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Elizabeth Bailey
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The Deathly Portent (Lady Fan Mystery Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Elizabeth Bailey (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 1,903 ratings
Lady Fan returns in a thrilling historical mystery! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.

When a young woman predicts a murder, she finds herself the centre of a witch hunt…

1790, England

When Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe’s coach breaks down they find themselves stranded in the village of Witherley.

But Ottilia, the intrepid ‘Lady Fan’, finds her curiosity piqued when she hears of a local murder.

A young woman predicted the gruesome death of the village blacksmith. And he was killed exactly as described…

Is the young woman predicting the future? Are the villagers right to call her a witch?

Or is there an even more sinister explanation…?

THE DEATHLY PORTENT is the second book in the Lady Fan Mystery series: historical romance murder mysteries with a courageous women sleuth embarking on a traditional British, private investigation in eighteenth-century London.

'there is nothing predictable or forgettable about The Deathly Portent and it’s clever mix of mystery, murder, witch hunts and historical fiction making it a real unique piece of writing' – I Hug My Books Blog

‘I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a well-written novel with careful character development, well built setting, and intriguing, layered plot.’ – One More Page Blog

‘The plot's framework could come straight out of Agatha Christie’ – Publisher’s Weekly

‘Like The Gilded Shroud, a fulsome simulacrum of the Regency era, with just enough upstairs/downstairs brouhaha to entertain fans of Downton Abbey’ – Kirkus Reviews

‘a fun and thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery’ – Mysteries And My Musings

‘Bailey is good with her characters’ interplay: especially noteworthy is the easy and witty banter between the Fanshawes, which is entertaining and adds some humour to the situation’ – Historical Novel Society

‘For those who love a mix of crime thriller and historical fiction, this is a book that is not to be missed!’ – Notes Of Life Blog

‘it reminded me in many ways of a Georgette Heyer … I was kept guessing until the truth was revealed at the end of the book. Ottilia is a strong, intelligent character with a real enthusiasm for detective work’ – She Reads Novels

’The whodunit is clever … an enjoyable nineteenth century mystery’ The Mystery Gazette

‘As a huge fan of mysteries and historical ones in particular, this one fit the bill nicely’ - Over My Dead Body!

‘They have everything you love in romances, plus continuing characters you can really come to love, and murders as well! Her heroine sleuth, Ottilia, is a fantastic character.’ - Historical Romance UK

LADY FAN HISTORICAL MYSTERY SERIES
BOOK ONE: The Gilded Shroud
BOOK TWO: The Deathly Portent
BOOK THREE: The Opium Purge
BOOK FOUR: The Candlelit Coffin
BOOK FIVE: The Mortal Blow
BOOK SIX: The Fateful Marriage
BOOK SEVEN: The Dagger Dance
BOOK EIGHT: The Unwanted Corpse
BOOK NINE: The Vengeance Trail
BOOK TEN: The Hanging Cheat
BOOK ELEVEN: The Killing Cave
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  1. Book 2 of 11
    Lady Fan Mystery
  2. Print length
    381 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    August 23, 2018
  6. File size
    2.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elizabeth Bailey is the author of more than a dozen Regency novels. She lives in England.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DSQKH3N
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 23, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 381 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1912546466
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 2 of 11 ‏ : ‎ Lady Fan Mystery
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 1,903 ratings

About the author

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Elizabeth Bailey

Elizabeth Bailey

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Elizabeth Bailey grew up in Africa with unconventional parents, where she loved reading and drama. On returning to England, she developed her career in acting, theatre directing and finally writing.

Elizabeth's latest venture is The Lady Fan Mystery series, published by Sapere Books. The novels feature amateur sleuth Lady Ottilia Fanshawe and a cast of family members including her husband and champion Lord Francis Fanshawe. She originally published Regency romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon and has many titles in her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures series, now also published by Sapere, as well as standalone Regency and Georgian romances.

Elizabeth also writes edgy women's fiction: Her dual time novel Fly The Wild Echoes, which deals with past lives, and For One More Tomorrow, where the ghost of the real Macbeth returns, protesting his villainous portrayal by Shakespeare. And she has published a romantic suspense novella, Silence of a Stranger.

Elizabeth lives in Sussex, England. She is still an inveterate reader with eclectic tastes and she spends her spare time helping other writers improve their craft.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
1,903 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book cleverly written, with a well-plotted mystery and well-developed characters. Moreover, the book is better than the first installment in the series and keeps readers entertained, with one customer noting it's great at keeping readers guessing. However, the pacing receives mixed reviews, with several customers describing it as rather slow. Additionally, the dialogue quality gets negative feedback, with one customer mentioning there's too much of it.

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ReadabilityPlotCharacter developmentSeries qualityInterestIntelligencePacingDialogue quality
23 customers mention "Readability"21 positive2 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and cleverly written, with one customer noting how well the characters are brought to life.

"These are not quick reads, but they are certainly worth the time it takes to read them...." Read more

"...I found this cozy mystery to be an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me amused and entertained...." Read more

"These books are very entertaining. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who done it ahead of the author's revelations...." Read more

"I liked this book. It was funny in some parts and mysterious in other parts...." Read more

19 customers mention "Plot"19 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, describing it as a well-plotted mystery with an interesting storyline and enough twists to keep them engaged.

"...I found this cozy mystery to be an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me amused and entertained...." Read more

"I love this historical series...." Read more

"...I recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a good mystery with a little bit of laughter." Read more

"Enjoyed this book! Very interesting story line and well developed characters. I plan to continue reading this series...." Read more

10 customers mention "Character development"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book.

"...I do, it will be because Otillia and Francis are intelligent and likable characters...." Read more

"...I love the details of the scenery and the characters expressions...." Read more

"Enjoyed this book! Very interesting story line and well developed characters. I plan to continue reading this series...." Read more

"...writes about, but what made it most enjoyable for me were the well rounded characters and their interactions...." Read more

6 customers mention "Series quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers say this book is better than the first in the series.

"...Still love Lady Fan. Happy with the series so far. On to The Opium Purge." Read more

"...The series continues to get better, and I look forward to the third book...." Read more

"Better than the first in the series..." Read more

"Good second book..." Read more

5 customers mention "Interest"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book infinitely more entertaining.

"...was pleased when the second half picked up the pace and was infinitely more entertaining...." Read more

"...author does an extremely good job of keeping me guessing, which keeps me interested. I do recommend the two books in this series...." Read more

"...books. Her characters Ottilia and Lord Francis are fun and fascinating! You never know what will happen next. Read and enjoy!..." Read more

"interesting until the end..." Read more

4 customers mention "Intelligence"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's intelligence, noting that it keeps readers guessing throughout.

"...And they are both astute in their abilities to see what others don't and protect the innocent, all the while figuring out who the real culprits are." Read more

"...Fan books, but if I do, it will be because Otillia and Francis are intelligent and likable characters...." Read more

"...This author does an extremely good job of keeping me guessing, which keeps me interested. I do recommend the two books in this series...." Read more

"The second book in the series is great at keeping you guessing. Great characters and brought to life very well...." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book rather slow.

"These are not quick reads, but they are certainly worth the time it takes to read them...." Read more

"As with the first book, in the Lady Fan series, the first half drags so much that I considered abandoning it altogether...." Read more

"...I’m trying to get through this second book. It’s very slow, a bit boring, and I hope the next books is better." Read more

"As I started reading this book, I thought it was rather slow, after few pages I could not stop reading. Many thanks. Ranji Rudran" Read more

3 customers mention "Dialogue quality"0 positive3 negative

Customers find the dialogue in the book too wordy.

"...villagers “accents” in written form was so pronounced I had trouble with the dialogue...." Read more

"...I felt that the book was a but wordy, too much dialogue but the plot was interesting." Read more

"Liked the first book better. This one was just to wordy and kept going on and on. It didn’t hold my interest." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • WaWoman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Murder, Intrigue and Romance
    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    These are not quick reads, but they are certainly worth the time it takes to read them. Lord and Lady Fan have an intimate understanding of each other. And they are both astute in their abilities to see what others don't and protect the innocent, all the while figuring out who the real culprits are.
    Helpful
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  • aella17
    4.0 out of 5 stars Serviceable Second Entry
    Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a perfectly serviceable second entry into the Lady Fan mystery series. Stranded in a small village with a broken axel on their coach, Lady Fan must of course get to meddling when she hears that the local blacksmith has just died under mysterious circumstances, much to her husband's chagrin. What's more, there's apparently a witch to blame!

    Not appreciating that the townsfolk are placing the blame on a quiet, troubled young women now known as the "witch," Lady Fan seeks out clues and allies in her search for the real murderer. With more deaths come more clues and even more danger for her as suddenly she finds herself the target of a deadly plot.

    Managing to unravel all the pieces and set a trap for the suspect, Lady Fan comes out on top, and the culprit may not be who you expect!

    I found this cozy mystery to be an enjoyable read with enough twists and turns to keep me amused and entertained. It wasn't predictable, as some are, and it left me wanting to jump right into the next entry into the series.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Skidge76
    3.0 out of 5 stars Great ending
    Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    As with the first book, in the Lady Fan series, the first half drags so much that I considered abandoning it altogether. However, it is not in my nature to quit a book, so I was pleased when the second half picked up the pace and was infinitely more entertaining.
    I found it curious that even the author did not know who the murderer was when she began writing The Deathly Portent. I’m not sure if I will read anymore of the Lady Fan books, but if I do, it will be because Otillia and Francis are intelligent and likable characters. The Opium Purge should also read a little easier without the painful dialect of a small country hamlet.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • OnlyJesusSaves
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lady Fan Mysteries
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I love this historical series. The author is not only accurate in the time period with settings and the details of how the characters lived in the late 1700's. Bailey also is careful to use archaic vocabulary that would be appropriate for people of the time period. This is why I read historical mysteries. I love the details of the scenery and the characters expressions. You can feel like you stepped back into the Georgian time and experience it with the characters. I did figure out the culprit prior to the end, but it was great to see how everything turned out for the characters involved. I plan to read more of this series, and maybe reread some Bronte and Austen classics. The language of this series reminds me so much of those novels.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • S C B
    4.0 out of 5 stars I love the Lady Fan Mystery books!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    These books are very entertaining. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who done it ahead of the author's revelations. This author does an extremely good job of keeping me guessing, which keeps me interested. I do recommend the two books in this series. There is a third in the way. I gave four stars because in this book, the story gets jumbled in some places or it seemed like it to me. The author keeps the story clean with almost no cuss words. I greatly appreciate this. A very enjoyable read!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deathly Portent
    Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I liked this book. It was funny in some parts and mysterious in other parts. At first I could not figure who the murderer was, but after going deeper into the story, I started to realize who the murderer was,just not why.
    I recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a good mystery with a little bit of laughter.
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  • Cindy Kline
    4.0 out of 5 stars loved the first
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A little hard to keep everyone straight. Still love Lady Fan. Happy with the series so far. On to The Opium Purge.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good story line!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Enjoyed this book! Very interesting story line and well developed characters. I plan to continue reading this series. If you like mysteries and trying to figure "who done it" you will like this series!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lesley Cookman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written Georgian mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Elizabeth Bailey has been writing about this period for many years and knows it inside out. The historical detail in this book, the second in the Lady Fan series, is perfect, without showing too much. The language is right, the mystery enjoyably puzzling. I can't wait for the next one.
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  • Wanderlust
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this story
    Reviewed in Canada on November 7, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is the second Lady Fan book I have read, and I enjoyed them both. The stories were entertaining and the characters believable. Each is standalone. I like the interaction between Lady Fan and her husband, and the love, care, and respect they show each other. I will read more of these books!
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  • Cathy W
    5.0 out of 5 stars Crafty and well-crafted!
    Reviewed in Australia on August 26, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Thoroughly enjoyable, well written and full of distinct characters, this is a very good read. As usual with Elizabeth Bailey's books, the details are satisfyingly accurate to the time, place and society and the reader is treated with respect. Clues are there for the observant, and the resolution is satisfying. The acknowledgment that Lady Fan's insights and strong character will inevitably collide with her husband's more conservative mores (& desire to protect her) means the reader gets to see growth in their relationship. Above all, this is not a murder solved by luck and coincidence, but through intelligence and courage.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Anachronisms
    Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I hate anachronisms, I find them distracting from the story. And this was a ripping good story, full of lovely twists and characters. And beautifully written and set in my favorite time period, rather accurately. Murder mysteries are also my favourite, so I thought I 's but the jackpot. Well, not so much. These nineteenth century British upper crust characters use terms right out of the mouths of New York City cops; suspects, perpetrators. chasing down suspects, awesome and my all time most hated word our 21st century media has produced...horrific. Too bad as this will be the last of these books I will read.
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  • Laney Edgell
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in Australia on December 18, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I like the characters very much
    This book was not as good as the first in the series, bit slow
    Still enjoyed it
    Report

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