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A Useful Woman
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
34 posts | 26 read | 25 to read
Inspired by the novels of Jane Austen, this new mystery series set in 19th-century London introduces the charming and resourceful Rosalind Thorne, a woman privy to the secrets of high societyincluding who among the ton is capable of murder... The daughter of a baronet and minor heiress, Rosalind Thorne was nearly ruined after her father abandoned the family. To survive in the only world she knew, she began to manage the affairs of some of London societys most influential women, who have come to rely on her wit and discretion. So, when artistocratic wastrel Jasper Aimesworth is found dead in Londons most exclusive ballroom, Almacks, Rosalind must use her skills and connections to uncover the killer from a list of suspects that includes Almacks powerful patronesses and her former suitor Devon Winterbourne, now Lord Casselmaine. Torn between her old love and a growing attraction to a compelling Bow Street runner, Rosalind must not only unravel the mysteries surrounding Jaspers death, but the mysteries of her own heart as well...
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Librarybelle
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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I have yet to read this mystery series but received this first in the series through a Litsy Swap years ago…perfect for the first day of #200PnPCovers #Balls .

Inspired by Austen‘s novels, this first one finds our young heroine Rosalind caught in the middle of a murder investigation. I so look forward to reading this…one of these days…

mabell Perfect! This sounds like fun, too! I don‘t think I‘ve come across this series before! 3y
CrowCAH I love watching cozy mysteries! It‘s not a genre I often read, but they sure are fun! 3y
69 likes1 stack add2 comments
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kspenmoll
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

This free audible historical mystery,described as “inspired by Jane Austen”piqued my interest.Set in 19th c London,the author‘s attention to minute details of costume,manners,social mores is indeed Austen like. Rosalind Thorne,a daughter of a disgraced baronet,now has to survive by servicing society‘s most influential women,managing whatever affairs she is hired for.This time she must find a murderer.There is Intrigue,scandal, & a colorful cast.

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kspenmoll
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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#bookreport
Finished all but After Alice Fell & A Useful Woman. #outstandingoctober #readathon #october16to24

Cinfhen Ohhhh, well done!!! 3y
Andrew65 That‘s brilliant, well done 👏👏👏🙌 3y
Crazeedi Great job Katherine🥂 3y
See All 6 Comments
kspenmoll @Cinfhen @Andrew65 @Crazeedi Thank you all for your encouragement. I am reading & ignoring housework. 3y
Andrew65 @kspenmoll Exactly as it should be 🤣 3y
Crazeedi @kspenmoll what's more important?!😉❤ 3y
56 likes6 comments
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kspenmoll
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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#OutstandingOctober #Readathon

As of this evening, I have finished Kill Our Sins #HiddenNorfolkMurderMystery and Our Lady of Pain #EdwardianMurderMystery, read The Heart Principle #literati #audacious #RoxaneGay for 60 minutes, started listening to A Useful Woman (2 chs) #1 #audio, and began reading Tell No Tales #HiddenNorfolkMurderMysteries.
I can tell I am needing escapism & easy reading.

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 3y
Ruthiella Who doesn‘t need escapism from time to time! 😅 Books have everything. 3y
kspenmoll @Ruthiella So true! Thank you! 3y
47 likes1 stack add3 comments
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CoffeeK8
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

A great regency mystery with a hint of #romantsy. Rosalind Thorne is a spinster who happens to find a dead man in Almacks and agrees to assist his sister in identifying the killer.

kspenmoll Sounds good! Love your picture with the needlework! 4y
CoffeeK8 @kspenmoll thanks! My grandma made this, it felt appropriate 4y
44 likes1 stack add2 comments
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CoffeeK8
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Taking a little break to get some reading in before putting the kids to bed

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hes7
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Mehso-so

Another solid historical mystery.

Book 3 of #24b4Monday ✔️
Time: 12h0m

+10? for a mystery

#TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon

Andrew65 This looks interesting. 😊👍 5y
60 likes1 stack add1 comment
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EmilieGR
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
Pickpick

Finally a fun Victorian mystery series!

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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

Quite good and exactly what I needed to read. Cozy historical Regency Mystery for the win. I defintely enjoyed this and did not see all the red herrings which is a good thing. I enjoyed all the characters, the historical settings, the rich details the author put into making this world real and alive for the reader. #booked2019 #relatedpodcast
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/306-historical-gossip-useful-women-i...

Cinfhen Stunning illustrations and fantastic review❤️ 6y
41 likes2 comments
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Frozen Sunday afternoon. Hockey, 🧶 and reading. ⭐️ in Chicago. This cozy is quite good, it just turned on a dime and opened up a whole new point of view to the narrative without giving the reader whiplash. 😁
#readingandwatchinghockey

writerlibrarian Dallas leads 2-0. Almost at the end of 2, it's 3-2 ⭐️. In the third, Toews ties it. 3 all. 5 on 3 and ⭐️ 🚨 4-3⭐️ (edited) 6y
29 likes1 comment
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Habs and Leafs in TO. 🐧 and Flyers go to war outside. That's a full hockey night. #readingandwatchinghockey

writerlibrarian Montreal is ahead 3-0 in TO. 6y
writerlibrarian 🐧 🚨87. Couturier ties it. 1 all. Both Dumo and Letang are out. Down to 4 D still, Schultzy 🚨 2-1 🐧 there's water on the ice... 🐧 🚨 71 3-1 5 on 3 Flyers 🚨 3-2 with 3m left. They tie. We are going into OT. Flyers win (edited) 6y
37 likes2 comments
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Wild Friday night : listening to the Hawks' games, reading and probably finish this book (it's a really good historical cozy). 😉
#fridaynightbookclub
 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @JoScho
Also new nails

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love the nails ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
JoScho 📚❤️😊 6y
29 likes2 comments
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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A quarter into this cozy and it's picked up the pace of the action. Good so far. 🐧 vs 🦈 tonight. It's hockey is for every one night. #readingandwatchinghockey

writerlibrarian 🦈 took the first bite. 1-0. 🦈 took another bite shorthanded. That hurt. ☹️ 2-0. 🦈 bite off an arm. 3-0 (edited) 6y
CarolynM I'm watching too. I quite like the Sharks, but I don't like what they're doing to the Penguins right now!😟 6y
34 likes2 comments
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Another rare Chicago game. So you get Captain Serious, which I have a soft spot for. The regency cozy is keeping me interested. That's a good thing. It's distracting me from the back pain. #readingandlisteningtohockey

writerlibrarian A little more than 5m in, it's 1-0 Hawks. But Wings tie it. 1 all. Hawks make it 2-1. The Cat added one 3-1. Kaner 🚨 and extends his point streak (edited) 6y
33 likes1 comment
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Hockey day in the USA this afternoon. 🐧 are in their 3rd jersey. Pretty sun outside, a cat stuck to me sitting in my favourite chair #readingandwatchinghockey on this Sunday afternoon.

writerlibrarian 🐧 on PP. Bang bang Letang on a set play from the face-off. 1-0 🐧. NY on PP 🚨. On their 5th PP, the 2nd unit quater back by Schultz finds the net. 2-1. Dumo!!!! 3-1 🐧. NY 🚨 right back. ☹️ 3-2. 3 all on a redirect on a 🐧 D ☹️. Sid in the 📦 for 4m. High stick with blood. Wow. A pissed 87 = 🚨 Tanger 4-3. Well... 71 had to get one too. 5-3 🐧 A 360 spinorama backhand 🚨 from 71. 6-3 🐧. 6-4 with less than 5m. 6-5 in the end 🐧 (edited) 6y
33 likes1 comment
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Diner was eaten. 🏒 night in 🇨🇦 is coming from the 🌵 this evening. Auston Matthews is home in Arizona. Darcie White's cozy so far, I have 5 % done is good. 🍁 playing the Yotes.
#readingandwatchinghockey

writerlibrarian Puck drop almost here. Yotes put 2 in the net and the 🍁 are behind by 2. (edited) 6y
bookish_wookish Wanted to go to a game tonight. My mom made us dinner plans with a friend. Friend cancelled. Too late to get to the game. 😕 #idratherbeatahockeygame (edited) 6y
writerlibrarian @bookish_wookish ☹️ Saturday is the best 🏒 night of the week. 6y
bookish_wookish Agreed! 6y
39 likes4 comments
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writerlibrarian
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Afternoon game in Pittsburgh. Justin Schultz is back. Schultzy! New book. Cozy for the #booked2019 challenge. It's a great day for hockey!
#readingandwatchinghockey

writerlibrarian Justin had his first shift. 🙂. 🔥 open the score after 87 had a really good chance seconds before. 🐧 on PP. 2nd unit 🚨 59 on an amazing tip in from a bullet by Schultzy! 1 all. Half price milkshakes tomorrow in Pittsburgh. 🍁🔥 score 2 fast 🚨 to open the 2nd period. 3-1 🔥. 🐧 on PP. 87 in his office below the goal 3-2. Not a good 2nd 5-2 🔥71 🚨 5-3. On PP 71 again 5-4. Russian 🐻 is mad. 🐧 tried right to the last second. (edited) 6y
Cinfhen My hubby lives/ breathes hockey too! I swear his entire wardrobe comes from Hockey Giant 🙄😂 6y
29 likes2 comments
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Tameeka
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Spent today trying a new pattern and my first audiobook in a long time.

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MilenaM
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

I loved this Historical Mystery with compelling characters and can‘t wait to read more books in the series!

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Librarybelle
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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This is what happens when a Jane Austen reader connects with another one...
@SamLBooks I love everything! I‘ve been eyeing the tagged book for quite some time, so it‘s just perfect. Jane Austen Made Me Do It has been on my radar, and both The Dream Lover and The Bronze Horseman look so good! Plus the card, the chocolate and the bookmark. Thank you so much! Glad to meet another Janeite! #halloweengoespostal #fallbookexchange

Librarybelle And a big thank you to @BookishMarginalia for organizing this exchange! 7y
robinb ❤️ this selection!!! 7y
Librarybelle @robinb ❤️❤️🙂 7y
See All 6 Comments
Bookzombie 💝💝 7y
SamLBooks It was so much fun picking these out! They‘ve been added to my TBR list as well! Glad you haven‘t read them yet! 😊 7y
Librarybelle @SamLBooks That‘s also part of the fun...adding titles to your tbr list! Thanks again! I look forward to reading these! 😁 7y
93 likes6 comments
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mrsmarch
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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I have managed to start and finish two books since Amy passed away. But I find I can‘t read on the couch, where we usually made a cozy nest of blankets. Been reading in bed instead. My #BFFsoulsister designed this “neck party” necklace for me to always remember my best dog Amy (and her knack for jingling) by.

Mommamanzi What a sweet gift. Sending you love. 7y
PurpleyPumpkin 😞💕 7y
DivineDiana How thoughtful! Sending 💗 7y
bookandcat I'm so sorry about the loss of your dear one. It is terribly sad to lose a member of the family, even if others see "only" a pet ? ? 7y
mrsmarch @bookandcat Thanks. It‘s been Quite A Month. 🐾 7y
37 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Mindelan
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Had a day-long migraine yesterday 🙄. At least I made a ton of progress on my current #audioknitting project! I'm enjoying the book so far; it is more serious than I expected, but Rosalind is smart and does not back down.

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Mindelan
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Made lots of progress unpacking this week, got laundry done, and feeling a little less panicked about job hunting (heard one of my references had been called by a job I liked!). Finally have the space to kick back and do some #audioknitting. Going to settle in with a regency cozy mystery & this banner I am making for a friend who is about to move halfway across the country.

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emtobiasz
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

Really enjoyed this #audiobook about a Regency murder and a meddling spinster detective. That makes it sound more cozy than it ended up being, but I'm just glad this one didn't overdo the romance the way so many historical mysteries do. Hoopla has the next book in the series as well, so I'm going to continue right away!

47 likes1 stack add
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emtobiasz
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Having a gin and tonic with cucumbers 🥒 while I listen to this #audiobook and arrange some books and board games on our shelves. Our town had fireworks last night and the pup is still on edge at any little noise, so we're listening to some cozy Regency mysteries about murder at Almack's ballroom... 💃

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YouBookMe
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

The cover is rather silly, but the book is a really fun #Regency #mystery that centers around the most exclusive venue in London society: Almack's. I loved the portrayal of this society from the perspective of Rosalind Thorne, who lives on its fringes because of her family's scandalous past. I also really enjoyed several of the other characters and look forward to reading more about them in future installments of the series!

8 likes3 stack adds
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ScientistSam
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this historical mystery with the teeniest touch of romance. Rosalind is a member of the ton until her father disappears, leaving behind major debts. Now she is on the outskirts of society, helping society matrons with various items. Until one day she goes to meet her godmother, one of the lady patronesses of Almack's, and stumbles across a dead body. An interesting premise and engaging characters. 4/5⭐s

tpixie Fun! 7y
ScientistSam @tpixie yes it was! It rather reminded me of Tasha Alexander's books. 7y
35 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ScarletQuill
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
Pickpick

Oh, but I really liked this one in the end. It's the first in a series so obviously not every question is answered, but the mystery is wrapped up well. I really loved all the characters here and thought the historical aspect was done well, with dialogue and actions that made sense for the period, etc. I don't know if any others are out yet in this series but I look forward to them!

8 likes3 stack adds
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ScarletQuill
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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It has actually started to rain in Southern California, and I have coffee and a book. Hooray.

raelaschoenherr This sounds like my kind of story! 8y
ScarletQuill It was good, I really liked it! 8y
8 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ScarletQuill
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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For me #readathon means doing reading rather than anything else in the pockets of free time I get all day. Like baby bath time.

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ScarletQuill
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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There's my deserted book on the couch. Kids and laundry have a way of getting in the way of reads thin responsibilities. 😫

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ScarletQuill
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Okay so not totally a cozy, I don't think, but still hitting all my loves. Set in Victorian London during the season, I am told there will soon be a murder at Almack's which our intrepid heroine will have to apply her wits to, whilst also contending with her erstwhile fiancé and a charming policeman. #cozymystery #booktober #readinginbed

SaraRosett I agree that it's not a total #cozy but there was enough mystery for me. I enjoyed it. 8y
16 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jbrooxd
A Useful Woman | Darcie Wilde
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Pickpick

Historical fiction is not generally my style but I adored this book. The social rules were easy to follow from what little I've read of books set at this general time. The characters were great and the mystery was well done all the way to the end!