Hello! Thank you for the ARC!

I was not a big fan of this book. I was hoping it would be more of a murder/mystery and it wasn't. I think the focus was the characters and their relationships with each other, even though they could barely stand each other. I think that the character development didn't make much sense either, especially for Louise-Maragretta.

I published my reveiw on goodreads on 08/09/2024.

Historical Mystery that follows two Regency era spinsters, one a rector's daughter and the other a rich man's daughter, as they set out to catch a killer before Christmas.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Tarrington's Two Spinsters and a Murder Mystery series which is a Historical Mystery featuring two Regency era spinsters, one a rector's daughter still grieving her mother's death and the other a rich man's daughter pining for the “unsuitable” man she loves, as they team up to uncover who poisoned a guest during a Christmas week party. With plenty of twists and turns, Tarrington has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, Tarrington's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Judith and Louisa-Margaretta may be complete opposites but find they have much in common. It's great to see them come together to figure out the mystery. Tarrington touches on some sensitive topics, so take care and the CWs. This is an interesting start to a new series and I look forward to reading more.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Tenacious Teacup Press in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I think there’s probably a good story here buried beneath a lot of irrelevant focus on Judith’s nonconformity. The book could use a good developmental editor to help the author improve the pacing and storytelling. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This regency era murder mystery had me hooked so quickly!.

Miss Judith St Clair and Miss Louisa-Margaretta Haddington were a surprisingly delightful duo that balanced each other well. I loved watching their friendship and will admit that I thought we might be getting a sapphic twist, but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. I really enjoyed watching their story unfold from their perspective and loved seeing all the twists and turns packed into this short story.

It had a very immersive setting and a satisfying conclusion. This was such a fun, quick read that was non-graphic/limited violence and will appeal to a wide audience. I would definitely recommend this, even to those who wouldn’t normally reach for this style of book.

Eve Terrington's *Two Spinsters and a Corpse* is a charming addition to the historical mystery genre. Set in the Regency era, the novel centers on two unlikely allies: Miss Judith St Clair, a reserved and pious young woman, and Miss Louisa-Margaretta Haddington, a spirited and rebellious socialite. When a murder disrupts their Christmas season, these two women must join forces to uncover the truth.

Terrington skillfully crafts a delightful narrative, blending witty banter with a gripping mystery. The dynamic between Judith and Louisa-Margaretta is the heart of the story, their contrasting personalities providing both humor and depth. Judith’s methodical and cautious approach complements Louisa-Margaretta’s bold and impulsive nature, making their sleuthing adventures both engaging and entertaining.

The setting of Derbyshire and the backdrop of Regency-era social mores add authenticity and charm to the novel. The plot is well-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing. However, at times the resolution feels slightly predictable, and the secondary characters could benefit from a bit more development.

Overall, *Two Spinsters and a Corpse* is a delightful read for fans of historical mysteries, offering a blend of humor, intrigue, and period detail that makes for an enjoyable and satisfying escape into the past.