Lady Amelia sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we can learn more about what makes her tick. Let’s see what she has to say.
What is your full name?
Lady Amelia Amesbury
How old are you?
25
What is your profession?
I’m a countess, a Lady, so no one can learn of my clandestine occupation. Secretly, I pen the popular Lady Agony advice column in the weekly penny paper. Correspondents write in for help, and I give it to them under a pseudonym. Sometimes, the letters lead to murder.
Do you have a significant other?
No, I’m a widow, but I do enjoy the company of a handsome marquis named Simon Bainbridge. Occasionally, he helps me solve a murder. Always he vexes me.
Do you have any children?
As I stated, I’m a widow, and Winifred is my husband’s niece. I consider her my own dear daughter. She is at the delightful age between child and adolescent, and we enjoy reading, playing music, and eating tartlets together.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, I have three sisters who live in Mells, which is approximately 145 miles from London, and we remain close through letters.
Are your parents nearby?
My parents also live in Mells and do not travel to London often. Their inn, the Feathered Nest, keeps them very busy.
Who is your best friend?
Kitty Hamsted, and she is indeed the best friend I’ve ever had. She befriended me when I moved to Mayfair and made me feel welcome. We’ve enjoyed many escapades together for the sake of a letter.
Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
Sadly, no. If Aunt Tabitha had to deal with cat hair, she might erupt like Mount Vesuvius.
What town do you live in?
London
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I own an extremely large home in Mayfair, London, and it’s been in the Amesbury name for a very long time.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
My home has many beautiful spots, but my favorite is the library. I spend much time there writing to my correspondents. It has two floors of books—my idea of heaven!
What is your favorite meal and dessert?
My favorite meal is breakfast—the most important meal of the day! I love chocolate—any kind—for dessert.
Do you have any hobbies?
I adore long walks. I take one through Hyde Park every morning. I also enjoy games such as croquet. In fact, I have an important match coming up that I am looking forward to.
What music do you listen to?
Winifred’s beautiful piano concerts. She plays for me at least once a day.
What is your favorite color?
I’m not much for fashion, but I do enjoy the color blue.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
I haven’t been outside of England, but to see Italy would be a dream come true.
Are you a morning or night person?
Morning. I cannot sleep past seven o’clock.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
Watching the city come alive each day is my idea of good time. My childhood was spent in a small village, so the packed streets and multitudes of people entice me as nothing else does.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
A Countess With A Clue
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I’m an amateur sleuth, and Simon Bainbridge and Kitty Hamsted are always involved in my investigations. They are the only people who know my true identity at the penny paper.
What is a typical day in your life like?
A typical day begins with a walk in Hyde Park, which isn’t far from my home. Then I enjoy a very large breakfast of eggs, tea, toast, jam, and bacon. Next, it’s off to my home library to answer the letters addressed to Lady Agony, my secret pseudonym. If I’m lucky, they include a crisis that must be solved, and I venture out to solve the problem. When I return home, Winifred will play me a song, and we will have tea and cake (or some other confection. We have terrible sweet tooths!) Next, it’s time to read or write until dinner, which is an extravagant affair that requires a change of dress. Then it’s off to bed with a book, and if I’m not solving a murder, a dreamless sleep.
Murder in Masquerade, A Lady of Letters Mystery Book #2
Genre: Historical Mystery
Release: February 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link
Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.
Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury’s secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia’s Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.
But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there’s much more at stake than saving a young woman’s reputation from ruin. It’s going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!
About the author
Mary Winters is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series, two cozy mystery series, and several short stories. A longtime reader of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip! Find out more about Mary and her writing, reading, and teaching at marywintersauthor.com.