Dianne Freeman

Though American by birth, Frances Wynn, the now-widowed Countess of Harleigh, has adapted admirably to the quirks and traditions of the British aristocracy. On August twelfth each year, otherwise known as the Glorious Twelfth, most members of the upper class retire to their country estates for grouse-shooting season. Frances has little interest in hunting-for birds or a second husband-and is expecting to spend a quiet few months in London with her...

1899. Risings, George Hazleton's family estate in Hampshire, is a perfect choice for the wedding of Lily, sister of Frances, the widowed Countess of Harleigh. But the bucolic setting harbors a menace. Above and below stairs, mysterious accidents befall guests and staff alike. Before long, Frances suspects these 'accidents' are deliberate, and fears that the intended victim is Lily's fiance, Leo. As Frances and George search for the culprit, more victims...

"With her new husband George busy on a special mission for the British Museum, Frances has taken on an assignment of her own. The dowager Viscountess Wingate needs someone to sponsor her niece, Kate, for presentation to Queen Victoria. Frances--who understands society's quirks and constraints as only an outsider can--is the perfect candidate. Kate is charming and intelligent, though perhaps not quite as sheltered as she might first appear. More worrying...