Great set of stories.

I was gifted book 3 in this series and decided to buy the first two so I could listen to them in order. I'm so glad I did! A really fun set of several novellas in each book following lesbian Stetson Goody, the crime-busting main character, who, whilst appearing to the public as the female assistant who takes bookings and runs the detective agency for the secretly non-existent Mr Xavier Wellington, shielding him from the public and his customers, IS actually the mysterious detective herself, and solves many crimes not only in the undercover role of the male detective but as other male characters too. Throw in a bit of Victorian lesbian romance and you've got a very enjoyable set of books.

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More please

This book was a little reminiscent of The Betty Church Mystery books and The Gower Street Detectives due to the unusual characters and types of crimes. I really enjoy these cosy crimes and hope that Audible will bring us Volume 2 soon.

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1 person found this helpful

Brilliant

Well this story is on the lines of a Sherlock Holmes’s book but with a big difference very well written and narrated

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Very Clever! Lovely Performance by Jennifer Lewis

Very, very clever!

Fans of Sherlock Holmes are sure to enjoy Edale Lane's Wellington Mysteries series. Daring Duplicity includes the first five novellas centered around Stetson Goody, a Victorian Era private investagor.

The intriguing aspects about Stetson? She's a woman, excelling at a trade which takes cunning, smarts, and courage - during a time when most women are living under the thumbs of the men in their lives. AND she's queer to boot!

I love a powerful heroine, and Ms. Goody is easy to admire. She does what she must to succeed in her career, and with a combination of brains and brawn, outsmarts the baddies at every turn.

Edale Lane writes a mighty fine mystery and paints a colorful picture of life in Victorian England. Plus, I enjoyed the way her love life evolves over the course of the five novellas. Brava!

The entire audiobook is beautifully narrated by Jennifer Lewis. It's clear how much fun Ms. Lewis is having portraying Stetson Goody, and her lively performance is most enjoyable.

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2 people found this helpful

A great entry point for queer romance enthusiasts

This is a collection of short mysteries with a lesbian feminist twist, which may be just the ticket for fans of queer fiction seeking to try the mystery genre. What sets the lead apart is her refreshing compassion and insight into the emotions of her clients, something that plays well in tandem with the cases presented to her. I can't help but feel this would make a particularly delightful TV series, and Stetson's collection of disguises and gadgets were a very fun addition. A special mention must be made regarding the excellent narration, which brought to life the variety of characters throughout the story, and was a pleasure to listen to from start to finish!

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1 person found this helpful

Endearingly fun and sweet

I received a code to listen to this for free in return for an honest review, and I am so glad I did.
This is an easy and engaging listen. A number of shorter stories with the enigmatic lesbian detective in Victorian London.
The narration is so spot on, she really draws you in and the different voices and accents for characters flow perfectly, unlike some audios I have listened to that pull you right out of the story.
I found myself smiling, giggling and outright laughing at various points. And as a woman who also loves women, the appreciative comments throughout were brilliant and not at all gratuitous.
Initially intended to listen to an hour or so but I was so enjoying the stories I listened to it all.
I will listen again when I'm after something light and feelgood. Yes there are murders, but somehow it's still feel good.
Looking forward to the next in the series. As long as it's the same narrator.

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Move over Sherlock Holmes, Stetson is here!

What a fantastic storyline! Delivered in bite sized crimes as the main story flows beautifully. A thrilling listen that had a wonderful victorian charm that just flowed effortlessly and was a joy to listen to. Fantastic narration that brought all the characters alive. A lady detective who is amazing and thrilling and just pure fun. ❤️

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Great narration, boring story

Overall, there was too much tell and almost no show (the characters' long, blatantly explanatory thoughts really got on my nerves). The mysteries were excessively simple and there were no actual obstacles, no tension, no difficulty - solutions and clues just dropped into Stetson's lap.

A big old "meh" from me. I think Edale Lane's writing style isn't for me. I'd definitely listen to the narrator again though.

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