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Starred review from March 13, 2023
Screenwriter Seales’s exceptional debut focuses on the Steele family of Swampshire, England, where women strictly adhere to a multiple-volume guide that offers rules including “Ladies must not be annoying or persistent.” It’s the early 19th century, and the Steeles have three daughters, the eldest of whom, 25-year-old Beatrice, harbors a frightful secret: she loves to solve crimes. None of the daughters can inherit the family’s estate—it can only go to a man—and Mr. Steele’s penchant for practical jokes has led his vile cousin, Martin Grub, to declare him insane, paving the way for Grub to take over the property. The family’s only hope rests on one of the daughters receiving a marriage proposal from a wealthy bachelor they meet at the annual Stabmort Park ball. After one of those bachelors dies during the festivities, Beatrice teams up with private detective Vivek Drake to solve the crime. The intricate plot races along at a sprightly pace, and Seales delights with her sharp humor and accomplished sense of narrative control. Jane Austen fans will be enthralled. Agent: Rachel Kim, 3 Arts Entertainment.
November 1, 2023
Seales's sparkling debut follows Beatrice Steele, who lives in the little-known township of Swampshire, England. According to Regency-era dictates, the family estate can only be passed on to a man. With Beatrice's repulsive cousin poised to take possession, Beatrice's mother insists that one of the daughters must marry well to secure the family's future. The prospects look dim, however, as beautiful Louisa is secretly engaged, and whip-smart Beatrice is more interested in crime-solving than marriage. When the area's most eligible bachelor is poisoned during a local ball, his traveling companion, a detective, immediately pairs up with Beatrice to investigate the crime. Narrator Fiona Hampton deftly captures the chemistry between the two as they butt heads about theories, suspects, and motives. After accusing nearly everyone at the ball (including each other), they finally agree on the culprit, but it may be too late. Hampton presents Seales's hilarious parody of a country-house murder mystery with energy and wit. Her character portrayals, which feature varied voices, accents, and personalities, are a delight. VERDICT Recommend to listeners who enjoy humor that skewers social norms. Fans of Anastasia Hastings's Of Manners and Murder will be enchanted.--Joanna M. Burkhardt
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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