Title:	A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder
	Author:	Dianne Freeman
	Published:	July 27, 2021, Kensington
	No. of Pages:	304
	Cover Price:	$26.00 Hardcover, $12.99 Kindle

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Dianne Freeman’s Countess of Harleigh Mystery series is delightful, and the fourth installment, A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder , is fun to read, as well as a bit suspenseful and lighthearted. It is set in the Victorian (or thereabouts) era of England, and includes all of the customs of ladies and gentlemen of the time period. Anyone who is familiar with Jane Austen and her writing peers will find the characters true-to-form, even though the novel is sort of making fun of the mores of the time. Frances Wynn, widow to the late Earl of Harleigh, and the protagonist of the series, has been socializing with members of the Russian royal family. One woman, Irena, claims that she is married to Frances’ fiancé, George Hazelton. George denies this, but there is scandal in the neighborhood. Irena also claims that someone is trying to kill her, and that part proves true when Frances finds her dead on her estate.

The mood of the novel is upbeat, and even though it is a cozy, there is a bit of suspense and definitely surprises as the story reaches the dénouement. The characters are well-developed and the story-line is easy to follow and readers will want to keep reading this fun novel to the end. It seems Freeman has done her research and has put her fictional characters in a historical setting that fits with the times.

Readers who like cozies will want to read the entire series. They are fun to read, fast moving, humorous and well-written.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.