Hidden in the Heart by Beth Andrews Published by Robert Hale on March 12, 2023
Pages: 224
Format: eBook
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While her pretty older sister Louisa is being presented to London society in the hope of snaring a wealthy and titled husband, young Lydia Bramwell is packed off to her Aunt's in Sussex. High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but the village of Diddlington is not the idyllic spot she anticipates.
Like all good cozy mysteries, this one is set in the idyllic small village of Diddlington. And it starts with a heroine’s journey to stay with her Aunt while her sister is taken to London for a Season. The first few scenes are funny and set the stage for an enjoyable adventure into Regency provincial life.
This was a charming read that I zoomed easily through, enjoying the MCs and their intrepid adventures to unmask a killer. I can say the mystery wasn’t full of twists and turns and was fairly easy to figure, but it was fun to read along and see how things unfolded. There are some violent occurrences, but most of it is off the page.
The romance is kisses only, with a sweet and steady romance between the two “detectives”. It’s not an overly drawn romance, but comfortable and steady. Its perhaps a bit surprising to find a heroine so young be so pragmatic, but her no-nonsense attitude makes it believable.
There is a cadence and study to the language that makes the immersion into the era feel complete. The supporting characters were funny and added color to the scenes, including a ball and several visits. It was also easy to picture the setting and enjoy the scenery–and the intrigue.
I found a few copywriting issues in the beginning (spelling of character’s names went from Savage to Savidge a few times, and a few punctuation marks were missing). I also didn’t love Lydia’s diminishing role in the resolution, however much it was understandable with propriety.
It was an otherwise well written and engaging book. Overall, a great Regency cozy mystery appropriate for most readers. Some reviews refer to it as YA-ish, likely because the heroine turns 18 in the course of the story and there are bildungsroman elements to the book. As such, young readers might better connect with the story (although my middle aged self did just fine!).
**Beth Andrews has been a supporter of the site through advertising. I purchased this book with my own money and there were no promises, offers, or other inducements to provide this review–I really did enjoy the book!!
