The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin

In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as "old maids" to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age-hardly worth a second glance. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.

When Lord Evan-a charming escaped convict who has won Gus's heart-needs to hide his sister and her lover from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take the two women into their home. They know what it is like to have a powerful and overbearing brother. But Lord Evan's complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. But it is no easy task-the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.                    

In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan's past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen's clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will the dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart? "Goodman skillfully blends mystery, adventure and a dash of romance."

-The Washington Post

"Ms. Goodman's ill-mannered ladies are delightful company."

-The Wall Street Journal

Praise for The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies

"If you love Georgette Heyer, you'll love The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Smart and sassy and featuring heroines of a certain age, this is the Regency I've been waiting for. Adventure! Mystery! A touch of romance! This delightful novel has it all!"

-Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of Fatal First Edition

"A refreshing new arrival on the historical mystery scene! A wise, kind, and sharp-tongued sleuth solves crime in a well-portrayed Regency England. A must-read for lovers of the Regency and historical mysteries alike."

-Jennifer Ashley, New York Times bestselling author of Speculations in Sin

"[A] rollicking feminist romp - think Jane Austen meets James Bond - that breaks the shackles of period genre fiction and liberates women from the forces arrayed against them."

-Sydney Morning Herald

"A vibrant tale of two plucky women of a certain age who craved more from life than merely attending tea parties and balls, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is a truly delightful romp through the Regency period. Alison Goodman has crafted a feminist adventure story that will have you cheering on the unconventional Colebrook sisters in all their exploits."

-Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of Her Lost Words

"For fans of historical fiction, romance, and ladies tired of being restricted by society!"

-BookRiot

"Fans of Georgette Heyer's Regency novels will savor this mystery …. Well-developed characters, a touch of romance, and cases involving social issues of the period enhance the experience."

-Library Journal (starred review)

"If you love historical fiction, thrilling adventures, women who don't follow society's rules and witty romance, you need to read The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Add it to your TBR ASAP!"

-Culturess

"Fresh and fearless, Alison Goodman's exquisitely written, impeccably-researched genre-blending novel shines a light in the darkest corners of Regency England. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is part heart-racing adventure, part gothic mystery, part tan