Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters

Posted April 8, 2023 by meezcarrie in cozy mystery, giveaway, historical, Mary Angela, Mary Winters, mystery/suspense, romance / 15 Comments

MURDER IN POSTSCRIPT by Mary Winters
SERIES: A Lady of Letters Mystery #1
GENRE: Historical/Victorian Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Berkley
RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2023
PAGES: 319

When one of her readers asks for advice following a suspected murder, Victorian countess Amelia Amesbury, who secretly pens the popular Lady Agony column, has no choice but to investigate in this first book in a charming new historical mystery series.
Amelia Amesbury—widow, mother, and countess—has a secret. Amelia writes for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners under the pen name Lady Agony. But when a lady’s maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes her mistress has been murdered—and then ends up a victim herself—Amelia is determined to solve the case.
With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London’s docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation—and her life—on the line.

What a charming series debut!

I was instantly captivated by Mary Winters’ writing voice as well as her heroine, Lady Amelia Amesbury… aka Lady Agony. The young countess, widowed merely two months after her marriage, is guardian to her late husband’s niece and the secret author of the popular Lady Agony advice column. I loved how the letters to Lady Agony – and her replies – prefaced each new chapter, partly because they were just plain fun to read & partly because it gave me further insight into Amelia’s personality – spunky, a little sassy, and full of heart.

For that matter, I found all of the characters to be extremely likable – even crusty Aunt Tabitha (Amelia’s late husband’s aunt) who seems to have a good heart & equally good intentions despite her reticence. From Tabitha to Winnifred (Amelia’s ward) and Kitty (Amelia’s best friend), Murder in Postscript is full of strong female supporting characters that readers will want to spend even more time with on the pages. Luckily, this is the first in a series with hopefully many more to come! And then there’s Simon…. the swoony marquis who was Amelia’s late husband’s best friend, newly returned from time in America. He’s obviously captivated by Amelia at first meeting, and their friendship made me giddy with the potential for a delicious romance in future books. I loved how he treated Amelia with respect, even affection, and how he valued her for who she is.

The mystery is packed with plausible suspects, spanning both the upstairs and downstairs of Victorian society. Drawn by a letter to Lady Agony, from a lady’s maid, with the words, “I think my mistress was murdered,” Amelia stumbles on a mystery that will test her amateur investigative skills and further cement her budding friendship with Simon. With him close at her side and bodies piling up, she seeks to solve the murders while continuing to preserve her secret identity as Lady Agony. Red herrings and some unexpected twists will keep readers on their toes, and the banter between Simon and Amelia will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

Bottom Line: I thoroughly enjoyed reading Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters, and I think you will, too. The Victorian setting and Lady Agony letters create exactly the right mood for the story, and Amelia and Simon’s relationship is completely delightful. I can’t wait to see where their friendship-with-the-growing-possibility-for-more takes them in future books. The mystery is smart and well-plotted, the conversations are engaging, and the characters are layered and genuinely likable. Not to mention the cleverly done hook in the epilogue that has you already invested in and waiting for book two!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!

Content: completely clean

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Mary Winters is the author of Murder in Postscript, the debut novel in A Lady of Letters Mystery series. A longtime reader of historical fiction and an author of two other mystery series, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip! Find out more about Mary and her writing at marywintersauthor.com.