A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder is book 4 in A Countess of Harleigh Mystery series by Dianne Freeman, published by Kensington Books. The story is set in London 1899 when a French woman turns up on Frances, Countess of Harleigh’s doorstep claiming to be her fiancée George Hazeldon’s wife. She is later found dead in Frances’ garden and these developments may have a detrimental effect on Frances’s and George’s reputations and future marriage. With her usual energy and force Frances meddles in police investigation with the help of her fiancée. Both use their social skills and contacts to avoid a massive scandal.

Main character is Frances, Countess of Harleigh who is like a dog with a bone when it comes to mysteries and who has no problems taking risks. She seems a person with a zest for life who deals effectively with whatever is thrown her way. I love that about her.

Supporting character is the Hon. George Hazelton. There seems to be plenty of mystery related to his background, which I’m sure will gradually be revealed in future books. He seems attentive to Frances and has the makings of a good Victorian husband.

What I enjoyed the most about this story is that it reads like a sitcom. It stands out with the particularly funny start when George’s alleged wife turns up. The plot and characters are catching and keep me fascinated all the way through to the totally surprising ending. I loved how the murder victim’s mysterious background and her connections to Russia included a lot of drama and surprise elements to the story. The drama of investigating the murder understandably took center stage, but we are still able to sense the connection between Frances and George. How they function as a couple in the stressful situation when his alleged first wife turns up. In short this is an unputdownable book I thoroughly enjoyed.

The lighthearted dialogue and writing kept me entertained and I will recommend this book to anyone who likes a funny and easy read suitable all year round. It is part of a series, but no actual need to read it in order because each story stands perfectly on its own. I did, however, get curious about how Frances came to be a Countess. -Maybe you will too. But I also look forward to seeing what the next book in the series will be about.
Similar authors to explore might be Anna Lee Huber or Katharine Schellman.
Thank you to #Kensington Books, #Dianne Freeman and #NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Conclusion: A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder is the unputdownable new mystery where Frances solves the murder of a woman with connections to Russia who claims to be George’s first wife.
Rating: 4 stars / 5