A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina opens with Beatrice Hyde-Clare daydreaming at a weekend party in 1816 England at Lakeview Hall about all the food in front of her at the dinner table that she would like to throw at fellow guest Duke of Kesgrave. His grace has been boring her with his long discourses on arcana such as the names and details of the British ships in the Battle of the Nile, but Bea, being the orphaned niece of a lower member of the gentry, is in no position to say anything, so the spinster of the ripe old age of 26 just daydreams. Later that night, wishing to find something to read to help her go to sleep, Bea creeps downstairs to the library, where she discovers a bloody candlestick and the duke standing over the body of Mr. Otley, a fellow guest. After much discussion to decide that neither committed the murder and that the duke will report it, Bea is horrified to learn the next morning that the death had been reported to be a suicide. As someone who killed himself, Otley would not be allowed to be buried in hallowed ground and his assets would default to the crown. So, determined to prove murder and discover the murderer, Bea sets out to find the truth and finds herself working closely with the duke in secret.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to A Brazen Curiosity. I enjoyed the historical details, especially those illustrating the intricate class system of the gentry. Bea is the lowest ranking person in the house party so shouldn’t even be noticed by a duke. Her behavior of questioning others in the group goes against the social mores.
Bea is a strong woman protagonist, and the relationship between her and the duke reminds me of that between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, but with a little stronger banter between the two. And the duke is more willing to bend convention than Mr. Darcy, such as by searching guest bedrooms and climbing a tree to get into Bea’s room late at night in order to discuss the case. The way that the pair interact is fun to watch, making me hope that we will see romance in the pair’s future.
The audiobook is narrated by Jill Smith, who adds a lot to the experience of listening to this fun book. Smith uses good voices and accents for the characters, and especially is effective at building up the tension between Bea and the duke.
I can definitely recommend listening to A Brazen Curiosity, especially for those who appreciate the Regency period. I highly look forward to listening to the next book in the series. I give this book five stars.
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