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Lucinda Brant
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Deadly Engagement: A Georgian Historical Mystery (Alec Halsey Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Lucinda Brant (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 2,040 ratings

Country house murder and mayhem

Spring 1763. Alec Halsey returns to London and the shocking news his estranged brother has not only killed his friend in a duel but is engaged to the woman he hoped to marry. At a weekend house party to celebrate the engagement, house guests get more than they bargained for when a lady’s maid is murdered, the bride-to-be is attacked, and a guest is shot dead. Uncovering a connection between these sinister acts, Alec confronts a cruel twist of fate and why his brother will go to any lengths to ruin him in Polite Society.

Lucinda Brant's mysteries explore the darker side of her richly authentic 18th century world. Along with trademark wit and high drama there are deeper subplots and even quirkier characters that will have you shuddering and laughing in equal measure.


Reviews

I challenge anyone to read DEADLY ENGAGEMENT and not crave more from the handsome Alec Halsey with his high sense of morals, dark good looks, and divine analytical mind. —Francine Zane, Readers’ Favorite 5 STARS

An exciting and gripping tale of passion, murder and mistaken identity. This is one Georgian page-turner I savored until the very end. —Jill MacKenzie, All About Murder


Accolades
  • USA TODAY bestseller
  • Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year Finalist
  • B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree
  • Gold Medal – Mystery-Thrillers: 2023 Global Book Awards


Connecting Books

Enjoy Lucinda’s meticulously researched 18th century world, where characters, places, and events all intertwine.

Alec Halsey Mysteries
Spring 1763 DEADLY ENGAGEMENT (Country house murder and mayhem)
Autumn 1763 DEADLY AFFAIR (A poisoned vicar and the mysterious Miranda)
Winter 1763 DEADLY PERIL (Bloody intrigue abroad)
Summer 1764 DEADLY KIN (Murderous family secrets)
Winter 1764 DEADLY DESIRE (Lies, levées, and lovers) In progress

Salt Hendon Series
1763 SALT BRIDE (Magnus and Jane)
1767 SALT REDUX (Antony and Caroline)
SALT HENDON COLLECTION — boxed set with bonus novella SALT ANGEL

Roxton Family Saga
1740s NOBLE SATYR (Renard and Antonia)
1760s MIDNIGHT MARRIAGE (Julian and Deb)
1770s AUTUMN DUCHESS (Antonia and Jonathon)
1770s DAIR DEVIL (Dair and Rory)
1770s PROUD MARY (Mary and Christopher)
1780s SATYR’S SON (Henri-Antoine and Lisa)
1743–77 ETERNALLY YOURS (Roxton Letters Vol. 1)
1772-87 FOREVER REMAIN (Roxton Letters Vol. 2)

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Alec Halsey Mystery
  2. Print length
    297 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    March 5, 2011
  5. File size
    6.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Alec searches the grounds of St. Neots House
Country house mayhem and murder
Example images from the Deadly Engagement Pinterest board.

The history behind the fiction

Explore the people, places, and objects in Lucinda Brant’s Deadly Engagement Pinterest board. Details inside the book.

Alec Halsey Mysteries

Lucinda Brant's mysteries explore the darker side of her richly authentic 18th century world. Along with her customary wit and high drama there are deeper subplots and even quirkier characters that will have you shuddering and laughing in equal measure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An exciting and gripping tale of passion, murder, and mistaken identity... This is one Georgian page turner I savored until the very end - All About Murder

From the Author

As an incurable bibliophile I'm especially pleased with the quality of the print editions.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004QTOQCY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sprigleaf
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 5, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 297 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0980801330
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Alec Halsey Mystery
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 2,040 ratings

About the author

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Lucinda Brant

Lucinda Brant

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LUCINDA BRANT is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning Georgian historical romances and mysteries. She writes about families, creating worlds that are full of history, heart, and Happily Ever Afters.

Lucinda has university degrees in history, politics, law, and a post graduate degree in education. Now a full-time writer, she has had many careers: university administrator; selling merch at rock concerts; mentor to first year medical students; and history and geography teacher at an exclusive boarding school for young ladies.

Lucinda lives in a villa full of books by the beach, with her scientist hubby, and an Italian Greyhound princess called Mabelle. She has been researching and reading about the 18th Century for over forty years, and still finds the Georgian era just as fascinating now as then.

A proud member of Novelists Inc. (NINC); The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi); the Audio Publishers Association (APA), and the Beau Monde—Regency Fiction Writers (RFW).

Lucinda's many awards include:

10k Random House/Woman’s Day Romantic Fiction Prize

15 x IndieBRAG Medallion

10 x Readers' Favorite medalist

3x finalist for the RONE award. Awarded the RONE Historical Novel of the Year

Chatelaine Romantic Fiction First in Category Award winner

2 x finalist for the Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year (RBY) award

"Quizzing glass and quill, into my sedan chair and away! The 1700s rock!"

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
2,040 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this historical mystery book engaging with plenty of twists and turns, and appreciate the detailed character and location descriptions. The writing style is well-executed, with one customer noting its vivid descriptions, and customers love Lucinda Brant's work. The book receives positive feedback for its authenticity and pacing, with one review highlighting its well-crafted scenes.

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127 customers mention "Intrigue"104 positive23 negative

Customers enjoy the intrigue of the book, praising its many twists and turns and suspenseful plot.

"...I'm "all in." Since these books are basically mysteries with romance included, the books obviously require a strong primary character which..." Read more

"...It has great characters . Some to love and some to dislike. Plenty of plot twists. The story is revealed layer after layer to a final jaw dropper...." Read more

"...and have found this story intriguing...." Read more

"Yes, excellently plotted with red herrings going in every direction...." Read more

68 customers mention "Character development"58 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with detailed descriptions of characters and locations, and find them appealing and down-to-earth.

"...Alec Halsey is an interesting main character...." Read more

"...with romance included, the books obviously require a strong primary character which is personified in Alec - strong, vital, intriguing and somewhat..." Read more

"Very well written! This is a really good book. It has great characters . Some to love and some to dislike. Plenty of plot twists...." Read more

"...She is an excellent writer. The characters are well developed and the plot complex and full of surprises...." Read more

66 customers mention "Enjoyment"66 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a compelling read and part of a great series.

"...A long read and a nice one. And I did not flush out the killer." Read more

"Very well written! This is a really good book. It has great characters . Some to love and some to dislike. Plenty of plot twists...." Read more

"...Its wonderful! Alec is the diplomat who when he goes to propose finds the woman has accepted his brothers proposal first...." Read more

"...of romance and you have all the ingredients required for a great, compelling read in which the good are great and the bad chillingly scary...." Read more

49 customers mention "Writing style"36 positive13 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, finding it wonderfully crafted with vivid descriptions, and one customer notes the author's attention to detail.

"...A handsome tall guy with exotic looks who is the brother of a duke but lacks the powdered dandy look of those days...." Read more

"...In my opinion, Ms. Brant has much depth to her writing style, yet I can see how her style would not be to some readers' tastes...." Read more

"...An extremely badly written line also leaves in question the decency of the author, 'beating his brother as if he were an animal in need of taming......" Read more

"Very well written! This is a really good book. It has great characters . Some to love and some to dislike. Plenty of plot twists...." Read more

7 customers mention "Appeal"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book appealing, with some specifically mentioning their love for Lucinda Brant, and one customer noting there are never any jarring notes throughout the story.

"...is the man to solve them all even as he goes about being kind and considerate and using good judgment in his dealings with all manner of people...." Read more

"...The MMC is endearing. The crimes are solved by the book’s end, but there’s no HEA yet." Read more

"...The dress of the time is described with accuracy and flair. The cast of characters is superb...." Read more

"Alec Halsey makes a great hero. And his lady love, Selina is an appealing,strong heroine. The mystery kept me guessing until the last...." Read more

5 customers mention "Authenticity"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the authenticity of the book, with one noting how carefully the identities are sculpted to create an independent effect.

"...I enjoyed the story line and characters and authenticity." Read more

"...Characters, for the most part, have identities carefully sculpted to create an independent effect; however, in some cases their foibles are..." Read more

"...I LOVE when that happens too. The characters are well written, believable and easy to fall in love with...." Read more

"...I felt it was quite authentic in the scenes and Alex had integrity and general morallity especially compared to the other noblility...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one describing it as well-crafted and another noting its headstrong nature.

"...require a strong primary character which is personified in Alec - strong, vital, intriguing and somewhat mysterious, with massive sexual appeal -..." Read more

"...first in a series offers lots of promise for interesting reading with strong, lovable characters...." Read more

"...Her characters are well developed, and her women, for the most part, headstrong and independent...." Read more

"...I felt it was quite authentic in the scenes and Alex had integrity and general morallity especially compared to the other noblility...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Tulip
    5.0 out of 5 stars A good mystery in a detailled setting
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Normally the Regency era or the Victorian times are popular settings for historical mysteries but this series is set in the 1760-ties. Men and women wear wigs and pastels, lace and embroidery are popular. The hero of the novels is different. He wears his own hair without powdering it and dresses mostly in black velvet.

    Alec Halsey is a career diplomat who is just returning from a posting in Paris. There is a bit of a cloud around his parentage as although a son of a duke he was not raised by his parents but by an uncle. The murder in the country house is a well known detective story setting. Here is is the 1700dreds and Alec has just returned from a posting in Paris to find his brother who hates him engaged to the woman he wanted to propose too.
    During the engagement festivities many secrets of the guests come to light and the dead guests start dropping down.
    Alec Halsey is an interesting main character. A handsome tall guy with exotic looks who is the brother of a duke but lacks the powdered dandy look of those days.
    Many minor characters like a hanging judge and his nympho wife, the sour sister, the closeted gay etc etc.
    A long read and a nice one. And I did not flush out the killer.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Judge Tabor
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Writing, Alec Halsey is an Awesome Character
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I was first introduced to Lucinda Brant a few years ago when I decided to read Noble Satyr: A Georgian Historical Romance (Roxton Family Saga Book 1). Although I had mixed feelings on "Noble Satyr" the first time I read it, I was vastly intrigued and went on to read all the books in the series. However, although I've considered reading Alec Halsey's "Deadly....." Series, reviews were mixed so I held off.

    After having read the first two books in this series and currently reading the third book, I must say I'm "all in." Since these books are basically mysteries with romance included, the books obviously require a strong primary character which is personified in Alec - strong, vital, intriguing and somewhat mysterious, with massive sexual appeal - all qualities which serve to draw the reader into the storyline. I can only liken him to a couple of other strong male figures from two other favorite mystery/romance series that I have greatly enjoyed, those being "Sebastian St. Cyr" from the St. Cyr series by C.S. Harris and "Brisbane" from the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn.

    The biggest difference between Lucinda Brant's Alec Halsey and the other two series I've mentioned have to do with her vastly different style of writing which will either suck you in or turn you off. The first word that comes to my mind is the word "dizziness." Yes, the book's storyline has several characters whose lives are not only very complexly intertwined, but the reader is tasked with taking it all in even as the story moves forward at a fast pace, often taking what seems to be a lengthy time before flashing back in order to reveal answers to the many questions in the reader's mind. In my opinion, Ms. Brant has much depth to her writing style, yet I can see how her style would not be to some readers' tastes.

    In this book, the foundation for Alec Halsey's story is set up with some background related to his former love, Selina, who has come back into his life just at the time he had thought he would marry the sweet, young Emily. But, no, we learn at the very beginning of the book, Emily is planning to marry another. Because Alec has spent some time traveling to other countries as a diplomat on behalf of England's government, he is not only well traveled, he has a kind of "bad boy" rakeful reputation. In addition, his antecedents are a huge puzzle. Exactly who is his real father? The fact that Alec is the older brother and yet was never given the place that belonged to the firstborn son is a puzzle. We know his mother was married to his "legal" father when he was born and yet Alec was not raised in his mother's home. His younger brother has inherited the earldom and he is a nasty piece of work. In fact, there's a lot of nastiness in this book toward Alec from a few family members. This is a little hard to take at times. And, yet, Alec has people who truly love him such as his Uncle Plantagenet who raised him, plus Alec has a great friend in his godmother, the powerful duchess - Olivia.

    There are twists and mysteries within mysteries. Alec is the man to solve them all even as he goes about being kind and considerate and using good judgment in his dealings with all manner of people. He's a true diplomat with a conscience that stands him in good stead regardless of the rumors that seem to continually surround his life. After reading this book, I read Book #2 which I found to be even more interesting and now I'm on Book #3 which according to reviewers is the best of the three, so I'm really glad I decided to read the series.
    28 people found this helpful
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  • D. Fiscus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyed!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Very well written! This is a really good book. It has great characters . Some to love and some to dislike. Plenty of plot twists. The story is revealed layer after layer to a final jaw dropper. Do yourself a favor and read this book!
    One person found this helpful
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  • HAL
    3.0 out of 5 stars Action packed
    Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is like reading a historical "Payton Place" or soap opera. Morals are loose and yet appearances are everything. The story is long but does move along well. I would not recommend this for teens with the advisement that attempted brutal rape, multiple murders with a graphic description at the end and the aforementioned extramarital affairs remove this from any inspirational or sweet read. For readers where these issues aren't problematic this might be a good book.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Positively wonderful story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I'm not familiar with this time period ( am more a Austen Regency-Georgian period person) and have found this story intriguing. It has more adultery than we see on television soap operas and most of these characters have absolutely no morals at all. Its wonderful! Alec is the diplomat who when he goes to propose finds the woman has accepted his brothers proposal first. There is an underlying issue with his paternity - did his mother actually cheat? Who is his father? The question is asked constantly bc he was hidden away as an infant with family and his younger brother was raised as the heir to the noble house. So who is the REAL Earl?? The brother is absolutely disgusting - affairs, probably murdered at least one person, blackmail... Another underlying plot is homosexuality. It was a criminal act in those times and men were sentenced to be hung. The fact that with these characters discussing it during those house parties is astonishing. Male prostitutes and brothals...oh my goodness! I absolutely loved this story and Alex Halsey is a good budding detective in a time when they only had the few Runners in London to investigate crimes.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Judi Easley for a thoughtful reveal
    5.0 out of 5 stars An excellently plotted mystery.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Yes, excellently plotted with red herrings going in every direction. Ms. Brant had so many people cluttering up the landscape that it's no surprise the murderer got away with it for so long. There were political rivals. Romantic rivals. And rivals for a title. There were, of course, the hangers on watching and commenting on it all as well. Oh my, yes. Everyone had an opinion. And so many people were in on so many of the social secrets that it was hard to say what some of them were actually guilty of. Did they actually do something or just know something? What was fact, and what was gossip? How many innocent people will be accused, attacked, or murdered before Alec works out the truth? Recommended.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Darklldo
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new author and that's winter solved.
    Reviewed in Australia on July 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Linda Brant is a lovely new discovery for me and her books are charming and get me involved away from the real world that sometimes gets so tiresome.
    What I am delighted to discover is she has written many more books and so that is me taken care of this winter down in Tasmania.
    I think Alec is charming, his family amusing and endearing, the plots complex and the true to life Georgian times seem faultless.
    More please.
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  • Sylvia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable read I highly recommend
    Reviewed in Canada on July 2, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book is very well written. The characters are interesting and keep the story exciting from beginning to end.
    The historical aspect is well done. The disparity between first and second sons, the servants and the lower classes is evident in the conversations between the characters. The justice system was appalling in those days. I really enjoyed the character Tam. He added depth to the story from the beginning and although a servant plays a fairly big part.
    I am ready for book 2 now.
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  • UST
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bis zur letzten Seite spannend
    Reviewed in Germany on March 26, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Empfehlenswert für Liebhaber historischer Krimis. Hat mir sehr gefallen. Lucinda Brant hat sich da wieder selbst übertroffen, das gilt auch für den Folgeroman.
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  • BR41
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerising
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am an obsessive reader of Georgians and Regencies, having started like so many of us with Georgette Heyer. These complicated novels here part of one of her three series (Roxton, Salt Bride, Alec Halsey) by Lucinda Brant are in that world but also a world away; the characters complex in so many levels the protocols of society so well described the ploys and plots labyrinthine and the whole enthalling. Alec Halsey is a fascinating flawed aristocrat, and this series simply terrific. The plot is unpredictable, and the author never formulaic. My discovery of the 2010s. and although very different, in terms of the lapidary and exquisite prose, as strong as the best of Eloisa James, and even stronger in the depiction of flawed, fascinating heroes.
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  • reader
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting story
    Reviewed in Australia on June 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A lot can happen in a weekend. The storyline was very interesting, but is amazing what can happen in one weekend. The story does not say what happens to Tam, though maybe that might be in the next book?
    Report

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