Title:	A Useful Woman
	Author:	Darcie Wilde
	Published:	2016, Berkeley
	No. of Pages:	368
	Cover Price: Kindle	$15.00 Paperback, $9.99

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Love historical thrillers? The Rosalind Thorne Mystery series is set in Regency England when the manners and social status of the rich were set in stone. A Useful Woman is a perfect introduction to the series featuring Rosalind, whose father, a Baronet, disappears due to debt, and she is left disgraced, losing her high social status. A determined woman, she survives by handling the affairs of those in high social places. While waiting for her godmother at the famed and exclusive Almack’s social club, Rosalind discovers the body of Jasper Aimesworth, whose family is high society. Rosalind must investigate the murder while following the strict rules of English decorum, and at the same time interact with Devon Winterbottom (her love interest before her social fall) and a policeman who is below even her social status.

The setting and story is reminiscent of Anne Perry’s excellent Pitt series (Rosalind is a bit like Charlotte Pitt), and Wilde’s writing style is excellent; she seems to capture the writing style of the time period, which is a bit wordy, but makes the novel ring true.

While not a fast read (novels from that time period aren’t), it is a good read. Wilde has a way of capturing the charm of England, exposing the shallowness of the social mores of the day, and telling an excellent story. This novel is suspenseful and fascinating. Highly recommended for historical novel junkies.

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

This book may be purchased at Amazon:
A Useful Woman (Rosalind Thorne Mystery, A), Paperback
A Useful Woman (Rosalind Thorne Mystery, A), Kindle