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

by Elizabeth Bailey (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,814 ratings
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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
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  1. Book 2 of 10
    Lady Fan Mystery
  2. Print length
    381 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    August 23, 2018
  6. File size
    2372 KB
  7. Page Flip
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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 (August 23, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 23, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2372 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 381 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,814 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
4.2 out of 5
1,814 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

OnlyJesusSaves
5.0 out of 5 stars Lady Fan Mysteries
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2022
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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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aella17
4.0 out of 5 stars Serviceable Second Entry
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2020
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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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Kelly Bennett
3.0 out of 5 stars interesting until the end
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022
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Ok, first of all putting Lady and Lord Fam into the investigation was contrived and awkward.
Second the villagers “accents” in written form was so pronounced I had trouble with the dialogue. I’ve read 100s of Victorian, Regency and Georgian novels and this was about the worst. I swear Pillars of the Earth was easier to understand.
Third the villain being a butch lesbian who killed one person and another to cover it up to frame a third person over the death of a DOG!?!?
Come on! As a gay woman myself with several dogs that is a complete stretch. Obviously I’m aware 18th century gentry were not “woke” but come on now…this is complete queer coding.
I did give three stars because the action sequences were quite good and the overall plot was interesting.
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MNTV
5.0 out of 5 stars A Village/A Storm/A Murder/A Murder..
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2023
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Fan & Tillie are literally stuck in the mud
When their coach breaks down While on the way to their home. The closest village has some very strange & unique residents, and when they arrive they find a set of very strange circumstances.
Which of course leads to investigation…
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Claudia
4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2022
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Now that Ottilia and Francis are married one would assume their lives would settle into normalcy. However that would be a waste of Ottilia’s intellect. And so the couple are involved with another murder and it takes Ottilia to discover who the murderer is.
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J.Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery and Intrigue
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2022
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I enjoy the mystery, humor and the characters in Elizabeth Bailey's
books. Her characters Ottilia and Lord Francis are fun and fascinating! You never know what will happen next. Read and
enjoy! I will recommend this book to family and friends.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A Tangled Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
With the Fanshawes awaiting carriage repair in a tiny out-of-the-way village, Lady Fan gets embroiled in a murder investigation. Surprise! This time the supposed murderer is a witch. Or at least she is accused of being a witch. Lady Fanshawe thinks otherwise but she must save the girl's life before embarking on solving the problem. With the aid of her husband and a very few sensible villagers, she solves the mystery and hooks up a couple of worthy but hesitant lovers.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good story line!
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2022
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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

Wanderlust
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this story
Reviewed in Canada on November 7, 2018
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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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Jay
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2019
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The second in this series, and just as good as the first, although totally different. I must say I guessed who the murderer was about three quarters of the way though the story, but that didn’t spoil it. Can’t wait to read the next one.
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Cathy W
5.0 out of 5 stars Crafty and well-crafted!
Reviewed in Australia on August 26, 2018
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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.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Anachronisms
Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2021
Verified 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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PAB
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable historical mystery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2018
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This is the second of Tillie's adventures as a sleuth. Travelling with her husband, Lord Francis, Tillie stumbles across another murder mystery, one that she cannot resist trying to solve. The plotting was good, if a little complicated; the story for me fell down with regard to the romance element. Now that Tillie and Francis are married, there is none of the 'will they won't they?' anticipation that added so much to the first book in this series. Having said that, I found this an enjoyable read.
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