Thursday 18 May 2023

A Novel Disguise (A Lady Librarian Mystery Book 1) by Samantha Larsen


When Miss Tiffany Woodall assumes the identity of her half-brother after his death, she realizes she isn’t the only one with a secret to hide in this historical series debut, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Sherry Thomas.


1784 London. Miss Tiffany Woodall didn’t murder her half-brother, but she did bury him in the back garden so that she could keep her cottage. Now, the confirmed spinster has to pretend to be Uriah and fulfill his duties as the Duke of Beaufort’s librarian while searching Astwell Palace for Uriah’s missing diamond pin, the only thing of value they own. Her ruse is almost up when she is discovered by Mr. Samir Lathrop, the local bookseller, who tries to save her from drowning while she's actually just washing up in a lake after burying her brother.

Her plan is going by the book, until the rector proposes marriage and she starts to develop feelings for Mr. Lathrop. But when her childhood friend, Tess, comes to visit, Tiffany quickly realizes her secret isn’t the only one hidden within these walls. The body of a servant is found, along with a collection of stolen items, and someone else grows mysteriously ill. Can Tiffany solve these mysteries without her own disguise being discovered? If not, she’ll lose her cottage and possibly her life.  (Summary via Goodreads)


WOW !!!!  A Novel Disguise, the first book in the new series A Lady Librarian Mystery series by Samantha Larsen is a CRAZY fun read !!!

In A Novel Disguise main character Tiffany Woodall finds herself in a very bad place.  She keeps house for her half-brother Uriah.  The half-siblings are the only family each of them has left unfortunately there is no love there between them.  Uriah looks down at Tiffany but allows her to stay with him in the cottage he has because of his job as librarian for the Duke of Beaufort in his personal library.  Tiffany keeps house for Uriah but she could never live on her own as women during that time had very little rights.

After Tiffany finds Uriah in bed dead after being violently ill, she comes up with a plan so that she can keep the cottage.....but if discovered she could lose everything.  Tiffany is able to dress up in her half-brother's clothes and goes to the Duke's estate and resumes Uriah's duties as librarian.  Luckily no one realizes it is Tiffany and not Uriah....but she is always on her toes and afraid of being discovered.

Tiffany really enjoys the library and loves sitting in the quiet room getting lost in the books and the stories.  Unfortunately when the lady's maid for the Duchess is found dead in her quarters in the same manner as Uriah and it is concluded that she was poisoned, Tiffany wonders if Uriah had been poisoned also and it wasn't just his usual stomach issues ?

Tiffany finds things getting more and more difficult as she tries to be both herself and her brother as well as try to look into the two deaths.  Tiffany comes up with a plan to be able to make things easier for herself but she will have to give up herself completely in order to stay in the cottage and job that she loves......

Readers will love A Novel Disguise !! You immediately fall in love with Tiffany and everything that she does to keep her cottage.  Everything in this debut book will make you a fan and have you looking forward to Tiffany's next adventure.


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