Dukes, Drinks, and Murder: Victoria Parker Regency Mysteries Book 1

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I fully intend to try the second book in the series. I understand her future focus will be on writing Regency romance rather than mysteries and I have not tried reading a romance by her.Miss Victoria (Vicky) Parker inherited her father’s accounting business, Parker Accounting, several years ago after her father died. The only choices she had was to close the firm or find a male to be the face of the business – because – well – none of their clients would do business with a female. Luckily for her, she has just the perfect person to be the face of the business. James Kensington was her father’s assistant for years and he has been Vicky’s friend for years as well and he had no qualms about stepping up to become the face of the company.One of the largest and most important clients of their firm is Felton Warwick, the Duke of Everton, and he has always been most cordial when he has been in their offices. However, he is a duke and the Parkers are common business people, so it was a great surprise when Vicky and James received an invitation to spend the weekend at the duke’s country estate about an hour outside London. Vicky frets about the reason for the invitation – is he planning to sever his relationship with their firm? Has he discovered that Vicky is the one in charge? If he knows, will he tell others and will they quit doing business with them?Upon arrival at the estate, they find there are other guests as well. Besides the residents of the home – the duke, his much younger duchess (Charlotte), his son (George), and his son’s wife (Lavinia), there is Baron William Gerard and Richard Kent whom Vicky considers to be vile and outrageous in his behavior. Had Vicky known Richard was going to be in attendance she might have reconsidered attending.The duke has set appointments to speak with each of his guests and nobody has any idea why – he has only said the meetings are ‘important’. Vicky is very nervous when her appointed time – midnight – arrives. She pushes the door open and greets the duke – who doesn’t respond. She addresses him again and still no response. Then – she realizes he is dead and he has written one word on the paper beneath his hand - BETRAYED! OMGoodness! She doesn’t scream and starts to back out of the room.I guessed who the perpetrator was almost as soon as the murder happened, so it isn’t too much of a puzzle. Just logic. However, the suspects are all entangled in some sort of other intrigue, affairs, etc. and they all lie and tell half-truths when questioned. It amazed me that it took Vicky so long to put the clues together or to look at the logic of it.While this book didn’t bowl me over, I will try the next book in the series. I did like James and Vicky and will enjoy seeing where their relationship leads them. I thought the writing was a bit stilted and conversations were stiff. I thought perhaps the author was trying to emulate the more formal speech patterns of the times, but this version seemed more stilted than not. One thing that also bothered me was that George wasn’t immediately recognized as the new duke by the attendees and staff. As soon as his father died, George was the duke and should have been addressed as Your Grace, etc. Yes, the formalities had to be done in London, but he was the duke at that point.I can recommend the book for a quick read – and if you choose to read it, I hope you enjoy it.

This book is historical fiction set in England. There were dukes and lords and murder. All the characters were very interesting. The ending was the best part while all the guests were in the sitting room waiting to hear who the murderer was.

CLEAN Regency Whodunit 💀 with Romantic💕 Elements.Vicky's father, an Accountant for a Duke and other wealthy clients, dies, leaving her in charge of the business. Since she is a woman, she must have a front man, because women just do not become accountants in the Regency Era. James🐺, her father's assistant, becomes the front man but they work together, and it seems James🐺 has a Tendre for Vicky💃💋, who considers herself a spinster. Vicky💃💋 seems oblivious although she is razor sharp in the business of bookkeeping and her powers of observation. Why doesn't she see that James🐺 wants to be more than friends and partners?The Duke invites both James🐺 and Vicky💃💋, among other guests, to a weekend at his estate🏰 just outside London. That very night, the old Duke is poisoned with a glass of brandy🍸, and he dies💀. A scrap of paper with the word "betrayal" is found with his body. It seems his very young second wife 👰and his adult son have motive to kill him, as do most of the other guests! A constable👲 is brought in to investigate, but he is incompetent, and Vicky💃💋 and James🐺 must do their own investigation.ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱I also got this ebook with KU.This was an intriguing whodunit all The way through! Recommend for lovers of this genre.

I totally disliked this story. The author wrote about an incident occuring after the Duke's death. A key piece of evidence was found. Then nothing! The particular piece of evidence and the incident itself ceased to exist anymore. As Vicky did her Clouseau speech when revealing the murderer, this incident was never mentioned, nor its culprit found. And the supposed romance was a joke. One embrace with Vickie thinking about James as a boyfriend, he says he loves her, then nothing happens, nothing is mentioned until last page. Suddenly Vickie speaks up, james just accepts it like it's not the best news he's ever heard. No big deal. I almost fell asleep 3 times while trying to finish it. It wasn't worth losing sleep over.

I enjoyed reading this simple mystery. The characters were great and there was good development. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I enjoyed the book, however wanted a little more romance. The story was also a little improbable, but the characters were entertaining.

When an accountant and her assistant are invited to a weekend country house party by one of their wealthy clients, both are surprised. The ton seldom invited guests that were not of the ton to social happenings, preferring to include only people of like station.What transpires the first evening sets all the guests on edge, leaving the accountant the prospect of another so relax I weekend.Well written, with excellent characters and a unique plot. I highly recommend it.

Victoria Parker a smart women, who lived in a time when women were not expected to run a business. She uses her insight to solve a murder of s noble man who is above her "station" in society. See how she works her magic o solve the crime.

This is an easy reading cozy mystery suitable for all mature readers. There’s subterfuge, clandestine affairs, lots of dishonesty and conniving.

I liked this book, very few whodunits have you going back and forth between guilt or innocence, nice and easy reading.

I disliked the story almost from the start. The heroine is unsympathetic, the hero is a wishy washy ghost and the whole plot unbelievable. I read it to the end in the hope of finding a denouement that was satisfactory but was disappointed. None of the characters had substance and as a detective, she was a waste of space. Neither a reasonable romance nor a decent detective story.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and was not disappointed. It was well written and a thoroughly enjoyable 'Who Dun It' The main character of the book was Victoria Parker, a female accountant (unknown to her clients as this was not the acceptable thing. )The front of her business was her friend and her late father's assistant James Kensington, who it turned out during the story was to become more than that.The plot had twists and turns, clandestine meetings, lies, skull duggery, misunderstandings and a smidgen of romance, and Victoria had to wade through this to find the killer before the ineffectual constable charged some innocent soul, and I would thoroughly recommend it.

This book falls between two genres: - murder mystery and romance, and it does not do either very convincingly. I felt no surprise when the murderer was revealed. I was also shocked by the lack of procedure. A sudden violent death would surely have involved a doctor and a magistrate, and the police would not have a single lowly and incompetent constable to examine the death of such a lofty person as a duke The romance was a non-event. Despite these inadequacies the novel was competent and passed the time.