Tilly WallaceRezensionen

audio / cozy mystery (7 hours, 20 min, #5 in series; best to read in order to follow developing story arcs) featuring supernatural creatures (and a partly-zombified heroine) in an alternate historical English regency-era setting.

Hannah and her new husband Wycliff are still uncertain of each other's feelings, but make a good team when investigating the mysterious disappearances of women near his crumbling estate in a country coastal town. Not a very tricky mystery as mysteries go, but a fun adventure filled with friendly monsters make for an entertaining story.

All in all an entertaining read.
One thing rubbed me the wrong way though.
The book goes pretty much all in on regency England.
It has a quirky writing style and word choice, all of which emphasize the time period and its stuck-up and conceited nobility.
And all this is great and I found it very enjoyable, but it clashes badly with how little subtlety the story has in communicating concepts like female empowerment and inner beauty and all that crap. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the general ideas but it's done in such a prescriptive and preachy way.

The writing seems inspired by Jane Austin's writing but without any of the subtlety and dry wit which makes her writing so ingenious.
Where Jane Austin is a delicate touch of a feather, this book is a brick to the face.

I don't want to end on a negative note but I don't have more to say.
I don't regret having read it. It was much better than I expected.

What an interesting story world!

While Lord Wycliff investigates a monster terrorising the residents in Chelsea, Hannah Miles tries to discover the owner of a mischievous hand with a mind of its own.

Following on from the events in Manners and Monsters, readers encounter the same mix of horror and humour in a novel of manners, with the rather independent hand providing some light relief among the killings and experimentation on the dead. However, the pace was more uneven than in its predecessor, and I got the distinct impression that the thread involving the hand was acting as a filler, because not much else was happening. However, there is an unexpected plot twist fairly early on in the novel that will have repercussions for the rest of the series, I imagine, and it will be interesting to see how this will be resolved.½

As a result of French enemy action, a curse has been unleashed on the women of Britain's upper class, which has turned them into zombies, referred to as 'the Afflicted'. To keep their monstrous appetite for human brains in check, they are now consuming them pickled and sold legitimately. However, someone is being greedy and murdering servants in order to devour their brains. The unpopular Lord Wycliffe from the Ministry of Unnaturals has been tasked to investigate the matter, with Hannah Miles, the daughter of a former military surgeon and a mage, both searching for a cure for the Afflicted, acting as a chaperone so the Viscount doesn't upset the ladies too much. Can they discover who is behind the killings before more servants lose their lives and any secondary Afflicted are created?

Manners and Monsters is a fun paranormal fantasy set during the Regency in London and surrounds. The mixture of a novel of manners with an undercurrent of zombie horror works well, with tongue firmly in cheek. I normally shy away from anything to do with zombies, but the author has managed to portray the afflicted women as tragic figures deserving of sympathy, which was rather unexpected. Since Hannah stands outside of polite society because of her family background, she is freer than most young women of her age to indulge in "unladylike" pursuits, such as helping to find the perpetrator of two horrendous and brutal killings, and thus makes a relatable central character to take the reader through events.

I've already started the second volume in the series, Galvanism and Ghouls.

When a part of a monster with pieces from two different bodies has been found stitched together, Viscount Wycliff is called to investigate the oddity. All of London knows there is only one scientist capable of creating such a monster and it's not long before accusations are thrown at Hannah's father, Sir Hugh Miles. Now Hannah must join with Wycliff in his investigation if she's to clear her father's name.

Galvanism and Ghouls is the second installment in the Manner and Monsters series by Tilly Wallace. The story is another fun mystery for Hannah and Wycliff to solve. It's a nice nod by Wallace to both Frankenstein and The Adams Family. There is a surprising twist in the second half that I did not see coming and has left me intrigued about what this all means for Hannah. Also, it seems that the Miles house is going to end up a museum of oddities if Hannah keeps bringing home all the poor lost, ah, experiments she finds during investigations. I'm looking forward to where the series goes next.½

I picked up Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace while looking for something to fill the "fantasy of manners" void I've been feeling since finishing up the Gail Carriger series.

A curse has been placed on British upper-class women by diabolical French scientists. Hannah Miles spends most of her days helping her parents research the terrible affliction. When a gruesome murder is committed during her best friend's engagement party, Hannah realizes she must help with the investigation as it appears one of the afflicted may be suspect. If only the horrible Viscount Wycliff wasn't also assigned to the case!

Overall Manners and Monsters is a nice, light paranormal mystery with a hint of potential romance. I'm glad the author didn't go the obvious route with zombies as it seems so hard to do something new with these monsters. While not as quirky or clever as the Gail Carriger books, the story is enjoyable and Hannah is a competent heroine. I also liked that the romance is going to be a slow build. I'll likely give the second book a try.

The Wycliffs are back at it - trying to discover who has been killing young men in a way that looks very much like a vampire attack - minus all the blood. There is a curious explanation to this mystery and the budding romance between the Wycliffs continues.

Hannah finds herself a new wife to Wycliff, attempting to come to some equilibrium in their new relationship. And then there is the mystery of the men being turned to stone - who is doing it and how?? The Wycliffs face prejudice but that only brings them closer together as they ferret out the killer.

Hannah finds herself back in company with Wycliffe as she seeks to clear her father's name. There are disembodied hands and Frankenstein like creatures and hidden secrets about Hannah's family. There's a lot of fun surrounding the basic mystery.

Hannah is the daughter of a scientist father and a mage mother - except her mother is also one of the undead (read: zombie). Of course zombies are subject to the strict code of manners in Regency England with amusing results. There is an obnoxious Viscount Wycliff who Hannah is enlisted to help with his investigation into a murder. Pretty fun.

Regency mystery with monsters

enjoyable and inventive murder mystery with a backdrop of regency romance (smart spinster recently married to brooding mysterious man who is also a Hell Hound)

Manners and Monsters Collection, #1-3
(Manners and Monsters #1-3)
by Tilly Wallace
This series is just perfect for me! It has a world of creatures such as lupins, zombies, goblins, trolls, and more. It's back in the mid 1700's I believe and women are not given many rights. ( That part I am not thrilled with but it works with the theme and plot.)
Someone poisoned and did some magic to the face powder and made some women, a few men, die but they came back as zombies. It was discovered before too long and the powder destroyed. The face powder was high quality and expensive so it effected the richer women.
Our gal of the story has a father is a notable doctor and trying to find a cure. Her mother was a powerful mage in the wars and was afflicted with this powder.
Our gals best friend is getting married and having a engagement party. At the party, a servant is found dead. Bashed in the head and his brains gone. Is it one of the undead or someone trying to make it look like it?
A handsome but sour investigator from the dept that handles cases of the unnatural is there and takes over the case. He does not like the undead at all! She is drafted to help him.
The books continue with more mysteries, and our gals home gets quite the collection of oddities. The poor maid's nerves are shot! Lol!
It's an unusual fantasy with a dose of alternative history, humor, touch of clean romance, strange and wonderful magic. I was never bored. I bought the chirp edition for practically nothing and the narration was excellent!
Will certainly watch for more sales!

e-audio, adult historical fiction with romance and monsters.
Hannah helps solve another mysterious murder while at a "house party" with her new husband (with whom she is still not yet very well acquainted, but growing closer to).

Loving this series, and how it touches on all the issues affecting women in the Jane Austen time period, and the developing romance between Hannah and her Mr.

Austen-esque characters living among zombies, and vice versa. A fun diversion.½