Week 46 Review: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

From Goodreads:

Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie in Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, a dazzling first entry in a captivating new Regency-era mystery series with a feminist spin from Celeste Connally.

London, 1815. Lady Petra Forsyth, daughter of the Earl of Holbrook, has made a shocking proclamation. After losing her beloved fiancé in an accident three years earlier, she announces in front of London's loosest lips that she will never marry. A woman of independent means—and rather independent ways—Petra sees no reason to cede her wealth and freedom to any man now that the love of her life is gone. Instead, she plans to continue enjoying the best of society without any expectations.

But when ballroom gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of a fit due to her "melancholia" while in the care of a questionable physician, Petra vows to use her status to dig deeper—uncovering a private asylum where men pay to have their wives and daughters locked away, or worse. Just as Petra has reason to believe her friend is alive, a shocking murder proves more danger is afoot than she thought. And the more determined Lady Petra becomes in uncovering the truth, the more her own headstrong actions and desire for independence are used against her, putting her own freedom—and possibly her life—in jeopardy.

My Review:
I had such a great time reading this book! Historical mysteries are always enjoyable, and when you add in gender politics, of a lady stepping out of the bounds that society puts her in, yeah, that's so great! I really enjoyed Lady's Petra's story, and I'm glad that this is a series!

I can totally understand Lady Petra's decision not to marry, she has the means to not need a man to depend on-it's more the societal expectations, and given that her fiancé died, she doesn't have a reason to get married. 

The idea of an asylum that women were sent to, because they were inconvenient, that was enough to boil my blood. The power structure that enabled something like that, I'm glad it's gone. We're still not at equality yet, but it's much better than it used to be.

Watching Petra investigate, finding out what happened to her friend, and what was going on with this murder, I loved it! She was clever, and the mystery was well-crafted, and between the mystery and the writing, I was hooked until the end!

This was such a great read, and I can't wait to see where the series goes! 

Author: Celeste Connally
Series: Lady Petra Inquires #1
Read: November 11th, 2023
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a DAC Book, Historical Fiction 2023 Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2023 Book!
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: November 14th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars