A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder

Countess of Harleigh Mysteries, Book 4

By: Dianne Freeman

Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

In Dianne Freeman’s lighthearted mystery series set in Victorian England, the American-born Countess of Harleigh uncovers more deadly intrigue among the uppercrust....

For Frances Wynn, widow to the late Earl of Harleigh, life has a cosmopolitan flavor of late. No sooner has she sent her mother and daughter off on a shopping trip to Paris than she and her fiancé, George Hazelton, are socializing with visiting members of the Russian royal family. Yet amid this whirlwind, scandal also comes calling when Inspector Delaney turns up outside Frances’ house with a young French woman and a shocking claim: She is Mrs. George Hazelton.

As the future Mrs. George Hazelton, Frances assumes the woman is either lying or demented. “Mrs. Hazelton", aka Irena, makes other outrageous statements. Among them, she insists that she is the illegitimate daughter of Russian royalty, that she has been abducted and held for ransom many times, and that someone is sending her threatening letters. When George arrives, he clarifies that he is certainly not married to Irena - though he can confirm her royal parentage. But even as he agrees to investigate whether Irena’s life is in danger, her claim proves tragically true. Irena is found strangled in Frances’ garden. To uncover a killer - and clear their own names - Frances and George must determine which of Irena’s outlandish stories were based in fact, and who stood to benefit from her death. And as the search reaches a shocking conclusion, they may find that villainy lurks all too close to home....

©2021 Dianne Freeman (P)2021 Recorded Books

Loved it!

Another adventure with a mystery that was hard to decider. Who am I kidding? I had no clue!

Again. Frances and George are trying to move forward with their wedding but they keep getting interrupted!

I cannot wait for more in this series!!

Just enough romance!

Freeman, like Manda Collins, skillfully balances mystery and romance, though the mystery and action wins out here. It is the perfect balance for this series. The characters and fun and interesting and the plots twisty and engaging.

Great mystery story

As usual great whodunit. Love this author and can’t wait to read next one from her.

Great Series!!

I love this series and narration! I took one star off for this performance because the word 'theater' has three syllables, not two. It really broke the flow of the narration for me because the word is said a lot in this book.

Nevertheless, I can't wait for the next in the series!

Entertaining!

So much fun to read! Just the thing for a relaxing day or to lift one from the blues.

THE SHOW STOPPER

Thank Goodness for Audiobooks! The performances and especially for the Authors! What would we do without their imaginations, their stories, their images splashed up on the walls of our minds eyes?! I know for myself life would be as a painting bereft of color, washed out of each array of the Beauty of Truth & of Strength of Honesty, and us, the silent naked witnesses of the elite of life's most Nobilly, faithfully rendered, almost painfuly rendered & recorded for all to stop a while, to see - for if not, our Souls would whither, refuse to go on....unable to respond to the mightiest question of all which in the end we all answer

Did they or didn't they?

This book is full of secrets leading to rumours leading to assumptions. What and who to believe?

Bigger than the Beatles!

Ha! sorry but yes these books are pretty amazing, I'm so sad when they yover, but really happy to start a new book. Really if you love a smart,well narrated mystery, well here's the ticket to ride.... enjoy, oh to the fabulous author write more.....

Not the best of the series. start somewhere else

I usually love these books, but the background and new characters were just a bit "off." I know Irina was supposed to be annoying, but she was too much so. Hetty's beau seemed added just to transport them from one place to another.

Also, about halfway through I knew who the killer was and was annoyed that Frances and George seemed deliberately dense not even look in that direction. Then, when they did it was sort of just the mention of a possibility and back to "oh well, let's just beat this other dead horse," and not even ask the obvious questions.

Still, it's a fun listen and Sarah Zimmerman seems just the right reader for these books.

A female historical detective! YESSS!

Loved the entire series hopefully there's one after this where she is getting married and another plot thickens. She and her husband George makes a great team!