A Nefarious Engagement: A Regency Cozy
Series: Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, Book 4
By: Lynn Messina / Narrated By: Jill Smith
Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
MagNIFicent!!! And, what? Is there room for ANOTHER book?!?
So, all in pursuit of murderers, Bea’s been whonked on the head and locked in a dilapidated shed (Book 1); she’s been pummeled to the ground and left with a pair o’ shiners and a split lip (Book 2); and now she’s facing going back into a Ball, ballgown ashy and grey from putting out a “hair” fire with her dress, her own hair askew from a, what? Yes, a rumble of sorts with a man far above her on the Social Ladder (the rockin’ and raucous end of Book 3).
Plus! She’s now ENGAGED to the Duke of Kesgrave; and she hadn’t the time for him to ask, she pretty much just asked, like, Are we getting married now, or what?!?
Things should be looking up for Beatrice Hyde-Clare, right?
Uhm, well… how to put this…? They most certainly are NOT!
Cuz now, Society ladies and lasses are looking at her, a LOT, and coming up to her, talking, asking for how she did it, acting like they’re all old friends. Now the murderer from Book 3 has gotten away with his crime by suggesting that Bea followed him out in an attempt to offer an assignation and follow it with a demand for marriage; but he’ll keep quiet… IF… all charges are dropped. And THAT story’s getting around.
And now Aunt Vera keeeeeeps telling Bea about just how much goes into running a Duke’s grand house, how many maids will be needed, how MANY footmen are required. And it’ll all be up to Bea, and she knows that Bea’s totally not up to the task. And now Bea’s wondering just how on earth she’ll manage.
She starts disappearing into herself, becoming the old Bea, the shy Bea who hadn’t a word to say, who questioned EVERYthing before she could say it. Gone is the witty, sharp-tongued, in-your-face woman (With the spray of whimsical freckles on her nose) and back is the dull, inelegant spinster (With the DRAB freckles on her nose).
What to do?
Well, last book, Lady Abercrombie suggested that there was an unsolved murder lurking about, and when Bea remembers this, she leaps at the chance to look into it, never mind how aghast Lady A is about an engaged woman rolling about and doing something so unseemly. But Bea is one sharp toots, and she deduces that it is the death of her own parents, who died when she was but a little girl, that needs to be looked into. Thus, an investigation is born!
It’s a wonderful jaunt, and in this book, Bea’s fears that she’s not good enough are what she has to deal with. That, and she knows the Duke has asked before that she NOT involve herself in any more sleuthing. So she’s afraid, if she tells Kesgrave about her new endeavors, he’ll demand, as her husband-to-be, she drop it all. And what’ll Bea do then? If she gives in to that, doesn’t that mean she’ll have to give in to his every future demand as his wife? She’s in a quandary; best not mention ANYthing to him.
I miss Kesgrave in this book since he’s absent for much of it as Bea refuses to see him lest she inadvertently divulge her secret, lest he dump her when he finds out. There’s not as much of the INCREDIBLY intelligent and witty banter that I’ve sooo loved in the previous books, but Bea is such a strongly written character, I found myself absorbed in her doings through the whole thing. Then too, when Kesgrave IS in the story, the jolly banter’s there, his eyes twinkle in delight, and love rules the day.
>Heavy Sigh< What’s not to love about all of that.
Jill Smith does her usual outta-this-world performance, capturing voices of many characters and making Kesgrave someone ya feel in your bones is just HOT. Lynn Messina does her usual outta-this-world sweet setup of a crime.
And was it just me -OR- at the end there? When all is said and done of this Book 4 of 4?
Did Messina leave things kinda sorta to where, should she wish it, should she get bored someday and miss her characters? Did she leave things open for a, yes! Book 5?!?
I’m still glowing after listening to this, A Nefarious Engagement, and the ONLY reason I haven’t gone back and started the whooole series all over again is cuz I have soo much danged Regency in my Library that requires at LEAST an initial Listen and Review.
Otherwise? Bea, I tell ya: I’m with ya from Book 1 and on again!
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