This book was absolutely ridiculous and I loved every minute. If you like @brightybuoy on Instagram/Tiktok's videos poking fun at Bridgerton and also Clue, you will love this.

Beatrice is the eldest Steele daughter and has convinced her marriage-obsessed mother that she's spending all her time alone in her room pining for her true love. Actually, she's reading true crime stories in the London newspaper. Unseemly. Louisa, the middle child, is the gem of the family and will surely make a smart match. Mary, the youngest, everyone forgets about. Maybe because she keeps lurking behind curtains and grumbling about cats.

But if none of the three Steele girls marry, Mr. Grub, the Steeles' weird-smelling cousin, is set to inherit their family estate. So when Mr. Croaksworth, a wealthy, eligible bachelor, is set to attend the upcoming ball, the girls know they must charm him.

The presence of a disgraced detective Beatrice has read about in the newspaper distracts her, but Louisa seems to be making progress with Mr. Croaksworth. When, alas, marriage prospects are strained when he drops dead in the middle of a dance. Beatrice teams up with the detective, Inspector Drake, to ensure he's maintaining proper etiquette during the ensuing murder investigation, and all hell breaks loose.

I highlighted so much of this book and was cackling out loud to myself reading it through the night. The wit and humor was exactly my speed, and I really enjoyed Beatrice, Drake, Ms. Bolton, and Mr. Steele's characters, especially. The twists in this were (intentionally) absurd, but the details and callbacks that tied together the various plotlines were incredible. This book may be a satire above all else, but the plot was meticulously constructed in addition to being hilarious.

I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.