Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village

This charming, humorous little book presents itself as a guidebook for travelers in the English countryside who may unexpectedly find themselves in an English Murder Village. As everyone knows, such villages are fraught with peril, from the sinister antique shop to the overly violent cricket match to the local inn full of mysterious strangers. The book enumerates various people and places to avoid, both in the village itself and at the neighboring manor, such as the pond (“full of the skeletons of Victorian children and, if you are unwise, you”) and the kitchen (“no”). I got a few giggles out of this book, and the Gorey-esque illustrations really enhance the material. It does go on a bit too long for what is essentially a single joke, but I think fans of Agatha Christie novels and British mystery series like Midsomer Murders will enjoy it.

Elizabeth Bright, The Duke’s Wicked Wife

After years of rakish living, Sebastian Sinclair, the duke of Wessex, decides it’s time to marry and produce an heir. He plans to invite some marriagable ladies to a house party, and he asks his longtime friend, Eliza Benton, for help with the guest list. However, as the party commences, it’s Eliza herself whom Sebastian can’t stop thinking about. I’ve mentioned before that I enjoy romance heroes whose conflict is basically, “I’m having a feeling and I don’t like it!” I also like characters whose frivolous facades conceal hidden depths. That’s definitely Sebastian here, and he is by far the best part of the book, though Eliza is also a strong heroine and a great match for him. The book is billed as a stand-alone, but I’m not sure it totally works…characters from previous books in the series have prominent roles, and without having read their books, it was hard for me to keep everyone straight. I did enjoy the central romance here, but I don’t find myself particularly tempted to try more by the author.

Amy Barry, Kit McBride Gets a Wife

Junebug McBride is tired of doing all the chores for her four older brothers in the tiny town of Buck’s Creek, Montana, so she decides to advertise for a wife for her brother Kit. The woman must “expect neither doting nor compliments” and must be an excellent cook. A widow from St. Louis answers the ad, dragging along her disillusioned Irish servant, Maddy. Complications ensue when Kit has a meet-cute with Maddy and mistakenly thinks she’s his prospective bride. I’m not terribly interested in Westerns or cowboy romances, but I found this book unexpectedly charming! Some of the chapters are from Junebug’s point of view, and I really enjoyed her hilarious perspective on events. The romance between Kit and Maddy is sweet, though not terribly unique, and there aren’t many scenes with just the two of them. So if you like your romance to focus heavily on the central couple, this book might not be for you; but if you like a large cast of quirky characters and a unique setting, I’d recommend this one! I will definitely be continuing with the series.