A young woman is invited to a mysterious relative’s estate and winds up entangled in a murder investigation in this witty historical mystery that pits the gothic eeriness of Crimson Peak against the comic absurdities of Knives Out.
Miss Marigold Manners may be steeped in the etiquette of her old-money Boston family, but she is also an accomplished, modern woman and an avid student of archaeology who can handle any situation with poise. When the death of her parents leaves her too destitute to pursue her academic career and she receives a letter from a distant relative on Great Misery Island, Marigold decides she must do what any person of superior sense and greater-than-average curiosity would: she mounts her trusty bicycle and heads up the craggy, fog-shrouded coast of New England for a date with fate.
Marigold arrives at Hatchet Farm, a moldering, gothic pile of a house inhabited by relatives so mired in the sins of the past, they have no future. She sets out to modernize the recluses with a brisk, ruthless efficiency, but her well-intentioned plans to manage their lives lead to malice—and murder. Marigold spies a body floating in the stormy waters surrounding the island, and her suspicions immediately turn to her hostile, weapon-wielding relatives when one of the local girls turns up missing. And she might not be the only one.
When another dead body is found in the garden of the estate, Marigold finds herself accused. She must enlist the help of an eccentric, colorful cast of friends and found family to save herself—and everything she holds dear. As secrets are uncovered and lies exposed, the question of “who done it?” turns into “who didn’t do it?” and Marigold must face a truth that shatters her steely poise and shakes her very sense of self.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Miss Marigold Manners may be steeped in the etiquette of her old-money Boston family, but she is also an accomplished, modern woman and an avid student of archaeology who can handle any situation with poise. When the death of her parents leaves her too destitute to pursue her academic career and she receives a letter from a distant relative on Great Misery Island, Marigold decides she must do what any person of superior sense and greater-than-average curiosity would: she mounts her trusty bicycle and heads up the craggy, fog-shrouded coast of New England for a date with fate.
Marigold arrives at Hatchet Farm, a moldering, gothic pile of a house inhabited by relatives so mired in the sins of the past, they have no future. She sets out to modernize the recluses with a brisk, ruthless efficiency, but her well-intentioned plans to manage their lives lead to malice—and murder. Marigold spies a body floating in the stormy waters surrounding the island, and her suspicions immediately turn to her hostile, weapon-wielding relatives when one of the local girls turns up missing. And she might not be the only one.
When another dead body is found in the garden of the estate, Marigold finds herself accused. She must enlist the help of an eccentric, colorful cast of friends and found family to save herself—and everything she holds dear. As secrets are uncovered and lies exposed, the question of “who done it?” turns into “who didn’t do it?” and Marigold must face a truth that shatters her steely poise and shakes her very sense of self.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Praise for this book
"Misery Hates Company is a rollicking ride that's part mystery, part comedy of manners, and thoroughly delightful! Full of rich prose and vivid descriptions, it's such fun to follow the charming and determined Marigold Manners on her adventures." - Kate Belli
"A perfect New England storm of family secrets, societal expectations, and murder. If Edith Wharton and Agatha Christie decided to team up, we'd get the headstrong and capable Miss Marigold Manners." - Emily Edwards
"With Marigold's magnificently acerbic voice giving life to the mystery, Elizabeth Hobbs transports readers into a tale at once bleakly gothic and dazzling with the gritty decadence of the Gilded Age." - Kate Khavari
"Miss Marigold Manners is a joy, an inspiration, and a dashing example of a New Woman, out to conquer the world and its limitations. She attacks injustice with positivity and grace, and I cannot wait to see where she goes next!" - Deb Marlowe
"In Misery Hates Company, Elizabeth Hobbs introduces Marigold Manners, an unlikely detective who navigates the historical catacombs with intelligence, determination, and grit. Smart, gutsy, and flawed, Marigold uncovers bodies, gothic humor, and a rich historical atmosphere, making this a must-read. Set against the backdrop of dark family secrets on Great Misery Island off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts, the novel delivers suspense, giggle-worthy moments, and a well-plotted, unique story." - Vanessa Riley
"I want Marigold Manners in my life! I need her wit and warmth, her pragmatic problem-solving skills, and her devoted and compassionate friendship. I loved meeting her in Elizabeth Hobbs's atmospheric, spine-tingling gothic mystery Misery Hates Company where danger - and opportunity - lie at every twist and turn." - Sherry Thomas
"A perfect New England storm of family secrets, societal expectations, and murder. If Edith Wharton and Agatha Christie decided to team up, we'd get the headstrong and capable Miss Marigold Manners." - Emily Edwards
"With Marigold's magnificently acerbic voice giving life to the mystery, Elizabeth Hobbs transports readers into a tale at once bleakly gothic and dazzling with the gritty decadence of the Gilded Age." - Kate Khavari
"Miss Marigold Manners is a joy, an inspiration, and a dashing example of a New Woman, out to conquer the world and its limitations. She attacks injustice with positivity and grace, and I cannot wait to see where she goes next!" - Deb Marlowe
"In Misery Hates Company, Elizabeth Hobbs introduces Marigold Manners, an unlikely detective who navigates the historical catacombs with intelligence, determination, and grit. Smart, gutsy, and flawed, Marigold uncovers bodies, gothic humor, and a rich historical atmosphere, making this a must-read. Set against the backdrop of dark family secrets on Great Misery Island off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts, the novel delivers suspense, giggle-worthy moments, and a well-plotted, unique story." - Vanessa Riley
"I want Marigold Manners in my life! I need her wit and warmth, her pragmatic problem-solving skills, and her devoted and compassionate friendship. I loved meeting her in Elizabeth Hobbs's atmospheric, spine-tingling gothic mystery Misery Hates Company where danger - and opportunity - lie at every twist and turn." - Sherry Thomas
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