When her abusive husband dies, Lady Katherine Bascomb breathes a sigh of relief.  Not only is she finally free from his explosive temper, but she's now a wealthy widow and the owner of a London newspaper.  As such, she's free to write the kinds of articles she wants to pen, even if the laced-up Victorians frown upon a lady reporting hard news.  Kate refuses to let that stop her from using her own intelligence and insight to try to solve a spate of murders that have been plaguing the city.  When she makes a rookie investigatory misstep that puts a young woman in danger, however, she sees just how dangerous meddling in police work can be.

A seasoned detective inspector with the Metropolitan Police, Andrew Eversham is furious when he learns that Kate has been nosing around in his case.  He becomes even more enraged when he encounters her again—this time as the discoverer of a murdered manservant at her friend's country manor.  As annoyed as he is by the beautiful Kate, he can't deny that she's smart and observant.  True, she made a dangerous mistake in reporting, but would it really be so bad to give her another chance?  Andrew needs all the help he can get to stop a vicious criminal and Kate just might make a worthy partner.  Can the duo work together without losing their tempers—or their hearts?  

Everything about A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins—from its playful cover to its clever tagline to its lively plot summary—screams light, fun historical mystery/romance.  I expected to be thoroughly charmed by the novel, which I have been looking forward to reading ever since it landed on my doorstep.  Did it live up to my (admittedly high) expectations?  Not exactly.  While the book is diverting overall, it didn't enchant me the way I wanted it to.  The characters are likable without being anything special.  I get that Kate is supposed to be a forward-thinking woman, but her attitude and speech feel too contemporary to be authentically Victorian.  As far as Andrew goes, his constant distraction over Kate's looks made him seem unprofessional and less honorable than I wanted him to be.  Both are supposed to be fiercely independent and love-adverse, but neither has to work too hard to win the other over, which makes their romance seem insta-lovey and stale.  I was especially annoyed by a brief, but fairly graphic sex scene that occurs about 3/4 of the way through the story.  The swerve from PG-ish territory to R came as a disappointing surprise to me.  It didn't fit with the vibe of the novel, although perhaps I should have seen it coming since Collins' other books are, apparently, bodice rippers.  Nevertheless, it soured my reading experience of what I thought would be a light, frothy romantic mystery.  Speaking of the mystery, it does have a plot twist that I didn't totally see coming, which made for a nice surprise.  Still, the finale is pretty lackluster and anti-climactic.  All of these things considered, A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem turned out to be an only slightly better-than-average read for me.  It was engaging enough to keep me reading, but too many irritants got in the way of me really enjoying it.  I wanted to love the book and just...didn't.  As far as this genre goes, I'll stick with what I already know and love.  Sorry, but Kate Bascomb simply can't compete with Veronica Speedwell and Kat Halloway.       

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of the Veronica Speedwell mystery series by Deanna Raybourn and the Kat Halloway mystery series by Jennifer Ashley, although I'd recommend both of these over A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem)

In a very 2020 move, my blood sugar went a little nutso last night.  Dealing with it kept me up late, then I had to get up at 6 a.m. for the first time since February to make sure my sixth grader got off to in-person school (she'll go two days a week), and now I'm tired and cranky!  Top Ten Tuesday always puts me in a good mood, although I'm not feeling today's topic—Cover Freebie—since I just did a list featuring book covers.  My Monday-ish mood (even though it's Tuesday) makes me want to go rogue and do my own topic, so that's what I'm gonna do, darn it.   

If you want to get in on the TTT action (and you do!), head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Since next week's topic concerns our Fall 2020 TBR lists, I decided to make this list a two-parter and take a look at some of the great-looking novels that are coming out in the last few weeks of 2020.  Although we're all probably ready to kick this year to the curb, at least there is something to look forward to (other than cooler temps and the holidays) as we head into Fall.

Top Ten Novels Coming Out in Fall 2020, Part One 

1.  Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam (available October 6, 2020)—A family heads to a remote vacation home on Long Island only to have their time together interrupted by a frantic knock on the door in the middle of the night.  The owners have come home in a panic, raving about a sinister blackout in New York City.  With no t.v. or Internet, the two families are on their own—together—as the world falls apart.  The premise of this one is so fun (in a fictional sense, anyway)!  I can't wait to see how the author spins this tale.

2.  A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins  (available November 10, 2020)—Reporting on London's grisly crime scene may not be the most proper profession, but Lady Katherine Bascomb doesn't care.  Especially when one of her articles leads to the arrest of a killer.  To escape some of her newfound notoriety, she hies off to the country, only to witness a murder upon arrival.  The DI assigned to the case doesn't want a woman interfering with his investigation, but he's going to get one whether he likes it or not ... Sounds like a light, entertaining read.

3.  The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher (available December 29, 2020)—Juno, a retired therapist faced with a grim diagnosis, desires to live out what's left of her life in peace.  Moving in with the Crouches, who seem to be the perfect family, seems like the best solution.  Until she overhears a very disturbing conversation.  Juno should keep her mouth shut since she has her own secrets to keep, but the thing about skeletons in the closet is they always tend to creep out ...

4.  When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten (available October 20, 2020)—This MG novel concerns a 12-year-old living on an exotic island whose memory hasn't been the same since a devastating hurricane hit.  As she tries to recover her shattered memory, she also attempts to save a friendship that hasn't been the same since.  The plot sounds a little thin on this one, but I'm always up for a compelling MG read, so we'll see if this one hits the mark or not.

5.  Millicent Glenn's Last Wish by Tori Whitaker (available October 1, 2020)—On the eve of Millicent's 91st birthday, her estranged daughter moves back in.  Then, Millicent's granddaughter surprises them both by announcing she's pregnant, which brings up sorrows from the past Millicent's never spoken about before.  As three generations of Glenn women come together under the same roof, can they find the strength and healing which they all so desperately need? 

6.  Wishes and Wellingtons by Julie Berry (available October 13, 2020)—Berry's newest MG offering sounds quirky and engaging.  It revolves around an orphan girl who discovers a magical djinni while sorting garbage as a punishment for brawling in the schoolyard.  She's desperate to be granted three wishes, but having a djinni in her possession might turn out to be a whole lot more trouble than it's 

worth!

7.  Above All Else by Dana Alison Levy (available October 13, 2020)—I find stories about Mount Everest fascinating, so this YA offering about teen climbers appeals.

8.  The War Widow by Tara Moss (available December 29, 2020)—Now that World War II is over, war correspondent Billie Walker finds herself out of a job.  The plucky Australian reporter opens a detective agency, which soon has her looking into the disappearance of a young man.  Her investigation will ruffle the feathers of a handsome detective and take Billie deep into Sydney's dark underbelly where it soon becomes apparent that, for some, the war has not ended at all.

9.  The Lakehouse by Joe Clifford (available September 29, 2020)—Todd Norman has been cleared of killing his wife and just wants to move on with his life.  He returns to her small, Connecticut hometown to complete the building of their dream house on the lake.  Todd hasn't been there long when the body of a young woman is found nearby.  Under investigation once again, he will do anything to clear his name.  Who is the woman?  And how did she end up in the lake?

10.  The Truth Project by Dante Medema (available October 13, 2020)—I'm obsessed with genealogy, so I love books about people investigating their roots, even when (maybe especially when) they get unexpected results.  This debut YA novel is about an Alaskan teen who takes a DNA test that reveals her father is not the same man she calls Dad.  If he's not who she thought he was, is she who she thought she was?  Sounds intriguing.

There you go, ten upcoming novels I'm interested in reading.  What do you think?  Do any of them catch your interest?  Are there any books still coming out in 2020 that you're dying to read?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.  

Happy TTT!