Murder of a Merry Gentleman (Lady Petra Inquires, #4), by Celeste Connally

 Publication Nov. 20, 2026

While I wasn't quite as into this one as I'd imagined I'd be, it was still an enjoyable read. Lady Petra Forsyth is an independent thinking woman at a time when such things were not just discouraged but looked down upon. She was fortunate to come from money and position, however, and was generally accepted. Set in London, it's December 1815. Christmas with all the expected festivities is drawing near. Lady Petra finds herself drafted into helping organize a sort of bachelor auction dance focusing on not just five unmarried ladies but scientifically minded ones. The bachelors in question are also scientifically minded. The ladies' families are to bid for the right for their daughter to choose the bachelor of their choice and act as that evening's hostess. Needless to say, the winner of the bid gets their choice of bachelor and is the only lady to dance with them that evening. The funds raised will go toward assisting the Lady Patronesses of Almack's Assembly Rooms. You'll learn about the ladies and Almack as the story begins. Lady Petra, who has sworn never to marry, reluctantly agrees to help, perhaps because one of the bachelors is an old, platonic friend, for the group dubbed the Merry Gentlemen. Her supposed beau, Duncan, is unfortunately out of town on assignment for the royals most of the time. Was glad to see him reappear at the end.  

What could possibly go wrong under the strictly monitored eye of society during the nightly series of dances and festivities? As it turns out, murder. One of the bachelors is discovered dead before the first night is barely over. I won't detail the plot much further except to say social expectations, frustrations of the restrictions, and missed opportunities do play a role, plus more. The characters, especially the five ladies and Merry Gentlemen, were generally likable, well, most of them were. Tempers and cattiness flare and there are more "accidents" to deal with, some involving supposedly rare artifacts. Secrets? Oh, boy, lots and lots of secrets. The recurring assumption that women have no brains and are thus expected to marry and give up all ambitions runs throughout, obviously applied to Lady Petra herself, too. 

Bottom line, while some of the events seemed a bit far fetched to my modern mind, I liked seeing how Petra's true friends worked with her. I just wished that Petra herself was a tad less rash, let's say, not needlessly putting herself in danger. That rubs elbows with the side story involving Teddy, the street urchin that Petra has befriended over the series, and his mother's imprisonment. Nope, not sharing more. You'll just have to read the book. Thanks #StMartin'sPress - #Minotaur for introducing me to Petra and company and giving me this early peek at her Christmas of 1815. While I couldn't quite lose myself in the plot, I did enjoy the quite startling reveal and then satisfying surprise or two at the very end. And, no, I didn't guess whodunit. Grin.