A Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception (The Secret Life of Mary Bennet #3) by Katherine Cowley – an Austenprose PR Book Tour

 

Title:  A Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception (The Secret Life of Mary Bennet #3)

Author:  Katherine Cowley

Narrated by:  Alison Larkin

Publisher: Dreamscape Media

Length:  10 hours and 36 Minutes

Source: Dreamscape Media  & Netgalley as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank-you!

 Who is your favorite underdog in literature?  Mary Bennet is definitely not the favored sister in Pride and Prejudice, but I am glad to finally see her get her own story.  The Secret Life of Mary Bennet series has done an excellent job giving Mary a well-rounded personality and story of her own.

 Book three of this series, has an excellent title, A Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception.  Mary has accompanied Lady Trafford and her heir Mr. Withrow to Brussels.  Napoleon has escaped the island of Elba.  The Duke of Wellington and his forces are in Brussels readying for their last battle with Napoleon.  When one of the Duke of Wellington’s officers is murdered, Mary and Mr. Withrow are on the case to discover the identify of the murderer.  Will they catch the murderer before he strikes again?  Will Mary and Mr. Withrow realize their feelings for each other? 

 I greatly enjoyed this novel.  Mary continues to develop as a character and spy and I’ll admit, I really got a kick out of her dressing up as a man and investigating the murder with Mr. Withrow.  I also loved the balls and how Mary seemed to have captured the eye of the Prince of Orange.  My favorite part of this novel was the inclusion of Lydia and Mr. Wickham.  It was a very strong story.  Mary realizes that her family abandoned Lydia due to the scandal, but never bothered to check on her, happy to have her away from them.  She has become a victim of domestic abuse with no one to turn to.  This storyline causes Mary to grow up in a way more deeply than anything else.  As she experiences the Battle of Waterloo, she comes to realize what is most important in life.

 I enjoyed the historical note at the end of the novel.  It was a great conclusion to the trilogy, but I’ll admit to wanting more.  I want to see what new adventures Mary has yet in store.

 I was delighted to discover that Alison Larkin was the narrator of this audiobook.  She is one of my favorite audiobook narrators.  I love her English accent, smooth voice, and narration style.  She was an excellent narrator of this audiobook.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception: The Secret Life of Mary Bennet (Book 3)

·       Series: The Secret Life of Mary Bennet

·       Author: Katherine Cowley

·       Genre: Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Austenesque

·       Publisher: ‎Tule Publishing Group, LLC (September 6, 2022)

·       Length: (368) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-1957748566

·       Tour Dates: August 29 – September 11, 2022

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

What is a spy willing to do when both her heart and her country are at risk?

Life changes once again for British spy Miss Mary Bennet when Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from the Isle of Elba. Mary quickly departs England for Brussels, the city where the Allied forces prepare for war against the French. But shortly after her arrival, one of the Duke of Wellington's best officers is murdered, an event which threatens to break the delicate alliance between the Allies.

Investigating the murder forces Mary into precarious levels of espionage, role-playing, and deception with her new partner, Mr. Withrow-the nephew and heir of her prominent sponsor, and the spy with whom she's often at odds. Together, they court danger and discovery as they play dual roles gathering intelligence for the British. But soon Mary realizes that her growing feelings towards Mr. Withrow put her heart in as much danger as her life. And then there's another murder.

Mary will need to unmask the murderer before more people are killed, but can she do so and remain hidden in the background?

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Cowley manages to turn a little-liked, ignored, and stilted girl into one of my favorites of Austen's characters...This third novel of the series is her best. I laughed and I cried and cheered for Mary to succeed in her endeavors and hopefully find love at last.”— Carol Pratt Bradley, author of The Light of the Candle

“5 STARS. Just a delight!”— Wren, The Zebra Reader

“I really enjoyed this book. It is a great addition to the series. I loved that Mary is finding love in a logical way that fits her character…Highly recommend.”— Mariana, Goodreads

“I absolutely love Katherine Cowley's Mary Bennet series, and I think [The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception] may be the best book in the series.”— Madison, Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

AUDIOBOOK PURCHASE LINKS

AUDIBLE | LIBRO.FM | CHIRP BOOKS | APPLE BOOKS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Katherine Cowley read Pride and Prejudice for the first time when she was ten years old, which started a lifelong obsession with Jane Austen. Her debut novel, The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her Mary Bennet spy series continues with the novels The True Confessions of a London Spy and The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception. Katherine loves history, chocolate, traveling, and playing the piano, and she has taught writing classes at Western Michigan University. She lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her husband and three daughters.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

 

EXCLUSIVE AUTHOR INTERVIEW

       Read an in-depth interview with author Katherine Cowley revealing insights into her new historical mystery novel, The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception.