A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril

by Manda Collins Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

Overview

Two friends reunite and discover hidden feelings while investigating a murder in this sensual, witty historical romance-perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore and Netflix's Bridgerton!

Jane Halliwell once dreamed of a home of her own-but those dreams (and her dowry) died with her father. Now, she works as a governess, preparing her charge for a future no longer within her reach. When her employer is murdered during a house party, however, Jane is forced back into the world of the ton. But stepping in as hostess will require working with the same lord who once broke her girlish heart.

Lord Adrian Fielding was too consumed with his job at the Foreign Office to pay young Jane much heed, but he always considered her a friend. Which is why he's confounded by her icy demeanor now. More troubling still is his desire to melt the tensions between them. But his mentor's murder means he must first find the culprit-and ensure Jane's safety as she manages a house full of foreign dignitaries. Only Jane insists on joining the investigation, and Adrian, despite all his diplomatic skills, finds himself seduced by her sharp wit and sparkling eyes.

But with a vicious killer circling ever closer, will it soon be too late for their chance at forever?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A fast-paced, fun romp."—Library Journal

"Collins creatively fashions another beguiling historical romance."—Booklist

“The mystery unfolds effortlessly, delivering a slew of suspects, tantalizing clues, and danger around every corner without ever overshadowing the love story. This sensual romance will have pages flying.”
 —Publisher's Weekly on A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes

“Compelling, evenly paced, and delightfully fun.”
 —Kirkus on A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes

“Collins keeps the heat smoldering between the well-drawn main characters in this installment, and the mystery keeps the pace moving nicely . . . [for] fans of Julia Quinn and Evie Dunmore.”
 —Library Journal on A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes

"Another fetching mix of sprightly wit, nimble plotting, and engaging characters that is certain to endear her to fans of historical romances and cozier historical mysteries."—Booklist on An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

"The mystery drives the action while the romance provides the heartbeat of the story, and the two weave together to create a well-plotted, entertaining tale for fans of both genres. Expectations and prejudice based on class and gender are scrutinized throughout, while the leads are witty, fierce, bighearted, and easy to love. . . . A successful and thoroughly enjoyable mix of mystery and romance."
 —Kirkus on An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

"A delectable mystery that reads like Victorian Moonlighting (with a good heaping of Nancy Drew's gumption). Collins writes with a brisk whimsy, her diverting characters popping off the page . . . adroitly threading the needle of her darkly amusing sense of humor, genuine suspense, and a deep sense of connection. . . .  A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is wickedly smart, so engrossing it'd be a crime not to read it immediately."—Entertainment Weekly on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, A-

"Smartly plotted, superbly executed, and splendidly witty."—Booklist on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"When I pick up a Manda Collins book, I know I'm in for a treat."—Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author

"[Manda] Collins is a delight! I read A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem waaay past my bedtime, absorbed by its spot-on period detail, the well-crafted characters, and of course the intriguing mystery. Brava!"—Elizabeth Hoyt, New York Times bestselling author

"With wicked smart dialogue and incredibly strong characters, Manda Collins reminds me why I love historical romance so much. Witty, intelligent, and hard to put down, you'll love A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem."—Rachel Van Dyken, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Mystery, romance and an indomitable heroine make for a brisk, compelling read."—Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author

Kirkus Reviews

2024-01-20
Collins adds another heroine to her Ladies Most Scandalous Series, featuring a coterie of free-thinking Regency ladies who are dedicated criminologists.

Jane Halliwell’s father, a British ambassador to Rome, died by suicide, and the Foreign Office hushed it up. Mr. Halliwell, it seemed, had lost a fortune at the gaming tables. His wife and daughter, disgraced and penniless, were forced to leave Italy. Mrs. Halliwell was taken in by a Scottish cousin, who had room only for one, so Jane became a governess to the family of her father’s old colleague Viscount Gilford. In the guise of a weeklong international symposium to study advances in horticulture, Gilford has invited the future ruler of Roskovia—from whom the British hope to buy a cutting-edge communications machine—to stay at his home in London and planned a formal dinner. In a satisfying literary device, a reluctant Jane is ordered to leave the schoolroom when a guest sends her regrets and Lady Gilford requires an extra woman to keep an even count at table. Also attending is “breathtakingly handsome” Lord Adrian Fielding, who was Jane’s girlhood crush when he was a young diplomat in Rome. He notices she is no longer a girl, and she learns how deeply he regrets having had to leave her family at their time of need. After dinner, asked to fetch a shawl for Lady Gilford, Jane finds the viscount in his study with a knife through his chest. Scotland Yard DI Eversham (whose wife is co-author of the newspaper column “A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem”) tells Jane and Adrian that Gilford was found with a quotation from Machiavelli’s The Prince in his pocket, along with a pressed rose. Jane suddenly remembers that her father was also found with Machiavelli and a pressed rose among his belongings—which means that her father did not die by suicide. The sleuths discover that another diplomat who was in Rome at the same time also died mysteriously with a similar quotation and flower. The pair’s passion for uncovering the identity of the serial killer charges and embraces their deepening passion for each other.

Collins’ crime/romance combination continues to be a fun and successful formula.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159539465
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	03/26/2024
Series:	Ladies Most Scandalous , #4
Edition description:	Unabridged

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