The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies
A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an ‘old maid’ to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.
Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.
The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.
Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.
Alison Goodman
In the quiet hours of a Melbourne morning, Alison Goodman might be found lost in a world not entirely her own—one where dragons whisper secrets, Regency-era heroines fight demons in ballgowns, and twin sisters solve crimes society wishes they’d ignore. That’s the spell Goodman casts: not just stories, but immersive, finely tuned tapestries where genre is a suggestion, not a limit.
Known for her gift of blending historical detail with the fantastical, Goodman has long walked the line between reality and imagination. Her breakout duology, Eon and Eona, took readers deep into a world inspired by ancient China, threading together gender identity, power struggles, and the high-stakes politics of dragon magic. It wasn’t just the vivid setting that caught fire—it was the voice of a girl forced to disguise herself as a boy to claim power in a world that refused her space. The novels became international favorites, celebrated not only for their rich fantasy world-building but also for their timely, thoughtful exploration of identity and agency.
The Ill-Mannered Ladies
In an age when a lady’s worth is measured by her silence and obedience, two middle‑aged sisters choose to make noise instead. Set against the polished drawing rooms and shadowed backstreets of Regency England, this series follows Lady Augusta “Gus” Colebrook and her twin sister Julia as they transform their invisibility as unmarried women into their greatest weapon. Outwardly, they are genteel spinsters. Privately, they are relentless rescuers, unearthing scandals, freeing the oppressed, and confronting a society that prefers its women powerless.
The Ill-Mannered Ladies consists of two books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
