The Counterfeit Heiress: A Lady Emily Mystery (Lady Emily Mysteries) Hardcover – October 14, 2014

I have read all of the Lady Emily books and enjoyed them, but not this one. This is the least engaging in the Lady Emily series. The Counterfeit Heiress has been in my Kindle library since July 2015, over two years. I don't know if it was the alternating Lady Emily/Estella narratives or something else, but I found it unappealing. I would attempt to continue reading it occasionally, and each time I picked it up I never got past the first few chapters. Last week I decided to give it one more try. This time I got approximately one third into the book (page 119) and again it was tedious, frustrating and annoying. I skimmed through to the end, which is something I almost never do. Ultimately, this story was preposterous and a real disappointment. Sadly, I may not purchase future books in the series.

A masquerade ball, an impostor, a murder, a hunt, and a story from the past gives Emily and her associates a new case to solve. It was an interesting situation in which the murder was the less important of mysteries to solve.This is the ninth installment in the series. I suppose it could be read out of order in a pinch, but the regular characters and their situations make better sense read in series order.The story opens with Emily and Colin attending a masquerade ball for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. An impostor is unmasked as not the eccentric lady explorer, Estella Lamar. Later the impostor is killed. Colin is given the authority to investigate the murder and Emily helps, but all the while Emily and her friend Cecilie worry about the real Estella Lamar. Nobody has seen her in years as she travels the world. The murder has to tie-in somehow so the Hargreaves, Cecilie and Emily's friend Jeremy all work together to follow the trail of hearsay, old clues, and a mysterious red-haired man to get to the bottom of things.The book engaged me and I enjoyed it, but I will admit that the tension and suspense were toned down. It was like a previous book in that there were two stories going on every other chapter. There was the murder mystery in Emily's day and a past story thread with Estella Lamar. Both were equally engaging and left me wondering how the past shaped the present.As I said, the murder was actually not the dominant focus. That's actually not too tough to solve. It's the situation with the real Estella that is the true conundrum. Is she alive? Is she dead? Is she alive, but living in captivity? It was hard to say and I enjoyed the twisty path that led to the truth.In the end, it was a pleasure as always to immerse myself in a Lady Emily mystery. I didn't feel the tighter suspense of the earlier stories, but it was still a good mystery nonetheless. Historical mystery fans who enjoy authenticity in their backgrounds and settings and well drawn characters should give these a try.

I love Lady Emily. Alexander always provides "you are there" details and the characters grow and evolve with each story. There was some noticeable shift between Colin and Emily in this story, as noted in other reviews. It was good to see their lives continue to change. I have to agree with another reviewer though...I was depressed at the end. Although I figured out what was going on, the ending was even more sad than I had imagined. Many of us deal with mental illness in our families but I read to escape those situations. I purchased based on wanting an intense mystery and instead got a good dose of what I try to escape. I applaud Alexander for going outside the box. I'm sorry this wasn't a box I wanted to step outside of with her.

New readers: Do yourself a favor - go to the first book in the series. This one is nothing but a trip through Paris combined with recurrent references to Colin's good looks, sexual abilities and reputation as a super sleuth. The real focus is on Emily who began the series as an interesting woman only to evolve into an uppercase I: I am the one with ideas, I am so beautiful, I am the real super sleuth, the one who rescues Colin, I am some sort of wonder woman showing men who is really in charge, I solve what little mystery there is. Has the author decided or been urged by the publisher to ignore her audience of devoted readers to chase a demographic who seek only a quick read that requires no thinking, no plot, no character development and has no interest in historical accuracy?

I've read all of Ms. Alexander's book to date and have loved them all. This one is no exception! I am really good at figuring out the end by the middle of a book or at best towards the end when I have my A HA moment. I did not get that moment until Lady Emily and Colin opened that crypt. Then I just had to stop and go over all the clues those I could not understand which were the chapters example Chapter 3 and iii - I seriously thought - well you that read the book understand what I mean and for those of you who have not - There is no spoiler alert here - you just have to get the book.In every one of Ms. Alexander's books she always takes on on a Magical Mystery Tour to times long gone and does it so well that you feel like you are there along with her characters. Now I await your next book - I know it's out on Kindle - but I will wait patiently for the Hardcover.

I was disappointed in this Lady Emily Mystery, I didn't feel like there was much mystery at all. The murder became secondary to the plot very quickly and with every other chapter either from the point of view of the heiress it became very obvious what had happened to her. It had been a while since I had read one of these so I recently went back and started to reread them. The ones early in there series are very good, I just think Alexander has missed the mark in the Counterfeit Heiress and also The Adventuress. Hopefully the next one will be up to the same standard as her earlier books.

I have enjoyed other books by this author but this one was an awful disappointment! I suppose it was meant to shock but instead it went on and on and on until you were tired of reading about bones and graveyards! Half way through you had a good idea how it would end and then ' abruptly' it concluded!I was cross with myself for having wasted the time reading such a dreary book!

liked this series

Great book

Tasha Alexander delivers once again. Very enjoyable read and one that I will re-read numerous times.

as always the Lady Emily mysteries are very well written, and this one has a very unexpected ending, thoroughly enjoyed it

All these books in the series I have enjoyed pity there are no more

Tasha Alexander books always deliver, always look forward to Lady Emily's next adventure.

Lovely series - highly recommended.

This is the 9th book in Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily Mystery series.As I have enjoyed each of her books, I found this one the most disturbing and found it at times difficult to continue, hence the rating. The character of and the scenario that Estella Lamar was in was well written but it left me taking deep breaths at times. These scenes were the most gripping and disturbing. I found myself rushing through this book just to finish it but I know I wont be going back to re-read it.The references to Charles Dickens in this were well done but unfortunately, I have never been a fan of his so they were somewhat lost on me. The only ones I have ever liked were 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'A Christmas Carol'.

I like this series, but this entry was lightweight, and very predictable.

Love this series

Love the Lady Emily Series every one of them is great