Audio Book Review: Gossip and Gorgons, Book 3 of Manners and Monsters Collection by Tilly Wallace

I totally enjoy these characters and the mysteries they unravel. #Fraterfest #7
Gossip and Gorgons, Book 3 of Manners and Monsters Collection: A Regency paranormal mystery series
by Tilly Wallace
Narrated By: Marian Hussey

Book 3 Listening length: 7 hours, 38 minutes
Total Collection Duration: 23 hours 46 minutes
Series: Manners and Monsters, Book 1-3
Release date: 03-03-21
Publisher: Tilly Wallace
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.75; Narration 4.75.

One look could turn you to stone...
The newly married Lord and Lady Wycliff are cordially invited to a house party--to be mocked and ridiculed as entertainment. Wycliff insists on attending to discuss business with the host, while Hannah longs to hide in the library with its rare volumes on the Fae.
Bound to Wycliff even beyond death, Hannah wonders how she will survive the week--when a guest unexpectedly expires. A notorious cad is discovered turned into a statue in the garden. The dead lord had many enemies, including Lord Wycliff.
Hannah's accord with her husband is tested when a trail of footprints leads to their window. What secret is Wycliff hiding and does he know more about the magical death than he admits? Someone among the house guests has murder on their mind and the newlyweds need to determine who, before anyone else is immortalised as stone...

Review:
Hannah is now married to the dark and dangerous Lord Wycliff. Both of them are on the fringe of society but Hannah agrees to accompany her husband to a week-long country party because Wycliff is trying to get the host (or father of the hostess to be precise) to invest in his land improvements.

Along the way to the event, Hannah is mocked by three unpleasant young men who are driven off by Lord Wycliff. She isn’t too pleased to see the three cads arrive as guests at the event. The leader of the trio is found turned to a statute in the garden. As Wycliff begins to investigate the clearly magical death, Hannah does her own investigations with the help of her mother by magical distance contact. Hannah discovers some strange foot prints outside the bedroom where she and her new husband were placed. Now she has new secrets to ferret out about her own husband as well as the murder.

I really enjoy Hannah and Wycliff with their unique paranormal elements and their slowly growing awareness and affection for each other. There is good humor mixed with the mystery and I enjoy the magical elements. I am pulled into the story and remain engaged. I plan to get the next collection soon. I recommend this to fans of Regency romance filled with magic and mystery.

Audio Notes: Marian Hussey does a lovely job with the narration. The voices are distinct and the energy and pacing add to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 11/1/2020 Audiobooks.com Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook and #Fraterfest goals.

Audio Book Review: Silver Dollar Duke by Sally Britton

I enjoyed this story and gentle romance.
Silver Dollar Duke
Written by Sally Britton
Narrated by Marian Hussey

Run Time 9h 37min
Release Date: April 17, 2021
Publisher: Pink Citrus Books
Genre: Historical Romance, Religious & Inspirational, Romance, Western Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher Description
The last thing Dannie needs is a Victorian gentleman on her ranch, playing cowboy while she’s trying to save her family’s livelihood. Will high stakes and high emotions lead to heartbreak?
Evan Rounsevell, second son to the Marquess of Rothwell, is running as far from his family and responsibilities as he can. His fascination with cowboys takes him from English shores to the Arizona desert, but the days of showdowns are over, and Tombstone, Arizona, is a respectable town. With no funds left, and no desire to call on his affluent family for rescue, Evan seeks a position as a cowboy at a ranch on its last leg.
Daniella Bolton’s fiancé left when the drought of 1893 crippled the KB ranch, but that’s just fine by her. She doesn’t need a man to help her save her family’s land. Especially not an Englishman who looks down on her style of living, like Evan does. She loves her life on the ranch, and no outsider could ever understand what it means to be loyal to the land and her family’s way of life.
Being a cowboy is harder than Evan thought, but as he works to earn his place on the ranch, his heart opens up to the beauty of the desert… as well as that of Dannie Bolton. Watching Evan fight for the ranch she loves makes Dannie realize that not all men are afraid of hard work and troubled times, and loving Evan might be just the salve her wounded heart needs. But when Evan’s family summons him home right when Dannie needs him most, the feelings of betrayal from her former fiancé’s flight return tenfold.
Does Evan dare risk his tenuous relationship with Dannie to fulfill his family responsibilities? Or will leaving Arizona be the worst mistake of his life?

Review:
Dannie is determined to help her father and brothers keep their ranch which has struggled through several years of drought and increasing transport costs. Dannie had a year or two of education back East and has good reason not to trust the polished men of the East. When a Victorian nobleman from England accepts her brothers’ invitation to the ranch, Dannie isn’t ready to welcome him.

Evan Rounsevell, second son to the Marquess of Rothwell, has always dreamed of learning the Cowboy way. He’s read the ‘Penny Dreadful’ stories and even met Buffalo Bill. When faced with the limited role of managing his father’s and brother’s estates, Evan chose to travel to America and go West. He made his way to Tombstone, Arizona but has run out of money. That’s okay, he is willing to work on a real ranch if he can just get a chance. He is set on going on a trail drive before he has to return to England.

Evan gets that chance with Dannie’s father. The other cowhands are quick to call him “Duke”. Most find that he is a hard worker and willing to learn. At least one is jealous that Duke seems to be getting close to Dannie. Evan finds overcoming Dannie’s attitude is a challenge that he is ready to face.

Dannie and Evan slowly become friends. But Dannie is particularly reluctant to let her heart get involved since she doesn’t trust the charmer and she knows he will be returning to England. But as their relationship grows, can they walk away from their chance to find love and family?

This is a lovely and engaging story. I wanted to push Dannie to get past her former heartbreak as I found her continued struggle frustrating. Duke/Evan is a wonderful character, and I liked the perspective he brings to the second son situation and his desire for a life of his own dreams. Still, he is honorable enough to realize he is supposed to return to help his family.

The religious aspect is a gentle development and not preachy. I will look to read more by Ms Britton and I recommend this to fans of clean romance set in the historic West.

Audio Notes: Marian Hussey does a very nice job with the narration. She provides clear, distinct voices and emotional energy that fit the story. I am glad I had this in audio to enjoy.

Source: 3/14/2022 Purchases from Chirp $1.99. This qualifies for 2023TB, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Color goals.

Audio Book Review: Galvanism and Ghouls, Book 2 of Manners and Monsters Collection by Tilly Wallace

I like these characters and the mystery of this series.

Manners and Monsters Collection: A Regency paranormal mystery series
by Tilly Wallace
Narrated By: Marian Hussey

Duration: 23 hours 46 minutes;
book 2, Galvanism and Ghouls.
Book 2 Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
Release date: 03-03-21
Publisher: Tilly Wallace
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Gaslamp, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Galvanism and Ghouls
Publisher's Summary
Time reveals all secrets....
A new unnatural horror is about to rattle Hannah Miles' quiet existence, and it's not the short-tempered viscount prowling the hallways. Someone is creating a monster by stitching together pieces of different people. When a limb makes an escape attempt, Viscount Wycliff is called to investigate. All of London knows there is one mad scientist among them capable of creating such an ungodly monster...Sir Warren Miles.
Hannah's father is suspected of a most heinous crime, and she is determined to clear his name, even as Wycliff works to see the murderer hang. Buried secrets that touch all their lives will be brought to the surface. One such secret belongs to Hannah and could tear her world apart.
With Hannah and Wycliff on opposing sides, can they find the real monster, and will it be the hand that wields the scalpel or the creature hiding in the dark?
©2019 Tilly Wallace (P)2019 Tilly Wallace

Review:
Growly Viscount Wycliff is called out to investigate a “monster” terrorizing the public. He doesn’t immediately find the monster but he finds a dismembered arm and hand…that is still moving. Wycliff brings it back to the Miles’ household where Hannah and her father get to examine the specimen. Hannah realizes that the hand is sentient, and she makes a ‘pet’ out of it. Next thing, they are using the hand as a blood hound to search out the rest of its body!

As other citizens go missing and stitched up bodies are discovered, the public begins to call for the arrest of the scientist they believe capable of these atrocities – Hannah’s father, Sir Warren Miles. Wycliff has no choice but to allow the arrest of Sir Wiles. Hannah is horrified and now opposes the mysterious viscount more than ever.

But both Hannah and Wycliff are hiding secrets. When the secrets are revealed, will their animosity create a complete divide, or will they learn to empathize for each other? Meanwhile, what happens to the hand and the monster?

I enjoy the mystery and the humor of these characters and their situations. I like how the author is developing the relationship between Hannah and Wycliff. I suspect I will listen to book three, Gossip and Gorgons, sooner than later. I recommend this series to fans of paranormal and historical mysteries.

Audio Notes: Marian Hussey does a wonderful job with the narration. She provided distinct voices and I get caught up in listening. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 11/1/2020 Audiobooks.com Credit Purchase. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audio Book Review: Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace

I love this cover and totally enjoyed the story!

Manners and Monsters
A Regency paranormal mystery
Written by Tilly Wallace
Narrated by Marian Hussey

Run time: 7 hours and 31 minutes
Release Date: June 7, 2019
Publisher: Ribbonwood Press
Genre: Gaslamp Fantasy, Paranormal, Regency
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5. #Fraterfest

Guys and ghouls, gather round for this grisly romp… (that’s a thing, right?) After a gruesome crime ruins her friend’s engagement party, Lady Hannah must use her knowledge of the occult to help boorish viscount Wycliff find the murderer — that is, if the two don’t kill each other first. Great for fans of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!
Publisher Description
A lady never reveals the true extent of her decay…
Hannah Miles lives a quiet existence, helping her parents conduct research into a most terrible affliction - until a gruesome murder during her best friend’s engagement party pulls her from the shadows. With her specialist’s knowledge and demure disposition, Hannah is requested to aid the investigation.
Except Hannah discovers her role is to apologise in the wake of the rude and disgraced man tasked with finding the murderer. The obnoxious Viscount Wycliff thinks to employ Hannah purely as a front to satisfy Whitehall, but she’ll have none of that.
The two must work together to find the murderer before the season is ruined. But the viscount is about to meet his greatest challenge, and it’s not a member of the ton with a hankering for brains.

Review:
Lady Hannah’s father is a famous physician, and her mother is a once famous mage. Hannah isn’t a normal society lady as she spends her time helping her father in autopsies and research and observing her ‘undead’ mother wield her magical skills, which Hannah did not inherit. Hannah’s mother and about 300 other women in London died but became reanimated after being poisoned by a powder used as a bio-weapon during war with France. The infected women, and a handful of men, are in various stages of decay and Hannah’s father is desperately trying to find a cure, particularly for his beloved wife. All of the infected continue their suspended lives without a heartbeat and with a rather repulsive food requirement.

Hannah has a few friends left in society and is intent on being there to support her friend’s engagement party. Unfortunately, the event is marred by the discovery of a dead footman who appears to have been killed by one of the infected. Viscount Wycliff, a dark, moody and secretive man who is mostly shunned by society, steps forward to investigate the death. Apparently Wycliff is working with the government as an investigator of paranormal beings in London.

Because Wycliff is unable to use proper manners around the infected Ladies of the ton, he is directed to engage the assistance of Lady Hannah to help with all the interviews. Although they are reluctant to work together, they are both intent on finding the murderer and learning more about the problems of the infected. As similar deaths of lower level servants continue, Hannah and Wycliff perceive a pattern and narrow the field of suspects. Soon they are racing together to uncover the killer and save other innocents from a gruesome death.

I really liked Hannah’s character right away and even liked the mysterious, dark Wycliff. The plot is intriguing and there is a touch of humor underlying the macabre situation the author has created. I enjoyed the mystery as well as the subtle growth of attraction, though not yet friendship, between the heroine and hero. I will definitely be continuing this series.

Audio Notes: Marian Hussey does a grand job with the narration. She provides differing voices and spot on energy. I am not sure that I have heard her narration before, but I will be glad to listen to more stories she narrates. The narration added to my enjoyment of this book.

Source: 4/22/2020 Chirp purchase $.99. This qualifies for 2020Audiobook and #Fraterfest goals.