Julia Seales: A Most Agreeable Murder

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales
Published by Random House Publishing Group on June 27, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General, Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Historical, Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A delightful cocktail that mixes elements of the Bridgerton series, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice and Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mysteries . . . The payoff is a wealth of wit, hilarity and suspense.”—People (Book of the Week)

When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township: She is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with true crime. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she’d be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.

For her family’s sake, she’s vowed to put her obsession behind her. Eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that younger daughter Louisa will steal his heart. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior—a difficult challenge when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.

Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear that the guests are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire’s infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires—before anyone else is murdered.

I saw this in a bookshop window on holiday, and the cover was so pretty…and it seemed like a nice detour into Regency mystery that I picked it up knowing very little about the book or its author.

I fell into Regency cozy mysteries a few years ago (see Lynn Messina’s Beatrice Hyde Clare‘s series which I loved and need to get back to, and Beth Andrews Hidden in the Heart) and really enjoyed them, as I do on occasion read contemporary cozy mysteries to change it up. A Most Agreeable Murder is something different, however. Elements reminded me of the humor of Naked Gun, a kind of punny, deadpan and absurd humor that started off strong and then pulled me out of the story on occasion. One of the opening lines was just so good and funny, I was sure I was venturing into a book I would love that I was surprised after a few chapters that I was more confused than anything.

There is a murder, and a crazy cast of characters, and a tongue in cheek attitude about the era that sometimes reads like appreciation for Regencies and othertimes a crushing takedown. I couldn’t also pin down the exact date, but it seemed like there were some big misses with the history. Yet it was a fantasy – a place called Swampshire with overly starched etiquette, uncanny weather, and radioactive frogs (as well as hints of a werewolf) signaled that we weren’t even trying to be faithful to history. A Pride and Prejudice and Zombies type sin.

Mysteries are wrapped in mysteries, but it all felt a little predictable – like Agatha Christie fan fic with empire waists and neckcloths. The book does feature a romantic element, but any real development there is teased for the second book.

There is quite a bit of violence, although not really graphic, and a fair amount of mature subject matter (affairs, children out of wedlock, disappearances, theft, etc) so while there is no intimacy on the page I wouldn’t mark this safe for kisses only readers. I do think, however, some teenagers might really love this book if they don’t mind the mature subject and violence.

I think if you like spoof style comedies and need a break from the serious Regency this may totally be your vibe. Also if you like bonkers books with ridiculous characters and want to see a send up of some of the Regency conventions, you may also like this book.

I really struggled with giving this a rating. At times it was a 4.5 for me, and others a 3 , so I settled at 4. 4 generally means to me that I liked it and would even recommend it for the right reader. I know there are readers for this book who will adore it.