Beatrice Steele · #2
A Terribly Nasty Business
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • London provides fabulously deadly opportunities for a fledgling inspector in the twisty follow-up to Julia Seales’s bestselling debut, A Most Agreeable Murder, hailed by People as a “delightful cocktail . . . of wit, hilarity, and suspense!”
After achieving her lifelong dream of solving a murder, bringing a killer to justice, and proving she is not, in fact, a morbid creep, Beatrice Steele feels like everything is finally falling into place. She’s traded her etiquette-obsessed community of Swampshire for the big city of London, accompanied by her ever-trusty chaperone, Miss Bolton. They’ve settled in a lovely neighborhood, Sweetbriar, known for its proximity to the Sweet Majestic theater, picturesque pleasure gardens, and an unfortunate infestation of flying squirrels. But Beatrice’s favorite part is that Sweetbriar is also home to DS Investigations, the new office she opened with the prickly, annoyingly logical Inspector Drake to solve the city’s brutally thrilling crimes.
However, nothing is turning out how Beatrice imagined it would. Sir Huxley, famed gentleman inspector and Beatrice’s former crush, is still considered the real investigator in London, so the only cases left for Beatrice and Drake are lost pets and spectacles. Not that Beatrice has much time for crime-solving anyway, as her mother still expects her to find an eligible (rich) husband to protect their family from destitution. Beatrice is struggling to balance all the demands on her and begins to wonder if she can become a true detective in a city that feels full of false promises.
That is until a string of murders thrusts Beatrice and Drake into the center of a scandal that pits the neighborhood’s wealthiest against the arts community, spreading fear and chaos throughout the city. As they follow the trail through bewildering ballrooms, secretive shops, and odd operas, Beatrice must survive threats to her partnership, her business, and her place in society to break the case—before it’s too late.
The series
Balancing razor-sharp wit with the intricate puzzles of a classic whodunit, Beatrice Steele offers a delightfully unconventional take on the Regency mystery. Behind the polished manners, elegant ballrooms, and endless rules of proper society lies a world where secrets flourish, reputations are fragile, and one curious young woman discovers that solving murders is far more rewarding than chasing an advantageous marriage.
Read full series description
Set in a whimsically exaggerated vision of Regency England, the series transforms the familiar drawing rooms and country estates of historical fiction into the backdrop for clever investigations filled with eccentric suspects, hidden motives, and biting social satire. The mysteries unfold with the satisfying precision of traditional detective fiction while embracing a playful sense of humor, allowing suspense and comedy to exist side by side. As the story expands from quiet villages to the bustle of London, each case broadens the world and deepens the relationships between a memorable cast of investigators, allies, and unlikely adversaries.
Rather than relying solely on murder and mystery, the novels explore the tension between individuality and expectation. Their heroine's determination to follow her own path challenges the rigid conventions surrounding her, giving every investigation emotional weight alongside its carefully planted clues. A slow-building partnership, lively dialogue, and richly imagined settings create an atmosphere that feels both comforting and unpredictable, rewarding readers who enjoy uncovering every hidden detail.
Drawing inspiration from the golden age of detective fiction while playfully nodding to the social observations of Regency literature, Julia Seales crafts stories that appeal to fans of cozy mysteries, historical crime fiction, amateur sleuths, and character-driven adventures. The series has earned praise for its inventive blend of humor, suspense, and period charm, offering mysteries that are as engaging for their memorable personalities as for the twists waiting beneath every impeccably polite conversation.
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