I actually went to buy the first book on Amazon, because knowing this is the second book in the series, I wanted to get the mechanics of the characters' relationships right first!

I enjoyed the first book so I quite enjoyed the mystery of this book as well.
However, I was a little turned off by the pettiness of Louisa (or should I say emo treatment of hot and cold) towards Judith. I did not really understand why Miriam was also so against Judith, so perhaps that can be elaborated in future books?

Unexpected twist of plot for the ending, which was really unexpected! I am looking forward to the third book!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Book Review: Two Spinsters and a Duel

Big thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing the ARC!

Two Spinsters and a Duel, the second book in its series, works well as a standalone, as I didn’t read the first installment but had no trouble following the story. The murder mystery at its core is inventive and kept my attention, particularly during the fast-paced conclusion when the pieces came together. However, the overall experience was mixed.

The dual point of view between the two heroines, Louisa-Margaretta and Judith, was often confusing, and their dynamic didn’t feel as friendly as the book suggested. Louisa-Margaretta herself was quite irritating, and I found it hard to fully connect with the characters. Additionally, the story took a while to pick up, with the action only becoming engaging after the first third of the book.

While the writing was polished and well-done, the heavy-handed religious overtones and the strictness of the characters’ behaviour felt overbearing. Combined with a convoluted plot and an abrupt explanation for the mystery, the book ultimately wasn’t to my taste.

Final rating: 3/5

Second book of this series finds a murder on the Haddington grounds—they’re unlucky to have death visit twice! When Louisa-Margaretta’s brother is arrested and faces the scaffold for it, they have to find out who the real culprit is.

In the first book, I found Judith to be irritating. In this book, it’s Louisa-Margaretta. She’s storming around and combative and is NOT written to be a sympathetic character whatsoever, with Judith thinking of her as a princess who doesn’t notice other people’s grief and how she wouldn’t care about staining furniture with ink. Judith is working to find who killed Mr. Oakley, and Louisa-Margaretta rages at Judith for every possible suspect she brings up, even Peggy Haddington, who Louisa-Margaretta has seethed about for most of the book.

I feel for poor Judith because she seems to get abuse from all sides. Her sister Miriam is nasty to her, Louisa-Margaretta (her only and best friend) is nasty to her, and when she’s not spending all her time assisting the Haddingtons, she’s helping her father and family. The book says that she and Louisa-Margaretta are friends, but it doesn’t feel like it when it basically opens and closes on Louisa-Margaretta refusing to speak to her. I don’t even know why they WOULD be friends at this point; there’s a class difference, but Louisa-Margaretta is so awful to Judith that Judith is basically just a meek doormat at this point.

The murder mystery itself was all right. It was at least inventive, although the explanation seemed abrupt. Putting the pieces together at the end was suitably fast-paced to keep my attention, however. The ending promises new adventures on the horizon, and I wonder if the characters can grow and change with a different setting.

As it stands, I’m a bit on the fence with this. I’d give it 2.5 out of 5 and I suppose lean to three, just like the first. This one’s problems are different than the first one’s. I just found many of the characters irritating (so much crying!) and felt the friendship was lacking.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think there's a lot of potential and I like the setting. I have some issues with the characters that are in a sort of unbalanced relation.
This makes the mystery weaker and less gripping.
Some more work on the spinsters would make this story intriguing and entertaining
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Another countryside Regency murder mystery that kept my intrigued, entertained and excited. I really enjoyed this second book of the series and Judith St Clair and Louisa-Margaretta Haddington are great characters that draw you into their world. This is a book that is easy to read, short and quick so I read it in a day and was fun, thrilling and had a good storyline. I really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing what comes next from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Tenacious Teacup Press for giving me the opportunity to read adn review this book.

Judith St Clair and Louisa-Margaretta Haddington, united in their heartbreak, are passing a quiet spring in the countryside. Though Wycliff Castle and its rectory are isolated. A visit from Louisa-Margaretta’s brother Percival, whose regiment is stationed nearby, promises company and excitement for both, until one of the soldiers is killed by a member of the house party. Judith insists on finding the murderer, but Louisa-Margaretta demurs. When Percival himself is accused of the crime, and threatened with hanging, Louisa-Margaretta regrets her decision.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own but as ever I have to read a series from the beginning. I felt I got to know Judith & Louisa better but still want to know more as I find their relationship different. I enjoyed the book with its twists & turns, the characters were well portrayed & I was left guessing as to who the villain was
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

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 Duel coming out December 1, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed the first book, so I was excited to check this one out. It was a pretty short book. I think there was some progress, but at the same time, Judith and Louisa-Margaretta are struggling to get along. I definitely think Judith is the stronger, more intelligent character. I’m not sure what Louisa-Margaretta’s issue is half the time. I just enjoy Judith more. But I love this series. The time period and lavish settings intrigue me. I’m excited to read more books by this author!

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

This is the 2nd book in the series and I did enjoy it more than the first book. The beginning and middle I found more well plotted out, the characters were more interesting and likable, the mystery was building and I wanted to know what happened next. Somewhere after that though, it lost me. I really don’t enjoy the scenes where the person involved isn’t identified. I find it confusing. I had begun to like Louisa-Margaretta and then she became unlikable and annoying. Each time I thought the characters wouldn’t speak to each other again, I was fine with it. I am glad it looks like the next book will take everyone to a different setting but I would have been happier if it was just Judith going and she had her own storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

I liked this book even more than the first book in the series! The author did such a great job of building upon the foundation that was set in the previous book. I was impressed with how she wove together all the different plot points throughout the story. I love the attention to detail, the historical accuracy, and the authenticity of each character. Very much looking forward to the next in this series!

Eve Tarrington does it again in the Two Spinsters and a Murder Mystery series, it had that mystery element that I wanted and enjoyed going through this. The characters were on point and was engaged with the overall concept. It had that historical fiction element that I wanted and was glad it was so well done. I’m excited for more in this series and from Eve Tarrington.