Publication: 27th June 2023 – Orion
Beatrice Steele has none of the accomplishments of a true lady: she is terrible at needlework, has no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Little does anyone know that Beatrice also harbours a dark secret: an obsession with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper.
For her family’s sake, she’s vowed to put this most unladylike obsession behind her. Eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that her eldest sister Louisa will steal his heart. Their future depends on this match! Beatrice needs be on her best behaviour… though that’s made more difficult when a disgraced yet strangely alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.
Just as Beatrice thinks she’s gotten away with it, Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. But maybe, just maybe, it’s Beatrice’s time to shine…
A Pride and Prejudice and Emma retelling with murder: what more do you want? I had so much fun reading this novel. It is absurd, entertaining, and suspenseful and I couldn’t put it down.
The protagonist of the story, Beatrice Steele, has a secret. In a corner of her house, hidden from her family, she collects newspapers that feed her obsession for true crime and a well-known London detective to whom she regularly sends clues and ideas about his current cases. However, tonight is an important night as there is a ball to attend to and she must be on her best behaviour to improve her sister’s chances to attract the attention of eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth and so save her family’s future. When Edmund drops dead in the middle of a dance and a storm stops everyone from leaving or coming, Beatrice puts her detective skills to use and tries to figure out who is the killer with the help of a disgraced and grumpy detective.
A Most Agreeable Murder is a unique and unexpected novel. Starting from the weird setting of Swampshire, a village in the English countryside consisting of several mansions and one terrible swamp. And then there is the quirky and bizarre cast of characters. You will recognize characters from Jane Austen’s novels, who are represented in a more ridiculous and hilarious way. Beatrice Steele is the perfect Elizabeth Bennett, smart, witty, and curious by nature, while the grumpy detective is the perfect Mr. Darcy who refuses to dance at a ball.
A comedy of manners with Agatha Christie vibes, A Most Agreeable Murder is an enjoyable and delightful read that will make you laugh out loud and keep you on the edge of your seat at the same time!
A huge thank you to Orion and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.
Julia Seales is a writer and screenwriter based in Los Angeles. She earned an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, and a BA in English from Vanderbilt University. She is a lifelong Anglophile with a passion for both murder mysteries and Jane Austen. Julia is originally from Kentucky, where she learned about manners (and bourbon).
Book After Book 
Great review! The more I hear about this book.. the more I want to read it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s really good and enjoyable!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to know, thanks. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person