[NOVEL] A Sinister Establishment by Lynn Messina

The former Beatrice Hyde-Clare is having a little trouble adjusting to her new situation.

Now installed as the Duchess of Kesgrave in elegant splendor in Berkeley Square, she is confounded by the stately residence’s seemingly endless array of rooms and every time one of the maids addresses her as "your grace," she flinches. And the butler! Oh, yes, that imposing servant holds her in utter contempt and has no qualms about sharing his opinion with the rest of the staff. It’s all so wretched. But just as Bea begins to despair—a bright spot.

A neighboring house has suffered a ghastly tragedy, and although the constable deems it an inadvertent decapitation, she can’t believe anyone could be so careless as to accidentally lose his head. Determined to discover the truth, the new duchess pays her first social call.

Because even if she can’t find her way around her palatial home, she certainly knows her way around a murder.

Beatrice Hyde-Clare. Book 6

Unhinged.

Beatrice's idea to adapt to her new situation is to prove that she is good at what she does best - investigate. And the death of a famous chef next door is just what she needs to impress her staff.

She also finds relish in new power she wields as a Duchess, but it's more like she plays the role, same as she played roles dressing as a man etc. But many things become easier. Of course, she basically barged into neighbor's house and demanded all the access.

It's a classic with a huge cast of servants where everyone is great, everyone goes along really well, but each one of them have an idea who it might be and point fingers at each other, so everyone is under suspicion. But not for Bea.

I always find it a nice element that for some time Bea just stumbles around while trying to figure out the motives and creates a lot of theories (no matter how unseeming), before there is this certain feeling of knowing what is going on.

And again, she and Kesgrave are meant for each other, he is so good. Always supportive and knows how much these investigations mean to her, though he pretty much is worried for her safety at all times he does not forbid her from doing them. It's also good that he is close. At times Bea needs his assistance, although they both joke about it as if she makes him reach a new low.

In this book they just got married with a special license. And Bea basically flinches every time she is called "Your Grace" and of course she doesn't know how to act or how to proceed in her new station. Cooping up in a library as promised was a great idea, but Bea knows it's not truly the answer, she will be scrutinized by everyone from now on. And also she doesn't want to stay in the shadows, after all many still don't believe they married for love and not some underhanded scheme.

But before convincing the ton, she must impress her servants. Like Kesgrave always said - don't mess with their staff, they rule the estate, not him.

All because she heard their butler thinking her "fame" as investigator is solely thanks to her husband. So she decided to prove him wrong. Not very sophisticated beginning. But I like how it changed with time. Especially she dropped the idea to create some sort of image. She can be herself, just braver. Maybe, one day in the future.

It may have been not the best of the pack, but still enjoyable.

PS: I watched few videos about Regency era and I must say, maybe author is correct on the unhinged behavior of the ton, I'm definitely not one to say what is right and what is wrong.

RATE: 4/5.