A Most Agreeable Murder

NATIONAL BESTSELLER ΓÇó ΓÇ£A delightful cocktail that mixes elements of the Bridgerton series,Jane AustenΓÇÖs Pride & Prejudice and Agatha ChristieΓÇÖs Miss Marple mysteries . . . The payoff is a wealth of withilarity and suspense.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöPeople (Book of the Week) When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a balla young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder. Feistypassionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true ladyaccording to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshireher small English townshipΓÇöshe is terrible at needleworkhas absolutely no musical abilityand her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Neverthelessshe lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming motherprankster fatherand two younger sistersΓÇö beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found outsheΓÇÖd be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever. For her familyΓÇÖs sakesheΓÇÖs vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal balland the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If notMartin Grubtheir disgusting cousinwill inherit the familyΓÇÖs estateand they will be ruined oreven worseforced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior . . . which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball. Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outsidethe evening descends into a frenzy of panicfearand betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card gamestricky tonicsand SwampshireΓÇÖs infamous squelch holesBeatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desiresΓÇöbefore anyone else is murdered.