A Brazen Curiosity: A Regency Cozy

Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, Book 1

By: Lynn Messina

Narrated by: Jill Smith

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Twenty-six-year-old Beatrice Hyde-Clare is far too shy to investigate the suspicious death of a fellow guest in the Lake District. A spinster who lives on the sufferance of her relatives, she would certainly not presume to search the rooms of her host's son and his friend looking for evidence. Reared in the twin virtues of deference and docility, she would absolutely never think to question the imperious Duke of Kesgrave about anything, let alone how he chose to represent the incident to the local constable.

And yet when she stumbles upon the bludgeoned corpse of poor Mr. Otley in the deserted library of the Skeffingtons' country house, that's exactly what she does.

©2018 Lynn Messina (P)2018 Lynn Messina

Well-written

Great insight into the class system in England. Liked the proper sexual tension in the main characters.

Jill Smith gave a good narration. Great diction.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Charmingly written and narrated

This was a well done mystery with a hint of romance. It stays true to the period it's set in while allowing the heroine to grow into herself. It was fun, well written and narrated, and I'm really looking forward to the next book!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Humorous conversation

I especially enjoyed the dialogue in A Brazen Curiosity. I also appreciated not being able to surmise "whodunnit" until the very end!

Truly enjoyable!

Loved the attention to detail about the time period and station. Admired the heroine 's character.

A great heroine

I love this allegedly mousy timorous spinster who is able to shed her shyness and investigate a murder. I love the thoughts and humor hiding inside that she finally lets out despite her circumstances as a poor relative. And the description of the times in England is well done. Intricate plot, interesting characters. Good narrator.

What a great start to a new series!

Miss Hyde-Clare is definitely an original! I love the witty bantering between the hero and heroine. I own every book and its Audible companion. I can't wait for the next book in the series, because they keep getting better and better. I would like to see more of the dynamics of the main characters' relationship, especially from his POV, because that's the draw of the entire series. Keep writing and I will definitely keep reading!

I ought to have loved this...but I didn't

At first glance, this looked like just the sort of thing I should have loved: Regency! Romance! Mystery! Yes, please!

So, what went wrong? I'm sorry to say I just couldn't like the characters. The hero is the type of fellow who corrects others' conversation at the dinner table (yeah, we all love to sit near that guy. Not.), and I heard way too many times about how Beatrice was a poor orphan, dependent on the whims of her aunt and uncle. I could almost forgive her for fantasizing about throwing food at the duke during dinner--if I had to sit near him, I'd probably be thinking the same thing--but while this was mildly amusing the first time it was mentioned, the joke dragged on l-o-n-g past the point where it was funny. To make it worse, at the end of the book Beatrice finds that she no longer dreams of throwing food at him (yes, she's still harping on it), because his correcting others isn't boorish behavior at all; it's just proof of his exacting attention to detail! So it's an admirable trait, really! No, Beatrice. No, it's not.

Clearly, many people enjoy this series, so I'm apparently the outlier here. Maybe it gets better as it goes along, but I doubt I'll follow the series long enough to find out. There are too many other books/series I'd rather spend my credits on.

I received this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.

So very clever

Loved it. I will listen to this book again and again. It is written so very clever.

A Brazen Curiosity

An enjoyable cozy mystery with a regency setting... two of my favorites! Lynn Messina has woven a detailed storyline with a mystery to keep you guessing til the end.

Jill Smith did a lovely job with the narration. I would certainly listen to more of her narrations.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Loved it

go for book 2 right now. Has the banter of Jane Austin with a mystery. Yes it is simple but truly enjoyable.