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The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin Audiobook
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In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as “old maids” to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.
To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.
When Lord Evan—a charming escaped convict who has won Gus’s heart—needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evan’s complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy task—the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.
In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan’s past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen’s clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?
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"A Regency romp, like a 21st-century Georgette Heyer, with gay characters, people of colour and a feisty and independent heroine in her 40s. Hurrah! I’m so impressed with the author for being able to modernise themes and details while simultaneously conjuring what we collectively understand as the atmosphere of the era. It’s just wonderful, and has the most original and dashing male romantic lead – who I hope will soon be portrayed on screen because this book deserves to be the new Bridgerton. I predict that Lord Evan will be the new Duke of Hastings, and I’m entertaining myself wondering who should play him."
— The Lady
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Goodman skillfully blends mystery, adventure and a dash of romance.
— The Washington Post -
Ms. Goodman’s ill-mannered ladies are delightful company.
— The Wall Street Journal -
If you love Georgette Heyer, you'll love The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Smart and sassy and featuring heroines of a certain age, this is the Regency I've been waiting for. Adventure! Mystery! A touch of romance! This delightful novel has it all!
— Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of Fatal First Edition -
A refreshing new arrival on the historical mystery scene! A wise, kind, and sharp-tongued sleuth solves crime in a well-portrayed Regency England. A must-read for lovers of the Regency and historical mysteries alike.
— Jennifer Ashley, New York Times bestselling author of Speculations in Sin -
[A] rollicking feminist romp - think Jane Austen meets James Bond - that breaks the shackles of period genre fiction and liberates women from the forces arrayed against them.
— Sydney Morning Herald -
A vibrant tale of two plucky women of a certain age who craved more from life than merely attending tea parties and balls, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is a truly delightful romp through the Regency period. Alison Goodman has crafted a feminist adventure story that will have you cheering on the unconventional Colebrook sisters in all their exploits.
— Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of Her Lost Words -
For fans of historical fiction, romance, and ladies tired of being restricted by society!
— BookRiot -
Fans of Georgette Heyer’s Regency novels will savor this mystery …. Well-developed characters, a touch of romance, and cases involving social issues of the period enhance the experience.
— Library Journal (starred review) -
If you love historical fiction, thrilling adventures, women who don’t follow society’s rules and witty romance, you need to read The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Add it to your TBR ASAP!
— Culturess -
Fresh and fearless, Alison Goodman's exquisitely written, impeccably-researched genre-blending novel shines a light in the darkest corners of Regency England. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies is part heart-racing adventure, part gothic mystery, part tantalizing romance, and wholly wonderful. I can't wait for the next installment!
— Joanna Lowell, author of A Shore Thing -
“Well-plotted with emotionally rich characters. This novel should delight those readers that enjoy Regency mysteries with a bit of romance that have strong female characters.
— Mystery and Suspense Magazine -
The book is well-paced, excellently researched (with several fun historical characters like Fanny Burney), funny, romantic, and action-packed.
— Historical Novel Society -
A rollicking and joyous adventure, with a beautiful love story at its heart, about two rebellious sisters forging their own path in Regency London.
— Smart Bitches, Trashy Books -
Fierce, funny, and often dark, this is an eye-opening portrait of a colorful yet misogynistic period in English history. Readers will be eager to return for the duo’s next adventure.
— Publishers Weekly -
All three adventures are marked by successively mounting complications that fans of either the Regency period or take-no-prisoners feminism will cheer. Think of the Bridgerton novels with the steamy sex replaced by female-forward action sequences.
— Kirkus -
“This feel-good romp comes with a little bit of everything—endearing heroines, adventure, romance, mystery, and the promise of more stories to come.
— 425 Magazine -
With well-written characters, a fun story, and supporting characters, it’s one of the best books of the summer.
— Red Carpet Crash -
A joyous romp through Regency England that is equally entertaining, revealing, feminist, heartbreaking and humorous … [A]n unexpected delight that blends historical romance with adventure, crime-solving and a bold feminist undertone. This book would be loved by anyone looking for a historical adventure that breaks the bounds of convention to feature women 'past their prime' taking matters into their own hands.
— Books+Publishing -
Goodman's ladies are the undercover Regency heroes we've been waiting for! This is sparkling, thrilling, romantic fun.
— Toni Jordan, author of Dinner With the Schnabels -
Witty and poignant, this is a clever twist on historical romance and mystery. The Colebrook twins are the Regency’s answer to Holmes and Watson!
— Belinda Alexandra, author of The French Agent -
"Heroines can appear out of nowhere and soon become indispensable, and such is the case with Lady Augusta Colebrook, who, with her twin sister Lady Julia, is at the heart of this compelling, enthralling, unforgettable novel. You will be very glad you've let Gus into your life then wonder how you ever did without her.
— Sophie Green, author of The Bellbird River Country Choir
The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin Listener Reviews
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Barbara A, 9/22/2025
About Alison Goodman
Alison Goodman is the author of the internationally bestselling and award-winning Eon/Eona duology, as well as the YA science fiction thriller Singing the Dogstar Blues, and an adult novel, A New Kind of Death. She was a DJ O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at Melbourne University, holds a Master of Arts degree, and teaches creative writing at the postgraduate level. She is online at www.alisongoodman.com.au and on Twitter @AlisonGoodman, and keeps a constantly growing Regency treasure trove at www.pinterest.com/alisongoodman.
About Kristin Atherton
Kristin Atherton is a voice talent and audiobook narrator. She is a talented actress who has performed at National Theatre Live and for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has been cast in the role of Jamie Fraser’s sister Jenny Murray in the second half of Outlander Season 7 on STARZ. She was born in 1986 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.